Faisal bids farewell

Dear Mr. Diaper,

You have been a trusty friend for THREE LONG YEARS, but alas, the time has come for us to part ways. You see, I am a BIG boy now so I must wear BIG BOY UNDERWEAR! I am so excited to move on to this new and exciting time in my life...you see the other three year olds in nursery were mocking you and laughing when you showed yourself from neath my shorts. You were there for me when I needed your strength, support and protection. We had many great times and laughs together....we were a team, you and I! You were there when no one else could stand the way I smelled and you never once complained! To you my friend I bid a fond farewell.

Love MR. Faisal

Let us pause in a moment of silence........to the last package of diapers that I will EVER buy. Sniff sniff.

Contemplating his new-found 'freedom'....

I just LOVE THIS SIGHT!

Yep. I think he likes it!

Yes, It is true. Last week I began the great journey called 'POTTY TRAINING'. So far he has had a few little accidents, but nothing tooo bad (let's just say I haven't thrown away any underwear yet). He has yet to tell me when he has to go, but he will go every time I put him on the potty. I am so proud of my little man and the enthusiasm he seem to have towards Mr. Potty. So far I would say that it has been a successful mission........

Alas, it seems that I just jinked myself, the kids just ran in screaming that he pooped his pants. SIGH. I better go hose him down. Wish me luck......................

Another year has come and gone and we have once again survived a year of school. YIPPEE! Now its time for summer! The kids had a great last day of school. Sienna went to an all day, all night party at her friends house and had just a rockin time I'm sure. It is tradition that I always take pictures of the kids on the front porch and with their teachers on the last day of school, but this year I had to work, so I asked Sienna to do it for me....she did a great job, except she forgot to take one of her! Tae and her teacher Mrs. Phillips....we LOVED her, she was just amazing!

Ana and Mrs. Powell, we also LOVED her....she was equally amazing. I feel so lucky that they got such wonderful teachers this year. Sienna's class had kind of a crazy year, they had THREE teachers throughout the year. She loved the teacher that she had from September-December, Mrs. Mabry. But then she moved and they had a different teacher, who got fired (not sure why, they were very hush hush about it) then she had Miss Mott, whom she also loved. PHEW, I am glad that the car pooling is on hiatus for a few months. BRING ON SUMMER!

Some of Sienna's 'friends'...I guess she is a little popular with the male gender. Oh geez, help me now.

F is for.....FEATHERS?!

Feathers, feathers EVERYWHERE! That is the state of my house/yard. My good friend Jenny owns a ballet studio and she hired me to be her "costume mistress" for their studio. Doesn't that title sound so professional? I have never been a mistress before LOL. Chris did their studio website and it looks pretty rad...take a look at it. http://www.barlowartsconservatory.com/index.shtml
Basically I ordered all the costumes and then I get to embellish them with tulle, feathers, wings or rhinestones. I love being able to have a creative outlet like this.
This costume is a Peacock costume and has been so fun to create.
I finally got smart and took this project outside...as you can see it is pretty messy.Hard at work???!!!A word of caution....dyed boas STAIN anything they come in contact with...my hands are BLUE! (don't worry it washes right out)I feel like Violet from Willey Wonka.Of course my darling 'model' got to show off the finished product. Isn't she 'tu tu' cute?!

Of course I had to get a video of her shaken her booty. I especially love the pose that she strikes at the very end of the video. What a ham!

Oh so baby hungry!

Now that my baby is THREE the realization hit me that I don't have a baby in the house anymore, nor do I have one on the way. At my job we have newborns come in EVERY day. It is almost more than i can bare! I just want to scoop them up and hug on their precious newborn-ness. More often than not they are twin newborns, something that I would LOVE to have. I have the worst case of baby hungriness....what is a girl to do? Chris has announced on MANY occasions that we are D. O. N. E.

But how do I crave my appetite for a baby in my arms? It seems that ALL of the blogs that I am following lately are expecting or recently had a baby. So I read their blogs with a coveting look on my face and just take it all in. Luckily I have a few baby nephews and nieces that are simply delightful that I can just eat up every time I see them. So I guess that for now I will resist the urges that I feel, when a newborn comes into the office, of scooping them up kissing their sweet heads and smelling the goodness of the baby smell that they omit. Can you imagine the look that their mothers might give me? SIGH.

The sweet plea of a child

I know, St. Patty's day was MONTHS ago....but this just HAD to be posted about. The kids learned at school about the leprechaun named Lucky and even made pictures of him. Well the night of St. Patricks day they put their shoes out on the front porch hoping to get some gold in them. This is what they found the next morning...the best kind of gold, CHOCOLATE!
This is the picture that Ana drew of Lucky.Here is the most touching part. After the kids went to bed, I went outside to see the shoes that they had lined up and found this darling little trap that Taelynn made to catch our Leprechaun. She had this note taped to the front of it. It read (in her exact words and spelling)

"We beleiv in you. lisen we are strugling my dad is trying to find a job will you help us plece. if you do thank you so much, love you."

Is that not the most sweetest thing ever. After I read this my eyes filled with tears. How sweet and dear is my sweet daughter that she asked Lucky to help her dad find a job. Can you see why I just had to post this?!


This is how the kids had the porch all set up and ready to go. Although we did not catch Lucky in the act, he left us with some yummy treasures. Thank you Tae for thinking about others and being such a sweet little girl. I love you and am grateful of your selfless example.

An answer to our prayers

For the past six months Chris has been ACTIVELY searching for a new job. His current employer was having major cash flow problems and basically quit paying him in December. Needles to say things have been VERY tense and tight at our house. He was putting his resume out to anywhere and everywhere, he was making it to final rounds of interviews only to be told no.
It finally came down to me going out and looking for a job. So good news number one. I found a job! A great job that I really enjoy. I am working at a Pediatric doctors office. It feels so good to be contributing to the family income, and it is a great outlet for me to just get out of the house for a bit. The first two weeks in May consisted of me training in my new job. I love the people that I work with, they are all such great ladies! The only headache is making arrangements for the kids while I am working.
So good news number two.... Chris had some really great interviews two weeks ago. Both with companies that he would really enjoy working for. Every night when we say our family prayers the kids would always pray that Daddy would find a job. Well my sweet babies prayers were FINALLY answered!!!! An offer was extended and Chris very happily accepted!!! Words can not express the relief and gratitude that we both feel at this time. It truly could not have come at a better time. We feel so blessed that the Lord has helped us along the horrible journey. We also are so thankful to the countless family and friends that have stepped in and offer assistance in numerous ways. We are so grateful to all of you and hope to someday return the favor to someone in need.
I have learned so much through this experience. My faith has been tested to it's limits and just when I felt the most despair and felt like I truly could not keep going, He was there to lift my burden and help me make it through this tough time.
The day that we found out about Chris getting the job, I was driving home from work and it had been a really bad day for me. I just broke down on the drive home, to the point that I could hardly see the road in front of me I was crying so hard. I was so upset about what had happened at work and so bitter that I HAD to work and so discouraged about our financial situation.....everything just came to a head. So on the way home I just told the Lord that I COULD NOT do this anymore and begged him to give me strength. I got home and just sat in the driveway to try and compose myself, I wanted to be strong for Chris' sake and didn't want him to see that I was having a breakdown. After a few minutes I got out and went to the door, it was locked, so I rang the door bell and waited for him to answer it. When Chris opened the door he had the silliest look on his face and I just knew that he had heard back from one of the companies. I said to him "you better have some good news for me" and then I just lost it. He just held me in his arms and we both just cried for a long time. It was the best moment and one that I will never forget. It isn't very often that I get an almost INSTANT answer to my prayers.
Like I said, I have learned so much over the past six months and I hope that I NEVER have to relive this experience.

Yep, I'm back!

I know, I know I have been MIA for a few weeks...ok, five weeks! I guess that I fell off of the blogging world. Thanks to those that inquired about my whereabouts and wondered where I had disappeared to. I am still here, alive and well. It has been a crazy few months at our house and I guess that I just needed a little vaca from blogging. Sad though, since I have so much to blog about now. That is part of the reason why I have not returned sooner, I knew how much I had to past blog about. Oh well, that will come over the next few days, so check back often if you want to see what we have been up to over the past few weeks. So to the blogging world I say "I'M BACK!"

A 'DOG-GONE' great birthday!

Faisal had such a great day yesterday. To start he had one of his favorite things for breakfast, doughnuts! I wanted to do a dog themed party for him so we invited four of his friends from the ward and had such a fun little party. Here are a TON of pictures from the festivities.

He got right into the dog eating theme during breakfast! LOL

The front door and front porch were covered in dog prints...it looked so cute!

This was my HUGE task.....the doggy cake! It had a few minor errors (like trying to tip over!) but overall I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. Best of all Faze LOVED it, it was hard to keep him from touching it.

You can't tell in this picture, but he really loves it!

A view from the front

There's a happy face!

These were the invitations....so easy and so cute! I just used four suckers and taped them together, then I wrapped white tissue paper around them to form a bone.

These were the 'Doggy Bags'. I got some cute dog bowls and filled them with that chex mix stuff that is covered in chocolate and powdered sugar, it really did look like doggy chow.

These were the tags that I attached to the 'Doggy Bags', they looked so cute!

Since I wasn't serving the Dog cake at the party I made each child their own dog cake. I just got those individual angel food cakes and frosted them, piped on a name and filled them with coco puffs cereal.

When the guests arrived they were given their dog collar, a set of doggy ears and we painted their faces to look like a dog...it was so stinkin cute. Some of our doggies opted not to wear their make up....oh well, that is three year olds for ya!

Faisal displaying his attire, minus his make up. He hated his collar and promptly yanked it off after I took this picture. Lil stinker!

I loved this shot of him...how cute is my boy?!

We had a little lunch for the 'doggies'. I made PB & J sandwiches shaped like bones, goldfish crackers, apples and punch. What a cute dog he is!

A shot of the 'bone' sandwiches

All the kids eating their lunch.

Our front door sign was also used to play 'pin the collar tag on the collar'. The kids seemed to have fun playing it. AFter playing this we went out side and all the kids were given bubbles to play with.

A shot of the "dog pound". L-R Emma, Kade, Faisal, Mya, Dash, Dallin (not pictured) Kason.

PRESENT TIME! Faze got some really fun gifts from his friends. Thanks everyone!

Opening the gift from his grandma...

He was SOOOO excited about his gift! He has playing with it non-stop!

And of course a video of the birthday boy and his birthday song! HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAISAL!!

On the day you were born!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY FAISAL!!!

This was written by Chis three years ago today and I thought it would be fun to post it on our blog.

It is 10:26 AM and here I sit, still amazed, with what is before my eyes...a baby boy. Wow. Being so used to referring to everything around the household according to the female use of language: ahhh, your dress is so cute, or, what lovely hair you have...now I must adjust. Seriously though, we are so fortunate and grateful for a healthy son and for Jenny delivering without complication.

4/16/06 1:30 PM- Mt. Timpanogos Women's Health Center

Claudia (CNM) checks Jen. 80 percent effaced and dilated to a 3. Claudia says that she believes that this will be the final checkup and that the baby is due any day now. Jenny hopes that Claudia is right as the contractions now are quite strong.

4/17/06

4 AM - In Bed

Jen spends the night writhing in bed as contractions intensify. Jen turns and squeezes me with each contraction. We are thinking that today is the day.

12:00 Noon - Afternoon Walk

We take a walk to get the contractions going closer. We last for 20 minutes walking in the sun and return home. Jen takes a nap.

4 PM - Mall Walk with Roxanne

After waking up frustrated Jen calls her mother to see if she wants to going walking at the mall, in the air conditioning. They take off and I stay at home with the girls and prepare dinner.

6 PM - Phone Call

I call Jen to see how she feels. She says that the contractions are now close enough and that the pain is still intense. She wants to leave for the hospital after she gets home and has some dinner.

7:30 PM - Off for the Hospital

We have our final meal as a family of five. Jen grips the table every three minutes as the contractions become more intense. We finish eating and the girls get their bags. Ana packs some interesting clothes. I fail to notice that she is wearing mismatching shoes and that both shoes are on the wrong feet. We drop the girls off at grandma's.

7:45 PM - Hospital Checkin

Jenny gets checked in and we are placed in a room for monitoring. Jenny is checked again and has dilated to a five, 90 percent effaced. We watch American Idol as we wait for confirmation from staff. Hospital staff confirm that they are going to keep us. The baby will be delivered.

8:30 PM - Moved to Labor & Delivery Room

The room is prepped and we settle in. The contractions are even more intense. I have never seen Jenny in this kind of pain before with the other three pregnancies. American Idol continues to offer a nice distraction to the labor pains. Good bye Elliott Yamin.

8:45 PM - Unbearable Pain

The pain is unbearable now. Jen says that it is difficult to breathe through the contractions. The wait for the anesthesiologist is over. I am told that it is required for me to stand facing away from the injection of the needle. Last week there was a husband that passed out during the administration of an IV. The epidural kicks in and Jen immediately relaxes.

9:00 PM - Progress

Contractions are two minutes apart. The nurse checks and finds that Jen is now dilated fully. There are four persons total checked in at the same time, all at various stages of labor and delivery. We wait for a natural delivery to complete in order for Jen to begin.

11:50 PM - Delivery Begins

The natural delivery finishes and Katherine (CNM) steps in and we begin the final stage. Jenny pushes, relaxes and pushes. The baby gradually slides down and back with each push. Jenny feels intense pressure now as the baby is in the canal. The pain is back. I worry that she might give up as she shows extreme discomfort and her energy level has dropped significantly. We encourage her on.

May 18, 2006

12:13 AM - Delivered

A baby boy, red, lots of dark hair, a small cry, a meek voice. Tears come for us as we are amazed with what has come. He is healthy. Jen has made it. We are grateful. Calls to family and friends begin.

Truly little man, this was such a wonderful day for all of us! I am not one that finds out the gender of the baby while I am pregnant, so we were COMPLETELY surprised to find out that you were a boy. Oh how we love you and feel so blessed to have you in our family! I thank Heavenly Father everyday for letting me be your mom. We love you little Faze!