Nick is in Los Altos, California

Nick with new companion Elder Cole

Nick with his mission president and wife, President and Sister Jackson

 So Nick is in his first area and loving it.  He says the Hispanic people are amazingly wonderful and kinder than any English speaking people he meets, even though he still stumbles over the Spanish language.  His companion Elder Cole is a convert of 5 years, 23 years old and from Atlanta, Georgia.  So far they are hitting it off great, going to work and working hard. 

What a Sweet Baby

So Isabella is one week old now.  She is really a sweet baby.  As long as she can stay awake to nurse she sleeps 3-4 hours between feedings and several nights even went 5-6 for one of the feedings.  She is a natural eater which is awesome - she even took a bottle for Andi already and was able to switch back and forth without issue.  Everybody agrees she sounds like some type of reptilian creature when she starts to cry.  She goes from complete sleeping to this squawking cry in 1 second; then continues to cry until she gets what she was crying for.  It is always Mom, food, warmth, or diaper change - the basics.  She is my first that doesn't have night and day mixed up which is really, really, really nice.  Probably due to my resting so much during pregnancy ??? I don't know but I'll take it.  Recovery for Mom is going - I will have a day when I feel great and then a day that is not so good.  Thankfully I have had lots of help from Andi, Matt and my Mom.  Andi and Mom know me well enough that I don't even have to tell them what to do and it is done and they also tell me when to knock it off if I am doing too much - both of which I appreciate and love about them as often I don't do well with setting good limits for myself.  We are so happy that Isabella is here and are so blessed with such a great baby.

Dance Recital

Cierra's "Baby Baluga" Dance

Cierra "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" Dance

Rylee "Mother Duck" Dance

Rylee "Under the Sea" Dance

Cierra and Rylee had their Dance Recital tonight.  They both did a great job.  Cierra was the "prima ballerina" for one of her dances - Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.  Grandma Gretchen and Grandma and Grandpa were able to come up for the evening to watch.  Grandma Gretchen was even able to spend the night which was a nice treat.  Andi, Jimmy and Brooke hung out at the house with baby Isabella so both Matt and I could go.  At the end of the day........ I was ready for my cozy bed for sure. 

Lovable Leia

Our lovable, sweet Leia was laid to rest yesterday.  It was a sad day for us all.  She has been fighting some mysterious illness for a couple of months and it finally got the best of her.  We will miss her and her unconditional love.  She was a great dog for our family for 10 years and will be greatly missed.

Announcing Isabella Gretchen

Isabella Gretchen was born this morning at 750 am.  She weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 21 inches long.  Lots of dark hair and quite an appetite.  Cute as could be and a blessed addition.  Everyone doing well and super excited to have her here.  We were able to get word to Nick along with a picture and know that he already was able to see it.  We will update pics along the way - stay tuned.

Crazy with Vinyl

my bedroom

kids bath

living room

girls bedroom

girls playroom

finally my fhe plaque finished

basement bathroom

I guess nesting is what they call it. It sure doesn't seem like the nesting I have done with the other 5 pregnancies but I have to say in the last couple of weeks I have had a little more motivation than during the first 9 months of pregnancy. It helps to have Andi and Kelsey to help me with my projects as well. Andi says I have done too much vinyl and says I am crazy at this point. I did the one above my bed this morning by myself. I have a few more but the pictures didn't turn out real well. It is so convenient to have vinyl and a cutting machine in your own home. I guess it makes you vinyl crazy!

Elizabeth looses a tooth!

OK, so this is really Elizabeth's 5th lost tooth but she counts it as her first because her first four were done by the dentist. We thought she would never get it out. She would only twist it until it hurt and then stop. In the end it was so loose it moved when she breathed. She was bound and determined to do it on her own and before Grandma Gretchen got here as she has heard from her older sister she likes to pull out loose teeth. She tried a new technique as far as the tooth fairy. She heard that in another country the children put their lost teeth in their slippers outside their door and a mouse comes and leaves a present. She got a dollar and he/she let her keep her first tooth. Now Elizabeth's biggest concern is what she can get for a dollar - oh, and her other front tooth is now loose so we begin again.

Easter

We did the normal for Easter this year. Easter egg dying and egg hunt on Saturday and church on Sunday with a big yummy ham meal. We had fun with Brooke, Andi & Jimmy finding candy and coloring eggs, although Brooke wanted to carry the hard boiled eggs around with her. (She has an egg thing going - knows there are baby animals inside - fancinating to her). It was General Conference weekend so we did stuff in between talks. It was nice and a relaxing weekend with yummy food and treats.