For Thee We Prayed

We welcome our little one

Well – he didn’t want to wait until our scheduled c-section on August 30^th. I started having contractions during sacrament meeting at church. For the 3 hours of church, I continued to have contractions, about 20 minutes apart.

When we got home, I worked on our special back to school dinner, but had to cut back on the decorating due to the increased frequency of the contractions. We did enjoy our meal and brief celebration after dinner.

After putting the boys to bed at 8pm, Gramps and Grandma came over to stay the night with them (thank you, thank you, thank you). Ryan and I headed over to Labor and Delivery and I got hooked up to a bunch of monitors where they determined that I was indeed in labor.

So we prepared ourselves with a word of prayer and then the commotion began of getting all prepped for surgery.

Yeah we look great for the middle of the night! Ha!

At 12:03am they pulled our littlest boy out of me and with very few cries I got to meet the little man briefly then they took him to clean and weigh him while I hung out on the operating table while they finished.

About 2 hours later I got to hold him for the first time and was so surprised to find out how little he was (7lbs .07ozs and 18 inches long). The smallest of our boys!

I was hit with the emotion of this being the baby that I prayed for. I was done having kids (2 was good for me) but I turned the matter over to prayer and was humbled to realize that we were to have another. I was struck with the fact that this would be our last little one. Pregnancy is just too difficult for me and my family and to endure this again would send me to the nutty farm for sure. It was a tender moment as I stared into the eyes of this newborn, so fresh from our Father in Heaven. I felt the blessing of this little one immediately and was struck with the love of my Father in Heaven by sending me this sweetie pie.

We stayed in the hospital until Thursday and had to return the next day so that I could have an Epidural Blood Patch performed to fix the epidural headache I had developed (basically spinal fluid was leaking internally and was causing my brain to sag creating the most intense pain I have ever felt). We also have been dealing with our little one having jaundice. Daily trips to the pediatrician for blood tests and 24/7 light treatments on a light blanket (fortunately today should be the last day of the phototherapy) have been tiring but we are making it.

Our older children have welcomed their little brother with open arms. They love holding him, making faces at him, talking to him. Our middle child has only asked a few times to put him back once he heard him cry. They have nicknamed him Hud-Nut.

Overall, things have been good. Ryan has been able to see to Big D’s needs with his first and second week of school. C-Man has had the opportunity to play at friends houses (thank you to my dear friends for your help with this). We have been doing our best to keep up with the busyness of school and soccer and so far things have gone relatively smoothly.

Thank you for your well wishes on FaceBook and your prayers. We are thrilled to continue our journey to eternity as a family! 

 I am the mother of three boys. Three mighty fine boys!!!

Happy Blessings to You,

Happy Camper's

The dirtier the better!

With a car full of supplies, my husband took our boys camping a few weeks ago at SugarPine (outside of Forrest Hill, CA). They went with another dad and his twin boys. My boys were looking forward to hiking (a 4 – 6 mile hike around the lake), fishing, camping, being dirty, and eating s’mores.

At the beginning of the hike

My dirty boys - taken while on the hike!

Big D fishing from the canoe

Little C and one of the twins

You see the tent the arrow is pointing at? Well that is a 2-man tent that my husband set up for him and the 2 boys! They said it was a little tight! Hahahaha!!!!

The shirt says it all!

Seriously cute kids!!! I love that Little C is trying to give rabbit ears to his brother...

and then too himself

My handsome, dirty, tired boys!!!!

Upon all reports, the camping trip was AWESOME! My oldest and the twins were even able to complete several Cub Scout requirements – added bonus!

Happy Trails To You,

Go Green and Gold!!!

We just got back from a visit to Colorado to witness the culmination of 3 years of conference calls, late night class watching, lots of reading, dozens of papers written, quizzes taken, tests and more tests, etc.... The boys and I witnessed the graduation of my dear husband from the distance graduate program at Colorado State University with his MBA!!!! 

I was a bit emotional watching him walk across the stage in his master's hood and regalia! Our boys were excited to hear daddy's name announced. My mom came out with us and my sister and niece joined us there (they live in CO). The graduation was also broadcast online where I know his dad watched and cheered along!!! 

Here was the end of a journey that began as a prompting from the Holy Ghost that my husband received while attending the October 2006 General Priesthood Session. I remember well the conversation we had that night after we had put the boys to bed (they were 4years and 6months). He told me about the impression he had while listening to President Hinckley talk. He felt strongly that he needed to further his education and we talked about the pros and cons of this venture. Wouldn't you know that in 2 months time not only had he researched many different schools, he was enrolled in the Distance MBA program at CSU and he was on his way!!! 


I just have to say that his schooling has NOT had a major impact on our family. That was a huge concern of mine at the beginning but he held true to his promise that he would not let it get in the way! He was able to negotiate a full time job, a busy church calling, being a soccer coach and baseball coach, and just being the amazing man he is! I so appreciate his determination, his ability to find balance, and I am so proud of his achievement! 

Way to go honey - we are so proud of you!!!


*** Just a interesting side note: all three of his alma mater's have the same school colors - El Camino High School, California State University Sacramento, and Colorado State University!!! Go Green and Gold! 


Pomp and Circumstance to you and yours,

The world is a better place because....

...my husband was born! Today is his special day and I just wanted to take a moment to share with you how amazing he is!!!!!

He serves other's

He LOVES to cook :-)

He takes my visions and drawings of house projects and runs with them:

Our kitchen that he remodeled
(we helped a bit but he did most of it for sure)

(The dining room he added on)

(The bathroom he remodeled)

(The glass tiles that he installed!)

(He built me food storage shelves)

He is an AMAZING father

He is a WONDERFUL husband

He has a GREAT sense of humor!!!!
(no child was harmed during the taking of this picture)

My life is so much better because he is a part of it. I love his humor, his thoughtfulness, his willingness to learn, his example to me, his love for serving the Lord, and so many other things!

Happy Birthday to you sweetheart!!! Thanks for being you!

New York, New York

Ryan and I had a wonderful time in Manhattan. It was an extended weekend spent walking, eating, watching, and taking in the wonderful sites! I would love to go back and spend some more time checking out the different areas and visiting a few more shops!!!!

Family Pictures 2009

On this day, 11 years ago

... Ryan and I were sealed together for time and all eternity. Our married life began within the sacred walls of the Oakland LDS Temple and there began our adventures. (Note: I would have posted pictures but my scanner is acting up, so I will try to post them later).

We have enjoyed travels that have taken us to 8 countries in Europe and South America, we have enjoyed taking a dance class, we have welcomed our two boys into the world (this one was one of our most difficult experiences - dealing with miscarriages, infertility, difficult pregnancies, etc...), we bought a house and developed skills to beautify our home, we've had moments that have taken our breathes away, we cheered each other on as we earned our college degrees (Ryan has one more year until he earns his MBA), we have had time to serve together, and most importantly we still are deeply in love with each other!

I am so fortunate to have this man by my side for eternity. Ryan thank you for being wonderful you: you're handsome, funny, kind, a good cook, a wonderful dad, you make me laugh with your dance moves, you are super involved with our children, you treat me like a queen, oh I could be here all day! I really married well and I cherish him so very much!

Play Ball!!!

Baseball season is underway and Peanut #1's first game in the Minor B's was great. It was cold and raining, but fun to see these kids in action! Ryan is managing the team again and he is pleased with the players we have on our team this year!

GO BRAVES!

Hey batter, batter, batter!

Ready to catch the ball!

So cute!

Coach Ryan and some of the team

Big D was excited to get on the field!

Environmentally Sound

Here is what my husband has been doing in Las Vegas at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show). 

Nice job honey! You sounded great and you got the message out about the cool things HP is doing to help the environment! I wish I was there to see it first hand!

I know, I know....

...you've been wondering where your little orange peanut has been!

Busy - that's for sure!!!

Let's see:

July 25-26 - I enjoyed an overnight High Adventure activity with the young women. We were at Granite Arches Indoor Climbing Facility and it was a blast!

July 26 - Youth dance at the Cannery (we had the dance in the parking lot). It was so much fun and I wish I would have brought my camera!!!! You know I was dancing and having a great time!


July 27 - Big D created a fun game that is played with a ton of cups set up on two sides of a table. There is one player on each end and they take turns bouncing the ball across to the other side in hopes of making it in one of the cups. If you make it in the cup, you get to remove that from the table. The first one with no cups (their cups are opposite them, in front of the other player) on the table wins! Very fun!

July 28, July 30, and August 1 - Big D participated in the Kid Olympics hosted by my friends 2 oldest children! I was very impressed with how organized they were! So professional and fun!


Aug 1 - We hosted the Elders Quorum party at our house (guess that's what happens when your husband is the Elders Quorum President). Those that came had a fun time playing Outburst, boxing each other on the Wii, bowling, and laughing, hard!

Random picture of Little C! Isn't he cute! He's holding a magnifying glass to his face!

Soooo cute!

The Henry's getting ready to box each other!

Aug 2 - Went to a baby shower for a friend! She is so beautiful and so wonderful at pregnancy. Maybe she can be my surrogate?

Aug 3 - I was asked to be a zip code supervisor for the protect marriage campaign - Proposition 8 (protectmarriage.com). That is going to keep me real busy until November!!!!

Aug 4 - The boys and I left for our family vacation to beautiful, and cold, Fort Bragg, CA. After a 4 hour drive we arrived at our cute little cottage!

Aug 5 - All aboard!!!! Little C was very excited to be on the Skunk Train! We took a 4 hour ride into the Redwood Forest. Wow those are some big trees! Big D kept asking what state we were in. We explained several times that we were still in CA just in a different city. He's so use to our vacations out of the country (to warm destinations) and our own city being so dang hot that he couldn't believe there was some where so cold in CA. We also enjoyed a fun game of UNO.

Aug 6 - We searched the tide pools at MacKerricher State Park, watched Carson climb a tall rock (I 'bout had a heart attack), skipped rocks into the ocean, drove to Mendocino, saw the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, ate dinner at a yummy restaurant in Fort Bragg, and watched movies in bed!

This is a small eel that Little C found!

Aug 7 - Drove home. It was a fun vacation, but seriously, anyone have any ideas on how to get a small 2 1/2 year old to stop screaming!!!!! He does this all day long and I am running out of ideas!!!!!!

Well - that's what I've been up to, can't wait to check out everyone's blogs and see what you've been doing.

Leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite summer memory has been!