computer nerd

we got a new laptop and were outside cleaning the garage. Shaun came in to find Carter like this. good thing we got the protection plan

Jordan turns 4! swim party

we didnt bring plates so all the kids just dug in

Jordan and her best friend tanner on the playset

here she is, 4 years old. baskin robins cakes are the best

Dad and Jordan with her new toy story 3 toys

playing with Dad at the pool

opening presents

Jordan is 4! crazy! she seemed like she got older over night. the past 2 weeks she was a stinker and i told her when she was 4 she would be big, and apparently stuck! she LOVED her toys! she got a pillow pet from Grandma, a refurbished bike from Kailey, she's going to Disneyland from Grandpa a few other toys. she had fun! we went to the pool with her cousins and she picked her own cake out. it was a fun day!

Arches National Park

the famous family photo in front of the sign. proof we were here

me in double arch: Kailey was the photographer. Shaun kept Ellie and Carter in the car while me, Kailey and Jordan hiked this and went into the caves

the best one! Double Arch: the shade and rocks were perfect for the girls

I took my turn holding Carter and Ellie. it was awesome! almost as awesome as my shorts and shoes!

south window. me and all the girls

the windows: this was the "Kailey hike" she kept asking when we could go hike them every time we drove by. their favorite was climbing on the rocks

Delicate Arch: the license plate of Utah. we only did the view point and we did it at night. it was pretty. but I'm glad we didn't trek all the way out. this was fine with the kids!

Landscape Arch: our 2 hr trek! it was so hot, no shade and just enough water!! i had Ellie in the Bjorn and Shaun would hold carter every now and then when he got tired. the kid sweats like crazy!!! but it was beautiful and the sun was behind the clouds most of the way back.

taking a break after hiking around Balanced Rock. these girls were so good!

this is the pictures Jordan is going to look back and say "mom why am i dressed like that" the answer is: she picked out her clothes and wouldn't change! her pants were to small, he hair was crazy and she just looked awesome!

We headed to Arches for a family vacation. it was weird going with just our little family, but we aren't so little in numbers anymore! we spent 2 days in the park and around moab. we went swimming in pool at the hotel. it was hot but it was fun!

El Bell

she has adopted many nicknames in her short life span, el, el bell, bell, smellie ellie. she is getting so big so fast, and really is a great little baby

getting by

well, Ellie is now over a week old. last week FLEW by. i havent taken any more pictures because we have been so busy moving on with our lives. so sad. i'll take more, i promise! what could I possibly be up to I just had a baby you ask? oh yeah. apparently we are still moving in 1 month FROM TODAY! My mom left us last sat morning and we emptied the attic. now my garage is a mess and my car has lost its home. So Sunday i had a nice little break down because my husband read all day while the house got messy around him. I was hoping he would have taken at least 2 kids to church... give me a little break...turns out that was a really good book. After a little crying he picked up the slack and we had a "dance party" Kailey is big into dance party these days. i have no idea why, but we knew she wanted one, so saturday we got balloons and each kid "signed up" for a treat to bring. it was funny, and everyone had fun. So monday i had a gazillion things to do, and appointments to make. I managed to pack 3 boxes and go to the store, alone. today i'm already on box 8. but my house is a disaster, and everything has lost its place. I'm hoping for some organization to come later when shaun gets home. there are boxes and buckets everywhere. good thing i get to show my house tomorrow to potential renters. life is busy, and I am BARELY but definitely getting by.
P.S- Ellie has figured out how things happen in this family and as of late has become awesome baby #4. she is sleeping 3-4 hrs at a time at night and going straight back to sleep after eating. lets hope it sticks!

Who's had Birthday Shout Horray!

sporting his new smile

With every new year comes a new smile... somehow smile means squeeze your eyes closed, hopefully this passes, but it is hilarious!

He Loves his little sister Carter and his personal 2 year old cake~

he was full body into unwrapping his presents. couldn't even get him to look at the camera
My cheeser at the Big Tree Dad Jordan and Carter at the mall

Carter turned 2! We had a pretty slow day with naps, and Grandma and Dad had to g back to work, but we made him his own cake, and everyone else got cupcakes, then we opened presents and off to the Big Tree in the mall. he loves that place and it wasn't crowded. He is such a happy, cute kid, who can be REALLY loud when he wants to be (when he wants out of bed) and is so good with his sister. who knew boys could be so cool too!
On our way home from the hospital we stopped to have a celebratory lunch for Carters early birthday and Ellie's birth. what better way than a mile high mudd pie?

Ellie has Arrived!

its amazing that this is was inside me!

Grandma and grandpa Lee helped with the kids while Ellie was born

Our first family photo... so cute

4 little kids 3 girls to 1 boy

Ellie Kay

her "home from the hospital" outfit

the girls

Dad, Carter and Ellie. Carter was so soft with her

well, here are the much awaited pictures, i am so cute in all of them, don't mind the extremely "swollen" face of mine, they had to pump me nice an full of pitocin afterward because i hemorrhage (is that TMI?) so i pack the water weight on a few extra weeks.

It was a nice easy birth, at the hospital they said she is "determined" meaning a cranky baby, but ever since getting home she has fallen into suit with our others. she sleeps all the time, barely cries and eats really well. lets hope it sticks! shes pretty cute in my book. she has the longest fingers and toes, and is all bone, no fat, I'll work on that! Carter loves her, and Kailey wont let her down! today i had to threaten taken away Ellie time, meaning she can't hold her, if she didn't let me do her hair without whining. it worked! as I write this Ellie is crying, that about right too isn't it?

Had a baby its a.... GIRL

Im sitting in the hospital and Shaun is holding Carter and Carter is holding Ellie. Pictures to come when they are uploaded. She was born at 11:21 am in about 10 min. another easy delivery, but i'm exhausted now. we came in this morning at 6:30. I was hooked up to pitocin about 7:30 and they broke my water about 9 ish. about 11:10 the dr came in and I was a 9 and 10 min later baby Ellie was born. 7 lbs 14 oz. 20.5 inches long. she looks exactly like Carter. same dark brown hair and LOTS of it!
Carter acts like he knows he little sister and calls her baby Ellie. Jordan is glad to have a little sister and Kailey is so glad to have another sister. but she "knew it was a girl" so no surprises for her!

this is why you dont let your 2 year old play with paint

The girls were painting outside and carter got ahold of the pallet. oh well, he had fun, funny that he even got it in his mouth.

Dance Party Central

Kailey has been big on dance parties lately. she passes out a paper and we all "sign up" for what to bring. she has the date and time on top and we have a party. we've tried to make it Sunday tradition, its pretty funny. this was our second party. the kids jump from couch to couch and we have balloons, and each kid brings a snack. (made or bought my mom) i usually sign up to bring Ellie and Shaun gets to bring the music. the kids love it. as you can tell!