Mini reunion

With summer almost over, I need to talk about the second and most important half of our California trip. Family! My parents moved to the central coast about 13 years ago. Now three of my sisters live there with their families, and my youngest brother Ben is going to school there. That's about half of us.

Ellen, Hilary, Me and Kristen

Question: Can you tell who doesn't live in California?
Answer: the one not wearing sunglasses.



Kristen's son Luke. Cutie!

Cousins and best friends:
Elisa, Anna and Brennan











Dominic built a sandcastle at every beach.
The kids added the feathers on top of the towers.

We had good times talking, going to a children's museum and to beaches. One sad note: Avila Beach. When I first moved to California, Grandpa said Avila was the best kept secret of the central coast, where the locals go. Unfortunately someone discovered it, commercialized it, and locals now go elsewhere.



We stayed with Hilary's family and celebrated Dallin's 5th birthday with them. Half-way through the week they went on vacation, so we were their impromptu housesitters.



My sister Kristen, who also has a baby, watched Rachel so Dominic and I could see Ben perform in "The Music Man." Rachel did great. According to Kristen, it's because we both have blonde hair and smell like spit-up. I can't argue with that.

My Grandpa Wight enjoyed his newest great-grandchild. She smiled at him a lot.

We had a wonderful, relaxing time. It was really hard to come back home to reality. I'm glad we went. We really needed the break.

Money saving tips

Disneyland isn't cheap, but we didn't spend like crazy and still found ways to save money.

1) They had an online deal that gave us 5 days for the price of 3. Considering the summer crowds and the baby who needed to eat every 2 hours, we needed all 5 days to see everything.

2) The hotel made a mistake and refunded half the bill. They called and woke us up at 1 a.m. to tell us that our van was taking up 2 spaces and that we needed to move it. By the time Dominic got there 5 minutes later, the lady had already parked her car since our van was within the lines of one space, but she still cussed out Dominic. He complained to the manager that they hadn't confirmed the crazy lady's story before waking us up, so the manager refunded half our money.

3) We brought groceries with us, including bottled water. Even renting a hotel microwave, we saved a lot of money on food and water.

4) Dominic's mom was happy that we could go to Disneyland. Even though she couldn't come with us, she sent us money to buy souvenirs. We told the kids to look around, and then on the last day they could each choose one thing: Samuel chose an Indiana Jones dress-up set (pictured in previous post), Benjamin got a Pirate set, Elisa has a set of 5 princesses, and we bought a book of Disney cartoon short stories. (Thanks, Llama!)

5) Around midnight in the California desert on the way there, we stopped to help a stranded motorist. The poor guy had been waiting an hour, and we were the only vehicle to come by. Dominic helped him change the tire. The guy unexpectedly paid us, and that's what we used to buy the kids' mouse ears. (He gave the money to me, and Dominic told me later that we shouldn't accept money in that type of situation. Oops)

CALIFORNIA!!!

Where have I been, you wonder? To sunny California, of course! We've actually been home for a week and a half, but I needed that time to re-coup, unpack, and upload all those pictures. I took a lot (with digital cameras, I never run out of film :)

First stop: Disneyland!

Yes, Dominic is still job searching (don't worry, he hasn't turned to the dark side quite yet), but right now we have the time to go, the kids are young enough to believe in the magic, and the boys are old enough to remember the experience. Elisa did surprisingly well, with only 1 or 2 meltdowns. Rachel did great in the snugli and slept through most of it. Dominic was fortunate enough to twist his ankle the first day, so we rented a wheelchair. It cut down on wait times for the rides, and it gave the kids a place to sleep:


Their favorite rides were Space Mountain (Benjamin thought we were actually in space) and Star Tours (Samuel was happy to see that C-3PO and R2D2 are real), which they are still quoting. Lisy liked all the rides she could go on.

The Haunted Mansion did not scare anyone, even Lisy, and they all enjoyed the projected holographic ghosts. Splash Mountain was also exciting, because the animatronic animals were singing to us, according to Benjamin. Pirates of the Carribean was thrilling; Samuel liked to make up stories about the scenes portrayed. The Jungle Cruise was fun because of our funny tour guide, though the kids didn't get the jokes. The boys loved shooting things in Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters, but Rachel and I thought it was too loud. All the kids like "Monsters, Inc." movie, and they were tickled that the ride made it feel like they were in the story. For Storybook Land, their favorite part was when we went through the whale at the beginning and thought the rest was only mildly interesting. They loved the Matterhorn and wanted to go again, but we didn't want to wait in line again.

We kept missing the shows, but we saw all the 3-D movies. Their favorite one was the Muppets, which they quoted a lot. I was surprised that none of the children were interested in the characters or princesses walking around. We pointed out the characters, like "hey look, there's Tigger!" and they'd glance up and say, "uh huh."

It was very hot. For example, one day we bought ice cream cones. The moment we left the air-conditioned store, the ice cream started dripping. We discovered that the Bug's Life area in the California Adventure park had several water areas. In seconds the kids were drenched and very happy.


In the end, and I think all will agree that Disneyland is fun and exhausting:

100!

Welcome to my 100th post and 100 things about me. I like keeping traditions, so here goes. I hope it is more interesting than boring.

1. I am 5'4" tall, and my weight fluctuates every 2 years between a healthy BMI and 9 months pregnant.
2. I have blond hair that is usually long, but is occasionally short, and is currently of medium length.
3. My eyes are blue, but I've been told they look green in the sunlight.
4. I wear glasses, though I don't think of myself that way. I'm always surprised when I see pictures of myself wearing glasses.
5. Currently my favorite color is red. As a little kid I liked pink; in my school years I preferred blue; in college I narrowed it to a jewel-toned blue; now I just like red.
6. My favorite color combination is red and black.
7. My least favorite color is orange. I don't hate it, but I like the other colors better.
8. I prefer argyle over paisley.
9. I must have labels facing out.
10. I make lists for everything.
11. Palindromes make me smile.
12. Rodents scare me to death, and yet I own one (a degu).
13. I have a bad sense of direction and get lost a lot.
14. I have a horrible sense of time.
15. I am a great sleeper. I fall asleep quickly, sleep deeply, and wake up gradually.
16. I love to exercise, especially aerobics and running.
17. I still laugh out loud when reading comic strips in the newspaper.
18. I like experimenting with food and trying new recipes.
19. I enjoy baking. I do not decorate cakes.
20. My favorite type of pie is cherry.
21. I can't stand fatty meat. I trim everything, even bacon.
22. When telling a story, sometimes I forget to mention key details, which confuses my audience.
23. I love my birthday and still look forward to it. I don't need or want a big party, just a simple acknowledgment will do.
24. One meaningful present is more important to me than receiving many gifts.
25. I thinks it's really cool that my birth certificate says "Certificate of Birth Abroad." (I was born on an American army base in Germany.)
26. My favorite holiday is Halloween, probably because it's near my birthday.
27. Spring and Autumn are my favorite seasons. I'm a weather wimp - I hate extreme temperatures.
28. Monday mornings seem full of hope and possibility to me.
29. I love early morning when the sun is just rising and the air feels fresh, but ...
30. I'm a night owl and usually stay up too late.
31. Housekeeping is not my forte. Clutter is my nemesis.
32. I like the idea of being organized, but I am not. Somehow I've gotten slightly more organized with each baby.
33. I do not like cutesy, except when it comes to babies.
34. I love my children whole-heartedly. I love being their mom. I have no regrets staying home to play with them.
35. My house is noisy with 4 children, so I soak in the rare moments of quiet.
36. One of my biggest worries is that I'm not giving my children the individual attention they need.
37. My favorite lullabies to sing to my children are "Baby Mine" from Dumbo and "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess.
38. "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong is my all-time favorite song.
39. I enjoy singing, and I think I'm ok.
40. I have a tendency to remember song lyrics wrong, probably because ...
41. I make up new lyrics to fit the situation or to make my kids laugh.
42. I'm a very patient person, except when I'm tired, pregnant, or feeling anxious.
43. I'm prone to anxiety, but I've learned how to calm myself down before it gets too bad.
44. I have a tendency to ignore problems, hoping against reality that they will just go away.
45. If I can't ignore it, then I need time to mentally prepare myself to tackle the problem.
46. I don't like making phone calls, and I have to mentally prep myself for them. Sometimes I talk myself out of calling.
47. I don't have strong opinions, except when it comes to my family and my religious beliefs.
48. Once I realize that I don't have an opinion about something, it's a lot easier for me to make a decision.
49. I avoid political discussions - politics are not worth arguing over.
50. I do not feel comfortable drawing attention to myself.
51. I hope to never be featured in the newspaper.
52. I enjoy socializing but initially feel very shy.
53. I still feel that teenage awkwardness in social situations.
54. I can't watch awkward or embarrassing movie scenes and usually cover my eyes until the scene changes.
55. I feel like I'm too loud and I say the wrong things a lot.
56. I have the bad habit of finishing other people's sentences.
57. I feel that I am unreliable.
58. Sometimes I don't understand why people like me.
59. I try to be open-minded, but then sometimes I realize later that I was being judgmental.
60. I try to give others the benefit of the doubt.
61. Some people say that I am naturally very nice and loving.
62. I've been told I am good at understanding human nature. I think it's because I'm constantly asking why people do what they do.
63. I try to be observant.
64. I am not fashionable, even if I could afford to keep up with current styles.
65. I prefer classic and elegant styles.
66. Women's obsession with shoes baffles me.
67. People have often said I look younger than I am, and now I'm trying to stay younger looking.
68. I have also been told that I have a great memory.
69. I've heard that I am a good teacher.
70. People have told me that I'm a trooper, that they can see me crossing the plains with the pioneers.
71. I enjoy camping as long as there is running water.
72. I've always been fascinated with Native American cultures, and I like attending Pow Wows.
73. Growing up I knew I would go into a science-related field, and my degree is in dietetics (which has a lot of chemistry).
74. I like attending science fiction conventions.
75. My favorite sci-fi involves the 3 stars: Star Trek, Star Wars, and Stargate.
76. I enjoy stargazing and find it relaxing.
77. My movie preferences are musicals, comedies, action, some chick flicks and occasionally dramas.
78. I can remember the movies and shows actors are in, and I like following their careers.
79. I like the theater and wish I could go more often.
80. I love reading anything, whether books, magazines, newspapers or blogs.
81. In fact, I feel restless without reading material on-hand.
82. My favorite magazines are: The Ensign, National Geographic and Scientific American.
83. Regarding novels, I feel safe choosing Young Adult fiction, because it's clean.
84. If I own the book, I use a marker to censor the bad language.
85. I like visiting libraries, whether they are big and fancy or just a small town branch.
86. One of the first things I do after moving is get a local library card.
87. I enjoy reading out loud. On long trips it helps prevent car sickness.
88. I like road trips, especially spontaneous trips. However, with kids along I need at least one day of planning.
89. I enjoy working on crossword puzzles, though I rarely finish them.
90. As I get older, I prefer listening to classical music.
91. Although far from being a photographer, I like taking pictures and really like my digital camera.
92. I have liked every place I've lived, but I feel more comfortable in the west.
93. From what I know of my paternal grandma, I think my personality is a lot like hers, but I am more relaxed and calmer because of my mom.
94. I sound like my mom when I tell my older children "You're not the Mom, I am. Now let me be the Mom."
95. I also say "good heavenly days" like my mom.
96. Like my dad, it takes me awhile to leave the house, because I keep going back in to get the things I forgot.
97. I get along with all of my siblings.
98. I feel that I can make it through anything with my husband beside me.
99. I am very happy with my life.
100. I am an optimist.

First Month with Baby, part 2

Rachel is channeling Calvin. See the resemblance?

Last time I left you hanging, with "part 1" in the title. So now I'll fill you in on the trips (yes, that's plural).

Trip #1: Family reunion at Aspen Grove. My Grandpa Wight hosted most of his descendants at the family camp owned and operated by BYU. Thank you, Grandpa! It was wonderful! I enjoyed seeing everyone again. I'm especially glad my children were able to play with their cousins (almost 40 of them). I wasn't as social as I wanted to be, but I did as much as I could. A lot of people helped me, either by playing with my older children or caring for the baby. My cousin Valerie even took pictures for me when I couldn't. And I took pathetically few pictures.

Samuel and his cousin Anna "feeding" a bronze bear cub

The camp is designed for people to walk everywhere, but we drove instead, per doctor's orders (it'd only been 2 weeks). The kids went to groups divided up by ages. One day Benjamin's group had a pirate theme. He came up with his own pirate name: Captain Benjamin with a Real Sword. Dominic and I took naps, went to a lecture, spent time with family, etc. Here are 2 of my sisters:

Emily holding a sleeping Sabrina

Jen holding Kristen's son Eric














The most active thing I did was archery. Dominic said I did very well for my first time ever shooting an arrow :) He did very well, winning the tournament and earning the Robin Hood award. Samuel was sick that day, so he stayed with us. The range master helped him shoot 3 arrows, and the third one actually hit the edge of the target. Samuel was elated! A hail storm added to the excitement.

Grandpa taught his great-grandchildren the song "Two Blue Pigeons." Apparently, when his grandfather was a boy and crossing the plains, he learned to count by singing that song and counting the pigeons sitting on the millstone. Samuel really got into it and stayed near Grandpa after the other kids left.

Grandpa in the upper right-hand corner, singing.
Shown here are some of his great-grandkids.

We actually made it to the family dance this year. I danced a little, but mostly we just enjoyed watching everyone cut loose and have fun.

Elisa dancing with Gracie, my cousin Teri's daughter

While we were there, Benjamin asked, "Is BYU real?" So on our way home we made a detour through the BYU campus, pointing out important buildings and the giant Y on the mountain. When we arrived home, we discovered that the pilot light for the water heater had gone out :(

Instead of going home to California, my parents came to visit us for almost a week. Grandpa wrestled, played games and took the kids to the movies. I was still recovering, so my mom took care of the cooking, cleaning and laundry (thanks!). They both took the kids to the library and park. I'm not sure who had more fun or who was more worn out - the children or the grandparents. It really doesn't matter, because we all had a great time.

Grandpa teaching Benjamin how
to play "Othello"

Grandma playing with Rachel














Trip #2: Silver City, a semi-ghost town (because people still live there). The day before Father's day we visited this place about 2 hours away. The last 17 miles were on a mountainous dirt road; it was as bad as it sounds, but the view was gorgeous. Almost everyone we saw either had a truck or an ATV - anything else would get stuck in the mud during a storm.

The old schoolhouse, currently
getting renovated inside

It was interesting to see that some of the buildings were dilapidated, some well-kept, and others have the original store front but are now homes. We explored a little but didn't stay too long. The boys were fighting; we told them we'd leave if they didn't stop, and we left early. The weather was noticeably cooler there and perfect for taking pictures. We would like to go back eventually and try the restaurant's must-try pie.

Dominic and Rachel behind the old hotel, which is still in use

First Month with Baby, part 1

Wow, I forgot how time-consuming a newborn is. Yes, a lot has happened, but I also haven't had time to tell you about it.

First, our visitors. Devin and Maran visited that first weekend. They even came to see me in the hospital. Sunday afternoon we all went to a park for a BBQ. I wore my bathrobe; there was no way I was going to get dressed after only 4 days. On Monday (Memorial Day) I did get dressed to see "Terminator: Salvation" (good movie, a bit loud). Little Courtney is getting very cute, cooing and smiling now.

Dominic's mom came for ten days. It was wonderful having her here. She took care of the older children while I was in the hospital and at home recovering. She kept the house clean (thank you!). She and Dominic went to yard sales, helping us buy much needed furniture - a couch and more kitchen chairs. She even got to be here for Elisa's 2nd birthday, a very low-key event.

Daddy helping Lisy blow out her candles.

One of her presents, a jump rope - she jumped all over the yard.













Who could ask for a better present than a baby sister?













Memorable conversations:
"She's beautiful." -Nurse
"You're just saying that, aren't you?" -Me
"No, and I see a lot of babies. They're all cute, because they're babies. But occasionally I see one with a beautifully shaped face. Like her." -Nurse

"Benjamin, you don't need to kiss my belly anymore. The baby is out here, now." -Me
"I know the baby is out of your belly, but you still look pregnant." -Benjamin, less than a week after Rachel was born

What the fortune cookie said: "Your business deals will work out well"
How Benjamin read it: "You will fall in a trap and die"
Dominic's comment: "Is it a misfortune cookie?"

"I need to do my homework now." -Samuel, excited to work on the packet he received from kindergarten sign-up

"My turn!" -Elisa declaring her turn to hold the baby

I asked the kids to look at me and smile. Instead, I got this:

She's Here!

Last Saturday we went to the park for a picnic lunch. That's when I overheard a lady say, "Oh geez, I'd hate to be her right now." After seeing this picture, I see why.

Dominic is a calming influence on me. I felt less nervous when we checked into the hospital than I felt a few days ago. The staff here was also very good. For instance, the anesthesiologist really listened to me, and this was my least painful experience. The nursing staff was good at including me in their conversations instead of just working around me.



Rachel arrived at 12:10 pm, weighing in at 8 lbs 11 oz and measuring 21 inches. She's long and skinny with very chubby cheeks. Can you believe that hair? We finally got a brunette! I wonder if she'll have brown eyes, too. Anything is possible now.

Apparently my body handles surgery very well. The nurses said I'm acting more like a mom who went through regular labor and delivery. Even the doctor thinks I could go home a day early, but I'd rather take advantage of the peace and quiet here.

Dominic's mom arrived Wednesday night, and she is watching the kids. The kids like visiting me and their little sister here at the hospital, but they act a little wild. Benjamin is taking my absence the hardest; he keeps saying, "I miss my Mommy." So they want me home early.

Degu tragedy

2-year-old Sammy with one of his birthday presents, a degu named Yami.

We have only 1 degu (pronounced day-goo) left. Yesterday Dominic went to check on them, and 2 had died but 1 escaped from his cage and lived. It was a sad day for all of us. Samuel has decided to name this last degu Yugi. I hope he survives.


History: When Sammy turned 2, we gave him 2 degus (they were mostly for Dominic). At the time Dominic and Sammy were big into Yu-gi-oh!, both the cartoon (Sammy) and trading card game (Dominic), so they named the brothers Yami and Kuriboh.

About 9 months later Kuriboh died. Degus are very social and can die of loneliness. However, if you pair two males that were not litter mates, then they'll fight to death. So we bought a female degu and named her Taia, to keep with the yugioh theme. In due time there were 7 babies. 3 weeks later Taia got sick and died. We were actually grateful, because she was a bit crazy and half wild. Unfortunately, it was too soon for the babies to be weaned, and we worried for them. Yami was a great Dad, and all the babies survived. We didn't name the babies, because they all looked exactly the same.

During the adolescent stage we separated the 3 girls from the boys. 2 of the boys kept fighting (teenage rage?), and one of them died from his injuries. So now we had 7 degus in 2 cages. The situation remained unchanged for a year and a half until we moved.

Since we didn't know what we were moving into, we decided to give up some of our pets. PetCo has an adoption program, so we dropped off the girl degus and hoped they got adopted. Honestly we weren't too concerned, because all the employees were delighted with them.

These last 4 degus had to endure a week in our moving van in November until we found a house and moved in. They seemed to do just fine for several months. Until one of them decided to get out. We had several adventures and misadventures due to the one we dubbed Houdini. His brothers and dad followed suit. The amazing thing was that the cat never ate them! She actually seemed to get along with the occasionally free-roaming rodents.

We successfully sealed all escape routes. A few weeks ago Houdini chewed a new hole in the cage, escaped, and never returned. The others stayed put. And then yesterday Dominic found the tragic scene, with the 1 degu still alive. We really do not want more degu babies, so we're trying it with just one and hope he will be ok. The saddest part was when Dominic explained the situation to Samuel, who said, "But they were my birthday presents."

Anxieties abound

With only days to go, I'm feeling very nervous. You see, although it's very exciting to have a baby, surgery is the only way out of this.

Of course there are some great things about a scheduled cesarean section: we have an exact day and time (May 21st at 1 pm MST), and no big surprises. Modern medicine is wonderful - I can have babies without dying in childbirth! However, this is major surgery, and the risk of complications increases with each subsequent pregnancy and delivery. I'm so grateful that they make me stay in the hospital for 4 days, because I need it.

It doesn't help that I told the kids about what happens in the operating room. They thought it was interesting and a bit exciting. Then they went to bed. For the rest of the night, I kept thinking about it and feeling more concerned.

As a matter of fact, in the OR I usually feel so nervous that I talk incessantly to keep my mind off of what's happening. Dominic tells me afterward what I say, and I'm always embarrassed. I can't remember any of it now. But when I brought it up the other day, he couldn't stop smiling at the memories. So I guess it really is that bad.

And then there's the fact that Dominic lost his job. On the one hand, he can really help out getting the baby gear ready, and he doesn't have to take off any time from work. But on the other hand, the lack of income is a bit nerve racking. I'm focusing on the baby and not thinking about it too much at this point, though.

We still don't have a name! Oh, I know we'll come up with something eventually. But just like with Elisa, she'll be Baby for a little while.

Mother's Day, the Good and the Bad

Good: I didn't have to do any cooking! Dominic did it all, and the food was delicious.

Bad: Mealtime conversations were replaced with choruses of coughing from all the sickies.

Good: I slept a lot and wore my bathrobe all day.

Bad: I woke up from my nap to the sound of Lisy crunching on cough drops. She ate almost an entire bag! She was very happy, sticky and red, but I was coughing.

Good: Because it was Mother's day, I didn't have to prepare a Relief Society lesson.

Bad: We were too sick to go to church, and I missed the encouraging, heart-warming messages about moms and women in general.

Good: The newspaper was filled with the heart-warming stuff, which inspired me to call my sisters and sisters-in-law.

Bad: I couldn't call them all in one day (I have a big family).

Good: Dominic said nice things to the kids about me all day that helped me feel loved and appreciated.

Doctors and Star Trek

Funny story from the doctor's office today. My family has come down with a cold, and the doctor was obviously concerned that I might have the flu, which I don't. She asked if I had a fever or felt really hot lately. Well, I haven't taken my temperature, but I'm 9 months pregnant so of course I'm feeling hot (remember Father of the Bride 2?). Then she asked if I was feeling achy. Again, I'm 9 months pregnant and thus ache everywhere. So she gave up and told me to call the office if my symptoms worsen. She knows medicine better than I do, but sometimes you have to consider your audience before asking certain questions.

Star Trek opened up today! Yes, we saw it, and it was excellent. I appreciated how they kept true to the characters' personalities, and the inside jokes were a lot of fun. We dragged the kids along - didn't want to bring a babysitter into our sick house. Lisy kept trying to escape or get into the diaper bag. Benjamin almost fell asleep several times. Samuel repeatedly asked to go home. However, the end was exciting enough that they all gave it a good review.

Beached Whale

Yes, folks, I am at the beached whale stage of pregnancy: I have no energy and don't want to do anything. I haven't even turned on my computer for days. I have decided not to go out in public unless absolutely necessary. I'm getting tired of all the bug-eyed stares and people asking if I'm going into labor. Although I know people have good intentions, it's getting old. However, there are other things to write about.

Elisa working on the computer, just like Mom.

A few weeks ago we went to a Pow Wow, but arrived just as they were taking a break. We milled about, bought a few things from the vendors, and left before the activities reconvened for the evening. Dominic and I were too tired and/or sick to stay longer. I didn't even take pictures. The boys each got a balloon sword, which they really enjoyed. Lisy got a balloon dog, which she eventually popped. At first she was sad, but when Dominic pointed out that she could throw it away in a trash can, she was happy again. Ah, the simplicity of childhood.

Easter was low-key. Again, no pictures. Friday night we realized Easter was in 2 days; it just snuck up on us. So on Saturday I found our baskets and bought the candy and toys (I kept it simple). Let me just say that the day before Easter at Walmart is a madhouse. I hard boiled the eggs, but we never got around to dyeing them; no one cared. I was a bit nervous about dropping off the kids at nursery and primary. Who thought that stuffing kids with candy and sending them off to church was a good idea? But apparently all the children were in sugar-induced comas and not bouncing off the walls like I feared.

Samuel and Benjamin. Luckily this is a 1-story house.

Last weekend Devin and Maran came for a visit. The activities we planned didn't pan out, but it was still a good weekend. Our kids were very happy to see Courtney again. Dominic and I played with the baby while the new parents went on a couple of dates; a win-win situation.

Benjamin and Lisy are getting along better now than ever before. They actually play and laugh together. Though there is still a bit of animosity between them, mostly when Benjamin is trying to stop Lisy from breaking a rule. When Benjamin plays too rough and hurts her, Lisy comes crying to me and says, "Min Min did it." A minute later she'll be fine and runs off to play with him again.

Benjamin, Elisa and Samuel with the 3-D glasses from the "Monsters vs. Aliens" movie.

Samuel is outgoing and easily makes new friends. But he still tells me he wants to move back to Ogden. I couldn't figure out why until last night. We went to an Elder's Quorum BBQ (I didn't have to cook!) and watched him play. He kept trying to join the big group of kids, running around with them and playing along. They never included him. Eventually one girl left the group and played with him, and they had fun together. Darn, I'm getting teary-eyed just thinking about it again. Back in Ogden Sammy had a lot of friends from the very beginning. I realize now that he is probably lonely. He gets along great with his siblings, but he's a social butterfly without a social outlet. Although he never needed it before, I think I need to set up playdates for him.

Road trip to Rexburg

This past weekend we took a (long) trip to eastern Idaho to meet our new niece, Courtney. She's a cutie, and she has the dark hair I always thought my children would have. (Who knew blonde was a dominate gene?)

Uncles are so much fun. The boys rocked out with Devin's gaming instruments.














And of course they held the obligatory wrestling match.











Oh yeah, the reason we're here: baby!












The happy new mom, Maran
And the proud Grandma














Everyone took a turn holding little Courtney.
Elisa:
Benjamin:














Samuel even got to feed her, which he was very proud of:

The whole crew












We brought Llama Grandma home with us, and the kids thought they were having a slumber party. On Sunday we took her to the airport. Time to say good-bye until our baby is born in 6 1/2 weeks.












And my favorite picture of Dominic and Lisy