School Time Again!

I love this time of year. I remember being so excited on the first day of school to get to see all my friends again and show off all my new clothes. Living next to the college, I also am reminded of how fun each semester of college was.

Evan started preschool again this year and I am hoping it helps him a lot. Evan is still having a really hard time with his speech. We had him evaluated three times to go to the free pre-school here to get help, but each time he was just above the cut-off and is barely normal for his age. It makes me sick because he really does need help. I am sure praying that this preschool will help him.

Here he is on the first day of school:

Every time I sit down to play the piano, I am attacked by the kids. I thought I would get a few pictures of them having fun:

A friend of mine lost her husband yesterday to lupus. I have been deep in thought and so saddened for her. How greatful I am for eternal marriages and the gift of a comforter. I cannot even begin to comprehend the pain she is going through right now. He was so young! It makes me hold my family a little thighter at night and not want to comlain about my trials.

We Made It!

I still hold fast to saying that I don't like to travel. We did have a great time though and it was so nice to not have to take the kids with us. The kids were thankfully very good for their grandparents, and happy to see us when we came home. We are so lame that we were more excited to come home than we were to leave. I guess we don't get away from our kids enough.

We only had 2 1/2 days to see Washington, so we had time to take 200+ pictures and get a glance at most of the things. There is WAY too much to do there! I'll share a few of my favorite photos and won't tell you all that we did. Like anyone cares!

Washington monument (we got shots of this thing from every angle... it just is so cool to see)

We also have a million shots of the U.S. capitol. The building is absoutely breath-taking. And, I am a sucker for old architecture.

Arlington National Cemetery. I had no idea how huge this place is! The mood there was so special. This was one of my favorites of the trip

The Tomb of the unknown, Arlington National Cemetery. We got to watch the changing of the guard, and it left me speechless.

In front of the White House

The White House

We were so hot and sweaty, but we did capture a few good shots

The U.S. Capitol

We loved to see all the old buildings--there were so many amazing ones. I have never seen so many people that didn't speak English. There were a lot of homeless there too. Riding the subway for the first time was fun, and it was way convenient and inexpesive.

As much fun as it was though, I know that I belong in Arizona now. I felt so out of place there!

The best part of the trip was the conference of course. Another nurse from the hospital here and I went to an external fetal monitoring conferece. Our speaker was so good and I loved her Chicago accent. We learned a lot.

We have spent the last couple of days getting the laundry done and house cleaned. It is so good to be home!

I Never Make Up My Mind

There are so many times throughout the week that I whine about having kids and just wanting some quiet time wthout them to get stuff done around the house. Now, we are heading off tomorrow so I can go to a fetal monitoring conference in Maryland, and I am so sad to leave! I have to keep telling myself that Todd and I NEED this. We have been under so much stress with him being layed off and unable to find work. Plus, he's been off since february, and still is fighting for unemployment.

So we are off on a trip we can't afford, but that has already been mostly paid for (except for food, of course). We get to spend two days in Washington, D.C. after the conference... for a total of 6 days and nights away from the kids with a 5-hour plane trip over and back. Eek! I miss my kids already and have been trying to spoil them all day.

Expect lots of pictures. We leave tomorrow and will be back the following Monday.

I don't update this enough, but we have TONS of stuff going on that I don't write about because it's too stressful and there are no resolutions to them. I always like to write about things after the fact so that I don't look like an idiot when I get the real results.

So off we go hoping for a safe trip and well-behaved children who enjoy the time with their wonderful grandparents.

Pioneer Days

We finally made it up to St. Johns for the Pioneer Days celebration. The kids were so good and we had a blast. I got to spend a lot of time with my friend Rachel Platt whom I had not seen for at least 8 years. We both have redheads too!

We spent a lot of time playing cards and visiting with family. The kids loved playing outside and all the kids that were there. The only thing we missed was the monsoon. Where in the world is the rain?

With Grandma and Grandpa Martineau

Rachel and I ( I love this girl!)

Madilyn at the parade

This is too precious not to share!

The kiddos with the twin goats the day they were born

Is this not so cute?

Madilyn with Grandpa Martineau

THE END

Today I Was a Bad Mother

I had to read the #5 scripture in relief society today. Madilyn was being a butt, as she usually is when she's NOT sleeping during her naptime (she also figured out how to make spit bubbles and farting noises with her lips today during sacrament meeting). The joys!

I was desperately trying to keep her happy and had already crawled twice around the people I was sitting with to get her. So, I did the bad mom thing... I let her wander around the room. I got quite a kick out of all the smiles that followed her. I secretly enjoyed it while at the same time wondering how many of the ladies in the relief society were thinking I was a bad mom.

I keep telling myself... 2 1/2 months, yes only 2 1/2 months until nursery!

Until then, I do love my kid, and I may just be a bad mother. Sorry ladies!

Another update

I have been so tired lately. Sorry for not updating more.

We have been busy working on projects around the house. This past weekend we were able to do something fun though. We spent the weekend camping with family in the White Mountains. The rain and cool weather were wonderful! Enjoy the pictures!

Madilyn enjoying the hammock:

Cousins Timothy, William, and Madilyn feeling the rain:

Evan called our car "Bumble Bee" all weekend and was so happy when Daddy let him help drive "Bumble Bee" on the dirt roads:


Our handsome little cowboy pushing his cousin Kaylana in the wheelbarrow:

Who couldn't love this face?

The meadows had hundreds of pretty flowers:

Always the stud!

Yes, we did survive the tents, and quite well I must say! We slept well on the nights it wasn't raining and our kids are now seasoned campers! Hooray!

They Are Just So Cute!

This is Evan's Halloween costume from his FIRST halloween! Crazy kid found it and had it on when I came home from work the other day.
This pretty girl wants to play the Wii. Look at all the hair she's getting!
I love that she can go curly without putting any crud in her hair, just scrunch it when it's wet. It curls on the ends no matter what I do. I wish I had curly hair!
Evan and I put bird seed outside the other day and got to watch this cute quail family enjoy it.
Evan watched the birds from the window for at least 45 minutes.