I haven’t updated in so long xanga has made changes and now I am having to figure things out again.  So…since June.

We spent most of June in the pools of friends during the day as well as several Dr. appointments for me.  On top of my regular baby Dr. visits I had regular visits with the perinatologist as well.  I get to do that with my pregnancies because of my “risk factors”.  With this pregnancy I added a risk factor when the twin vanished…along with that I have a blood clot disorder, a history of miscarriages, and advanced maternal age which is really just a fancy way of saying you are old.  I deny all the tests and genetic counseling as I consider it a waste of time and money and so basically we just get some really high tech ultrasounds out of it and it makes my OBGYN feel better about everything.  I also had a cyst removed from my leg which the kids thought was pretty cool since I had a wound that required stitches.  They would look at it every day and oooh and ahhh over how gross it was. 

July came way to quickly and at the last minute Brian decided I should spend the month with the kids in Logan.  He also decided to come with us for the first week so he could go to his family reunion at the cabin as well.  It was a few days earlier than I had planned on so the laundry and packing began and we were ready to hit the road on July 1st.  It was great to have Brian with us for a week with no work to tear him away and with the July 4th weekend it was packed with family, parades, and fireworks.  We especially get a kick out of July 4th in Paris, Idaho.  It is small town America at it’s finest.  After that we BBQ’ed with the Arnell contingency at the Matthews in Paris.  What a great day! Brian took off later that day from Bear Lake and rode 4 wheelers with Darci and Dallas over the mountains in Logan canyon.  You might say I miss out on a few fun things when pregnant.  I would love to do that someday. 

The following weekend we headed to Park City to the Anderson get together.  Lots of cousins and food, saw a few moose, and kids kept the 4 wheelers running non-stop.  Great weekend.  We were sorry to say goodbye to Brian at this point as he headed back to Vegas and work and we headed back to Logan for the duration of July.  July in Utah has become a month of fireworks as the laws have been relaxed.  Between July 4th and July 24th and beyond there are fireworks every night somewhere…mostly private shows but we attended several in Hyrum as well. 

The last week in July was what I greatly anticipated for months.  Mom and the sisters in Cache Valley graciously agreed to take on my brood for a week so I could join Brian in Florida.  He had a Leadership Conference for work at a fantastic resort on South Beach.  We only had to come up with my plane ticket etc.  We had enough points earned on credit cards and only had to pay $10 for my ticket.  SCORE.  Melinda Arnell graciously picked me up Monday morning at 4am.  Whew!  and got me to the airport in perfect timing.  I spent the day getting across the country.  The only part that was hard was switching planes and having to haul my large pregnant self from one end of the airport to the other and make sure I got some food along the way.  When I finally got to Florida I was too cheap to take a $40 cab to the hotel so I figured out the bus system and spent $2.30 instead.  I got to see some interesting neighborhoods along the way.  The bus driver, who I think was at the end of her shift and wanted to high tail it back to the station, made me get off a stop early.  I was supposed to get off right in front of my hotel but ended up a few blocks away.  Thank goodness for GPS on my phone and Brian meeting me half way.  South Beach has a lot of drugged out homeless people that were eager to ‘help’ me with my luggage.  It was so good to see Brian after so many weeks.

We had a great little room.  I had enough time to drop stuff off and clean up a bit before we met Brian’s bosses and significant others for dinner.  They treated us to a very nice dinner.  We were able to walk a little which felt good after sitting on a plane all day.  Brian was able to spend a few hours a day and every evening with me but was good about attending the classes he was there for.  I on the other hand enjoyed myself immensely.  The only reason I got out of bed in the morning was because I got hungry.  Most mornings I headed downstairs, got a large fresh squeezed OJ, some fruit, and a bagel and headed to the beach which was behind the hotel.  I sat under an umbrella on a nicely padded lounge chair and read, slept, stared at the ocean, and relaxed.  I have never done that in my life.  Especially the past 10 years.  Any vacation we have been on we are sight seeing etc…and it’s go go go with a schedule and kids.  If we went to the beach I was always counting kids and hauling around necessary kid stuff.  For this trip…I only carried what I needed, and at lunch time I waved over the guys in white shirts and ordered food, drinks, cold water, and buckets of ice…ahhh!

We were treated to dinner most nights at some of the nicest places on South Beach, spent one day touring the Everglades and surrounding ocean areas and islands, and I had my first Manicure/Pedicure/Facial.  That was really nice and I think I could get used to such things.  A few nights Brian and I went out into the ocean at night…it was not overly dark with all the hotels lit up and lining the beach.  Swimming in the Atlantic and night was pretty cool.  That was the only time we went swimming in the pool as well as it was not crowded.  The water in the pool and ocean were both like bath water.  The last night while swimming we watched as some loser stole our camera.  We were too far out to do anything about it.  We were glad we had left phones and other valuables in our room.  The irritating thing is that the camera is 5 years old and not worth anything except to me.  All my pictures from the whole trip were gone.  Good thing I had taken a lot with my phone to post for Brian and the kids.  Overall, it was a fantastic get away especially knowing it will be the last for a few years at least.  I recognize how important it is for Brian and I to have that time together with out all the clutter of life and without the kids for a few days.  It was rejuvenating for us both.  I know it was a lot of work for my Mom and sisters but I sooooo appreciated it. 

I traveled back on Saturday the 30th.  Brian was able to get an earlier flight so we were able to go to the airport together and left with in 20 minutes of each other.  He headed back to Vegas and I to Salt Lake.  I ended up sitting next to a fat guy with no manners at all.  He was belching constantly (stinky) and made no effort to keep from spilling himself into my space.  I could tell the flight attendants felt bad for me as they kept checking on me and asking me if I was OK.  I made it back to Salt Lake around 7pm where Julie and Jared picked me up.  I then took Mom’s car which was at Julies and headed back to Logan.  The kids were already asleep which made for a fun reunion in the morning with gifts and hugs. 

We spent a few more days so I could get laundry done and try to gather all our stuff together and then we headed back to the scorching heat of Las Vegas on August 3rd.  Some of my favorite things about spending time in Logan included:  Lot’s of cousin time for the kids, A great outdoor environment for the kids to exhaust themselves in play, fresh raspberries everyday, small town activities in the evenings, irrigation water, breakfast on the deck, cool evenings, Wes calling Ethan and Landon…”my boys”. 

The Monday before we came back Weston landed wrong on the trampoline and broke his arm.  Once again, a broken limb and I am pregnant and can’t take my kid in for the x-rays.  This time Liesl was there and was a major help in distracting Wes so we could get the x-rays.  Poor kid.  He had a full arm splint on for the first week and Brian took him in for a cast when we got back.  It quickly became his weapon of choice and excuse to get out of anything including saying the blessing at meals.  “I can’t, not with a broken arm.”  He had that sucker on for 4 weeks which put a real damper on swim related activities.  We still went to a few but he had to sit it out which was a bit of a bummer. 

August brought on my birthday (38).  I felt like I had already gotten plenty for my birthday in the way of a vacation and pampering in Florida and just asked for dinner out with Brian.  Carol came and watched the kids and we ate at one of my favorites, Ventanos, and then Frozen custard after.  It doesn’t take much to make me happy.   The day after we headed to Ceder City for Georgie’s baptism and were also treated to A Midsummer Nights Dream at the Shakespeare Festival where she performed this year.  That was pretty cool and the kids enjoyed the bonus time with their cousins. 

The end of August was the start of a new school year.  When the list of needed school items came out I almost passed out.  We have the girls at a charter school which gives them a much better education experience in my opinion but we are required to supply so much more out of pocket even though the school falls under the Clark County School district.  We don’t get the same funding that regular public schools get.  The teachers and parents have to supply everything out of pocket or through grants.  I knew it was going to take a lot of energy and a lot of stores and dragging the kids all over to find everything.  Diane stepped up and volunteered to take care of the lists for me.  She saved my neck.  She indicated it took her most of the day and many stores to find everything.  It really would have wiped me out.  I was so thankful for her help.  She even got a new outfit for all the kids.  I am very blessed with such wonderful family. 

August 29th was the first day and Rosie’s first day of Kindergarten.  I didn’t cry like I did with Serra.  Maybe that’s because Brian took them and before I knew it I was picking her up.  Half day Kindergarten doesn’t last very long.  For this first month she asks me everyday…”what are we doing tomorrow morning?”  I tell her school…to which she replies…”AGAIN!”  Get used to it kid…it’s called the next 13 years.  It’s been nearly a month now and the kids are settled in to a routine at school and really love it and their teachers.  Rosie is amazing and is picking up things very quickly.  She is already sounding out words every where we go and telling me what things say.  She is doing math and comes home singing me songs she has learned everyday.  Serra has been going through the evaluation period mostly with a new teacher and getting into a groove with her various subjects.  The great thing about this school is that grades 1-3 are together and get to keep the same teacher for those 3 years…and 4-5 are the same.  She will be able to have the same teacher next year and just be able to pick up where she left off.  I am starting to dread the teenage years a bit with the drama that she comes home with though.  Already in the 4th grade there is way too much of it. 

This weekend marks week 37 with this pregnancy.  There will be no amnio this time around or scheduled induction at 37 weeks.  Much to my doctors dismay…insurance companies and hospitals have cracked down on inductions before 39 weeks.  Having a big baby does not qualify as a medical reason.  I’m ok with it as I planned on waiting at least until 38 weeks this time around to avoid the amnio and possibly digestion issues which were a bit of an issue with Wes and Charlie.  I’m hoping an extra week would allow that system to mature a bit and avoid the acid reflux and projectile vomiting.  I am a bit worried about going into labor on my own, however, as it could go really fast.  My hospital is 30 minutes away and it will take family at least 45 minutes to get to us to help out with the kids.  Community Ambulance has assured me that if I am going fast I can count on an ambulance with lights and sirens to get me to the hospital.  Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.  If baby girl doesn’t make an appearance before 39 weeks I have an appointment on October 10th.  8am.

I have a few hours every day with just Wes and Charlie (for the time being) and they are quite the pair.  We have a loop downstairs that is perfect for tricycle riding and chasing each other.  They are creatures of habit and their morning starts with getting dressed, a coco and cereal, a show, and then bringing every pillow, blanket, and couch cushion in the house to the middle of the living room floor for jumping into and burying each other.  Then the chasing and riding the loop begin.  They keep each other quite busy. Rosie joins in the mix at 11:30 and then when Serra gets home it’s clean up time…Serra loves that. 

Weston is doing a little better with potty training and we have scored a few more poops but Charlie is passing him up.  She has gone this entire week with all poops in the potty on her own.  She also is about 50% on the other end with making it in time.  Wes just says…”good job Charlie.”  I am not ready to throw her in undies just yet as I worry that with the baby coming things will back slide a little.  For the time being I will enjoy a few less poopy diapers everyday. 

Charlie is talking up a storm and repeats everything she hears and is very understandable in asking for what she wants or telling us things.  She can hold her own against all these older kids and lets it be know when she is displeased.  She is very independent which will be good when she is no longer the baby.   She especially loves her daddy and is soooo happy when he comes home.  If she happens to already be in bed when the garage door opens she freaks out because she wants to run downstairs and give a proper greeting. 

Wes started stuttering a bit earlier this summer and it was pretty bad through July.  It seems to have settled down a bit as we we have gotten settled and into a routine around here.  His communication is getting better and I think I will hold off on speech therapy for the time being.  I may get him tested in a few months if I don’t see more improvement though. 

My lady friends threw me a shower/diaper drop a few weeks ago.  It was mostly diapers as we really have most everything we need.  I think we are set for at least 6 months…a big help for sure.  Community Ambulance wanted to do something big and finally got it out of me that I have never had a matching travel system exclusively for a boy or girl.  We have always gone generic as we expected to have other kids.  Since this is our last they hooked us up with a fantastic single stroller and matching car seat and it is completely girly.  hehe…  It was something I was not going to get because we have the double stroller but it will really nice to have when we go places as a family that require a bit of walking so the youngest 3 can all ride, and also when we take walks to the park.  I won’t always want to take the double.   I’m feeling a little spoiled.

I ended up with a minor case of pneumonia the past few weeks that knocked me off my feet until I got on anti-biotics.  Sometimes there is only so much you can do with prevention and home remedies.  My system was already taxed with pregnancy and fatigue and when the kids started school they brought home with them some bugs.  I am 95% there and relieved to have kicked this one before the baby gets here.  Delivering when sick is a real bummer…been there, done that!  I have had great support from family and friends throughout and the kids have been great.  While on the preggers subject I must say that although being pregnant with 4 other kids is taxing at times my other issues that usually go along with the gestation have been minimal to non-existent.  Typically the last few months I am plagued with debilitating carpel tunnel and end up having to get cortisone shots in my wrists just so I can pick up a fork or even sleep without pain.   I have had that with every pregnancy…but not this time.  It has been very minor.  I have also had nasty heartburn with every one…but not this time.  There have been a few nights that I needed to take a Tums but for the most part it has been absent.  I’m beginning to wonder if I’m gonna have a bald baby…if the old wives tale holds water.  Sleeping in the last trimester has always been difficult as well.  We purchased a much needed new bed last year and I am very comfy at night.  Even at this late stage as long as I rotate every few hours (potty breaks) I stay pretty comfortable.  Sleeping is a different story altogether.  I wake for hours at a time some nights.  I am at the point now that every time I stand up I have contractions…and if I stay on my feet for too long they are pretty consistent.  Needless to say I am getting in a lot of reading since I need to stay down.  We have a good carpool set up so I only need to do one run to the school a day and sometimes not even that.  Brian does all the grocery shopping and I am able to leave Serra with the kids for short periods while I run errands now and then to avoid taking them all with me.   I have been able to do a lot of shopping on line which saves on trips out as well.  I was able to score all the kids Halloween costumes for free this year using points on my Disney Visa so we are ready for Halloween.  The baby crib and clothes are all ready to go and my bag is packed…I’m ready.  I can’t wait to meet our caboose.

It’s starting to cool down.  We had our last day of triple digits a week or so ago and have been in the lower 90 degree range all with week and last.  I am REALLY looking forward to fall and winter and the pleasantness it brings to these parts…and lower power bills.  Last weekend Brian went on a hike he’s been planning for a few months up Mount Charleston.  It is one of the most challenging hikes in the country…top 10 I believe.  I think they ended up doing 21 miles in one day.  He is sporting some nasty blisters and is still sore many days later.  Maybe he should have started smaller after not hiking for awhile but he just says…I did it didn’t I?  Check out his facebook for pictures he took. 

That about catches us up until this baby gets here.  Don’t expect a post until after that!  Here are a lot of pictures from our summer. 

 

 We start off in Paris at the Parade and BBQ:

 

     

My bro David with his baby girl.  My youngest munchkins at the parade.

 

       

Best view on the street.

 

 

 

Random:  In case you haven’t seen this shot of the men behind Community Ambulance. 

 

 

Doug and his newest critter chill in the grass while the little kids explore. 

 

Handsome Wes and his boys hang out on the tractor.  Life doesn’t get much better for than this for these manly men.

 

Charlie and “Willy” as she calls her find some friends and a wind chime while Serra Rich and cute baby girls chow down.

 

Julie and Lillers.  Dallas and Melinda and sweet little Samantha.

 

At Great Grandma’s in Bear Lake…scoring some dum dums.   Landon has the cutest mouth. 

 

 

 

More suckers and Mr. Wes is quite enamored with Charlie the Horse.

 

Rosie finds a horse shoe and it doesn’t make it home…guess we’ll have to find it again next time. 

 

 

Hurray for fireworks, sparklers, popcorn, and cousins!

 

Charlie takes a break from popcorn to be amazed by fireworks.

 

How many kids have stood on this…I’m sure it’s in the hundreds. 

To the cabin in Park City.  Wes and Christian play with boy stuff and Wes takes a break to enjoy nature.

 

Plenty of junk food and crafts for the kids and always a meal in the process of being prepared.

 

Charlie loves Daddy.  Wes shares Daddy’s big phone for some cartoon time.

 

Pick a winner buddy.  Maiah, Serra, and Vanessa.

 

To Logan…Grandma washed her car and the girls made sure the turtle was sparkling clean.  AND!…Charlie turns 2!  Just ask her!

 

Matching Dress and Dolly from Grandma Arnell.  Back to Park City…(pictures out of order) Lot’s of beautiful wild flowers…had to stop and take a shot with my cute kids.

 

Adventures on the 4 wheelers.  Wes fell asleep waiting for a turn and Serra drove one herself…terrified the whole time.  But she did it.

 

Cousins are the best.

 

Charlie enjoying some snacks or “nacks”.  We went to Brigham City to watch Moroni get put on top.

 

No trip to Logan would be complete with out a lake day at Bear lake

 

 

A boy, a bucket, and all the sand he could possibly need. 

 

Nice shallow waters.

 

A jaunt up Logan canyon to hang with Dallas and Dougs camping families for dinner.  The kids were FILTHY within minutes.

 

Pictures of Miss Charlotte on her Birthday.  What a cutie!

 

A cupcake for the birthday girl. 

 

Some more out of place pictures of the dirty day. 

We spent most Wednesday afternoons playing in the irrigation water.  Notice the skin tone difference between Serra and the Arnell boys…hehe

 

Wes exhausted every night.  And what good is a vacation with out naps. 

 

Brian looking very Mexicano and some more of the cute birthday girl. 

 

 

Pioneer Day celebration in Providence.  Wes thought the horse riding thing was pretty awesome.  Grandma took him for a ride.

 

 

 

Wes decided he had enough of the irrigation water.  He likes his new lizard shirt.  Mmmmmm

 

More dirty kid pix

 

FLORIDA!  Me on a swamp boat and at Gator park where we met a few live gators.  My favorite part of breakfast. 

 

 

My awesome view most days.  My first manicure.  Fancy expensive food. 

 

Serra’s first horse back ride and not quite sure what the shoe licking was all about.

 

Giant slip and slide in Wellsville.

Broken arm Wes and the new green cast.  Kids hanging out on the trampoline eating ice cream.  Right after the incident…pretty sad.

 

While Mom and Dad are playing in Florida Serra catches a fish with Uncle Dallas.  More FLORIDA!  Only night we had dinner alone…at a Cuban restaurant.  Tasty!

 

Mr. Wes…My birthday flowers…and Serra and George at the festival after the play. 

 

3D shots of baby girl at 30 weeks.  Notice the already chubby cheeks.

 

 

Rosie’s splendid new Sunday shoes…Kids at the duck pond in Wellsville…and the cast comes off!

 

First Day of School…Charlie has a love affair with drinking fountains.

 

At the Shakespeare Festival for an outside performance.  

 

 

The new girlie stroller. 

 

35 weeks….nice belly button…and 36.5 weeks (today in fact)…belly button as retreated…not sure why.  You may notice that even maternity shirts no longer do their job.       Mr Wes…not sure what’s going on here.

 

Ran out of swim diapers…and that darn pony tail was an issue that day.