St. George

So we had a great time in St. George this past week. I had Adult Ed. meetings Monday-Wednesday, and Dennis decided he could visit some car dealerships (what else), so we decided to take all the kids and make a week of it. The best part was that once I got out of meetings I got to play with my family (no work, no homework, just pure fun and enjoyment). We stayed at the Best Western Abbey Inn (delicious full breakfast--eggs, bacon, sausage, oatmeal, waffles, cereal, yogurt, fruit, etc.). Can I say I would highly recommend it? For the kids, there was a pool, and they spent every second Dennis and I could spare in that pool. Aspen especially enjoyed the "kiddie" pool. Dennis and I loved the hot tub at about 10 p.m. after everyone went to bed.


We also went out for Mongolian BBQ--more yum! If you haven't tried it, you should (I've been craving it again all week). You get to pick what size bowl you want, then choose the vegetables, meats, and sauces, and they cook it up for you on this huge grill (see below).

We went with my friend Teresa, her husband Jorge, and her son Enrique. Enrique has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. He can't talk, but he and Connor were communicating like none other, and I'm sure they knew each other in the preexistence.

This is how much Shaylee liked it . . .

Devin and Aspen, on the other hand, couldn't get enough!

Check out Aspen using chopsticks like a pro!

Are these these the cutest pics of Connor? Gotta love the outlet stores (that hat was a must have!). We also picked up some great deals on spring clothes for all four kids.

Every time we visit St. George we go to the Brigham Young House (at Shaylee's insistence). Funny that she seems to be the one enjoying herself the least.

While we waited for Dennis to visit some car dealerships, we explored some great art galleries and then found a park (with water!) next to the St. George Tabernacle that the kids thoroughly enjoyed.

We also found a Blue Bunny Ice Cream store that the kids could have stayed in forever (too bad I'm still off dairy and had to settle for sorbet--but it was good).

These are some cute pics of the fam we took before heading out (is my hubby a hottie or what?)

Can you tell we enjoyed green grass and flowers? Too bad we returned home to snow!!!

Happy Easter!

Well, so much for the "we're finally feeling good again." Connor woke up stuffy and coughing, again. Ugh. He hasn't eaten all day, but he was trying mightily to get my turkey at dinner--he also had a huge interest in Dennis' smoothie. Anyway, I digresss. That boy could probably go for a month without eating and be just fine.

Happy Easter! It was weird this year because my family ended up being out of town, and Dennis' family is having a "Spring Celebration" next week. So we colored eggs on our own and had our own Easter egg hunt (see photos below). We didn't have a pinata (a strange tradition my family has had for as long as I can remember), and I forgot to make deviled eggs for Easter dinner. Oh well, guess we'll do all that next week. I'm also a little bitter Dennis didn't get photos of the kids in their Easter outfits--another "to do" for next week.

We have been trying to think of ways to make Easter more "Christ-centered" and less commercialized. We decided to hide an empty egg and then discuss the empty tomb as we wrapped up our hunt. Then, I had an epiphane (spiritual prompting, awesome idea, you name it, I had it). I wrote a letter to each child expressing my love for them and bearing my testimony of the Savior. It was a powerful experience for me to write the letters, and it started Easter off right because I had them each read the letters before finding their baskets and digging into massive amounts of sugar.

I am so grateful for my Savior and for His atonement for me. In the words of a favorite song: "I know God lives; I know He loves me; I know He hears me and He answers when I pray; I know His Son, is my Redeemer, and that He died for me that I might live eternally one day." I am so grateful for my testimony and for parents who raised me in the gospel and built the foundations of a testimony that would serve me throughout my life. I hope I can in turn share that sacred gift with my children. As we celebrate Easter, not His death, but the empty tomb found three days later and the sacred atonement, I hope each of us will take thetime to reflect on the blessings we have been given.

New Pics

Okay, so some of these are old, but I finally got them off my camera (I think I had 85 that I hadn't ever put on my computer--yikes!). Remember, this is not Dennis taking pictures with his fancy shmancy camera; this is Shauna trying to record precious moments with the fam (plus, my camera fits in the diaper bag).

These first pictures are old (4 months, actually), because they were taken the week before Connor was born (notice there are no pictures of me!). My brother Mark and his family were up visiting from Texas and he asked me if I could arrange to have the baby while he was in town. Boy how I would have loved to oblige! So this is us taking Aspen and his two girls (Maddie and Sydnie) to Jump On It! For those of you who haven't been there, it's this awesome warehouse with 40 wall-t0-wall trampolines (some mounted against the wall, etc.) plus blow-up slides, etc. for the little kids. What a party! Yes, I should not admit to jumping on a trampoline at 39+ weeks pregnant, but I would have tried anything. Luckily, Connor came the day before Mark left (unluckily, his wife and girls were sick, so they did not get to come to the hospital and only saw pictures).

This is Aspen on the slide (her favorite thing there).

Aspen's cousin Sydnie.

Aspen again :-)

Aspen and Sydnie with Uncle Mark. Can you see the adoring look on Aspen's face? She couldn't get enough of him!!!

Aspen and mommy at nap time (Aspen looks like she's napping, huh?).

This picture is one of my favorites . . . this is Aspen in her swimming suit ready to "shovel snow." Uh huh. First, there was a blizzard outside, so there was no way we were going out to shovel. Second, a swim suit?!?! This child has some serious clothing issues (reference previous post with photo of her "ready for church" in underwear and snow boots). We're working on it.

This quality photo of Dennis is taken at my parent's house the night Aspen got the flu and puked all over him. Poor guy! And he's still smiling . . . what a trooper! I'm just amazed my dad still had those fashionable red sweats hanging around.

Ahh, the miniature golf trip I promised photos of (dangling participle, yikes!). Anyway, this was our FHE activity a couple weeks ago and we had a blast.

Aspen would hit the ball from the start, then pick it up from wherever it landed, place it next to the hole, and putt it in. She is an excellent putter (especially from 2 inches).

Daddy helped Aspen a bit.

Can't even miniature golf without the blue tooth . . . it's a sad commentary on life in these United States.

Devin looking ferocious about his putt.

I think he made it!

Shaylee's idea of putting was to swing wildly until it eventually fell in the hole or we just gave her "6."

Ahh yes, mom miniature golfing one handed while carrying Connor, asleep, in a belly pack. Lovely. I even came in second!

Not sure why we took these naked photos of Connor, but he seems pretty happy about the whole thing.

This is "FHE" later the same week as miniature golf. Every month we hold FHE with Dennis' brother Jeremy and his family, and Dennis' sister Wendy and her family. We rotate houses, but Jeremy's house is a construction zone right now (they're finishing the basement), so we went bowling instead. Dennis' sister Alicia came with her man, and his parents came as well. It was a lot of fun.
The crew.

Devin winds up.

Shaylee was a pro!

Aspen loved bumpers and the cute rolly thing that helped her get the ball going.

Aspen with Uncle Nick and cousin Ellie.

Mom helping Aspen (she bowled for both Dennis and I and grandpa--I don't think my score would have been any better if I'd bowled it myself, seeing as I've never broken 100). Frightening, huh?

That's all for now. More later on our fun trip to St. George, Connor's doctor appointment, etc. I have to get the "quality" photos off Dennis' camera. :-)

The Weekend

So we had a really fun week/weekend including miniature golf and bowling. Of course, I have my small, not-so-nice digital camera in the diaper bag, but it's great if Dennis forgets his camera. Of course, we can't find the cord to get the pictures off the camera, so I guess y'all will have to wait!!! :-)

Aspen Quips

So I have a couple new Aspen quips for the list:

Yesterday, I was really tired after church, so I decided to lay down while Dennis finished grilling teriyaki chicken for dinner (I had already finished my contribution--fried rice). Anyway, Aspen came in and climbed up on the bed and asked, "Mommy, are you sick?" "No, sweetheart," I responded, "I'm just a little tired." Her response? "It's rough, isn't it? It's rough." Gee, I wonder where she heard that?

This one's a little more graphic:

I was in the bathroom, and Aspen was in our bedroom with Dennis. She must have heard me grunt and asked, "Mommy, are you going poopy?" "Yes, dear," I told her. She went on, "Oh, good job mommy! You are going to get an ice cream treat!!!" Can you tell what we bribe her with? Dennis then chimed in, "Mommy is such a good girl! She almost never misses." Thanks, hon!

March 7, 2008

Another week come and gone. We are finally feeling healthy again (thank goodness). Connor went to the doctor and he said that his lungs sound good, although he has a lingering head cold.

Monday the kids didn't have school, so we had dentist appointments instead (what fun!). Okay, so they didn't think so. Shay had one small cavity and Devin (the problem child) had to have a tooth extracted. That means we get to go back again next week to have Shay's cavity filled and a space maintainer put in Devin's mouth. Aspen and I were fine. I think Dennis is going to have his wisdom teeth removed (finally). He also has a couple of fillings that are coming out. Ugh.

That night Devin had a basketball game and then we took everyone miniature golfing at Trafalga for FHE. We all really needed to get out of the house, and I figured miniature golfing we weren't very close to anyone else to give or get germs.

Connor went back to the doctor on Tuesday. He is a big boy (like we didn't know that). He is off the charts for height, and he weighs almost 17 lbs. Obviously his sickness has not stunted his growth any. Unfortunately, for those of you remember way back when in November when his cord fell off, it never healed (kept oozing), so I had to take him in and have it cauterized. Well, I guess that caused what looks like a cyst to form on his belly button, so I have to take him to the pediatric surgeons from Primary Children's hospital next week to see if he has to have surgery to have it removed. They hold a clinic at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center once a week. I told the doctor if we had to have it removed, I wanted it taken care of now while he was little.

That night I wanted to attend the RS Bday dinner, but Dennis had planning commission, Shaylee had dance class, and Devin had basketball practice. That left me home hangin' with the youngest two. Oh well. These are cute pics of me reading to the kids before nap time and Aspen reading to Connor.


I worked Thursday, and then this morning I had my annual physical (lovely). Everything went just fine, so it's nice to have that over for the year. :-)

Our great news is that Aspen hasn't had any accident in days. She even went to the bathroom twice this morning at IHOP--whoa! I finally succombed to bribery and got Aspen a sticker chart . . . she puts a sticker on every time she goes to the bathroom and then after 5 stickers she gets a "prize." This is her "mermaid" puzzle she got for one of her prizes. She can put it together all by herself!

A cute pic of Dennis and Aspen (he's always behind the camera, so I took a picture of him for a change).

We're hoping for a slower week next week, but you know how it is these days.

Pics

The pictures I promised (a week ago, I know . . . such is life).

The Ashton Family at Jessica's Wedding (minus Demeron who is serving a mission in Scotland):

Terry & Jessica

The Happy Couple

Shaylee with her cousins Hannah (left) and Madison (right) at the reception

Devin . . . all worn out

Aspen . . . so silly

Connor sporting a new hair cut (his fifth)

Connor enjoying his exersaucer (sp?)