This past week . . .

I found $100 in a Christmas card that I thought I'd already spent. So on my next trip to Target I picked up the big clock that I'd been eyeing for 6 months. I wanted a big clock with normal numbers so my kids could learn to tell time on it. Now it hangs in our front entryway.I started crafting again. Actually if you count making flower clips and boards with my activity day girls than I really started last month. But this past week (and still continues) I started painting again. I painted the Chelsea canvas months ago but then just wasn't into it. I didn't love how it turned out so I never painted anymore. Then I decided it was time to get it done. I started with the Mia one and then did the sisters. If I can find the iron flower hanger I had planned to hang these from I'll hopefully get them up soon. After finishing the 2 paintings I went back and repainted Chelsea's name on hers so the writing would all be the same.
Next I decided to reuse a canvas that I was no longer using. I bought it 3 or 4 years ago to hang in my room. It worked fine but I didn't love it. So I'm working on making it over for Morgan's room. It's going to be 3 abstract chandeliers when I get finished. But since the painting I'm basing it off of has sequins and a shiny, glittery finish - which will require a shopping trip to Michael's or Craft Warehouse (1 1/2 hrs away) this painting has been put on hold.
after one coat of pink.
After 3 coats of pink and white mixed, I used chalk to sketch my chandeliers. (You can see the painting I printed off the internet for inspiration on the left.)I found this tiny baby turtle in our driveway and we decided to keep it. The kids loved watching it swim and crawl around but sadly we couldn't get it to eat anything (including the turtle food we bought at Walmart). So a few days later we released our baby turtle back into the wild by the lake. Funny thing- as I was walking today with Mia we found an even tinier turtle at the side of the road. I think it was lost. I let her take it to show her friends. Hopefully they won't want to keep this one.
Our doors finally arrived!!! We have been living without a majority of our doors (the girls bedrooms and bathrooms and closet doors) since we moved in. We were so excited when Cameron put them up on Saturday afternoon. Sadly, Morgan's door was scratched by the delivery guy and she is still without a bedroom door until they deliver us a new one.
We went back to the dairy to see all the baby cows that were born that week. They had 5 girls and 2 boys and one was less than a day old. Collin watched his first delivery on Saturday when one of the boys made his debut while he was working there. Not sure what he thought of that.
Chelsea and Mia had fun petting them. And Collin let this one (and a few others) use his fingers as a pacifier. It wasn't feeding time yet. That would have been fun to have the kids bottle feed these little guys.
Other than that I've mostly been avoiding housework. Cameron and I had a fun date night with old friends (yes we're getting older) Scott & Debbie, Leon & Ashley and Sam & Meredith. After dinner at PF Changs we went to see the movie, "Date Night." Then we had a late night snack -ice cream at Sweet Treat before making the LONG drive home.

It's a . . .

GIRL!Cameron and Mia joined me for the ultrasound today. I don't think either of us were shocked to hear we were having our 4th girl. Now it's time to come up with a C name and go through the baby clothes.
Here is her face in 3D. She was laying on her stomach and the tech was having trouble getting a good shot of her face that was tucked way down. Plus she always had her arms next to her face or in front of it.
This is the 4D picture the tech took. Not too clear but you can see it's more of a profile and the baby girls arm is bent next to her face.

I'm 21 weeks and 3 days today. Way too long still left to go!

A Dairy!

Cameron being the true farmer that he is decided to (along with his brother and business partner, Kip) expand their operation to now include - A DAIRY! It has been operating for about 2 weeks now and the boys are loving it. Since us girls had never ventured out to see it (luckily it is not in our backyard) we took a Sunday drive to check it out. We missed milking time which would have been interesting but the kids still enjoyed it.

Cameron showed the kids the stalls filled with cows.

Collin showed the girls his favorite, friendly cow. Some of the other cows are very curious but none of the others will let you pet them and practically lay on them.

All the cows resting after giving their milk away. Cameron says they are averaging about 90 POUNDS of milk per day per cow! I can't imagine carrying that much milk around each day!
Then Cameron took the kids to see where the cows get milked. Luckily it had just been washed down and it was super clean in there. (I was told it gets washed down daily and so do the cows every time they come in to be milked.)

So that is our new farm adventure. They sell the milk to Darigold who comes to pick it up every other day. Sadly, I don't think I can support Cameron by purchasing Darigold milk since when I checked at Walmart it was about $1 more per gallon. Maybe someone else will though :)

Easter

The girls got new matching Easter dresses - as usual - but since Easter arrived on General Conference Sunday this year I let them wear them early (since they were so excited when the Children's Place package was delivered). Sadly, I can't order Collin a new suit on the internet and that is what he really needs (will be turning 12 next month) so he went without a new Easter outfit.

During Spring Break, Cameron and Collin worked at our new dairy everyday (it was it's first week of operation). I would love to post pictures but since I haven't even seen the dairy yet I have none to show or can't even describe what it's like. I do know they worked very hard and Cameron was very glad to have Collin's help all week.

The girls and I went to Rebecca's house for 3 nights - as usual- for us for Spring break. We did lots of shopping and not much else. I didn't take very many picture's and I'm waiting to get the ones Bec took this week.

On Easter after our hunt (indoors - Mia wondered how the bunny got inside the house to hide eggs) we watched conference and prepped all the yummy food for our Easter dinner. Jane came to help us enjoy the day. Mia helped me make my families traditional "bunny rolls" that I don't think I've made in 10 years. Hopefully I'll be better now about carrying on the tradition now.

They turned out delicious!!!

Chelsea turns 7

On March 24th Chelsea turned 7 years old. Since we weren't doing parties this year I told her she could have some friends over this week. It was going to be 3 on her birthday but it ended up being 1 per day which probably worked out better. On her actual birthday, after I brought in treats to her class (peanut butter cookies with reese's on top) we brought home Layklynn to play. She was able to stay for Chelsea's chocolate peanut butter and vanilla ice cream cake and presents.Chelsea loved her new DSi but said it was equal to the Barbie and a Mermaid tail movie she also got (um . . . huge price difference. maybe I should have just bought the movie!!)
Chelsea is our middle child who we just love. She has the cutest giggle, loves to play games and seems to win a lot, tells me she loves me often, plays really well with her sisters and loves school including reading! We are so glad she's a member of our family.

Stupid DOG!

He's not really STUPID . . . and we do love him . . . but seriously he ran away 2 Saturday's in a row and was gone until Monday afternoon both times. We didn't have a tag on him other than the vet tag so the people who found him (luckily different ones each time) had to wait until Monday to call the vet to find the owners (us). Both families that found him said they thought he was a great, well behaved dog and the kids were hoping that they wouldn't find the owners! We are sure he must have followed a jogger out of our neighborhood (he loves to run with people and we're not joggers). Then they proceeded to just ditch him in their neighborhoods. So after picking him up yesterday I went to a pet store and finally bought him a proper dog tag with our current name and information on it so if this habit continues we'll be able to get him back easier and sooner.

I'm not sure why Max even leaves (although once I was inside, the other we were gone for the afternoon). He loves our new house. You can find him here (below) or coming back dripping from swimming in the pond. He's caught different birds (no geese yet) and bunnies and who knows what else. Some might think he's skinny but really I think he's just super lean and muscular from all the running around he does around here.
So hopefully next Saturday we don't have a repeat performance of him jogging off with some stranger or we might start to think he doesn't love us. (Although at the moment I think this dog loves me best- he always comes right up to me to be pet - not so with Cameron.)

Allergic . . .

Last night Mia informed me that she was "allergic" to the DS.

I was like "what?"

She kept saying it "I'm allergic to it."

Finally, Chelsea rescued me and told me I think she means "She's ADDICTED!"

That cleared things up.

Since Chelsea has been home for 2 straight days sick from school they have been playing them a lot together - downloading and playing Super Marios and Mario kart against each other.

I knew Mia was truely addicted this morning because as soon as she got up she started to play against Chelsea who was already deemed "still sick." While they were supposed to be eating their nutritious breakfast (cinnamon pop tarts) Mia proceeded to pee her pants while trying to play Mario kart - her second accident since we moved (that one was forgivable) but other than that she hasn't had one in like a year!! I took the DS's away for the rest of the morning!

I can't find my camera charger and my battery is totally shot other wise I would have put a picture of the girls playing. Instead we get a picture of an addicted cat playing DS. :)