My HEART is so SAD!

I have written about little Gracie once before on my blog almost a year ago. She has been through so much in her little life it just doesn't seem right or fair. You can check her blog out at http://thegledhillfamily.blogspot.com/

I just wish I could do more to help ease the physical pain that little Gracie is feeling as well as lifting the emotional pain and suffering of her family. We trust that Heavenly Father has a divine plan for each little child he takes home earlier than any parent would ever want. I have followed Gracie's story since she was born and have grown to think that I know the family personally by reading the ups and downs of this journey they are on. I am sure it is not the journey they ever intended or wanted but is one they signed up for when Gracie chose them to be her parents here in this mortal life. She was brought here to this family for a very specific reason and through her mothers strength and love for Gracie she has documented the journey of her life. She has given me such a great understanding to take each day and embrace everything that comes along with it. I am grateful for the health of my children. I am thankful for all that I have been given in this life, not the worldly things, the things of monetary value but the things that I can take with me to heaven...my memories, my love for my family and my love of Christ.

Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.

Valentines Day 2009

The girls showing off their new Valentine pillowcases G'ma made along with their books. Thanks G'ma and G'pa for always spoiling us and making holidays so much fun! Cohen and Dad showing off his new book from G'ma and G'pa...also his new Hot Wheels!

Claire more interested in the toy than in the food. Typical Claire.

Emerson showing off her new rabbit smile. She just lost another tooth and thinks pulling this face is so cute!

Our McDonald dinner by candlelight
We had such a fun Valentines this year. I am not a fan of going out on Valentines Day, I mean you wait for a good 2 hours or more if you don't have reservations and I find that INSANE! Plus it is always hard to find a sitter on such a day, although my parents did offer to take the kids but I wanted them to go out and do something special for themselves. So, this year I decided to decorate the table let the kids choose what we ate and eat it by candlelight. The kids decided on McDonald's Happy Meals and homemade chocolate cake that I let the kids decorate with Valentine goodies. It all turned out yummy and it was fun to watch the girls get so excited over everything. After dinner it was movie in mom and dads bed but not long into the movie we had some surprise door bell ringing going on. Out on the front porch was a bag filled with lot of goodies and of course lots of LOVE! Gramma and Grampa Warrick delivered some of the cutest Valentines around.(see above pictures) What would we do without G'ma and G'pa around? You guys always make every holiday so special and fun for the kids.
Happy Valentines Day Everyone!
(oh...thanks Audree and Jens for the yummy homemade chocolate dipped strawberries..YUM! You can bet that I sat in bed that night eating those and the V-chocolates caramel apple that I got Scott:)

Cohen's First Haircut

Scott and the girls took Cohen down to get his FIRST haircut on saturday. He looks like such a big boy now. Look how handsome he looks with his "faux hawk"...I love my little guy!

Super Bowl Bonanza!

Emerson(sportin' a groovy face) mom, uncle Jens, Audree and Natalee sitting around enjoying all the yummy food! Launee and fam we sure missed you guys:(
The basement over at my parents..they had it all decorated with football streamers and balloons. So cute! The blur is Emmy doing a cart wheel:)

Claire showing off her prize from the balloon she popped.

The whole gang with our 3D glasses on watching the commercials.

Cohen with cousin Emeree..he is showing off his prize from the balloon pop.

Cohen again with his "buck" and sportin' a chocolate "stache"

We had such a fun time this year at Mom and Dad's Super Bowl party. Let's get right down to the point I don't go to watch the game I go for the FOOD! My parents had their basement all decorated in the Steelers and Cardinals colors, balloons, streamers and all. It really looked cute and festive. My dad had planned a football Bingo game and each time someone got bingo he had a big bucket full of surprises we got to pick from, also for every touch down scored we drew a name and that person got to pop a balloon and the prizes were monetary prizes:) anywhere from .25 to 5.00(happily to say my Scotty won the 5 smack-er-roos) I wish I would have taken a picture of all the loot we walked away with it seriously was like Christmas. We had so much fun hanging out with everyone, stuffing our faces until we couldn't move anymore, playing the fabulous games and stuffing our faces again. We had a blast and look forward to next years Par-tay!

Am I cut out to raise a BOY?

Cohen has developed a love of shutting doors around the house. Whether he is leaving a room or going into one to play it doesn't matter the door gets SLAMMED! Last week he was leaving his sisters room he turned to slam the door and unfortunately he ended up using his thumb as a door stopper. After the good 5 minute melt down he was fine and on his way playing again. I did manage to look at it but nothing was looked abnormal, it was a little red around the cuticle but that was to be expected after getting your fingers caught in the door. No worries. Or so we thought...Fast forward 4 days. Cohen wakes from his nap crying hysterically(never does that) he wouldn't let me pick him up, hold him NOTHING! He was holding his little had in a weird position so I grabbed it and examined it(not even recalling his door incident)and that is when I saw the THUMB! Yowsers! That thing was double in size and totally yellow under the nail bed. Since I was sick with the flu and it was Saturday around 6 p.m. Scott took our little guy to the E.R. it was there after and X-ray that they determined he had fractured the tip of the thumb. The Dr. then went on to say that when a child hurts a finger they tend to start sucking on it to help relieve the pain, hence that is how it got so infected under the nail bed. After a quick incision to clean and drain the infection, a prescription and hand wrap they were on their way home. Now 5 days after the antibiotics it looks somewhat normal...we are just missing the WHOLE nail which we did happen to find on the floor...VOMIT!

No, he did not learn his lesson on slamming doors but I am hopeful he will soon grow out of that stage. HOPEFUL.

Once again no pictures and I think everyone will thank me this one time for that:)

St. George Trip

This past week the kids and I went down and spent some time in my old hometown of St. George. It was so nice to get away and go down see my sister, niece and nephews, although the weather was chilly it sure beat the temperatures back in SLC..oh, and the clean air it felt so good to be able to actually breathe. While we were there we were able to help my sister pack a few boxes in prep for her move into her CUTE new house, shopping, visiting the Brigham Young winter home, swimming(thanks uncle Darren) and visiting old family friends. Our family has dear friends that we have known forever they are like a 3rd set of grandparents to my kids. Wayne and Loyanne sure treat each of the kids so special and they always seem to have some new little doll, paper doll, tea set to show the kids. We love spending time at their home and feeling so loved and welcomed by them.

We are so grateful to gramma and grampa for taking us down and letting us use their beautiful condo we always have such a wonderful time with you guys and making everything so special and exciting for the kids. Grampa thank you for taking each of the grandkids shopping and buying each of them an outfit of their choice. Thanks for offering to buy me a pair of $196.00 pair of jeans. Now, why didn't I take you up on that offer?? Come to think of it...does the offer still stand? Mom, thank you for taking the girls down to the gift shop and letting them pick a necklace of there choice.

I am so bummed. I brought my camera and intended to take lots of pictures but I only managed to get one. Oh, well I will make up for it when we head back down in a couple of months to meet our new little niece. I cant wait! On the other hand...I can wait...don't even get me started on the car ride down and back. Oh BOY!

History Was Made!

No matter what your political backgrounds may be...we witnessed HISTORY yesterday! I am truly proud to say that I am AMERICAN!! Watching President Obama's swearing in and Inauguration really renewed my love and faith for my country. His speech spoke a thousand words and restored a lot that has been lost in the last 8 years. I am EXCITED to see what happens for our great nation in the next four years!