sweet and sour

This pregnancy I have loved sweet and sour things...like sour patch kids...mmm. So its appropriate to say that we have received some sour news regarding our sweet girl. She has a mass growing on the back of her neck and none of the doctors we've seen so far can figure it out. So, we will pray for her and are even more excited to have her in our family! And don't be sorry, be optimistic and hopeful for us! Everyone has challenges, they just come in all different forms and everyone needs encouragement.

I took some pics off Mark's phone and realized how many we have of our family and just Mark & I on there. Doesn't everyone love taking pictures of themselves? :)

We're excited. Really!

Mark has 5 brothers and 1 sister. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. Chances seem good that 1 out of 3 of our kids would be a boy, right? Right, but we also believe that you can't twist a plan Heavenly Father already has in place.
 When we decided to try to have this 3rd baby, that's just what we were hoping for: a baby.
Boy or girl, we'll take them as they are.So we are excited to welcome girl #3 to our family!  I think its funny when people ask if we're ok or if Mark is sad. My opinion: you have kids to have kids, not to have daughters or sons. Right now we're just praying and hoping for a healthy girl.

We've been in our new house almost 2 weeks, and are about 90% unpacked. Lots of motivation comes after the kids are in bed, so we found ourselves cleaning out some of the garage in the freezing cold on Thanksgiving night. "Mark, why are we doing this right now?!" I asked. I figured we should be snuggling up on the couch in front of our beautifully clear windows for all to see (since we have no blinds) watching a movie. He said "Because we have to take advantage of our burst of energy!". I agreed and we cleared out enough space that not only can the van fit in the garage, but you can walk around both sides without stepping on anything but the ground.  We have more of those nights ahead as we do our best to finish the basement as soon as we can.

toy box bench. mark made the bench, my cousin and I made the cushions

We haven't yet been to our ward which is where I think we'll meet even more people around here, but already know that we love those we've met so far in the neighborhood. Next door is a family with 2 teenage boys. As a house warming gift to us, they came over today and tilled our future garden for us. It hasn't been touched since we moved here (besides me throwing leaves and grass clippings on it). It was a huge service to us as it will make it ready for us to till again and plant a garden in the spring. Right now with newly moving, a tight budget, 2 kids, and being pregnant, I feel like I have very little to give back. I appreciate so much those who have helped us.

Doesn't look like much, esp with the dead trees, but it will be a lush garden someday!

Old Man Mark had a birthday. Yeppers, he's bumped himself up to the next health insurance tier...yay for being 30! :)  I admire Mark for the way he balances his life. Family, work, church, himself.  He knew he would be gone many weekends working and so he planned far ahead to go on a beach camping surf trip to California over his birthday with his guy friends. He came back, mmmm...a little less than tidy, but happy and refreshed.
Maybe he forgot to take his toothbrush though because when he and the girls went to the dentist last week, he was the only one with cavities. It was both Siri and Jane's first time to the dentist. All he did was look at their teeth. They both cried but quickly recovered with the bribe of a prize and a new toothbrush (p.s. Jane likes to eat toothpaste right from the tube. gross).

Thanksgiving morning-pie for breakfast

Grandma Carol's for Thanksgiving. Let's go see the horses!

After taking Siri skiing yesterday with Liz and Sam, I realize that I need to separate Siri and Jane more often to give them time to be apart. And its fun for Mark and I to have one on one time with them. This is the first time Siri has liked, maybe even loved, skiing. I was the one asking to take a break. Don't get your expectations high, she can't make a pizza with her skis without me holding on, but she got in the zone when she found the bittiest slope she could slide down by herself without being scared. I had to push her up that slope 5 times, but I was happy that she was happy.

fun

Spent last weekend in St.George with my sisters and mamma. Really nice break from life and the kids. Eating, shopping, sleeping, eating, hiking, biking, temple. The weather was perfect and grateful to get to stay at Mark's parents house. Celebrated Mom's birthday and got to see Kerrah's cute sister who had been in Brazil the last 18 months.

trying on clothes

pumpkin and a oreo/almond concrete

loved being out in the nice weather!

This took a short walk to get to. Its near Leeds (about 15m from St.George)

I came home and was excited to see my family, its great to miss them once in a while!  Besides Mark's awesome tile work, not as much had been done at the house as hoped, so we're looking at moving next week. Someone had drawn with pen all over my perfectly painted window sill. I asked Siri if it was her or Jane...she said it was Jane. Hmmm, I didn't know Jane could draw circles that evenly apart?