Welcome Seth!

Little Brother Seth! We’re so glad you’re here, we love you!!!!

10 days early  (I thought spring break was going to be such a cool birthday...so is Feb 27 I guess!)

7lbs 12 oz 

20 inches long 

02/27/19 4:21am

We wrapped up Basketball but I snagged these pics of Facebook that Andrea took last week. She is so talented I hope Cannon is always on Isaac’s team so I can cash in on the great pics! 

I love the pics! They’re fantastic! And...It’s so hard for me not coach when I see them. You’ve gotta get your eyes up! You can’t crossover that high it will get stolen every time and that form 😩🤮😩 it needs some major work.  I didn’t really say those things to Cannon I softened it—but I thought them!  

But he played-and he had fun and we’ll call that part a win. Now we’re just going to focus on getting little brother here. 

Sunday was Stake Conf, so we got to sit by Isaac at church that was fun. After it was very much a typical Sunday, he was busy- we just survive. He had to officiate at a funeral and then who knows what else but we met him back down at the church at 6:00 for the baptism of one Cannons classmates. The friends grandpa told Cann he looked like a little missionary —Oh did Cann love that!! 

Monday and Tuesday were no school—AGAIN! For Presidents’ Day and a teacher professional development day. Why couldn’t they have been making up snow days?? We went down to the church and played with the Missionaries on their p day Monday. Tuesday we went down again just to get out of the house but Cannon had asked to invite a friend which I was fine with but I never heard back from the mom (until later that night)  so the whole time Cannon just wanted  to know if his friend was coming...they didn’t play all all. Of course luck would have it that Tuesday night it snowed all night so Wednesday they canceled school AGAIN. Ug this winter! And no way was I taking them to the church again so we just stayed here-cooped up! 

Thursday was Isaacs birthday. We made him a cheesecake but didn’t do much in the celebration category. Oh he forgot his lunch so I took him a Subway sandwich. He didn’t like it when I called him a “celebrator hater” he said “I am not!” Oh okay...But...you really don’t know how to or enjoy celebrating soooo???? I guess he’ll have to work on that. He’s great at lots of others things though, and we love him and that’s what matters!  (I wonder what he was like on his birthday as a kid??? Birthdays were so anticipated for my brothers and I. Hmmm. Cann might drive e crazy about that kinda of stuff but I was more like he gets, overly excited! Oh well.) 

Cannon wanted to get him a virtual reality head set: 75 cents...pretty sure we got what we paid for but Cannon was excited about it so-good enough! Oh we couldnt find the plunger the other day (he wanted to plunge our sink-we didn’t go without one when there was a true need, just to clarify.) So he also got a new plunger for his birthday. I thought what and awful gift but he said “oh sweet!” Mr Practical-really did like it.

 It was his birthday but I got the evening off and went to RS enrichment while he tended the boys. I had a blast we learned how to decorate cupcakes and make chocolate tulips. A slight upgrade on my typical spread the frosting on with a butter knife cupcakes! 

Today Colt Tanner and I got to go for a little play date at the Dransfield’s. We had a great time! 



Tonight Isaac and Cannon (and maybe the  other boys too I don’t know) were looking at animals on Craigslist. Night, RUINED! 

I’ve tried to explain how that makes me feel—They don’t understand. Or just don’t care. 

Cannon knows he has to choose between more animals or a mom-Isaac just says “you won’t have to deal with it” 

BULL

Clearly he intends on getting more animals-they hate me! 

I do not concede support! While it’s not REALLY an issue yet, it’s upsetting enough it’s very much an issue. And what’s with him? I’m 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow! Same far pregnant as I was when almost 8 years ago when he did the stupid goat thing in St George. I was pregnant with Tanner when he showed up with Belle, when Belle comes up at all he’s just annoyed I haven’t let it go. Maybe I could let it go if I didn’t feel like he would do it all again in a heartbeat. And he might! When I brought being pregnant up back then he said “what does that have to do with anything?” Ahhhhh somebody please clue him in! I obviously can’t. Blake...my best shot might be Blake!

And sorry usually wekeep the blog happy but this is a little too fresh on my mind this blog night!

I always blog on Friday...but yesterday I just forgot!! Never even crossed my mind. Well and they canceled school again Monday and Tuesday so maybe it kindof only felt like Wednesday...that’s my excuse. 

But I feel like I knew what day of the week it was otherwise...hmm

Last weekend we ended up setting the jumphouse up in the living room. It takes up

All of the space but it was worth it we had to get some energy out! And in the cleanup so we can set it up process Colt found grampa’s pocket knife!! 

We made Cann’s valentines box-a bomber jet-and I got some pics from Colts school...

Isaac and I actually went out on Valentines, that was fun! 

I gave the boys little hand held Tetris games for Valentines—they Love’m. And see Isaac in the background, I figure if he and or I have our nose in the phone they should get to play them. 

Today (Saturday) we finished up Basketball. I love it but no lie-I was ready to be done!!! And we played the 3rd grade team from Kirksville again, not the B team this time. Completely classless- I was furious, we’ve played teams up there that were light years ahead of us but they were at least classy about it, not Kirksville. Oh well when the boys asked for popcorn on the way out this time they got it!!!  I was celebrating. Ha! Oh Cann got to shoot 2 free throws today —missed’m both but he got to the line. 2nd game was the B team again, we only lost by 5...instead of 50🙄 seriously I could’ve punched the guy! Beat us by 30 and make an extra pass or something, jerk. And it wasn’t just 50 it was 50 to ZERO until we slopped one lucky shot in with about 2 minutes left. 
Whatever—it’s over!!!! Enjoy the popcorn boys!!!

Dad is in Nauvoo today—we’ll be having an undisclosed amount of screen time... #survival! 

Oh boy! What a week! 

But with good little helper like this who could complain? 

(Pic? No pic? Blogging from my phone it shows up when I looked on the computer—nuthin! Hmmm) 

Last Saturday we had basketball but Isaac had a Truman Showcase he had to be at—so I had my hands full. Luckily our sweet friend Emma (10ys old) offered to sit with Colt and Tanner and they just chilled (well mostly) on the end of the bench.  But when they were watching Wild Krattts and I turned around and one of our players that was sitting out was down there watching with them-oh brother, 2nd grade-not real focused! We lost both games but but really had a shot both times. Again 2nd grade, it’s really hard for my competitive self not to coach to win, but I really do think especially with this group of kids it’s more important that everyone plays. It’s also really hard to only have one 30 second time out per half, man every time we had the ball out of bounds under our own basket it was a disaster. I think I burned 3 of 4 time outs all day on that-and Brooks called the other one. Ha. Finally I did get Cann to set a screen and we did get a layup. Yay. Among the long list of things that ate our lunch was back to back games, that was a little rough and we’re not exactly into conditioning in 2nd grade. At half time of the second game the boys thought it was over and they’d won, they were so excited to have beat a 3rd grade team. I honestly had no clue if it was over or half and had to ask the score table (so bad huh?) anyway so that made it an extra bummer when we lost. Gave up too many layups-Oh well. Oh the other thing was the first game we played 3rd graders from Kirksville (pretty sure it was the b team) and we hung in okay but before the game somebody (I thought he was a coach I need to ask cuz the other coach was one of Cannons best friends dad-friends older bro was on the team, but I seriously don’t see kids I would otherwise know on other teams when I’m coaching. I only see my kids.) Anyway this guy says “good luck coach” to me and I just laughed -as these kids younger brothers killed us when they played even though I wasn’t there cuz it was Sunday- and I said “they just need to play” and I think that’s true but it was cool cuz he just smiled and said “they all do”

and they do -and at that point I didn’t realize it was probably the “B” team. I was anticipating a blood bath  but in reality they were a lot like us. 

Bla Bla enough about that-but you can tell I get a little into it. 

Into it or not seriously exhausts me! The only other thing I did all day was brave the grocery store. (No small task with all 3 boys) but Isaac got done and rescued me 1/2 through he picked them up on his way home and took them with him. Thank Heaven! 

Sunday the boys showed off their memorizing skills (a little begrudgingly for the movies -Cann Man- but proudly to the missionaries) 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YKU8AxBUebk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulew5mzuR6M

Tanners was a bit of a stretch but he was stomping around the house saying little pieces of it so—I had to try and film him too... 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aCCP1vTnnYo

I don’t know what else. We mostly try to survive the day when dad has Long Sundays -oh and delight in it too-Ha! These cuties asked me to take a picture of their “snuggle hug” -done! And Colt found some old glasses. 

Monday we started a new budget, I’m pretty excited about but I’ll admit if Isaac’s not pretty excited he should be, it totally changes the way I spend $$. Since we’ve had a real job he’s just wanted his allowance to tinker with (try to make money with...buy junky old houses that he ended up tearing down etc) and he says I could do whatever with the rest. BUT I’ve never felt like I could really do whatever just because he’s so dang cheap. But this week I’ve realized I bought a lot of junk we don’t need just cuz it was cheap and it was my attempt at “whatever I want” so the new game plan is I have a set amount per week (that I actually divided up into a per day thing) that I kindof run though house hold on and and whatever’s left—really! whatever I want! I’m pumped. I’ll make cheaper dinners, more work for me and such if it means I’m going to get the new ______ I want. And seriously fill in the blank. I have a long list. Ha! We’re only one week in but so far I really like it-it’s like it’s liberating even though Isaac would have thought I was free to do whatever I wanted all along-its making ME FEEL like I am, and I like it! 

Monday was a heck of a day. They hadn’t picked up our garbage for 3 weeks but I had been cold enough the dogs hadn’t got into it. Monday they did, so I had to clean that up when I got home from taking the boys to school-you can guess what kindof mood that put me in. When I got up the driveway I parked over in front of the barns trying to avoid getting stuck. It was warm Sunday and melted all the snow—SOOOO MUDDY! Oh and we found 5 wasps in the boys room and one more Monday. Ug, called the bug man but it was cold enough again by the next day when he came they weren’t out again. Anyway back to Monday after I parked by the barn I decided to look in there for the car seat we had thought was down stairs but couldn’t find. It was there—and now it’s gone with the trash that finally did come Tuesday! So dang nasty, I’m sure the mice enjoyed the “luxury foam” Ug. Tan had gone in the house ahead -that was good- so after I got it out of the barn before I really got into the bag, it was in a black garbage bag, I just stuck my head in the door to check on him. He was totally fine but I slammed my finger in the door so dang hard when I headed back out. Except that I left my finger in the way of the shutting door I don’t know how I did it! The dang thing is still tender. Between that throbbing  and finding chewed on, mildewed, mouse crap-car seat. It would be safe to say I did NOT have the tounge of Angels Elder Holland has implored us to have. When I told Isaac about my finger he told me about our friends daughter getting hers smashed in a temple door. I just thought-it’s probably a good thing that’s not where I was when I slammed mine...but maybe if it had been I would have behaved a lot better???? Hopefully. Anyway-That wasn’t all of Monday’s “fun” when the little boys and I were eating lunch I smelled smoke-looked over and there was a cardboard box on the stove with flames in the corner. I grabbed it and threw it in the sink. I had just moved the box but I have NO IDEA how long that burner had been on or why. Thankful it turned ok but holy cow. (If we were going to burn this place down we should’ve done it long ago.)  Then on our way down to get Cannon we grabbed a treat out of the treat cupboard (we really call it that haha) and darn if that bit-o-Honey didn’t pull the crown off my tooth. Ug so I called the dentist-he’s out of town until next week, it doesn’t hurt and it’s not sensitive so that was lucky. I’ll get it fixed next week. And (still going on that dandy of a day) that night as I was finishing up dinner Isaac called, he’d left his lights on and little green had a dead battery so the boys and I had to brave the mud and go jump him. 4th trip to town. It was a heck of a day! 

That night we watched the Baker kids for an hour or so-they were a breeze and jumped right in on FHE (Come Follow Me) with us. I thought I was sugaring them up with treats afterwards but then Bro Baker showed up with donuts and milk when they came back. Our kids loaded up on some sugar too. 

Tuesday I got the text they were letting school out 2 hours early because of freezing rain. I thought oh they always panic, we can still do Basketball if anyone wants to come and it will be good for the boys to get some energy out. So we did. Then we went outside at the end. I slid-saved it barely. Colt wiped out, and Tanner was on his way out with no shoes. (They all thought it was a fun skating rink.) It was so dang slick! So we went back in and rounded everyone up and got out of there ASAP. I felt like we flirted with danger just a little too close. But I was thankful everyone got home safe. Then it was all freezing rain in the forecast -ice everywhere- and day by day they closed school. We’ve been soooo cooped up! (But safe and warm so can’t complain)

Today I had a dr appt so Isaac came home got us so I wouldn’t have to drive in it. It was the first time leaving the house since Tuesday! Little green is the car of choice right now because “she can take a ding or two” they went to the church and played while I went to the Dr and then the grocery store. (The roads in town are treated so they’re pretty good it’s the dirt road and driveway that make everything interesting.) 

Tonight Cannon’s at a bday party, they offered to bring him home-ha they had no idea what they were offering, thanks but we’ll go get him. It’s weird when we’re all here without him. I miss him-and so do his brothers! 

The pics...that might not even show up...

Tanners just a goof and he, Colt, and  I braved Walmart before I Monday.

Tan had a run in with a corner of some sort, I had the nerve to go to the bathroom when they were all three him??? I still don’t know what happened. His brothers were pretty worried about him though, we snuggled iced it and read a lot of stories.

We made Colt a valentine box. (And some plans for the other boys but we knew Colt did need one for school, it was this months “family project”

This...

If only he followed it (if the pictures really don’t show I’m going to have to solve it somehow!) 

Cooped up fun.

And I need a good picture of an ice storm (but who wants to go outside and get it—not me) but when I sent this to Grama Nette she said it didn’t look like ice...we’ll I assure you, it was solid-slick slick slick ice. 

The best way to get around is to walk on the grass as it breaks off and gives traction, it’s pretty crazy sounding too. 

I think that’s it until next week. 

Oh wait one more thing, Cannon also got to go to his buddy Dax’s birthday party this week, Dax is a member and before the party Cann was asking me when his baptism was, while I don’t know our conversation turned to his baptism and I told him he could chose who the speakers were. “Anybody?” He asked “yeah!” I said and started rattling off potentials. He paused for a minute then said “I want President Nelson and President [Elder] Uchtdorf!” Uhhh ok sure let me just call Salt Lake and schedule that. Ha. Sorry bud, maybe not anyone but I’m sure they’ll be proud of you following Jesus’ example. He got this little smirk on his face and said “Everyone would remember my baptism!” I do love his testimony of living prophets! 

Isaac forgot the computer at the church the other night-then went by and grabbed it in his way to work but now he keeps forgetting to bring it from work. I told him it didn’t matter I didn’t need it-true! But that does leave me pecking away at my phone to blog.

The boys and I had so much fun with my parents here. Isaac is cordial...and maybe I pray for a better more interactive relationship between him and my parents but I think that pray and not worry about it are my best two options, cuz it’s not bad (except one time last summer) I just always hope for better! 

Anyway how bout the week: Saturday morning Isaac took the dog to the vet (long overdue we’re terrible dog parents she’s been limping since summer but it was getting worse) He had been into Walmart early and had the van tires rotated again so we had the good ones back on front to hopefully help with getting up the driveway. And then he was bust’n it to get to the dogs appt. anyway I had made breakfast and we were getting loaded up for Basketball when he called and said “I’m stuck in a snow bank, your best bet is the tractor.” 

Oh crud! 

I’ve driven the tractor 1 time that I started it myself  (I mean there were a few other times helping him with the zipline and stuff but those times it was just like I was his little helper puppet doing whatever he said right?) Anyway the one time was in the summer-and I killed it and couldn’t get it going again...

Uhhh so how am I feeling about this? Not good. I said “Can my dad do it?!” Isaac didn’t care and my dad was game but my mom kiboshed that. (As well she should have!) Since his (2nd) knee surgery he’d only been on his own tractor once the week before and my bro was there to help balance him oh—and the ground wasn’t COVERED in slick ice. So basically I had to suck it up. I started the van on my way by so it could be warming up-only disasterous because my phone kept hooking into the stupid Bluetooth while I was trying to call and talk to Isaac and I pretty much needed step by step instructions! Unhook the battery tender, lower the hood (that one was obvious)  make sure you have the tow strap, you have to turn the key to the left first for about 10 seconds for the glow plugs to work. Then start it—and now I really can’t hear anything!!! Start out in 4th gear (what?!?! Why?!?! Oh because your in low to go down the hill and it will still be really slow) ok these might not all be exact but it was this type of stuff and all completely choppy because I couldn’t get my phone to STOP hooking into the blue tooth. So once I got down to the dirt road (oh he got stuck just at  the end of our dirt road) I hurried and messaged my friend making sure her husband could coach the b-ball games and that I’d get there as soon as I could. Called my mom who had the boys loaded and said “wait until I get to Isaac -I’ll call- but I think I’m going to have you take off without us.” And I realized not grabbing gloves was a big mistake!!! my hands were so cold!!! But I was able to run my phone because I didn’t have gloves. I guess that was a positive. Anyway, Here was my view. Once I got to him all I really had to do was sit in the warm truck. But at that point I could text my friend  call my folks and get them roll’n and so on. 

After he got me going he had to stop me from running over the strap. But then it was like was I going to be able to go on my own again or not? He’s standing at the window and says try it. I give it some gas—nuthin! He says put it back in gear and try it. Oh. Whoops. Went just fine. Poor guy was dealing with an idiot. 

Anyway that was plenty of excitement for the morning and we headed up to Schuyler Co for the ball games. Grama and Grampa were led to the wrong gym (but Cann was with his teammates) so we actually beat them there. The games...were ugly! We were playing 3rd graders (Cannon is 2nd grade) and the first team really only had 1 player that was a huge difference but...his 20+ points killed us. The next game...well they killed the first team. They were classy though-went zone from the get go, tried to make there guys pass it several times and such. Who knows, I guess they were all 3rd graders... maybe not though... some of them were 2 heads taller maybe they could have been 3rd and 4th graders... maybe I’m grasping at straws, they were from a lot smaller towns though and have played A LOT more basketball than our kids!!! Oh well, It was fun that Grama and Grampa got to watch Cannon play. I love that. It’s hard living far away but when they do things like that, things they would do (way more often) if we lived closer it closes the gap a little. I dropped the ball and didn’t get a single picture...I blame the morning!!!

My friend Michaila did snag this though....

I pretty much hate maternity pics. I’m pretty sure I haven’t even mentioned here on the blog that I am pregnant (although Isaacs mom asked me to a long time ago and I said I would...I think she really meant the family GroupMe app anyway...but I didn’t put it there either-whoops) But there’s Cann, giving me and little brother a hug—and somehow she caught me smiling. I guess I’ll post it. That was last week—this week we’re about 5 weeks out...yikes that makes it sound pretty close! 

Anyway...

After basketball we made a Cantril run. We love that Mennonite store-going when I was hungry might not have been smart, but really when things are so stink’n cheap that’s ok too. (Like I bought a whole case of lunchables...$2) that’s why we love it. While we went to Cantril Isaac went and got another part of a load of firewood. I thought that sounded a little crazy but this week when the “polar vortex” hit I was sure glad he had! 

Sunday, Monday, I don’t know what we did, church and a lot of sitting around. It was too cold to do much. 
Phase 10, uno, more tickle mister, sheer boredom...

Monday I had my meeting with Colt’s speech teacher and as we were coming home we saw this on our dirt road...uhhh I wasn’t feeling real great about our road conditions at that point! 

Tuesday we had to give Grama and Grama back-bummer. But we did jump in on the backsplash project to help us not just sit around and sulk. Should’ve done it Monday, then we would have been able to finish but oh well. When we got down to the airport they had canceled their cape air flight—again!! This time they shuttled then to StL though. The shuttle didn’t leave until later so I ran back to town and grabbed some lunch. Tanner was sold on Grampa’s hot fudge Sunday! 

It was a long travel day for them but we’re glad they made it home safe, and glad they got out of here before it REALLY got cold. Wednesday they canceled school again. It was nasty I’m pretty sure -6 was the high for the day. 

Isaacs school was canceled too so they worked on the hydrolic arm. 


And bundled up and took the dog back to the vet. Tanner was pretty mad at Isaac for leaving her there. But they x-rayed her foot ($100 bucks later) and ended up just giving her antibiotic (wish they just would have done that Saturday) Oh well Isaacs been letting her in the basement so it’s not quite as cold. She’s still limping I think the pain meds (after the first vet trip) were a terrible idea because she just didn’t hurt so it got ton worse from running around on it. 

At any rate-Thursday we had the Missionaries over but Isaac had a dinner appt with a candidate of some sort at school. We made cookies and dinner and called it a day. We have great missionaries right now and love having them in our home! They challenged us to memorize Joseph Smiths first vision so we’re working on that-we’ve also gotten really lazy and rusty on the articles of faith so we’re trying to up our game on those again too!

A few more pics then I’ll quit—

The clay figures we made for A of F #1 and Tanner bundling. 

Power naps are the ultimate pick Cannon up from school win!!! Then One of my favorite scenes with Cannon reading to his brothers. And Cann reppin the Y at school!! It was pajama day at school—we sleep in clothes :) 





I think that’s it...until next week!