Okee-Dokee Okeefenokee

My 10 year high school reunion was a couple of weeks ago. The small town where I went did a four year reunion, graduating classes of 96-99. I had 83 people in my graduating class. So they combined four years so there would actually be people to see. It was good taking the kids to see where I grew up. It hasn't changed much in 11 years. The biggest draw for me was the Okeefenokee Festival was the same weekend, otherwise I wouldn't have gone. But I had been wanting to take the fam down for that sometime so we did. We actually went to the beach the day before and the kids loved it. I wanted to look for sharks teeth (we used to find them all the time growing up) but the tide was up and that made it impossible. On Sat. we went to the parade in folkston for the festival and my favorite part was still the band. The kids got tons of candy and Shay was in awe at the floats (most of which were just people driving their dumpy cars in the parade). He didn't get it and I thought it was super funny, because thats just how they roll in S. Georgia. I should have taken pictures. Then the girls rode the pony and we got some gator on a stick, Elly kept saying "mmm that gator sure is good, lets get some more". Then we went to the swamp. We saw a few gators but not many and ran out of time so we didn't get to take the boat ride to see more. Then we went to the reunion and had dinner, it was good to see a couple of people and I won the award for the most kids, with our 5th on the way. The highlight of the trip would be Shay getting in trouble by the lady we stayed with for using a teflon pan she had because if you scratch it, it will kill you and she called Shay a theif for using it! Very weird. We left shortly after that. But overall I think the kids had a good time and I had enough of S. Georgia to last another 10 years.

For the love of General Conference

As much as I love to look forward to General Conference, I am so glad it is over. My brother, his wife their baby (17m), My sister, her two boys, 14 and 5, and my dad came for conference weekend. I am way too pregnant to be hosting family and not so pregnant that I should feel this way. My grumpies took over a couple of times. And I think they could see relief in my eyes when they left. It isn't that I don't love them, I do, but I am hormonal and I really like my house clean. When you have a house this size and that many people it makes it really tough. Then you have conference stresses, where I want to listen but everyone else wants to talk or have lunch or talk about having lunch. I think the truth is I am way too anal and should plan on not listening and just buying the cds later. I would probably be much happier then. But really it wasn't as bad as I make it sound, the kids were overall good and it was nice to send the men off to priesthood and send the kids to bed and watch a girl movie, we also went to yard sales without kids and I got to sleep in my own bed. I also beat them all in Settlers both times we played, they just don't have a chance. So as you see, you just can't win with a pregnant woman, and that is all I can say about that.

Shays fault

all of the pics from our adventure are on shays work computer, and he has been gone alot.... So soon, I am sure of it!

Viva La Mexico

So we are back. It was amazing and beautiful. The kids are all alive with the worst being Janes scraped knee. There is so much to tell that I almost want to break it up into days. Just wanted to give you a couple of pics and then I will go into details later. Shay didn't want to leave, and I was ready to see the kids. So the timing for me was perfect. Theres not alot you can do five months pregnant. We made lots of good memories and got a couple of good sayings out of the trip, like shay overheard a lady saying "I shouldn't have been bi-polar", or the men in the mercado saying "come into my shop, everything almost free", or "today for you, 99% off", this is while there price for one little silver bracelet is 70$. It was a joke and we did laugh alot at there expense. Sorry guys. One thing I love is when you ask them where something is, they say one block, so you walk one block and can't find it, the next guy says "oh one block". When finding the bus stop back to the hotel that happened for about 20 blocks in the 90 degree sun. But the best part is most of the time Shay was saying, "How can you do this being pregnant, I am dying." That made me just want to do better for longer, and maybe that was his plan. Our favorite part of the trip was Xcaret. It was amazing and wonderful. It was Disney Land for nature enthusiasts. We spent the whole day from 9 am to 9pm at this place. It was great! Except when the bat freaked me out in the underground river and I screamed "Bat!!!" and the swimmer guys came to save me. I told Shay I didn't realize I was such a whimp. I have always thought of myself as being tough. But that scared me. So pretty much, we had a wonderful time, made it through without incident and Shay said he can't wait till our next trip in ten years.

Exhaustion and a well earned trip

So the last two weeks I have way overdone it. I am totally exhausted and overwhelmed. Tired to say the least. But on monday Shay and I fly out for Cancun Mexico, and it couldn't come at a better time. We are celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary. I am going to miss the kids terribly and kind of already do. But I will Not miss....Laundry, dirty bathrooms, dishes, whining, making meals, babysitting, homework and many other tasks that I can't even think of I am so tired.

A bunch of Summer Pics

Picking Blackberries, we made a yummy pie.


Skylers last minute Birthday party at lazer tag.

Silly Girls

The girls had been playing in the rain.

Kaelys Birthday
A really big chair in Biloxi MS.

I needed to post some of the pictures I just loaded off my camera because it has been awhile.

Well we just couldn't resist

After all the debate and nonsense on whether to find out or not what we are having, I finally decided, why not? I just think we need to prep the twins, get things all together and be ready when this little one decides the time is right. I asked Skyler last week if he wanted to go, since it is our last, its their last chance to experience it with a sibling and he told me he didn't want to be there when they take the baby out. I told him they wouldn't take it out, just put a little thingy on my belly and we could see the baby on the screen, so he agreed. I said, sometimes they tell you bad news at these, like if something is wrong. I also said they might tell us it is a girl and I don't want any tears. He said, "I can't promise you that mom". So Monday, Shay, Skyler, Kaely and I went to the ultrasound. As my luck would have it, I got food poisoning (mild) the night before and only got 3 hours of sleep thanks to vomiting and the other form of vomiting. So I didn't feel so great.
On the way Skyler asked Shay what he thought it was gonna be. Shay said "a girl". Skyler cheered "YAY". Shay said I don't understand I thought you wanted a brother. Skyler said "well dad I guess you don't read moms blog" Shay said "what do you mean?" Skyler said "On it mom says you are always wrong." We all laughed.
When the time came it was all the sweeter when the tech asked if anyone could tell what it was. Everyone was super quite, Especially Shay and Skyler, I said it looks like a boy to me. And she said, YEP ITS A BOY! Once again Shay is wrong and I smiled and cried one little tear of happiness, I get another boy. We are so excited. I truly feel spoiled. I feel like I have been blessed with everything my heart desires. So Hurray...its a boy!