ALL THINGS GROW

I JUST MISS MARTHA AND JEFF!!!!!!!!

Going Private

I think after a year and some odd months, it is time to make this blog private. If you need to change your email, let me know.

It will commence privitization (sorry, no public option) November 1.

For the last few months, I have been gaining weight rapidly, my ankles and fingers swell, I have an upset stomach, heartburn, and I am exhausted and in such intense pain, that I can't even describe it. There are days I cannot even move, but I force myself up and around, because things need to get done. I woke up Thursday with a sty in my eye, too.

No, I am not pregnant, but something is wrong with me. I went to the doctor on Friday and talked to her about everything that is going on. She ordered a battery of blood tests for the various things she thinks might be. Because I have gained 40 pounds since my wedding, she put me on prescription prenatal vitamins, so that if I do get pregnant, I will have enough folic acid and my baby won't have spinal problems. Fun, huh? I have high blood pressure, so she wants to see what these tests come back with before she prescribes high blood pressure medicine.

I will hopefully be able to have my blood drawn tomorrow (Monday). I had eaten breakfast Friday morning and Dr. Faircloth wanted me to be fasting. I will let you know what I find out.

Idea for Christmas

I want to put together a calendar for Mom and Dad for Christmas. What I would need is a current family picture (Whether professional or just a current shot of everyone), and then just some current candid shots of your family. I am doing an 18-month calendar, so send your pictures. I will also put birthdays, anniversaries and any other info you guys want to include.

If you want a copy of your own it would be $13/calendar (50% off), so let me know and I will order one for whoever wants it. If you want to pitch in for Mom and Dad's calendar, you can pay whatever you feel comfortable contributing. If everyone contributes, it would only be about $5/family. If you have already figured out something else, that is fine, too. I just want your pictures to make this calendar great!

So, send your pictures to wecanallshare@hotmail.com as soon as possible. I want to have it put together before Thanksgiving.

Happy Be-Lated Bday dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you had an awesome day!! We will have a great dinner tonight for your birthday!!!!!

Hill Cumorah Pageant 2010

Jeff and I want to go to the Hill Cumorah Pageant next summer. We were looking at the calendar and the pageant is July 9,10, 13-17. We want to go on the 13th. We would fly in to Richmond, hang out for a few days and then drive up to New York.

We thought it would be fun if we made it a family trip. The cost of the pageant is nothing. All we would have to do is pitch in on gas and food and then decide if we want to camp or rent a few hotel rooms and cram in to them.

Let me know if you guys are interested and we can start planning!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

Happy Birthday Mike!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICHAEL!!! 33 YEARS OLD

PICTURES!!

FINALLY! After many phone calls, emails and texts, I finally got my wedding pictures. Enjoy!

Good Times

Well, it's been a little while. Promise as I may, that I will not fail in my updating duties; it happens. The kids are doing really well. They are down here in the office with me right now. Devin is up at the Snake River with his grandpa and some others "river-running". It's a family tradition, and Devin has definitely excited now that he is old enough. He's been the last 2 years.
Brenan is now walking. He seems to be getting more confident with each day that goes by. It is funny and amazingly cute to see that little "baby waddle".

We definitely have to keep an eye on him though, because every once in a while he just loses his balance and down he goes. With the stairs at our place we are always mindful anyways. We had those gates up, but he navigates the stairs pretty well now. We just keep a watchful eye.
Lauryn starts kindegarten in about 2 weeks and Devin has just over a week left of summer vacation. We'll get some pictures up of "Back to School" when it comes.
That's all for now!

Happy Birthday, Lauryn!!

Happy Birthday, Lauryn!!! You are the BIG 5!!!

Happy Birthday, Joanna!!

You will be 30 in a year!!

Memorable Quotes

I watched Devin, Lauryn and Brenan yesterday. We had many memorable moments:

Lauryn: Hi Ka! Mom said I can do anything I want today.

Brenan: uh oh!

Lauryn: (at a baby shower last night) I want to see where that secret path goes, but I don't want to go by myself. (It was a sidewalk around the house)

Devin: Your room seems smaller
Me: Is it because of the ache in your heart?
Devin: Yeah...that's it

Lauryn: Martha
Me: Um, I am Ka!
Lauryn: I am Lauryn! Ok, Devin your turn.

Lauryn: Brenan, say please (Brenan does the sign for please). He doesn't do thank you.

Me: Want to say your ABC's?
Lauryn: A, B, C, D, R, F, G
Me: Close
Lauryn: Z, Q, Y, P
Me: That's not the right order
Lauryn: It's my order

Lauryn: (watching Hotel for Dogs) I'm done. I watched it like 100 times when it was my Netflix

Lauryn: (at Kirsten's baby shower) Ka, come here. Take me to the car and buckle me up.

Dog on Hotel for Dogs is howling
Brenan: (howling like a dog)

Lauryn: Ka, I missed you so much.

Me: What do you guys want for lunch?
Lauryn: Is pizza lunch?

Lauryn stretches and accidentally kicks Devin
Me: Lauryn, could you try stretching another way so you don't kick Devin?
Lauryn: I can't stretch like this (sticks her hands and feet up in the air)

Lauryn: I wish the office was still up here so I wouldn't have to climb over a gate.

We were down in the office (my old room):
Lauryn: Ka. Can you lift me over the gate so I can go potty.

Lauryn: Ka, can you come lift me over the gate, I am done.
Me: You are heavier than when I lifted you over a minute ago.

later:
Lauryn: Ka, can you lift me over the gate again? Am I heavier?

Lauryn: Ka gave me Hotel for Dogs for my birthday, and then I built my own hotel for dogs in my room.

Lauryn: When I am a mom, I am going to give my little girl a kitty and my little boy a puppy and a little bunny for me. My little bunny can sleep in my bed, but only if he is little.

Me: Lauryn, can I fix your ponytail?
Lauryn: Just take it out.
Me: I'll take it out and brush it.
Lauryn: Um, don't brush it until tomorrow. I just want to shake my head and brush my hair out of my face, like this! (brushes hair out of her face)

Devin: Lauryn, get out of my room (he picks up Brenan and shuts the door. Lauryn storms off)
Me: Lauryn, you are missing your movie.
Lauryn: I can see it from up here!!

Baby on the way

We are super duper happy, we just found out we are pregnant!!! I"m sorry that I am short a few phone numbers, Matt and Edward, and didn't' call you guys. I'm sorry about that, please don't take it personally. Ben still has a few siblings to get in touch with on his side. We are due sometime in March (just like Tommy, that'd be weird if they had the same birthday wouldn't it?) won't know for sure until my first doctor's appointment. Ben was commenting on how will will have 3 beginning of the year babies. Since my babies have been coming progressively earlier and Tommy was almost a month early, we are thinking maybe we will have January, February and March. Wouldn't that be fun? However, that means that he might not share a birthday with anyone, which would be fine. Jake share with Martha, Tommy with his Uncle Todd...so we shall see.
The boys and I should be moving back up to Richmond by the end of the summer so that Jake can start school there and not have to switch in the spring when Ben gets out of the military. While we are waiting for him we will be living with the Rowland parents and waiting until spring to buy a house. So, hopefully we will be able to save as much as we can in that time. It will be weird not having Ben living with us (he'll be living in the barracks) but we agreed that if I can get through him being gone for 3 seven month deployments and having a baby while he was away the second time, I can definitely handle this. Anyway, that's our latest news, we hope that you all are doing well, and we miss you and love you all.

Joanna, Ben, Jake, Tommy and niblet #3 to be

Why would you want to be a tourist?

I thought this story was kind of funny so maybe you guys will too.

On Sunday we ate over at Kathryn's for Father's Day. Mike's dad was there two and the "grown ups" (i.e. Mom, Dad, and Jim) were talking about how Michigan has really tried to pick up their tourism. Theo quietly turns to me and says, "Why would they want tourists?" so I tell him it's a good source of income, to get people to come and spend money in their state. Theo nodded and seemed to think on this and then he said, "But don't they hurt people?" It took me a second but I finally realized what he thought Michigan was trying to do. I kind of laugh but suppressed it as much as possible and told him that those would be terrorists. Terrorists - Bad, Tourists - Good. In his defense they do sound similar.

Aside from chuckle factor it is kind of sad that he knows what terrorists are but not tourists. Different world they are growing up in.

Balderdash

Family balderdash games are always fun. Luckily Kathryn's camera can take video (a feature I will desire in my next picture taking device).

In case you can't understand, cause really, it can be difficult, the word is "Finochio" and after the Pinocchio references and a few other definitions Dad began to struggle with Matt's. "Finochio - when a person from Finland fails to show up for a doctor's appointment the receptionist will often write 'finochio'."

Other highlights include:

Whiskerino

"When an animal with whiskers enters a casino unnoticed" - Sam

"The name of the Italian cat who starred in "The Cat From Outer Space"." - Dad

"An alcoholic with a thin wisp of hair on his chin. Often mispronounced with an "eeno" at the end, it is actually pronounced whisker-I-no" - Matt

"A Japanese cat used for the blind and elderly." - Devin

"A beard growing contest." The real one.

Movie - "The Girl Said No"

"In a world...in a time...when "yes" was being said by people of all races, she dared to be different. Against all odds she uttered one of the most powerful 2-letter words..."No"." - Matt

F.I.D.O

Federal Imagination Determination Organization - (Not sure cause the name isn't on it...please claim).

Crazed Driver

Hey there all, this is actually the first time I've posted on here...I think...I have a really bad memory. Anyway, I saw Kathryn's picture of Theo and I absolutely had to post the one that I took of him. I think that it captures what's truly inside...don't you? (the photoshop red eyes enhance things a bit, nice suggestion, Ben)

Few things to post

So, was out with Theo today. I say to them that I am getting my hair cut before Martha's wedding. Then I say "Then, I am going to DYE IT". He says "Why don't you just fast?". I could not stop laughing!!!!!!!!!! It topped a couple weeks ago. Mike told Sam and Theo if they weren't brother and sister, they would be dating (cause they fight all the time). Sam said "no, I don't date younger guys". I said that I would. So, Mike started to name guys and he said Shia Labeouf. Sam said "no, I won't date guys that say the "F" word". Theo said "Fat???" LOL!!!

This morning I finally gave him a hair cut, if any of you have seen him, you know he needed it!!!

Well, in the picture he looks a little bald:) but, he's not!! It is so soft!

I Love To See The Temple

Only three and a half more days until I (Jessica, Paduka) go to the Temple!

On Saturday we ordered my Temple clothes and they should be getting here tomorrow. Today mom, Kathryn, and I went to Target to buy me a little bag to tote my stuff around in. I wish that everyone could be there with me, but I understand that not everyone can.

We'll be leaving Mom and Dad's house super early on Saturday morning to get to the Temple in time for my 8:30 "appointment". Friends and family can arrive at 9:30 (this is when my roommates and others will be showing up). And of course the part mom is waiting for...afterwards (after the Visitor's center and the bookstore) we will be hitting up The Olive Garden for some lunch.

Love and miss you all and hopefully I'll post some DC fun pictures next week!

More Lauryn

Yesterday morning we were eating breakfast and I said I needed to go get ready. Lauryn responded, "Well, go then," with the wave of her hand.

I was putting on my tennis shoes. She asked me where I was going.

Me: To Jeff's

Lauryn: (looking at my shoes) it's going to be a long run.

Just thought I would update!

Just thought I would update for those of you who don't know. We sold all of our puppies. They had their vet visit on Friday, March 27th. We sold them all by Monday night, March 30th!!! The ad was in the paper a week before they were ready....so technically we sold them in 4 days!! Last time it took two and a half weeks:) I will miss them, but "thank God" I was very pleased with each family that bought them. I really feel they went to good homes!!! Everyone had kids, and it seemed the dogs picked their families. Some were more active for certain families!! Miss you pups!

Lauryn's prayers

Lauryn likes to sleep in my room. We always make sure we say our prayers. I am supposed to say mine in my brain so no one hears me. She likes to say hers out loud. Here are some excerpts from her prayers and adventures sleeping in my room:

Lauryn: Your bed is warm, but mine is cold.

Lauryn: I like to sleep in your room, Ka, because I don't have another bed for someone to sleep in.

Lauryn: (sitting on the couch) Ka, you wanna cuddle me?
Me: No, I am actually going to bed in my room.
Lauryn: Ka, what I said was I am going to cuddle you in your room.

Lauryn: Heavenly Father, we are grateful for friends to share our toys and not be selfish and mean with them. We are thankful for water that we use a little bit and not a lot and get it all over.

A day outside

We took the puppies outside Sunday! They loved it!! You can obviously tell by the pics we got:)

We are sad to say we lost one Friday night. I don't want to talk about it...but it is nice to see the other ones thriving. I now say a prayer everytime I feed the other ones. I love on them as much as I can!!!

Channel 12 news guy

The women at Odyssey were so excited the other day! Clearpoint, the office next to us, was being interviewed by NBC12. Clearpoint is a financial company, so obviously in these times they are pretty popular. Well, Terri, the office manager, was so excited when she saw him. They kept looking over at him and signaling for him to come over. Terri was certain that he wasn't gonna come. We all know mom though, she wouldn't let that happen. She said she would go and tell him "Didn't your momma teach you better than that". Darrell wasn't gonna let that happen. He came into our office with a big smile and hugged all of us and posed for a pic. I was taking the pic, so I wasn't in it. My beautiful mom and happy fellow employees were though!

The Fairest of Them All

So after the funeral today, Mom, Kathryn, and I went to get lunch before having to return to work. I mentioned how we were more fair skinned than most of our relatives at the funeral today and mom said that she's always been more fair skinned. She started to tell us how she was in a wedding and someone asked grandma which one was her daughter and she pointed and said, "the white one" and then mom started to say that she was the fairest one, which made us all laugh and think, "The fairest of them all." ...way to go mom!

Also, did anyone know that mom used to play basketball when she was younger? Yeah, she did. She didn't always go to the games because they were at St. John's Villa (I think I have that right) and Grandpa didn't like to drive all that way, but she went to all the practices and we met one of her teammates today. Just wondering if you guys were as surprised as Kathryn and I were.

Uncle Eppie

Uncle Eppie passed away on Monday. His funeral will be Thursday at the same time and place as Ruth's is today. Below is the link to his obituary in the Times Dispatch.

http://www.legacy.com/TimesDispatch/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=124592590

Update from Mom

Aunt Ruth was admitted to the hospital with dehydration and a UTI (urinary tract infection). Basically 99% of all old people who are admitted to the hospital will have that diagnosis unless there is something else definite, like a fall or pneumonia. She’d had a bad heart for years and years, and this time, at age 92, she did not respond to antibiotics and IV fluids.

Uncle Eppie has lung cancer which has metastasized to his brain. He is basically non-responsive. He has been on hospice, and was at home until 2/14, when he went to the hospital for a respite stay while Uncle Ray and Adel were on a short vacation. He was to come home on Thursday, but as he was being prepared to come home, he began to have some trouble breathing, so we postponed his discharge until we could see how he was doing. The family decided that they would do better with him at the hospital for his final days.

Aunt Ruth

Aunt Ruth passed away yesterday. Below is a link to the obituary. The funeral is Wednesday and so far I know that Mom, Kathryn and I will be going.

TimesDispatch/DeathNotices.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=124527560

More Theoisms

Mom came to pick me up for work yesterday. Theo was still in the backseat. I asked mom "did you forget to drop him off". She said yes that she had, but Theo didn't let her know till they were right by my house. So I said "Theo, why didn't you say something to mom about that". He said "there's no shame in that" . Where does he come up with these things!

On the way home from work last night, we got on the conversation of boys. Sam was saying guys she thought were cute, but said she wouldn't date a younger guy. I said that I would. Mike started naming people and said "Shai LaBouf". I said I would date him, I think he is cute. Sam said I wouldn't, I won't date guys that say the "F" word. Theo says "Fat". It was so funny! We cracked up laughing!!!

Theoisms

I was looking through some of my old books and I found a piece of paper slipped into one of them. You can imagine my sheer joy and delight when I realized that it was a long ago written list of Theoisms. So for your enjoyment, here they are.

"I don't like me."

"My dirty hamster" (the clothes hamper)

"I'm skitchy" which leads to mosquitoes being "Skitchy bugs"
Speaking of bugs there are "pincher bugs" and "stranger bugs"

"She's my Brudder."

"Crisbee." (also known as a Frisbee)

"You're gonna get thundered!" (Said to Sam as she played her harmonica on the porch during a thunder storm)

"She gonna get toasted!" (said when Joanna and I asked him to repeat what was going to happen to Sam in the thunder storm)

"Death is very serious."

"Don't look a cop in the eye unless you're dead." (I'll keep that one in mind)

"Don't make eye contact with a dog"

"I don't want to be in the army because I don't want to die in public."

"When you make eye contact with an animal they think you're gonna hurt them."

"Calm down my sistas!"

"I'm just choking" (a.k.a joking)

and

"You have to be 50 feet down in the dirt." (....to suffocate).

If you have any to add please feel free to do so!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

From ALL of us!

And some more!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JACOB AND MARTHA!!!

Another Birthday!

Happy Birthday Grandpa D!!

Happy B-day, Padooka!!!!!

Just want to give a shout out to our lil' sister Jessica!!! Happy Birthday to you Little Miss. Even though on your blog it says you are 21, we, that know you better, DO know that it's much, much older :o) We love you and are so glad that Mom and Dad decided to add one more darn good looking individual to this world....including the 5 they already had of course. Here's to many more birthdays that somehow are always, mysteriously, your 21st. It's a wonderful thing. Sorry that I can't find any other pictures at the moment that don't make it look like all you do is spend time with my kids. Love you Padooka!!!

I just have to post

Not sure what to talk about....No one has posted in a long time. So, I thought I would post something. Been busy lately with the holidays. Hope everyone had a great holiday season and hope we will all get together for holidays real soon! Of course, first up is Martha's wedding!! SOOOO excited!!!