It's been 4 years!

My little blog has been neglected and forgotten about for the past 4 years.  And it kind of makes me sad and mad at myself for not keeping up with it. Our lives have changed so so so much over the past 4 years.  We now have 2 babies!  Our little Lennon is now 3.5 years old and is just the cutest, smartest, funniest little boy.  And we now have our baby girl Presley, she is 11 months and is so cute and so fun!  I now stay home with the kids.  I worked full time after I had Lennon and my mom and dad watched him every day for us.  With Presley coming, I quit my job because my mom couldn't watch both of our kids and work from home at the same time and we couldn't afford to pay her what she would be losing out on with her job and it didn't make sense to put the kids in daycare and have my whole paychecks going to that so we decided I would stay home with the babies.  I quit about 5 weeks before Presley came and just passed my one year anniversary of being home.  I love being home raising my babies, it is the best!  It's hard, don't get me wrong, but I love it.  Lennon still has some time with my parents every week, he goes up there every Wednesday for the day.  We also bought a house just before Lennon was born and we have loved it.
We have also lost both of our dogs.  I get emotional and my eyes well up with tears lately every time we talk about them.  Wrinkles passed away 3 weeks after Lennon was born, at 13 years old.  She stopped eating and then stopped drinking and passed away on our living room floor while we were sleeping.  We knew she would go that night but she acted like she wouldn't go with me sitting by her.  So we loved on her and kissed her and told her how much we loved her and how much we were going to miss her and then went up to bed.  I woke up about 4:30 am the next morning to come check on her and she just looked like she was sleeping on the floor but I felt her and she was gone.  I went up to tell Josh and we both just sat on the edge of the bed and cried together.  She is buried up at my parents' house.  I wish I would have had her cremated but she loved my dad so if I don't have her body, I'm glad he does.
And Ringo passed away just a week after Presley was born, at 14 years old.  His last few months were not good.  He was losing strength in his back legs and would fall down a lot.  He would fall down the stairs and had so many accidents in the house because he just couldn't get his legs going to get outside.  He couldn't walk up the stairs and we had to lift him.  He was so skinny like his body just wasn't absorbing any nutrients anymore.  Josh and I both knew we needed to help him and the only way to help him was to let him go, to put him to sleep.  We just couldn't do it, so we let Ringo drag on for a while until we could finally make the decision to put him down.  After a particularly rough day for Ringo we knew we had to do it.  So I called the vet and made the appointment for the next day for them to come out to our house to do it.  That night we got a steak for his last dinner and he loved it.  We took Lennon up to my parents' that day so we wasn't home to see it.  Ringo just was sitting on his blanket on the couch and we just loved him through the whole thing.  It was horrible to experience just because I knew what we were doing but it was peaceful at the same time.  He growled and barked at the vet when he got close to him but after that he didn't whimper or move.  He just laid there and peacefully went to sleep.  We had him cremated.
Anyway, I'm not sure if I should go back and post all the stuff we have done over the past 4 years or if I will just start from now and move forward but I'm excited to start blogging again.  Josh and I have talked about my blog many times and that I should start up my blog again, but I haven't done it but now I'm excited!  It's our little diary and now we have our 2 babies to add in!

Seriously, I Get To Celebrate Mother's Day!

Up until 5 months ago, Mother's Day has been a hard, bitter-sweet day.  My heart still aches for those who are hoping and praying to receive the blessing to be a mom.  I honestly never thought I would get that blessing in this life.  But, today has a totally different meaning to me now that I actually am going to be a mom.  I just can't believe that my one dream for the past 9 years is coming true.

We had a great day.  We got up early and headed down to Salt Lake to see Josh's mom.  She has had a rough couple of weeks.  Josh's younger brother has had some health problems lately.  He had a seizure a few weeks ago and fell backward during it onto a concrete floor.  He was taken to McKay Dee and was diagnosed with a brain bleed.  He then was admitted to the U of U on Wednesday this week because he was so lethargic.  The doctors thought he had viral meningitis at first, then after running a few more tests over the past few days have discovered that he still has the brain bleed and that he has blood clots in his brain and one in his lumbar spine.  They told us yesterday that his half of his heart isn't working properly and it appears he has had a heart attack recently.  They took him in for surgery yesterday to place a stent in his heart but once they were in there, they decided he didn't need one.  Just that his heart is weak and isn't working properly.  So he is going to be in the hospital for a few more days while he starts cardiac rehab and exercises to strengthen his heart.  Along with all of that, her dog Chucky died yesterday.  They have had him for 17 years and lived a lot longer than we all thought he would.  So Rosie hasn't had the best time lately.  She sent Josh the saddest text message last night saying that she has just been holding Chucky and crying for a few hours wondering what the point of this life is.  Then she looked at the ultrasound picture of our baby Lennon and remembered what the point was.  Josh and I were both in tears.
This little baby boy is so special to us.  He has allowed for so much healing for me and now my Rosie.
We drove back home, picked up the hot dogs from our house to take up to my mom and dad's house for a BBQ.  We forgot the hot dogs and buns as we left.  We got a half a block away from our house and realized, so we hurried and turned around because I said Ringo has probably gotten to them, not thinking that he would in that short period of time.  I walked in the house and he was chowing down on some hot dog buns.  He only got 2 of them, thankfully.  He is such a naughty dog.  We got up to my parents' and had a yummy BBQ with my Grandma, brother, sister, dad and most importantly, my mom.  It was absolutely beautiful outside and the burger and hot dog tasted so good! The baby started moving while we were sitting there and my mom got to feel him for the first time!
I'm so grateful for my little baby bump, to feel my son move ( I still can't believe I get to say MY SON) and to have the wonderful moms ( family & friends) in my life.  It was a great pre-Mother's Day!

Disneyland {Part 4}

Noah and Arnold left early the next morning to get back to Utah for a baseball tournament.  So we slept in a little and just wanted to take it easy on our last day in Disneyland and go ride our favorite rides.  We had breakfast in the Paradise Pier's character breakfast restaurant.  We got our picture with Mickey and got our table and waited for the other characters to come by our table.

Lilo

Pluto

We were getting ready to leave and DJ kept eyeing all of the cast members to see who he could trade pins with.  The nicest lady came by and he asked her and of course she has to say yes.  So he started looking at her's and saw one he liked.  He went to give her one of his and she told him not to trade that pin because it was a special pin that they don't make many of the ones that have a little Mickey silhouette on them, I think they are special for cast members or something.  She was so nice.  And he is so cute!

We went to Toon Town first and to work our way towards the front of the park.  We stopped to see if we could get on Indiana Jones.  As I walked up to the line, they told us the ride was shut down...again!  I told them we had been trying for the past 3 days to ride this ride, they told me that maybe it was me and needed to quit trying.  Nice.  So we looked around a souvenir shop and I saw the line moving!  So we hurried over there and were able to finally ride it!  It was a fun ride!

We met up with Teresa and Ronan in Toon Town at Goofy's house and let the kids play a little bit.

This is Elizabeth, she's done playing on the boat while the boys are still playing with the periscope and the wheel.  She'd rather play games on her iPod.

We rode the roller coaster in Toon Town and walked around a little, then got some lunch before we had to drop Lu off for a dance class.  We got some more pins for DJ at one of the souvenir shops, so while we were eating he was rearranging the pins.  The kid has some serious pinage after only 2 days!

This sign cracked me up.

Elizabeth went to put some make up on before she went to her dance class, and got it all over herself!  She was so cute and so much fun!  

One of DJ's favorite pins.  

This was right before DJ got seriously mad at me.  We both had to go to the bathroom so we went together. Him being 7 years old, I made him go in the girls bathroom with me.  I didn't want him to go in the boys by himself, you can't trust anyone anymore.  He was so mad at me, it broke my heart to make him cry.  Then Shannon had to have the talk with him about people who like to touch little boys.  It was awesome.

To make it better, I told him I would go on Space Mountain with them.  They had already been on it on one of the other days and I sat it out.  I remember it as a kid and it freaked me out, something about being on a roller coaster (first thing I didn't think I liked) in the dark (second thing I don't like) scared me.  But to make him happy again, I reluctantly agreed.

I took a picture of my impending doom with my iPod since I put my big girl camera away.  I was scared.

We walk all the way inside and I made DJ ride with me since I was riding this ride for him.  Where do we get?  The very front.  I was terrified.  But it was actually fun!

We hurried back to get Elizabeth from her dance class.  The teacher told her she was a fighter and to keep it up. They were practicing double and triple pirouettes and they were all falling out of releve, but she kept fighting to stay up.  

We walked over to California Adventure and went shopping at the shops over there.  I got some cute shirts and Josh a hat.  We were exhausted and wanted to play at the pool at the hotel so we said good bye to Disneyland and headed back to the hotel.  The weather was starting to get chilly and we froze at the pool.  But we rode the slide a few time and then all huddled in the hot tub!  DJ was starting to get wheezy so we went back up to the room after about 20 minutes and chilled out for the rest of the evening to get ready for our early flight out in the morning.

It was such a fun trip.  I'm so glad they invited me to go with them.  These kids are probably the closest I will  have to my own so I was happy to just share in this experience with them.  And they got me to ride roller coasters.  Successful trip!

Disneyland { Part 3 }

The next day we met Teresa in Bug's Life as she was getting fast passes for the new Cars ride.  There were so many fast passes going out that our time wasn't until 10pm and it was just after 9am.  It was the 4th of July though and I was really excited to see the World of Color show.  We didn't see it last time we were there so I really wanted to make sure we saw it.  Luckily, our fast pass time wasn't until after the show! 

The kids and Arnold wanted to go on the Tower of Terror.  I've already experienced that nightmare of a ride so Shannon and I passes while they went.  They all loved it and said I was a chicken for not going on it, I told them I know.

 The kids met Minnie Mouse after the ride.  She's so cute!

Then we rode the Grizzly Rapids and got soaking.wet.  Seriously.  And it was just the way Shannon wanted to start the day!  I love that ride!  We had to stop in the store that they have right next to the ride to get a change of clothes for Shannon and Elizabeth.  They were both the most wet and both in levis.  

We walked over to the Little Mermaid ride and dried off a little.

 Then we made our way over to California Screamin'.  We saw Donald Duck on our way over.  Right as we  were next in line to get our picture with Donald, he had to go make a phone call to Daisy so we had to wait for a few minutes.  So the photographer let us take some pictures of the family and then she wanted to get a picture of the kids.  They are just the cutest.

Then it was time to ride California Screamin'.  Oh my, I was so scared.  But I figured I rode Splash Mountain the day before so I could do this one, too....I loved it!  I was so glad Lu wanted to be my riding buddy and we were scared at first together and then we were laughing together as we were riding it. 

Then we wandered down the Paradise Pier boardwalk.  We came upon the games they had and of course our baseball loving boys wanted to play!

First they played to water guns.

Noah won that game first.

Elizabeth was ready to win the next one!

But DJ won the second game.

Then they played Casey At The Bat.

Then they moved on to SkeeBall.

Where we won Bulls Eye...and Arnold got to carry the prizes!  

As we walked around to the other side of the pier, we met Jessie.

We rode Goofy's Flight School and then headed back over to the front of California Adventures.  As we were going past Grizzly Rapids (where we started our morning rides), I noticed Noah, Lu, Shannon and Arnold in front of me then looked down.  No DJ.  Looked all around me, No DJ!  I asked Shannon where he was and she looked around and didn't see him either.  I panicked and then headed back where we were just walking.  As I got to the falls of the Grizzly Rapids, I saw that cute little boy with his neon green shirt with a security staff member.  DJ was crying, and so was I.  I knelt down and he ran into my arms, I hugged him so tight.  I was terrified and so was he.  Then Shannon and Arnold got to us.  Arnold told him to make sure to stay with us and hold hands.  He was so scared and didn't let go of whoever's hand he was holding while we were walking around that park for the rest of the trip.

We rode Soarin' Over California, one of my favorites!

As you can see by the smiles on the kids faces, losing DJ kind of put a damper on the mood while we waited in line for Soarin'.

Then went to go get something to eat.  While Arnold was in line for food, Shannon and I walked over to go through Off The Page.  It's such an awesome store.

Then it was time to go drop Lu and Noah off to get ready to dance.  While we waiting for their dance teachers to get there, we went and rode Monster's Inc.  Such a cute ride!

Noah and Lu went with their teachers and DJ wanted to go ride California Screamin' again while we waited for the hour or so til they performed.  So he and I walked back over there and the line was really short.  For it being the 4th of July, the park was surprisingly not very crowded.  So we rode the ride 3 times back to back.  I wanted to vomit by the 3rd one, it's so fun though!

We started walking back to where Noah and Lu were dancing and stopped at the fish basket for a picture of DJ.  He's just so cute!

Then we stopped to get DJ a new cooler lanyard to put his pins on and a new pin, just cause I love him so much!  I bought him the Skater Mickey with the mohawk pin to match his new hat.
Then we went back to watch the dances.

Noah was first with his Hip Hop performance.  I haven't had the chance to watch him dance this year so I was really excited for him!  And he did so good!

Then Lu came out.  She got to do 2 dances and her solo.  She did awesome!  I love watching her perform!

 They both did so great!  There was a couple next to us who talked about how great Elizabeth was while she was dancing, after the performances were over and they realized she was ours they just went on and on about how much they enjoyed watching her dance!
The Muppets in 3D was right next to where they danced so we went to watch that.  Josh and I both thought it was so cute the last time we were there and I thought the kids would enjoy it, too.  I love the little staging area you wait in before you go in for the show!  And the kids really liked it!

I love this cute family!

 The back of Grizzly Rapids

 We headed over to the other side of the pier to ride California Screamin' again and then went to Toy Story Midway Mania!  We love that ride!  The lines are always so long and there are no fast passes for it, but it's worth it!  It's a 3D arcade game and is so fun!

 Shannon and Arnold went to get us a spot for the World of Color show and the kids and I went on California Screamin' a few more times.  By our last ride we were all a little queasy!

 We found Shannon and got to our spot for the show.  Paradise Pier is so pretty lit up at night!  And I was so excited for the show!

 I was bummed not to see the fireworks for the 4th of July at Cinderella's Castle but the World of Color totally delivered an awesome patriotic tribute!  DJ was tired and couldn't see very well so he was on my back for all of the show.  I love that kid so much!  My hips paid for it the next day, they were pretty sore!

 The World of Color!

 The Little Mermaid

 Finding Nemo

 Toy Story

 Aladdin

 Pirates

 Bambi

 Lady and the Tramp

 Snow White

 Sleeping Beauty

 Fantasia Mickey

 It was so cool!  Then we were on a mission to get to Cars Land to ride our fast pass ride!  Radiator Springs is just awesome!

Mater!

 The Radiator Springs Racers is such an awesome ride!  It's just a nice drive through the desert of Radiator Springs.

 Then you go in to get new tires and a check up and line up for the race.  Once the next car lines up next to you, you just take off and it's so fast and fun!

 It was such a long, but fun day!  We got back to the room around 11 and were hungry.  So we ordered room service.  The kids and I fell asleep before the food got to our room!  We were so beat!