SOCCER!!!

Fall soccer is in session and we love it! I have so much fun watching Thomas out there on the field...probably because he is having a blast and it rubs off on me. I tried talking Thomas into doing fall baseball instead of soccer, but he wouldn't hear of it. I thought it would be good for him to try something different, but I guess if he is enjoying this, I'll let him do it.

Waiting for the kickoff...actually that's probably football terminology:) The first soccer game I ever watched was the first one Thomas played in, so I don't know what things are called.Go, Thomas, go!

Throwing in. Jackson is our team's ref, so that is him in the orange shirt standing behind Thomas.

Thomas is a very aggressive player. He always runs hard and loves getting right in the middle of the action.

Sometimes I think he is a bit TOO aggressive. Here he is trying to take the ball from his opponent. Is it legal to do it like that? In the background, Jackson has a mixed look of worry and pride :)

After the game is over, Thomas always says he wishes it could go longer. He really loves it, and we love watching and cheering. Nicholas can't wait until he turns 5 and he can play too.

Happy Birthday Thom-o

First of all...is that how you would spell that nickname? Tomo, Tom-o, Thom-o??? Well...that is what we call him 80% of the time. Quite a while ago...at least a year if I remember right...somehow the subject of nicknames came up. Thomas was asking Jackson and I about our and other people's nicknames. He decided he wanted a nickname. We started throwing out different ideas. He firmly turned down Tom and Tommy (while I silently rejoiced). When someone suggested Thom-o he immediately settled on that. It stuck and some of his friends who have heard me calling him that, have picked up on it. I think it fits him.

I was very lucky to have captured these few pictures of Thomas' 6th birthday. This was the day of the miscarraige and I was right in the middle of it. Heavenly Father was watching out for us, though, because I cramped and bled severely all morning and afternoon. Then, right as the party was starting the cramping stopped and the bleeding slowed. I was able to help and participate for the entire party. Nothing more happened until 30 seconds after we tucked the kids in to bed for the night. What a needed and comforting blessing.

Earlier in the week, Thomas helped me make rubber band guns for his friends. They had a blast running around shooting each other. Actually I think the main targets were Jackson and his brother Judd (who came to help on short notice...thanks Judd!). Thomas has such great friends and they had a great time together.

Happy birthday Thomas!!!

Thanks!

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and encouragement. We are doing very well and feel peaceful and happy. I have yet to blog about Thomas' birthday which was a few weeks ago. Jackson and I just went out for our anniversary dinner last night...our anniversary was the last week in August...I guess we are just running a couple weeks behind on everything around here.

Nicholas just started preschool (a rotating mommy preschool). I was the teacher last week, so tomorrow is the first day he goes to someone else's house. I will have two hours with only one child...what freedom!!! I have lots of plans...not many that include much fun for Estella...mostly lots of errands that will be much easier with less children involved.

And a picture...

Sad News

We are no longer expecting a baby. I found out Friday morning that the baby didn't have a heartbeat. I passed the baby Friday night and am feeling good. I have had bits of bleeding for about three weeks now. I went in twice and the baby was fine both times. I had more bleeding and some cramping Thursday night. At that point I just knew inside that it was over. So I wasn't surprised Friday morning.

Even though I am sad, I feel at peace. Looking back at Friday (which was crazy because it was Thomas's birthday, which included bringing cupcakes to the classroom and throwing a birthday party) I see so many 'tender mercies'...small blessings from Heavenly Father that made a big difference to me. I feel certain that Heavenly Father is aware of me, my feelings, and my needs.

On a happier note, here are a few pictures from the past few weeks...

Thomas at school on his first day of Kindergarten!
Uncle Jake and the boys on Nicholas' birthday. I love how they are looking at Jake like, "How does he get those muscles to pop out of there?"

Showing the big rocks they are going to throw into the stream. You have got to love Essie's tie-died onsie and three-sizes-too-big tap shoes!

Nicholas' birthday party. Some of the boys getting ready to have an airplane throwing contest.

Yum!

Happy 4th birthday my sweet sweet Nicholas!

Doing well

Thank you everyone for your kind, encouraging words. We made it through the first week of school, and hopefully my worst week of pregnancy sickness. Jackson is loving his classes at the college. Thomas had a great time at kindergarten, and especially gets excited about riding the bus!

These pictures are from a few weeks ago. This is my Essie...hair flying everywhere and face messy. It probably says more about me than it does about her :)
Thomas showing off his first lost tooth.

Nicholas being sad that his wallet is empty.

Cheers!

Some news...

...we are expecting a baby again! I can't believe we will actually have 4 children. That seems like a LOT of kids! The baby is due March 24th. Pregnancy is hard on me...not as hard as it is on many, I know, but it is still hard for me. This is why I haven't posted anything for so long. I am struggling just to do the essential things like meals, groceries, and laundry. Any spare moment I have is spent sleeping...trying to overcome the exhaustion.

Jackson starts classes tomorrow morning. He is going back to school full time to get his Master's in Business Administration. He will still also be working full time, so he will be a busy guy. It will be hard to not see him as much, but we feel like this is the right course to take, so here we go!

Thomas starts Kindergarten on Wednesday! I am having such mixed feelings.

And...because I can't do a post without pictures, here are a few from a trip to the park last week. Nicholas found this caterpillar. He let it crawl on him and thought that was really cool until it started getting close to his skin. Then he started saying, "Get it off, get it off, get it off!"

The new double stroller

I think they should market this stroller as a double instead of a single...don't you think?

Estella's first popsicle

Last week after playing in the sprinklers in the backyard I broke out some popsicles. This was Estella's first time eating a popsicle and she thought it was great!

I love how it is dripping down her belly.

I think the popsicles gave these two a sugar rush...they were crazy!

Nicholas the track star

A few things to remember

These are a few random things I don't want to forget. Earlier this week Estella stuck a big pea up her nose. Jackson had come home for lunch and we were all sitting down at the table eating. Estella had some peas on her high chair tray and was happily eating them. She held one up to her nose and looked at us a bit questioningly. We calmly pulled her hand away and told her "no." Well...not three seconds later she shoved one up there so fast we didn't have a chance to react. We didn't want to push it up farther, so we tried to get her to blow her nose into a tissue, but she wouldn't do it. I tried to suck it out with a bulb syringe while plugging her other nostril, but that didn't work either. I called our doctor's office to ask for some advice and they said they could see her if we got there within 10 minutes...so we rushed out the door to the doctor's office.

The doctor has us try to blow it out threw her mouth by plugging her clear nostril and puffing some air in through her mouth...kind of like mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but that didn't work. So...Jackson, a nurse, and I all held her down firmly and the doctor used a thin grabbing tool up her nose. He grabbed it and pulled it out right away. Essie was mad, but at least it was out of there.

The doctor gave us the pea to take home, but it was so gross looking I just took a picture and threw it away. Three kids...and Estella is the first to stick something in her nose...let's hope she's the last!

We planted beets this year for the first time. They are so much bigger that any beets I have ever seen! I have been experimenting with beet soup, beet salad, and shredded cooked beets.

A few nights ago about 15 minutes after Jackson and I had put the boys to bed, Nicholas came running down the hall visibly excited. "Mom! You have GOT to see this!" Usually after I have put him to bed, I don't go back into his room, but he was so intense I was curious. I walked into his room to see two empty shelves on the book shelf and all the books piled high on his bed. He was so happy with his accomplishment, I didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't like it, so I just piled the books at the foot of his bed (which is actually the head, but Nicholas likes sleeping with his head on the other side) took a picture, and kissed him goodnight.

What a silly little boy!

New Photo Location

I am always on the hunt for new locations that are great for taking photos of people. One of my main issues with most places is that there are always too many people around. It is hard enough for most people to relax in front of the camera when there aren't other people watching. Jackson suggested one of the cemetaries here in town. I was sceptical, but it was PERFECT!!! I loved it. Here are a few of my kids there...I am planning on going again soon when they are dressed a little better.

Yesterday I did a photo shoot with a friend's children. You can see a few of them here.

Guess What?

I HAVE A LOOSE TOOTH!!!

Hurray for the 4th of July!

Nicholas has been asking about the 4th of July ever since the 5th of July last year! He really likes fireworks...fire of any kind acutally. Because of that, this has been a long awaited day for us!

We went to Jackson's parent's house along with a LOT of family. It was great to have so many people with us this year. I took close to 200 pictures (I don't know how that happens), so I will have more to share. Here are a few for now.

Essie and Charlie (Jackson's cousin's little girl) playing on the track across the street from Jackson's parent's house.
Nicholas riding around in the driveway

Thomas with Aunt Julia and Aunt Diana playing a great game...I think the name was "Hi-yah", but I can't remember for sure. It was really fun!

Sparklers!!

With so many families there we had LOADS of fireworks. We had three dad's lighting simultaneously, so there was never a dull moment.

Happy 4th of July!!

Great friends

Thomas and Nicholas are getting along so well lately. I love that they are such great friends. Thomas usually wakes up first in the morning and he won't come out of his room until he can wake Nicholas up and get him to come out with him. They spend hours building lego cars together and racing them down our little slide in the living room. They tirelessly jump on the trampoline together. One favorite thing to do is bike races. They race around "the track" outside over and over and over. Thomas, who is super competitive, always makes sure he wins. Nicholas, who just loves to be having fun, is just happy to be there racing around. I hope this bond continues to grow and grow.


P.S. I thought this was a really cool gate.