They're home!

My parents are finally home from their mission! Hooray! They left when I was about this pregnant with Ethan, and now I'm pregnant again. Crazy. Almost as soon as they landed in St Louis, they hopped in their car to drive and visit all the grand-kids in the mountain west. Their first stop was our house on their way to Utah.

It was strange to realize that they hadn't ever met Ethan or seen our house. Ethan warmed right up to them though. I know my mom was worried about that, but he is such a happy, flexible kid.

They also brought a bunch of fun little souvenirs back from the Philippines, and we got to look at pictures and hear stories that night.

They really did some amazing work for the church's humanitarian aid. Clean water and polio & measles vaccinations are the ones we heard the most about. Brennan even named his stuffed animal Polio.

We saw them just overnight before they continued on. After a weekend in Utah, they stopped back here again for a day before heading home. We'll see them again at the end of the month for a good long time, as they come to help me with the baby. Welcome home, Mom & Dad!

One year

Happy one year, House!

We were proud of how green the grass looked and took some pics. Then I realized I've never really posted pictures of this house, so here it is for those who haven't visited us... yet.

Kindergarten Graduation

Collin finished kindergarten yesterday. Ahhh! Full-day school, here we come. Should be quite interesting for him to start full-day schooling the same week our little one arrives on the scene. To say I'm scared of September is a total understatement.

All right, here are some pictures of yesterday's festivities.

All the parents were invited to the school for singing. Collin was picked to do one of the speaking parts. Here's the short video (for the grandparents). He did awesome!

After all the cute, choreographed songs, we went back to his classroom for pictures.

Collin with his teacher, Mrs. Eddy

I don't think it is possible for a little boy to love his teacher more than Collin loves Mrs. Eddy. He told me yesterday before school he was sad and happy for the day. When I asked him why (thinking he was having stage fright), he said he was sad because he would miss Mrs. Eddy but happy that it was summer vacation.

Collin with his best friend, Lily

They walked/scooter-ed to school each day together, and either her mom or I picked them both up each day. They are pretty inseparable.

Collin with his best friend, Dyson

They became quick friends at the start of the year, and I became good friends with his mom. We even arranged for them to play on the the same soccer team this past season.

Kindergarten was a GREAT experience for Collin. He is really taking off with his reading, and he is a much better friend and playmate. 

Now to the challenge of filling all his extra time this summer...

Pregnancy #4

* Brothers and Dads - You should skip reading this one. *

I don't think anyone really reads my blog anymore - except the family that I force to by sending it via email - but I wanted to take a moment to record a little about this pregnancy.

We decided we wanted to try one last time for a little girl as Ethan was giving up nursing the middle of November. I realized I was a day or so late on Christmas, but I waited to buy a test. Then, even after buying the test, I was terrified to take it.

At that point I would have been 5 weeks along, and I have always started throwing up at 6 weeks on the dot. Three boys keep me very busy, and they take a lot of energy. I could not fathom another pregnancy with my already full plate. Before actually knowing the result, I decided that if the test was negative, it was a huge blessing and that we would be a happy family with just our three boys. We would not try anymore.

But, miracle of all miracles, I got pregnant the first month! (It took us a full year to conceive C, and six months with E.) The test was positive. I was quite the mixture of emotions going to bed that night. It was Friday night, Dec 26th. I felt like a ticking time bomb. In fact, I called a photographer the next morning - our 11th anniversary - and scheduled a family photo session for that coming week. I knew I only had a few days of being myself left before I entered death-mode, and we had never done official family photos as a family of five. That night we talked a lot about how we were going to survive yet another 9 months of weak, sick, sleepy, fatigued, puking Lindsey. Please don't hear me wrong. We wanted to have another baby; we just didn't want to have another pregnancy (ie: sick, sick, sick, tired mommy).

On Monday night for Family Home Evening, we nervously told the boys we were having another baby. I was TERRIFIED they would be so upset (they know how busy mom gets when I have a baby to nurse and naps to take, and they remember the scarring noises of my gagging and puking), but (another miracle!) they actually were excited. We did a lesson from January's Friend about being God's hands through service. Each of the boys traced their hand and wrote how they'd help mom when she was sick with the baby in her tummy.

And then, on my six-week mark, we got our family pictures taken. And then I waited for the inevitable...

And then it didn't happen. I didn't get sick. I got four stomach viruses (Brennan's had a rough year at preschool) where I had vomiting and diarrhea for 12-36 hours, but each time I was able to get better and return to caring for the kids. MIRACLE! I have been just as tired this time around, but it has been manageable because I haven't also been throwing up all the time.

Fast forward to 24-weeks. I know this seems strange, but I think the only explanation is that pregnant Lindsey isn't made ill by female fetuses. I got sick each month of birth control (on non-pill forms). I was sick for virtually my entire pregnancy with each of the boys (20 weeks with C, 24 weeks with B, 32 weeks with E)... And somehow I am not sick this time around. I can think of no other biological explanation.

The other explanation is without question attributed to my faith. It has been a huge blessing to be well this time around. Ethan and our baby girl will only be 22 months apart. Ethan started walking AFTER we found out we were expecting, and he is definitely as curious, busy and mischievous as Brennan was. He definitely keeps me on my toes. But that's a post of another day...

I guess this is a post about God's blessings. He knows our needs. He knows our desires. He wishes to bless us. We are super excited for our last little one. We feel like our family will now be complete.

Future Princess

These three little knights

 are preparing for their princess.

Baby Girl Williams due August 28!

Spring Break

I took the kids to my sister's in Utah for Spring Break. It was a long, agonizing drive (the kids were almost perfect, but it IS still 8 hrs in the car). They enjoyed time playing with their cousins, and we even went to the dinosaur museum at Thanksgiving Point.

While we were gone, Ryan remodeled our laundry room. For Christmas, I got a new stacking washer and dryer in order to have space for both mud room capabilities and laundry necessities in the same space (a narrow hallway between the garage and the family room room with the guest powder room at the end).

Here are the pictures of the final product...

The bottom closet (stock pantry cabinet from Lowe's) holds my broom, mop, vacuum and trash can. The top of the closet has all the laundry detergents and paraphernalia, as well as extra paper towels and toilet paper.

Each person has a row of their own for shoes in the shoe organizer (online from the Home Decorators Collection) and a drawer on the top for hat, gloves and sunglasses.

And each person has at least one hook for their jacket, backpack, library bag and coat (adults on top and kids on the bottom).

I designed, ordered and planned it all before I left. Ryan just had to make my vision a reality. :-) It has worked really well so far. I love getting organized!

Wild Kratts Birthday Party

I'm pretty proud of the party that Ryan and I put on for Collin's 6th birthday and Brennan's 4th birthday. I'm a Pinterest-junky and Ryan helped a ton, but it was still pretty awesome, if you ask me.

We decided to keep it small, with each kid just inviting one friend. As the little brother, Brennan's friends are really Collin's friends, so really Collin had a friend from his kindergarten class come (who has spent a lot of time at our home) and another friend who is in our ward, his kindergarten class and lives just a few doors down (as you can imagine, she's spent a lot of time here too).

We started out by watching an episode of the Wild Kratts show (about polar bears) to begin, which is good because we had a miscommunication about the start time, and one (of the two!) guests was a half hour late. Then we presented the kids with their Creature Power Suits. Brennan got one too, but he said it was too itchy and wouldn't wear it (surprise, surprise).

Then we took turns letting the kids pick a gift bag. With eight bags, they each got two picks. Inside each bag, the kids received their creature power disc for that animal. I also had made little information cards for each animal with interesting facts and a picture (kinda like a baseball card). We read them the facts, and then they got to play the game.

Here's what we (and Pinterest!) came up with...

Peregrine falcon: The kids tested paper airplanes for the best flight, and then built their favorite with Ryan's help. They were trying to get them to glide into the "nest" (a laundry basket).

Polar bear: They needed to catch the seal by leaping from one ice flow to the next. (Sorry, I guess I didn't take pictures of this one. We placed white towels, sheets and pillow cases all over the floor, and the kids had to jump between them.)

Long-eared desert bat: They hunted in the dark for hidden insects in the basement. They collected them in little cups. Most the kids said this was their favorite activity, but apparently I didn't get pictures of it either.

North American beaver: They built "dams" with pretzel sticks and chocolate frosting. This one was a HUGE mess, but they enjoyed themselves, and we were able to get them cleaned up pretty easily.

Monarch butterfly: They wrapped each other in toilet paper (their cocoon), and broke through to fly around like butterflies.

King cheetah: They took turns being gazelles and cheetahs and played tag. Of course, this one quickly became a wrestling match with Dad.

Large-mouth bass: They tried to eat the gummy worm off the fishing pole without using their hands. This one was the most fun for me to watch. Ethan and I just laughed and laughed. It was pretty silly.

Duck-billed Platypus: They carried hard-boiled eggs on a spoon to their "nest" (bean bag chair).

After each game, the kids put their creature power discs in their take-home bag, and then they gathered for the next bag, disc and facts card.

After four games, we paused for lunch. Nothing excited (chicken nuggets and fruit). I made these cute tags for some green Hawaiian Punch though. I called it "Wild Jungle Punch." They really liked that.

After the eighth game, we did singing and cupcakes. I think Ethan was as happy as any of the kids. He loves socializing... and sugar. :-)

The boys also opened their presents from their friends at the end.

With the time remaining before the parents came for pickup, Ryan built a Tortuga with them in the basement.

I also included in their take-home bag (along with all the creature power discs) an Animal Planet coloring book (with realistic pictures), iced animal crackers, and an animal joke book. They each took home an animal print balloon too.

The kids had a great time, and Ryan and I had a great time planning and carrying out all the fun. If all parties could be this fun and easy, I think my boys would get one every year. Good times.

Happy birthday to my biggest boys!

Brennan's 4th Birthday

Brennan's birthday was on a Tuesday this year, which was neat because he got to go to preschool. Here's the cute crown he got... and wore!!

One of his gifts was that he got to start taking soccer at the preschool in their gym each Tuesday after school. Lucky him, the first day was on his actual bday!

I forgot to take pictures, but for his birthday dinner he requested corn on the cob. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, no corn on the cob was to be had in Fort Collins, Colorado in January. He settled for fresh pineapple and strawberries with ham slices and homemade french fries. Another interesting assortment.

After dinner, he got to open presents. He received the certificate for his soccer class, but he obviously already knew about that one. He also got a Dora book with stickers (doesn't it get much better than that?).

He got FIVE (yes, five!) pads of art paper. (You wouldn't believe how much paper this boy can go through.) He was pretty excited as it all poured out of the packaging.

He also got a lap art desk. He loves it, and Collin even asked for one for himself. (The pads of paper fit in the elastic bands.)

 His favorite part was obviously the sugar... cupcakes and chocolate fudge ice cream. Yum!

Happy birthday, B! He is really growing up, and I think his tantrums may be mellowing a bit. He still struggles, but he is starting to make more and more adorable observations. I have been praying to love him as his Heavenly Father loves him, and I know that I am receiving Divine help in my relationship with him. It is a work in progress. He is stubborn to the max, but he really does have a loving, caring part of him. I like it when I get to see that side more. :-)

Happy birthday, my middle son! I love you, Big Boy!

Family Photographs 2015

Over Christmas Break we attempted to get some family pictures taken. It was kind of a disaster, but here's the best we came up with. Some were done by a girl in the ward; the others Ryan took at home in the family room.

First, from the semi-professional...

Now, Ryan's...

There you have it. Our family of five.

Collin's 6th Birthday

Here is Collin the morning of his birthday, which happened to be Christmas Sunday.

I always let the kids pick what they'd like to eat on their birthday, and here's what Collin requested... cheeseburgers on the grill, broccoli and mashed potatoes. I love the strange mix that always happens when they ask for all their favorites.

Collin requested 2-wheeler bike lessons for Christmas, and we thought it would be nice as a birthday present. (For those of you judging, we did this Saturday - the day before his birthday.)

 For his birthday, he got some fun foam monsters from his Nana & Papa.

From Ryan and I, he got piano lessons taught by the mom across the street - one lesson per week for four months. He also got a National Geographic book about the earth.

 So far, he has really been enjoying the lessons. (He's on week three now.) Unfortunately, we only have a keyboard, and I guess he is struggling switching between her piano and his practicing at home. We'll have to see about remedying that.

He requested homemade cake - which of course he helped make and decorate - and peanut butter ice cream.

It was fun to celebrate on a Sunday, because we got to spend almost the whole day focused on him.

Collin is my super helpful, thoughtful, smart boy. I can't believe he's already six! I'm so glad he is only in half-day kindergarten. I'm gonna flip when he goes full-day for first grade next year!

Love you, Coll! Happy birthday!