Sunday, December 1, 2013

September and October!

Life as of late has been busy, busy, busy! 

I don't even know where to start... we'll let's start with what is the most fun announcement. I had a baby! We welcomed baby Paul into the world on the first of November and he's the love of our house.

The last 6 weeks of pregnancy were pure misery for me. I was in constant pain... my hips hurt, my back hurt, and I felt like I had been kicked in between the legs constantly. I wanted to act like a normal functioning person but when I did I would regret it later in the night when I woke up in agonizing pain. I'm not trying to be dramatic, it really was so hard. 

More on that later.

Here's a little peak at life with 4 babies to call my own.





I've now had 3 little boys within 4 years... I can't wait until they are all in high school together playing basketball :)  I was working on getting Paul's name stitched for his stocking when I remembered this picture. So I had Thomas take a second similar one. Even though I felt a million times heavier and weighed about 20 pounds more with Paul I don't think I look all that different. It was a fun comparison none the less!


Now let's back up. Henry turned 4 in the middle of October and we can't move on without documenting it. He's such a funny little goon who is kind and funny but also can be so loud and crazy one minute then bawling the next. He's full of emotion and some days his whining is so frustrating. He's luck he has a killer dimple on one cheek because that grin sames him from many-a-time-out.

The kids did a chore chart this fall and were allowed to pick out their end prize. Henry wanted a "super fall bath all alone". Done! Here he is enjoying the fruits of his labor and he loved every minute of it.

We had preschool at our house the day before his Birthday and I lit candles for all of the kids to blow out. I LOVE this picture because you can see just how happy he is! Isn't that precious.

And then there were the presents. I ordered a huge box of Duplos off of Ebay and he loves them.

And then we went to Grandma's for cake and ice cream. He was insistent on wearing his strainer hat while we sang and so all I have are pictures of him with his nifty hat. I told you he was a goon :)

The work around the garden slowed but the canning did not. We worked and worked the last few weeks before the baby came and now I have a full pantry and a happy heart. Here's the belly and my worker-woman boots.

We grew the most delicious golden delicious apples this year. Despite our lack of attention they were glorious and huge. We ate and ate them, canned apple sauce, and Thomas even conned me into pressing 40 gallons of cider one night at 38 weeks pregnant. That cider is phenomenal by the way!

 Carvin' pumpkins.

Applesauce canning palooza. I'm so grateful Thomas helped or I would have died...

We decided to take the kids to Zion to hike on one of the days Macey had fall break at the end of October. We live so close but it's not something we make enough time to stop and enjoy. We have a few favorite hikes but this time we decided to ride the shuttle and try something else. The kids loved riding and that made the day even more special.





And then there was Halloween.




I was in labor while the kids went trick-or-treating and hid in the house managing my contractions while Thomas took them around.


And then the next morning we had another member of the family! He missed being born on his dad's birthday by 8 hours.

I have a ton more to tell and say about this little lamb and his birth but that is for another day! Let's just say it was the longest labor ever. Details coming.




And just when you thought these past few weeks couldn't get any better... I won this glorious tangerine kitchen aid!!! It's so very pretty.

Now I need to go take a nap and I'll write up that birth story soon!