Miracles In A Car Wreck

On Friday at about 5:20 I got a phone call from my mom, which I missed. So, I got a text which says "call me when you have time." My mom and I talk a lot so no big deal. I call her up and she says, "Kitt and Matthew and Uncle David got in an accident on the way to Grandpa's. Everyone is okay we think. Kitt has some trauma to her face. We are waiting for results from a CT scan and a liver ultrasound, but we think she is fine. Uncle David is complaining of shoulder pain, but is fine. Matthew is fine, but pray for him because he was driving at the time of the accident." Yeah, I cried. It was a terrible phone call to receive, but the reason I am sharing this is because of the miracles both big and small that happened throughout this story. I am compiling based on stories from Kitt, Jack, Klaire, my mom, and me.

I firmly believe that if this accident wasn't suppose to happen it wouldn't have. God could have never let it happen. He could have had them be like so many other cars on the road that day that passed through safely, but he didn't. I wondered why for awhile. Why would he put so many miracles into accident? It seriously would have almost been easier to never let it happen. However, I trust that God is my Loving Heavenly Father and he wants me and my family to grow, and grow in faith. I would definitely have had to rely more heavily on that faith if the outcome had been more fatal, but I choose to believe that even if that happened he loves Me and my family enough to let us grow. So, we are so lucky that our faith gets to grow. That we are aloud to see Heavenly Father's love and still have Kitt, Matthew, and Uncle David here and well. So, here it goes.

They were driving along the Malad divide on the way to spend the long weekend with Grandpa-great. It was raining and the road was kind of a lake. They had slowed down from the 80mph speed limit to around 70 because of the water on the road. However, they hit a puddle and the car spun. Then somehow it went off the road, and the road there is a steep sided ravine and the car rolled side to side. Kitt says when it rolled she was thrown against the side and it rolled we believe about 1.5 times before coming to a stop upside down and the bottom. Everyone was hanging upside down by their seat belts. Kitt was screaming and according to Unlce David it wasn't just a scared scream it was a scream of pain. Uncle David was able to try and calm Kitt down. Matthew was able to get his door open and crawl out. Kitt knew something was wrong with her head because it felt huge, but she also knew she needed to get out of the car. She said she doesn't really even remember looking to try to avoid glass she just wanted out. Kitt crawled out through his door and then told Matthew to try and open Davids door. He was able to get that door open as well, and with some pretty tricky acrobatics to get from hanging upside down and through a maze of glass David got out of the car too. A man coming the opposite direction spotted the car lose control and immediately called 911. The accident happened close to an exit, so this man quickly exited and entered back onto the road to see if he could help. Apparently when he arrived David was still in the car and the man said, "you need to get out the gas tank could explode." This didn't do anything for Kitt's level of panic and David said it didn't help his concentration either, but I am still so grateful for this man because he got the EMT's there fast. Shortly after they were all out the paramedics and police arrived. Kitt needed to go to the hospital and the EMT's asked them where they would like to go--Malad or Tremonton. The police officer recommended they go to Tremonton and so that is where they went. They allowed David and Matthew to go with Kitt in the ambulance. Then apparently on the way David's chest started hurting, so they called the hospital to tell them there where two victims not just one. Also, apparently on the way David called Gaylynn to tell them what had happened and Gaylynn and my mom left almost immediately (they took time to leave a note for Grandpa-Great because they didn't want to wake him up from his nap to tell him).

At the emergency room they were the only ones there. My mom said when she got there, there were lots of nurses and doctors around Kitt and David and so she couldn't get to Kitt right away. Matthew was just sitting off to the side not really knowing what to do, so my mom went to him. She said they just hugged and she didn't know who was comforting who. After they comforted each other, they went to check on Kitt. Kitt's hand was apparently like 5 inches from the edge of them bed and very unlike Matthew he didn't reach out and get it, so my mom moved his hand for him. My mom reports once he got a hold of it he didn't let it go unless he had to, and he was right by Kitt's side or as close to her as he could be from then on. Kitt needed a CAT Scan, and a ultrasound of her liver. Both those machines were about 10 feet down the hall and available to them. The CAT scan was to make sure no internal damage was done to Kitt's head and the ultrasound was because she had some high liver something or others in her blood tests. All the tests came back clear for Kitt and the X-Ray they took of David's chest came back clear, so they were all released that night to go to Grandpa's.

While at the hospital, Matthew got the tow-truck driver's information. It was about 5:30 when he got it and David said he needed to call them right away to see if they could get there stuff from the car. Matthew tried, but no one answered. He came back to the room and reported that and my mom asked if he left a message. He replied, "No, do you think I should?" My mom said yes, and when he called back the guy answered. He said if they could come right away then he would wait for them. So, Gaylynn took him and he was able to get there stuff. Also, Kitt's personal phone was lost they couldn't find it anywhere when Matthew was looking at the accident. However, the tow-truck guy said "is this your phone? I found it in a puddle." It was her phone and even though it was in a puddle as far as I know it works like it never got wet. After Matthew retrieved the stuff from the car they went back to the hospital and took everyone to Grandpa-Greats'.

Also while Matthew was getting stuff at the tow truck place there was a note found on Kitt's seat that Kara had written her when Kitt moved to Colorado. I am sure it said other things, but the one thing that my mom told me it said was "no matter how many states we are apart we will always be together." This is amazing in of the fact the note was found after the tow, but also Kara went to the temple that day and felt like she needed to be in the 2:30 session not just because that was what would work best but because she needed to be. We estimate that about then is when the accident happened. She got in the 2:30 session. When she got out she saw she had a missed call from my mom and said she knew something wasn't right. Kara ended up getting a call from Jack to tell her what happened. She was in the parking lot when she heard and went back to the temple to put their names on their prayer roll. Pretty cool.

Another side-ish story is that about 10 sec before the car hydroplaned David got the prompting "your going to get in an accident. Protect your head." David heeded that prompting and layed down in the seat and grabbed the handle of the door on the other side. When the car rolled he held himself down to keep from getting crushed.

I can't figure out how to note all the miracles of this story in the story line so I am going to lay out as much of them as I can...

• Kitt, Matthew, and Uncle David are all okay. Sore and emotionally still healing, but alive and well.
• The accident didn't happen on a more hazardous stretch of the road.
• The driver going the other way saw them lose control. You could not see there car from the road. If they had lost conciseness who knows how long it would have taken help to get there.
• No one lost conciseness.
• David responded to the prompting and protected his head.
• Kitt didn't go into shock.
• They all got out of the car on their own.
• Kitt had a portion of her shirt shredded by the air bag, but her garments are not even snagged.
• Kara's note.
• Kara's visit to the temple at the 2:30 session.
• Jack was not at work and was able to answer my mom's call and help her get a hold of my sisters.
• My mom was in Idaho at the time. She would have been a wreck if she had been in AZ. Plus, I think they needed her, so she was there.
• Uncle David was in the car. Now we are sad he got hurt, but because he was there he added weight to the car. Also he was in the back seat and not Kitt. Kitt says she doesn't know if she could have done what David did to protect himself, but because he did they are both okay. Also he was there to help calm Kitt.
• They went to Tremonton Hospital where they were the only ones and could get the medical attention they needed.
• The tow-truck company answered the phone, waited for them to get there stuff, and found Kitt's phone.
• None of us kids recieved any pictures till after we knew everyone was completely okay.
• I am glad I didn't get the phone call till after Gaupo was home from work. I wish he wasn't at the store, but at the same time it gave me time to be scared and worried and cry a little and then be brave and faithful for my children when I gathered everyone together to pray.

I am sure I am missing some of the miracle because yes, there was an accident but short of letting it happen I feel like almost every other event that happened after was just a series of miracles. Mostly this story testifies to me of divine design. I am so grateful that Kitt and Matthew and David are alive and well. I know I would struggle with God's will if the accident had taken their lives, but I hope and pray that I would still know of God's love and have the courage to see the miracles. I feel so blessed and I know the other's do too. There is a God and He does watch over and love his children even when or especially when bad things happen. There is power in keeping your covenants.

Here are the pictures I have.

Kitt's car at the bottom of the ravine.

The car at the yard.

Another pic of the car.

A beautiful but wounded Kitt on the way home from the hospital.

Putting Things In Order

Lately, I have been working hard at putting things in order. Our home worked really well for us 4 'big' people, but we are now a family of 6 with two littles again. These two littles are such a blessing to our family. There sister love them so much. They really have a hard time keeping their hands off of them, and in Kylee and Tia's mind Gaupo and I have never gotten them better toys. Yes, they play with Kade and Abby all the time. It is sometimes stressful and overwhelming how much they love them, but I would so much rather have the love than the envy and the could very much have been or be the case. But, as much as we love Kade and Abby they help make our home just a little bit fuller and so we needed to set somethings in order.

First, they kind of started getting big enough that when we slept them together they would flail around and wake each other up, so it was time to move them to separate beds. However, the week before we decided that I went through the big girls clothes and toned down the winter wear and added in summer, and consequently had a big pile of clothes I just kind of chucked to the side in the babies room. That pile, 2 full closets, and a giant storage shelf did not lend itself to having two bed in there, so I had some tidying up to do. Oh man, it took a lot of work. I sorted and organized TONS of clothes. I sorted through books, and toys. I moved things around and go it all ready to go. It took such a long time. Then I needed Gaupo to help me move the big shelves. We were going to put them in the storage room in the basement, but turns out they don't fit, so we had to move them to the garage. So, Gaupo had to organize the garage. Plus, I still needed some shelves to put some the clothes I sorted through on, so we also had to organize the storage room better. It was a HUGE process for just adding one more little pack-n-play to a bedroom. However, it is totally worth it. We still have a few blankets and a couple little things that need to find a home in there room, but they actually have a room and I love it. Plus the garage looks great. We can get out bikes, strollers, scooters, rollerblades, and really everything we want and there is room to move around, it is awesome.

Another change we needed to make for our growing babies is getting the piano out of the kitchen. Yes, my piano was in my kitchen. It was because it gave us more space in the living room. However, with getting six people around the table and trying to arrange the kids so I have access to the twins and can still help the other two if needed put kids by the piano. Before, it was just Gaupo. I didn't like that, especially since the twins are going to start solid food soon. So, I needed it moved. At first I thought we would just have to have wall to wall furniture in the living room, but then I got a rocking chair from a friend who was moving. So, we moved the rocking couch to the basement, and put the piano and the rocker in the living room and I think it works really well. Plus, the rocking chair is really comfy and still pretty big. Its squishy with all 4 kids and me, but it can be done.

My house is not totally in order and defiantly not as clean as I would like, but its getting better slowly. I thought I new about priorities and letting things go as needed with just my two kids, but turns out not really. There are so many things I wish I could do. There are always things that could be done or be cleaner or more organized, but you know I have children that need love, attention, and food, and they come first. They probably don't feel like it sometimes, but they do. So, the messy kitchen floor, dirty bathroom (mainly because I have child who plays in the mud and then washes everything in there), a couple of piles, and slightly messy rooms can wait. I get to them to some degree but they can wait there turn while I raise my kids and love them.

Besides getting my house in order, I needed to get my life in order a little bit more too. Shortly after I found out I was having twins I kind of stopped exercising for a number of reasons and I have wanted to start again because I feel so much better about myself and life when I do, but with nursing and kids school stuff and babies and LIFE, I just haven't really gotten back to it like I would like. However, I decided that for a season--this season--I could workout at night. I asked Gaupo if that would work with him because it is kind of our time together and he was good with it and we even made a goal to try to do it together twice a week. Now, we are just kind of starting but we have done it twice and I have worked out at night and I feel so much better. I feel like the health choices I make in the evening are so much better. I feel like I have more energy the next day. So far it seems to be working and I hope it will until I need to figure out something else. Another part of life that needed to get in order was my time in the scriptures. I have really wanted to spend more time in them especially with the new Come Follow Me book, but just couldn't find the time. However, since I don't have to worry about exercising in the morning now after I put the twins down for a nap I can read them or do it during a quiet time during the day. I have loved the pondering moments I have been able to have. Most recently I have pondered Mary and Martha (probably were a lot of this ordering my life and wanting and feeling the need to make changes started) and the rich young ruler.

Making these changes hasn't solved all my problems, but it has brought more joy to my journey. I love feel comfortable and organized in my home. I love reading the scriptures and inviting the power they have into my life. I love the way that doing something hard (exercise) makes me feel. I love my family and spending time with them. I love this journey, and I really want to enjoy it now. People often say, oh don't worry it wont last forever. But, I can't wait until the twins get older, or Tia doesn't need as much help, or Kylee is successful at school. I really want to enjoy my life now for what it is. I want to enjoy the good, take the bad and make the best of it, and enjoy my life. Most of the time I succeed and I will work at it because I am chose to and will keep choosing to be happy. I am a blessed woman.

Mother of 4

This past Sunday was Mother's Day and it was wonderful. Gaupo did a great job of fixing what I wanted to eat. I did try to keep it easy because for one its Sunday and two we have four kids, but lunch of sandwiches was great and I really enjoyed my pumpkin pancakes. The kids were well behaved and I got to go alone to Relief Society. I also got to spend about an hour and half cleaning at my friends house. She is moving and I hadn't really had a chance to help her out yet and although it was Sunday it needed to get done, so I went and it was great to visit with her and help her with some things that needed to be done.

The twins after Church.

Tia's after church outfit.

Kylee and I at pasteries for parents a couple weeks ago.

So, even though Mother's Day itself was great. My favorite day was Saturday. I have been wanting to clean the twins room out for awhile and Saturday it finally happened. It wasn't suppose to take as long as it did, but when you organize one thing tends to lead to another. Anyway, I had spent a few day earlier sorting through kids clothes, toys, and our books to decide what needed to just go away and then getting the rest kind of organized. Then Saturday the plan was to move the storage shelves from the twins room to the basement storage, but they didn't fit. However, I still had stuff that needed shelf space so we had to reorganize the storage room. Then the garage so that shelves could go there. It was really very crazy and its not quite done yet. We still need to find homes for some blankets and stuff but there are now 2 pack-n-plays in the twins room and a closet for their stuff. Plus, I know where everything is. The storage room looks great and so does the garage. It feels SOOOOO good to have it all organized. The reason it isn't done is because we needed to play too. Gaupo bought me a bike for my birthday/Mother's Day and it was finally good weather Saturday so we went on a family bike ride to the park. It was fun to get our and I LOVE my bike. It was fun to be together and outside it was awesome. When we got back we made our own cocunut shrimp. It wasn't quite as good as Red Lobster, but it was still really good and not too hard either. 

Me and my new bike. I promise I was happy. I was just cold too.

Me, Kylee, Tia, and Gaupo with the twins. Once again, I promise I was having a good time its just tricky to take a family selfie while riding a bike.

Tia, and Kylee at the park.

So Saturday was great, but so was Friday night. Friday night we went on our first date since the twins. We left the kids with a friend and went to the temple and Wendy's. I know not real high spenders here, but it is what I wanted to do, so we did it. It was so nice to go to the temple and Gaupo and I got a good use of the 45 minute drive there and back talking about things. We needed to have time to talk together about things and it gave us the perfect time and good platform to start out on. Wendy's was also really good. However, when we went to pick up the kids we found out Abby wouldn't take her bottle, so that is kind of a bummer, but you know at least we got to once. We can go again we just have to time it a little different. Anyway, it was good to get away just for a bit and to have time to talk with each other. Personally, I think this date is one reason why Saturday was so great. We had a plan and we worked together and spent time as a family it was great.

Gaupo and I making funny faces at the temple.

 I love being a mom although a lot of times it can be really challenging and exhausting. However, I wouldn't change it or give away any of my kids. They all teach me so much and show me that I really can do many things. They are all so unique and have help build me and stretch me. I love my family. They truly bring me so much joy.

Recent lesson learned: I can die 22 kids white shirts purple in my washing machine. All the shirts are in the dryer in this pic and all those rubber bands Gaupo and I had to take off the shirts. There were so many, but it was actually pretty cool to do.

33, 30, and 4M

This past week was Birthday week. We started celebrating early because for us celebration involves good food and Gaupo and I have a lot of good food we want to eat for our birthdays. So, Gaupo made his own meal by smoking a brisket. I made baked beans and potatoes to go with it. He did that the Friday before his birthday because he worked the Saturday before. Saturday we had a weiner roast in my honor. The girls and I even put in the new firepit for it. Sunday we Gaupo's cake. He wanted crock-pot cake which is pretty much chocolate lava cake. So, I ate some and both Kade and Abby are a no go on chocolate. Kade more than Abby, but she still spit up quite a bit after it, so it appears even when I officially nurse Kade no more I am still of chocolate at least massive amount of it for another couple of months.

Where the twins hung out during the weiner roast.

Me, Kylee, Gaupo, and Tia roasting hotdogs.

Kylee, Kade, Gaupo, Abby, and Tia.

Love this!!

Gaupo with his squirt gun the girls gave him.

Tia, Kylee, Gaupo and the cake.

Monday (April 29th) the kids didn't have school and we decided that Gaupo should take the day-off too and it was awesome. I feel like most of the time his time off is my time to go do stuff and this day was no different. I got some chicken to restock the freezer and then me and the girls hit a couple of bike shops. I really wanted a new bike for my birthday and Mother's Day gift. But I want one that I like, so I need to take a look at them and test ride them a bit and see what I liked. So, we hit two stores. The first store I tried a couple and found one I really liked the Trek Vereb 2. Then we checked in at home. Everything was going good, so we went to one other store. I tried 4 bikes there and none had everything I wanted, so I went home to debate and get back to being a mom of babies a.k.a feeding them. Later that afternoon we watched a movie together as a family and then Gaupo had the brilliant idea of going rock climbing, so we did that too. I say brilliant idea because our kids get so wound up watching TV, I mean seriously they go crazy, so rock climbing was the perfect thing to do after movie watching. Then we came home and made another birthday dinner for Gaupo- Navajo Tacos. It was a such a great break day. Gaupo was more than happy to let me run around because all he wanted to do with his day off was just enjoy being home and I really wanted to get somethings done and I was able to. Plus we did some great stuff as a family, so it was a really good day.

I think Gaupo had a good birthday. His actual b-day was very busy with church, meetings, ward boundary change fireside, and kids, but I think overall he enjoyed it. I am so glad I have this man in my life and that I got to spend another year of his life with him. He is such a good dad to our kids, and is turning out to be quite the good baby daddy on these #3 and #4 kids. He is so helpful to me. He is hard worker, and good dad. I am amazed by all that he does to help our family. This past year alone he has finished his masters, become a supervisor at work, refinished the basement, become a father to 2 more kids, and been a solid support to me. I am married to the best 33 year-old in the world.

As for my birthday, the actual day was really hard. I always want to do only what I want to on my birthday and that just doesn't happen. Plus, I hate being alone for my birthday. Anyway, I don't want to go to much into it because it really was wonderful. Gaupo bought some great pizza for dinner, my angel food cake and strawberries turned out awesome, and I got some great phone calls. But I did cry that night because it was a hard day. But its gotten better.

Kylee, Me, and Tia with the cake. I don't know why they made these faces they were actually happy.

Family photo for my B-day.

On Sunday, I had time to read the Ensign and to talk with family. The Ensign and my mom reminded me to be grateful for what I have, which in a large picture is mortality. My life right NOW is a gift and I need to look for the good in it. So, this week I have tried really hard to put things in the proper order, take care of myself, and find the good and be grateful for it. And also to realize it doesn't all have to be good I can learn from the hard as well. So, this week feel more like a celebration. I had lunch on Monday with my friend Megan Von Neiderhausen. Yesterday, I finalized my bike decision and Gaupo bought it for me and brought it home. I am so excited. Now, all I need is some good weather to ride in. Then today, I made cookies with Tia and let Kylee have a school friend over. Overall, things are going better. I know there will still be rough times but I am grateful for these good days.

Then between Gaupo and I's birthdays the twins hit 4 months. Its so crazy they are 4 months. However, they are quite the pair. They are so opposite. Kade: boy, takes a bottle and a pacifier, chunky, more cranky, and has rolled over back to front. Abby: girl, wont take a bottle or pacifier, lean, really good natured, and can roll sometimes front to back.However, they are both pretty good sleepers, patient with their family, love their toys and being outside, and they both have super cute smiles. We love these babies they bring us lot of joy and teach us so much.

Kade @ 4mo. 

Abby @ 4 mo.

Abby and Kade

Isn't this awesome. This idea goes to Tia.

Tia with the glasses and nose.

Abby in the swings for the first time.

Kade in the swings for the first time.

Random Things

Kitt and Matthew's Final weekend with us was April 13th. They came that morning and us adults got to hangout with each other. I fed babies and talked to Kitt and Matthew (bless his heart) helped Gaupo install a new storm door. The girls were at a birthday party, so we just got to adults for a bit. However, we did try to party it up. We had good food-burgers for lunch and Teriyaki chicken for dinner. We went to the Rec Center and went swimming, which Matthew pointed out was the first thing we ever did with him--kind of cool. We also had a piggy painting party with Aunt Kitt. We enjoy simple pleasures these days and this day was totally fun.

 

Matthew held both babies at once! This is a big deal for him because at the beginning of  his internship he was a little nervous about babies and what to do, but now he knows a lot and is so good with them.

Kylee, Aunt Kitt, and Tia picking out colors for their piggies.

Here is a layout pic of Kade and Abby in bows. To me Kade is so boy, so much so he doesn't even look good in a bow.

The weather has been so nice lately and so Tia and I have been going to parks more. Tia is quite the mommy and I must make it look pretty cool because she always wants to have her own stroller and babies.

Walking to the park with our two strollers.

At the park.

This is how you 'push' 5 kids at once. Warning the middle kid needs to be a pretty good steerer and pusher themselves. It was a fun little trick for a bit.

In other baby new. Kade is getting close sometimes to rolling back to front and Abby can go from front to back once she get her hands in the right place. I have to be careful how I place her for tummy time or before I know she has rolled over. Also Kade got moved to a bottle last week. I didn't know what else to do. I had tried supplementing, acid refulx medicine, and just toughing it out, but nothing worked and he was always screaming during feedings. It just got to the point where it wasn't worth it anymore. I needed to have more of me for the other people in this family, so we switched and are both SOOOOO much happier. We still have our moments, and I personally find bottles, so messy, but I love that I can enjoy my babies and kids so much more. Abby is still a great nurser and enjoys having lots of milk. They are kind of in a routine and that is nice. I definately have moments where I kind of want to quit, well quit isnt quite right more like press pause take a timeout and then go back. Sometimes, I cry and get frustrated because things can be hard at times. However, there are other times I get to laugh with my kids, jump on the tramp with them, make cookies and dinner. There are time I get to blog, and have quiet. There are so many good times. Life wasn't meant to be easy and a party all the time, so I feel like I have a pretty good mix and I feel so grateful for my life and all the good and bad it entails. I am a blessed woman.

Easter 2019

I am pretty proud of myself this Easter because I actually feel like I didn't sluff the spiritual part of it. We were reading the Children's Friend on the Sunday before Easter and I stumbled upon a portion where it had a little blurb, scripture, and song for everyday leading up to Easter. So,  that is what we did for family scripture study all week. Tia has never wanted to be at scriptures more. I know for a fact it was because there was a video involved. I looked up a music video with the song for each day. But, it was so fun to have her there and involved. She even helped read the scripture sometimes. Kylee loved the video but she loved reading the scriptures more. Her job was to read the scripture and Tia's was to push play on the video. It was so great to daily remember Christ. I also took time to read the final week of Jesus's life in Matthew. I really wish I had the brain power right now to really study, but for now reading will have to do and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read that story and remember.

It reminded me of my testimony. My testimony that Christ lived, died, and lived again. He suffered in Gethsemane. He rose the 3rd day. Because Christ did those things I can live with my family again. There is life after death and it can be a joyous reward. I can repent. There is always someone who knows exactly what I am going through and what it feels like and He knows how to help me. I know that because of Him, I have help to do things that would normally be impossible. Christ loved ME, so He came to the earth lived, died, and then lived again, so that I would not have to be alone forever. I am so very very grateful for that.

Easter morning, the Easter Bunny did come and he did an Easter egg hunt as always. I really wanted to watch it, so while I fed the twins I had the girls watch the Easter video's put out by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It really just about killed them and I think it is one of the few times that TV didn't satisfy them. However, they hung in there and we got the twins fed and then we went downstairs and they enjoyed the hunt. The eggs left were filled with M&M's, White Chocolate Cadbury Eggs, and Reese's Pieces Eggs. After the hunt, Gaupo made pancakes for breakfast and then we quickly got ready for church, so that we could walk. It was a beautiful morning to walk. We had a great church meeting. Our ward choir sang a beautiful musical number and there were good talks. I was highly distracted during Sunday school, so sadly I didn't get much from it. After church we had lunch, and naps. Then the rest of day was just talking and being a family. We got a little rain in the afternoon and that was nice. We had some cheesy potatoes and ham for dinner and a nice quiet evening.

Easter was pretty low key, but I still think we hit all the needed and good parts. I feel like my children knew and realized why we were celebrating Easter and we had some good discussions during the week and we were also able to have fun with coloring eggs and having an Easter egg hunt. For me it was the best of both worlds.

Tia coloring eggs.

Gaupo coloring eggs.

Kylee coloring on her egg.

Tia, Gaupo, and Kylee.

Me, Tia, Gaupo, and Kylee.

Kylee and Tia on the hunt.

Abby holding a little egg.

Tia with some eggs.

Kade and the little egg.

Me on Easter Morning.

Emptying Eggs.

Life Since Twins

Our twins were born, and now this is the first time I have had to blog about anything and everything since they have been born. They are now three months old and I have them going to bed early, so hopefully I can get in the habit of blogging again, because I really did miss writing, but it was so crazy. I think the craziest thing about 2 is that the moment when you have just a smidge of time is so much smaller because you have to get two babies to sleep or content and that doesn't happen often and when it does there is usually someone else who needs something. However, it is wonderful, but I wont lie I love being able to put them down around 7:00. Yes, it means I have to get up in the night, but I love having some time where it is just me or just me and Gaupo.

So, what has happened since they were born. Well, we have held babies, and held babies. We have tried to do cooking, and cleaning. We have gone to school. Although, this is the first time since the babies that I have taken my kids to school, so still getting back into everything. But, beside all those little things we have fed babies, gone to Arizona for a wedding, had Kylee's Birthday, finished the basement, and had a baby blessing plus company.

Feeding Babies. I know it sounds like it should go with all the 'little' things, but I really feel like I need to document how it actually is or how it seems. It seems huge because I am trying to nurse two babies. Which I can do. I have the milk or at least seem to. I can do both at the same time, which everyone think is amazing, but that isn't whats hard. What was hard is that all the time with the babies sucking on me caused some nipple damage that took about 7 weeks to heal up. It took a good 4 before it stopped hurting every time they latched. I have also since had blisters, but that wasn't too bad. Kade is really fast at nursing but kind of lazy, so if it isn't fast he gets frustrated and wont. Also after having him fuss and almost deny eating while we were in Arizona I decided to go off chocolate to see if that helped. It did, so now I don't get chocolate. Good thing for Reese's Pieces! However, not even that stopped all the problems. Kade is still kind of a fussy eater and sometimes is so impatient. Sometimes I worry that I don't have the milk because even Abby will get fussy. It takes time and it is really hard to do not at home. I haven't figured out how to cover up, so when we are out and about I either just have to do it or wait till we get home. When we had company I went to my room to do it, so every 2.5 to 3 hours I was checking out of what was going on in my home. Sometimes it is really rough and I want to give up. I have seriously contemplated it and still do. However, I love that we don't have to buy formula and do bottles. It helps our bills a lot. I am not a super good cuddler, so I love a reason to have these two cuddled next to me when no one else can have them. I love when they get full and are content. I love holding and looking at them and not feeling the slighest bit guilty because I am feeding them. I usually like doing it, so I feel very blessed to have done it this long and to be able to do it.

Klaire's Wedding. We went down to Arizona on Presidents day weekend to watch Klaire and Curtis get married. We left at 2:30 in the morning and didn't get to Pima until 7:00PM that night. It was a long day. However, I am so glad we went. It was fun to be with family and to have a vacation and tons of help with the babies. I am so glad we didn't miss the wedding because it was fun to be there with them and celebrate that special day. We loved soaking up the family time. My girls loved playing with their cousins and I loved being around my siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandpas. I really didn't want to come but we of course did. We did the journey in two days. We stayed in Alamosa, Colorado at a hotel. We enjoyed the nice hotel (courtesy of a the Richard's family), breakfast, and the indoor pool.

Kylee's Birthday. Kylee turned 7! I can't believe I have a seven year-old. We had a great birthday celebration. We took the whole weekend to celebrate. We had Sam's Club for dinner on Friday and watched Gummi Bears and had a sleepover in the basement. Saturday Kitt and Matthew came and we had greasy tacos and pumpkin pie for dinner. Then Sunday we had presents and breakfast for dinner and more pie. Kylee is quite the girl. She is a great big sister and really loves her siblings. She loves holding Kade and Abby. She loves playing with Tia and recently discovered she likes following directions for building Legos. She doesn't really like school, but I do think she is starting to like it more and more. Her best friend besides Tia is still Tori Jacobson although she plays a lot with a girl named Harper at school. She is learning and growing a lot and we are so glad we have had her be a blessing in our lives for the last  7 years.

Kade, Gaupo, Kylee, Me, Abby, and Tia.

Kylee and Her cake.

Love these two sisters.

Basement Project COMPLETE! We have finished the basement and love it. The girls play down there a lot. They love playing in the playroom, bedroom, and bathroom. They have loved having their new slide too. I love that they have a space to play that isn't were the babies are. I love that many of their toys went back downstairs. I love having a space for guests and that the space is inviting. I love that we no longer have wear shoes to go get food from the storage room. I love that it is done and we can do other things on the weekend. It was a good experience and project but I am glad to be done.

Movie night the first night with carpet

The slide!

Baby Blessing and Company. We blessed Kade and Abby on March 10. Grandma and Grandpa came out the Thursday before. We played games, read books, held babies, and played. Grandma and Grandpa even went to school and had lunch with Kylee. She LOVED it! We loved having them come and visit us. After the blessing Jack and Lindsay and their family stayed till the following Friday morning. We got two snow days while they were here, so I didn't have to take Kylee out of school like I was planning. We didn't do anything real special with them except play and let the kids make friendships. The kids played super well together. They did have a rough day towards the end but hey after 5 days non-stop together its bound to happen and it wasn't really too bad. I loved having the extra help with the twins. I was super bummed when they left and I had to care for all of my kids all by myself again. I love family time, so I am so glad we got to have visitors. Kade and Abby's blessing was great. We had both grandparents, Kitt and Matthew, and Jack and Linsday and their family here to help us celebrate. Gaupo blessed his babies and I sat on the stand and held the one that wasn't being blessed, so that was kind of cool. We had good food--nachos and lazagna. Plus sams club muffins for breakfast. Yum! We just spent after church visiting and enjoying each others company. We had a good time and are glad we could have the special celebration together.

Grandma holding babies.

Kylee, Tia, and Grandpa playing Sorry.

The group at the baby blessing.

Our family of 6!

The Grandparents and us.

Kade and Abby's circle. Matthew, Papa, Gaupo, Grandpa, and Jack.

Sisters. Lindsay, Me, and Kitt.

Kade.

Abby.

Abby and Kade.

I feel like so much and yet nothing happens with us right now, but I sure feel busy. I think caring for a family of six takes a lot of time but I wouldn't trade it. I love my family and my kids. I feel so blessed to be doing and have done the things we do. I know that Heavenly Father is blessing this family because he works miracles in my life on a daily basis. I wish I could document more and hopefully will be, but this is all the last 3 months are going to get.