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.

Our Family

Andi, Jimmy, and Brooklyn
All of us together

All of my Children

Before Nick left we got some pictures of the entire family. Andi was our photographer. I will forever be grateful to her as she orchestrated the entire thing from color scheme to setting and time. It something that I wanted more than anything but didn't ever seem to manage to get it together myself. I know the picture will be incomplete as soon as little baby #6 is born in April 2010 but it is the best I can do for now - at least until Feb 2012 when Nick makes his way back to us. Until then we will have a picture of baby next to this one in our home. I love all of my children and am so grateful for the joy the bring into my life. When I am with them I truly feel like the richest woman in all the world.

Our Missionary

Here is our missionary at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) in Provo, Utah. He will be here for 2 months learning how to be a missionary and learning Spanish. Then off to San Jose, California.

The drop off at the MTC

Nick with Bishop Delorey

Nick having lunch with Bishop Delorey and sons Chuck and Mark.

Nick again with Chuck and Elder Tellington.

I had wanted to take Nick out to the MTC as a family. He asked that we not. I debated for a long time what to do. Nick finally told Matt that he thought us taking him there would just prolong the agony of good-bye and he wanted to be able to enter the MTC composed and ready, not a bawling idiot. It was really hard for me to say ok but I did even though I was really never comfortable with the decision. I know Nick and know that he would have a hard time and would benefit from having someone with him. It was agonizing for me but I said ok. About 6 weeks before he was going to leave I was sitting in Relief Society and the bishop's wife (good friends of ours) asked what day exactly was Nick leaving. As it turns out, she and the bishop were going out to Utah the very same day on business and to visit family. Bishop changed his schedule so he could be on the very same flight with Nick at 0600 instead of later in the day with his lovely wife. Once in Utah they picked up 2 of the bishop's sons and headed for lunch - getting some great BBQ down before the dreaded MTC food became Nick's only option. While they were out to lunch Elder (Chris) Tellington called us on our cell phone hoping to hook up with us while there. When we told him we stayed home and the bishop took him out he made plans to head Nick off at the drop off point to greet him. Chris gave Nick a hug and one last good-bye from me. Although the day was bittersweet I could not deny the hand the Heavenly Father had in the way it worked out. Nick was escorted to the MTC by someone who cared as much as we as his parents did that he was there, someone who loved him and supported him but at the same time someone who could take him out to lunch, give him a hug and send him on his way without Nick feeling too terribly emotional. I know it didn't mean much to anyone else but to me it was truly a miracle.

Airport Goodbyes

Nick wanted just Matt and I to take him to the airport as he thought it would be too hard to say good-bye to us and the girls in the same day.  His flight was at 0600 this am.  It was hard to put a smile on my face.  I am proud of him and the sacrifice he is willing to make.  I know it is the right thing.  At the same time my heart is already breaking from how much I will miss his amazing spirit in our home.  I struggled not to cry... I had so much to say but couldn't get out a word as I knew if I opened my mouth I would not be able to hold back the tears anymore...  I love this young man with all my heart and will miss him more than I can express in words.

Packing up Nick

We spent most of the day before Nick left packing and getting him ready. The girls did get him to stop to watch a Barbie movie which I am sure will be the highlight of Nick's memory of his last day at home. Andi and Brooke were able to come and spend the day with us as well. That evening we drove to the stake center in a horrible snow storm to have Nick set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by the stake president, President Bonner. It was a day of great joy but at the same time filled with a little sadness too. We all know this is the right thing - without any shadow of doubt but that doesn't necessarily make it easy to do.

Brooke turns 2!

I can harldly believe how the time has flown. One would think I would learn by now what a thief time is but it still blows me away sometimes. We are so blessed to have this little girl in our lives. Being grandparents is truly one of the choicest blessings and this little one makes it as rich an experience as possible. She is still one of the most beautiful girls in the whole world to me. We love having her so close to us and being able to see her so regularly. Two is proving to be exactly what one would expect at two. She is learning and growing and we love watching her do so each chance we get.

Temple Trip

Matt, myself, Andi and Nick went to the temple together the first day we had a chance before Nick left. It was most memorable. We didn't get pictures of when Nick went for himself a few weeks earlier but to say that it was one of the most peaceful feelings I have ever had would not even be close to adequately decribing the two days in the temple with my oldest children.

Nick's Farewell

We had a small gathering of Matt's family for Nick's farewell as my family had spent the weekend at the waterpark as our last moments with Nick. We mostly just hung out, ate great food and talked. We did take the opportunity to celebrate Brooke's b-day with extended family as it is only a few days away. Nick spent a lot of time torturing his cousins with tickling and wrestling. They all wanted to get in as much as possible as this is always something they really look forward to and will miss a great deal.