Who needs MTV?

Starring Kate.
Lip Sync-ing to Maroon 5.

Note: This is Kate's first time hearing this song.

The Best Birthday Gift Ever!

What a great birthday! I thought I was pretty cool, but now I know I am. I have great friends and that includes family. Thanks for all the nice comments...very nice, maybe too nice!

So...Shayne and I headed out for dinner. We were going to Outback Steakhouse, I love their salads and I always get the Chicken on a Barbie with the garlic mashed potatoes instead of the vegetables. Yummy!

Anyway, we walk in and the greeter asked, "What's the name?" Shayne whispers something and we head back. I thought that exchange was a little strange, but didn't think more about it until I looked over towards the back of the restaurant. There was a huge group of people. All people I knew. And it hit me....they were there for my birthday.

What a fun surprise! I really had no idea. And they were all in on it. I didn't know I had so many friends. I not only got to enjoy dinner (one that I didn't have to make or clean up afterwards) I also got to enjoy a lot a great conversation (something I love to do). The perfect gift!

Shayne- you are so great! This was my favorite birthday gift ever.

Then I got to come home and watch a hilarious Office episode.
*By the way...Shayne called the phone number that was on the "Looking for this Pervert" poster and it was really Dwight talking. How funny is that!

My 30th Birthday Rocked!

Today is my Birthday.

Today I am 30 years old. Pretty great huh!

My cute girls made me breakfast in bed. Cereal, toast with jam, 1/2 cup of orange juice, and a great note to go with it. They also decorated the house with homemade posters. And all of this was done while I was out running.

Shayne surprised me with a patio set I have been asking for.

Shayne parents bought me a cruiser bike that I thought Shayne was buying me...tricky.

And my parents bought me much needed new skirts and shirts for church.

I've gotten lots of nice comments on family blogs...here and here.

And I'm looking forward to dinner with Shayne and no kids!

**Feel free to add any nice birthday wishes in the comment section (or "compliments" as Parly calls it) I'll consider it your birthday present to me.

I hate big trucks and I cannot lie!

I don't know the loser in the picture. But that is a big truck.

I don't know if it is only here, but there are a lot of big trucks. Not only are they big, but they have huge tires that are jacked way up. How do you even get in one of those? Well it has been bugging me because I just don't see the purpose of these hideous things driving around town.. in our neighborhoods...where our children walk to school...cross the streets...etc.

These drivers would not be able to see me in front of their truck, let alone a small child. They are a disaster waiting to happen. It can't be legal to have them jacked up so high, can it? One of these days I'm going to get the nerve to do or say something. I'm not sure what I would say ....little help here.... I'm sure one of you witty geniuses reading this could help me come up with something good.

See mom......matching.

Here is Clayre. Doesn't she look so cute in her matching red and white striped shirt and purple flowered pants. (see earlier post: Unique style)

A Park without Swings

I have been taking my girls to the park lately. It has been amazing weather here. (That's an open invitation to any who wants to come visit). I like to keep them guessing, so we will go to different parks around town. There are a lot of great parks here, and they all have there advantages--but I have found that my favorites, are the ones without swings.

I remember when I just had Parly, oh so many years ago, and we would go to the park alone. She enjoyed the swing a lot and I didn't mind pushing her. And bonus, we were doing something outside of the house for a change. A park with or without swings...what a luxury. Then we were invited to go to the park with a friend and she said let's go to one without swings. Really? Now I get it.

With 4 kiddies, I know like most moms know- that if I go to a park with swings...I will be pushing my child (or children) on the swings the whole time. And now when I go to the park I try to invite another mom + kids to come along with us, so I have someone to else to talk to (an adult conversation, which is hard to come by as a stay-at-home mom) and my kids have more kids to play with and thus need less attention from me. Genius, I know. So if you're like me...you want to visit instead of push kids on the swings the whole time.

Now I know Shayne is reading this and saying, "Just tell them you won't push them on the swings." That's easy. No, not really. It's just easier to avoid that whole conversation that repeats over and over and over and over....by going to a park without swings.


Of course it was great a few days ago when I took Clayre, Kate, and Maggie to a park with swings....and I gave Clayre one underdog push and she swung for 40 minutes (pumping herself). Now that was nice! Push a child on a swing and they will swing for a few minutes- teach a child how to pump on the swing and they will swing forever...by themselves. Way to go Clayre!

Good for you, Sadie!

Sisters: Emily, Sadie, Me
Moms and Babies: Me & Maggie, Emily & Jane, Bonnie & Angie

So I got to go to Logan for the weekend. Just me and the baby. It was great! I went because my little sister, Sadie is getting married and we were having a bridal shower for her. Of course my other sister and I were thinking it would be better for us if she never married, then she would be available to come and babysit for us while we go on trips with our husbands whenever we need her to. She did this for me and Shayne when we went to New York last year before Maggie was born. She watched the other 3 girls for a week. Pretty much we trust her with our children more than we trust ourselves. Selfish..I know. I'm very excited for her. She is marring a great guy.

It was a lot of fun being back with the family. Sometimes I wonder if other people find my siblings as funny as I do. I pretty much laugh the whole time. Everyone in my family is very clever and smart...so if you aren't you'll get yourself into trouble. That being said... I take a hit every now and then, unless I can come up with a good come back-which isn't very often.

You see growing up I was the target. I was the one that they would all tease. Probably because I would get mad and bugged and oh... put on a pretty good show. Instead of learning to ignore or join in, I would just react. It's funny now. And since then I have realized because I didn't learn... I married Shayne, the biggest tease that ever lived! And he is trying his best to tease me straight!

So I enjoyed myself this last weekend. And it's not only because I was without 3 of my 4 little angels (2 of them throwing up all Saturday night. Sorry Shayne), or not having to plan or make any meals-just eat...(now that's heaven), or the cute clothes I got shopping (thanks, mom), it was all the great conversations! Thanks Family. You know how I love CON-VER-SAY-SHE-OHNNN!

Baby Jane, I owe you!

So I went to Logan and had a great time. I will blog about that later. Let's talk about my trip with Maggie. As I mentioned earlier Maggie has been sick, and of course the morning Maggie and I are leaving she won't eat (nurse). I'm stressing. Shayne says just feed her on the plane. So I try on the plane. Nope. And the only time she cried was when I tried to nurse her. So we land and again I try. No...she refuses. Then my mom and sister picked us up we all went shopping. I had to hand pump because she hadn't eaten since 10:30 p.m. the night before. I was finally was able to get Maggie to eat a little around 11:30 a.m. in a dressing room stall. So we continue to shop. I try again around 3:30. Nope.

After all our shopping we headed to Layton to met Sadie's finance for dinner. Oh, and my other sister Emily with her baby Jane (3 months) arrived later in the afternoon. Now all this time Maggie was pretty good. She didn't fuss much and took naps here and there....only problem- not nursing. I tried again just before dinner. And again, no. Maggie was on a nursing strike! So by this time I am really full..I've pumped a couple of times...but those who have breastfed before know that babies are really the best at emptying. So Emily offers to let me nurse her baby, since Maggie won't. I was desperate so I did. We're all family. Let me just tell you, Jane saved me. I've had a breast infection before-not fun! I wasn't about to let one of those ruin my trip to Logan. So letting Jane nurse was just what I needed...two empty breasts.

When we got to Logan, I took Maggie to the Insta-care. Surprised? Not me...and neither was Shayne when I told him. Maggie didn't have an ear infection like I suspected, but she did have an onset of bronchitis..I knew I heard a little raspiness in her breathing...doctor's diagnoses -she was probably not wanting to nurse because it was harder for her to breathe and nurse at the same time. Made sense. So after a horrifying ordeal taking ex rays of her lungs (anyone know what I'm talking about. That contraption that looks like a 14th century torcher chamber) and a breathing treatment we were able to go home. Maggie finally ate good and went to bed around 10:00 p.m. What a day! But it was all worth it....I was in Logan!

Pictures are of Maggie getting another breathing treatment. Isn't she cute! Even when sick.

It feels like the plague

Look close and you can see it- Maggie's first tooth.

So I think Maggie is coming down with something. In an earlier entry, I mentioned her first tooth possibly coming. It did. So that could still explain the extra fussiness, coughing, constant runny nose and loss of interest in nursing. (She's only nursing on one side at a feeding, usually both sides, which made for an awkward afternoon of running errands-then coming home and noticing my shirt was wet on one side in a perfect circle..crap!) But as much as I want it to just be the teething....I'm afraid it's not.

Where to go from here? I have so much to say about sick kids. And it seems that our family is starting to become accustomed to the drill of drinking fever medicine by the gallon, going through cases of tissues boxes, and then the magic ice water (again...mentioned in an earlier entry-so if your confused..stop..read previous entries..then start again). Going through this winter season with 4 kids has been an adventure to say the least. Especially with one in school and another in preschool. Germs I surrender!

I don't think there has been a weeks time where someone hasn't been coughing, sniffling, running a fever, or at least complaining about tummy, ear, or throat hurting. And so when one of the little brats comes down with something...I have learned it's just a matter of time before she passes it on to the rest of them..one by one. If they could just all get it at the same time...it would be a nightmare, but then I would wake up (figuratively speaking) and it would all be over.

Which goes right into my next point: If I could just know when they would be done being sick, I mean if someone said their fever will break in exactly 2 days and 48 minutes. I could handle it. It's the not-knowing (also when to just give in and take them to the doctor's-but I won't go into that now) and waiting that kills me. Oh and the whining, crying, clinginess, and constant need for attention.

Shayne thinks that during these sick fests I become a pessimist. But what he doesn't understand is that it is much easier to go to bed thinking--or just planning--on being up all night- so if I actually do get some kind of sleep, I am pleasantly surprised. That's not pessimism that's survival!

Also..why does it always seem like kids get sick at the worst possible times. I don't know if there has been a time while visiting family in Logan -that we haven't gone to the insta-care or at least thought about it. So just in time for my trip to Logan this weekend-- Maggie has come through...and is coming down with something.

It's here..this time..I know it!

So Maggie's first tooth is breaking through. That explains all the drooling, coughing, and crankiness. Of course I have been telling Shayne this for weeks maybe months..."I think she is teething " to explain why the change in behavior....like why she woke up from her nap early, why she is requiring more attention than just a smile from across the room, or why she is rubbing her ears, etc... this time it is really happening. I'm pretty sure.

I think I do that a lot. I'm not exactly sure what "that" is but I do it. I guess that it's coming up with reasons for why things are happening. Like the teething or why you put heat verses ice on a sore muscle, or why you really should wear shoes outside when it is cold (it's not that you will catch a cold, everyone knows that a cold is a virus...but cold body and feet keep the body busy working on warming it up, it's distracted, and so the virus has a better chance of slipping by and taking over), or how I have convinced my girls that water is magic and can help you when you are sick by : stopping the coughing, bringing a fever down, even helping you get better faster. Magic!

Then, when I tell Shayne one of my creative theories (not proven by science, yet!) he will say, "It sounds like you know what you are talking about."

I think I have gotten closer to real theories because once I even convinced a doctor:
Maggie had been sick and wasn't eating well. Any time I would get her ready to nurse she would get very upset...and it was mostly when I attempted to nurse her on a certain side. So I thought maybe she has an ear infection and that the ear that hurts was in more pain when she had to lay and nurse in that particular position. Sure enough she had an ear infection in one ear. When I told the doctor my theory, he said he had never heard of a baby refusing one side because it hurt more...but that it all made sense. Crazy! It's a little scary that I can convince a doctor of my crazy ideas.