Big Blue

I just can't seem to get enough of this little boy lately, and he can't seem to get enough of me either. He is now 8 months old and has 4 teeth, crawling, and is eating every thing he can get his hands on. He loves to play peek-a-boo even if no one is playing back with him. He has been so sick over the last few months with ear infections, swine flu, now bronchitis and a touch of asthma, I love the winter but I look forward to the summer weather when my kids are not so sick. He is my baby that loves to cuddle and I love it, if he is awake he wants to be in my arms, when I need to get things accomplished this drives me crazy but I need to remember that pretty soon he won't want anything to do with me.

Trunk or Treat

The gang.......even Dad has to get in on the fun, he is hard to see.

The "Pirate Girl"
"Scary, Dead, Bride" where she came up with that we still don't know, and our little Sponge Bob we made his and he loved it!!!!
This year for Halloween everyone was sick with the flu. But that did not stop my little trick or tr eaters. We went to the church and did a trunk or treat and we were done in 40 minutes it was great. The kids made out with tons of candy and I swear that was the only thing they ate for the whole next day. We are still battleing with the flu. The boys, Scott, and I are on the beginning stages of it so we are in for a loooonnnngggg week.

Good Morning Mom

I just went through my edit posts and saw that I never posted this. It is funny how quick I forget what a little trouble maker he is. I sure do love this adventurous and curios boy of mine. This is how I woke up one morning when I walked into my kitchen. I guess he was hungry and looking for a ziploc bag to put his cereal in.


How could you be mad at that face!!!!!

Red Vines + Bumbo = One happy Boy

It was all worth the mess!!!!!!

Babies

Do I have cookie cutter babies or What? Talmadge is the only odd ball only because he didn't have the huge cheeks as a little guy. Loving these kids.

Mothers Day photos

A little late I know but we went to Silvercreek Falls for Mother's Day and had a nice picnic. All of my sibiling's were there with their kids, we took lot's of pictures. The whole point of the pictures was to put together a wall for my mom in black and white, with a cool little saying about her, it was a surprise and she loved it. The picture below was one of the many that was added to the collection, all of the brother and sisters.

The Big 6

It's hard to believe that my oldest and sweetest child is 6 already I can't believe how quickly she has grown up. She loves school and has such a strong desire to learn, she is shy in a group of people and just watches them. She has lot's of friends because she is nice to everyone, she is a peacemaker.
Her motherly instincts have kicked in and she is an incredible big sister, she wants to change diapers, only wet ones of course. She rocks Cannon to sleep and always wants to hold him. She is a great problem solver, and very rarely asks for help to do things. She is extremely creative and very neat in her school work. She counts to 100 by 5's and 10's and is so proud of herself. She is a great singer, she is an incredible memorizers (like her dad)and memorizes her books when I read them to her, so then at night she reads the books to Zoie before bed, and it trips me out when she reads the big words, I forget she has them memorized. Her school teachers area very impressed with how persise and articulate she is in her school work. Every word, number, picture, artwork, ect... has to be just perfect.
One of the most favorite things Lucy loves to do is garden outside with us. She planted our whole garden this year with a little bit of help. It's great I give her a general area where I want bulbs planted and she does them all, waters them, and tends to them regularly. The other day we walked home from school and she picked up a red leaf. She looked at it and said "This leaf has fungi on it", I said how did you know that, she replied "Grandma taught me that mom". She takes after her grandma who loves plants as well. Just today Lucy learned how to ride a bike, we have been working with her but she had no desire but between yesterday and today on her own she would go out and practice, and today she is training wheel free. YEAH just in time for good weather.

I love you Lucy, and am so greatful to be your mother.

Cannon Lee

It's just amazing how quickly they grow up, he is already 9 weeks old and is smiling and talking to us. He is super chubby and has rolls all over his body, his smile is huge just like Lucy and Scott's, and he has huge kissable lips and cheeks. For the most part he is a pretty good baby, and is an Awesome sleeper. With Talmadge around there is no rest for the weary so I'm glad I at least get to sleep a little bit more during the night than I ever have before with a newborn. I must admit that having 4 kids is a lot of work, but very worth it.
Talmadge is so sweet with him he loves him (a little too much sometimes), gives him kisses and wants to always hold him considering how Talmadge is he is really good with him. But I'm not yet ready to have them sleep in the same room for fear of what will happen behind closed doors.

Lucy & Cannon

Other than Lucy is a few months older in this picture these two look identical. So much fun to compare pictures of all the kids

Here is the new baby. Cannon Lee Lashmett,
7lb 12oz, 19 1/4 inches long. He was born at 12:40pm on Saturday March 21st. I have no idea how to post a blog, and since Amber is in the hospital, and people are going to want to see what is happening, I thought that I might try it. I have no idea what will happen. Amber went into labor on Friday at 12:45pm. It lasted almost exactly 24 hours (if she only could have held on for 5 more minutes). The baby was a healthy, and had no immediate problems. He currently is in a light machine for Jaundice, but will be able to come home on Monday March 23rd.

The kids are not sure what to think of him. Talmadge was mad at mom for leaving him with Grandpa for two days, and refused to talk to, hug, or kiss her with his first visit. He does not understand the whole baby thing yet, and I am sure that once he figures out that he is no longer the baby, he won't like it one bit.



Lucy, who we thought would be the motherly one, could care less. She is more interested in writing on the white board in the room, practicing her spelling. She also LOVES the hospital cafeteria. I am not sure if it is the food, or the new experience, but anytime she is there, we are going to make a trip to get some sort of food item or drink.
Zoie is the one that it totally maternal. On our way to visit this morning, she was so concerned about how the baby was going to get home with out a car seat, not realizing that it was in the back of the car, and not in place yet. The first night she was all about holding him, and talking to him.

When we went to visit him today, we found out that he had to do the same bellirubin machine that Talmadge had. He is on it 24/7 and does not leave. It makes visiting your new baby lame, when you can not hold him. Amber has to go the nursery to feed him, they won't even let him come to the room for that. Hopefully he will be well enough that we won't have to have light at home like we did with Talmadge. Here is a photo that I took of him a few hours ago.


Alright, I am signing off, and will let the professional do a post when she is home.
Scott

Happy 60th Birthday

What a great night this was my sisters and I planned a surprise birthday party for our dad, we sent out 100 invitations and about 60+ people were there, his two sisters showed up and that was a surprise to all. Marylyn came from Washington, and Chris flew in from Utah is was a great night.


As you can tell from this picture he was shocked, he turned back around to my mom after the initial look on his face and said "What the hell is this?" We had told him we were having a ward event at my home (Not uncommon), and that they were going to pick the kids up at 7 to watch them for us, he was not very thrilled at that babysitting for his birthday, fun Huh.

Anyway it was a great weekend and emotional as well, my sibilings and I put together a book of memories for my dad, on things we have learned from him, and events that have shaped our lives, it was great we were able to read them to him after the party was over and that was a touching experience. It was a night I know he will not forget, thanks to everyone who participated, it was great to celebrate the birthday of my biggest hero.

Projects......

So for those of you who don't know my sister and I have been planning a surprise 60th Birthday party for my dad next friday, at it will be at my house. We are super excited and have invited so many of his old time friends, and family we don't see very often. We are expecting around 100 or so, so it's just kinda a big deal.

But I decided it is wonderful to have functions at my home, it makes my husband and I finish a lot of unfinished projects. In the past few weeks I have repainted my kitchen to a lighter color, restained my upper cabinets to a darker, repainted and stained my island a new color, repainted my entry way twice first time green, hated it then back to a different shade of red. Finished painting and adding all new hardware to my corner china cabinent. Repainted all of the new baby's room and Talmadges room, got comforters, pillows, and curtains for it that actually all match. The boys room has kinda been a collect all room for upstairs and not very boyish, but I finally figured out what route I was going to take, it only took me two years :) Touched up all my basement paint, fixed a hole in the wall that has been at the bottom of my stairs, reorganized all the closets in the house, and took a huge pile to goodwill, potted my flower containers out front with all new primroses, tulips, and daffodils, the list goes on of other small things........can you just say I must be nesting, I was up at 5am this morning cleaning all my tile downstairs that Scott grouted the night before, I just can't stop I feel like I have so much to do before this baby comes and my big Enrichment night two days before the party. I think maybe I will be ready for my baby to come the first week of March, after all the stress is gone and I can relax.

Poor Scott his honey do list just gets bigger and bigger he has put the new window in upstairs, grouted all my basement tile, tiled the counter tops in the basement and my entry. His list still includes grouting the kitchen counter tops, putting in the base boards in the kitchen, and all other misc. things I give him to do, he is contemplating finishing the basement bathroom which is halfway remodeled......that is a huge project all on it's own. On top of all this he has to put up with a 9 month pregnant wife who is a major stress case...........along with the kids who for the most part are o.k. it's just the little one that gives us trouble.

I'm not quite sure why I always do these things to myself while extremely pregnant, but is does make time go by quicker.

It was not that long ago that I fell in love with the man of my dreams. 7 years later and almost 4 children later, I still love him, even more now. I couldn't have asked for a better companion to share the rest of my life and all eternities with. Happy Valentine's Day.

I love you!!!!!!

The Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy Birthday dear Grandma, Happy birthday to you...............and many more

At it again.....

I will spare you all the picture but my boys are at it again. I got a call from Scott yesterday morning, he was up in the hills about 45 min. away and they got a few inches of snow and ice, and he managed to slide off the side of the road and get his work van stuck. Marsh my brother was with him so he stayed with the car and waited for AAA to come. Scott proceeded to walk to the job site about 1/2 mile away. After working a little bit, he had a slight accident. He managed to hurt himself with a hammer, I get a call that he is headed to the ER, and to find out where the hospital is out in the little city he was at and come get him, he said he hurt his head with a hammer, and abruptly was off the phone.

Naturally panic sets in and I start making phone calls to figure out where to go and what to do with the kids. To make a long story short, he had called 911 to come get him, keep in mind this was a new home out in the middle of no where, he was stranded, didn't have the address to the home and needed the nearest cross street, no mirror anywhere, no towels anywhere, blood everywhere,and he was alone. He had no idea the extent of the wound so he proceeded to walk to the end of the long driveway while on the phone with 911, he flagged down a stranger to ask how bad his cut was "pretty bad" was the response and he offered to drive him to the ER, so the 911 call was canceled.

Got the hospital and 16 stitches later he was able to come home, Marsh had just got the van unstuck so he was able to pick him up and bring him home. The picture are sick......lets just say had it been any lower he would have taken his right eyeball right out and crushed his eye socket, and anymore to the right he would have busted up his nose, he was very lucky. So needles to say he cut his eyebrow right in half, it's a good one. I can't tell you how many of these phone calls I receive and he is just so calm through all of this, by the time I'm done with all my boys I should be pretty used to this stuff.

On a lighter note I'm 34 weeks along, everything looks good and I'm hoping for another early baby. I have already gained 32# I hate this whole weight gain thing and I can't seem to keep myself away from all the sweets this time around, it's not working in my favor that's for sure. I have no more chin and my ankles are extremely swollen, thank goodness for winter babies......no sandals

This boy is TROUBLE........

Just some random up close shots I took of the kids, I thought I would share, along with a fun little story of my mastermind child. Talmadge is well just say a pain in the A*#!!!!!!! For about the last month he has been putting things up his nose. Well on Thursday afternoon he managed to do it again, so just like before he gets in trouble.......then proceed with the steps to try and retrieve the object, this is never a pretty sight. First we try blowing it out........doesn't work, sneezing it out.....doesn't work, showering to get his nose really snotty and runny so it would loosen up, doesn't come out. When dad gets home it's tweezer time, he loves this one. I restrain him while Scott uses long skinny tweezers.....after some serious screaming, yelling, crying, and blood.........still doesn't come out.


He has had it by the end of the day so I let him sleep on it to see what happens, keep in mind all the while he is shoving his finger up his nose and it just get further and further with him saying "out nose mom". If he would just listen I just don't get it. Friday called the doctor has an appt. at 11, Scott takes him, I had to take Lucy to school even if I didn't I'm not so sure I wanted to go to the appt. knowing what was to transpire.
Midway through I get a call from my sister who happened to be at the doctors with her son Drake who was getting a cast on his broken foot, she was in the room next to them. She said it was horrible, they wrapped him in a blanket, and our Doctor came in looking like an alien with her light on her head and other contraptions in hand to get the object out. My sister had to leave the room, and go to the waiting room she couldn't listen to him crying, I could hear him through the phone, while she was telling me all this, it was horrible. I get a call from Scott a while later, still no luck..........After my doctor was done, she told Scott "he looks like a prize fighter", his face was covered in blood, and he was coughing it up from swallowing it and it was splattered all over his cloths and running out his nostril........... We then have a doctor appt. at 4 pm, with the specialist, go figure a small bead is going to cost us a crapload of money, and no I did not attend that appt. either, after some numbing jell, and a vaccuum suction we have our object, a bead from a broken braclet of the girls, this by no means was small, it actually consisted of 3 stuck together, and was very far up there. It took 3 people to restrain him, and the doctor they were surprised at how strong he was, I'm thinking well when was the last time you wrestled with at 2 year old........
Do you think he learned his lesson after this whole ordeal and terrible day NO..........later that night 2 more objects were up his nose, luckily I caught them soon enough before they were lodged...........and I vacuum a million times a day, I dont' know where he finds these things, he makes me insane, but he is so stinking cute, I love it. It must be a boy thing the girls never would have done this.
This is his "say cheese face", lovely with the beef jerky all over his teeth isn't it.
I have lots of fun stories about him similar to this, I'm sure they will just continue through the years.............

The snow............

I know, I know a little late on the snow pictures, but I was just downloading and forgot I had taken these. We were out at my mom's where they
had a lot more snow than we got, this happen to be the first day of the snow storm so we were not quite prepared, non the less these girls had a good time, nothing like a black plastic trash bag for a make shift sled, we later purchased the real deal. Zoie couldn't get enough of sledding, Lucy just wanted to make a snowman, she is definately my creative child, and Zoie is the no fear girl.

It needed a scarf, she used all her resources
Talmadge did not want to come out and enjoy the fun, he hates the cold. I'm sure that will change