Flashback Friday-Two years ago today.

Two years ago today I was preparing to have my third baby, Lucky. I was so excited to meet our baby.

I wanted to get some pictures of our family of four before we became five! We did not get any good pictures, but these show what life is really like anyway.

Looking back at these pictures I can't believe how little the boys were. They were so cute and little! Dusty is only a few months older than Lucky is now when we had Lucky. Yikes!

My mom was in town. She came earlier than the baby did so she could stay with the older boys at home. We were so glad she could come.

These next couple of pictures show how big I really got. I was HUGE. As big as I look in these pictures, they still don't do the belly justice. I was always asked if I was having twins. When strangers would ask me how far along I was I would lie. People would tell me I looked like I was ready to pop when I was only 6 months along.

Ugh! It makes me fell tired, achy, and very nauseous just looking at these pictures. I think I am done having kids. Three is plenty... right?

I love these pictures of Dusty. He wanted me to hold him, but I was too big and tired to do it as often as he wanted me to. I had the camera and decided to take pictures. I am glad I did because it was something that happened so often at the end of my pregnancy, it is fun to see it in pictures from my point of view.

hold me...

please...
um, mama?...
I can't believe she won't hold me...
mama, please hold me...
HOLD ME!!!...
Lady, you better hold me right now!...
Oh, and be nice in your comments please. I already know how big I was and I am a tiny bit sensitive about it... so keep the "you were as big as a house" comments to yourself. Thanks. :)

I didn't even know her...

Through a blog called 5 minutes for mom I read about a family that lost their baby girl on Sunday. She drowned in their new spa. The mom, Stephanie, is so amazing. She continues to post on her blog daily. After reading a few posts I noticed that she lives in the town I lived in during high school, and she is LDS. I realize that knowing that families are forever, and the comfort of our Heavenly Father's plan is what is pulling her through. I know these things too, but I can't say I would handle it so well.
A few years ago my cousin and his wife lost their son. I remember wondering how long it would take me to stop thinking about him and his parents. I could not get them out of my mind. I was so sad. I thought that if it took me this long to grieve a baby that I had only met once or twice, how would I handle the loss of my own child. It is heartbreaking.
I am so sad for Stephanie and her family. I don't even know them, but I think about them all day. They have been in my prayers, and I hope that they will continue to be comforted.

Trip to Branson

El Guapo and I were able to take a fun little trip to Branson, Missouri last week. All of the store managers in El Guapo's district won a three day, two night trip with their spouses. We had a great time, and thanks to lots of great friends from church, we didn't worry about our kids. Well, not too much anyway.

On our way there we drove under a McDonald's that Ned, Dusty and Lucky would have loved. It is built right over the freeway.
El Guapo pretended to feed the trucks his french fries. He knew the boys would get a kick out of this picture.


We arrived in Branson at about 5:30 on Wednesday night. We first went to dinner at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater where El Guapo ordered some fried pickles. I think our boys would have loved them.



We decided to go to a show with some of the other couples. We saw Pierce Arrow. One of the men in the group, Tim Storms is in the Guinness book of world records for the lowest note produced by a human. I took a little video clip. You are not supposed to take video of the show so I just turned on the camera to record how low his voice was. It is pretty amazing.

Overall the music was ok, but the comedian was the best part.

The next day we went to Silver Dollar City. It was so much fun! We were the only ones that really enjoyed it. We both LOVE to ride roller coasters. There is nothing like screaming at the top of your lungs. It's a great way to blow off some steam!
El Guapo went on a water ride and was totally soaked.

That evening we all went to the Dixie Stampede. It was pretty fun. I liked the food. There was one woman in the group that refused to eat because they made you eat with your hands. :)
Of course El Guapo had to wear his Lakers shirt because they played that night.

We had a very pretty view from our hotel room. It is really a pretty town with lots of fun things to do. We are so glad we were able to go.

Wordless Wednesday*-Branson Souvenirs

*I know that it is Tuesday (thanks for pointing that out, Michal) but I am leaving this post up anyway. :) I must be wishing the time would go by faster so I can move on to the next vacation I have planned. I am so excited to see all of my family in Utah!!!

Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

We love you, Ned, Dusty, and Lucky! We hope you are having fun. We sure are!

Our car in the middle of roller coaster was the only car that faced backward. So fun!

See you tomorrow night, boys!

Ta ta for now...

I am going to be busy for a few days, so I will not be posting (or reading) for a little while. I will try to post about our adventures this weekend. In the meantime you can check out the boys' individual pages that have funny little things they have said or done here:

Ned

Dusty

Lucky

You can read those any time you want by clicking under their picture on the left side of the screen.

Also, read a little reminder.

Have a fabulous week!

I'll follow you wherever you go, big brother!

I recently got a cheap little digital camera and have been enjoying the ability to make little video clips. (I have two video cameras and never pull them out when I should.) I have not wanted to post too many of the video clips on my blog because I will not be able to put them in my 2008 blog book, but sometimes I can't resist.

Ned got a Chinese jump rope for his birthday. We have not used it much for what it was intended, but Dusty and Lucky have had a fun time with it. This video was taken last Sunday after church.

Maybe when I do my blog book this year it will make me stop posting videos. Doing my 2007 book made me stop posting slide shows, it was too hard to transfer them to the book.