During the summer, Zephanie got engaged.  So in August we headed to Idaho for her wedding.  Normally we are in such a hurry to get there that we never stop and do anything fun along the way.  This time we did.  In Rifle we headed to Rifle Falls.  It was beautiful.  I definitely want to go camping there next summer.  We did a little hiking around the falls and then we headed on to Tosha's house.

 

 

We loved having Zephanie stay with us for 4 months and were sad to take her back to Rexburg.  She was helpful in almost every situation.  She helped with kids and with cleaning and with cooking.  She did hair (mine and the girls) and helped finish projects and she took pictures.  Here are a few from Easter Sunday, her last Sunday with us.

Unfortunately we don't have any pictures between April and August.  They were accidentally deleted when we tried to upload them onto the computer.  We had a great 4th of July.  We went and watched the parade in Indian Hills.  We BBQ'd with Rustan and his family who were in town for the week.  There were no fireworks to watch in Clement Park due to all the fires in the state and there was even a firework ban in the residential neighborhoods so it was a quiet evening.  Maizy turned 3 in July and we had a Spiderman cake.  Strawberry cake covered with pink icing and then decorated with chocolate lines forming a Spiderman face. She loved it.  I did not feel it was my best work. Oh also on Maizy's birthday the girls took turns cutting each others hair so they both had to get haircuts.  Maizys was an extra short pixie cut and Kadences was only slightly shorter with layers.
 I helped plant the flowers at the temple in May and I went and took pictures in August (yes those were erased also).  They were really spectacular this year.  I did go back later and get a few pictures.

 
 

 

 

Add caption

 

Baby blessing and family

We decided to bless Quinnley at 3 weeks old, so that most of our family could come over their spring break.

The week before though I got a call from her pediatrician telling me one of her screens from the hospital had come back with an irregular result.  She  told me it was the screen test for SCIDs (Severe Combined Immuno-Defiency or Bubble boy syndrome) and she told me not to look it up on the internet.  Who can resist these days.  The things I read were more than a little shocking and scary.  Most baby's who are not tested and treated in the first six months die within the first year.  The treatment for it is usually a bone marrow transplant.  I sat there holding that baby and thinking how can someone so sick possibly look so healthy.    They sent us to National Jewish Hospital for more testing.  All the nurses looked at us like we were the ones who were sick and they expected us to pass out any minute.  The head Dr was nice and very straight forward with us.  He told us the chances of her having SCIDs were minimal and we would worry about it only if her results came back positive.  Then came the really fun part.  They needed to draw blood. . .. 4 vials of it.  How can they take that much out of a newborn???  They barely have that much.  It took them 4 pokes with lots of wiggling that needle around to get it all (5 different nurses had to try it).  Poor Quinnley screamed the whole time and I just cringed inside holding her.  They said it would take 3 weeks to get back all the results and that no news was good news for us.  However, the resident doctor called 2 days later to tell us she didn't have SCIDs.  I was so grateful and so relieved.  I had been willing to go through the challenge if that is what Our Heavenly Father wanted for us, but I was so grateful for Quinnley not to have to go through it.

The following weekend my family came for the blessing.  All of my brothers and sisters except one were able to make it.  The church was packed.  So was our house.  It was wonderful!

The girls had a spa party.  We put on face masks.  Most of them weren't too sure about that.  And we painted  nails.  They liked that part.

They spent plenty of time in the sandbox.  (Kadence and Seriah)

Uncle Tegan taught them all to play Baku-gan.

Cragun and Maizy watching the Baku-gan game.

Cute Mr. Treyson "Is it my turn?"

The cousins had a great time playing together.  The adults had a great time socializing.
 On Monday, those who stayed all trekked down to Colorado Springs for some site seeing.  We drove through Garden of the Gods and then headed for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.  I have lived here in Colorado for eight years and had never been to either place.  Garden of the Gods is free and the zoo most definitely is not!  My dad got the military discount even though he hasn't been in the military for as long as I can remember.  That helped alot.  It is a remarkable zoo and you get a great workout as you have to climb up the side of the mountain (thus the name) to see all animals.  The highlight had to be the giraffes though.  The giraffe enclosure is surrounded on two sides by a platform so that patrons are on eye level with them.  And for a dollar you can feed the giraffes.  One of the best dollars we ever spent. We would go back just to do that again!

Quinnley's arrival!

So the month of January and most of February seemed interminable waiting for that little girl to get there.  My midwife didn't think I would make it another week after my 39 week appointment.  But I did. . . I made it two weeks (13 days and 12 hours but who's counting).  The Friday that she was born I woke up at three in the morning having strong contractions every 15 minutes.  That lasted for 4 hours and then quit.  We had a docs appointment that morning and we were hoping she would just induce us right then.  She didn't.  So through out the day I would have spells of contractions and then they would quit.  I had them all the way through dinner time consistently every 12 minutes and then they quit and 9.  So I went to bed.  At 10 :45 they were back very strong.  Not very consistent at first and then consistently every 3 minutes for 20 minutes which is when I got Jake out of bed.  And he rushed around the room gathering stuff.  It was a good thing Zephanie was there so we didn't have to drop kiddos off.  I had them consistently all the way to the hospital I couldn't even dial the phone or walk into the hospital.  I had to stop every 10 feet and breathe.  Someone brought us out a wheel chair but nobody at the front desk called up to the delivery floor to let them know we were there.  Quinnley Noelle was born only 30 minutes after we got to the hospital.  I went natural (naturally there was no time for an epidural).  For about 20 minutes it was really hard, but then she was born and recovery was so smooth.  She was by far our biggest baby at 8 lbs 13 oz.  She promptly made everyone's acquaintance by pooping on everyone and everything.  And she was loud.  I was sooooo happy to get her here.

So were her big sisters.  Kadence took right to mothering her and wanted to hold every chance she could get. Maizy was a little less sure but still wanted to hold her.  Kadence was awesome.  Maizy had about a week where she was into everything and needed extra attention.  Jake loves here but still isn't adjusted to having 3 kids. It makes us feel. . .  how should I say it . . . . old?  Hate to put that in print.  With just one you still feel like you are mostly newly weds and young parents but with three there is just no getting around the fact that you have been parents for awhile.
Well we are still not current yet but at least you know we have three kids so getting closer.  I will try to do better.  Signing off for today.

Once again, it has been an age since we have written anything.  It is my intention to do better.  So a recap of 2012 to this point.

In January (December technically)  Zephanie came to stay with us during her off track.  I was so grateful to have her here.  I was 7 months pregnant and having a struggle to keep up with kids and house work.  We were able to finish several projects together.  It was awesome.  We painted stripes in my bedroom, recovered a head board and two lamps and revamped two barstools into side tables.  She is so talented.  And I can honestly say, my house was the cleanest it has ever been for the longest.  Every time I turned around she was doing the dishes or laundry or vacuuming.
In February, Renae had a reception celebrating her marriage to Mario Botello.  Her reception was the day before I was due.  I was really hoping Miss Quinnley would decide to join us before the reception so we could show her off.  But she was more inclined not to.   The kids had a great time dancing at the reception .  I spent the Saturday before putting together the flowers for the tables and for the mantle.  We incorporated both pine and tulips for an early spring feel.  The piece hanging on the mantle was also one of mine.