Thinking about this...

...

I can't seem to get this picture out of my mind.

The caption reads:

Fabiola Beauvil holds her 4-day-old daughter, Klaira Eliska, at the LDS Central Ward chapel in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday. Beauvil went into labor during last week's quake.


It is from the Deseret News and you can see it and other pictures here along with an article about the Church's relief efforts in Haiti.

As a mother of new babies myself, this picture just really did something to me. I cannot begin to imagine birthing a baby in those type of conditions and chaos and then wondering how you will obtain all of the essentials you will need to care for them (and yourself). How to stay clean, how to sleep without fear of further harm. The stress and worry is unimaginable. Or wondering if your children, spouse, and other family members who you were separated from in the aftermath are still alive and if you will be able to find them.

While visiting with friends this morning we discussed the horrible damage from the earthquake and after shocks and the deaths on such a large scale. We talked about how scary it would be to have to experience something like this. They are reporting around 150,000 deaths at this time. Sometimes we can become numb to the numbers we hear over and over, but to put that in perspective, according to wikipedia, the population of the Tri-Cities is around 240,000. So that would be like completely wiping out over half of our people. A teenage girl was rescued after being trapped for what is estimated at 15 days despite the announcement from the Haitian government that it was stopping rescue efforts for those trapped under all the debris and rubble. That to me is a real - life - miracle.

Here is part of a statement from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter- day Saints:

"Money is not the only need in Haiti. People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water, and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite our people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people as urgent aid and reconstruction efforts continue."

Recipe For a Fun Afternoon

• Take one cute little boy
  

• Add a large bag of lego blocks
  
  
  

• Mix with some vibrant imagination

• Add a dash of adventure and a pinch of spunk

*Combine until the fun begins and repeat until completely worn out!*

10 weeks

Kale

Cooper






Kale

Cooper

*Best Friends*

Monday Morning Ramble

Why is it that the one year Riley and I both get flu shots, (the first since we were kids probably) we have been sicker than ever. Our whole family has been going through an endless cycle of the flu and it finally caught up to the two of us this last week. It has been taking a whole week for the next person to get sick which means it has quite the incubation period and must be some kind of strong bug. For the record, I will just say I HATE - HATE - HATE feeling like I'm going to throw up. I already had to spend the majority of last year being miserable and I just want everyone to be well and feel good, including myself. It brought back horrible memories of my early months of pregnancy and I can't believe that it was possible to feel that horrible day in and day out. Morgan and I got almost this exact same thing back in October, just a few weeks before the babies were born and I felt like I was dying. Riley was so miserable yesterday morning and threw up a ton. I felt so bad for him. Regardless, he managed to make it with me to Kendle's "It's Great to Be Eight" fireside at the church last night since it was so important to her. He looked horrible, but that is a good dad for you. Hopefully we are all done now and these yucky bugs can be banished from our home. I will spend today, once again, cleaning and disinfecting everything I can. I'm so thankful to my mom for coming up and helping me on Friday with the kids. She spent the night and allowed us to get an actual whole nights sleep. I got up around 8:00 in the morning on Saturday and had not even heard a baby cry. She is so good. That was the first real night's sleep I have had in over 9 months and I felt so much better that day because of it.

I have to tell some funny things about Kendle before I forget them. She has such a funny sense of humor and has since she was a little girl. Her primary teacher was telling me last night at the fireside about something that happened in their class. A few Sundays ago, they were talking in their lesson about their spirits and how they looked like their bodies. They were passing around a mirror for each of the children to look at themselves in and when it got to Kendle she said "Great - so I'm going to be stuck with these teeth?" Her teeth are kind of at what we call "the hill billy teeth stage". She's getting very self conscious about the way they look. Anyways, they thought that was funny and I could totally picture her saying it. She's also been writing these really great little stories lately. I don't know how she thinks up all of her ideas but they are really cute. She wrote one last week about a whale with polka dots that had us laughing. I'll have to post some more of them on here in the next few days if I can remember. I can't believe she will be 8 this year. After the fireside last night she is so excited to get baptized and go to Activity Days. I'm so thankful for what good primary leaders and teachers she has.

Morgan is still doing great with the potty training and having hardly any accidents. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, but we just keep encouraging him and keeping him excited about it. He gets to go to pre-school in the fall, so I've been using that as an incentive by telling him that to go to school he has to go potty like a big boy. He is so excited to go to school, so I think that has really helped. Sometimes it can be quite the adventure when I am stuck feeding or putting a baby to sleep and can't get up to help him and I can hear him in the bathroom not knowing what he's doing, but so far we've only had a few mishaps. He has loved playing with his big Lego block set my mom and dad got him for Christmas. He will spend hours building towers and garages for his cars. The other day he went through them and told me all their colors. I was very impressed. He has such a good imagination and will talk to himself and play so well. He is very curious and always asking me how things work. If a toy needs a new battery, he knows where to find them and will also bring me the right kind of screw driver to fix it. I like that during the day, he will still come sit and rock with me when we have a quiet moment together. He is my little buddy.

The twins had their 2 month checkup last week and we were excited to see how much they have grown. They are the exact same length if you can believe it - 23 1/2 inches long. Also, Cooper weighed in at 12.9 and Kale at 12.5, so they are almost the EXACT same size. I think that is amazing. The doctor couldn't believe it either. So that's about 3 or so inches and 5 or so pounds in the last two months that they've grown. Wow! Guess all that food they chug down has been good for something after all. They also had to get their vaccinations - 3 shots and one orally. I hate seeing those needles sink into their soft chubby little legs. It never gets any better no matter how many kids you have. Cooper's little leg was bleeding so much it got on his little outfit he was wearing. I think he handles that stuff a little better than Kale though. Kale just wails and has this horrible high pitched kitten mewing sound. It is the saddest thing ever. I've never heard a baby cry that like before, he is Mr. Sensitive. I can't believe they are 10 weeks old today!

Good Things

~Potty training Morgan has been an uphill battle recently, but he stayed in big boy underwear the whole day yesterday and only had one accident. I think he is really getting it down. I don't know if I'm confident enough to get rid of the pull ups all together, but I'd love for this to be the last pack that we bought.

~Cooper slept from 11:30 last night to 6:30 this morning. Kale woke up at 3:00, but he didn't finish his bottle before he fell asleep. The nights are starting to get a tad more bearable and we've gotten somewhat of a schedule going.

~Bought a nice new scale, a new work out DVD, and dusted off my free weights. I've figured out how much weight I need to lose each month to reach my goal by the end of summer and I am stoked. I've already lost a few pounds. I resolve to keep the junk food out of our house which is not going to make everyone else happy, but it will be good for us all. Muffin top be gone!

Random Thoughts

*I can't believe the babes are 9 weeks now. They are getting so big and getting some nice fat little chubby legs. Can't wait to find out how much they weigh and have grown at their check up this week. I am thrilled that they are now smiling and cooing because it makes them even more adorable if that is possible. They bring laughs and happiness to everyone in our home. If I had to describe in one word how it feels to have their chubby little cheeks nestled into my neck while I rock them it would be - scrumptious (x's two)!

*They are now almost routinely waking up together, and I often times find myself feeding, bathing, rocking, dressing, and changing both of them at the same time. Not sure if that is a good thing or not at this point, but I will say it takes a lot of coordination. It does give me quite a sense of accomplishment though if I am able to peacefully lay them both down for a nap and have a few hours to get things done. I need to take some more pictures and post them soon as they are growing and changing so much.

*The kids and I have been a bit at odds lately. I've been frustrated with the way things have been going, how they've been acting, and my temper has been pretty short. I know they are feeling the pull of my time needing to be spent more with the baby boys and the mom guilt I feel about that eats me up sometimes. Many a night, I've laid in bed mulling over the day and wondering if I did my best with the time I had. I've been trying really hard to do a little something with each of them during the day, but sometimes I have to admit that after getting the babies to sleep I just want to sit and enjoy the quiet and not do anything else. I can see the effect it is having on Kendle and Morgan, and when people say that children adjust to not having enough time with their mother (or both parents for that matter)- that is simply not true. All kids need that love and attention no matter how old they are. I'm thankful for friends and family who have saved me time and again with a play date or some fun time away to make them feel special and give them something to do.

*I have to say that as much as Kendle and Morgan fight sometimes, they know how to band together too. Last night after trying to convince me that they didn't want to go to bed, I went in to check on them and found them both up on Kendle's top bunk sound asleep. They were all curled up under the blankets and slept that way the whole night. I wish they could get along like that all of the time because they have so much fun together when they do.

*I'm loving this sunshine we're having today. I know it's still January, but I can't wait for some nice spring weather to get out and take walks in. I'm excited to get more of a routine down and get the kids out for some fresh air every day. Kendle is going to try playing softball this year (after playing two years of tee ball) and I'm itching to get our gloves out and play some catch. This sunny weather just makes me want to get a whole list of projects done and wash my dirty windows, but that will have to wait a while.

*I'm thankful every day for all of the blessings we have. Even just the little every day things that make life more pleasant. We've had some interesting things happen lately and I know our Heavenly Father is watching over us.

*I've had a chance to catch up on some reading and have really enjoyed some of my latest books. I'll try and write some reviews about them soon. My day seems so much more bearable when I have a good book waiting for me. My mind needs an escape at the end of the day.

That's all for now!

My favorite thing about making homemade bread?

Using it for toast in the mornings.

I love the yummy texture of it being crispy on the

outside and then still a little bit soft on the inside.

It's the best!

I have to use some serious restraint to keep myself from eating about ten pieces, and for some reason I think it actually SMELLS better while it's toasting up than regular bread.

{Maybe that's just my imagination.}

A Story By Kendle

*************************************************************************************

Just Bogy and Me!

By: Kendle Dodson

Age 7

I have a friend who is named Bogy. Bogy is a dog. We got him when I was four years old. We used to keep him inside the house. But when we found out my mom was about to have a baby...........Bogy had to move outside. I now am seven years old. We have had him for three years now. He is a wonderful pet. I LOVE to play with him. He is also a very good gared dog. And Bogy is a happy dog. And there is no doubt about it that some one woudnt love him. My dad takes Bogy hunting. Actually, Bogy can dig up some trouble sometimes. One time Bogy and my little brother Morgan got loose. Bogy dug a hole and cralled under are fence. So did Morgan. Me and my mom looked all over for Bogy and Morgan but........we still coldnt find the two. Sudenly, there was a nock at the door. NOCK!NOCK!NOCK! Went the door. I opened the door and it was are next door neighboor. She was holding Morgan. She said:Bogy dug a hole under the fence and Morgan and Bogy cralled into there back yard. She also said Bogy was allready in the back yard. Then she left. It was a very scary experience. But from that day on Bogy has been a pretty good dog. Bogy is really strong. I have proof because one time Bogy pushed his kennel all the way against the house. But out of all the other things I have said about Bogy.....my favorit thing I said about him was when I said I.................................................LOVE HIM.

THE END!

**************************************************************************************

Today is one of those "get er done" type of days. I'm going to:


*Give all three boys a bath
*Fold and put away all the washed bedding and blankets from Morgan being sick
*Fold baby laundry that was dumped on the couch
*Make brownies in my Perfect Brownie Maker (it rocks)
*Make dinner to take to a nice family in our ward who recently had a baby. (I love to do this type of service. It always puts a spring in my step.)
*Clean out the fridge
*Watch a movie I DVRed while I rock one (but possibly two) of the babies.
*Play with the Morgster who is feeling much better today
*Try to be patient and kind through it all!


(Morgan in all of his army gear from Christmas. He's currently killing all the bad guys.)

Wow, what a start to my day I've had.

Babies woke up at 1:30 am.

Riley and I could not get them fully back asleep until after 4:00 am.

I overslept and woke up to 7:40 staring me in the face on my clock.

I leaped out of bed and had 15 minutes to get Kendle ready and out the door for school.

7:56 am - Kendle is on her way down the sidewalk for the bus after a race of sheer will against time.

7:57 am - I'm thinking I'll sneak back to bed for a little bit since my mind is loopy and I am EXHAUSTED.

Crawled under the blankets at 7:59.

Cooper woke up at 8:00 on the dot. *&%$@#!!!

Is it possible to be so tired that your brain actually hurts? Ya, I'm there, my brain is mush.

I'm not going to even tease myself with the idea of going back to bed because I know as soon as I do Kale will wake up.

Oh joy, now Morgan's awake and spraying down the bathroom with the spray bottle and doing who knows what else while I feed the baby. GAHHH!

I know I will look back and miss these days right?!!!!

Scary Conversation

Kendle came home from school today and informed me some classmates were talking about the whole "Bloody Mary" ghost story and it really scared her. I told her to forget about it and that it's totally made up. But in true Kendle form, she had to get on the computer and google it to find out more information and certify that it was indeed all nonsense. She seemed satisfied that it wasn't real and I did my best to reassure her that it was just a scary story that people have told for years and to not be bothered by it. I was kind of peeved she had to hear this conversation from these kids at school as she has an overactive imagination as it is and she gets really freaked out about the slightest thing.

When I went to put her in bed tonight, she did not want me to leave or turn the light off. I continued to reassure her it was all made up and we said a prayer to help her be comforted. She was still not at ease until Riley got home from shopping and came in to say goodnight. She always feels better when dad is home and has tucked her in. I'm hoping I do not get woken up by a frantic 7 year old tonight as I am still getting very little sleep as it is. The other problem is that Kendle has the best memory and remembers things forever. A few years ago she used to be afraid of raccoons and totally convinced herself that she could see raccoon eyes in her closet. It seems like it is always one thing or another. It is funny how although she is 7 and Morgan is 2 and 1/2 she takes him along for extra company and protection. I feel bad for her though, it's terrible to be frightened of something, especially as a little kid.

I think we'll be staying away from any spooky stories for a long time.

Blessing Day

Yesterday at our church we blessed Cooper and Kale. It was an exceptional day for our family. We were fortunate to have my parents and grandparents join us and Riley's mother Kathy also came. Riley gave them wonderful blessings and both boys looked so angelic and peaceful - they were so quiet and still. A friend pointed out to me how quiet the whole chapel was during the blessings, which in a big ward like ours hardly ever happens. I will always remember what a special feeling I had. As I sat in sacrament meeting after that, I had a distinct feeling that I was meant to be a mother to these two boys and that they were both meant to be part of our family. I know they will continue to be a wonderful addition to our family in years to come.

We were in such a hurry to get out the door before church (with our wonderful new 8:30 church time) that I did not have time to take any pictures. But, since one of my goals for this year is to take more pictures, I made everyone take some as soon as we got home from church. That meant redressing the twins back into their blessing outfits and making Morgan put his tie back on. None of them were too happy, but I am glad we documented the day.

I am just so tickled every time I look at these little boys.

I don't know what I ever did right in my life to deserve

such wonderful children and such a great life.

2010

***

picture

Goals for 2010:

*Be healthy and get back to my pre-baby physically fit form. (I'm talking, pre-pre-pre-baby, I'm aiming high this time.)

*Enjoy each of my children at the age they are at. Spend quality one-on-one time with them each day.

*Strive to be more patient.

*To not forget myself no matter how chaotic and busy life gets.

*Take more pictures.

It's going to be a GREAT year!