Getting Ready for Christmas

Our first family home evening after Thankgiving is setting up for Christmas. The kids love it! Here we are, all hard at work.

These are a few of my favorite things . . .

I was playing a game with Ethan the other day. This is how it went.
Mom - What is your favorite color?
Ethan - Red
Mom - What is your favorite food?
Ethan - macaroni and cheese
Mom - What is your favorite animal?
Ethan - Monkey
Mom - Who is your favorite mommy?
Ethan - Daddy!

Pedi and a Mani

Sarah has been begging for months to go and get a pedicure and a manicure with me. We finally found the time today and since I can't reach my toes any more it works out well for me too. We go to this new little place down the road from us. We were the only two people in the spa for the first 45 minutes. We had just finished our pedi's and were about to move to the manicure table when in walks 20 men. It was quite the entrance. They more then filled up the place. I'm thinking surely they can't be here for the same reason we are. They weren't, they were a TV show crew and they were scouting the place out to film a new show coming out on cable. It was pretty interesting though to watch them measure and discuss buisness while sitting there having your nails painted. So after we finish up I slip my shoes on thinking that my nails had dried enough. They had not and I completly ruined 8 of my fingers. I wanted to cry, I was to embarresed to tell the lady so I go up the the counter to pay and when I signed the reciept she says, what happened? I had to explain to her and she says, you sit down I fix it for you. While she was fixing it (for free) she asked why I didn't tell her they were ruined and I said it was my fault and she says I should have told her. Then commands me to sit under the blower for 5 minutes and stay there. I obeyed. Sarah got a decoration on each big toe and each thumb as part of the kid deal. She loved it. Hers are the orange toes and light pink fingers. There is one draw back to having this done though, it makes you want to go back again and again.

Quiet Moment

This is one of those moments that melts your heart as a mom. Sarah is reading to the boys. I love how they are sucking their thumbs and Ethans head is resting on her shoulder. Ten minutes after this photo was taking they were all wrestling on the ground. But it sure was nice while it lasted.

Ticker update

For those of you who really keep track of the baby ticker you might have notice it went backwards a bit. My original due date was Jan. 18, but then when I had the first ultrasound the tech said the due date was Jan. 13. So that is the date I set the ticker with. But then my midwife said that the due date is still the 18th unless the ultrasound says more that a week different. But that still doesn't mean I can't deliver a couple weeks early, my fingers are crossed.

Meet Sunshine

I told the kids they could take a few pictures and videos of Sunshine. The took 20 videos and 75 pictures. I narrowed it down to the best. Most of the picture had their thumb over the lens. Digital cameras were a great invention!

New Toy

The go kart is on the trailer right now because we just bought it. But now Daddy has fixed it up and they love riding it around. It is a fun little toy.
We'll get some video of it on the move next time.

Week in Review

Monday we bought the kids new bunk beds. I've been rearranging and deep cleaning the bedrooms upstairs to make way for the new baby. The plan was to get new bunk beds to make more room in the kids room, then move Ethan into the study so the baby could have the nice unisex yellow nursery. So the bunk beds were put together and Ethan was so excited only to realize he didn't get to sleep in them. So on Friday night (after much begging) we dragged his toddler bed into the kids room and he slept in there with them. The next day Sarah and Joshua both said they wanted Ethan to stay in the room so I spent the whole day on Saturday moving around clothes in the closet etc to make the switch permanent. They are all so happy to be sharing a room. We'll see how it goes when school starts this week. I'm excited to still have a guest room/office. I don't how long it will last but I'm in no hurry to talk them out of it. They fight a lot during the day but they love to be together at night and not a single one of them wanted their own room.

On a different note here are a couple of things the kids said this week that made me laugh. We were going to a friends wedding this week and Ethan asked me if I was married, I said, "Yes I'm married to Daddy." As he said, "Oh, and I is married to you!"

Joshua gave a talk in Primary. We asked him after if it went well. He replied, "Yeah I did a really good job, they should make my talk an Article of Faith!"

Pretty Bird

So we are going to give the pet thing another try. Here's the whole story. Last week we took the kids on a walk and found a parakeet in the middle of nowhere. The kids managed to catch it and we carried it home in an old cup. Because it was late we told the kids we could go the next night and get him a proper cage, food, etc. They were so excited about it all. Well he didn't make it through the night. I had already sent the kids off the school when I came home and realized he was dead. I cried for almost an hour (I'm blaming that on the pregnancy hormones) but mostly because I knew how upset the kids would be when they came home from school and my heart broke for them. And I was right, they both cried. We went to the pet store anyway and bought a new bird along with all the supplies. They got to pick out there favorite. He his a very pretty bright yellow and green parakeet. They named him Sunshine. We've had him less than a week and I'm surprised at how well he is doing. He lets all the kids hold him on their finger. They are only allowed to hold him inside the cage for now so they sit next to the cage and put their hand inside to hold him. The bird has a really nice personality, he has never tried to bite the kids. If he doesn't want to be held he just turns his back on them. I got a book on parakeet care and read it to the kids. They are being very gentle and patient. I'm working with the bird during the day so that when the kids come home from school he is very friendly. I have to admit I'm really enjoying having him around. I'll try to get some picture of the kids holding him.

Fun Weekend

We took the family out for the long weekend. For lunch we went the Red Lobster. That's Shaun's favorite place and since it was his birthday we let him choose. The kids like to see the lobsters in the tank and one of the waiters pulled one out and let the kids touch it. Very exciting for them. I asked Ethan if we should eat it and his reply was, "We don't eat animals, we eat food." Silly mommy! Then we went Putt-Putt golfing. Golfing with a three year old is really fun. Ethan kept picking up every ones ball and bringing it back to them, what a good helper. I'm sure you can imaging how much the other two kids appreciated his help! So Ethan and I split off and hit one hole ahead. Every time I missed the hole who would say, "That's OK mom" and go and put my ball in the hole for me." I had a perfect score of 18.

BOY or GIRL ?????

That is the million dollar question. We had our ultrasound this morning and we still don't know. The tech said it's little legs were squeezed together so tight she could see nothing. Throughout the entire 20 minute ultrasound those little legs wouldn't budge. But the baby is healthy and growing well. The kids were really disappointed about not knowing. So am I. Ethan was a surprise baby too and so at least we have a nice neutral yellow nursery all ready to go. But which clothes do I pull out of storage to wash? I wish I could say I have a feeling about this one but I don't. I guess we'll have to do it the old fashion way and wait until January.

Silly Joshua

Joshua was trying to talk me into taking him outside to ride his bike. It was 100 degrees, I was hot and tired and not in the mode. He kept asking again and again and finally I said, "I don't want to, maybe later and stop bugging me!" He storms away and screams "You're mean." I said, "Well that's not the way to talk me into something." So he screams back again, "Fine, I love you!"

Wishful Thinking

The baby ticker up top is in pink because I'm hoping for girl. We don't know yet what we are having. But if one day it changes to blue . . . stayed tuned.

More Reunion Photos

These are the silly sumo soceer uniforms that the kids got to wear. They were laughing so hard they could hardly play the game.

The rock climbing wall was a huge hit. There was a red button at the top that made a siren noise when you pushed it to let every else know you made it to the top. PS. I pushed the button!

More Later

The following are the reunion pictures. I had more pictures and a whole explanation but they disappeared and my computer got slow. I'll try again later to post more pictures and tell you what they are about and I also have some video. But this is a start.

Aries Family Reunion 2009

Baby #4

We have a new baby coming to our family in January. The kids are really excited. Sarah wants a sister really, really bad. I have to admit I would like an other little girl too. Joshua doesn't care boy or girl, he is just thrilled, he loves babies. Ethan doesn't believe us when we talk about it. I told the kids they could come to the ultrasound to find out what we are having and they are looking forward to that. I'll post it when we know it! PS Shaun is excited too.

Joshua's Robot

The kids did a summer camp for three weeks. Joshua took soccer and Robotics. Sarah did soccer and Creative writing. This is Josh showing off his robot and his first two missing teeth on the bottom.

Kids Marathon

The kids got to run in a marathon back in May. I'm finally getting around to blogging the pictures. It was held just outside a race car museum and they got free admission inside after the race was over. Vroom-Vroom!

They each got a medal.

Finished the race.

Getting ready to race, they are in there somewhere?

Kids playing on the race car.

Joshua coming to the finish line. He finished 11th. Sarah was close behind. But the camera froze up as she ran past me.