We love Disneyland!

A really bad picture, but at least you can see what we had to do to the stroller!

We decided late Thursday night that Jeremy needed a day off, so we took the kids to Disneyland/California Adventure on Friday. It rained until about 3PM, but it was still fun. We spent more time going to the shows and stuff, which was cool. The kids enjoyed it, even though by 8PM when we got to the "Disneyland Express" (that's what Kirsten is now calling our van, since she's come with us the last 3 times we've been) everyone had raisin toes and feet from walking around in soggy shoes! Here are some pictures from the day. And I did find out that they have a place at both parks where you can go and nurse your baby and stuff. Thank goodness for that!

The girls wanted to spend their money on an autograph book right away, so they had fun going around and getting autographs of the characters. I can't believe how big they are all getting!

100 Days

My Mom started a private blog for our family to help us stay motivated to get in shape. It has been so fun to communicate with my siblings and parents on it and the competition is fierce! For each minute of exercise we get a point and whoever has the most points by the end of the 100 days gets a little pot of money that we have all bought in to. I'm a pretty motivated exerciser, but this gives me a goal and is fun at the same time. I am also trying to run at least once a week so I can do a 5K in May under 30 minutes. I know that's pretty slow, but that's my goal.
Anyway, I hope you guys with New Year's resolutions for better health and fitness will stick to it. It's so worth it. Just watch the Biggest Loser of you need even more motivation!

New Year

Cute little hands

1st shower experience

My little pouch.

Christmas card picture

cutting down our tree

One of my New Years resolutions is to be a better mom, i.e. not just co-existing with them during the day but getting on the floor with them and playing, sitting next to them while they are doing their homework, giving them a piano lesson as if they are actually one of my students. Things like that. I also don't want to yell. I know this may come as a surprise to those of you who think I am so calm and relaxed. I usually am until I explode! We all have a breaking point, right? My big fear is that I will raise children who think their Mom is crazy because one minute she is fine and the next she's yelling over something really dumb and making her kids feel stupid. I am trying hard and I know I could make up all kinds of reasons as to why I am this way, but that unfortunately is the "natural" man inside me that I need to kick out. I love my kids and I so want them to have on the armor of God and to know that their parents love them. I love making memories with them and I hope that as I write on the blog and in my journal, that they will someday read it and know already due to these great memories that I love them and their Dad.

Enough introspection...I mostly just wanted to post some pictures, even though I don't have any from Christmas. Since I juggle four kids a lot and sometimes alone, I just can't even think of getting out my camera to take pictures. One fun experience the kids and I had recently was going sailing with my Dad. I think my Mom has pictures on her blog of it. I went twice that day. Once with my mom and Else and Haans and the other time with Marnie and her girls. It was sort of terrifying, but awesome at the same time as we were leaning so far over in the boat that my hair could have touched the water if I'd leaned over more myself. I loved it and want to do it again, but this time without my newborn strapped to me and trying to hold on to my three year old. I don't know how Marnie did it without a Snugli. She held Ginger the whole time. The sunset was so amazing that evening with the bright orange clouds hanging over the Channel Islands. So thanks for taking us Dad. That's a memory I hope to have for a long time.

Smile!

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Pretty Baby

I just wanted to post some pictures of Scotty. They sure change fast! And I think with each child, their infancy goes even faster. Jeremy took the ones of him in the blue striped outfit last night and the others are from last week. Wyatt sure loves his little brother. Atalie is always whining about not holding him enough, but when she holds him, she lasts about 30 seconds. Cozette loves to hold him, too and is very proud of herself when she can calm him down.

Birthdays

Wyatt and I just had our birthdays and for the most part they were great. For Wyatt's we made homemade pizza and had the grandparents come over for some cake. I made two bundt cakes and put them on top of each other to make a giant pumpkin! We had so much leftover cake! He was so excited to get a guitar from Gramma and Gramps and we got him a new bike. Kids are great. He immediately wanted to start putting the bike together. When Jerm finished, Wyatt started riding it around the house. It was very cute and the only time he'll be able to do that!

My birthday was spent with a really high fever and a breast infection. So I was of no help carving pumpkins or even trick or treating. Mette was nice enough to give me a really great massage on my neck and shoulders while everyone was trick or treating. We didn't even get any pictures of the kids in their costumes. That's how out of it I was. It was nice to have Cristin and Erik here with their boys. Wyatt sure loves it when Luke (Wook) comes down.

My niece Audrey got baptized the next day and then Sunday we blessed Scotty. Jeremy gave a really nice blessing about how he was saved for this time because he is strong. That was very comforting, especially with Prop. 8 going on and let me just say how relieved and less stressed I am since that is all over, for now. These kids do need to be strong today with all this stuff that is happening! Protesters outside of the temple! I just can't believe that this is really happening.

Anyway...Happy Autumn to everyone!

Proposition 8

I have been thinking about this for days now, that I need to write something on here before we head to the polls on Tuesday. I haven't been able to nap during the day because I can't turn my mind off about this. Proposition 8 is a big deal. Our family has been praying for it to pass. We have donated money for it to pass, we have also donated a lot of time and so have many, many others. I know a lot of people think that we are intolerant of others. I disagree. I know that we are all God's children. I hope those who know me, know me as an unhateful person. I don't hate anyone. I may not agree with what you are doing, but I don't hate anyone. I think everyone should be treated equally and I feel that we already are. I know people will disagree because we want marriage to be between a man and a woman only. That is how God meant it to be. And if this proposition doesn't pass, will it then make it okay for a man to marry his daughter or a man to marry two women? When will the line be drawn? I also don't think it is okay for my rights to be taken away as a parent. Right now I have the right to say what is taught in school. If this doesn't pass, that right will be taken away from me. We could go on and on about this, but I know that it is morally wrong for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman. I love everyone, but please don't push your beliefs on me. I hope you will all pray about this decision and do what is right. What is right for our kids and future generations. Vote YES on Proposition 8!

P.S. If you don't know what this is a picture of, you better read the Book of Mormon, in Alma. Jonathan, I hope you don't mind me using this! :)