Joyous Things

I was going through some old boxes from college and found a list Rebekah and I made of joyous things. We started it one day while she was visiting and I hung it on my wall and added to it until I got married. It had such things as the perfect pair of jeans, boys calling you, red mustangs, first kisses, looking at the stars, etc. I was thinking about all those things and decided I needed a new list of joyous things for this new point in my life. It would still include the perfect pair of jeans (although a few sizes bigger), red mustangs and looking at the stars, but it would have to have a whole new section for being a mom and wife. Here are some of the things on my new list of joyous things:
~the first time you feel a new baby kick in your tummy
~the first time you hold that new baby in your arms
~home from work kisses
~getting all the kids in bed before 8 p.m.
~grown-up movies
~sticky kid kisses
~days off of work
~ice cream
~chocolate
~kids all dressed up for Halloween
~dance recitals
~preschool
~the way sick kids just want their mommies
~dates
~fireworks
~cookie dough
~kids stealing cookie dough
~having someone to lick the bowl with me
~having someone just as excited about Christmas as me.

What's on your joyous things list? I keep thinking about what the General Authorities all seemed to say at this last General Conference: that we need to be thankful for all that we do have no matter what kind of other things are going on. Plus with almost 4 kids there are a lot of things to find joy in!

The letter A

Aidan has a new obsession: the letter A. Ever since he discovered that his name starts with the letter A, he has been looking for As everywhere, in signs, books, on TV, everywhere. He asks all the time if words or names have As in them. He has discovered that everyone in our family has an A in their name but me. I cannot convince him that Celissa has an A in it because that really isn't my name apparently. My name is Mom and only Mom. However, lucky for me, he still likes me even though I don't have an A in my name. He doesn't make many exceptions. (He is asking me if Backyardigans has an A in it as I type this). Things and/or people without As in their name he doesn't like, so sorry to houses, trees, dogs, trucks, etc. He has been glad to find out that Thomas the train engine, Spongebob Squarepants and McQueen the racecar all have As in their names. Who would have guessed that A could be so wonderful or so important!!

A Wonderful Weekend

This last weekend was very busy and very wonderful. It was fair weekend here in Graham County which is always fun. Shane took Friday off so he could go to the parade with us and see Kiara march. This was the first time she marched with her dance company instead of riding on the trailer. She did such a great job, staying in line and even dancing while walking. I was very impressed and she had a fun time. We made sure she was well hydrated to avoid any headaches that would ruin the day. After going to lunch we went home to take a nap and then on to the fair that afternoon. We looked at all the exhibits, especially the animals, got cotton candy and kettle corn and free balloons. Really, what more could you ask for from the fair?

Saturday Shane and I dropped the kids off at my mom's house and headed to Glendale for Shane's 10 year high school reunion. We stopped to do a little shopping and catch a movie before checking into the hotel. Then we got to take a nap before the party started. The party was at the hotel so we just went downstairs. Not very many people showed up, but there were some people there that he was glad to see. One of his groomsmen that I had known in college too was there and told us he is now in New York City building sets for the New York Metropolitan Opera. What a job! He had fun talking with old friends. The next morning we had breakfast with Shane's dad and then headed back to Pima. The kids had fun with grandma and grandpa running all over the town. Their cousin, Dallen, my brother's little boy had his first birthday party and they went to that and then back to the fair to see Kiara dance in the rain.

Monday morning I woke up early and realized that Shane hadn't left for work yet. I pushed him awake very worried that he wasn't at work and had forgot to set his alarm. He rolled over and told me to go back to sleep, he wasn't going to work today. It was a fun surprise to get to hang out with him on Monday too especially when he told me what his plan for the day was. He went and got the tractor, cleaned up the weeds and then finished the fence. The kids played outside all day long and I worked inside on some stuff I have been needing to do. By the end of the day, we had a backyard that was available to everyone. We even let Moly out. He didn't get the gates done, but he put some chain link we have across the gate areas so everyone can play safely back there. The boys got up and went out right after breakfast this morning even though it was cold.

Hooray for husbands and for backyards!!! I can't wait to plant grass and a garden in the spring.

PS I need to take some pictures to post. I just have been anti-camera lately for some reason.

Outnumbered

Kiara and I are officially outnumbered. We are having another boy. That makes it 4 boys to 2 girls, a clear majority. O well, we are still prettier than them! I am getting even more thankful for our big backyard since now we will have 3 boys running and climbing and jumping and tumbling all over the place.

We were actually very surprised since I haven't been sick and seem to be carrying lower than the other boys. But I guess this baby just needed to be different and I don't miss the throwing up that I had all 9 months with the other two boys! The ultrasound was good. The tech was very thorough and checked everything out. Our little boy wasn't very cooperative moving all around, but he looks healthy and is obviously strong as he ran from the ultrasound over and over again.

Kiara is very disappointed. She was in tears for a while when we told her, but I'm glad we told her now as opposed to her finding out in a couple of months. We will have to work on doing special girl things since it doesn't look like she is going to get a sister. I'm glad Stephanie, my sister, is close by and likes to do girly things with her too. Shane says we can try again for another girl, but that also opens up the chance for another boy so I think I'm okay with being done at least for the moment.

And... my due date didn't change. HOORAY!!! I am officially due on February 18, 2009 which means I made it to 20 weeks!! Only 20 more to go. Luckily those weeks will be filled with holidays to keep me busy. Now we just have to figure out a boy name. Good thing we still have 20 weeks, it just might take us that long to agree on a boy's name.