30 down and 10 to go!

Well we are 2/3 of the way done!!! And headed into the last 10 weeks of pregnancy. I have very mixed emotions about this! Nervous, excited, worried...you name it... I have more then likely felt it! Kaitlon is doing wonderful! Her heartbeat is strong and healthy! She is still head up...which makes me nervous. (Please pray she turns!!) She weighs a woppin' 3 lbs! She is measuring 30 weeks exactly!! Her fluids are great! The doctor said my cervix is closed, so he doesn't feel that we will have another "Tyson episode"! He said what I am feeling is the effect of baby number 4! Everything (movement, stretching, etc..) is just a bit more amplified, since this is the 4Th time! So, I am not in any pre-labor or anything! I have said from the beginning she will come July 10Th on her own. Just for the fact that David doesn't want her too! We got our hospital pre-registration papers today, and we now start going every 2 weeks. Clint doesn't care for it...he thinks it's a waste! I, on the other hand, love every opportunity there is to see my baby! It calms my nerves! So here are the new pictures of our Baby Kaitlon (and no Uncle Brett--I will not change the way I am spelling her name ☺) The first picture is a profile shot! She is just tucked in there!! The second picture is more of a frontal face shot. My doctor said I couldn't have the picture -unless- I made sure to tell everyone that at the top right of her forehead: that is a shadow on the picture, not a hole. Sometimes the ultrasound machines don't get the clearest shots. So don't worry her head is fine! Okay, well that's it--until next time!! ☺

Ward Activity

Our boys got to be a part of our ward lip sync activity this weekend. It was really a lot of fun. Very neat to see all of the talent, and hard work that goes into these activities. Our boys did "I Hope They Call Me On A Mission" by Inside Out. All of the primary age boys were in it...they dressed up in their "suits and ties" and wore sunglasses. I was extremely impressed with how well they learned all the choreography...and for being so young did an awesome job!! Very grateful for the leaders who took the time to include them! We were proud of them and can't wait to see them grow up and really go on missions!! ☺

►Laundry◄

Laundry-- I hate it! I would rather be on my hands and knees scrubbing toilets with a toothbrush then doing laundry. It just never ends. Once you have it washed, dried, folded, and put away. You turn around and there is another load to do!! Today, my laundry was different. It was too cute and irresistible to complain about it. So I snapped a couple shots with my phone( sorry they are a bit blurry)--but I just had to share!!

Teacher Appreciation

Hey! I know lot's of you have kids in preschool/school this year. I am in the process of posting some cute Teacher Appreciation gift ideas on my other blog. Check them out!! www.acraftychic.blogspot.com

SHH!! We're Huntin' wabbits!!

It was Clint's turn to pick a Family Home Evening activity. So of course he chose to go shoot guns. Which then, with the help of David and A.J., turned into Jack Rabbit hunting. So we took the long trip out past Corrine, UT and went rabbit hunting as a family. I think the "big boys" enjoyed it more then the rest of us. I couldn't keep Addy from getting into all the red ants. So I had to strap her in her carseat. I let her watch a movie though and gave her plenty of sugar. Tyson loved throwing the dirt and the rocks! Preston found his love for BB guns (look out world). I was the mom most of the time, I didn't do any rabbit hunting. Although, they only found one rabbit. Don't tell them I told you this, but between the 4 of them, they didn't even kill it. ☺ Even though it was dirty, cold, and a little bit boring for some of us...it was nice to be together as a family.

Doctor's office's & prescriptions!

So, let me tell you the adventures of the past 2 days! Addyson has had a pretty yucky cold for a little over a week now. It started to cause oozing out of her eye. So after a week of dealing with it, I said enough is enough, and decided to take the poor girl to the doctor. So I made the appointment for Thursday afternoon. We were running late, but I wasn't very concerned about it, after all the doctor's are always running late. So we get there, check in, wait, wait, 10 min. has gone by, so we wait, and wait, and wait. Finally, after 45 minutes of waiting in the waiting room. They call us back. I was like phew! That wasn't too bad the kids were pretty well behaved. Well we are sitting in the examining room, where Daddy decides he just can't take the boredom anymore!! So what does he do? He hypes the children up!! So not only am I dealing with 3 hyper and bored children--I get to deal with Daddy too! So after another 45 minutes of waiting for the Doctor, he finally comes in to examine Addy. We find out that she has an ear infection and sinus infection. Then we also find out that Tyson is probably battling some sort of bronchial infection. So he writes 3 prescriptions and sends us on our way. Well we get to Wal-mart, the lady checks us in, takes our prescriptions, tells us it will be 30 minutes. Well I know my first mistake is that we filled our prescriptions at Wal-mart. In my defense we had to get other stuff anyway. After our 30 minute wait...and our 30 minute wait in line, we go back to pick our prescriptions up. To our surprise one of the prescriptions didn't have a name on it. LOVELY, so I am thinking to myself, why didn't you page us up here right after?! So after an evening battle between the pharmacy, the doctor, and ourselves we finally have all 3 prescriptions. Then there was today!! Tyson's preschool has to have a copy of his most recent physical and shot records for next year. They told me I had until the summer to turn all of the paper work in. Well, they changed their minds. Which is fine. They told me they had an inspection coming up and wanted to be sure all the correct paper work was turned in. So I have spent the last couple days trying to make sure everything was put together. Today they let me know that he must not have had one of his shots. No one has record for it. So I personally call the doctor's office and talk to the nurse. She told me that he hadn't received the shot yet...but that he hadn't been eligible for the shot until now. Then she told me to just come in--it will take 10 minutes and there is no co-pay. So we went in this afternoon, checked in, and waited for not 10 minutes--but an hour and 10 minutes. With 3 hungry, starving, screaming kids--I finally went and told the receptionist I would come back a different day. Then she went to figure out what was wrong. Turns out our "check in" paper got buried on the nurse's desk and she forgot about us. Nice huh? So I am just a bit frazzled!! Although, I am grateful that we have good medical care for our kids. I just don't want to go back to the doctor for a while! ☺

○check out these blogs○

Hello Everyone! My friend and I have been creating some new blogs, and we would love for you to check them out.
The first one is a blog for Mommy's. Fun ideas, new things, great deals, things we have tried with our kids that we want to share, and more! http://aplace4mommystoshare.blogspot.com/ Check out my post about Preston's Silly Sock Day.
The Second blog is more of the crafty one. Where we post things we have made, created, want to try, etc... http://acraftychic.blogspot.com/ .
Just thought I would share. Happy Blogging!! ☺

Easter Weekend

WOW!! What a fun, and busy Easter Weekend we had! We spent Saturday at Grandma Ferguson's house. All of the cousins and Aunts and Uncles were there. Grandma did her traditional Easter BBQ...and we all froze to death outside ☺ !! Then, after our BBQ, she did her big Easter Egg hunt for the kids. They got lots of great prizes, candy, and Easter Eggs. It's like a mini Christmas! We love her though and are so grateful for all she does! After, we all decided to go see Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D! It was a cute show, and the kids had fun watching it with their cousins!! Addy was rotten during the movie--so I did a lot of up and down! Thank goodness it's a kid movie, so I think most people were understanding.

On Sunday morning the kids woke up to find that the Easter Bunny had visited. He left a trail of Eggs for them to follow, and at the end were their baskets!! Our Easter Bunny brings pretty practical prizes--so they each got some new things to wear to church, a chocolate bunny, a new shirt, and sunglasses. After they found their baskets, Grandma Dennison had more Easter prizes for them. SO MUCH CANDY!!!

We also had my Aunts and Uncles over for Easter dinner. It was very entertaining and a fun day! I am very grateful for Clint who gave us a beautiful Family Home Evening lesson on Easter and the Resurrection. This is a wonderful season, and I was thankful to remind our children of what this holiday truly means. I am grateful for our Savior, and all that he has done for us. I feel very blessed that we have the atonement. That we can spend each day trying to be the best we can be, and that if along the way we falter, that we can still be forgiven. Often times in life I am reminded of our Savior's selfless sacrifice, and think of all he has gone through for us. It makes life easier to know that he is there supporting us, and helping us along the way. This past year has been a test of my faith, and it is so nice to know he is there. I have grown closer to my Savior and my Father in Heaven. Aren't we blessed to have the opportunity to try to be like him everyday?! It reminds me of the quote..."I never said it would be easy-I only said it would be worth it." I hope you all had a wonderful Easter holiday. We love you all!! ♥

Easter Eggs

We colored 5 dozen Easter Eggs today. We decided it would be best to do it outside. It's very challenging getting 5 children to cooperate when there are eggs, dye, and coloring crayons involved. We came out alright. We only lost 7 eggs total!! ☺ I did have to call in back up and extra hands. Thanks for your help Nila! The kids can't wait for all the Easter Egg hunts this weekend.

A Floor and 1 Wall

So here is the cLuBhOuSe update. We now have the floor completely in, and insulated. As well as the back wall framed. The hole in the wall is actually going to be a window. Clint is doing an amazing job!! The boys are so excited! They are now arguing what color it's going to be. Too bad for them, Mommy gets to choose. Well, I am the one that has to look at it in the backyard everyday. ☺ Clint is actually outside now framing and putting up the rest of the walls. So I will add those pictures later!

100+ Family Home Evening Ideas

What a great General Conference we just had. It's always so spirtiually uplifiting. I was thinking while listening that I really need to do better at Family Home Evening. So the first thing I do is googled LDS Family Home Evening Ideas. I came across this awesome list at http://www.mormonshare.com/. I just wanted to share these great ideas.

There are over TWO YEARS worth of FHE lesson ideas below! Hope they help you with your family home evening lessons!
Family History
Make an "About Me" collage out of pictures from old magazines.
Read excerpts from the journal or history of a member of your family.
Start a family journal.
Go to your local genealogical center or library and research your family history.
Prepare a family group sheet/four generation pedigree chart.
Interview an older family member.
Get out the family photo album and tell stories about family members.
Install LDS Church's PAF program and begin entering your family history in your computer.
Service
Make up a play. Perform it at a nursing home, or grandma's house (so she can enjoy FHE, too!).
Write letters to grandparents or a missionary.
Clean up trash at a local park.
Ask an elderly neighbor how your family can help him or her.
Make or assemble humanitarian projects.
Invite a non-member family over for a barbecue.
Have a service car wash.
Visit an inactive family member, elderly person, or a shut in.
Adopt a grandma or grandpa from your church or neighborhood.
Make simple puppets to take to a children's ward of a local hospital. Put on a puppet show of a favorite children's story. Then let the children keep the puppets. (LDS Family Home Evening Resource Guide, p. 266)
Prepare a musical program to take to a foster home, hospital, or nursing home. You could invite another family to join you. Your program could include vocal or instrumental solos, duets, trios, or quartets; and be sure to include some familiar sing-along tunes that your audience could join you in singing. (LDS Family Home Evening Resource Guide, p. 266) Print copies of any church music you need from the LDS Church's Music site
Music Appreciation
Listen to classical music, lights off, lying on the floor, and take turns saying what it sounds like.
Learn to conduct music from LDS.org.
Make your own musical instruments and start a family band.
Learn Music symbols and terms from LDS.org.
Memorize a family hymn.
Have a family dance. Learn about appropriate dance moves and positions.
Attend community concerts or listen to a local orchestra. Talk about the effects of good music on your thoughts from Elder Packer.
Appreciating Music from the LDS FHE manual
Games that help children learn Hymns and Children's Songs from the LDS FHE Manual
Developing Home Skills
Learn simple home repairs like using a drill, hammer, screwdriver, or following directions to put together furniture or electronics.
Learn to sew on a button, wash clothes, iron, cook a pancake, or wash mirrors. See the The Suzie Homemaker Awards
Learn about 72 hour kits and assemble them.
Make and take treats to neighbors, sick friends, a nursing home, or the emergency room at the hospital.
Make a family calendar.
Make a grocery list, set a budget, divide items, go get pizza with the money you save.
Make a family cookbook.
Make a family goal chart.
Plant a tree or some flowers. Discuss faith in Alma 32:28-43.
Have a budgeting class.
Have an etiquette night. Practice your skills over a formal dinner.
Study indoor gardening! Learn to Garden in containers from the FHE manual or from Helpfulgardener.com.
Church History
Study a Prophet by printing his picture and biography from LDS.org.
Study Church History Sites by printing out pictures and information, including scriptures, from LDS.org.
Study the Church in your area from LDS.org. Get headlines, stories, a brief history of your area, and statistics (click "Quick Facts"). Information on the Church world-wide.
Study present day Church Leaders' Biographies from LDS.org
Learn about this history of your local temple by printing its picture and story from LDS.org.
Outdoor Activities
Got a GPS? Go Geocaching and have a lesson on carefully following directions found in the scriptures.
Learn how to use a compass. Have a lesson on carefully following directions from our Church leaders.
Learn how to build a fire and the cook hot dogs and enjoy.
Make and fly inexpensive newspaper kites. Use the kite object lesson for an easy FHE lesson. Here's a Kite lesson from the FHE Resource guide.
Make miniature boats and float them in some water. Sing Master the Tempest is Raging Read the story of Jesus calming the storm for children or for adults
Go on a family trip/historical excursion
Go fishing. Talk about missionary work and being fishers of men (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17).
Go for a hike. Learn about outdoor safety from the US Forest Service. Here are tips on Hiking with small children from the FHE manual.
Go swimming. Learn about water safety.
Go for a bike ride together. Study bicycle safety and helmet safety
Go bird watching near your home. Talk about the Creation or use The Creation Lesson.
Learn physical coordination while playing Yard Games - from the LDS FHE manual
Cultural and Community
Read a scripture story and paint a picture of it.
Attend a local orchestra production. Discuss the effects of good music on your thoughts from Elder Packer.
Have a patriotic night with a flag ceremony.
Go to a museum.
Make the inexpensive Christmas Ornament: Gift of Myself
Make an ethnic meal and learn about that country. Here are a few recipes from various countries at InternationalFreeway.com
Learn about the Christmas customs in a different country. Christmas.com has a big list of different countries' Christmas customs, or there's another, shorter list at NorthPole.net.
Find out about your area's community center and/or park activities.
Attend the dress rehearsals of your local ballet, opera, or theater. Many times tickets are extremely low priced, or even free. Call to find out.
Read excerpts from the history of a prominent member of your community.
Read the testimony and lesson from Military Service by Iraq Veteran, Chris Jones.
Write a letter of support to a military serviceperson. Email our Military is a service that helps civilians correspond with United States servicepeople ($2.00 registration fee).
Find out how to support your troops. Army.mil's Support our Troops section has several resources.
Fun with Stories and Poems from the LDS FHE manual
Enjoying Dance and Drama from the LDS FHE manual
Creating Pictures and Things from the LDS FHE manual
Arranging Flowers from the LDS FHE manual
Arts and Crafts from the LDS FHE manual
Christmas Crafts from the LDS FHE manual
Sprirituality
Walk around the temple grounds. If you don't live near a temple, download a picture of your local temple, and have a pretend picnic there!
Memorize the Articles of Faith.
Have a family testimony meeting.
Work on Duty to God, Faith in God, or Personal Progress
Have a missionary night
Have a family fast for an ill friend or family problem. Break your fast for FHE and talk about how you felt while fasting.
Study the Plan of Salvation from mormon.org. Video available online.
Why do Good people suffer? Watch and discuss a video from mormon.org, and study adversity.
Study Families online at mormons.org. Watch the videos and discuss with your family.
Learn about gratitude and the 10 lepers while you fill out the Happy Heart Crossword Puzzle.
Print the Child's Scripture and Prayer Chart for a lesson on the importance of daily scripture study and prayer.
Memorize and discuss one of the Articles of Faith each 4 weeks (52weeks/4weeks =13).
Bear your testimony, and invite others to do the same. A seminary, YW/YM, Sunday School, or Primary lesson topic makes a great starter. Learning to bear testimony is especially important for future elder and sister missionaries.
Developing new skills
Learn how to build a fire, cook hot dogs, and enjoy!
Learn the metric system.
Learn sign language alphabet or Sign language from quicktime movies.
Learn the Morse code.
Learn to play golf together.
Learn about photography.
Take the Presidential Fitness Challenge and learn to exercise as a family. (Your efforts will earn an official award from the President of the United States!)
Have a culture night.
Have an etiquette night. Practice your skills over a formal dinner.
Write a story together.
Learn some new dance steps.
Study the history of dance from the 1878 book How to Dance.
Study and apply principles from the new Preach My Gospel book.
Go to the library and learn to use the computers or Dewey decimal system
Try different musical instruments.
Magic Tricks - from the LDS FHE manual
Magic Trcks - from kids.Mysterynet.com
Learn good study habits for teenagers from eHow.com or from the Institute for Responsive Education: Helping your Child Develop good Study Habits
Learn How Stuff Works - from HowStuffWorks.com, has articles on everything from appliances to politics, particle accelerators to fireworks
Safety - see the Outdoor Activities section, too
Learn CPR
Have a first-aid night and assemble a first-aid kit for your car or home from the American Red Cross.
Tour your local fire department.
Learn what to do if you are lost. Here's information from Absaroka Search Dogs (with instructions to make a small emergency fanny pack) and from Extreme Mountain Biking
Talk about saying no drugs, alcohol, and other harmful substances.
Learn about internet safety from LDS.org. Here's an internet safety brochure from the Utah Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Have a friend come and discuss good nutrition and health practices.
Learn about 72 hour kits and assemble them.
Post Emergency Phone Numbers - from LDS.org
Preparing for a blackout - from LDS.org
Make a survival kit - from LDS.org
Prepating for an earthquake - from LDS.org
Protecting your home against theives - from LDS.org
When someone goes into shock - from LDS.org
When someone chokes... - from LDS.org
Treating Bleeding - from LDS.org
For Toddlers and Childen - (more help on FHE for small children)
Ask your child's Nursery teacher what the lesson was in class on that week. Look the lesson up in the Nursery manual, and reinforce what was taught.
Read the picture story of the creation from Old Testament Stories' Jesus Makes the Earth and Play my Creation Matching game or teach The Creation Lesson - for younger children
Read the story of the Birth of the Savior from New Testament Stories' Jesus Christ is Born and Play my Nativity Matching game
Read a story from the Gospel art picture kit while holding up the picture.
Use the FHE lesson suggestions in the current edition of the Friend.
Share testimonies
For Teenagers
Reinforce your Youth's Young Men or Young Women's lesson by teaching the FHE lesson suggested in the current edition of the New Era.
Work on Duty to God or Personal Progress activities together.
Have career exploration nights. Arrange to visit a business that stays open in the evenings (like a newspaper, television or radio station, supermarket, etc.), and find out what its like to work there.
Visit your local television station and watch them do a news broadcast. (Youll have to arrange in advance for this one.)
Bear your testimony, and invite teenagers to do the same. A seminary or institute lesson topic makes a great starter. Learning to bear testimony is especially important for future elder and sister missionaries.
Study and apply principles from the new Preach My Gospel book.
For Singles or Adults with no Children
Make "FHE Coupons" to give to family members and friends for 1 free FHE lesson, and enjoy treating them to a FHE lesson taught by you.
Make a quilt or other humanitarian project.
Write a positive note to a Congressman, Senator, military serviceperson, mayor, bishop, or parent.
Write in your journal.
Write your life history -- these are important even if you don't have children! Here is a history about a great-great-great Uncle Hugh Uriah French who had no children of his own. Uncle Hugh Uriah's life story is wonderfully interesting, and I love to read it!
Write a note to a missionary. Pray for guidance and inspiration about what to share -- be it humorous, spiritual, or a report on what's happening in your unit.
Offer to redo, clean up, and fix the dolls and toys from your local thrift shop.
Stuff envelopes for a charity organization or a nonprofit group.
Study the most recent Conference Addresses from the Ensign.
Study and apply principles from the new Preach My Gospel book.
Volunteer to help clean pens and walk the pets at the local animal shelter.
Go to a hospital and read stories to the elderly or to children.
Research and write a history about a relative.
Research a favorite gospel topic at library.lds.org
Invite a member of your church unit to teach you about entering genealogy into the computer.
Prepare names for the temple -- attend the temple and do the work for your ancestors.
Just for fun
Did it snow? Go sledding and make a snowman.
Is it hot? Make fresh lemonade, homemade ice cream, or buy slushies.
Did it rain? Use the FHE Manual's Activities in the Rain
Tell scripture stories around a campfire.
Watch the sunset and then do some star-gazing. Talk about the beautiful things God has made.
Dress up and act out a story from the Bible or Book of Mormon.
Play Book or Mormon or Bible character charades.
Do role-playing from the LDS FHE manual
Other Wholesome Recreational Activities
Watch the sunrise. Figure out when the sun will rise and set in your location.
Have a picnic. (If it's raining, have a picnic in the family room on a blanket.)
Have a family treasure hunt. Treasures can include scriptures, pictures of the temple, and family portraits.
Have a bubble-blowing contest.
Have a baking contest
Do a rain dance.
Make Christmas ornaments together.
Make your own family cards for the holidays or birthdays.
Make homemade jam.
Have a family slumber party.
Play board games.
Go dancing.
Go miniature golfing.
Go ice skating or roller skating.
Go camping.
Go for a long walk.
Play LDS games from lightplanet.com
Play LDS games from Jenny Smith's LDS Games
Play LDS games from Book of Mormon Toons
Play LDS games online at LDS Games
Play stickball.
Play hopscotch.
Play freeze-tag.
Play broom ball.
Play Frisbee.
Play touch football.
Play chess, bridge or checkers.
Visit a local bookstore or library.
Visit the park or zoo.
Visit the countryside.
Visit the City. (Maybe on a bus?)
Walk the dog.
Start a family collection (coins, rocks, stories, dress-up, clothes, treasures).
Shoot hoops together.
Build a fort.
Play H.O.R.S.E.
Organize a game of capture the flag.
Climb a tree.
Take a nature hike trail.
Pick berries together
Solve a crossword puzzle together.
Bake cookies or bread.

§ Another Check-up §

Hello everyone! Well we went back to the doctor today. Mainly for my Glucose Testing. I am happy to report we passed with flying colors. Phew!! I was able to get another ultrasound. Kaitlon's head is actually measuring 26 weeks 4 days. WOW!! That's a first for me to have a baby measuring bigger then my actual gestation. She must have had a little growth spurt. He said she weighs 1lb. 14 oz. and boy am I feeling it. LOL!!! I am still sceptical though. Every baby I have had has come out weighing about a pound less. I don't know maybe she really will be bigger. Maybe I shouldn't buy a preemie outfit for her to come home in. Oh, she did turn. Her head is in my left rib cage. I figured she would do that. I actually thought I felt her flip the other day. It's slowly getting closer to delivery time. I am really having the "PREPARE PREPARE PREPARE" thoughts. I did find a new portable swing. Yippie!! Gotta love those swings. After 3 babies our last one had seen it's day. My Dad is taking me shopping for some new baby clothes. (yes, I am spoiled) We are just trying to decide if we should buy a new play pen/pack and play. (David broke our last one--but that's another story) These are the thoughts behind it... 1-We don't really use them unless we are camping or on vacation, but they come in handy at those times. 2-Addy is still really little and doesn't understand the whole "new baby" thing and she can crawl in and out of the crib. So I am worried to put Kaitlon in a crib right away. Most pack-and-plays have a bassinet now, in which she could sleep next to me the first little bit. Especially while Addy warmed up to her. 3-Always the money issue. 4-The only other time we use them is at Grandma's house, and she already has one. 5-I could put her in it while the kids play so she doesn't get trampled. 6-I don't want her to get use to that and not sleep in the crib later. If anyone has any suggestions--please offer them! Anyway, we go back in 3 weeks...then it's every 2 weeks after that until she comes. It's gone by so fast!! We are really looking forward to her arrival!!