The Magic House

While we were in St. Louis, we went to The Magic House. If anyone is going to be in the area, you have to do this. This place is so neat. The kids had fun, Chase had fun and I had fun. The museum is 4 floors of interactive exhibits for kids of all ages. They even had a room for little Cambri where she got to be involved and stimulated by touching bubbles, balls and water. There was a little town that the kids got to grocery shop in, learn about electricity, bank, fish and set up their own house. This was the location of the incident. Little Marley walked off, went into the elevator and went down. When we noticed she was missing, you can imagine the panic of all of us. Luckily the employees are stationed in every room and once they found out that Marley was missing, they locked down every single room and people had to stay put until we found her. When they radioed us that she was downstairs, Heidi and I were bawling and Marley was perfectly content. In the panic, I accidentally misplaced Izzy but Chase was with it enough to help look plus hold onto our own kids. After that though, we still managed to have fun. The bubble room was awesome and probably our favorite part. You could stand in a machine that formed around you, you could blow bubbles bigger than basketballs plus tons of other bubbly things. Izzy didn't want to leave. She climbed up into the tree house and didn't want to come down. Her dad actually led her up there and he was having so much fun that he kind of forgot that a three year old was trying to follow him and she is not as quick. Anyway, The Magic House in St. Louis should be on anyones list of things to do with kids.

St. Louis

Chase, the girls and myself just spent a wonderful week in the midwest. The weather was beautiful, the company was top notch and the scenery was unbeatable. My sister recently relocated to Quincy, IL with her family and we were excited to go and see her new home. Chase and I drove all night while the girls slept. We actually did the whole drive with only a two hour nap in a truck stop. I haven't done that since college but we had so much fun that I forgot to be uncomfortable. Chase is my favorite person to be with and I had him all to myself for 23 hours. It was great because that never happens. The girls were so good and the entire week was actually very relaxing. Sometimes vacations become tiresome because they take a lot of energy but this one just about having a good time. We spent a couple of days in St. Louis which was so great. Downtown St. Louis reminded me of Chicago and it was so well put together that I was suprised. We really didn't want to come home but alas all good things must come to an end.

Bad Mommy

These pictures are really crappy but they pretty much sum of my day. I had to go back to work today after three months of bliss. I slept like crap last night (mainly because I'm pissed at my brother) but it didn't help mattes any. Cam Cam woke up at 5am for the day but that was ok because I couldn't sleep anyway. When she got up, (notice top picture) I noticed she had a bloody spot on her nose. Her nails were very long so I decided to cut them. I was so tense that I accidentally cut her thumb (see bottom photo). It bled everywhere and she was screaming. And then I had to go to work. I felt really bad that my poor baby needed me and I had to leave. My Grandma came down to watch the girls so it wasn't worse case scenario but I definitely didn't feel at the top of my game today.

Dance Dance Dance

Isabelle started dance yesterday. Her ADD kicked in towards the end but she really did try hard. During warm up, my child was the only one that couldn't figure out how to skip and keep her hands on her hips at the same time. She would stop and get her hands on her hips, then start skipping and forget about her hands. So she would stop and put her hands on her hips and then attempt to skip again. It went on and on like this until Miss Janell told her she could skip with her hands in the air like the free spirit that she is. For the first half hour, they played games and learned different ballet positions. Izzy was kind of a train wreck during the ballet part. She was too busy trying to stay on her piece of tape to figure out what was going on. For the last half hour they concentrate on gymnastics. This is the part that was hard for Izzy. When you have 16 little 3 and 4 year olds and 2 instructors, you are going to have to wait your turn. Isabelle couldn't handle this. Instead of waiting in line, she would run over to me every 2 minutes and say, "I'm having so much fun Mommy. I'm listening to my teacher just like you said." And I would say, "I'm glad you're having fun but Miss Janell is telling you to stay in line." So she would run back. Isabelle got so excited during cart wheel time that she kept cutting to the very beginning of the line, so Miss Janell would have to move her to the back. I can tell already that Miss Janell is going to earn every penny I pay her. I'm going to work with Izzy on being patient and focusing on the task at hand, so hopefully it gets better. Though it was very obvious she wasn't a natural, she has passion!

Braxton's First Day of School

This crazy summer has finally come to an end and it feels like it just barely began. But one good thing is that Braxton has started school and seems very happy. He went to Kindergarten in Utah so this is a whole new experience for him. But he had a good time yesterday and he actually came home with homework. I couldn't believe it.

Little Cambri

My little baby is two months old today. When you are pregnant, it feels like forever. But after the date passes and baby comes, it feels like things move so quickly. One thing that is not moving fast is the fact that Cambri is a horrible sleeper. I know now that I got very spoiled with Izzy. I was working on the baby books today and I saw that Izzy slept through the night completely at 7 weeks. WTH?!??!?!????? Cambri isn't even close to that point. In fact, things are degressing. For the last two nights, she has been up for solid hour periods insisting to be held. It's very painful because you can bet that Izzy will have me up by 8am. AAAHHH. Such is the life of a mother. Except for the fact that I still young enough to handle this. But I can't do this much longer. I have to look at the fun things thought. Cambri will smile once in awhile and she is getting very cute. She still looks like Izzy though. I almost gave my Grandma a heart attack when she picked up a picture of my Grandpa holding Izzy and she thought it was Cambri. She thought that it was a ghost picture or something because my Grandpa passed away before Cam Cam was born. If these eight weeks have been an indication of times to come, Cambri will be a pleasure for many years to come.

Genius Move

Judging by these actions, you would never guess that Chuck has already suffered from giardiasis (more commonly known as "beaver fever"). The best way to avoid giardiasis is to avoid drinking untreated surface water, especially from mountain streams because beavers and other muskrats are common carriers of the disease. But I do think its funny to hear him scream like a girl.

Josh, Heidi & Marley

My little sister has been sent back to Illinois, much to the dismay of our family. We know that they are happy back there, but selfishly, we wish the three of them still lived here in Idaho. It really meant a lot to Isabelle and myself that they made the trip back here just for Izzy's birthday. It was so nice to not have to work every single day they were in town. One of the small joys of maternity leave. We had a really good visit barring the time that my mom woke up in the middle of the night to check on Marley and mistook her face paint as blood. Needless to say, the entire house was woken by her screams. I just wanted my little sis to know that we miss her and her family every single day and hope for their quick return to Idaho. Being that Josh is the only one that can get little Cambri to smile, we need him around on a more permenant basis. Also, Heidi has more patience in her little pinky that I do in my entire body for Isabelle's ADD. I just need her to come home...

A Different Kind of Sad

As some of you out there know, I had my tubes tied this week. It was a strange feeling as I laid there in the surgery holding area by myself. I felt completely alone and everyone bone in my body was telling me to get up and run. But my head was telling me that I was doing the right thing for our family. Chase wasn't able to be at the hospital with me because someone had to take care of our kids but I know that he was very hesitant about the surgery. The number one reason why I went through with it is because I want our two kids to have every opportunity they can possibly have. Even adding one more to the mix takes away from finite resources i.e. energy, time & money that parents can offer their children. I love my kids enough to want them to get everything that I can give. I need them to know that really everything I do is for them and that means stopping with them. I was told once that every mom goes through a mourning period when they realize they will never have another child. Here I am at 25 and going through that feeling. I feel very selfish for feeling sad right know but I have to accept that it is normal and won't last forever. While I do feel very sad right now, I know that eventually I will feel comfortable with this decision. I really don't have a choice at this point. But by knowing that Isabelle and Cambri are it without a doubt gives me the responsibility (and privilege) of enjoying every singe moment I have with my kids. Right now I feel like a semi has taken me out but this to shall pass and physically and emotionally I will be ok.

Like Mommy, Like Baby

This picture is a reenactment of something that happened while we were visiting Chase in Utah. Izzy, Cambri and I were in shopping in Walmart and all of a sudden I noticed that people were staring at me and one guy even pointed at me. I had just used the restroom so I thought that I had tucked my dress in funny or had toliet paper stuck to my shoes or something. All of a sudden, I look down and Izzy (who is riding in the front of the cart) has her shirt lifted, her hand clamped to the back of the baby's neck and she is nursing her doll. She is casually looking around while her baby is eating. Her shirt in this picture is a lot more flowing than the one she was wearing that day. In Utah, she was wearing just a basic tshirt and she was holding it up well over her shoulder. I told her that the baby was done and she needed to put the baby down. Then she told me, "Nope, she still needs to eat from the other side still." She then proceeds to move the baby to the other side. I'm sometimes shocked at how much this kid picks up and applies to her own life.

Always Crazy

While these pictures are very old, I have to include them because they are the essence of my child. She always thinks that every event in our lives somehow revolves around her. I don't know what we have done to make it this way but I have to admit that I think shes kind of cute. My hope for her is that she never lets inhibitions get in the way of her doing what she wants. She is one of the most outgoing people I know and she's only three!

Our Polygamist Family in Arches National Park

The sign at the beginning of Arches National park was very clear about a few things. In fact, let me show you verbatim what was posted at the head of the trail. I have taken the liberty of highlighting a few keys words that should have created some buzz in four very ableminded adults.

Delicate Arch
Start: Wolfe Ranch parking area
Length: 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip
Time: 2 to 3 hours
Elevation change: 480 feet (146 m)
Trail Type: Strenuous

Take at least 2 quarts (2 liters) of water per
person! Open slickrock with some exposure
to heights and no shade. The first half-mile
is a well-defined trail. Upon reaching the
slickrock, follow the rock cairns. The trail
climbs gradually and levels out toward the
top of this rock face.
Just before you get to

Delicate Arch, the trail traverses a rock ledge
for about 200 yards (183 m).

Wear sturdy shoes with enough tread to
give you good traction. Do not hike in
leather-soled shoes or boots. Some trails
cover uneven terrain and follow rock
ledges.Protect your skin with a hat, long-sleeved
shirt, and sun screen. There is little shade in
the desert. The sun is intense year round
and can easily burn your skin, especially in
the summer.

I read this and seriously thought to myself, "This sounds harder than I thought but we should be able to do it." Nevermind the fact that we had 1/4 of quart of water for 8 people to share. And we were all in flip flops. And I had my newborn with me. We set out anyway. With the kids in stollers. Needless to say, I didn't make it all the way. I found a tree and stopped halfway through the hike with my baby. The rest of the adverturers went on. Right after they left me, they passed two hikers that were on their back from the arch. These two didn't see me and as soon as they passed our group, the man said, "You can always tell when you are in Utah when you see a polygamist family out and about." I wanted to ask him where he got his facts about polygamy in Utah but I was under the impression it was a single man with multiple wives. Which didn't apply to Nicole, Ryan, Chase, Jade, Mia & Isabelle. But I thought it was funny. Later on some guy stopped and gave me a gatorade. He refused to leave until I took a drink from it. All you have to do is sit around look pathetic and people give you stuff. I told the guy that he shouldn't reward bad behavior. The bad behavior being me with my newborn in the desert. In the end, only Chase and Ryan made it all the way to the final destination. I think that in the end we had a good time, we were just grotesquely unprepared.

Mashin Maven Movers

Isabelle: "Ladies and Gentlemice, we are proud to wesent you [sic] the mashin maven movers. I did it. I did it Jade!"

Jade: "You did it! Well kind of...Actually not really. Say it like me Izzy."

Jade: "Im"

Izzy: "Im"

Jade: "Gin"

Izzy: "Gin"

Jade: "Nation"

Izzy: "Nation"

Jade: "Imagination!"

Izzy: "Mashin Maven"

Izzy: "Ladies and Gentlemice, we are proud to wesent you [sic] the mashin maven movers. I did it. I did it Jade!"

Now repeat this conversation in extremely tight quarters no less than 250 times and tell me that you wouldn't consider opening a vehicle door and throwing yourself to the mercy of the interstate pavement.

First Haircut

I know I'm a horrible parent. My child is almost three years old and she just barely got her first haircut. She looked like a orphan with horrible tangly hair. But the thought of trying to get her to cooperate for a haircut gave me such anxiety that it made me physically sick to my stomach. But Nicole thought she would look cute with short hair and I thought it would be much easier for me to handle. So I swallowed my fear and took her in. She acted like a little champ. She did everything that was asked of her and ended up looking very cute. At least I think so...

Quickly Growing Up

I can't believe that Cambri has already been here for three weeks! It's going really quickly. She is such a good baby that she makes it look easy. She is very calm and relaxed. Even in the middle of the night, she fusses enough to get my attention but nothing that wakes up anyone else. I can't even believe how much fun she is. At 25, I appreciate this experience so much more. Also knowing that she is my last makes me want to hold her forever. But then her older sister reminds me that I need a break once in awhile. I love them both but there must be a special place in heaven for stay at home moms because that is a job that takes every ounce of energy you have with no scheduled breaks.

Naked Ladies

Before we headed to Price, we stopped in Eureka to see Chase's Mom. Jade and Ryan were also there. It has been so hot in Utah, that Jana pulled out her kiddie pool. Before I knew it, Jade and Izzy shed all their clothes. Chase came and told him mom to at least put on their underwear because we don't know if any perverts live close by but both girls absolutely refused. They ran around naked for at least three hours. They played with bubbles, drew with sidewalk chalk and dipped in the pool. They kept each other occupied so well that I took a nap. It was so nice!

Sisters

Ironically, Izzy loves being a big sister. We had our concerns because of her personality but she has done really well. She loves running to her baby sister whenever she hears any noises. Two nights ago, she got up at 2 in the morning and sat with me while I fed the baby. Right now, Isabelle is screaming into my ear and I'm having a hard time appreciating her. In fact, I would gladly take a walk by myself for a second but this is obviously not an option. We are currently held up in a hotel room for day number 4 and I feel like the walls are starting to close in. It's over a 100 degrees here in Utah and going outside with a newborn doesn't make a lot of sense. So we are trying to keep occupied through the indoor pool, books, TV and other games. It's been really nice spending evenings with Chase but I'm starting to miss the comforts of being in my own home. Mainly because of at least being able to put Izzy in her room for naptime. Never underestimate a good nap.

Impromptu Fun

Yes, I have to tell Chase where the diapers are. And where the pajamas are. And where we keep the milk (if this seems obvious, it is). But I never have to remind him to make great memories with his kids. He's always the first one to jump in for a good time. Our AC is on the fritz (don't ask) so our house it getting a little hot. Izzy couldn't take it and finally she busted outside in the sprinkler. Next thing I know, Chase runs by me to join her. They had a great time and Cambri and I had fun watching.

Cambri Elliott

Baby is finally here! Actually, she's been here for a few days but adjusting to a new baby has left me with little time on my hands. She's very cute and reminds me exactly of Izzy. I would be hard pressed to tell them apart if they were sitting side by side at the same age. This time around has been so different. I think at 22 I was too young and scared to enjoy this experience. Everytime I look at my new little baby, she makes me so happy. I don't think that I held Izzy enough as a baby because I was too nervous to pick her up. With Cambri, I never want to put her down. I think she's has completed our family in a way that I didn't see possible even two weeks ago. But I can finally be done with having kids so that makes me happy and want to hold my new little bundle all the time!