The Thompson's

A Million Excuses

2010-03-08T00:44:00.000-08:00

So, I have a million reasons why I haven't updated in so long but, instead of dwelling on that, it is simply time to move on and write about what's been happening lately.

In June Cooper turned 2. We celebrated at home with our little family and had cookie monster cupcakes. I can't believe he is already 2. He is very active and coming into his own as far as personality goes. Over the summer he moved into the big boy bed which was a little challenging at first but, he is doing well now staying in his bed and going to sleep when he is supposed to. He was having bad dreams at night and waking up crying so we put him in a room with Seth and he seems and that fixed it.

Over the summer we visited Las Vegas and Utah. The kids went to cousin camp at Grandma & Grandpa Rowles cabin and were able to visit their Mama & Papa Thom for a few days afterward (Seth has a new love of ATV's. He loves all extreme sports, he is always telling me he wants to surf, snowboard, skateboard, etc.) I was lucky enough to go to Seattle with my mom & sis for a few days for a girls trip to celebrate Marissa's 30th birthday. It is always fun to get away together. We made some great memories and of course ate a lot of really good food.

Seth's birthday was the first day of school, we celebrated that evening by having his favorite meatballs and I made a chocolate cake. The weekend after that we had a pirate party at our house and rented a water slide. We decorated the garage for the party so the kids would not be going in and out of the house wet. The kids loved the slide but it had a bump in the middle of it and I swear our kids and I know some of our friends kids had whiplash from it. They were all a little sore the next day. A few weeks before Seth's birthday, he learned to ride his bike without training wheels. He is already trying to do tricks and ride super fast. Paul's birthday was 2days after Seth's. He was feeling a little under the weather but, we went out to eat and came home and had chocolate pie (his favorite).

As I said, the kids first day was Seth's birthday. They both really like their teachers and we have really enjoyed being so close to the school that we can just walk. The first day, Cooper kept calling out for them and asking where they went.

Right after school started, soccer season started. Izzy & Seth are both playing and they have been having a great time and getting lots of exercise! Although, I think Izzy is more of a non-contact sport kind of girl. She keeps telling me she is afraid the ball is going to hit her or she is going to get kicked. So, she mostly just runs near the ball not actually getting in there and kicking it. She has already informed me she does not want to play next year and would rather stick to musical theater, gymnastics and dance which is fine with me!! I'm glad she got to try it. Seth on the other hand enjoys getting right in the middle of it all and running his little heart out.

The 2nd weekend in September Paul took Seth camping with a few friends. He didn't get to go on the Father & Sons outing earlier in the year and the Father/daughter campout was coming up soon so, to make things fair he camped with Seth one weekend and took Izzy on the Father/Daughter the next weekend. Izzy & Seth love camping and hiking, they had a great time.

Izzy's birthday was in September. On her actual birthday we went to Outback for dinner and came home for some Lemon pie. For her birthday party, we had a pretend sleepover at the house. Her friends came over in their PJ's with their sleeping bags in tow (Seth was the only boy, which he totally loved). We had pizza, made a craft, played freeze dance & musical sleeping bags, and had treats and cupcakes. Paul set up a projector outside and when it got dark, the girls took their sleeping bags out on a tarp and watched a movie, complete with popcorn and candy. After that, their parents came and picked them up. They all had a lot of fun. I can't believe she is 7. Before I know it she will be getting baptized.

On October 1st, Izzy had her tonsills and adenoids taken out and ear tubes put in. She has been snoring for years and always woke up tired in the morning even after 12 hours of sleep. She was also really prone to strep throat and ear infections. After checking her ears the ENT said her ear drum was retracted and to prevent further complications later she needed the tubes. It was a rough week and a half. She wouldn't eat anything (even ice cream) and she lost 4 lbs (a lot for someone who only weighs 40 lbs to begin with). She would wake up crying at night in pain and spike fevers randomly. One saving grace was that the day after her surgery my mom surprised us and showed up. I was so relieved and grateful she somehow knew I needed her. It was great to have her help for a few days. After a week and a half she finally started to eat and feel better. She was able to return to school after about 12 days. She was really tired the first few days but everyday she has been eating more and getting her strength back. I can already tell that she is hearing better and waking up in the morning more refreshed so I am glad we did it.

For Halloween the kids school had a parade so I went over and watched with Cooper. We also went to our ward Trunk or Treat and Trick or Treated with some friends on Halloween night. Izzy was Belle, Seth was Buzz and Cooper was Woody. Paul and I also went to his work trick or treat party. He was the basketball player and he cut half a basketball and tied it over my stomach so I was the ball.

Much of November was spent awaiting Preston's arrival. Before he came we were lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving with some dear friends who took pity on a big, fat pregnant girl so I didn't have to cook. We had a wonderful meal, hung out, talked and played wii. Poor Cooper was sick with a fever but, still in good spirits.

About a week before Preston was born I got bronchitis. I seriously thought I was going to cough him out. I actually pulled a stomach muscle from coughing so hard which made it even more painful to cough. I had Cooper and Seth about a week and a half early so I was sure I was going to go into labor around 2 weeks early. No such luck. In the end it all worked out for the best because my mom was able to come a few days before he was born and stayed a few days after. I have never been induced before so I was a little nervous but, with my mom being there only for a few days and coughing with a giant belly I knew it was time to get him out. When we got to the hospital early on November 30th the first thing they did was give me a big dose of prescription cough medicine which I was so thankful for. I think I only slept about 2 hours the night before due to coughing. I was already dilated to a 3-4 so I thought it would go super fast but it was slow going at first. Once they got the pitocin going pretty strong then things finally started to progress. I had an amazing anesthesiologist. The hardest part was trying not to cough while he was giving me my epidural. He asked me to warn him if I was going to cough which luckily I didn't need to. After that things went really smoothly, my water broke and I was fully dilated within about 2-3 hours. I pushed 2 or 3 times and he was out. I was shocked he was only 7lbs 5oz because my others were all much bigger but, I was so grateful because it made my recovery so much easier this time. My nurse and doctor were excellent. I truly could not have had a better delivery. The only unfortunate part was how sick we all were. My mom had to take Cooper to the pediatrician while we were in the hospital and Paul went to the doctor the day after we got home. We were all literally wearing masks the first few days we brought Preston home because we were afraid of getting him sick. I was lucky enough that as my mom was flying out Paul's mom was flying in so I had help for a good 2 weeks all together. Both mom's were so much help we were so lucky to have them! We are all loving him to pieces. He is such a good, mild mannered baby. He sleeps well and just hangs out when he is awake. My biggest problem is getting the kids to give him a little personal space. I can't say enough about how in love we are with him. He has a dimple in each cheek and one in his chin too. He is adorable!

A few weeks after Preston's birth we headed to Las Vegas & Utah to celebrate Christmas and New Year's and bless Preston. We had a wonderful time visiting everyone. The kids had so much fun with all of their cousins. Of course we couldn't escape the holidays without sickness. Seth had an asthma attack and we had to take a trip to the ER for a breathing treatment. Poor Cooper had pnumonia and Preston got his first cold. The Sunday after New Year's we blessed Preston in my parents ward. It was wonderful to have so many of our family members there. Thank you so much to all those who were there. We had a yummy brunch afterwards then started the daunting task of packing the car to head home.

I believe this is all the men involved except for John who had to leave shortly after to go teach. Kyle got to hold the microphone.I love my great grandma. She is so sweet. She always smells good and her skin is so soft. Here is my mom, sis, niece and me and Isabelle with her (don't forget I just had a baby so excuse the chubbiness).

The first week in February we found out that change is on the horizon for our family. Paul is being transferred/promoted so we will be moving to Southern California. I never pictured us living in Caifornia but, I think living in Northern California for the last 3 years has warmed us up to the idea of moving to Southern California. We are super excited mainly because we will be so much closer to our family which, will make it way more convenient to visit often. Paul will start working down there in March (coming home on Thursday nights) and the kids and I will join him after school is out. Mama and Papa Thom also came for a nice extended visit. Paul & Papa Thom took Seth to his first NBA game, the Warriors vs the Jazz. He had an awesome time. I think he was just as excited for the train ride there as he was for the game. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of snacks his dad spoiled him with. He was SO excited when he got home at 11 bouncing off the walls in his new jersey. Also while they were here the kids school had a fashion show fundraiser. Izzy had so much fun walking the runway and doing a dance with her friends. We love having them here. They are always so helpful with the kids and just enjoyable to have around. I hope we didn't wear them out too much.

It is nice to finally be somewhat caught up on the blog. The kids are all growing so fast. Izzy is about to lose her 2nd tooth,taking ballet,tap and jazz and reading chapter books. Seth is reading and writing,loving swimming lessons and asking me for a skateboard, snowboard or to learn to surf (which for now my answer is no. He has already had 1 broken bone he doesn't need another). He also really likes soccer and basketball. Cooper is constantly saying new sentences and words and still asserting his opinion very strongly. He is losing the toddler look and starting to look and act like a little boy (I can't believe he will be 3 in a few months). Sweet Preston is already 3 months old and as amazing as ever. He sleeps well and pretty much just goes with the flow which is such an amazing blessing. It feels good to be a family of 6. Time seems to be passing so fast it is hard to believe Izzy will be baptized later this year. Before I know it they will all be grown with families of their own but, for now I am going to try to enjoy this time, live in the moment (not wishing for the future) and have fun.

New Post is Coming

2009-01-22T20:50:00.000-08:00

I swear a new post is coming soon. I got a new laptop and have not downloaded the software yet for my camera. I promise I will get that done over the next few days so we can move beyond the birthdays!

Birthdays

2008-11-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

So, Izzy & Seth's birthdays were months ago but, I still want to document them. We were having a hard time finding a good time to have Seth's birthday party so, I ended up throwing it together last minute in about 8 hours. I called a couple of his friends the morning of and we went cosmic bowling and to cold stone afterwards. The kids had a lot of fun dancing to the music and bowling.

For Izzy's birthday, she wanted to have a pedicure party. So, we took her and 3 of her friends to get a pedicure ( a nail salon near us does mini pedicures for girls under 12). They had a great time getting pampered. Then, we came back to our house for some pizza and cupcakes. We kept both of the kids parties really small this year but, it was still a lot of fun.

I can't believe they are 4 and 6. Time really does fly. They are both such sweet kids. Isabelle is the little mini mother of our house (if I am not careful she will take over). She is also really compassionate and caring of others. I love it when she tells me she wants to be a mom when she grows up. I know she will be a great one. Seth is our little comedian. He really thinks he is funny and usually has a big double dimple smile on his face. He really adds entertainment value to our home. It is hard to discipline him when he does something wrong because he always flashes that big grin and it melts ya a little. Unfortunately, he already likes girls (especially older ones) quite a bit and his dad has taught him how to wink. I can't help but laugh at him most of the time ( I think that is his intention).

Seriously??!!

2008-10-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Caught in the act. Need I say more?

Got Ribs???

2008-10-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

I know I am way behind on a lot of other posts but, I couldn't resist posting these pictures of Cooper from dinner tonight.

A Saturday Adventure

2008-09-27T08:39:00.001-07:00

On Labor Day weekend we wanted to head to the beach. We checked the weather and the beaches about 1 1/2 hours South of here were supposed to be cold but a few beaches about 2 hours north of here were supposed to be warm. So, we packed up the car and headed out on a day trip. We got all the way to Bodega Bay and it was FREEZING!! Overcast, very windy and like 59 degrees. It is usually not a good sign when you see people basically in parkas standing on the beach. Needless to say we did not get out. We checked the little tourism office for other things to do in the area. We found out there was some horseback riding for the kids and a lighthouse about an hour south heading back towards our house so we set off that direction. We had some lunch at a yummy restaurant that had VERY slow service (not good for kids who have been in the car for basically 3 hours).
After that we took the kids horseback riding. They loved it! They were supposed to ride on ponies but, as you can tell from the picture those were NOT ponies. It was cool because they took them on a little trail ride instead of just around the arena. Paul and I walked alongside to make sure they were safe. After that, we headed to the lighthouse it was about 20 miles of winding back roads to get to it. Unfortunately they close the steps down to the lighthouse at 4:30 and that is exactly when we got there so the kids were a little bummed and keep asking to go back. As you can imagine, it was pretty windy and chilly up there. It had a beautiful view and it was still cool to see the lighthouse even if we couldn't go down to it. After that we headed home and were blessed to make it to a gas station since there were none for like 40 miles! It was a lot of driving but still fun to see a lot of the beautiful country up here and be together as a family.

First Day of School and Cooper Walking

2008-09-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

Izzy started school last week. She loves her teacher and has been very excited to go to school. We walked everyday last week (up a giant hill). Maybe if we keep it up I will finally lose my last 15 lbs from having Cooper. I forgot the camera that morning so here is a picture after school. About a week and a half ago Cooper started taking a few steps and then the other day he took off across the room. He is still walking and crawling but I am sure it won't be too long before he is running with the rest of them. He walks with his arms up in the air and does a little side shuffle. We joke that he is doing the basketball shuffle and trying to play defense.

Hiking with Uncle Chet

2008-09-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Chet had to work in San Francisco a few weeks ago so he stayed for the weekend to visit. We decided to hike to a place called Little Yosemite. What we didn't realize is that during our dry season there isn't much to it. So, after wandering for a long while in what we termed "the lone and dreary wilderness" we headed back to the car. Even though the hike was a little bit of a bust, it is always fun to be with Chet.

I know you are going to love me for this picture Chet!

Seth LOVES sticks, I think this qualifies as a little more than a stick but every time we hike he has to have one. He has a smaller one in another picture.

The Olympics

2008-08-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

Our kids have been loving watching the Olympics. Seth enjoyed watching the swimming, gymnastics and diving. Izzy in particular has loved the gymnastics. We would tivo it and then snuggle on my bed and watch it. It has really inspired her. I think it really connected what she has been doing in class. It helped her to see what they mean when they say straighten your legs and point your toes and to see what she could be able to do in the future. She has been doing gymnastics all over our house and has really improved over the last couple of weeks. It has been really fun. Her teacher talked to us about possibly joining the developmental team but I am not sure we are ready to commit to that yet. I wouldn't trade my years as a competitive gymnast for anything but I was much older and it was definitely my choice. As a matter of fact, I had to beg my parents to let me compete. She enjoys so many other activities I know she is not ready to give everything else up ( not that she would have to yet). So if and when she ever wants to I just want to make sure it is her choice and she is basically begging me because it is a big commitment! I know she doesn't look that happy but I think she was just so focused on watching she didn't know daddy was taking a picture. That is Seth's trademark position when relaxing. It cracks me up.

Pictures from Alice in Wonderland and Cooper's 1st birthday

2008-08-26T16:21:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post the pictures from when Izzy got to play Alice in Alice in Wonderland. She remembered all of her lines and had a great time. What can I say, she loves to perform!! This was a picture with her teacher after the performance. Since it is just a class through the recreation program, they don't have very many costumes so she asked the girls to wear a dress. Izzy was very excited that her teacher told her she was dressed so perfectly like Alice they didn't need to add anything. This was the beginning of the show. We were so proud of her.

Here are a few pics from Cooper's birthday if you remember from an earlier post there was quite a bit of excitement with Seth hitting his teeth on the side of the pool. All I can say is it goes WAY TOO FAST!!I know, I know, how did I get a light haired, blue eyed child. Good question. It must be somewhere in the gene pool. I am happy to say that each child has different colored eyes (green, brown and blue). It looks like he may end up having curly hair too. So fun!
Cupcakes! Glorious Cupcakes! This was his first real taste of sugar. With his reflux and other allergies I have been pretty tight on his diet. I got made fun of for wanting organic cupcakes but, they were delicious! Thanks Marissa!

The Space Museum

2008-08-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

In an effort to try and squeeze in a few more fun activities before school started, we went to the Space museum. Seth has been telling us he wants to be an astronaut (to ride in a rocket of course!) so I knew it would be a hit with him for sure. Isabelle enjoyed it as well, especially since her friend Grace's family came along. We saw 2 shows in the planetarium and looked at all of the exhibits & telescopes. Both kids asked to go back, especially to look in the telescopes again. On Friday and Saturday nights they open them up for free so we will definitely have to do that. Cooper was a good boy as usual always content to just go along for the ride.
These were the water rockets that they launched!! They got to fill them with water and then pull the string that launched them about 30 feet.

Boys will be boys

2008-08-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

I swear, every time I turn around Seth is hurting himself. He is SO accident prone. Some of you already know that when he was 2 he broke his leg riding his scooter. He is constantly tripping and when he does he ALWAYS hit his forehead. Ever since he could walk he has had goose eggs on his head. So, here is the latest one and I think this one may take the cake. He was chasing his sister and tripped and he of course hit his forehead. Luckily he did not have a concussion, just 2 black eyes and a major goose egg. Mind you, this picture is after icing it on and off for 2 hours.

Later that week Izzy was trying to pretend she was a doctor and poked something in his ear. He started screaming and his ear started gushing blood so I called my pediatrician (yes, I have his cell phone number on speed dial) and he told me to bring him in to make sure his eardrum did not rupture. Luckily it was just a scratch in the inner ear. Izzy felt SO bad, she was really broken up about it. The other recent injury of his happened at Cooper's birthday. We were all outside watching Cooper eat his cake and I look over and see Seth jump off the diving board. I run over to the side of the pool and get there just as he is coming up out of the water. He jumped to close to the side and hit his mouth on the concrete stair on the side of the pool. His mouth was gushing blood and his teeth were pushed back a bit. My brother-in-laws friend is a pediatric dentist so he came over to check his teeth out. He did push them back a bit but they were not too loose so it looks like they will not fall out for now.

Here is a pic of Cooper at our friends birthday party. I swear it just comes ingrained in their brains to play with cars and guns. Look at his finger, Uncle John and Uncle Chet would be proud.

A Summer Update

2008-08-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

So obviously I am way behind but instead of trying to catch up I am just going to give a brief overview of what we have been up to and then move on. So, obviously school ended and Isabelle finished kindergarten. In 2 weeks she will be starting first grade and I am really sad she is going to be gone all day. Seth finished his first year of preschool and he loved it. A week after school was out Izzy had her dance recital and we were scheduled to leave for Vegas the next day. But, if you know us, you know we can never go too long without some health crisis. The day before we were supposed to leave I had to take Cooper to the emergency room because he was wheezing really badly. He had gotten Croup (we think) and as usual with him, it always goes straight to his lungs. After another course of steroids and some breathing treatments, we were off to Vegas. Izzy was also suffering from 2 ruptured ear drums from ear infections. Anyway we had fun in Vegas with our family and went to Virgina for a week to visit Paul's family. They were both great trips. My mom came home with us for a few days which was fun as well. Since we have been back we have been trying to enjoy our last few weeks of summer. Izzy did a 2 day cheer camp and a 2 week long theater camp where they practiced and performed Alice in Wonderland. She was so excited because she got to play the part of Alice. She did a great job. Seth has been enjoying his activites, going to the library and playing with his friends. He is really looking forward to his 4th birthday in a few weeks. While in Vegas, Cooper had his 1st birthday. He is getting so big. Cooper is unfortunately on the brink of another asthma attack. He started wheezing and coughing again today. With a few breathing treatments, he is sounding a little better. Well, so much for a short update. Hopefully I'll be a little bit better at updating.

Take your kid to work day & Father & son camp out

2008-06-19T21:10:00.001-07:00

I know I am way beyond behind but, whatever! So, Seth got to go with Paul to take your kid to work day & he loved every minute of it. We met for lunch and I took him home so Paul could actually get some work done. Seth was so upset. I should have told him ahead of time that he only got to go for half of the day. He frequently asks to go to work with Paul so when we told him he could go he had the biggest grin. I loved the look on his face when they pulled away in Paul's truck. One of the technicians took him for a ride on the fork lift which he of course thought was awesome. Then, he got to check out some of the other big machines in the yard. He brought home a TON of earplugs. He had an amazing time.

Wearing Daddy's earpiece

His desk next to Daddy's

Exhausted after a fun filled morning, on his way to lunch

The next fun adventure was the Father & son camp out. This was the first year that Paul & Seth went to the camp out. They had a blast and Seth is constantly asking to go camping again. The night they got up there they had dinner and a bonfire and Seth played with friends and ran around the campsite. Paul texted me at 10 pm to let me know that he was not asleep yet. He was so excited to be sleeping in a tent and the air mattress and the flashlights, he could not relax and fall asleep. I think he finally fell asleep around 11. The next morning Paul had to wake him up early because the Elder's quorum presidency was making breakfast and the campfire was to far away from the tent to leave him there. Paul woke him up and Seth said it's time to go.... before he could finish his sentence with make breakfast, Seth started crying saying I don't want to go!!! Paul finally got him calmed down and explained they were just going to make breakfast. After breakfast they went to this cool place called Rock City. It is a bunch of huge boulders that you can climb all over and into. Needless to say he was in heaven and had a blast! I know it is going to be a fun tradition he looks forward to. I am so behind I haven't even downloaded the pictures yet. I will add them soon.

A visit from Sarah (Marissa, Grandma & Grandpa too)

2008-05-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

The week before General Conference, Mom came up to give me a short break from all of the stress that we have had between Isabelle & Cooper's medical troubles. Since the kids had not gotten a chance to see their new cousin Sarah yet, Marissa & her decided to tag along. Mom came a little earlier in the week and then Dad, Marissa & Sarah came on Friday. I wish they could have stayed longer but it was fun while it lasted. All of the kids enjoyed her but Isabelle especially had a wonderful time holding & feeding her. She would have been content to hold her all the time. She always tells me that she wants to be a mom when she grows up and she wants 5 kids (down from 10). I have no doubt that she will be a great one!
This is one of Sarah's first documented smiles.
Izzy loved feeding her. Since I breastfeed she had never had a chance to give a baby a bottle.
Seth wanted to hold her too.

That Friday, Isabelle was given the all clear from the doctor to return to school and normal activity. We celebrated by going to the park on Saturday after conference.

Happy Belated Easter!

2008-05-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, Ok I know I am way late for this but, I just wanted to post a few pictures from Easter. Isabelle still had some signs of her HSP but, it was a wonderful day. We got up early and the kids found their baskets on the table. We had a nice breakfast and then got ready for church. After church we took a few pictures and relaxed for the afternoon.

So, for any of you with multiple children you know how hard it is to get a pic with all of them looking. This is as good as it gets.

Cooper enjoys his basket

The kids new sunglasses

Cooper trying on Seth's glasses

Here they are in their church outfits. Isabelle's dress came with a matching dress for a doll. Of course the Easter bunny was so smart he gave her a doll to put it on.

Rock on!

2008-04-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Izzy's school had a family dance tonight. The kids were supposed to dress up as their favorite pop star. Since Izzy doesn't have one she just dressed up as a pop star. They had pizza, salad and drinks. There was a hula hoop contest (or hula hulop as Seth would say) and a costume contest. Izzy was so excited, she won the costume contest! She won a giftcard to Target. She already asked if we could go and spend it tomorrow after ballet. She is always so thoughful, she asked if she could get something for Cooper with it. Seth & Izzy had a great time dancing. It was a fun evening.

Update on Izzy

2008-04-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

I know it has been a long time since I have posted but, I have been exhausted. Anyway, Izzy is doing well. We are in week 5 of HSP. She still has some spots. Old ones go away and then new ones present themself. They don't seem to be bothering her so that is good. The Dr. is still checking her kidneys and blood pressure to make sure there is no damage. So, we will keep our fingers crossed. Thanks for all of your concern.

Thank Goodness for Medical Insurance...

2008-03-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness we have medical insurance because the week of my birthday between Tuesday and Saturday we went to the Dr 8 times. Yes, I said 8, 2 of which we went to UCSF in San Francisco for(1 hour each way)!! How is that possible you say? Easy, when you go 1 time on Tuesday, twice on Wednesday, once on Thursday, 3times on Friday and once on Saturday. Here is the rundown of what happened. The night of my birthday, as we were putting Izzy to bed, Paul noticed some red spots on her legs and asked me to come look at them. She had played with a friend outside that afternoon so I was thinking, maybe it was some sort of allergic reaction. Then we inspected the rest of her and found them around her elbows too. My next thought was maybe it is the chicken pox. She has been immunized but I have heard of breakthroughs and her Dr had told me a few weeks before that they were finding out that the Chix Pox vaccine was only good for 4 years. I opted to not to give her the booster. I thought just my luck, she gets the pox 3 weeks later. The next morning I took her to the Dr. where he informed me that it was not the chicken pox. He got kind of serious, put a mask on her and hand walked us down to the lab for some blood tests. Even more alarming was the fact that he would not tell me what he thought it was because he didn't want to diagnose her without the blood test. Which in my head I was thinking, it must not be good if he doesn't want to tell me. He made the lab techs wear masks as well and they took her blood. We left to go pick Seth up from preschool and the Dr called me to let me know that her blood tests were all normal and anything they were really concerned about was not there. I asked him what the big worry was and he told me that he was concerned about bacterial meningitis because when it presents this way it is really bad and also leukemia. Luckily we can check those off but her spots were still a mystery. He wanted us to see the head dermatologist at UCSF (apparently she writes the books) so he made a call and she was interested in our case. Then I was thinking, if the woman who writes the books is interested, that can't be good. Anyway, her dr. also mentioned something called HSP but she was missing a few of the symptoms. Finally the night before we were supposed to go to UCSF her leg got swollen, which is a symptom of HSP. He then felt pretty confident in his diagnosis but, since it wasn't following the exact criteria (swelling should be in the joints not the tissue) thought it might be good to have the dermatologist double check it. Needless to say, she confirmed his diagnosis. So, what is HSP you ask? It is a condition that causes your immune system to attack your blood vessels causing breaks in them (hence the red spots). It can also cause intestinal bleeding, high blood pressure and kidney damage. So, we are going to the doctor every few days to check for blood in the urine, her blood pressure and any other symptoms she may be having. Last week she threw up and was having bad stomach pains. Those symptoms are subsiding now. She did have some blood in her stool but that seems to be subsiding. We are now on our 3rd week missing school. Luckily last week was spring break so she wasn't missing class. He wants her to take it easy as to not "rock the boat". It is so hard trying to get her to take it easy. After 2 full weeks of this now, she just wants to play. They say it can last 4-6 weeks and her kidneys will need to be checked for 3-6 months. Haven't we had our fair share of medical crisis' this year?

Most of the appointments were for Isabelle that week but Seth did have his first dental appointment. I am happy to report that he had no cavities and the dentist said he was the best patient all week. He was completely fascinated. Cooper also had his last follow up appointment from his little overnight stay at UCSF. I think he is going to be fine. It has been about 2 months since he has had a lung infection. Izzy also had an eye exam where they told me she needs glasses. The following Monday we went the Dr. again because Cooper was having an excema outbreak from head to toe. We also went again for Izzy that week. I can't remember when because it is all blurring together. Anyway, our insurance is probably going what the heck is up with these people. I think I have gone to the Dr's office more times in the last 9 months then I have my whole life! We are still going about twice a week to check up on Izzy but hopefully after this is all over things will calm down with going to the Dr!!

The Best Birthday

2008-03-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

March 17th was my birthday and my sweet husband, kids and friends made me feel so special. My husband was so thoughtful and creative. The Saturday before my birthday I went shopping with a friend. My hubby called a few minutes after we left and told me that my present was in the car and to reach in the side pocket of the door. There was an envelope with a cute note that said "have fun shopping" and a load of cash. Then, on Sunday evening he invited a few friends over for cake and ice cream. On Monday morning Paul & the kids came up to our room (I was still in bed enjoying that it was my b-day and I didn't have to get up yet) with my favorite bagel, some OJ and a card from each one of them. The cards from the kids were adorable and Paul gave me a very sweet card. In the card he wrote me a very creative message. He surprised me and took the day off and planned a whole day for me. He just had the times and addresses of the places I needed to be and I had to use the GPS to find it. My first stop was a pedicure. He even had a bag for me with some magazines and a Take 5 candy bar and my flip flops.
The next stop was lunch with him and the boys (so I could feed Cooper). We had a wonderful lunch and I was so happy to spend lunch with all the boys. When we were done eating he gave me a bag with a change of clothes and I was off to my next destination which was a facial and an 1 1/2 hour massage. When I came out of the massage there were balloons and 3 dozen roses (one dozen from each boy in our family, he is trying to teach them that boys give girls flowers). My next stop was Cheesecake Factory for dinner with the family. When we got home the kids had picked out a cake for me (mint chocolate chip ice cream, green for St Patricks). It was a wonderfully memorable birthday. Later in the week some friends took me to dinner at PF Changs. It was a wonderful week full of birthday celebration. I typically do not like a big deal made of my birthday but everyone made me feel so special. Even though there were other challenges during the week, my wonderful b-day outshone them.

Exploring the bay area

2008-03-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

We have been in this area a year now and we get out fairly often to explore the area. Probably not as often as we could since we had Cooper and then he was so sick for so long. So, a few Saturdays ago we headed out to a regional park called Tilden park where they have a steam engine you can ride, along with a bunch of other fun things to do. Isabelle's friend Grace came along for the ride. By the time we got there and rode the train, the kids had burned through all of the snacks so we headed home and decided to come back and finish exploring the park another day, it is huge! They had a great time on the train, it was a great ride and a pretty authentic miniature steam train. They loved it when the train went whoo whoo and all the steam came out. We grabbed some lunch on our way home and since it was such a beautiful day took it to a park closer to our home. The kids were great and we stayed for 2 hours then went home and cleaned up and finished the evening by going to the Old Spaghetti Factory with friends. The kids were beat but we had a great day.

This was the view on the drive to the park, it was an amazing view of San Francisco.
Seth at the park near our home.

While Mommy is Away the Mice will Play...

2008-03-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

While I was gone in Las Vegas, Paul took the kids to the church parking lot with their power wheels so they could have plenty of room to drive without worrying about cars on our street. He set them up an obstacle course, they had a blast! Mama Thom was amazing, taking over while I was gone. She made sure the kids got to school and all of their activities. Not to mention all of the other day to day tasks. They had a great time with her. I am sure they wore her out.

Teeth & Army Crawling

2008-03-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

About a month ago Cooper got his first tooth and shortly there after his second too. I have been waiting till they were sticking up far enough to get a good picture. I think he may be working on a third one that will be coming soon. It is not the best pic of his teeth but, those 2 stubs on his bottom gums are his teeth. Luckily he hasn't bit me yet.

The night before Cooper & I came home from Las Vegas he started army crawling. He was playing on the floor in Sarah's nursery while I was helping Marissa get things organized and all of a sudden he just took off! I couldn't believe it. I grabbed my mom's cell phone and took a video to capture it. Things are going to be changing around our house now that he is mobile! I have to beware of the human vacuum so the floor always has to be sparkling and I guess its time to start baby proofing again. He has also started a couple of other fun games, like rolling over when I try to change his diaper and taking his pacifier out and dropping it and watching me pick it up. He also likes to drop it out of the side of his crib! I am always searching for the lost pacifiers under the crib. Such a fun age, it is so fun to see his little personality.

It's a thumb one...

2008-03-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Just a quick funny. Seth has a bad habit of handing me his boogers. I have started telling him to go find a kleenex or throw it away. Tonight he does his usual and goes here mom. I reply, "Seth I don't want your booger go get a tissue". He replies, "but it's a thumb one" (he holds the booger out on his thumb, like that makes it more acceptable to give it to me). Ahh, boys and their boogers.

Marissa & Sarah's shower

2008-03-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

On the last Wednesday in February I flew down to Las Vegas with Cooper to see Marissa and her new baby Sarah and throw a shower. Isabelle & Seth stayed here with Paul and my mother-in-law came out to visit and help so Paul didn't have to miss work. It was so great having her here. She was a big help!! I don't think the kids missed me that much! Anyway, It was so fun going to Vegas with just Cooper. It is so funny, after having three kids, going down to one for a few days is a breeze! I had a great time visiting with my mom, Marissa and my new niece Sarah. She is a tiny little peanut. I am not used to such a small baby (mine were all much bigger than her, by like 2 lbs!). We ate out, went shopping and spent a lot of time just hanging out. The shower was on Saturday, we had a great turnout and the food was wonderful. On Monday we went shopping again so I could help her pick out any missed items that she didn't get at her shower. We also found a crib and changing table. It was a wonderful extended weekend and something my sis and I have been waiting a long time to do together. It was bittersweet leaving. I was happy to get home to my husband and other children, but very sad to be missing out on this amazing experience with my sister. We are finally both stay-at-home mommies! We were so busy at the shower we didn't get that many pictures but here are a few of me, Marissa and my mom.

Valentines Day

2008-03-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

So I know it is a little silly being that it is almost a month later but my sweet husband got me the most amazing flowers for V-Day.

Seth ready to go to his Preschool Valentines Party

Izzy excited to have lots of valentines from her kindergarten friends

UCSF Children's Hospital

2008-03-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

So on Feb. 19th & 20th we went to UCSF Children's Hospital for Cooper to have all of his tests run. The first test he had was a bronchoscope where they put him to sleep and scoped his lungs to make sure everything is anatomically correct. They also took some swabs and cultures and placed the ph probe to measure acid in his esophagus to see if he has reflux and how badly. Everything in his lungs was correct so that has been ruled out as the cause of wheezing. The probe had to stay in for 24 hours so we had to stay overnight. It was not fun staying overnight in the hospital. Poor Cooper is such a light sleeper and we had a shared room with another little girl who had had major surgery. She kept yelling in pain and her parents didn't seem to know how to whisper. Plus, the nurses kept barging in to check on her. Not to mention we had to keep a close eye on Cooper to make sure he didn't pull on the probe because it couldn't be moved at all or the results may not be accurate. So, we all finally dozed off when I wake up to the LOUDEST snore I have ever heard in MY LIFE!!! I don't think there are words to explain it. The little girls dad had sleep apnea and kept letting out these enormously loud snores. Needless to say it woke Paul up too and by that point we were laughing because we were so tired we didn't know what else to do. Then Cooper woke up for the 10th time and I knew we couldn't stay in that room. I started walking the halls with him, wondering if I would have to do that all night. We had a good nurse and she said she would see if she could get us our own room but, they were very full. Meanwhile Paul was standing outside the door to our room and another nurse came out of the room and was like OH MY GOSH, do you want me to ask him to leave the room so you can sleep? Luckily our nurse was already working on getting us a different room. So, finally at 12:30 am we got our own room (at least until 6:30 that morning). We finally got a few hours of sleep before I had to feed Cooper again. They took the probe out that morning and then we had one more test before we could leave. We went to radiology to have a swallow study done. They took x-rays while he swallowed to make sure he was swallowing correctly and not aspirating into his lungs while he was swallowing. That test was also negative, he does not aspirate while he swallows. We finally went home and he passed out as soon as we started driving and then took a 5 hour nap after we got home.

A week later we went to see the cardiologist to make sure it was not a heart condition causing the wheezing and that came out all clear as well. So the worst of the worst is over. We finally got a call telling us that the PH probe was positive for reflux and we have an appointment to see the GI in a week. He started on prevacid. It seems to help a little but he still spits up and wheezes a little but luckily we have not had any major breathing issues in about 6 weeks. Hopefully his reflux will get better with time and will not require any major intervention. He seems to be gaining weight a little bit better now that he is not as sick.

My mom came out to watch our other kids so we could both be at the hospital!! Thanks mom you are the best, it was so nice not having to worry about our other kids when we were at the hospital.

The Doors to the surgery Center

Before

After

Upclose with the probe

The first picture

2008-02-16T22:15:00.000-08:00

Sarah May, here is her first picture. Born February 13th, 6 lbs 6 oz, 18.5 inches long.

If you want to see more pics of her you can check out their blog

Prayers Answered

2008-02-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

I got a very exciting phone call this morning. Prayers have been answered!! My sister Marissa called me this morning to tell me that they just signed papers on their new baby girl. They got a phone call on Thursday letting them know that someone had chosen them and the baby was already here. They decided to keep it a secret until everything was final so, after they signed this morning she gave me a call to let me know that I had a new niece named Sarah. What a long awaited blessing. I can't wait to go and see her. I will post pictures as soon as they send them to me. They get to take her home on Tuesday! Yeah!!!

Cooper's first airplane ride & sitting up

2008-02-10T20:33:00.000-08:00

So, we went to Vegas for my niece Maddie's baptism & my niece Daisy & nephew Garrett blessings. It was a great weekend. It is always fun to see our family. Cooper had his first airplane ride and he did pretty well. He didn't like the going up or coming down part very much but neither does Seth. Cooper is also sitting up now. He has been sitiing on his own for a few weeks but, I hadn't gotten a good picture until recently. He is pretty reliable and doesn't fall down very often.

Cooper happy to see Aunt Marissa

Cooper has been doing pretty well recently. He has not been as sick as he has in the past few months. We are on the countdown until we go to the hospital. I feel really blessed that we have had such wonderful medical care for him. UCSF Children's Hospital is one of the best in the country so I know he will be in good hands. I am grateful they are being so thorough. I am pretty calm about it all but, I think that may be just because I am in denial about it and it has been so far away. Now that it is getting closer it will probably become more real. I asked my friend Whitney to make him a special blanket to take with him to the hospital so he would have something really cozy to take with him. It turned out great and he absolutely loves it. Thanks Whitney!! He always likes to hold one of his pacifiers to fall asleep but you can see it on the edge of the crib because he dropped it to hold the blanket instead.

Isabelle left me an adorable note the other day it said, " To Mom luv Izzy". On the inside it said, (this is her adorable kidergarten spelling)" I luv yow so mush yow mac me happy!"(she loves exclamation points). In case you can't tell it says I love you so much, you make me happy. It is so fun now that she is reading and writing, what a special note. The other day when we were riding in the car she said, "Mom, when is President Hinckley's birthday?". I replied,"I'm sorry sweetheart, President Hinckley passed away.". She came back with, " I know but when he comes back to life, when will his birthday be?". Too cute.

Seth has always been a really good sleeper but, over the last week he has been having some bad dreams and become afraid of the dark. He has never slept with us before this last week but he keeps coming in sometime after 4 in the morning. The other night I heard him come in our room and I told him to go back to bed and he said, " Mom can you just share with me?" (pleading in his voice). How could I resist, I said ok and scooted over.

A Plea for my Sister.

2008-01-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of my sister Marissa and her husband. I love my sister and would cross shark infested waters for her if she needed me. My beautiful sister has been trying to have a baby for 8 years. They have done chlomid, AUI, invitro, basically everything to no avail. For about the last 2 years they have been on the list to adopt but still no baby. About 7 months ago they got a phone call that there was a baby for them and they needed to pick him up the next day. She quit her job and they excitedly went to the store and bought a carseat, clothes and items for the new addition. The next day they went to pick him up and after anxiously waiting for over 2 hours found out that the birth mother changed her mind and was giving the baby to someone else. They went home with an empty carseat in the back of their car and worst of all empty arms once again. Like so many of us, there is nothing she wants more than to be a stay at home mommy. I know they will be awesome parents. They have so many wonderful gifts and talents to share but most importantly lots of love. More than anything I wish there was something I could do and that I wasn't so helpless. As I sit snuggling my 3 beautiful children and her none, I don't know what else to do. So, here is my plea. If you know of ANYONE who is considering adopting their baby PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, pass along their information. They have a blog (johnandmarissa.blogspot.com), it has links to their profiles through LDS family services and adoption.com. Thank you.

Better late than never...

2008-01-27T22:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay, I know I haven't posted in forever but with the holidays, and everything with Cooper, and being busy with our other 2 children, it has been crazy. So, the latest with Cooper is that we took him to a pulmonologist a week and a half ago and they believe there is a little cause for concern. On Feb 19 & 20 we will be taking him to the UCSF Children's hospital in San Francisco where they will be running some tests. The first one will be a bronchoscope where they will put him to sleep and then scope his lungs and get some cultures and blood. They will also be doing an echocardiogram (his heart beats to quickly), a swallow study ( to make sure he swallows correctly and is not swallowing into the wrong pipe), and a 24 hour probe to monitor the amount of stomach acid to check for reflux (if reflux is bad enough it is possible to inhale the acid vapors into your lungs). Hopefully this will be the end of his woes and they can figure out what is causing him so much trouble and fix it.

The holidays were great. We spent them in Las Vegas and Cedar City visiting our families. Christmas is so fun with the kids getting a little bit older. New Years was uneventful as we were so exhausted we didn't even make it to midnight. The kids thouroughly enjoyed their cousins and grandparents. They even got to play in the snow while we were in Utah. Here are a few pictures.

Christmas Sunday

Cooper playing under the tree. He loved looking up at the lights.

Aunt Marissa and Cooper Christmas Eve.

Seth Loves flashlights!! Santa put this in his stocking.

Dressed for the snow.

Snow fight with daddy

Nap with Mama Thom

Isabelle enjoying some time with her cousin Kyle.

Anyway, it was great to see all of our family especially around the holidays. We feel extremely blessed and are thankful for our family and everything we have.

So to wrap this up I have to share what happened while we were at church today. A member of the bishopric came and got me out of Sharing time (I teach Sunbeams). In my head I was thinking I was set apart last week, maybe they forgot. He pulls me into the hallway to let me know that someone who came late noticed a car had been broken into and it was mine. Needless to say the thief busted out my passenger window, stole my COACH purse and COACH wallet (not cheap). We spent the last bit of church calling our debit and credit cards, cancelling them (they had already used them). I also had my checkbook and some giftcards(which they zeroed out, one of which was my dear friends) in there along with drivers license, health insurance and everything else!! What a pain. Now I have to get my window fixed, replace all of my cards, change my bank account and personal identification and I am out a nice purse. BUMMER! It was an eventful Sunday. I have alot of fun things to look forward to tomorrow (sarcasm). Oh well, nothing I can do to change it, just fix it and move on. I will post pictures of the wreckage later.

Update on Cooper

2007-12-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

So, a week ago Monday I was given the all clear by the Doctor. Cooper's lung were clear! We still had to give him Singulair and pulmicort 2x a day but he was much better. As of today, we are almost back to square 1. He was only well for about 4 or 5 days before he got sick and started wheezing again. So, we went back to the doc and we are back on the oral steroid and using a different nebulizer treatment for a few days along with the xopenex in between when needed. So, because this seems to be a reoccurring thing it is now time to run a gamut of tests (blood, swabs, cultures, etc)to rule out certain illnesses. Anyway, my poor baby I hate that he is sick all the time and having to give him so much medicine. No fun! So frustrating! Hopefully we get some answers soon but, maybe it is just allergies and asthma. I don't know when I will be able to catch up on all the things I am behind on. Well, we are looking forward to spending the holidays relaxing with our family. Hopefully Cooper won't be too sick.

The reason for no recent posts...

2007-12-06T15:13:00.001-08:00

So, this has been the story of my life lately. If you can't tell, that is my sweet little baby, in the Dr's office, with a nebulizer mask on, inhaling xopenex. We have been doing breathing treatments a few times a day and night for at least the last 3 weeks. We have been to the ER once and he was almost admitted on Tuesday but, thank goodness, his pulse/ox finally recovered. He has had 2 chest x-rays and we have been to the Dr everyday this week and just about everyday last week. He has been on an array of medicine including xopenex, prednisone, singulair, pulmicort & a shot of rocephen. Anyway, my house is a disaster and his sleeping schedule is all messed up and I have hardly had time to do anything but feed him, give him his constant breathing treatments and maintain my other 2 children. Thus, I have had no time to blog. This is life when your baby has viral pneumonia, they think. If it persists more testing will be done to rule out other possibilities. How did this happen??? My poor baby. He has been such a trooper and relatively happy considering how sick he has been. Anyway, the last 2 days have been somewhat better so hopefully we are finally on the upswing.

On to happier topics, Thanksgiving was great. My whole side of the family came here and I made my first turkey. I don't have time to blog about all of the little details but we had a great time enjoying all of the things to do in the bay area and each others company. Now it is time to get ready for Christmas. My tree is up but I have not done ANY shopping!! My sick baby has not helped that any. Oh well. I need to just shop online but I have been too tired to even do that. Guess I better start soon, like today! Happy Holidays!

Sunday glorious sunday.

2007-11-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it seems as though Sunday can be quite rowdy around our house. Maybe it is because they know they are going to have to be quiet at church and they need to get the sillies out. Anyway, my wonderful husband let me sleep in this morning and this is what I came downstairs to...

Ahh, the good 'ol days of fort building. I love to see my kids and husband playing together. Then of course, the fort led to a pillow fight. I tried to upload the video of it but it is not working.

I love to hear the sound of my kids laughing. We all did settle down soon after and watched The Other Side of Heaven. Sundays are wonderful (except for the disaster my house is from us all being home most of the day).

Bring a friend day

2007-11-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

Isabelle loves gymnastics. Yesterday was bring a friend day and she opted to bring her friend Garrett. Paul was like WHAT, she wants to bring a boy? That is not allowed. He was kidding of course. Isn't Garrett adorable?! They had a great time.

The Big Reward

2007-11-11T14:28:00.000-08:00

I noticed about a month ago Isabelle was biting her fingernails. So, I told her I would take her to get her nails done if she stopped. Well, the bribe worked and she stopped. So, on Friday I finally paid up and we went to get her nails done. She had a great time chatting up the manicurist and of course picked pink polish. So fun to be girls!

Yeah Uncle Tripp!

2007-11-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

Tripp had to work at the office up here last Monday so he came in a little early to spend some time with us Sunday evening and spend the night. We had a wonderful dinner and the kids had a great time showing off for Uncle Tripp. When it came time for the kids to go to bed Seth wanted Uncle Tripp's "spot" to be on the floor in his room. Seth was caling the air mattress his "spot". After the kids went to bed it was great to sit and visit for a while before we all went to bed. In the morning Seth couldn't resist jumping on him when he found him downstairs. So fun! Thanks for the visit!

The First Meal

2007-11-09T23:05:00.000-08:00

I was going to wait another month to start him on food but, I was told that Acidophilus can help a gassy tummy. So, since he doesn't have a bottle, the only way to give it to him was to mix the powder in some rice cereal. I put him in the high chair and put on his new bib, then mixed 2 tablespoons of the rice cereal with some water. I wanted to mix it with water because he can get a little stopped up and I thought the water might help prevent that from happening. He seemed to like it and he did a pretty good job. He really did not get very messy. And, for the very exciting payoff, he slept an additional 2 hours last night before waking to eat. Sleep, precious sleep! We will have to see if it was just a fluke or if the cereal actually helped. Anyway, I can't believe our baby is growing up so fast. He is so precious. It goes by so fast. Before I know it he will be a year old.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

2007-11-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

I have decided to write down a few of the funny things my kids tell me every week. So, here are some of the winners this week.

I was doing Isabelle's hair this morning before school and she says to me (as she is looking in the mirror), "Mom I already wore this outfit to school". I then say to her, "it's ok to wear an outfit more then once". Then she says,"But I like new clothes".
Am I in for it or what? Don't we all like new clothes. It is my own fault. We like to shop.

So this next conversation was last night between Seth & I. He got out of bed and snuck down to the toy room where I was picking up and says very urgently and demanding
Seth: Mom why aren't you in bed?
Me: Because it's not my bedtime.
Seth: Mom you don't even have your pajamas on!
Me: I know, it's not my bedtime it's yours.
Seth: But it's the middle of the night!! (Actually it's 8:30 pm)
Me: I know get back to bed.

Ok, so the last 2 were more of the kind where you just had to be there but this last one I couldn't contain myself from laughing. A few nights ago, Paul & I were sitting at the kitchen table talking and Seth came downstairs (out of bed again) with his power rangers mask on. I took him back to bed and asked him if he needed to go potty and he tells me, " No, I don't need to go poopoo, the poopoos are going to go to sleep in my bum!".

Never heard that one before!

Ships Ahoy!!

2007-11-04T09:17:00.000-08:00

While I took Isabelle to dance and gymnastics on Saturday, Paul took Seth to the kids workshop at Home Depot. Seth likes pirates so, it was perfect that they happened to be building a pirate ship. Paul said Seth only hit daddy's hand with the hammer a few times. It was really cute, they give them a home depot apron and every time they come to a workshop they get a pin to put on it. Then they gave them the kit and they have to make it from the ground up. It was a fun experience for a dad and his boy. By the way, it is the first Saturday of the month at all home depots if you are interested. We met for lunch afterwards and he had to bring the ship into the restaurant. He was very proud of his accomplishment.

Happy Halloween

2007-11-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

So, here are a few pictures from Halloween. Seth had a party at preschool and he wore his Woody costume. Since we had 2 costumes (The Incredibles costumes came late so we had to get a different costume for the trunk or treat) he wore this one to school so I could be sure the other one would be clean for Halloween. We know how messy boys can be especially at preschool when they are making crafts and having treats. They made witch and spider cupcakes, had a little parade in their costumes, had snacks and played games. He had a great time.

At Isabelle's school, they had a variety of activities in all of the classrooms that the kids could go around to. Parents and siblings were invited too so we all went. They also have a fun parade that the whole school participates in. The high school marching band comes and plays while the kids march and wave in their costumes. It was a really chilly morning but really fun with all of the fog. It gave it a real spooky Halloween feel.

This is Isabelle before school and in the classroom with her brother.

Check out the fog behind Seth. We couldn't see the end of our street that morning. The other picture is of Seth & I waiting for the parade to start.

Here is Isabelle waving during their little parade.

This was Cooper's contribution for the morning.

Dununuhnuhhhh! Here is Mr. Incredible!

We did a little bit of trick or treating that night. We went with our friends Matt & Alicia. Their daughters name is Grace, she was Rapunzel. This was the first year Seth really understood what was going on. He loves candy so the fact that he could just go up to someones door and get candy was awesome. I think it is his favorite holiday. He keeps asking us if he can go trick or treating again.

Hanging with Mr. Cooper, our spider.

One Crazy Saturday

2007-10-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

I swear, this last Saturday felt like it was the day that never ended. There hasn't been any time to recover from it because every day since then has been go, go, go. I knew it was going to be crazy so we made a little photo journal of our day. It started bright and early that morning. The kids had breakfast, we got ready really quick and we were off to dance. We were in such a rush I had to finish my makeup in the car.

Here is a picture of the boys loaded up in the car ready to start our day.

Here we are 45 minutes later coming out of dance and we are headed to gymnastics (after a quick outfit change), which is just down the road and starts in 15 minutes.

Here are some pictures of Seth playing at her gym, Cooper & mommy watching Isabelle at her class & her participating. She really enjoys gymnastics.

Next, we stopped at one of our favorite burger spots. Only at In-n out can Isabelle down a whole burger by herself.

Enough pictures!!

Yes, that is Paul's 3x3 burger.

On to the next place. We are off to get a birthday present.

Now we are at home and it is time to get Isabelle ready for the birthday party while Seth crashes for a few minutes.

Now that Isabelle is ready, it is time to make some rice krispies for the trunk or treat. Cooper is just hanging out.

Now that the treats are done it is time to wake Seth up and take Isabelle to the birthday party. They went to Maggie Moos and build a bear. After we dropped Isabelle off, we had to run to the mall because the costumes I ordered did not make it early enough for the trunk or treat. So, we went looking for new costumes at the Disney Store. Seth is no longer Dash he is Woody.

Now, we go back and pick up Isabelle. She made a cheerleader bear at the party. She had a great time.

On the way home, Isabelle decided she wanted to be a cheerleader to match her bear. So, on the way home we made another stop at Target to pick up her costume. After that we headed home, got the kids in their costumes and we were off to the trunk or treat. We finally made it!

Here are a few more pics of the kids at the trunk or treat. By the time I got home there was nothing I wanted more than to get in bed. Especially since I had not gotten enough sleep the night before for this kind of day. It was one crazy Saturday!

It's about time

2007-10-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I am finally getting around to starting a blog. It will be a fun way to keep all of our family and friends informed on the latest and greatest. Life up here in the East bay is a fun adventure but, we do miss our family and friends terribly. Isabelle is loving kindergarten, Seth thoroughly enjoys preschool and Mommy loves having 2 hours twice a week with just Cooper. Most afternoons we are busy going to extracurricular activities. Isabelle loves dance, gymnastics and her musical theater class, while Seth is enjoying playing soccer and swimming. Cooper is a great addition to our family and he pretty much just goes with the flow.

Today was the primary program and Isabelle did a great job singing all of the songs and saying her little part in the "big microphone". Seth liked watching his big sis and giving the occasional wave. The picture of her in the green dress is from today after the program. Thanks for the beautiful dress grandma! Seth is our little jokster and while we were trying to get out the door to church this morning he pulled one of his shenanigans and under my breath I told him he was driving me crazy. He turned to me and shouted with a big smile on his face, YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY! He also managed to give Cooper his first raisin today, which was followed by a conversation of why we don't give Cooper food and that he is not allowed to give him any. I don't know how he sneaked it in considering that we were right there with them. Paul and I frequently find ourselves trying not to laugh at Seth when it is not appropriate.