Cleod's first day of school!!

So today was Cleod's very first day of Kindergarten. I am sad that he'll be gone for a few hours but he is going to have so much fun. He's so smart and soaks everything in. Also, I have recently realized that he has a minor problem with authority. I think it's because he's almost always with me, so I am hoping that the first few weeks of school will help him to realize that he's not in charge.

It was too sunny by the front door, so he decided to stand by the air conditioner. Ha!


Outside his classroom...


Putting his pencil box in his cubby...


Coloring away. This was after I said good-bye to him. He didn't really care I was leaving and I actually was OK too.


Getting out for the day...


This is a happy face he made when I told him that his brothers were bored without him. While Cleod was at school, Ryan said, "Mom, I don't know what to do." We played a few games but he just couldn't find anything to do by himself. I'm sure it'll get better.

Random

If you know me well, you may know that I am pretty obsessed with baby clothes, especially organizing them. This is my pile of girl clothes that I have collected over the years, luckily. After looking through this stuff I felt much better about being able to cloth the poor girl in something pink.


Uncle Darin stayed with us for a while this summer as he was transitioning from Texas to Salt Lake. We loved having him around, especially the boys.


When RJ's family stayed with us for a few days before our Rowley Reunion, his 10 and 8 years olds were really into chess and showed Cleod a little bit of the game. Apparently, Cleod is now an expert and likes to "play" with Ryan. He actually gets kind of frustrated though, because he remembered several rules and Ryan just moves the pieces wherever he wants.


Our backyard is pretty small and they boys don't love playing out there much, unless they get to place in the water. A lady at Silas's work who LOVES the boys gave them some syringe-type toys that they really love. The only problem is that Grant now knows how to turn on the hose and they end up drenching each other. Crazy boys.


One of my favorite things about kids is the face they make when they are concentrating. (In fact, I like to call in the "contentrating face." Clever, no?) Silas got this great photo of Grant while he was carefully cleaning the table. He LOVES to clean, it's hilarious.

Tender Mercies

So I have been pretty paranoid lately about my pregnancy. Two good friends who were due close to me miscarried just before 12 weeks. I'm 21 weeks now so I should feel safer, but I don't really. I have a relative and another friend who have lots their babies late in their pregnancies and have had to deliver stillborns. That is haunting me.

I know, I know, I shouldn't be worrying or whatever, but I can't get over it. Ever we decided on a name, which is Cora by the way, we have been talking about her and the boys (mostly Ryan) prays for her all the time. I already love her and want her to be a part of our family but I just keep worrying that she's going to be taken away from me.

This morning, though, I received a tender mercy from my Father in Heaven. I have been feeling her move for a few weeks, but not all day. Yesterday I felt her around 4pm and so when I woke up this morning I waited and couldn't feel anything. I started to panic a little. I tried to do my regular stuff, breakfast, dishes, start laundry, straighten up, then sit down and check my email. So by then, a few hours after I woke up, I sat her waiting and praying that I would feel Cora move.

I have a doctors appointment this afternoon so I started thinking of senarios of finding out she was gone or what I would do without Silas with me (since he's watching the boys) and how I wouldn't want to talk to anyone, etc.

Finally I laid on my bed, on my tummy and prayed, begging Heavenly Father for me to feel Cora more and almost immediately, there was a small kick.

I cried and said "Thank you" out loud a few times. I have a testimony that the Lord knows us all individually, but this reminded me that no matter how maybe children He has, He knows me. He knew that I needed to know my baby was OK and my prayer was answered.

I am so thankful for my blessings.

Ryan's FOUR!!

My baby is four. Well, one of my babies. My sweet, crazy Ryan celebrated his birthday earlier this month. He was adorable. He liked the attention.

The Saturday before Ryan's birthday we played at the park with some friends. I LOVE Ryan's face when he shows his presents...

Monday, August 9th was Ryan's birthday and for lunch at McDonalds. My mom, Deni, Joy and Brooklyn were there too.


Ryan's cake...

Books from Grandma (some of Ryan's favorites from the library that I suggested)...


Joy and Brooklyn gave Ryan his favortive movie, Underdog. We've had their copy for a year. ;)
Books from me and Silas. Click HERE for more info on our favorite books.

It's a girl!!

So if you haven't heard, we're having a girl. On Monday we had our ultrasound and my heart was beating like mad the whole time. At the end the tech was looking in that AREA and I was looking for the familiar boy parts and I couldn't see them and was getting more and more anxious for the tech to confirm to us what it was. She was trying to get a really clear shot, which I am thankful for, but it seemed like it took FOREVER. Finally, she said it was a girl and I was so excited and honestly a little shocked.

Once we were in the car, Silas and I got a little emotional. It's been a hard pregnancy for us as a couple and although we would have been happy with a boy, we are just feeling for thankful to have a girl join our family...especially in the circumstances of this pregnancy. Not only was it an awful first trimester, we tried for 8 months to get pregnant.

To some of you, 8 months is nothing and I am not trying to underestimate the pain of trying for years and years to have a baby, but we have never had to try more than once so it was a trial for us. Silas was on two kinds of medications at the time that are known to cause infertility problems, but I felt like it was time to try so it was frustrating having this conflict. The beginning of April I finally felt at peace with having a three kids, and the next month, TA DA.

Anyway, although I have complained about this pregnancy at times, I feel like it was a miracle that happened right when the Lord thought best. Now we're having a girl and it seems to be even more of a miracle.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my boys. They are loud, make gross noises, are rough with each other (and my house) but they also are sweet and thoughtful and smart. They make me laugh everyday. But mom needs a girl, right?

I'm so excited!!!

(P.S. Names are being discussed and we are having a seriously hard time, but it will come.)

Couponing for Family Home Evening

So last night we had a random, but fun family home evening. I had some coupons that expire on Saturday so we headed out when Silas got home.

Our first stop was Deseret Book. I had a 30% off any item from the mail and have been thinking about getting a game for the kids. I ended up getting Book of Mormon Who...$10 game for $7.


Then we headed to our favorite place, Pastry Pub. We use whatever excuse we can to go there, and I had a 15% off coupon from a cub scout fundraiser so we got some salad and dessert to share when we got home. (If you like chocolate as much as I do, try the Chocolate Confusion at Pastry Pub. Seriously.)

Next we went to Bealls, a fairly new department store in town. It's pricy but they come out with coupons that you can use on clearance and sale items, so you can get awesome deals sometimes. Silas always needs nice work clothes, so we found him a nice pair of slacks and used a 25% off coupon I got in the mail. $30 pants for $23. Not too bad!

Lastly, we went to Mountain West Bookstore for Cleod to pick out a book. He has been filling in a reading chart during the summer. In May he read 50 books and got to buy a new book, and since then he's read 60 books and so it was time for another trip and I happened to find a 15% off coupon from the cub scout thing on any book. He picked out a chapter book because he's just started reading the Magic Tree House Books and it was $4.00 so we saved a whapping 60 cents. :)

So, I don't know what you think, but that was my kind of Family Home Evening activity.

Rowley Reunion

Over the Fourth of July weekend, we had our Rowley Reunion. It was the first year that the extended Rowley family split up into their own family reunions. I missed seeing my cousins and their kids, but it was fun hanging with my siblings and their families.

A few days before we went up to the property that my dad and his brothers own to set a few things up and the boys were really helpful. :)






Silas and I went up Friday, July 1st with the kids and stayed until Monday afternoon.

Here are Ryan and Cleod with Maggie and Laurelin, two of RJ's kids. Laurelin doesn't really suck her thumb, but Ryan does. I know, I know. He's almost 4. Bleh.


My mom and dad's grandkids...(plus 3 on the way)


Grandpa and Grant...

Silas and Ryan...

Grant loved getting dirty and wandering around.

Grandma and Darin doing "primary" with the kids on Sunday...

Silas and my brothers cleaning up...

Nice view of my hubby cleaning up camp, don't ya think?