Rachel's Real Birthday

 Rachel loves having breakfast in bed for her birthday.  She requests cereal every year:)

 Present time.  I'm not so sure about the pose in this picture:)

 The presents

 After going to dinner at Zaxby's we did a little cake.

Rachel practicing with her present. She always has these skates on now and is getting a little better.

First Day of School

 Our camera battery was dead before school, but luckily we planned to have lunch with Rachel to ease Lincoln's pain of losing his friend during the day and got some pictures.

 Rachel with her teacher Mrs. Dalenberg.  Rachel already loves her teacher.

Oh We're Going to a Hookie Lau

That subject line is for my dad who always sang that song any time we mention a luau.  Rachel wanted a luau for her 6th birthday.  

This is the extent of my decorating.

First we got dressed up and Rachel and I taught everyone a hula dance.

Next we did the limbo.  I think that was their favorite activity.

They were a little too excited about presents so they came early.

Next was pin the flower on the Lilo.  

Rachel picked what we had for lunch-lots of fruit and flower shaped sandwiches.

Cupcakes

Pinata that Joe had to bust open again.

Happy 6th birthday sweet Rachel!  We're so glad you're in our family!

Let's Race!

 The kids really like Joe to race with them after work.  

 Hannah loves to get in on it to and feel like a big kid.

 Lincoln doesn't enjoy coming in second so Rachel will do some races where they hold hands and tie.

Hannah get's pretty happy when she runs.  She still has the toddler run and has more action twisting than going forward.  It's funny to see her cute chubby cheeks and hair bounce when she runs.  I'm grateful Joe races so I don't have to.

Happy Pioneer Day

We tried to celebrate Pioneer Day and this is how it turned out.

We had biscuits and gravy because we read the pioneers used a lot of gravy as fillers for meals.

For desert we made covered wagons.  Hannah's never made it far...it was too delicious.

On Monday we did an FHE talking about our pioneer ancestors.  Side note-pregnant emotional women should not read about pioneer women and how they lost babies.  For the activity we talked about how pioneers cleaned their homes in Nauvoo before they left so we had to clean the playroom:).  Then we had to pack necessities into a covered wagon fort we made. 

Will "Moo" for Food

Yesterday you could get free food at Chick Fil-A if you dressed like a cow.  Joe wasn't as excited but I tricked him into at least wearing a shirt.  The kids had so much fun dressing up.  Hannah is holding me in the death grip because of the scary man in the cow costume.

#4 and Blessed

We're expecting baby #4 December 30!  Last week we were able to see/hear the heart beat for the first time. I was surprised how nervous I was and then excited when I saw the baby and the heartbeat. It's amazing to me how a new life can start with so little and become a living soul.  I'm glad that God entrusts us with that power to bring another life into the world.

I've been thinking how blessed I am to be the mother of three, and soon to be four, children.  I know not everyone has that blessing.  I really feel like my children are my treasures and I'm glad I get to spend so much of my time with them.  My perspective has changed a lot since my niece was diagnosed with a terminal illness when she was less than a year old.  As much as I wished I could make everything better for them, I realized what I could do was appreciate my children, give them more hugs and kisses, and enjoy my time with them.

While I haven't been as sick as long this time, Joe has had to help a ton.  He has really stepped up and cleaned our house every night without complaint.  I'm grateful for a good husband whose examples challenges me to be better.

I am blessed.