Little Chad's Photo Shoot

I've never done newborn photos with any of my other children before, and I've always wanted to. Esther offered, and here we are! Little Chad was 12 days old. Thank you Esther! These are treasures!

Christmas Card, 2009

Christmas Presents

Guess who's been to visit?

Connie and Courntie and Esther actually painted this before little Chad was even born, but it looks just like him, don't ya think ;)

...the moments that take your breath away.

Sweet Chad Paul, the ninth stocking on our mantle.

8 lbs, 6 oz, 19 inches long, born on our first-born's birthday, December 6th



Our hospital visitors.

One week and wet, fresh from the bath

We are so glad he's here.

Seeing red

Chad has become posessive of his chapstick of late, as it keeps disapearing. So, when Gary held up his new cherry-flavored tube and asked what it was(even though he already knew), Chad's response was simply, "It's mine. That's all you need to know." Gary responded, "Yours? Dad, it's RED. I thought you were a boy!"

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few.

Lexi, and cousins Mary and Veronica at Great Grandma and Grandpa Lewis's for Thanksgiving dinner. The day was sunny and beautiful.
Chad and the littles with Great Grandma and our company from BYU, Ben, Jesse, Katrina and little Ryan.

Sage, very thankful for her dinner.

Ryan, wishing he could have some too.

We had family pictures taken the next day, and these three cousins were so cute while waiting their turns. They were buddies all weekend. Leah, Eden and Torrey.

My elves

A week ago, Sunday morning, Chad started getting sick. He was ready to leave for church, hours before the rest of us, of course, and was sitting on the couch for one last breather before he was out the door for a long day. I lay with my head on his lap, wishing he didn't have to go. Chad sighed and I asked what was wrong. "Just feeling overwhelmed." I could hear in his voice his many concerns, and on top of that, the cold settling in. I couldn't help it. Getting the whole family somewhere on time, by myself, is a nigh-impossible task, even when I'm at 100%, and I certainly wasn't. There are so many things I rely on him for, more especially now, that the thought of him being out of commission with sickness was more than I could take. "I'm sorry. I hope you don't have to change your clothes," I said as my tears puddled on the leg of his suit pants. He stayed to comfort me a minute, and then got up to leave. On his way out, I could hear him talking with our two oldest daughters. It soon was apparent to me what he had said. Lexi took the two youngest kids and got them bathed and dressed, as Lily helped Eden. Lex made lunch for everyone, including me, and did everyone's jobs. She had to run some stuff over to her dad right before church started, and he asked how I was doing. "Oh, she's crying again. But now it's because she's happy."

I had reason for tears again this week, as I came home from church to a clean house, (and believe me, it wasn't that way when we left!) the table beautifully set, and dinner waiting. Connie had grabbed Lexi after Sacrament meeting, snuck to my house, and together, they had transformed it. Connie had brought dinner, and saved my family from an evening of leftovers. My gratitude was double, because this week, I was the one with the cold. Thank you, thank you Connie. I can't even say how grateful I am that Heavenly Father has put you in my life. I, and my whole family, have been so blessed. On top of everything else, my children are learning the joy of service from you. And, I feel like I have another mother watching out for me. Thank you, so much.

New Cyclist

Gary's training wheels kept rotating up, and he had to keep having Daddy fix them. Finally, he told Daddy, "Just take them off!" We've never had a three-year-old cyclist before, so he had to ask a few times. Finally, Daddy took them off, and a short lesson later, Gary was riding on his own! Does more biking mean less mischief? I hope so!

Hair

Bouffant updo,

Or bushy bedhead?

You decide.

MAH-ah-AHM!

Don't take pictures of me with my hair like this!

November, so far.

November has flown.

I haven't posted much, but life has certainly been going ahead full speed.

Lexi has begun volleyball.
Lillian has too. They are both awesome.

Flag football has started for Samuel.
He caught an interception yesterday. Yeah!

Chad was the substitute coach yesterday morning.

Lex was my photographer, and I love the look she caught on his face.

Samuel also had his Thanksgiving play at school.

He was Abraham Lincoln.

Eden lost her first tooth.

Gary thrashed the bathroom.

That toilet contains two tubes of toothpaste and a Frisbee -- under, of course, a fair amount of TP that was, well, yellow.

Also, just in case you're curious, Gary's list of misdemeanors this week includes such things as burying a chunk of wood for me to find in our dinner casserole, and putting all five puppies in an empty food bag and weighing down the end so they couldn't get out. Just a few highlights.

Sage won't let me fix her hair, but she will let Lex.

So, only on Sat and Sun, when Lexi is home in the mornings, does Sage look "done-up".

All of the kids have been enjoying the puppies.

We put them up for sale this week, and it has been bittersweet to think of them leaving.

So, that's what we've been up to lately.

How about you?

Loved

I have the best visiting teachers in the world.

Really.

Connie Mortensen, and her daughter, Cortnie Villezcas.

This is what they did for me in October.

All across every window in the front of my house.

And I love it.

Then this week, I MENTIONED on Facebook that I was wanting to get some new Christmas music, and the next day, Connie and her other daughter, Esther, on their way to paint more windows, were at my door, CD's in hand.

Also, this week, my family has dined and breakfasted on pizza that was delivered spur-of-the moment one evening, curtesy of the Mortensen clan.

Oh, I feel loved.

Thank you!

Halloween Treats

Our Halloweening started Thursday with the Elementary School Costume Parade.

Today's festivities started with pumpkin carving.

Sage carried in her own pumpkin.

Carving commenced. Lexi is doing a peace sign.
(One of the many "faces" of her pumpkin)

Then, off to trunk-or-treat.

This is the aligator that has been a significant part of Gary's wardrobe since October 1st.

Witch/pop-star Lily and hippy-chick cousin Hannah.

Ballerina Eden, and fairy-cousin Torrey.

My Jedi warrior.

Eden took a break from making the rounds to snuggle with Grandma.

Sage sought out the comfort of "Bapa" when the evening started seeming a little too strange.

'Cause Mommy wasn't quite herself.

Then home, and we lit the Jack-o-lanterns. Artistic credits, in order of appearance:

Eden, Lily, Lexi, Gary(his pumpkin still has the seeds in it.), Samuel, me/Sage.

Church Ball

Last Thursday was Volleyball night at church.

These are some pictures of my girls' beautiful form.

And now, the real reason I waddled all the way home and back to get my camera...

I love watching him play volleyball.