The Spadetti Clan

Just some pictures!

2008-10-16T20:45:00.001-07:00

Here is Robert playing baseball! Summer was full of baseball baseball and more baseball! Brian was his coach and he did a great job!

Shane played Blast ball. He loved it and asked me 50 times a day if he had practice or a game that day!

This was Roberts 1st day of Kindergarten! I can't believe he is in elementary school now. He actually turns 6 next month. Crazy!

Cecelia decided to play with the Desitin and put it all over her face. It is really hard to get that stuff out of eyelashes if you were wondering!!

The Outer Banks

2008-06-23T05:08:00.001-07:00

We went to the Outer Banks for Memorial Day weekend. The weather was awesome and most of the family went. Travis/Shawnie and kids, Michelle/Brian and kids, Mom, Kara, and Mandy. Here is Cecelia helping Shane build a ditch.

Robert is using his huge muscles to pull the surfboard! It looks like he may take after Daddy and be a surfer.

Brian taught my cousins kids how to surf while we were there. He is such a patient teacher. He know coaches Robert's T Ball team and teaches tennis twice a week. He is such a hard worker.

I just love Shane's smile. We had a pool and hot tub at the house we rented and I don't think Shane got in the pool once. He was quite content to stay in the hot tub.

I mean how cool is Robert?! Walking on the beach talking to cousin Hannah Rose! He is such a stud!

Cecelia attacks Robert on a daily basis. She had him by the nose here!

Shane decided he had enough beach fun and decided to take a siesta on daddy!

It was still early in the season for the water to be warm. It took the kids by surprise how chilly it was. This is two of the kids cousins...... Luke and Mason.

Here are all the rascals...... Luke, Robert, Drake, Shane, and Mason. Having all these boys cousins is great. But..... it can get loud with all the boys in the same house!

We had such a great time that we have decided to make this a yearly tradition! It wasn't too hot and we had a great breeze. The kids had a blast and it gave the adults a chance to hang at night when the crazy kids crashed after playing all day! I can't wait till next year!

A Day at the Park

2008-06-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

The new park opened up at Robert and Shane's preschool. I have to say it is awesome! They have this huge slide that the kids love!! You go really fast!

Cecelia even loves to go down it herself! All we got was her head and it looks like she really doesn't like it but she LOVES it!

Baby even had to have a turn!

This is Cecelia's "boyfriend" Travis. She is always trying to hug him. She even got a kiss in! So cute! It is so hot this weekend that I don't think we will go to the park much but I am sure we will be at this park a lot this summer so look for updates of our summer fun!

My birthday and the Zoo

2008-06-04T06:00:00.001-07:00

All I wanted to do on my birthday was have a fun day with the kids and Brian. Since Brian took the day off he said I could do anything I wanted ....... so I surprised him by saying I wanted to go to the zoo. He was expecting me to say I was running away for the day with no kids and to just be by myself. The day could not have been more perfect! The kids had a blast, my mom went with us, and then that night my sister Kara took all 3 kids!

Our trek down to the zoo started with a metro ride! The boys were so excited and Cecelia had no clue what was going on.

The boys with a huge hippo. As you can see, Shane was not so sure about it. He makes the funniest faces.

No matter how many times I see a hippo it amazes me how big they are!

I always tell Robert that his memory is ridiculous...... he remembers everything! I was telling him that elephants have good memories. He was sure that it could not be as good as his. The boys were more fascinated with the big piles of poop!

This is Robert next to a HUGE gorilla. The funniest thing happened...... another monkey came flying in to get this monkey and it jumped up and slammed on the glass with it fists right at Robert. He FLEW back like 50 feet and almost peed his pants. It was hilarious!

This enormous orangutan Lucy loved to watch me put my lip gloss on for some reason. I would put it away and then slowly take it out and she would come running. You can't tell that well, but she would put her head right on the glass just inches from mine and watch me put it on. It was so amazing to be so close, literally, face to face, with this animal.

Cecelia playing on this brass frog. So cute!

Granny and Cece playing!

The boys playing in the playground that is supposed to simulate what it would be like to be a badger or a mole that digs.

The kids relaxing watching the seals. Aren't they the cutest three kids?! We really had a wonderful day! I think I may make this a birthday tradition of mine! If you ever get the chance to visit DC then you have to go to the National Zoo. Nothing beats making memories with the kids!

Mothers Day

2008-06-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

So, the morning after my surprise party was Mothers Day so we had a full day of family activities. Church at 9am, brunch with Brian's mom, then grill out and cake with my mom and family. Here are some pictures of kids having some fun cousin bonding!

Drake, Robert and Shane chillin.

Poor Cecelia... alllll those boys! She is ever so patient.

Cecelia loves her cousin Drake!

Why do all boys do air guitar!? I swear they are born with this tendency!

Rock on with your bad self!

Cece trying to keep up with the boys. Notice the baby doll in her hand! Such a girl among all those crazy boys. She has no hope!

Cecelia is very patiently waiting for Cammie to start shoveling the ice cream cake into her mouth! Notice the baby doll again! She always has her baby doll!

Cece insisted on having a lemon so Kara (yaya) let her have it! She quickly changed her mind! So dang cute!

Oh I love my family! I truly am so blessed to have them so close. Now all we need to do is get Dustin and his family back here so we can be all together again! They are such a joy in my life and I could not survive a single day with out talking to my sisters or my mom! Family rocks!!!

Lunch and Surprise Party!!!

2008-06-04T05:08:00.000-07:00

So, once a month my mom, my sisters, and I get together for lunch (which we call Granny's Goombata). This was my birthday month so Kara let me choose the restaurant even though it was her month to choose where to go. We went to Coastal Flats in Tysons. So yummy! Then my sisters took me shopping and bought me an outfit for my birthday. We always have so much fun and I am not sure what I would do if I didn't have my sisters and my mom!

Later that night..... Mandy and Brian surprised me with a party at Clarendon Grill for my 30th birthday! It was so much fun and most of my closest friends were there! We danced all night! My perfect way to ring in the 30's!!

Mandy.

Cammie.

Cammie and Brian. I love how close my sisters are with Brian.

Katie, Cammie, me, Mandy.

Brian being a goof ball wearing Cammie's sun glasses. Oh Brian Brian Brian!!

Brother Travis, sister in law Shawnie, mom, and Cammie.

Cammie's hot new red shoes!

All in all it was an awesome night! It was the perfect way to bring in the 30's! Thank you to all those who helped make it a memorable night!

Hard Day

2008-05-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

Well, today marks 2 whole years of life with out Bob! I can't believe it has been 2 years! I will never forget the phone call that informed me that he was gone. I felt a combination of shock, disbelief, and could actually feel my heart break. I miss him terribly every day and my heart still aches to feel his hugs! I had the wonderful gift of having Bob as my step father for almost 19 years. From the day my mom started dating Bob after my daddy's death I immediately had a bond that was unbreakable and so significant in my life. He was a father, confidant and best friend. He was an amazing grandfather and we even named Robert after him. He was my rock and there are many times I still long to be able to call him and ask for advice. I will always miss our morning talks. I feel so lucky to have the knowledge that I will be able to see Bob again. I have faith that my Heavenly Father and my daddy will take care of Bob to ensure that he will be part of our eternity. There are many times a day when the kids do something and I can still hear Bob's sarcastic or funny remark in my head. I know with all my heart that my daddy and Bob are looking down on my family and protecting it (and many times laughing at us, they both had the best sense of humor) and will continue to look after us. I feel so privelaged to have had a father as wonderful as Bob and will miss him every day until we are reunited.

Wilsons Animal Wild Zoo

2008-04-29T16:53:00.001-07:00

So the kids preschool class went to this Wild Animal Zoo in Winchester. It was actually really cool. The first thing we got was a big bag of food that we can feed most of the animals. Shane was a little scared at first but got over it pretty quickly. Robert had NO fear! The goats were first and Cecelia was not getting anywhere near them!

The first picture is of Robert, Shane, and Robert's best friend Wyatt. His mom is one of my closest friends and they are like brothers...... fighting and all. They have a lot of fun together!
Here are the three stooges from their class in preschool. Brendan, Wyatt, and Robbie. They cause most of the trouble but Miss Michelle says that they make her laugh so hard. We have many play dates!

OK-- have you ever heard the noise an EMU makes?!?!!? It was the weirdest sound and completely caught Shanan and me by surprise. It sounded like a tug boat horn and was really loud. Weird! Shane absolutely fell in love with the Lions. He was amazed by their size. I think he truly would have gotten in their with them if they had let them!

So I had the most amazing experience at the zoo! I actually got to play with this baby bear!! The zoo keeper let me jump the fence and play with him. He had only been in his new enclosure for 3 nights! He had some really really long nails and sharp teeth. He also made the CUTEST noises!!! I could have taken him home and kept him forever.....that is...if he stayed that size! It really was so amazing to play with this creature that in just a couple months could rip me apart in two seconds!

So my day ended by Cecelia and me feeding the llamas. She was actually warming up to the animals and was trying to feed the Llama. That was until he sneezed ALL OVER US!!! If you look closely you can see the tiny bits of chewed up food. It was so nasty!! Let me just say that we could not get to the bathroom fast enough to wash our faces! The saddest part of the day was when the BEST thing from the whole day happened and we didn't get a picture. The boys thought they were so cool by chasing these huge geese that were walking around the zoo. They were chasing them down the hill.......and I swear these geese have some secret language and all decided at the same time.....and the geese turned on them! These boys were in a panic to get up the hill. One almost got Shane and he dove into this bush. I thought they were all going to return with wet pants! I thought I was going to laugh to death! All in all it was a really fun day and the kids had a blast and that was the most important thing!

50 Odd Things

2008-04-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

50 ODD Things about me! I got this from a friend in an email....copy it to your blog and add your answers!

1) Do you like blue cheese?
No way—but it was my granddad’s favorite.
2) Have you ever smoked heroin?
Are you kidding me? No!
3) Do you own guns?
No but Brian wants to get one eventually.
4) What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic?
Never been to a sonic
5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
I have been to so many Drs that they get nervous before I come in! HAHA
6) What do you think of hot dogs?
I will only eat one at a cook out.
7) Favorite Christmas song?
Oh geez—way to many but maybe Silent Night?
8) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Now that I have given up Diet Coke, water I guess
9) Can you do push ups?
yeah but not many, it takes a lot of work to lift this heavy body!
10) Can you do a chin up?
Not if my life depended on it!
11) What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
My wedding ring!
12) Favorite hobby?
Dancing
13) Ever been in a car wreck?
Yep, 2 and one was pretty bad. Neither of them my fault!
14) Do you have A.D.D.
Not that I know of. Maybe you should ask my friends.
15) What's one trait that you hate about yourself?
I don’t have very much patience.
16) Middle name?
Jeanette
17) Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
I can’t wait for nap time.
I need to fold laundry on my bed.
I am so sick of hearing Star Wars! Robert is watching it for the second time because he has strep throat!
18) Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
Medicine for Shane (oh, did I mention, Shane has strep throat too?), popsicles, strawberries
19) Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
Apple Juice, water, that is all I drink now that I have given up Diet Coke (did I mention that already? J )
20) Current worry?
Am I going to get strep throat too?
21) Current hate right now?
LAUNDRY!!! That is not really current, that is an every day thing.
22) Current love right now?
I guess I should say my husband but that is a given…… I am really into the Lime Tostitos
23) How did you bring in the New Year?
Brian fell asleep so I watch the ball drop by myself….. how pitiful!
24) Where would you like to go?
On vacation with just my husband….. no kids….just the two of us!
25) Name three people who will complete this?
Mom (if she can figure it out), Hannah Rose, Shanan
26) Do you own slippers?
I have 4 pairs of slippers! My mood dictates which ones I wear! HAHA
27) What shirt are you wearing?
Jeans, yellow stripped shirt my sister Mandy gave me, and slippers
28) Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
yeah
29) Can you whistle?
yes
30) Favorite color?
I really have two many, not one specific favorite. But I like yellow, blue, and pink
31) Would you be a pirate?
Sure it would be fun to drink all day and get treasure! HAHA No, they stink too much and I couldn’t stand all that hard labor!
32) What songs do you sing in the shower?
It is more like yelling “GET OUT! MOMMY IS TAKING A SHOWER!”
33) Favorite girl's name?
Cecelia
32) Favorite Boys name?
Robert and Shane
35) What's in your pocket?
A quarter
36) Last thing that made you laugh?
Robert telling me that he would live on grilled cheese if I got sick because that is all Daddy knows how to make! 37) Best bed sheets as a child?
I can’t remember, Mandy might but I don’t remember what sheets we had on our beds.
38) Worst injury you've ever had?
oh geez, giving birth! Gross, I know , but true!
39) Do you love where you live? I love my friends here but I would like to be back in No Va
40) How many TVs do you have in your house?
3
41) Who is your loudest friend?
Shanan but Monica’s laugh makes me happy
42) How many dogs do you have?
1 black cocker spaniel names Dixie
43) Does someone have a crush on you?
My husband better…..even after 11 years of being together. I will have to ask him tonight!
45) What is your favorite book?
I just read the Other Boleyn Sister but I love to read so I have a lot
46) What is your favorite candy?
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers
47) Favorite Sports Team?
REDSKINS FOR LIFE!!!!
48) What song do you want played at your funeral?
Celebration! HAHA No I think maybe A Poor Way Faring Man of Grief because it is my favorite song and it is how I try to live my life, by doing things for others to make their life easier. Ok—stop laughing….I said I TRY!! 49) What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Sleeping!
50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
I heard Cece yelling for me and I looked at the clock and thought “Are you kidding me? It is only 4am!!!”

Oh Robbie Robbie Robbie!

2008-04-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

Robert is so beyond his 5 short years!! It never ceases to amaze me what comes out of his mouth! He has had some real gems the past few days. On Monday night we were having Family Home Evening on nature (we went on a nature walk) and we were reading Genesis 1. I was explaining to the boys how the Lord made everything we see on the earth. Robert very seriously looks at Shane and says "Kind of like when we planted our corn and flowers in those pots. The Lord just used the earth as his pot"! I mean, come on......he's 5.....how wise and what a great way to explain it to his brother.

Yesterday I would have lost it on my children if Robert did not give me some comic relief. I kept him home from school because he was not feeling well but I needed to go to the grocery store because I was having the Elders over for dinner. Shane started throwing a fit because he wanted the red gatorade and there was only one left and Robert had already picked that one. Robert did the big brother thing and gave it to Shane (I think just to shut him up). As we walked away to another isle Robert takes my hand and says "Mom, what are we supposed to do about Shane? I think he may need a time out." Ok, Robbie is the king of temper tantrums!! We have finally had a break through with them because he had to sign a contract saying that if he lost his temper, threw a tantrum, or anything of the sort he would be in his room THE REST OF THE DAY!! No matter if it was 8am or 8pm. It took 3 days of him in his room and I must say it has made a difference. When we returned from the store I asked the boys to clean up the living room and put their toys away so I could vacuum. Shane was not helping and Robert was getting frustrated. I hear him saying to Shane "We are a family, we help each other. I am the only brother you have, you need to help me." I guess I say that too much. I remind the boys many times as they are wrestling or fighting that they are the only brothers they have and they need to be nice. I also say "When you guys get hurt don't come crying to me!!" Such a loving mom. The last one was last night as I was sitting on the couch after the missionaries left. Robert could tell I was tired and he crawls up on the couch and takes my hand and kisses me on the cheek and says very lovingly "Mom, you have had a hard day. You should go to bed." SO WISE!!!
Robbie really can think like an adult. I am interested to see how this serves him in school and in his social life. I will keep you posted! :)

SO FRUSTRATED!!!

2008-04-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

OK-- so my camera is not working and I have missed the best pictures the past few days! Hopefully we will get our new one delivered today or tomorrow! I found a great deal on this awesome camera on Amazon. I will try to describe to you the pictures that are lost forever, except in my mind.......

1. The other morning I am doing dishes and I hear Robert come in and go "OH CECE". I walked over to the pantry not knowing what I would see. There is little Cecelia, hair all disheveled from waking up and looking at me. She had taken out an ENTIRE bag of Fruity Pebbles and poured them out on top of her. Her legs are completely covered in a mountain of brightly colored flakes! She literally looked up at me and gave me the cheesiest smile I have ever seen almost saying to me "Look at how pretty my legs look covered in all these colors". She had shoveled some in her mouth so her face had little red, yellow, green, and purple specs. So dang cute!! Robert was standing there not knowing how I was going to react and he was almost hiding behind the door. I started to laugh and he was visibly relieved.

2. Aunt Yaya called and Cece was having her daily discussion with her and she went and sat in her little padded rocking chair and leaned on one hand, crossed her feet, started twisting her ankle and talked. It was like a warning on what is to come as she gets older. She already LOVES to talk on the phone.

3. Robert and Shane were playing outside yesterday and Robert was trying to "teach" Shane how to ride a skate board. He was standing behind Shane holding him by his waist to balance him. It was very cute and it was a proud moment for me that my boys were relying on each other instead of wrestling.

I can't wait to get my new camera so I don't have to miss these golden picture opportunities! I didn't realize how dependent on my camera I was on a daily basis.

night at YaYa's

2008-04-09T07:31:00.001-07:00

On Saturday night Brian and I went to the DC United Season Opener at RFK Stadium. Robert, Shane, and Cecelia were going to spend the night at Kara's. We had to drop the dog off at my moms so she could babysit her for the night. She lives with my brother and sister in law so the kids got to play with their cousins. Robert decided when it was time to go that he wanted to spend the night with his cousin Drake. So Mason spoke up and said he wanted to take Roberts place and stay at Kara's. We essentially swapped kids for the night. So Kara had Shane, Mason and Cecelia. Shane was asked if he wanted to stay at Trav and Shawnie's as well but he explained that he would decline because this was supposed to be "my time with yaya". So wise. This was Mason's first sleep over and he did great! We were all so proud of him.

Yaya ran them around her front yard for about 45 minutes! They played football and ran wind sprints! Great way to get the kids worn out! They were dead asleep by 8:30.

Miss Cecelia Jane being the spectator! I am sure she will be a great cheer leader. Doesn't she look so excited?

After a full evening of running Kara gave them a healthy dinner of lunchables!

Which Cece eats the cookies first!

After that filling and scrumptious dinner she gave the boys a shower. I guess Cecelia decided to get in with her clothes on.

All in all.... I think they had a great night at Yaya's. I must say Brian and I had a great night out as well (no kids!!!)! I will try to get those pictures up this weekend!

Cecelia-- sweet sweet sweet!

2008-03-31T12:13:00.000-07:00

I mean, look at this face!!!!!!!

My sister Kara (yaya) was babysitting for Brian and me and cece fell asleep in her high chair like this! Kara thought she was just playing hide and seek and then she never poked her head back out!

I never really had to "baby proof" for either of the boys but with Cecelia, SHE GETS INTO EVERYTHING!!! I don't know how many times I put away the tupperware a day!

She is quite the little helper! If we are about to leave she has to put away whatever she is playing with. She may get everything out but she does try to put things away! She is getting a little too heavy to stand on the door anymore but she tries and when I pull her off, she crumbles to the floor in a heap and cries!

She may be mommies little girl but she LOVES LOVES LOVES HER YAYA. I think it may rival Roberts relationship with yaya. She will bring me the phone multiple times a day saying "yaya" so I will call her. She may look sweet in these pictures but she is perfecting the art of little girl tantrums! She has no problem saying "No" to me. It is hard not to laugh sometimes because this little tiny thing waving her finger at me saying "no" with her perfect heart shapes lips. I am trying to wean her off the "binky". I am bound and determined to get her off by the time she is 2!!! Robert was off his by 15 months and Shane never took one. I bought Cecelia her first My Little Pony for Easter. She is very maternal and carries around her babydolls everywhere!!! Sometimes 2 at a time. I can't wait to see her grow. I loooooove to dress her in little girl clothes. She also loves loves her daddy. Brian says the best thing in the day is when he pulls up and he hears her scream dada from inside. She is becoming more fun every day.

Shane-- a joy

2008-03-31T12:04:00.001-07:00

Shane is the kidder of the family. His laugh is infectious! Sometimes getting him to calm down and focus on what he is doing can be hard. This is when yaya was sleeping over and they wanted to sleep on the air mattress with her so I made them both sleep with pull ups on in case they had an accident (which Shane never does). We had just bought these new boxer style pull ups and he made his look like a big butt. So cute!

Another big bum picture!

This is his Easter pose. Shane has had stomach issues the past year and now sees a specialist. He has had to sit through many tests and just had his first endoscopy. They took 15 biopsies. He was so brave!!! They said he has gastritis and reflux. He has started medicine so I hope that will help. He has this quiet sweet spirit. He is happy to sit back and watch. People say that is a middle child thing but Shane just makes me smile.

Robert-- So Smart

2008-03-31T11:52:00.001-07:00

Robert is so dang smart. This gets him in trouble quite a bit because he is always 5 steps ahead of everyone. He thinks through every thing he does (even his consequences when he does something wrong). His preschool teacher has a hard time with him because she says he gets bored and then he gets annoyed. She said he finishes all his paper work before the others are even a quarter of the way done. He is very sports minded. He would shoot baskets, throw the football, or kick the soccer ball for HOURS!!! He also very loving. He loves his brother and sister.

Ever since Robert was a baby people would stop me in the grocery store and tell me that I needed to get this child in modeling. They still do! As you can see, I think Robert has heard this too many times and now thinks he is Tyson Beckford!

Robert is very concerned about how he looks. Sometimes getting dressed for school and especially church is a chore and exhausting. His pants have to be the perfect length of right to the top of his foot, his sleeves have to go to the top of his hand, and his shoe laces have to be the exact same length or I have to retie them many times. This does come in handy though. His toys have to be grouped together in cars, trains, action figures, and he very good at helping me sort the laundry. The things that come out of his mouth amaze me. I sometimes forget he is only 5!!! IN some of our conversations I feel as though I am talking to a 30 year old. The other day he explained to me that he likes girls and they are pretty but he knows that he is too young for a REAL girlfriend. I mean, who thinks this through at 5?!?! He has a very old soul and he brings so much to our family. The Lord knew what he was doing when he had Robert be the oldest!

The Kids

2008-03-31T11:45:00.001-07:00

Robert and Shane do fight but they are becoming best friends as well. They really look out for each other (in between throwing each other around in the living room). I like to dress them the same for church but this was just a random Sunday morning. Too cute.

They play football on a daily basis. Snow, rain, or shine. Robert has informed us that he will be the quarterback because they are the team captains and they get all the girls. Shane is quite the tackler. He may be scrawny but he can scrap!

Robert and Shane live for daddy to come home to play football or soccer outside. Even when it is raining, they just push the couches out of the way in the living room and play there. I have vetoed soccer because they have broken one too many things. You would think that daddy would be more careful. It is fun to watch them bond over their sports.

Whenever Kara comes over she takes them for a walk, no matter how cold it is . They love it! She is much braver than me. Maybe that is why I only lasted 1 year in Idaho!

The kids have so much fun playing together. This is a fun filled night at yaya's. So goofy! I am glad to see how close my kids are and how much they love each other. I am not sure what I would do with out my siblings (especially my sisters). I am not sure I could make it a day with out knowing they are there and it is neat to see them have experiences and create a bond that can never be broken.

Easter

2008-03-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

Easter was another busy weekend! We find ourselves in Arlington/Falls Church area almost every weekend and this holiday weekend was no exception! Kara was house sitting at this amazing house with a zip line and every game console you can imagine. The boys were in heaven (even the big kid, daddy!!). As you can see we colored eggs. Robert could not let Mandy make deviled eggs with his one perfect egg. He had decorated one with stickers and it was "too pretty" to destroy.

We then went to church with Kara. I had so much fun getting the kids in their Easter outfits. I honestly could have eaten them! Robert seems to think he is a GQ model. He practiced his poses before the pictures. He knows he is so dang cute! Shane is just happy and so handsome!

All I can say is...... IS SHE NOT THE CUTEST DANG THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN?!?!?!?!

The kids had 2 egg hunts. One at grandma and grandpa's and then one at Aunt Mandy and Aunt Cammie's. I didn't think Cecelia would really get the concept but she was very serious! We divided the eggs into colors for the kids so they would get the same number of eggs. We stuffed them with candy and money. I think we had a great weekend! I really am having so much fun making new traditions with my kids!

Christmas

2008-03-31T11:24:00.001-07:00

This was the first Christmas that the kids woke up at home! I thought they were getting old enough that they would start to remember waking up at home. Santa did end up making it to our house, Grandmas and Granny's. They really made out this year! As you can tell they wasted no time ripping into the presents. Kara came out and stayed with us Christmas Eve so she got to be here. It was really fun! My kids would not of had near as many presents if "YAYA" wasn't here! I look forward to making many more Christmas memories!

Halloween!!!!

2007-10-31T20:36:00.001-07:00

So here are my kiddies all dressed up and ready to "trick or treat". As you can see Robert has made a remarkable recovery and I thank you again for all your prayers! So..... Robert was a vampire, Shane was a blue power ranger, and Cecelia was a "dancing with the stars" dancer! She obviously has to work on those thighs a little more to make it on the show! Kara "Ya Ya" came out to see the kids go trick or treating. Robert really wanted her to come. I honestly don't know if I could function with out her. I made some chili (it is finally getting cold enough) and then after dinner the boys could not wait any longer to get out the door. We did the block and they racked in the candy.
As you can see-- Cece is a natural! I was trying all night to get a good picture of her and she pulls this perfect centerfold picture! Geez, we are going to have to watch out for her! Daddy is in for some serious gun shopping to keep all those boys away! If she looks anything like my niece Hannah (who is beautiful) Brian has already said she is never leaving the house.

On Saturday when Kara had her annual Halloween party Robert was having severe headaches from the spinal tap and he could barely stand for more than a few minutes before he would be screaming in agony. It was really hard to see him in so much pain. He basically laid on my sisters bed and watched TV while the kids ran around. He would try to get up and play but then would have to lay down. He even had to eat his pizza laying on the couch. Cecelia I guessed could sense something was wrong so she crawled up on top of Robert and just cuddled with him for about 5 minutes. It was so sweet.
That same day Cece found the chocolate bowl and decided to help herself. Hence.... the thunder thighs!!!

This is Shane being oh so mean! Yeah right! He has the cutest smile and just melts my heart. He was so funny because he has two Power Ranger costumes, a blue and a red. He had real issues making a decision on what color he wanted to be. Red is his favorite color but the blue one is the "coolest on the show". So blue won out.

I had to add this one. After trick or treating and bath they decided to have something "healthy". Popcorn! What am I teaching my children?! HAHA Anyway, this is Cecelia "praying" over her popcorn. I have no idea what she is really doing but it was too cute not to add.

The Scariest Night of my Life

2007-10-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Have any of you had a really sick child? It is probably the worst and scariest thing you can go through. So.....this is how is all started. Robert woke up Tuesday morning at 6am saying his throat hurt so I gave him some Motrin and he was fine. Brian thought it might of been because he left his window open all night and it was chilly. Anyway, he seemed fine and I kept his play date that morning. Wyatt came to play and Robert was his normal self. They played pirates, skateboarded and the usual boy stuff. Wyatt's mom came to hang too and I made the kids some homemade brownies. Well, as the brownies were cooking we went and sat outside while they played. I noticed Robert was laying on the ground with the soccer ball and not really playing. When we came in to get the brownies out of the oven Robert laid on the couch and fell asleep within 2 minutes. I thought to myself "Oh crap..... he's getting sick." Robert will be sure to tell you he "DOES NOT TAKE NAPS". He woke up an hour later with a 103 temperature. My pediatricians office has after hours from 5-7 so I called and got him in. Robert was laying on the couch screaming to me that he needed to go to the Dr. He was one sick little boy. He refused to walk so I had to carry him everywhere. When we got the Dr's office an hour later he was complaining of a terrible head ache and he said his neck hurt. He wouldn't really move his head and he was having trouble staying awake for the Dr's to talk to him. The Dr's were no joke....the had him admitted to the hospital before we even left the office. I knew if was bad when I heard the Dr talking to the hospital on the phone outside our room. He came in and said that Robert was "text book meningitis". My heart stopped. He said we were to go to the ER and they would do a spinal tap then he would stay for a couple days. I called Brian from the office and told him to call a friend up the street to come stay with Shane and Cecelia. I went into mommy survival mode.
When Brian got to the hospital I took his cell phone and called my sister Kara. Robert was asking for "Yaya" (what he calls Kara). Unfortunately she was the first person I called. I had held it together pretty well up until then. I called her and said "I am at the ER with Robert and they think he has meningitis and they have to do a spinal tap". At that point I lost it and sat there crying for a second. Then all I could get out was "I need you, come." Then I hung up. I then called my mom and Brian's mom. My mom came out to relieve my friend and stay with the other two kids. When I got back they called Roberts name. We then played musical chairs for a while as they decided whether they were going to do the spinal tap in the ER or in his room in the pediatric ward. It was very frustrating. When we were finally taken to an ER room one of Brian's friends showed up from church and they gave Robert a priesthood blessing. I am so thankful that I have the priesthood in my home and a worthy husband who can give his child a blessing. Yaya showed up and Robert perked up a little bit. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have her. The Dr's came in and administered some medicine to make Robert "relax" and go to sleep for the spinal tap. As you can see in the first picture, they had to stick him several times to get the IV in. That probably was the worst part-- Robert looking up at me screaming and crying telling me to make them stop and there was nothing I could do. They asked us to leave the room while they did the procedure. When they were done they said that his spinal fluid was exceptionally clear and it probably wasn't bacterial meningitis. Viral meningitis takes a couple days for the results to come back. It was actually quite funny when Robert was coming out of the the "sleep".

We knew he was OK when we finally got to his room and the first thing he said was "This is a girls room. There are butterflies on the wall." And sure enough the border on the wall was butterflies. He informed the nurse that it needed to be sports. Oh Robbie, Robbie. He also immediately noticed the Nintendo as well. Brian then stayed with him while I ran home and got some clothes, Robert's sleeping bag he wanted and some pajamas for him. I went back and relieved Brian and he came home to sleep and help my mom the next morning with the kids. When Robert woke up (or should I say when the nursed came and woke him up) and they took his temperature it was almost 103. They gave him some Motrin and it went down to 101.6. His Dr came in to see him and said they had almost definately ruled out meningitis. They allowed me to take him home if I promised to make him drink and count how many times he peed. They made him drink a huge glass of apple juice and use the bathroom before he left the hospital. We came home yesterday and he slept for 4 hours. He then went to bed at about 10pm and slept until 10am this morning. He still has a fever and still is one sick little boy. BUT NO MENINGITIS!!! :) I have never been so scared in my life.
I must say things like this put things back into perspective. I am so thankful to have three beautiful children and a husband who honors his priesthood. We have a couple more days of being sick as they think it is just some horrible virus. I don't know what I would do if something ever happened to one of my babies. I am so thankful to be near my family. I will keep you updated on Robert's recovery! Thank you for all your prayers and support.

So cute I could eat them!

2007-09-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

I love putting Cecelia to bed at night because she is such a cuddle bug! She wraps her arms around my neck and holds on for dear life as I sing her two songs. I swear she thinks if she holds on as tight as she can then I won't put her down in her crib. She is my only child that will go down without being cuddled or rocked. Don't get me wrong-- she is spoiled beyond belief! She already knows how to look at Daddy to get what she wants. And if we don't shovel the food in quick enough (especially ice cream), she screams to let us know.

Here she is being a big goof ball. She makes the funniest faces and noises. She has this guteral laugh that cracks me up. Robert can make her laugh like no one else. She goes to Shane for a hug. If he is laying on the floor watching TV she will just crawl to him and kiss him.

As I said-- she LOVES TO EAT!!!

Shane is my sweet one. He has such a sweet spirit and is the biggest goof ball. He honestly could run for miles. I go walking almost every morning with some women from my church and the trail is 2 miles. He gets out of the stroller about half way through and literally runs the rest of the way. It amazes us! Shane will sit in the back of the van and sing as loud as possible to Hannah Montana (he knows every word to every song) and if there is no music or not any music he likes he will just sit there and sing to himself. He also talks to him self constantly. I mean full on conversations! It is so funny to hear. I will purposefully turn down the music in the car or stand there where he can't see me just to listen to what he is talking about. Most of the time I can't understand it but he is having a ball none the less. He makes me laugh EVERY DAY!!! He is truly a joy to have around!

This picture perfectly exudes ROBERT!!! Sadly to say he is the most like me! Robert has no problem voicing his opinion as well. He has a sweet spirit as well. He does not like it when anyone is upset or hurt. He also dotes on his baby sister. He was the same way with Shane when he was a baby. Now he is just his annoying little brother. Robert also seems to think he is older than he really is. He feels he has the right to run around the neighborhood with the older kids. I have explained that this is not acceptable but he lets me know that it is because he knows how to "take care of himself". Which he does. When I put Shane and Cecelia down for nap I will come downstairs and there will be ice cream bowls in the sink and chicken nuggets on the counter. He has heated himself up chicken nuggets in the microwave and scooped himself out some ice cream. I should have known he could do whatever he wanted when "Yaya" asked him at about 13 months to go get her a diaper and he did it! Now speaking of Yaya (Aunt Kara), they have a special bond!!! He will inform me at Target that..... "if you wont get me the toy then I will call yaya and she will get it for me". And usually he is right! He lives for her weekend sleepovers. His other interests are skateboarding and video games. I am extremely against video games but he does get some time when he is good to play. He can olley on a skate board already. He NEVER ceases to amaze me.

Holy Harry Potter!

2007-09-24T07:43:00.001-07:00

Hello-- OK--so I was asked to make a cake for this Harry Potter party. I decided to attempt making it in the shape of the "sorting hat". Now remember, I am not a Harry Potter fan. I have only read 1 book and yes, I have seen the movies. But, that is as far as my Harry Potter knowledge goes. I did not realize how coo-coo people were for Harry Potter. Everyone had to dress as a character from the books. I went on line to look up pictures of the sorting hat and got like over a million results. Anyway, here is the cake I made. The pictures do not do it justice. I have to say, it looks pretty awesome!

finally......

2007-09-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

So.... you would have thought that I of all people (being married to the biggest computer guy ever) that I would have one of these by now! I guess it is time to join the masses! This year has been crazy! Cecelia just turned 1 on the 13th and boy is she SPOILED!! I can't believe it has been a year already. I almost didn't make it through the labor so I am happy to have been able to enjoy the kids. Robert and Shane are both in preschool. They are on opposite days so I get some "alone" time with each of them. Robert is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Shane is Tuesday and Thursday. They have the same teacher, Miss Michelle, who is the BEST! Shane is a little attached so I was afraid he might have some issues but he has been great. It has been nice for them to have their own thing to look forward to with out the other one being around.

Brian is still working for Anystream and wears many hats! He has had the opportunity to learn many new things. I am still doing massage but mainly just get to play with the kiddies. Kara (or "yaya" as the kids call her) spends a lot of time out here and I am not sure what I would do with out her. My mom has moved to Woodbridge a little over an hour away and I still haven't gotten over it. Hopefully we will be closer to everyone soon.

The family has been through many changes the past year and half and it has been extremely hard but we have learned to rely on each other and the Lord. We still miss Bob (grandpa Doc) dearly but Robert makes sure we keep his memory alive! :)

I will try my best to post as often as possible and have new pictures for you to see!

Love -
Dori