Hannah's 9 Birthday

Baby Hannah and Mom

Hannah at 6 months old.
Was that hat ridiculously big or what?
But it was so cute at the time!!!

Hannah on her 6th birthday

Hannah on Saturday with her AWESOME ice cream cake

Waiting to open her gifts

This is a candid picture that Brent took of her.

Modeling an Outfit given to her by Grandma and Pa Weiss

Another outfit from Grandma and Pa Weiss

The outfit that Ryan and Michelle gave her

This past Saturday we celebrated Hannah's 9th birthday. Holy Cow. There's that speeding bullet racing past me again!!!
Hannah had been counting down the days for the past month and a half. What a relief it was to finally have her special day. I took her out to lunch and some shopping. She has been wanting to pick out an outfit for quite sometime. We were originally suppose to go to Target. But with gas prices the way they are we just went to the Mall and JCPenney. Hannah was very happy with the outfit that she picked out. She also received and additional shirt and pair of wedge sandals. Looking back at our day and what a great time we had I am resolved to make this a yearly tradition with all my girls. It was so much fun to sit and chat with her and to get to know her even better.
Later that day the family came over to help celebrate with an ice cream cake that I made. When asked what she wanted for her birthday very quickly, and without hesitation she responded, "clothes, just clothes." That's all she got. A couple of years ago I instructed everyone to do this exact thing. The end result was much disappointment. I am glad it turned out to be such a success this year. Thank you so much to everyone who came and brought our Hannah clothes. She was a very, very, very happy girl.
Hannah is such a great part of our family. She is very happy, almost to the point of spastic sometimes. She loves to help me in the kitchen and takes every opportunity she can get. Hannah is one of the smartest kids around. I am so proud of her. We love you Hannah.

Grace in Abstract

Soft and simple curves of her cheeks are irresistible

Dark eyes contrast so much with her siblings

Beckham's hand constantly in her face

Always wanting to be a part of the action

Look at the new fuzz on my head!!!

I use to always think it cliche when people would say things like "time goes by so quickly", or "kids grow so fast." At the time I had 4 small children. All under the age of 3. I was in a whirlwind of changing diapers (I had three in them), feeding, nap time, bedtime, bath time. Even in the thick of all of that, time went by slower then a snail. I couldn't wait for a time when Isabel and Annika could walk or even communicate to me exactly what it was that they needed. Before I even knew it, time sped by faster then a speeding bullet. After this summer I will have a 5th, 4th, 2 second graders and one in preschool. And now it's my turn to ask, " Where did the time go?"
I look at this baby of mine and relish the time that I have with her. I am in awe of her soft pudgy cheeks. I don't remember my other babies cheeks being so chubby. I am amazed at how squishy and jiggly her thighs and tummy are. Were my other babies like this too? I am worn out by her wiggling ever moving body. A tiny body filled with a giant spirit just waiting to burst forth and exclaim to the world who she is. I'm confident that my other babies were just like her. I have the pictures to prove it. But I regret to say that I just don't remember. Time moved so quickly, and I was so busy just trying to survive. My sister asks me questions every now and then about my twins, to compare to hers. I simply have to reply, " I just don't remember."
That time is lost now. But I have the present to live in. After all, isn't it in the little things that we truly find joy? It's not in Book Club, or preparing for Girls' Camp, or any of my church callings. Although these things help to define who I am. They don't truly make me happy. Sitting down with my children to read a book, or to color, or to teach them how to cook. These things bring me joy.
I am thankful the Lord sent me Grace. She is the strongest reminder to me to slow down and remember the "little" things.

Friends and Sparklers

Annika, love that joyful smile!!!

Jaren and Beckham waiting for their sparklers
I am amazed at how grown up Jaren looks.
Doesn't he look just like his Dad?

Hannah

Isabel
She got two new pairs of glasses in 24 hrs.

This is the coolest picture!!!!

My good friend Melissa with her baby Bella

Our host, Linda Martin.

My other good friend Alyson Kuawe with her baby KaLonu

Grace showing off her skooting skills.
Love the concentration on her face.

Eliza, only daughter of Chris and Erika Hansbrow

This is how we spent the night of the 4th. We were invited to the "Martin's Cove of Chaos" for treats and fireworks. It ended up raining on us and the wind was blowing like all get out. The kids enjoyed the chaos, I enjoyed the treats, we all enjoyed the good times.
We left before it got too out of control. When we got home Brent pulled out the sparklers and the kids had fun with those. I loved the pictures that were taken of the sparklers. So cool.

The Panthers Win STATE!!!!

Isabel with Hannah

Dog pile on the coach!!! Silly, we know!!!

Ya!!! We're #1

Waiting for the medals and t-shirts

Hannah with her ginormous state shirt

Proud parents

Annika with Hannah

I guess all this going to ball games really paid off this year. Hannah's team, the Panthers, took state. So there are probably a gazillion other state tournaments in Utah. But we took it for our area. It was a great game. The second half of the season Hannah had been struggling to hit the ball. She stepped up to the plate when it counted most and got a double!!!! I was screaming and yelling. If I hadn't been nursing I would have been jumping up and down. Instead I'm sure I flashed a few spectators. We are so so so so proud of Hannah. It feels so good to be a part of something great and have so much fun.
For this game Grandma Donna, Grandpa Woody, Uncle Cory, Aunt Kelli and cousin Alleah came to watch. Thanks guys for being such a great support. We are so glad you could make it and help cheer Hannah on!!!

Fishing

The fishing Poles

Hannah getting ready to bate her line.
She wasn't afraid of the worm, or the wriggling fish

Grace with Grandma Donna

Hannah waiting for the fish to bite

Grandpa Woody with Beckham and his first ever fish

Brent showing the kids how it's done

Brent with Annika.
I know this is Annika thought, " When is it my turn Dad?"

Grandma and Grandpa always busy helping someone out

Jaren also waiting for the fish to bite

Isabel anxious to reel that fish in when it finally decides to bite

Annika just waiting for her turn to finally arrive

Grandpa de-hooking the fish

Hannah right in the middle of the action

Jaren and the fish he caught all by himself
Doesn't he look so proud?

I am doing this a little bit out of order. This was Saturday after the 4th.Kelli really wanted to see the pictures of our fishing day with Grandma Donna and Papa Woody. Papa Woody bought all the kids their own fishing poles. We met them at Vivian Park up Provo Canyon. It was a beautiful morning. It was quite nostalgic for me, looking up the canyon that I grew up with. Going on drives with Mom and Dad. That was way back when the canyon road was just 2 lanes and wound it's way up at the base of Bridalvale Falls. I remember having to crack my neck to look out the window to even see the Falls. I digress.
It was quite the chore to keep all those lines hooked and baited. Donna and I weren't any help. I couldn't cast a line to safe my life. I was pretty good at baiting the line with velveeta cheese. Which the fish didn't even like. Everyone was able to catch a fish. Jaren even caught one by himself. No help casting the line out or anything.
Watching Brent with the kids was great. Although I think he had more fun then they did!!!

There was a family that was fishing right a long side us. Every single time they cast a line out, they caught a fish. Here we were waiting and reeling and nothing. Our heads were constantly turning in their direction "Man, they just got another one." We weren't doing anything different then they were. We finally got the bait right and ended up catching 12 fish.

Holy Baseball Batman

Last night Jaren was entertaining Grace. She was blowing bubbles and
giving these huge smiles. I'm pretty sure this is the face she was cooing at.
What is more sweet and tender then an older brother cooing back to his baby sister?

Yesterday I started my day pretty low-key. I watched the Hansbrow kids from 7am until 11am. After that this was my schedule:
12:45 -- get Hannah to her first ballgame of the day
1:40 -- leave for Isabel, Annika and Beckham's Dentist appointment
3:30 -- arrive home for about 30 minutes
4:15 -- leave for Hannah's 2nd game, Brent and Jaren left for their game
7:30 -- Head back home for dinner, showers, and some cleaning
9:00pm -- Head back to the ball park for Hannah's last game (which starts @9:45)
11:15pm -- Hannah's team won!!! Yay!!!! They beat a team that went undefeated this
whole season. Take our tired, saggy bums home for bed.
11:30pm -- nurse Grace
Midnight -- forgot about laundry in washer, crawl out of bed to put it in dryer
12:15am -- finally hit my head to pillow.

This is what causes mothers go insane.

My Amazing Super Skilled Grace

Grace at 5 months old

I'll smile even though you keep putting this
huge headband on me.

Yes, she is the most adorable baby EVER!!!!

I have been telling Jessica that Grace is almost crawling. She pushes and pulls her way across the floor to what ever it is that catches her eye. Grace just turned 5 months today. I think this baby is going to give me a run for my money.