The Hogan Family

Long Time!!

2010-07-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Wow...it sure has been a long time since I've posted! Well our computer broke somehow and won't even turn on anymore so thats my excuse! We've taken it to 2 computer stores and neither one could get it to work...so looks like we need to buy a new one!
Well a lot has happened since my last post in Nov. Im just going to brief through everything:

1) Jeff got a new job in Feb. He likes it a lot. He's working for Divco, an HVAC company based out of Spokane and Jeff handles all of the accounts in a 75 mile radius...from Ritzville to Royal City to Moses and Othello and Ephrata all the way to Coulee City and Electric City.
2) I started school June 21 out at BBCC. Im getting all of my pre-reqs done to apply for the dental hygiene program at CBC in Tri Cities.
3) Courtney turned 18 in Feb. and moved out that day....something about not liking our rules haha.
4) Courtney graduated from high school on June 12! She is planning on attending BBCC this fall.
5) Sam will be a big bad freshman this next year and Emily will be an even bigger senior! Shannon is excited because she gets to go to school all day as a cool 1st grader!
6) Jeff found out about 5 years ago that he has a half-sister and half-brother, and was just confirmed 100% with a DNA test that it is true. He is very excited to get to know them more!!
7) Jeffery started walking in Nov. and is now running, hoping and jumping all over the place...including the big trampoline in the back yard. He has a temper, just like both of his parents :), and will get so mad if you close the back sliding door....he wants to come and go as he pleases! If you give him something or tell him to say "thank you" he will just say "yep!" lol

Well I'm trying to do this from my phone, so I don't really have many pics to put on here...for now I was only able to get these 2 on. I will keep trying to get more.

Just enjoying some summer watermelon!

Daddy and Jeffery looking for "bugs"

What A Stud!

2009-11-16T16:25:00.001-08:00

So I recently got Jeffery's first pictures taken since the girls were all getting their school pictures back. I got them back and they were ADORABLE!! I was only able to purchase 2poses at this time but it was soooo hard to chose which ones. Well I was looking around on the inernet this afternoon and found a site that I could look at all the pictures they took of him....and I was able to save them to our computer! I was so excited...now I have all the poses! :) Here are the pictures of our little stud!

Father Daughter Date

2009-11-06T09:59:00.001-08:00

Well Opening day for deer was on Oct 17 and of course Jeff was ready weeks in advance! A buddy of his and Jeff took their trailers up Thursday night so they could scout all day Friday to be ready by Saturday morning! Well it paid off...Jeff got a really nice buck! It has eye guards that are over 1" so if you count them it is a nice 5x5! Samantha went with Jeff and had a great time! They had their deer after only about 20 min of waiting! He stopped right in front of them broadside...making the perfect shot even more perfect! :) Jeff took it to hang in a meat locker for a week and then him and I de-boned it ourselves again in our garage. After doing it last year we are getting to be pretty good. We joked and said I should become a butcher. Haha. Well here are some pictures of Jeff, Samantha and Bambi's Dad!
We took all our meat up to a butcher in Pasco and had summer sausage and pepper sticks made! YUMMY!!

Pretty Little Things!

2009-11-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

Finally got my pictures of the girls dance night on the computer. On Oct. 17 Emily and Courtney went to Homecoming. They looked absolutely beautiful!! They both got ready at home and had their hair done at Salon Hogan! :) They both were really excited. Courtney's date's name was Zack and Emily's date was Ismeal. They both had a lot of fun and their dresses were perfect for each of them!!

Another Milestone!

2009-11-06T09:38:00.000-08:00

Jeff's Race

2009-11-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago Jeff entered a dirtbike race in Spokane. They have it every year; it's called the Hare Scramble....only at the end of October they call it the Scare Scramble. You can either enter it with a buddy and alternate laps or enter it by yourself and "Ironman it". Because jeff is absolutely Perfect and awesome at everything he does, it's hard for others to enjoy his company....leading him to "Ironman" the race this year!! hahaha It was a lot of fun...we packed up some food, blankets and supporting love and made it to Spokane in less than 70 min for Jeff to start the race. I think each lap is about 6ish miles long. There were a few pro riders doing 10 min. laps; Jeff's fastest recorded laptime was 13:19. He ended up completing 7 laps...would have gotten 9 but his bike blew up 3/4 through the 8th lap and had to walk it back a long ways to the pits where we were. He still had a lot of fun and will definatly win next year! LOL! Here are a few pics of him after the race...and extremely muddy!

Jeff's Pass Time

2009-11-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

As you all know, Jeff is basically an adrenaline junky! One of his "toys" is his dirt bike. Here are a few shots of him riding with his buddies at the sand dunes.

Soccer for Shannon

2009-10-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

So Shannon wanted to start playing soccer this year so we signed her up for the fall season. She just had her last game last week and loved every minute of it! This was her first year and she did awesome, scoring 2 goals! Here are just a couple pictures from her 1st practice. She said she definately wants to play in the spring!

P90X Update!

2009-09-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

So I'm still doing P90X and all I can say is "I HATE YOGA!" One week down, 12 more to go!!

Rolls Anyone?

2009-09-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know and I'm sure everyone else knows, that I've been overweight since basically I got pregnant with Shannon. I gained about 50 lbs with her and never lost the baby weight, then gained a little more with Jeffery....and well, here I am...rolls and all. Well I have wanted to lose the weight for a long time...I'm always tired, I run out of breath very easily....and some other things that goes along with being...uh, chubby! :) Jeff and I are planning a trip to Hawaii this spring and I definately want to go and enjoy the trip and not worry about not looking good in a swimsuit, so I'm doing it. I'm losing the weight. Ive decided the way I'm going to do it is to continue counting points for weight watchers but then for my exercise that goes along side with that I'm starting P90X. For those of you who don't know what that is....watch TV. I'm sure you'll see an infomercial sooner or later for it. It's extreme cardio, yoga, stretching, core workouts, and just about every kind of exercise you can think of!! It's a 90 day program and there are 13 different DVD's that you follow and depending if you want to bulk up or just get lean you follow a certain schedule. Every day of the week you do a different DVD and every week you do different orders. It's hard core. Well I just started my first day yesterday bright and early...6:00. About 20 min into it I was thinking, "Wow...I'm getting kind of tired." Then about 40 min into it I thought, "I'm just going to sit down and watch them do it..." (But I didn't) Then at the end of the hour, I was thinking, "HOLY CRAP IM OUT OF SHAPE." I sat down on the couch and my hips and thighs were literally quivering. I went to sit up after about 20 min and already felt pain in my lower abs. I must have done something right because today I feel like the lower half of my body was in a car wreck or something!! I literally don't know how I'm going to do todays DVD....but I'm going to! I just need to suck it up and get past this first week!!! I've decided to kind of keep a journal on here.... to kind of keep me motivated! If I quit, then everyone who reads this will know....and I don't want that! So 1 day down, 89 to go!!

Beef Cake Anyone?

2009-09-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

So Jeff has been faithfully going back to the gym to get in better shape. I have to applaud him for his dedication...As you can see by my physique, I don't have that quality! :) Here are a couple pictures of him when he came home from the gym the other day. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do! :)

Not a Little Baby Anymore!

2009-09-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official...Shannon is in Kindergarten! Today was her first day and she LOVED it! I was so funny because when I picked her up I asked her if she had fun. Her response was, "Yeah, but I didn't even learn to read today." Later she was talking to Jeff on the phone and telling him about her day, she was telling him that they had to walk in a straight line out to the playground for recess. He asked if it was fun, "Daddy, what is so fun about walking in a straight line?" It seems like only yesterday she was still referring to all food as "ummies" and calling diapers "boppers". Now she is copping attitude and in school!!

Jeffery's Favorite Toy....For Now?

2009-09-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have given Jeffery how many baths in the last 9 months? And how many in the last 2 months that he has been able to sit up by himself? I don't even know. Well I usually put toys in the bath with him to play with....this night, however, I didn't because I was just going to hurry. I turned around to grab him a washcloth and towel out of my closet in the bathroom and turned around to this. Is this what I get to look forward to about raising a boy? I guess it's one of the perks about being a boy...less toys to buy!!

Another milestone!

2009-08-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here is just a little video of Jeffery crawling in the kitchen. Just ignore the excited "mom" voice. :)

Holy Cow!!!!

2009-08-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

Man, I think I just broke my last record of not blogging. We moved about 2 months ago and just finally got internet hooked up at home!! And because I am no longer working I will have absolutely no reason to not keep this blog updated!! I know all of you are absolutely dieing to here how things have been going!! :) Well here is just a quick little list of things:

1)Jeffs sister and her new boyfriend came to visit in June
2) Our old house sold after being in forclosure so we had until the end of June to be out of the house...luckily we found a great home in such short notice and are even thinking about buying it.
3) Got fired from Lakeside Dental...yes fired. And the reason??? I'm still wondering that myself. I had absolutely no warnings, no write-ups, no nothing; was a head assistant, had been there a year, and then after work on July 24th, was called in to HR office and was told that it was my last day and I would need to take all my belongings home!!! The biggest shock. The only reason I was given was "It's just not working out"....um, okay!?! So in the meantime, I've applied for unemployment benies but haven't recieved any yet, called every dental office in the phone book; no one is hiring, and just staying at home with my kiddies.....love it!!
4) Jeffery has started crawling...YEAH!! I can see it in his eyes, "crawling sucks, I wanna be on my feet like everyone else!" It's just a matter of time.
5) Registered the girls for school..Shannon included!! Oh My Gosh, she is starting Kindergarted this year! I can't believe it!! We went and found out her teacher; Ms. Grey at Knolls Vista. Her first day is Thursday Sept. 3. She can hardly contain herself!
6) Courtney is graduating this year!! Starting to get senior pic. info...I can't believe it!
7) Emily just had her 16th B-day!! She graduated from bottom of the line no camera, no bluetooth, no nothing cell phone to the Samsung Solstice...it's an IPhone knock off, touch screen, bluetooth, camera/video and she loves it....:)
8)Jeffery now has 6 teeth and 2 more are about to break through!!
9) Bought the girls a wakeboard back in July and they love it...they got up basically their first try and within 2 days they were cutting outside the wake! Amazing!! Just in time for us to hit our propellar on a big rock, take a chunck out of it and throw the whole motor off balance....what a way to end the summer! Thank heavens for insurance! :)
10) The guy who usually does all of the HVAC with Jeff at his work quit, leaving Jeff with ALL of the work to do by himself!! Not fun because he is literally working everyday! 114 hours in the last 2 weeks! Pay check is good, but not him being gone all of the time!
11)We went camping with some family friends of ours over Memorial weekend! We went up Icicle Creek Road. There was a mudslide wiping out the road about half way up this last winter so we were only able to make it up to 8 mile campground. It was still a lot of fun. jeffery's first camping experience.
12) Samantha had her 13th birthday. She had some friends over and went bowling. My friend Nicole made her cake, it was amazing...a volcano on the beach! Awesome!
13) The fair was here last week. Jeff had been working everyday so he didn't want to go walk around and for the older girls, it's not cool to walk around with your parents, so Nicole brought her nephew Canaan and I had Jeffery and Shannon. The two, Shannon and Canaan , had a blast on the rides! There are a few pics of that to follow.
14) Jeffery got his first haircut with clippers!! His hair was like a mop on the top of his hair, totally opposite of shannon...His hair is thick and a lot of it. He got it cut at the salon that Jeff goes to! We like to spike the top, just like Daddy!
15) I finally got the Coach purse and wallet that I had been wanting. I got it for mothers day! I love it!!!
16) I finally got baptized into my church on May 3, 2009! That was one of the most exciting days for me!! There are 2 pics of that on here too. Baptism by imerssion in front of the whole congregation!! What a rush! :)

Well I can't think of too many more exciting things...I'm just going to throw some random pictures on here. Hope this helps everyone get caught up with our lives, I'll definately be blogging again a lot sooner than last time! :)

We have the same hair!!

Opening Salmon fishing in Snohomish!! Good job Honey!

Samantha's homemade tropical island birthday cake!! Yummy! Awesome job Nicole and thanks!! :)

Pretty soon it's gonna be "look Ma, no hands!" :)

Taking a break at the Aquatic Center.

Our camping neighbor made the girls these hats in about 2 hours for both!

Jeff and I golfing! I was hitting it about 250 yds straight down the fairway...first time golfing! :)

CHEESE!!

Perfect form!!

CHEESE......again!

Do I have anything up my nose?

Jeffery and his monkey!

My mothers day presents...above and below.

Before....and full of sins! :)

After....and perfect! :)

Mimi Darlin' Comes to Town!!

2009-04-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ever since Shannon was about 2 she has called Jeffs mom Mimi Darlin'! All the grandkids have always called her Mimi, however Shannon decided to add her own part! She lives in Arizona and flew up here for a visit for this past week! It was a lot of fun having her here for a week and very nice! Jeff and I weren't able to take any days off of work but we still got to visit and hang out. She had dinner ready every night, laundry done, house cleaned.....it was so nice! And very much appreciated! :) Well while she was here, the girls and her kept "whispering" about something....and we weren't allowed to know about what! They just said "it's a secret". Well narrowing it down with clues that we picked up on we knew something was going to happen Wednesday when we both got home from work! Well Wednesday night, Jeffs Aunt, Uncle, cousins wife and little boy from Ephrata came over, we all had a big Spaghetti dinner and hung out. It was fun....but still not very surprising seeing as though we always get together, especially when a family member comes up from AZ. Well sure enough, after dinner Jeffs mom told Jeff and I that we had to go upstairs so they could "talk"......riiiight! :) When we were told that we could come back down, we were right...they were up to something. Janet (Jeffs mom) had spent all day baking, frosting, and assembling a 3 teir wedding cake!! They had champaigne glasses for Jeff and I, punch made, confetti on the table....they had thrown us a surprise wedding reception/anniversary party!!! How fun! Now I know, our anniversary isn't until September, but Jeff and I never had a reception...not even a wedding cake! And Janet wanted to do that for us while she was up here! It was so nice and a lot of fun...and the cake was YUMMY!! She completely out-did herself! She is amazing! And the girls, yes even Shannon, kept a great secret! :) Thanks everyone! :) Here are a couple pictures of the cake she make and just some from the week she was here! Oh and Jeffery officially has 2 teeth!! And Im pretty sure hes getting more!!!

Jeff's Aunt Kenna in pink, Uncle Johnny in plaid, cousins wife Cassie in black.

Jeffery giving his Mimi kisses.

and more kisses!

Janet and Jeffery.

Look at those rollie pollie legs!!

Shannon and her cousin JoeJoe.

Steaks and Potatos Pretty Soon...

2009-04-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Man oh man...it has been 3 months since I posted last. Well I've been really busy since I went back to work. Well Jeffery is getting big! He has his 4 month checkup next week so I have no idea how much the little tank weighs....but he really is a little tank! He definately is not starving! :) I am, however, having to supplement with formula to get him full though! And he takes to that like a champ!! Well on easter, Jeffery rolled over for the first time! He has been rolling onto his side and just laying there talking and talking for a couple weeks. He just decided to go a little further this time, and of course by the time I grabble the camera he was done! He has also been super fussy, drooling, throwing up all the time, and had diarhea for a few weeks. Not fun! Well the reason for all of this was he's teething...and his first tooth poked through his little gums on Monday night! Yes...already....a tooth at 4 months! And the one right next to it is pushing it's way up too! It hasn't broken through the gums yet but you can see the little pressure spot where it's trying! Poor little guy!! And it's so funny cause if you try to put your finger in his mouth to feel it he shakes his head and tries to bite you like a rabbid dog!! Super funny!!! Well here are a few pictures....not the most recent but just a few weeks ago.

Sittin with my Titi!

Just Chillin' with my cousin Jace....he makes a great pillow!!

My Daddy was making me laugh!

I love my family!

Such a Ham!!

2009-01-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

We got Samantha a digital camera for Christmas this year and she hasn't put it down since then. She brought it to me the other day to help her with some of the settings and I looked through the pictures that she had taken. Among the 200+ pictures that were already on it were these pictures of Shannon. Samantha had dressed her up, fixed her makeup and hair and took these modeling pictures. Shannon walks around the house all the time with her little hip shaking catwalk stroll. It is so funny...and very good! She dances all the time and just thinks so highly of herself! Here are a couple pictures of her and then some of Samantha and Emily that they took. So cute!

Pictures!!!

2008-12-28T23:01:00.000-08:00

I know, it's about time I got some pictures on here. This is just going to be a quick entourage of pictures from the past couple months in no specific order. There's a little hunting, fishing and baby Jeffery on the next post. Hope you enjoy! :)

Shannon working on her bike like her Daddy! She does this every time Jeff works on his motorcycle....and uses Daddy's tools from his tool box!

She is so proud to be out there with Daddy!

Still working on their Bikes!

Waiting for a bite on the line!

At the gun range checking our targets with Daddy! I got a couple bulls eyes baby! :)

Samantha's first time at the gun range...she did awesome!!

Waiting....and waiting....and waiting!

Deer hunting this year, just Jeff and Samantha! They saw a whole bunch of Dos, but no bucks this day!

Samantha hunting with her Dad...they had a great time!!

Jeff bringing home the bacon.....i mean fish! :)

The catch of the day!

Baby Jeffery!!

2008-12-28T22:25:00.000-08:00

First day out, 3 days old...going to Dr. appt and mommy's work to be shown off!

Just a little photoshop fun! :) (12 hrs old, at the hospital)

My first picture...say cheese!

3 weeks old and so alert! Im just so adorable and handsome aren't I? :)

Showing mom my cute smile....or is that gas?!?!

Waking up...taking a peek at mom!

Bundled up to go to another Dr appt for more blood draws....checking my jaundice level! I hate those heel pokes!

It's so tiring being me! Eat, sleep and poop...pheewww! I'm beat!

My first night at home in mommy and daddys bed! Much better than that plastic thing at the hospital!

Good Morning! My first official morning....at the hospital with mom!

Jeffery just relaxing....and very tired!

Little Jeffery relaxing in Mom and Dads bed.

Little Jeff and Big Jeff cuddling in the recliner! He loves laying with Daddy!!

Shannon loving her baby brother in the hospital.

Emily holding baby Jeffery.

Holding her baby brother for the first time.

Courtney snuggling with Jeffery before school.

Samantha getting in some cuddle time.

The proud Daddy with his son...and Shannon sneaking in the action.

Look at that proud smile....it only took 5 tries, but his son is here! :)

Don't be jealous of how I look after labor....haha! (Notice the still very
swollen nose?!?!)

Jeffery Carter Hogan

2008-12-22T21:15:00.000-08:00

This is the picture that the hospital took the day we were discharged to put on their website. Such a little angel!(more pics coming soon...sorry its taking so long)

There is no Longer a Bun in the Oven!

2008-12-15T16:19:00.000-08:00

Well he's here! Jeffery Carter Hogan entered this world at 5:44 am Monday, 12-8-08! Actually, Carter Jeffery Hogan entered this world that day and became Jeffery Carter today! The whole time I was pregnant, Jeff wanted to name him Jeffery. I was hesitant for a reason I still don't know. This whole week I have thought about his name and came to the conclusion, in my opinion, that every father should have the opportunity to name his son after him if that is what is desired. If not, then something else can be decided....in our case, Carter. Jeff never really liked Carter, and all week kept saying that it didn't seem natural to call our little bundle of joy Carter. Well I know how much it would mean to Jeff to have his son be named after him, so today I called the hospital in hopes that our paperwork for the birth certificate hadn't been mailed off to Olympia yet. Luckily it hadn't and we were able to change it without having to go through court and all the hooplah! I feel really good about it and am happy that we have both decided on a name for out little boy. So there is no confusion we'll call him Jeffery and big Jeff is Jeff.
Well as I was saying earlier, Jeffery was born at 5:44 am, weighed 7lbs 4oz, and was 19 1/2 inches long. My water broke at home Sunday night at about 5:00 and we were admitted to the hospital at about 6:00. I was only dialated to about 4 at that time so my Dr. recommended starting Pitocin to get things rolling since my water had broken. I dialated about 1cm an hr. I ended up getting the epidural, which made things a lot more comfortable! By 5 am I was fully dialated and 100% efaced (spelling?). The nurse called my Dr to let her know we were ready, and she showed up 10 min later. I started pushing at about 5:30 and with 4 contractions and 12 pushes later Jeffery came "shooting" out! I say shooting because with that last push he came out so fast that even Dr. Russel almost dropped him...of course the bed was right under him, but intense anyway!:) All the girls have adapted to him like a fish to water and enjoy his company very much! Even Shannon enjoys him and helps whenever she can, with holding him, getting new diapers out, and her sweet little kisses! We are so truely blessed to have this little boy to complete our family! I have a lot of pictures to get on here but sadly right now I haven't gotten them transferred from the camera yet. Those will come shortly!

Not here yet....

2008-12-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

Well just another quick update, I had my 37 week checkup yesterday, I'm actually almost 38 weeks, and heartbeat is still nice and strong. My Dr. did a pelvic exam and I am now dialated to about a 3. She said she was actually surprised to see me at my appt and not in labor before. She told me to make an appt for next week but she thinks she will see me before then...so baby is coming soon! I think that the pelvic exam might have triggered labor because since I left there yesterday at about 1:30, I've been having contractions. I was timing them last night and they were very consistant, about 10-11 minutes apart. I even took a long hot bath to see if that would help them subside, and nope.....they went all through the night and into today. They haven't gotten any stronger or closer together, so I am still at home just relaxing. Hopefully we'll have pictures to put on this weekend.

Still Waiting.....

2008-11-22T06:33:00.000-08:00

Well I'm 36 weeks prego now and ready to see this little guy! My feet, along with the rest of my body, are swollen everyday, my back is killing me, this little guy is very strong and my ribs and lungs feel the repercussions of his little legs all day! Oh yeah, and I'm back to having contractions all the time again....the kind that make your back hurt! The girls at my work have told me that I have dropped, which by the amount of times I'm running to the bathroom, I could have told you that very easily! I'm just all around ready!! When I was prego with Shannon, I had her at exactly 36 weeks...which would be.....tomorrow! Yikes! Time sure flies! And now that I've seen the pictures of Scotts little Jace, it makes me even more ready to meet ours! We are having another ultrasound on Wednesday, day before Thanksgiving, just to see how he is measuring. At the 26 wk ultrasound, he was measuring about a week bigger, so we just want to see about where we are. I'm so excited! Hopefully the next post we will have a few pictures! Oh and still no name...I'm liking Carter William....we'll have to see!

Jeff at the Sand Dunes

2008-11-02T13:55:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few pictures of Jeff jumping at the sand dunes. The guy taking the pictures didn't know what he was doing obviously and some of the shots could have been a lot better. He either got Jeff too early or too late, not at the peak of the jump. I'll have to go out with him and take some better pictures...:).

fifth gear!!!!!

Jeff doing a whip...... but captured at the end, too bad!

another fifth gear hit

fifth about 150'

One of the better pictures...fifth gear Go Jeffy!

Pictures

2008-11-02T12:28:00.000-08:00

Well here are the pictures that I promised. There are some of the deer that Jeff got, Halloween, and the video of Shannon I have wouldnt upload, so that will have to wait. For Halloween, Court went out with her friends dressed like punk rockers. Emily had to help the volleyball team pass out candy at the high school dressed like a princess, Sam was an old grandma with a big butt and Shannon was a princess. We juat took Sam and Shannon to the high school and then to a couple houses...called it an early night and went to eat at Denny's. They all had a lot of fun.

Time sure flies!!

2008-10-25T11:43:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been over 2 months since I've posted anything! I am now 32 wks prego, and ready to see this little guy. No names have been chosen yet, we haven't even narrowed it down to a couple. I've had a couple scares since the last time I posted...about a month ago, I didn't feel the baby move for almost 2 days. He had always been very very active and kicking like crazy, so I decided to call my doctor. She wanted me to come in for a check, just to be safe. She found the heartbeat right away and hooked me up to a monitor for about 10 min. He was happy and content in there, just starting to run out of room. So that was all good. Then on Oct. 11, KayDe, Jenny, Hazel, Shannon and I had a girls day shopping in North Bend. All the walking all day started some Braxton Hicks contractions that lasted everyday, every 1-2 hrs for a week and a half. I called my doctor last Tues. and she had me come in again....it's too early to have this baby, I do still have 8 weeks. Once again, we hooked up to a monitor for about 10 min and everything was good. She wasn't too concerned with the contractions because they weren't getting any closer together or stronger...just staying the same, and I don't have any spotting with them. So I will go back on Nov 10 for my 34 week check up. He continues to move like crazy kicking, pushing, stretching....whatever he can do and it causes my whole tummy to shift and change shape. He's pretty strong! We are having my baby shower on Nov 8 so I will have to post some pictures of that!
On another note...Jeff went deer hunting 2 weeks ago and got a 2x3 mule deer. Obviously he wasn't trophy hunting....but it was a good catch for some good meat! We hung it at our house over night for the first night and then Jeff took it to Basin Meats to hang for another 3 days. He brought it home last Saturday from there and he and I de-boned it together in our garage. I got online to find out how and what cuts of meat were the best....good learning experience for the both of us, and a good bonding time! Hahaha...nothing like butchering a deer in your garage with your hubby! :) He then took all the meat, except the backstraps and tenderloins...we kept those here and marinated them at our house....YYYUUUMMMMMYYYY!!!, to a place in Tri Cities to get the rest cut. We got 20 lbs of jerkey, 50 ft of pepperoni sticks, and 10 lbs of brats! Yummy!
Also, Shannon learned how to ride her bike without training wheels the other day. Jeff taught her in less than an hr and she is now starting, stopping and turning around and in circles by herself. I need to take some pictures and videos of her next time...I was at work when he taught her...and then I'll get them posted on here. I'll also post pics of the deer Jeff got.
Sorry it's been so long to post...I'll try to be better! :)

Good 'Ol Grant County Fair

2008-08-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

The fair was in town last week and the girls each got to go ride rides with their friends so Jeff and I decided to take the girls on the last night as a family. We got a lot of great pictures...thanks to the new camera Jeff bought me for my birthday. Here are just a few of them!

Courtney, Emily and Samantha waiting on the Alli Babba

Courtney, Emily and Samantha waiting on the Drop Zone

Shannon jumping higher than the rock climbing wall on the Bungee Jump

Samantha attempting a back flip on the bungee jump

Jeff at the top of the climbing wall...he made it in about 5 seconds

Shannon and Jeff on the carousel

Shannon made the height requirement for the YoYo swings by literally 1/2 inch! We thought it would be better if Jeff went on it with her...and she said that was her favorite ride out of all the rides!! Shes fearless!

This was them just getting started. When they were full speed/height it was too fast and high to get a good picture of them.

Shannon and I on the Ferris Wheel...the only one I could go on...no pregos allowed!

Jeff and Shannon on the Ferris Wheel

And Our Baby's Sex Is......

2008-08-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

So we had our ultrasound last week, I know, I'm a little late, but there was definately no mistaking that it's a BBBOOOYYYYY!!!!! Oh we are totally excited! It will be our last child and the fact that its a boy is just the greatest gift! Now all we can do is continue praying that he and I remain healthy and everything goes well!! Thanks for all of your prayers...(those of you who did pray), they were and are very much appreciated! The ultrasound was considered a Limited ultrasound because the baby was breech and sitting almost indian style with his feet up under his butt. They couldn't really get good pictures or measurements, but right off the bat he had his little legs spread eagle and we were able to see his little...hot dog! Then it's like right after that, he curled up in his little ball and remained that way the rest of the appointment. We will let you know more as we find out more! Thanks again for the prayers!

My Baby Bump!

2008-07-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

I know, not exactly a good picture, cutting off the head and everything, but hey, when you take a picutre by yourself and it's with a cell phone, you kind of have to just settle for what you can get! This is my belly at 19 1/2 weeks! WAY bigger than mine with Shannon! I did however gain more weight and get fatter with Shannon, but when you work at Dairy Queen and eat their food everyday, what do you expect! :) So far I'm actually 2 lbs lighter than before I got pregnant. I lost about 5 lbs before I knew I was prego, and have only gained about 2 back. Between weeks 12-16 I only gained 1 lb! Yeah for me!! My baby bump with Shannon didn't even "pop"until about 25-26 weeks! I've been feeling the baby squirming around in there like crazy! It's actually kicking as I'm typing this! It's like it's doing water...or should I say amniotic fluid aerobics or something. I've been feeling this one a lot more than I felt Shannon too. All in all, this pregnancy has just been totally opposite. I have my next appt. on Aug 7, only 8 days from today! I'm totally excited cause it's my ultrasound, and if the little peanut will cooperate and spread their legs, we'll get to find out the sex! Still praying for a boy, and I hope everyone else is too! Well I better get back to work, hope everyone is doing well. I'll post again after our appt. next week! :)

Finally, a 4th of July Update!

2008-07-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

We had a really good 4th of July. We went to the lake and let the kids play in the water. It was a bit windy, but they had fun! Jeff had gone with a buddy the day before over to the Seattle area to the indian eservation called Boom city. They have a whole bunch of big fireworks for really cheap! Jeff ended up buying a whole bunch of stuff, including some mortors, the big ones that shoot out of the tubes and explode like you see in the city fireworks. Well we found out the hard way, that you can only use the tubes a couple of times, if they are cardboard.(which ours were) You can also get the plastic ones which last forever. Well after you use the tubes over and over, they start to either shrink, or just get filled with gun powder, kindof like an unclean gun barrel, and consequently, the mortor doesn't fire out....and blows up on the ground! Watch out! The first time, yes first time, this happened, the firework will make this noise, and you know your in trouble...you better start running or take cover. Well Jeff was lighting them off and when it made the sound, he started running, and only got about 10-15 ft away, when it got tipped over by another one and shot out.....hitting him right in the thigh! Now you see how quick they shoot up, they must be going about 100-150 mph. It knocked Jeff to the ground! After he got up and "shook it off", we looked at his leg. It had torn the skin right through his shorts! When we got home about 2 hrs later, I took a picture. The top picture is the night it happened, and the bottom picture is 3 days later!!! Crazy! The knot is bigger than my hand and sticks out from his leg about 1 inch!!! OUCH! Luckily, he's okay! :)

Newest Update!

2008-07-10T12:07:00.000-07:00

I just had my 16 week check up today! The heartbeat was A LOT stronger and louder this time than it was at my 12 week checkup. I recorded it on my phone and sent it to Jeff through a text message cause he had to work. It was good and strong, she said it was at about 148! Now everywhere I've read on the internet and heard that people have told me is that boys heartbeats are lower and girls are higher, usually in the 160's. Scott and Jenny found out they are having a boy and theirs was at 143. We are keeping our fingers crossed and praying like crazy for a boy! We also made the appointment for our ultrasound. It will be at my next checkup 4 weeks from now! August 7 is the day I can't wait for!! Seems like an eternity away!!

Just a Little Update!

2008-06-11T09:42:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't written anything for a while, and not much has changed except my jeans are starting to feel tighter already! I have to ride around in the car with them un-buttoned and then hurry and button them when I get out! I didn't even start to "feel" bigger until about 5 months with Shannon, but they say your 2nd preg. you will not only get bigger faster, but feel bigger sooner too! They hit the nail on the head on that one! I am 12 weeks and 3 days today! I have my 12 week appt. tomorrow and hopefully we can hear the little heartbeat then. That's what I'm excited for the most, is to hear my little fetus! I'm just entering my 2nd tri-mester and so the odds of a miscarriage or something else have lessened greatly, but I would still feel a little better hearing the heartbeat; all you mommies out there know what I'm talking about! It makes it seem real! I've had some mild cramping, but I think it's just the whole uterus stretching. I'll post again after my appt tomorrow and let everyone know how the little peanut is growing! Keep us in your prayers still for a boy! :)

My Little Peanut

2008-05-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

So I had my first prenatal checkup last Thursday. I was really excited to meet our Dr. We had a lot of problems with the Dr. that we chose when I was pregnant with Shannon so we wanted to find someone else. We had heard a lot of things about a lot of Dr.s but we heard the majority of them about Sherri Russel. We decided to try her out and we Love her! She is a midwife, and has been doing it for about 20 years. She's been an RN for about 25....I think. Basically she has been doing this for a while, and she has delivered over 2,000 babies! She asked a lot of questions and just really just tried to get to know Jeff and I, which made me feel good and like I was important. At the end of the appointment, she informed me that I would be getting a pelvic exam, yippee for me, and an ultrasound! Not too happy for the first one, but ecstatic about the second. This copy isn't really that good, but it's a picture of the little "peanut". That's what the girls have been calling it. No, the two white dots aren't part of my baby, they are just the markers that Sherri put on to measure the size of the baby. Crown to rump, it is 2.02 cm. Quite the little football player! :) The little circle thing above the baby is the yoke sac, which supplies the nutrients until the umbilical cord is formed. Based on the size, I was 8 weeks and 4 days along. So today, I'm 9 weeks and 3 days! The due date is still Dec. 21. My next visit is on June 12, and we will be able to hear the heartbeat then. I'll keep you all posted, keep praying for a boy please! :)

A Little Vomit Never Hurt Anyone!

2008-05-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it started! I'm in the beginning of the "morning sickness" rage! It started last Thursday when I was leaving to go to a church retreat! I have always gotten car sick, ever since I was little, but car sick mixed with morning sickness?, watch out! We went up to Deer Lake, and stayed in a lodge called Pine Low. It was beautiful! So we had to go through Spokane to get there, and head north out of Spokane. When we got to the north end of Spokane, we stopped at a spot with a few little fast food spots and it was all I could do to get out of the van and RUN into Taco Time!! Consequently, I only got a few saltine crackers for dinner that night. Friday I felt a little nauseous, but nothing to the point of throwing up! Saturday morning was okay too, but as soon as we got back in the vans to go home, I barely made it to Spokane, which is only about 30 miles from Deer Lake! We stopped again for lunch, and when I got out of the van I felt better. I decided to eat a small Quiznos sub. We didn't even make it to I-90 before I made them pull over at Les Schwab. I decided to leave my entire lunch there! I know, generous of me! :) Sunday was okay, and Monday too, but Tues. at work, it happened again! I usually HATE throwing up, but for some reason, I don't mind this time. I wasn't sick AT ALL with Shannon, and most people say it's different with boys and girls! So because I'm sick with this one, I'm hoping it's a sign it's a Boy!! Everyone keep praying!

"There's a Snake in My Boot!"

2008-04-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, not really a snake in my boot, as much as a peanut in my tummy!! Yes, we just found out that I am pregnant again! Finally! I'm only 4 1/2 weeks so just starting out. I'm totally excited though. I've been ready for a 2nd one for about 2 years now, so this is like a dream come true! The cool part about it is that my brother Scott's wife Jenny is pregnant too! We found out about eachother on the same day. She is about 3 weeks ahead of me....again! About 5 years ago, we were both pregnant with Hazel and Shannon. Again, our due dates were only 3 weeks apart. This will be exciting...it's like a race to the finish line. I just found out I was pregnant by a home test yesterday morning...and it was a for sure thing! Consequently, I haven't gone to the doctor yet so I don't know my official due date. Jenny got online for me and figured it out using a conception due-date wheel and it said my date will be December 21, 2008! I need EVERYONE to pray now, and everyday until this little peanut comes out that it is a BOY! We already have 4 girls and this will be our last baby. We need some more testosterone in the house, so everyone, when you lay your pretty little heads down at night and you are thanking The Big Guy upstairs for your amazing lives....don't forget Megan and her peanut...BOY, BOY, BOY!

WEEE....Finally warming up!

2008-04-10T14:01:00.001-07:00

So it's finally starting to look a little like spring. Shannon and I went to the pet store to get our dog some food and she wanted to get him a pig ear to chew on. Those are his favorite treats. She gave it too him outside so he wouldn't make a mess and while we were outside she asked if she could jump on the trampoline for a couple minutes before her nap. Yes she still takes naps...you shoud see her when she doesn't..she gets fangs!! I told her only for a couple minutes. I ran in and got the camera and managed to get a couple cute shots. Also a few at the pet store.

WEEEEE!!

Practicing her "tuck" jump!

"Even Princesses can do this!"

Perfect Star Jump! Watch out Molahiettes!!

What the....?

Shannon Is FOUR!!

2008-03-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

My baby is officially 4! It for sure doesn't seem like I had her 4 years ago! She is growing up so fast!! Yesterday was her birthday and we just had a little party at the McDonalds here in town with the big toys. All her cousins got to come and some friends and neighbors! She got more Hannah Montana toys than she knows what to do with! A true Hannah Montana finatic! She also got some way cute outfits for the summer. I was busy cutting cake and talking to the adults so I didn't get a whole bunch of pictures. Jeff was video taping the whole thing though. Here are just a couple pics of Shannon, and the Amazing cake that my sister KayDe made for her! It turned out great, Thanks KayDe!!

Too Cold To Go Outside.....

2008-03-30T11:32:00.001-07:00

So as most of you know and may have experienced yourselves, we woke up to SNOW this morning! So weird! But my girls had three girls spend the night last night who are also all sisters and good family friends of ours. I got up and made all the kids waffles and bacon this morning and afterwards they were trying to think of something fun that they could do inside cause they didn't want to go out in the snow. About five minutes later, I heard some rumbling noises and a lot of laughs. I went to see what they had decided to do, and as I turned the corner, my daughter came flying down the stairs in a sleeping bag towards my feet! They made a "slide" using slippery sleeping bags on the stairs and were taking turns launching themselves and eachother down the stairs. Here are some pictures that I managed to get in-between all the laughs.

Easter Pics....Finally!

2008-03-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

I know it's a week late but I just got my camera to work so I could get the pics off of it. We just went to church in the morning and then did easter baskets from the "Easter Bunny". After that, we just went bowling as a family. It was a lot of fun!! Of course, Jeff was very competitive and felt good about beating his children! Just kidding, but we did have a lot of fun! Here are some pictures of the girls in their new dresses!

Shannon in the Easter dress that her "Mimi" sent her.

Samantha

Emily

Courtney....standing crooked! :)

The Newer New Job!

2008-03-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

I know, it's been what?, almost 3 months since I've posted. Sorry. Well I started a new job on Monday. Yes, I know I just started a new job in December but I've learned a lot and decided to find something else that would benefit me a little more. My previous job was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the people I worked with but there were no benefits, no overtime, and a lot of other little things that just didn't seem too good. Well I had a working interview at another dentist office last week and one of the dental assistants that I was working with told me of this little office in Ephrata who needed an assistant NOW. She know the Dr. and called his wife at lunch that day. They set up an interview that evening, and hired me on the spot. She wanted me to start this passed Monday, 24th. I was totally extatic!! They offered me $6 more an hour than I was making at my other job. That's almost $500 more a month and I work a day less!!! Cant beat that! We only have patients on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Doctor lives in Federal Way and has another office over there. He only is here Mon-Tues and then goes back over the pass for Wed-Fri. I work Mon, Tues, and Wed. I'm by myself on Wednesdays just answering phones and scheduling appts. It's great. All together it is a better job. I'm really lucky to have it.

"Just Because I Love You"

2008-01-04T16:06:00.001-08:00

I know, this card probably

doesn't make sense, but

keep reading and you'll

understand.

<------<------<------<------

Notice Shannon stanging in the back...very proud of what her Daddy had done.

So cute story to tell. Yesterday morning, Jeff called me from work at about 10:45 (he goes to work at 6) and begins to ask me if I am leaving the house at all today. I tell him that I have to take Emily to the Bowling Alley at 11:00 (she is on the High School Bowling Team) for their out of town game and then run to the bank and then home. He then proceeds to ask an exact time I'll be home and wanted to know if I'd be home the remainder of the day. Kind of odd, but oh well. When I question him, he tells me that he had ordered something from his motorcycle magazine (for his YZF 450...his dirtbike) and it would be here between 12-12:30. Hmmm, I start thinking to myself, the company NEVER gives him an exact time that his stuff will arrive....but whatever. We get off the phone. He then calls back at about 11:50 asking me if I was home. He told me that whatever was coming "for his bike" I would like too. Right there, I knew he was up to something. I asked him some more questions and he told me, "Okay, I got a new rear sprocket for my bike." YES....I was so happy for his new sprocket....!?!?! No, not really, but I know it was something else. He calls back for a 3rd time at 12:30...asking me if it had come yet...NOT YET!!! He now said they told him it would be here within the hour. So he's got me REALLY wondering what he's up too now. Sure enough, within the hour, there is a knock at my front door. I open it and there is a lady standing there with the most beautiful boquet of a dozen roses I've ever seen. I immediately took pictures with my phone and called him. He told me they were for no other reason other than "He loves Me." C'mon, you can't get better than that. I'm so greatful that Jeff is in my life! He truely is amazing!!

'Tis The Season

2007-12-29T23:15:00.001-08:00

Well we had a great Christmas. The Saturday before Christmas, my Grandma had a BIG dinner with all her kids and grandkids. It was great to see some cousins that I hadn't seen for a few years. After that I had a Drill Team get-together at my house with the other 9 seniors I graduated with and of course, what is a Drill Team Party without Kittrell. It was a lot of fun, it was the first time we had all gotten together since we had graduated. There was a lot of stories, farts, and A LOT of laughs!! Typical drill teamers! Then Sunday evening, we went to Jeff's cousins house in Ephrata. It was a lot of fun too. We just had some appetizer type snacks and played a long gift exchange game...you know the one where you can either choose a present or steal someone elses. It was a lot of fun, and we came home with some pretty funny gifts ranging from a pack of toilet seat covers, to 80 hour energy spray, to Christmas Boxers with a "naughty side" and a "nice side". We did presents at our house Christmas morning with the girls and let the girls' mom come over to watch them open their presents. They all enjoyed their gifts and got pretty much everything they asked for. To both Jeff's and my surprise, "Santa" left a Dora Jeep on the porch for Shannon...the kind she can get in and drive. I guess it was too big to fit down the chimmney. We still don't know who "played Santa" for her, but whoever it was....THANKS!!!! We just relaxed the remainder of the day, until about 5:30 when we drove to Othello to get together at Scott's house with all of my siblings. All 6 of us kids were able to get together again this year. It's definately not the same without Mom here physically, I know she is here spiritually, but we do our best to do what she would have wanted. We continue to draw names and get together one night to exchange them. We ended up staying until after midnight playing games and enjoying each other's company. I absolutely LOVE this Holiday Season simply for the reason you get to be around everyone you love and cherish!
So I'm getting better at this blog thing. Actually learning how to put pictures, and links. I've put an archive of pictures on here, hope everyone enjoys them. Hope everyone's holidays were great!!

My New Job

2007-12-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

So those of you who know, I have been looking for a job for about 1 1/2 years now, and it seemed like it was never going to happen. However, I got a phone call on one of the jobs that I applied for recently and they wanted to hire me. The position was for a Dental Assistant position in Warden. Now, I know that I have no dental assistant experience or schooling, but hey are willing to train me from scratch. Can't beat that!! I'm totally pumped. My first day was Dec. 5. I've been there 3 weeks and absolutely LOVE it! I can see myself doing this for the rest of life. The older 3 girls are in school all day of course, so we just had to find someone for Shannon. Luckily, and I thank God everyday for her, my Grandma stepped in and offered to help. She takes Shannon for us Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Jeff has Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off and I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. So we keep her Thursday and Friday. I know a lot of things would be easier if Mom was still here. Sometimes when I here good or bad news my first thought is "I should call mom." Even after 5 years. But if she can't be here, there is no one else I would rather have step in and help than her mother. Thank You Grandma!!

2007-11-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

This was taken on Halloween this year at Grandmas house. The kids had a lot of fun trick-or-treating. Courtney and Emily decided to be old women with big butts. They looked hilarious! Samantha was an ER surgeon and Shannon was Little Red Riding Hood. Their cousins looked great too! Tristan was a Red Power Ranger, and Bodie, a shark! Courtney was a Bride, Megan a Vampire, and Hazel a Princess. And you can't forget Miles, the cow. :)

Merry Christmas

2007-11-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I'm new to the whole "blog" thing, so bare with me. I wanted to be able to brag about my family like everyone else and what better way to do that than here. We have just been getting ready for the Holidays. Jeff and I went Christmas shopping on Black Friday and got a bunch of good deals. We decided to put all the presents in our closet and told all the girls, including Shannon, not to go in there and if they do, they will get in trouble. We left it at that. The other night, Jeff was telling the girls again not to go in there, so they don't see their presents. Shannon just looked at him and said, "It's okay Daddy, I already know what I'm getting. I saw a teddy bear in there for me!" She decided she was going to be the first to snoop.