Okay that's a beautiful baby

I might be a little tad bias but I really think she is THE most beautiful baby...her dad's not half bad either :)

Road Trippin

So when we first discussed going to Utah for a trip this summer we really thought we should and would fly...however the kids convinced us that the drive and the hotel were some of the best memories and traditions. This being said...even with a 5 month old baby in toe we made the drive. Amazingly Olivia did an awesome job, she slept most of the time. We were determined to keep her happy, and so we even strapped her own DVD player to the back of the seat and let her watch Tom and Jerry...good parenting skills..want anymore pointers from us?

We stayed half way in ABQ like always even at the same hotel that is..."the best ever mom, it has MEATBALL's and all you can eat SODA!" I tried to venture to the Embassy Suites this time but was over ruled by "tradition". We hiked to the Arch in southern Utah and had a very good all people happy road trip.

Utah Happiness

We have just returned from the best family trip to Utah. We had such a great time and I am so sad that it went by so fast. I really think I was just cheated with only staying 2 weeks! :) The first weekend in Utah we celebrated the 4th of July. I ran in the 10k in Provo. It was my first 10k race (I usually stick with 5K) but for driving in at 11 pm the night before, getting 4 hours of sleep, and nursing my 5 month old baby I think I did ok. My time was 48 min even. I was 200 something out of almost 4,000 runners. It was an awesome course and perfect weather.

We then celebrated with the parade and fireworks with friends and family that night...perfect I tell ya.

This picture of Olivia was snapped by my cousin. We had a fabulous reunion of sorts with all of my cousins on my mom's side of the family. I LOVE all of them and it was so great to see them and to visit. I wish that I lived right by the whole lot of them they are truly the funnest, happiest people I know. I have many more adventures and pictures to share of our trip...but alas Oliva is needing a bath in a very smelly way!

Friends

My girls have the funnest friends...and there are a few in particular that I really love when they play together...because they have such a good time. (and because I really like their moms!) I see the girls making a couple of best friends that I hope will last their lifetimes. Brian has a couple of friends that he met in kindergarten that he is still very close with. I hope that for the girls and their best friends. They are the type of friend that you do not have to try to entertain...and that make the girls light up and smile doing just about anything, and nothing at all. Emily had her friend over this week and they made...a TV Dinner....Peas and carrots, mashed potatoes and a sunflower. These cupcakes were so much fun. They were taken from the book Hello Cupcake and were fast, fun and yummy. The girls did an awesome job. They really made theses all by themselves. Really, the girls and their crafty talents are quickly outdoing anything that I can do with some buttercream :)

Good Times

Brian took the kids to visit Grandma and Grandpa this weekend. The kids LOVE going to Arkansas. This is a picture of them at The Old Mill with George and Gayle...and thier Arkansas glisten...its humid. I stayed home with Olivia, I did not think she should travel so soon after her illness, she is still having coughing fits and, so close to her 24 hour drive to Utah. Olivia hates no... HATES the car...she screams the entire time...whether it is 5 minuets or 35 she will yell....the drive to Utah should be very interesting. Can I just say that I was so bored and lonely. Having the house to myself sounded very charming and relaxing but the truth is Brian and the kids are my entire life. They really mean everything to me. I had no reason to cook, play or even yell :) I need to remind myself of these feelings when I am in the middle of pulling my hair out with frustration. It is so good to live in a house full of noise and mess and chaos. I can't wait for them to come home and give me something to do. however, (I did quite like waking up to a clean house every morning and having it stay that way...all day:)

Really another ride in the Ambulance?

Just because we like excitement around here....
Olivia has been suffering with a very bad cough/cold for over two weeks and to make a very long story short...
After being repeatedly mis-diagnosed for over two weeks I finally took her to get a second opinion at a new pediatrician last Wednesday. He listened to her and said "Oh, she is REALLY bad" . He then proceeded to give her all sorts of test and then immediately started breathing treatments on her in the office. She at this point had pneumonia in both lungs. Remember I said I would make the long story short....
By Friday she was even worse and even worse than that... her "Whooping Cough" test came back positive! I took her into his office at 2pm on Friday and they transferred her by ambulance down to the Children's Hospital (the 3rd one they called was the only one that had a bed for her...isn't that sad there is so many sick children). So we spent 3 days in the hospital...with some very scary moments...and my birthday:( but the good news is that she is getting a little better everyday. Unfortunately because it was not diagnosed in the beginning and she suffered with it for so long untreated...there is not much they can do for her and it will just have to run its course.
Each time something happens I am both puzzled...what do I need to learn from this experience? and grateful for all that the Lord has blessed us with. God is good and shows us his tender mercies everyday....today Olivia laughed out loud at me when I kissed all over her neck. It was wonderful.

The Bumbo

Olivia loves her mommy! In fact every night from about 5 pm on... I am the only one that she will allow to hold her. She has had a cold and cough and so it has been even worse....but thinking about the blessing of having her here and it being just a cold makes it easier to put the rest of life on hold and love on her. A friend of mine gave me this Bumbo chair...saying that it might give me 5 more minutes when frosting a cake :) Olivia loves it for about 7 minutes! Doesn't she look cute...and so grown-up. Just in the last few days I think she has had a major growth spurt. I have been so eager for her to get a little bigger..and now I am already to slow her down and have her be my little baby. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having a baby, life really just does not get any better than having a snugly little person to love on all the time!