Overdue

The kitchen cupboards have been taken off, washed, painted, hinges and new handles replaced.

We're done with the taping, scraping, painting!

Barstools are painted.

Kitchen walls and trim are painted.

Everything taken out of kitchen cupboards and drawers, cupboards and drawers washed out.

Everything put back in the cupboards and drawers.

New valance, rug, & some decorations purchased (after searching millions of stores) and put up.

Disastrous attic cleaned & re-organized.

Downstairs laundry room (that had become a storage dumping ground) cleaned.

Each room in the house (that had fallen apart while working on the kitchen) cleaned up.

All bathrooms deep cleaned.

Everything vacuumed.

Van cleaned out & vacuumed.

Garage cleaned out.

Laundry all caught up.

Jacuzzi tub bleached, cleaned, and jets cleaned out.

Baby bassinet put up.

All baby clothes & carseat washed, dried, & ready to go.

The first round of Ultimate Idol was held last night...it was a success, although Bob thinks there was much room for improvement.

So, we're ready to have a baby!  C'mon contractions!

I have to say that I am in awe of all we have been blessed to accomplish this week.  It really is just a blessing, no other way to describe it.  Earlier this week I was in tears, just feeling like I had been crazy to attempt painting the kitchen.  I looked at all we had to do, and knew I just couldn't do it.  But I have been really trying to put my scripture study, prayer, & journal first thing in the morning, and I know that I've been blessed because of it.  Sometimes when life seems like it is just too much, prayer can really help us increase our capabilities.
 
We have been able to accomplish all of the above while Bob has been gone or busy every waking moment, plus well into the night on most nights.  Just this week we've had a Young Women's activity (which Aliysa had to bring cookies to), a Young Men's activity, Jace making tickets and flyers with two of his other quorum members at our home, Jace selling tickets for a scout camp fundraiser, cub scouts for Spencer, activity days for Courtney, piano lessons, voice lessons, my doctor appointment, two chiropractic appointments, a doctor appointment for Jace for a physical he needed for scout camp, Jace starting a summer job doing yard work for our neighbor, etc. etc. 

I want to apologize to all family and friends who I have neglected lately.  I'm really not trying to ignore anyone, but I have ignored the phone, e-mail, blogs, etc.  Our phone really rings almost every 15 minutes throughout the day, and I often don't even look at who is calling or listen to the message unless it is convenient.  I have decided I need to be better at answering it, and start being a part of everyone else's lives. 

I've wanted lately to just become a hermit, and live in the middle of some remote place with just my hubby and children.  As I've pondered why I feel this way, I realize that it is because I am just craving more family time.  I've been so busy and had so many places to run around, that I haven't had much time at all with my little ones.  I don't want to neglect them.  I want to spend more time reading and playing with them, doing fun preschool activities and enjoying life.  I want to spend time cooking yummy meals instead of having everyone grab something quick as they run out the door. I'm looking forward to holding this new little baby and having a few weeks where we have a great excuse to just not go anywhere. 

Now, in writing this, I certainly don't want this to sound like we don't absolutely love all of our friends and family.  We are so grateful for all of you, and we love spending time with you.  I don't know what we would do without the support of friends and family.  For instance, this week my sister-in-law Kristi watched all of my kids except Aliysa so that Aliysa and I could clean the house.  That's when we finally got the attic put back in order.  We wish we had more time to spend with you all, and we are excited for all of you to meet our new baby.  I am just tired of the telemarketers, doctor appointments, and running around.  I need to make it a matter of prayer about how to find balance even with a busy life.  I have not been so great at it yet.

Well, enough rambling.  I need to go.  Hopefully our next post will be with pictures of a new baby!

Life

We are so very busy.  We just got back from a week at Green Canyon Hot Springs.  Camping when you are two weeks away from your due date is not the best idea, especially in the rain and wind, and when you are going to get sick.  My kids had a lot of fun, and my friends saved the day by making us dinner each night while we were there.  I don't know what I would have done without them.  I am so glad to be home!

Spent the next few days with everyone getting sick to some degree, and me wanting to go into labor and have this baby. 

This week, I have been praying not to go into labor.  I think I am insane.  I impulsively decided that I could not stand my old peach kitchen cupboards that were peeling, chipped, and falling apart.  So, I went and bought paint and the kids and I dove into a project of repainting the cupboards.  At first it was so much fun.  Now it is anything but fun.    Kitchen is a wreck, everything out of cupboards.  I have become a hermit.  I have not answered the phone or listened to messages or answered many e-mails in days.  Sorry everyone who may have been expecting calls.  I will return calls tomorrow if I finish then.  I have been painting, and painting, and painting.  Body is sore and tired, but I must finish before the baby comes!  What was I thinking?   More on this later...must keep painting.

Bob is busy every waking moment, and most of the night working on his homework, and his business.  The "Ultimate Idol" is going well.  They have finished auditions, and will have the first round/show on my due date next week.

Family Update

Life is busy and happy for us.

Bob is enjoying school.  This semester is a busy one for him, he is involved with the "IBC" program (Integrated Business Core) It is a unique program at BYU-Idaho where the students start a business and run it during the semester.  All four of their classes during the semester tie in to the business they are running:  finance, marketing, operations management, and organizational behavior. Bob's group's business is "Ultimate Idol", a Rexburg version of American Idol.  They will be having auditions soon.  It should be a fun event for the BYU-I community.  He will be right in the middle of the whole production just about when I have the baby. 

Last semester Bob did well, he earned a 3.94 GPA, but was put on academic probation because he withdrew from his Anatomy & Physiology class.  He dropped it when he changed his minor to business, and he withdrew just how he should.  Next thing he knew, he received an e-mail informing him that he was now on academic probation.  Of course he felt like that was ridiculous, so he went in to the counseling office, expecting that they wouldn't want him to really be on probation, since he had a 3.94.  No, he was told that if he has a "W" on his record, he will be on probation for the next semester.

Not only that, but he soon received the first in a series of weekly e-mails reminding him that he was on academic probation.  He fired off a quick "venting" e-mail expecting that the e-mail was probably sent from an account that wouldn't accept return e-mails.  Nope, he received a lengthy reply from one of the deans of students.  They corresponded back and forth a bit, and Bob was able to be removed from the e-mail list so that he doesn't have to be reminded every week of his status at BYU-I.  Pretty funny. 

Bob's favorite class last semester was a business class where they had to do business simulations, where they make decisions just as if they were running a business.  Then they see the results of their decisions in stock value, income, etc.  Bob's group did amazingly well.  Bob loved the experience, he was always so excited to see how they did each round.  Their group had top scores, even among groups from all over the nation.  The "final" in that class was another simulation, done individually.  Bob did really, really well on it. 

He finished teaching seminary this week.  Recently he has commented a lot on how much he has learned from this experience.  He has become a really great teacher, especially this semester. He was told that if he ever feels that he should become a seminary teacher, to come back and they would love to hire him.  But, after lots of prayer, we've felt that being a seminary teacher is not the direction God wants Bob to go. 

I am feeling very, well, pregnant.  I have been in a lot of pain in my back, hips, etc.  I looked it up and found that I had a condition called "pelvic girdle pain".  No fun.  I went to a chiropractor, and he found that my right hip was higher than my left hip.  He gave me two adjustments, and it has helped immensely.  I am still not exactly comfortable, but at least now I can go back to walking, and my back and neck pain are gone.  Yeay.  This past week I was quite sick with a bad cold, etc.  It made me so thankful for my usual good health. 

This coming week we'll be going up to Green Canyon for a week of swim lessons and camping.  My kids have been so helpful in getting ready.  I hope I survive the trip, and don't go into labor while we're up there. Well, actually going in to labor might not be so bad...

I've been working hard on my YW personal progress program.  All women in the church are invited now to earn their Young Womanhood Recognition award.  I received mine when I was a young woman, but I am enjoying the experience of going through the new book.  It has enriched my scripture study, journal writing, and goal-setting in such a wonderful way!  I recommend it to any woman or young woman.  It is a fabulous program. 

The children finished up their gymnastics classes this week.  They had such a fun year this year at gym.  Our kids seem to spend as much time upside down as they do right side up now.  Aliysa, Jace, and Courtney are taking piano lessons through the summer, and the 5 oldest children are taking voice lessons from an extremely talented world-class voice teacher.  She is the wife of another seminary student teacher, and we attended her senior voice concert she gave when she graduated from BYU-I this last semester.  Both Bob and I were simply amazed.  I never knew someone could such incredible things with their voice!  We feel very blessed to have her teaching our very "untrained musically" family. 

Aliysa was recently called to be the first counselor in the Mia Maid presidency.  She still misses our old ward terribly, but she is having a good attitude and enjoying our new ward, too.  She is so, so excited to go to Green Canyon.  Some of her best friends will be there, and it should be a fun week for her and all our kids.

Jace is enjoying life.  In our ward there are 13 deacons, and he enjoys all his time with them.  It is a fun group of boys.  He is serving as the first counselor in the quorum presidency.  Jace has recently decided that he wants to own a machete.  For the past couple of weeks, he has been extremely helpful, obedient, and always saying things like "yes, mother dear, what else would you like me to do?"  All this in an effort to show he is responsible enough for a machete.  He still has not convinced me as to why a 13-year old should own a machete, but we'll see if he succeeds. 

Courtney was able to attend a young woman activity last Tuesday.  The Beehive class was welcoming in all the girls who will be coming into YW this year.  They had a "crazy hair" activity where they did the new girls hair, then the new girls were blindfolded and fed ice cream to the Beehives.  They had so much fun, and Courtney is now even more excited for October when she'll be joining them. 

Spencer is loving life, doing things with his friends, roller-blading (Jace, Courtney, and Spencer wear roller blades almost all day long lately), biking, and cub scouts. 

Mallory is so excited for the new baby to come.  She is such a little helper as usual.  She keeps us laughing with her funny little sense of humor.

Zach and Andrew are loving the weather when it is warm.  They love being outside, riding bikes, and having all sorts of adventures.  Abby loves to boss them around and tackle them.  They are so cute with her, they love being big brothers to her.  She keeps us laughing constantly.  We have no idea where most of the things she says come from.  Here's some favorites lately:

She sings the ABC song, putting letters in whatever order she desires.  She ends the song lately with "Now I know my ABQ's...next time won't you sing with me?"

The other day Andrew was pouting about something, and Abby went right up to his face, pushed him in the chest, and ordered: "Don't talk like a baby!" He furrowed his brow, stuck his lip out and looked at me.  She shoved him again and repeated the command.  Nothing like being encouraged to be macho by your little sister.

She just has to know the names of everyone she meets.  It amazes us how she remembers the names of all of our children's friends.  When she sees pictures of people in magazines, she always asks "what is her name, Mom?"  She isn't satisfied if I say that I don't know, so I've started asking her what she thinks her name is.  She comes up with some great names.

Well, that's our update...Life is good.

Local News 8

Our friend Kami Harris arranged for a field trip to the local news station, specifically to learn about the weather from the head meterologist.

Part of the tour

This is the high-tech way that rainfall is measured.  There are little stations like this in different locations.  Twice each day they are measured, then the data is sent in to the national weather service, and they average it for each area. 

The news van

This is where the weatherman stands.

And he appears on camera like this, with a map behind him.

This was a fun and informative day!

Hale Center Theater

My four oldest children and I got to attend "The Three Musketeers" play at Hale Center Theater in Utah, and tour the theater afterwards.  This fun field trip was arranged by my friend Tracy.

The play definitely had praiseworthy acting, amazing sets, and costumes, but I must say the script did not fall under the "virtuous" category. Darn.

But we enjoyed most of the experience.  The kids thought the sword fighting was amazing.  Jace has been making all sorts of homemade swords and daggers ever since we got home.

Spencer and his friends Logan and Dallin, relaxing while waiting for our tour to begin.

Aliysa and some of her friends

Jace and some of his friends looking around the theater.  

It is such a beautiful theater.

The girls acting out different things that the tour guide directed them to do.

The boys doing the same.

On stage, making up their own advertisement slogans

The whole group.  What a fun day!

Aunt Lisa's Barn

Well, I can say that my little sister got married and her first apartment is over 50,000 square feet.  OR, I can say that she got married and now lives in a barn.  For those of you who know Lisa and Preston, I'm sure you wouldn't be too surprised about them living in a barn... But actually, they live in a cute studio apartment above the gigantic barn at Heritage Ranch where Preston works.  Lisa is also training some foxtrotter horses that are boarded there. 

So, we went to Utah last month and stopped at the Kent's on our way down.  Lisa gave us the grand tour, and we got to see Preston working with one of his horses.

Aliysa was in heaven.  She would love to live in a barn.

Jace and Abby in the tack room. 

Can I say how nice it is to have older children to pack the two-year old around when I am pregnant?

There were lots of new foals to see...so fun.

There were puppies, too.

We all enjoyed getting to see Lisa again.  The barn is a fun place to be.  And Lisa even filled our van up with oil for us before we left.   Thanks for the fun day, Lisa!

When I grow up, I want to be just like Dad...

I love these kind of moments.  Seeing my kids working with their Dad.  He is everything a husband and father should be, including an amazingly hard worker. 

(Don't you love Andrew's snow boots? Of course, it's not too funny to think that he's wearing them in May, considering we had snow, sleet, and hail just three days ago)

Passover Dinner

Shortly before Easter, we had the neat experience of attending a passover dinner at our friends, the Ward's.  They had a script of an actual Jewish passover Seder, with LDS notes added in.  We all had parts to read.  The meal takes about 3 hours, and has many courses.  It was so neat to learn more about the symbolism of the passover.  We even got to sing some traditional songs as part of the meal.

Some of the food we ate (horseradish to symbolize bitter herbs, charoset, matzah, etc.)  Each of the foods has a meaning.  We also had 3 yummy soups, salads, dessert and lots of sparkling cider.

During part of the meal, some of the matzah is wrapped up in a napkin to symbolize Christ, and hidden.  It is called the Afikomen.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afikoman Then the children get to search for it. Courtney and Keziah are searching for the bread here, you can see others in the background. 

Spencer found the Afikomen.  He got a picture of Christ as his reward, and he really treasures it.

Abby was noisy, but the Ward's assured us that the whole purpose of the Passover dinner was to teach the children the symbols, and help them remember.  So the dinner really is focused on the children.

Abby LOVED the sparkling cider.

The meal is eaten sitting on pillows, at a low table.  Isn't it beautiful?

Aliysa & Blythe

More of the group.

Andrew helping Bob wash and dry his hands as part of the meal.

Fisher Ward

Annesley Ward

The planner of this whole meal is my friend Tracy Ward.  She is one of those amazing people that is always undertaking huge projects.  She loves the Hebrew culture, and planned to live and study in Israel before she realized that God wanted her to be a wife and mother here in Rigby instead.  We are blessed to know her and her family.  We'll be camping with them soon at Green Canyon!

Catching up

Tulips from Bob

Well, I have neglected this poor blog for months, and I'm just looking over pictures that I never posted.  So...here we go for some catch-up

Mother's Day

Gaylene Nuttall Hahn

The person who has had the most influence in my life. 

Here I am, as a little girl with my mom.

She is an amazing mother.

She loves to teach young children.  When I was really young, and people would ask me what I had done in homeschool that day, I would often reply "we didn't do school today".  Then my mom would remind me about the games and activities we had done that day, and inform me that yes, that was our school today.  She just made learning so much fun that we didn't realize we were "doing school." 

Now, she does the same for my children, sending them learning activities for presents, and spending so much time and energy making sure they make great memories when we are visiting, or when she is visiting with us. 

Last week when we left her home, Andrew cried for two hours on the drive home because he wanted to have Grandma come home with us, or to turn around and go back to her house.  We kept trying to console him, and it would work for a while, but then he'd think about her and start wailing some more.

She always comes to take care of us after I have a baby.  It almost kills her to do it, and she always tells me that "next time you need to get professional help", but then she comes again.  While she's here, she does housework, and school with the kids (she never asks me what they need to do in school, she just comes up with fun and interesting learning activities for them), one time she had them put on an "olympics" in our home, because there had been a recent olympics.  My kids were "figure skating" and speed skating in the family room and having a grand time.  When we visited last week, she watched the four younger children while we were at the play.  They were so excited to tell me about playing with playdough, walking to the park, putting together puzzles, and having yummy snacks.  What a blessing to have someone so loving be my kids' grandma.

My Mom has struggled with bad health for years now.  Whenever I get sick, I just wonder how she keeps going.  But that is her motto:  "just put one foot in front of the other".  She nurtured and homeschooled her children for over 30 years, even though she never had a day free of pain or illness in all that time. 

She is a wonderful cook.  I wish I could pay her a million dollars a year to come cook for our family.  She grew up with her parents and grandparents in the restaurant business, and she runs most meals just like a restaurant.  Bob is always trying to get her to sit down when we are eating her meals, but she is happy to "just get everyone fed", so she'll stand in the kitchen making sure everything is hot at the right time, and there's enough for everyone to eat, before she worries about sitting down to eat.

When she married my Dad, it was a huge adjustment for her.  He had grown up as a health-nut vegetarian, and had been a bachelor for many years.  She had to learn to cook for him, and get used to his habits, like the time he put alfalfa sprouts in her morning milkshake that she started to guzzle as she ran out the door to work. 

She about died when she tasted it, but now she has definitely adjusted.  She simply spoils my dad, who just can't have store-bought mayonaisse, he has to have my Mom's homemade version.  She has learned to sprout things, use whole grains, and make wierd concocotions for my Dad's morning milkshakes.  We all laugh about the few failures along the way, like Brazil-nut burgers, but we all love eating at her home, and we're all thankful for the effort she has put into making really nutritious things for us through the years.

The thing I am the most grateful for about my Mom is her unwavering commitment to the gospel.  My Mom is not motivated by selfishness, worldliness, or popularity in the way she lives her life.  My parents both are constantly measuring everything by gospel standards.  The movies they watch, the books they read, the very way that they live their lives is all based on the scriptures and the words of the prophets.  It gives me such a profound respect for them. I love how they read and read and study constantly.

My Mom always has handwritten quotes from the prophets and apostles taped up in the house.  There's always a good quote taped on the wall right in front of the bathroom.  What an influence those quotes have had on me over the years!

A special moment for our family - my littlest sister's wedding.  All of us were together in the temple.

I am so grateful for my mom, and all she has sacrificed to raise her children and live a good life. 

Mom, you are an amazing person and I'm so thankful to be your daughter!

I love you, Tasha

Words of Wisdom

Julie B. Beck said recently:

"Revelation can come hour by hour and moment by moment as we do the right things. When women nurture as Christ nurtured, a power and peace can descend to guide when help is needed. For instance, mothers can feel help from the Spirit even when tired, noisy children are clamoring for attention, but they can be distanced from the Spirit if they lose their temper with children. Being in the right places allows us to receive guidance. It requires a conscious effort to diminish distractions, but having the Spirit of revelation makes it possible to prevail over opposition and persist in faith through difficult days and essential routine tasks. Personal revelation gives us the understanding of what to do every day to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek those who need our help. Because personal revelation is a constantly renewable source of strength, it is possible to feel bathed in help even during turbulent times.

We are told to put our trust in that Spirit which leads us “to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously.” We are also told that this Spirit will enlighten our minds, fill our souls with joy, and help us know all things we should do. Promised personal revelation comes when we ask for it, prepare for it, and go forward in faith, trusting that it will be poured out upon us."

(And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit, April 2010 General Conference)

Our weekend in Utah

On April 9, 2010 Bob and I went to Utah overnight to attend his sister Natalie's wedding.

It has been a long time since we have gone away without the kids! We left Friday morning, and I decided to drive at first since I had made a photo book all about Bob, with pictures, quotes and my own thoughts in it, all highlighting a few of the things that I think are wonderful about him. I had made it originally to give to him for Father's day, or our anniversary, but I couldn't wait any longer to show it to him. So, I drove while he read it.

I can "share" this photo book with friends, so if you'd like to see it online, just let me know, and I'll send you the link to view it. I'm rather pleased with how it turned out!

We decided later that it is a great idea to have me drive, because when Bob is driving, he's always focusing on driving, and we don't have great conversations. While I was driving, we talked and talked. It made us both realize that it sure has been a while since we've had a long period of time to just talk about our plans for the future, etc. There isn't anyone in the world that I would rather spend time with than Bob. Being just with him for two whole days was so wonderful!

We got to Salt Lake in time to eat at Costa Vida, it was delicious. Then we went to Hale Center Theater and saw one of our favorite plays, Fiddler on the Roof. The acting was excellent, the stage setup was amazing, and we really enjoyed it. If you ever have a chance to attend a play at Hale Center Theater, make sure you do it.

Then we went to Nan's reception (it was held the evening before her wedding). ...We had fun just being there with most of Bob's siblings. It is always a party when you get the Lamoreauxs together.


I decided beforehand that I needed to just overcome my huge phobia about hotels, and stay in one while we were in Utah. I realized if I kept being so grossed out about the idea of staying in a hotel, we'd never get to go away and have time just to the two of us. So, I looked at bed and breakfasts, but decided to save money and stay at La Quinta in Orem. The pictures on the internet looked really nice, and it definitely looked newer than other hotels I looked at. Well...I still have no desire to ever stay in a hotel again. Next time we go away, I will not worry about saving money. It's not that it was really dirty, but it just didn't seem nice and clean. The colors and decorations were wierd, the carpet looked old, etc. During the night I woke up & thought "Oh! I'm sure they can't wash the pillows every day!" I threw my pillow off the bed and slept without one the rest of the night. I still can't believe I didn't think about that and bring my own pillow!

Saturday we went shopping, drank smoothies, found a place that would still let us order croissants for Nan's luncheon, and then we went to the wedding. Everything went well, except when Bob walked Nan down the aisle, and Bet realized that the camera wasn't working. They told Nan & Bob to start over, so they both immediately began walking backward, so it looked just like they were being "rewinded." It gave us all a good chuckle.

Then we had the wedding luncheon, and went to Nan's house for a while, then we headed over and visited with my Mom and Dad for a short time, and headed home.

It was great to get home. Our kids were angels while we were gone. They had so much fun being in charge of the house. It was spotlessly clean from top to bottom, and they had all had a great time together. They missed gymnastics while we were gone, so on Friday, they brought lots of foam pads down into the family room and had their own gymnastics classes. Aliysa is a great babysitter. She's always willing to watch our children, and she is such a peacemaker that they always are happy and well cared for while we're gone. What lucky parents we are!

We called when we were on our way home, to tell Aliysa and Jace that we got off late and wouldn't be home when we had planned. They wanted to stay up until we got home, but we told them to go to bed. When we got home, we saw this letter on the counter (we get notes like this from Aliysa all the time)

Dear Parents,
Firstly, we wish to let you know that we still love you, even though our hard work and efforts are met with "Go to bed, we do not desire your company."
Yet we do not mind, and hope that this epistle finds you in good health and spirits (let us know).
Secondly, all the petals are falling off your tulips.
Love,
Aliysa and Jace,
(your so called favorite children)

Wow! When did that get here?

Yesterday, Abby was chattering away, trying to be a part of every conversation.
We were talking about her being a big girl. "No" (she insists) "I'm a little girl..."

Then she just started saying whatever came to mind.

Here is part of what she said:

"There is a big...big... (trying to decide what to say next)

(looking around the room until her eyes rest on my pregnant tummy. Her eyes open widely as though she is surprised.)

...tummy...

in this family!"

Yes, there is a HUGE tummy in this family. Only 9 weeks left!