Grace's 3rd B-Day

For Grace's 3rd B-day we had a Pizza Party

The kids all got to make their own pizzas, and then the
parents all got to makethe edible pizzas

All the kids had their own little aprons (which, i of course had to make
since i'm incapable of buying ANYTHING!!) and their
own little chef's hats.

Our wee little house was a bit over crowded with the 31 people
that showed up--but we all had a blast--especially
the birthday girl

Honestly, Grace had a smile on her face the whole day--
except in the moments that the camera came out!!

Happy 3rd, my sweet Grace!!

is it too late to post Easter pics??

I'm a little embarassed that it's May and i'm posting March pictures....um...better late than never?!?!?

We took a family vacation in March and went to DC to visit Reid's sister, Alisa, and my sister, Melanie--the moms of all of Grace and Abby's cousins. We had such a great time--and best of all --Reid didn't have to do any work at all!!!! (i think our lawyer friends will be able to appreciate how miraculous that was!) Of course we didn't take many pictures, but reid's sister took this one, which i LOVE (you can't imagine how hard it was to get Abby to hold still and to get Grace to not just stare at the camera--so this was as good as it was gonna get)

Of course i couldn't just go out and buy matching dresses for my daughters, that would be too easy. So, i made them! I actually made 3 dresses--one for my girls, and one for their cousin (who's mom took this picture)

And here's another one, taken at Reid's sister's house just outside of Baltimore, MD.

We got back to Denver just before Easter. We had a small little Easter Egg hunt the day before Easter. It was 34 degrees outside, but the kids all had a great time!

The girls loved finding their Easter Baskets sunday morning. And they LOVED the peanuts, popcorn, pretzels, fruit snacks and animal crackers that filled their eggs (yes, i know you're all going to ridicule me for not filling their baskets with candy, but i just couldn't do it!!!

...and yes, i made their baskets, well, the liners--i have an addiction!!!


Grace lives in her "birthday suit" an ongoing, ever-losing battle.
So most of our pictures of her are just like this!!

Abby LOVES hats and honestly doesn't
mind that she can't see when they're on!!!

Reunions and farewells

Have you ever volunteered to plan something and then really regretted doing so, only to REALLY be glad that you did?!?!?! Well, i blame my absenteeism here in the blogging world on the fact that from about January 5th until April 5th i spent almost all of my "computer time" planning a reunion for all 500+ missionaries that were with me 7-10 years ago in Santiago, Chile. (We didn't have emails back then, so it was quite the challenge contacting everyone!!) But, with the help of many fellow missionaries, we pulled off a really successful reunion. Our mission president and wife, John and Lexine Hadfield were there from California, and we even had one missionary come from Argentina!! There was a fun slide show, yummy food, tons of catching up, and most importantly, a great turnout.

All the missionaries singing our "mission song"

Me and Melissa Quinn - my last companion in Chile

Argentine missionary with the Hadfields

You can't imagine the shock and sadness I felt when I found out the morning of April 14th, only 9 days after our reunion, that our President, John C. Hadfield, had passed away. He was only 57 years old, and they still don't know the cause. He was an exceptional leader to me as a missionary, and he was very true to what he believed. I feel very grateful (in spite of all the complaining I did) that I volunteered to plan that missionary reunion. All of us who were there feel so fortunate that we were able to see our president, catch up, and tell him of the difference he, and our missions, had made in our lives. I will miss him dearly.

John C. Hadfield
1951-2008

two's company...

Three's a house full of estrogen, curling irons, training bras, hairspray, princess shoes, pink everything, bins of hair accessories and nail polish, frequent flyer miles with Tampax, gallons of Drano, drama, drama, and more drama!



(She's a real lady--thus the crossed legs)

When the Dr. told Grace she'd have a new little sister she exclaimed "I can't wait!!!" The Dr and the resident both just about died--it was SOOO sincere and sooooo cute!

I think most people we've told today assume we're disappointed, but really, the fact that she has a healthy heart, all her limbs, an Allred head and isn't accompanied by a twin sister- that's really all that matters!

We'll have our 3 girls, and we're really getting excited about it! Grace and Abby are best friends. They play so well together, and have since the day Abby learned to move on her own. And although they have their battles, the times that they play together make it all worth it. And I really look forward to seeing my three girls play together, fight together, go to ballet class together, be in high school together...okay, i'm getting a little ahead of myself--just a coping strategy.

The truth is I'm completely freaked out. It's funny to talk to people about having more kids, and they tell me how they're "waiting" cause they don't feel "ready" or don't think they could "handle it right now." ahhhhhh, i remember saying such things not long ago.... But, ready or not, we're doing it. And i'm surrounded by AMAZING moms who inspire me to be a better mom and with much help from above I might manage to be a decent mom who doesn't get reported to child services :)

Grace

In light of a few cute moments I had this weekend with Grace, I thought I'd take a crack at posting tonight.

Yesterday (Saturday) was beautiful--70 degrees and blue skies--so Grace and I went to the park while Emily and Abby napped. (As a side note, we woke up to a blizzard this morning. There are now 5 inches of snow on the ground.) Grace had me push her on the swings, climb up the jungle gym, slide down the slide, lay on the grass, look up at the sky and clouds, and run around with her. At one point, I was swinging with Grace lying on my lap; she was "welaxing" with her eyes closed. After a few minutes, she looked back at me and asked, "Are you okay back there Dad?" I ask her the same thing when I'm driving and she and Abby are in their car seats. Later, when we were lying down on the grass, she looked over at me, placed her hand on my arm and said, "Dad, I'm so proud of you." Neither Emily nor I know exactly where that came from, but it was cute.

After work on Friday, Emily and the girls picked me up from the light rail station so we could go to a Cub Scout banquet. I dropped off Emily and Abby at the church and took Grace (who was asleep) to the store to get some ice cream for the party. When we go to the store Grace woke up. She was groggy and confused, so I explained what had happened since she had fallen asleep and what we were doing. When I took her out of her seat, she snuggled in my arms, squeezed me tight, and with her face in my shoulder, said "I love you Daddy." What more could a guy ask for?

they say that most accidents...

happen within the home.


Due August 23rd

I could write a novel about how i have felt physically, how i feel emotionally, how we found out, how much this explains, how freaked out i am--and maybe i will later. but for now i just need to get the news out there. I'm 14 weeks now, and fighting getting out my maternity clothes that i swear i JUST BARELY put away!!!! I've gone from scared, to mad, to depressed, to happy--which is where i am now, finally.

The thing is, I had this plan. It was the 4 year plan. 4 years between Abby and the next baby. Well, God laughed at my plan... :)

oh, and reid and i DO intend to enroll in the local 7th grade health class. We're missing something....obviously.

Are you guys newlyweds???

Two days after reid got back from his 7 day business trip to Belgium, he had to leave to attend a conference in San Fran. the thought of him there, and me here.....alone.....with the girls......again....was just too much! so we did it! we got me a ticket to SF and we finally had our very first post-children get-a-way! it was short, but it was AWESOME!!!

I flew out Friday afternoon, shopped for a few hours while his conference wrapped up (they have an H&M!!) and then met up with Reid for dinner. We had the best 36 hours of our lives!!!! and i guess it showed cause people kept asking us if we were newlyweds--i know, i know, how cute, huh?!?! we kinda felt like it, too!

San Fran is beautiful!! I'd never been there, and had always wanted to. We saw just about everything we wanted to, and had time to relax, and sleep-in, too!! If only it could have lasted longer...(but who can afford to pay a babysitter for more than 2 days!?!?! These are the moments we wish we lived near family....)

here are a few pics

Here we are on the crooked Lombard Street (you have to click on it to see the street...)

Loved, loved, LOVED the trolley!!!

Can you see the seals behind our huge heads?
Anyone who's been to Pier 39 knows these very seals...

Coit Tower - 409 steps total

excited to climb the steps - step #1

Wondering how much longer we've got - step #203

nearly dead, burning thighs, huge regrets - step #360

Glad i did it....LOVED the (foggy and rainy) view from the top
of the tower!!!

So, for any of you wondering if you need a get-a-way....just DO IT!!!! best thing ever!!!!