Adorable Allen

We caught some of Allen's smiles and giggles with the camera today. He has been smiling and laughing like this for at least two weeks, I just haven't had a camera on hand when he is being adorable. He is such a happy little guy, and we are so glad to have him in our family!

Nauvoo and Carthage

To say the least, visiting Nauvoo and Carthage was an amazing experience. Heidi and Kari, you are right - you need more than a day to do everything. However, a day was all the time we had, so we made the most of it. I was most grateful that Danny and I were able to attend a session at the Nauvoo Temple. Again, it was amazing and I won't forget the feelings felt. Well, because I'm being lazy all of the pictures we took are out of order and kind of hodge-podged together, but I want to post them - so here are a few.This is a silly picture of Mary looking down the well at the Lucy Mack-Smith House. When the house was being restored, the addition that was on the back of the house was demolished. This original well and pathway was found.All of us standing next to a replica of a river barge, which would have transported the covered wagons across the Mississippi River.Mary loved petting the horses. Derrick was a little more apprehensive. Not surprising, considering the horses head is about as big as Derrick's entire body.Derrick and an original sun stone from the first Nauvoo Temple. Danny and I outside the temple. Standing for this picture brought back happy memories of our wedding day at the Logan Temple.

This is such a cheesy picture of Mary, that I just couldn't resist posting it. In the background it a map of Nauvoo, and how it once was.

Mary asked me to take this pictures of her "trying to be like Jesus".

Two very important men (at least to me ;) and one cute little girl.

Danny, Allen and I standing outside the window Joseph Smith fell from when he was martyred.
Last but not least, this adorable picture of Derrick asleep in the car while driving to Nauvoo. He fell asleep clutching the pieces of his new puzzle book grandma and grandpa gave him. So cute!

You Might Think

Danny and the kids gave me Wii Fit Plus for my birthday, and you might think that I would be offended or something for giving me a game to help me loose weight. However, I think it was just about the perfect gift for me this year. Just having Allen, and feeling the desire to be more active again, but not really being able to do anything super intensive is why Wii Fit Plus is perfect for me now. Anyway, we opened it up and tried all of the new games with the kids. I just laughed and laughed. Hopefully, the pictures and video explain why.

The video is of Danny flying, if you couldn't tell. He is playing a game where you are trying to fly from pillar to pillar. Of course the only way you can fly is by flapping your arms, hence the hilarity - at least to me :)

Mary is skateboarding. She really got into this game and was leaning from side to side and moving her hips to weave through the obstacle course. Again, it was so funny. I wish I would have taken another video. Maybe next time.

Last of Preschool

Since Mary's preschool group started she has insisted that we tape all of her projects and crafts to her bedroom door. As you can imagine the door was quite full, and made an interesting collage. Mary hasn't wanted to take any of it down, and now that we are packing to move, it has become necessary. The only way I could convince her was to tell her I would take pictures of everything, and put them on the computer so that her grandparents and friends could see them. So here they are. Mary had a great time taking everything down at arranging it on the floor so we could take pictures. She then wanted to take a picture of everything by herself. :)

To Miss Or Not To Miss

As the time draws closer to the day we are moving from Ohio, I have been thinking specifically about all of the things I will miss and not miss so much from Columbus. So, without further ado, here are my lists in no particular order.

I will miss . . .
the Westland Ward.
the wonderful friends I have made here.
the metro parks.
the humidity.
the wind and constant breezes.
how green everything is during the spring and summer months.
how vibrant and colorful the leaves are in the fall.
how the ice storms make everything look so sparkly.
the football - Go Buckeyes!
the lightening storms (even though they used to freak me out :)
the plethora of snow days.
the zoo.
Jazz and Rib Fest (Soooo yummy!)
Thanksgivings at the church.
4th of July's on top of 9th Ave parking garage.
book club.
Bob Evan's
Raising Cane's
Chipotle (there are a few locations in Utah, but not close enough to make it worth the drive)
Anthony Thomas Chocolate Factory, and the free tours.

I won't miss so much . . .
the weave lanes on the freeways (Yes, this is number one on my not miss list.)
the train tracks behind our apartment (this is a close second.)
the ice storms.

Well, I need to be doing other things now, so I will stop with these lists like this. I am planning on adding more as I think of them so stay tuned. Furthermore, I know lots of people also moving, so what would you add to either list? Just curious.

The Kids

I finally was able to take pictures of all of the kids together. I have been trying/wanting to for awhile now, but Allen was either asleep or eating when Mary and Derrick were awake, dressed and ready to have pictures taken.

This is the only picture where both Mary and Derrick were looking at the camera. I wish Allen would have too. I have learned that trying to get my kids to look at the camera at the same time is next to impossible. I though this was funny. I can't decide if Allen is trying to scream in terror or bite of Derrick's nose.Allen is finally looking at the camera! I only had to blink the flash at him about a million times to get his attention :)I can't believe how much he has changed already - and he is only just over two weeks old.

More About Mother's Day

After a much anticipated leave of absence, I'm happy to be feeling well enough and alert enough to post a few more things about Allen and his entrance into the world.

I started having contractions around 7:00 when I woke up Sunday morning. The contractions were actually strong enough for me to know that it was time to wake up the kids, feed them breakfast and take them to the Patterson's. (Thanks again Fran and Henry and sorry for making your Mother's Day chaotic.) We arrived at the hospital around 8:30 and was told I was dilated 6 cm. It took about a half hour or so to check-in and for them to call my doctor. They broke my water right after I got to a delivery room, around 9:00. My doctor arrived around 9:30 and checked me again, I was expecting to be 7 maybe 8 cm dilated, but I was so happy and surprised to be told I was a 9 and let my doctor know when I felt the urge to push. Waited through a few more contractions, decided it was time and told my doctor, pushed and Allen was here. As soon as I held him I knew his name was Allen, or at least I couldn't think of calling him by any other name. All in all I couldn't have asked for a better labor and delivery.
After all of the pictures Danny posted of me and Allen I feel obligated to post at least one of him. (: This was taken right after Allen had his first bath, and before Danny went home to get Mary and Derrick. Later that day, Danny brought Mary and Derrick to the hospital to introduce Allen to them. Mary was all smiles and just wanted to hold, hug and kiss Allen. Derrick wanted to be helpful right from the start by trying to feed Allen a pretzel.

What a proud big sister!Excuse my cheesy grin. Sometimes you just can't help it.

Derrick pointing out that Allen has a nose. Something he did at least ten times.