What Was I Doing 1 Year Ago?

I've been thinking a lot about the fact that my baby is going to be 1 year old next week. Wow, has this past year flown by. 1 year ago I was freaking out with thoughts of not knowing how to take care of a baby. Yes, this may be strange for many of you thinking that at one point in my life I took care of three babies at one time. It's true, I think no matter how many children you have, it's always a little scary to think about doing it all over again and how the dynamics of your family are going to change.

This time last year a few of my closest friends were on a Crusie. Yes, I was very jelous for one that we couldn't go and second I was really nervous I was going to have this baby while they were gone. Fortunately for my sake, they returned before I had him to help with my other kids and give me some mental support.

So while they were gone, I nested. I think I was the definition of nesting. I remember organizing things and cleaning like crazy. I bought out the grocery store so Donevan and the kids would have food while I was in the hospital. Yes, I was the definition of nesting!

I think most of all I was scared and my nesting helped me not think about my c-section 6 years prior and all the complications that went with it. I couldn't get out of my mind that some Dr.'s didn't think I should have anymore children and I was second guessing myself. Fortunately a lot of faith and a lot more "yes, this is possible" consults with Dr.'s confirmed my feelings that this family wasn't complete. I am so grateful for prayer and for the answer I received that my little boy was waiting to come down to our family. I am also grateful for modern medicine and for Dr's that were confident in their abilities to deliver Donnie with no major complications. I feel so blessed!

So 1 year later, I can't imagine my life without this sweet precious boy. He has brought so much joy to our family. I had always heard that they're is a special bond between mothers and their sons. This is true with me and DJ. I love him so much!

Bath Time

Donnie loves his bathtime. I think he tries to get messy so that he can have a bath. He just splashes and has a great time. By the time he's done, the bathroom is covered in water.

2 New Recipes I've Tried & Loved!

Both of these yummy recipes I got from my friend Emily. (She provides me with all my new recipes) They are both wonderful! The pork recipe makes a ton, so have some friends over or plan on leftovers if you make it. Also, could there be a better combo for me....meat and coke?

The potato soup one is much easier than a potato soup recipe I usually make, so I was happy to find a easier one that's different, but just as yummy. Both these great recipes will now be in my dinner rotation!

Just Like Café Rio Pork
5-6 lb. Pork Roast
1 Tbs. Cumin
1 Cup Brown Sugar
12 oz. Bottle La Victoria Taco Sauce
20 oz. Bottle of Coke

Cook Roast on low for 12 hours in crock pot with water added halfway up meat. After 12 hrs. drain water and add all of the ingredients listed above and continue cooking for 4 hours. Then shred the meat and continue cooking for 2 more hours. Eat in a flour tortilla with rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and guacamole. Or put your favorite lettuce on a plate and pile with pork and all your favorite salad fixings.


Cheesy Cream of Potato Soup
3 cans chicken broth
6 cups peeled, thinly sliced potatoes
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
1 (2cup) package cheese
16oz. heavy whip cream
1 ½ cups milk
3 Tbs. corn starch

Bring broth, salt, pepper, and potatoes to a boil. Simmer for 15 mins. or until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Then add whip cream and milk to broth and potatoes. Bring all ingredients back up to a simmer. Then add cheese. Stir until melted. Then in a separate cup, add 3 Tbs. cornstarch and a little bit of water to make a smooth paste. Add to the simmering soup. You might need to add more cornstarch and water until you have a thickened consistency you are happy with. Then sprinkle with real bacon bits or some cooked crumbled bacon. Also top with green onion and cheese if desired.

Another Cute Movie!

Friday night we took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. My children and my husband are total cartoon junkies. I on the other hand don't like cartoons at all. But, there are two cartoons that I used to like when I was younger. They were Alvin and the Chipmunks and the smurfs. So I was pretty excited to see this movie. It was such a cute movie with a lot of clever/funny parts. We saw it at the cheaper theater with all the older movies so I am sure that it will be on DVD really soon. Let you kids rent it and watch it together. Since only the chipmunks are animated, it's fun for the whole family. My girls are still quoting lines from the movie!

Most Popular Baby Names

Girls' names	I found this information very interesting since I had a baby last year. Also, since I am a total TV junkie, I loved reading how the trends in baby names are influenced by television. If anyone was wondering, Donevan, Donnie or DJ (my babies 3 names) didn't make the top 100 baby names of 2007. Ha Ha! That's why I love it so much..it's unique! I found it very odd that Aiden is the #1 boy name for the last three years in a row. I don't even know any Aiden's.     Boys' names
1. Sophia	1. Aiden
2. Isabella	2. Ethan
3. Emma	3. Jacob
4.Madison	4. Jayden
5. Ava	5. Caden
6. Addison	6. Noah
7. Hailey	7. Jackson
8. Emily	8. Jack
9. Kaitlyn	9. Logan
10. Olivia	10. Matthew   Celebrity impact: The Grey's Anatomy effect Does TV influence our lives? This year's top baby names list says yes! The hottest trend we spotted this year is names associated with the popular series Grey's Anatomy. Check out what we found! • Addison jumped a whopping 20 spots this year to make it into the top 10. Grey's connection: Flame-haired actress Kate Walsh plays Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (now on Grey's spin-off, Private Practice). • Isabelle has moved up an average of six spots a year since the launch of Grey's in 2005. Grey's connection: The beautiful Katherine Heigl plays Isobel "Izzie" Stevens. • Bailey was the second-fastest rising star in 2007, jumping 39 spots. Grey's connection: Actress Chandra Wilson plays the feisty-with-heart Dr. Miranda Bailey, who goes by just "Bailey." • Callie is new to the top 100 this year. Grey's connection: Actress Sara Ramirez plays Dr. Callie Torres. • Jackson is this year's second rising star, jumping ten spots to land in the top 10; and Isabella moved up from number three to number two in 2007. Grey's connection: Actor Justin Chambers (who plays Dr. Alex Karev) has a daughter named Isabella and a son named Jackson. More celeb name trends The following are naming trends that may or may not be driven by celeb babies and characters in television shows, movies, and so on. But some of these fun facts can certainly draw celeb tie-ins! In girls' names... • Emma has finally been knocked out of its number one slot for the first time since it landed there in 2004. Celeb namesake: Popular Friends character Rachel named her daughter Emma in 2002; then Emma jumped from number 11 to number 2 from 2002 to 2003. • Sophia has been making steady progress since 2002, cracked the top 10 in 2005, and jumped six slots to be the new number one for 2007.Celeb namesakes: Actress Sophia Bush, director Sofia Coppola. • Ava hit the top 10 in 2005 and took her first dip this year down two spots to number five. Celeb namesakes: Ava Phillippe, daughter of actress Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, and Ava Jackman, daughter of actor Hugh Jackman. • Angelina has been sliding for several years from its top spot at 88 in 2005, and finally was booted from the top 100 list in 2007. Celeb namesake: Actress Angelina Jolie. • Sadie, Sienna, and Lila are new to the top 100 in 2007. Celeb namesakes: Brit connections — actress Sadie Frost, actress Sienna Miller, and Lila Grace Moss (model Kate Moss's daughter). • Ashley took a steep fall for the second year in a row — in fact, it had the third fastest fall overall this year. Celeb namesakes: Actress Ashley Olsen, singer Ashlee Simpson, actress Ashley Tisdale. In boys' names... • Jayden is new to the top 5 with one of the biggest jumps (from number 19 in 2006). Jayden is also number 63 on this year's girls' list, jumping 13 spots up from last year. Celeb namesakes: Jayden Federline, son of pop star Britney Spears and musician Kevin Federline. • Lucas is a rising star, jumping from spot number 40 — its roost for the past two years — to 22. Celeb namesake: Actor Lucas Grabeel. • Aidan remains at the top of the list for the third straight year. Celeb namesake: The character Aidan Shaw from Sex and the City, played by actor John Corbett. • Brody is the third fastest rising star, jumping 15 spots since 2006, its first year on the list. Celeb namesake: Reality TV star Brody Jenner.

 

Being Sick Doesn't Slow DJ Down!

Sorry about the blurry first picture. It's the only one I got! This is only the 20th time he's gotten into this plant. Usually we have all of our kitchen chairs surrounding the plant so that he can't get into it. Well, we were having guests over for dinner so I put the chairs around the table while DJ was taking a nap. I forgot to put the chairs back when he woke up and the next thing I knew, he was eating the soil AGAIN. Straight to the bathtub for him.

We had a better night last night. It wasn't good, but it was better. My poor little baby is so sick. I took him to the grocery store today and he's usually so smily and happy with everyone. He didn't even crack a smile, he was feeling so icky. I don't think there's a virus in Idaho that our family hasn't gotten this season. Thanks to Hilary who had the girls over to play today. I was able to give DJ a little extra needed TLC.

Horrible Night

Last night was the absolute worst night! Little Donnie was so sick and I couldn't do anything to calm him down. Usually if he isn't feeling well I can atleast give him a bottle and he'll calm down, but not last night. I didn't really get to bed until 5am. This was the routine all night; he would scream, I would rock him and get him to calm down and he'd fall back asleep. Then I would lay him in his crib. 10 to 15 mins later he would wake up screaming again and the cycle started all over again. I still don't know what's wrong with him. I don't know if it's teeth or an upset stomach. (a few of us have had that this past week) Hopefully tonight will go a lot better. I don't think I can do it again tonight!!!

A Little Note From Ashleigh!!!

I Love looking At my mommys blog. her blog is my favorite.I want to have a blog right now too. it's hard to think what I want to say in front of a lot of people. i like my moms blog because it's about our family and it's really really nice. it's snowing here again today and we are tired of the snow.I want summer to be here. Summer is my favorite because I can go swimming all the time and play outside with the neighborhood kids. I love going to school. I love my sisters and my little baby brother.I love my teacher because she is so nice.I really want to start cheerleading but my parents haven't decided if they are going to let me yet.I am already in a lot of activities.I am in ballet, Tavaci Singing, Basketball and soccer starts soon. I don't really want to be in soccer this year,but my mom signed me up.I love playing with my sisters.I am glad that I am a triplet because I always have someone to play with.My sisters are my best friends.

BASKETBALL

.............................................................................................Basketball is coming to an end and I am getting really sad about it. We have had such a fun season and the girls on my team have improved so much. I definitely didn't plan on feeling so emotionally invested in this coaching thing. I now have sympathy for all the coaches I had and also my parents who sat through hundreds of games nervous for their kids. We have mostly played co-ed or all boy teams and boys tend to be a little more aggressive than girls. But, these girls have held their own and are just as good as all the little boys. I'm not sure if my nerves can take years of watching my kids in organized sports. I guess this is just the beginning of it all. I am just so competitive!!! All my girls have improved so much. Caitley plays really good defense. Ashleigh isn't scared of the ball anymore and Brittany has become an incredible shooter. In fact, last week she had 16 points. Donevan missed the game, but when she saw him at home she was so pumped up about having such a great game. She said, "Dad, this is the home of the superstar".(referring to herself) She also called both sets of Grandparents to let them know about her great game. I am just so proud of each of them.

PAST PRESENT and FUTURE

20 years ago………….(I couldn't find any pics of me 9, but here are some earlier childhood photos)
I was 9 years old loving being the baby in the family….spoiled I must say. I can't help the birthorder of my siblings. Highlights included Cheerleading for MYI Football and dominating MYI basketball with my best coach ever (My Dad). Go Big Blue. When I think about my childhood, most of my memories are from summertime. I spent summers at the pool with friends and the beach with family. I also had many summers of playing whiffle ball in the backyard. I have to say my brother Rusty taught me every kind of pitch there was. I can still remember him saying, "Chrissy, this is how you throw a knuckle ball". I didn't have a care in the world, it was good times.

12 years ago.................................

I was a Senior in Highschool. Life was fun. I had been so into basketball all through highschool, but when my senior year rolled around, I had something else in mind. Cheerleading! I hadn't cheered since I was a little girl and I don't know how I had the courage to even tryout. But, I am glad I did, it was the most fun I had in highschool! I was able to cheer during the football season and still play basketball in the winter.

10 years ago…………
I was 19…and about to be married. So young and so in love. Donevan was the man of my dreams and I immediatley fell in love with him.

7 years ago………………….
I was wondering how in the world I would manage triplets. Scared out of my mind and feeling totally inadequate. I was totally blessed with three healthy girls! When I look at this picture I wonder how in the world I ever did it!
5 years ago……………….
Terrible Two’s x’s Three. I must say that because they had each other, they weren’t very mischievous. We were very busy and there was never a dull moment at our house. Donevan had graduated from Michigan and we were settling into life in Idaho. We were thrilled to be closer to family and start our life here….out of school!!!

1 year ago…………………..
I was anxious and scared to death about having another baby. We were thrilled it was going to be a baby boy. I really couldn't imagine my life with a new baby. It had been 6 1/2 years since I had taken care of a baby and I wasn't sure I remembered how to do it. Well it all came back the moment I held him in my arms. I feel so blessed to have him!!!

So far this year…………
I made a lot of resolutions and kept some and didn’t keep some
Have baby proofed my house

Yesterday I…………………
Went to the gym at 7am (that's early for me)

Got the girls out the door to school

Post office run

Cooked dinner

Cleaned

Today I will........................

Clean more

Go to the gym

Laundry

Clean more!!!(that's never ending)

Tomorrow.............................

Go to a birthday lunch for a girlfriend

Go to the Gym

Go to the Temple

This year I will...........................

Have fun

Enjoy the little things in life

Go to VA this summer (I am excited for that)

Try not to sweat the small stuff

Tell my kids and husband I love them everyday!!!

ABC’s Of Me!!!

A: Attached or single: Attatched for 11/2 years (2 years dating ,9 1/2 years married)
B: Best Friend: Donevan….any many more great friends.
C: Cake or Pie: Pie…pumpkin
D: Day of Choice: Saturday
E: Essential Item: My Family
F: Favorite Color: Black White and Brown. I am so boring.
G: Gummi Bears or Worms: I love both…especially if they are a little sour.
H: Hometown: Falls Church, Virginia
I: Indulgence(s): Coke, eating out, Reality TV
J: January or July: JULY no question
K: Kids: 4, Ashleigh, Brittany, Caitley, Donevan Jr.
L: Life is incomplete without: My Family
M: Marriage Date: May 2 1998
N: Number of Siblings: 4: 3 Brothers and 1 Sister
O: Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P: Phobias or Fears: Snakes
Q: Quote(s): ?
R: Reason To Smile: Greeting DJ in the morning to his smiling/laughing face
S: Season: #1 Fall #2 Spring
T: Tag Six: anyone who wants to!
U: Unknown Fact About Me: I was born in the hallway of the hospital
V: Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I am a steak lover!!!
W: Worst Habit: Biting my nails, not being able to wake up in the morning.
X: X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds….because that usually means you're pregnant
Y: Your Favorite Food: Oh, there are soooo many.

Z: Zodiac: Gemini

Happy Birthday Heather!!!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful sister-in-law Heather. She is such an amazing person who I look up to so very much. Thanks for always being a great sister and for making my brother so happy.

H- HAPPY. Heather is always so happy and fun to be around. She the life of the party.

E- EVENING. Whenever we get together, we stay up so late talking about everything. Most of the time Gary and I end up falling asleep and Donevan and Heather stay up until the early morning hours. Then they sleep most of the next day. It's quite hilarious, but a must everytime we get together.

A-AMAZING MOM. Heather is such a wonderful mother. She is so creative and fun and always making life fun for her children. Such an example to everyone! Whenever the cousins all get together she always has some fun games for everyone.

T-TRUE FRIEND. Heather is not just a great sister, but a wonderful friend too. Everyone loves her because she is so easy to talk with, trustworthy, and loving.

H-HOTTIE. Heather is the definition of natural beauty. She has the most amazing skin and hair. She doesn't need to wear an ounce of makeup and she's stunning. My brother is pretty lucky.

E-EVERYTHING ORGANIZED. I think Heather is the most organized person I know. You should see her house. Amazing!

R-READER. Heather is soooo SMART. She reads everything and retains everything she reads! It's quite amazing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER. WE LOVE YOU!!!

Valentines Day Fun!

My Little Valentines!!!!

I woke up on Valentines Day to Brittany in my face yelling, "Happy Valentines Day". No surprise there. They were just a little exicted. We had a really fun/ busy Valentines Day. Wed. night we worked hard on about 75+ Valentines for the girls to pass out at school. Wow, am I glad that is over. They had a fun party at their school that DJ and I went to help with. Donevan and I were able to go to lunch together to celebrate with oneanother. Fun Fun! Then for dinner we had heart pizza and gave eachother lots of loves. It was really a fun day and Donevan and I realized that once you have children it's all about them having a special day. I did manage to make it to the gym around 8:30 last evening. My girlfriend and I were about the only one's there. We felt a bit like old married people who didn't have anything better to do on Valentines. Good thing we had our cute husbands to get home to. Hope everyone had a wonderful heart day.

JOB OPENINGS! MANY POSITIONS AVAILABLE!

I just got this email and I thought it was really funny...and true

POSITION: Mom, Mommy, Mama, MaDad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required unfortunately.On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis..
WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right..

THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! ** If you are fortunate enough you will become grandparents

I hope this doesn't scare some of my girlfriends expecting their first babies! (Ana & Ginnette)

Brittany's Retainer Take 2

This is Brittany's new retainer(for her cross bite). Her second retainer. Yes, and these things aren't cheap. Her first retainer which was purple with a puppy on it (so cute) she had been wearing for months. We had a strict rule of not taking it out at school. The only time she takes it out is when she brushes her teeth. Then one day I took her in to have her checkup and see how things were going with the retainer. Our dentist adjusted it and I took her back to school. Well, I guess it was bothering her a little bit because it was tighter than usual. So, she took it out, wrapped it in a paper towel and put it in her pocket. Then she proceeded to go outside for recess. Well, she came home from school and it wasn't in her pocket anymore. UGH! So, I called the school, called everyone I know, talked with the bus driver. No one had seen it. So I figured it probably feel out and got swept up because someone thought it was trash or it was sitting on the field on the playground. I called Donevan at work just sick about it. So he says to me, "If there was $500 laying in a field, would you go look for it". Well ya, of course I would go look for it. So, I went searching the playgroud for this tiny retainer. Everytime I would see a piece of paper on the ground from a distance my stomach would get all excited thinking it was it. After a very long hour of searching, no retainer was found. I decided to give it a few weeks before ordering a new one in hopes that it might turn up. It never turned up so here we are with retainer number 2. They have this book full of all these different colors and styles of retainers to choose from. Brittany had her heart set on this BYU one. Strange, but cute. She knows her Grandpa Kenny and Dad like BYU and she wanted to please them so much. She also knows that me and Donevan both went there. It's hard to tell, but it has sparkles on the retainer which is pretty cute. We have threatened her terribly that if she looses this retainer she is grounded for life. Hopefully she will only have to wear this one for a few more months and her cross bite will be fixed. I'm sure we have much more orthodontics in our future.

DJ Loves His Sisters!

The girls do some crazy stuff with their little brother. They play with him like he's their little toy. This is them dressing him up. They brought him to me like this and told me that he really wants to go to Disneyworld because he's never been. I'm sure they are really looking out for the good of their brother and they don't care about going to Disneyworld. Yeah Right!

I caught the girls in this act the other day.They decided to dump out their laundry basket and put D.J. inside. This looks like fun! He loves all the attention!

This is their play baby stroller that they have put him in and used one of their belts to strap him in. So funny! They were strolling him all around the basement. I have no idea why Ashleigh has stickers all over her face, but I'm sure it has something to do with a game they were playing. I just thought this was hilarious. I love DJ's expression in this picture. He's just chillin, content as can be.
I found the girls making him a "prince bed" as they called it. They had put the leg rest up on the recliner and layed all these blankets out and put him on it. When I walked in his bedroom, he was just laying there as content as can be with his sister surrounding him. He's pretty spoiled with attention from them.

These girls really do adore their brother. They are so protective of him and love him to death. It's been really fun to watch them nurture him and care so much about him.

Hannah Montana 3D Movie

I took these girls to the Hannah Montana 3D Movie. We had to drive 45 mins. away to a theatre that had the movie. We rocked out all the way there to all Hannah Montana's songs. I think I like her more than all these girls. I have every song memorized. It's pretty funny. The movie was 3D and it was great. It was cute to see these girls trying to reach out and touch things in the air from the 3D effects. These girls are sure fun and help me stay young at heart.

More Snow!

So this morning we woke up to more snow...lots. As if we don't have enough. Well I am keeping positive and trying to not let it get me down. This is the view I see looking out my front door. UGH!!!

Well, I have a few coping mechanisms that have helped me make it through these cold depressing days. Here's what I have been doing

1. Downloading good music onto my ipod. I have totally been rocking out to Michael Jackson's Number Ones. It is such a good album. Who doesn't like a little Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It, Man in the Mirror....and many more.

2. Lunch once a week with girlfriends. This helps me get out of the house and get some good adult time,

3. A little pre Spring Cleaning. I am hoping that if I do some spring cleaning that it will help make spring come a little faster. I know that won't happen, but a clean house always makes me feel a little happier.

4. Doing fun things with the kids. I took the girls to see the Hannah Montana Movie with some of their friends. This was a blast and is enough to lift my spirits for weeks. More pictures and posts to come soon!

5. The BEST thing I have been doing is hitting the gym everyday. This has been so good for me. I hope I can keep it up. It's hard to fit in a time to go, but it is so worth it.

SUPER TUESDAY!

Don't expect to see any blogging from me today.

I will be glued to the television waiting for results!!!

Snow Cave!

We just keep getting more and more snow. This has been the worst winter since we've lived here (6 years). I can't stand it, but the girls are sure having a blast. Their Dad built them this snow cave on Saturday and they had fun playing in it. I'm ready for Spring. But I guess since the groundhog saw his shadow, I have to wait 6 more weeks for that.

Big Juds!

We had fun the other night going to one of our favorite restaurants, BIG JUDS. They have the best burgers and as you can see, they are really big. The girls think this place is the best. The first time we took them there, we told them that we only had enough money to get one burger and that we would all have to share it. They were whinning and saying , "We're so hungry and that won't be enough". Then the big burger came out and they couldn't believe their eyes. It was funny.

The Game Plan- Great Movie!

Disney did a good job with this one! The girls, Donevan and I watched this the other night and we all LOVED it. Poor Donevan, he had to sit and watch this with four crying girls. It's pretty typical for me to cry at movies, but there are very few movies that I have seen my girls cry from. Brittany was hysterically balling her eyes out. Ashleigh was wimpering in the corner of the couch. And Caitley tried to sneak and turn the lights out so that no one would see her crying. So funny. We all loved this movie and it was really cute. We love the Rock. He was really good in this. So next time you're looking for a good family flick, rent this one. (p.s. most people I've talked to didn't cry in this movie, we are just a bunch of emotional girls)

Grandpa's Favorite Trick

This is Grandpa's favorite trick to do with his Grandkids. He's done it with all my kids and they all love it! Donie loved jumping off and was laughing and smiling so much.

I just came across these old pictures of my girls. (3 yrs old) and I can't believe how much they have changed.














Caitley looking as beautiful as ever.





















Ashleigh has the same sweet smile.














And Brittany laughing of course.

Tagged, Husband Style!

TAGGED HUSBAND STYLE:
What is his name? Donevan, Donnie, Neider, Big D

How long have you been married? 10 years in May (Wow, time flies when you’re having fun!)

Who long did you date? 2 years

How old is he? 34

Who eats more sweets? We both like sweets, but I would have to say that I like them more than him. He always gets mad at me and says, “If you don’t buy it, I won’t eat it”. So, I guess I am at fault for buying the sweets.

Who said I love you first? He did

Who is taller? Donevan

Who can sing better? Donevan. I am tone deaf and have no musical ability what so ever.

Who is smarter? Donevan by far.

Who does the laundry? ME!!!! All the many load. When we were first married, he would do the laundry, but I don’t think he’s done it in 8 years.

Who pays the bills? Me! I do all his bookkeeping for his business as well as our personal finances. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t in charge of this.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Donevan. This has changed a bit through our marriage. Basically whichever side of the bed is closest to the door is what side I sleep on. I need the shortest walk to get out of bed in the middle of the night when our children need something.

Who mows the lawn? Any outside work is all Donevan. I take care of the inside and he does the outside…moving, snow removal, Christmas lights, etc.

Who drives? Donevan. I do have a funny story to tell about this. One time when we were driving from Idaho to Utah ,Donevan faked being sick so that I would drive. He pulled over to the side of the highway. He got out of the car, hunched himself over like he was going to throw up and of course then I offered to drive. Later I found out that he was faking. I wasn't laughing. Now I never believe him when he says he’s too sick/tired to drive.

Who is more stubborn? That’s a no brainer. Donevan!

Who kissed who first? Donevan kissed me in the parking lot of his apartment complex. He handed me a laundry basket full of clothes that he was carrying to his car and then kissed me. He said that he figured that if I was holding something I couldn’t run.

Who asked who out first? Donevan told me he was going to a study group for a psych class we had and asked if I wanted to go. When I said I would go, he hurried and tried to put together a study group. He’s so sly.

Who proposed? Donevan.

Who has more siblings? I do, but we are both the youngest in our families. Psychologists say it is the absolute worst thing for two babies to marry each other. I guess we are proving those crazy psychologists wrong.

Who cooks? I do and if I don't, we eat out. Donevan will cook breakfast once in a while.

Who wears the pants? We flip flop depending on the issue

I have the best husband. He is so great and always so considerate of me and others. He is a wonderful father who loves his kids and does everything he can to make their childhood magical. He is a great husband who always tells me how much he loves me and still makes me laugh.

I am always so amazed at what an impact he has on others. One of my favorite things is running into people in the community who have been his patients and hearing how he has helped them in their lives. It is really a gift he has been given to be able to help others. He juggles many things in life and I tease him about not being able to multi-task, but when I think about it, his entire life is multi-tasking and he does a great job. I love you, Donevan!

Sleep Patterns In Children

So while the men were watching the Super Bowl, us women were having many interesting discussions. One discussion was on our children and their sleep patterns. I truely believe that the most important thing for my children is that they are getting enought sleep. I think it directly impacts their behavior. I could not have made it through the first few years of the triplets lives w/o a strict sleeping schedule. I am still pretty strict about their sleep, even if it means I have to make sacrifices to be at home so that they can go to bed. I was interested in seeing if my girls are sleeping the correct amount needed, so I did a little research on the internet this evening.

Here is an article I found from the University of Michigan:

Why is sleep important?

Sleep is very important, especially for children. Children who get enough sleep are less likely to have behavior problems and moodiness. They often develop better memory, concentration, and longer attention spans. With plenty of sleep, they may also recover from illness faster.

How much sleep does my child need?

How much sleep your child needs is based on age.
• Toddlers: Toddlers and preschoolers sleep an average of 12 hours a day and take one nap. Naps may stop by the end of the third year. Sleep problems are common, especially when going to bed and falling asleep. They may have nightmares and night terrors. Bedtime rituals, such as a bath and story and favorite stuffed animal or blanket are helpful to ease insecurity and relax a young child.
• School-aged children: School-aged children require less sleep as they get older. Their need decreases to 10 hours a day. The child's age, activity level, and health strongly influences the amount of sleep needed. Bedtime rituals and later bedtimes can help reduce any resistance to bedtime. Common fears at night are darkness, strange noises, intruders, or imagined ideas. They may have nightmares and night terrors.
• Teenagers: Most teens and preteens need about 9 hours of sleep at night to be alert during the day. Teenagers get sleepy later than preteens and often have trouble falling asleep. They often complain of being tired after school, and like to sleep-in on the weekends. Puberty brings changes to their sleep-wake cycle. Many teens feel like staying up late and waking up late and then trying to catch up with sleep on the weekends. If they do this, they will be constantly sleep deprived. Lack of sleep can cause moodiness as well as problems with attention and memory. It also puts them at risk for falling asleep while driving.

How can I help my child develop good sleeping habits?

Some children may seem anything but sleepy at bedtime. However, their "bouncing around the room" behavior may actually be caused by lack of sleep. To help your child sleep:

• Give your kids 30 minute warning before bedtime so they can wind down and finish activities they are doing.
• Start a bedtime ritual. For example, a bath followed by reading a book together. This will help your child's body and mind get ready for sleep each night. Try not to make the rituals too long and complicated.
• Make sure to start the bedtime routine early enough so that you can tuck in your child and talk to him or her. Children often like to have this "private" time to talk to their parents and you need to plan for this time so it does not take time away from sleep time.
• If your child has trouble getting to sleep, try playing calming music in their room or letting them read in bed or listen to recorded books.
• Try to keep a standard time for bed. If your child goes to bed really late on weekends and sleeps late in
• Remember that every child is different and some need more sleep than others. If your child seems tired during the day, moody, or "hyper," he or she may not be getting enough sleep.

Make New Friends, But Keep The Old

As I visited with our friends Ben and Jen last night, I was reminded of an old song that I learned in Brownies many years ago. "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the others gold". It's kind of a cheesy song, but it's so true.

I don't think I have laughed as hard as I did last night for a long time. My stomach even hurts this morning from laughing so hard. We had so much fun and I was again reminded of how much we miss friends that have moved away or that we have moved away from. (Jen, thanks for taking that ever so scary flight from Boise to see Glen Beck and IF friends. Come back again, soon.)

A good friend is something to cherish forever and some of my best friends are the ones that I might not see very often because we live far apart now, but when we do get together, it's like we were never apart.

Girl Drama!

Girls are so much more dramatic than boys. I have a lot of friends with only boys and you might want to prepare yourself for the over the top drama that comes with having girls. This morning my Drama Queen Brittany came upstairs in the morning crying hysterically because her button had fallen off of her PJ's. She knows that it can be sewn on, we have sewn on many fallen off buttons before. But for some reason this caused the water works to come on. Oh and they kept going and going and going. This is when I have to tell myslef, calm down and don't freak out. Just be patient and loving. This can be a challenge sometimes. It's so amazing what girls can get so emotional about. We haven't even hit the teenage years yet. We have a lot of fun to look forward to.