Time is flying!

Wow! I can't believe it is October already! The kids have been back in school for over a month now. Hannah is in 3rd grade at Siena and loves it! She has a few friends from churh in her class and I think she is really enjoying her teacher. I never had many worries that she would be excited for school, she has always been a school lover! On the other hand, Isaac had me worried...for about 2 days! It turns out he loves being at school everyday. He is in Kindergarten, also at Siena. He has come home with nothing but green stamps in his daily folder (green: good, yellow: needs adjustments, red: bad). He loves his teacher as well, and it sounds like he has made some good friends. It warms my heart to know that they are enjoying school and doing well! Josie and I now have alone time to spend everyday, although I must be honest and admit that I have had a rough time these last few months finding energy to function fully everyday. I think that night shift working is really taking it's toll...it has been 8 years that I have been working 12 hr nights at St Lukes! I feel I am ready for some change, but not sure I can handle day shift! (not to mention the loss of money that going to days would cause!) I guess it doesn't matter right now, as there are no day shifts available!!!

Anyway...these are long overdue, but here are some first day of school shots.
First up: Hannah! 3rd grade baby!


Here's my little man on his first day of kindergarten! My baby is growing up!


And last, but certainly not least...Josie! She didn't have a first day of school this year, but that is okay by me! Check her out, tearing up the sidewalk on her tricycle!

oh how I love her...

It really seems like 2 days ago she was born and yesterday she was starting school, but here we are at her basptism. I am so proud of her for making the decision to be baptised. August 1st was a beautiful and emotional day. What a testimony builder to have your children baptised. I was reminded how very blessed I am to have a worthy Priesthood holder for a husband, and how important the Priesthood is. I truly love the gospel and know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who knows us and wants us to return to him. I love the organization of the church, and know that because of it I am a better person and would flounder without it. I love my ward family and their support and love that I feel every week! What a blessing to our family! I love my children and husband so much and am so grateful for the Plan of Salvation and the opportunity to be a forever family! Thank you, Hannah, for being such a beautiful and wonderful daughter! I know that if you use the gift of the Holy Ghost that you received on Saturday, that you will remain strong and happy. I love you sweetie!









Here is the baptism announcement I made. I wasn't sure I was going to make them, but decided after some thought that it would be a good way to help her remember this special time. I think our family appreciated them as well...


Here is my wonderful little family on her big day.

My Cutie Nephew E

My sister-in-law asked me a while ago to take some pictures of her adorable little guy and we finally got around to it!

Love me some vintage!

Isn't he just the cutest! He sure did a great job putting up with all the weeds and pokey stuff!


Love you guys! I will have the rest edited shortly!

Time for a baptism!

My baby turned 8 on June 11th! I cannot believe that she is 8
years old and going to be Baptised! I am so proud of her and feel
so blessed to have her in our family. I will post a few pictures
from over the last few years, but don't have time just now.

It's Potty time!

Just thought I would share a little progress going on in the Shores home...Last month we bought a little potty seat from Ikea and just put it in the bathroom; we occasionally mention it, and J often asks to sit on it. She has never done anything but sit and push a little and sometimes break a bit of wind...til yesterday! When we were done with bath time she asked to sit on the potty seat, so I obliged since I hadn't put on her diaper yet. I didn't think much of it because she has not really done anything, but then all of the sudden I hear tinkling. Yay for J! I don't think she is really ready for full on potty training, but I think she gets it!

Ahhh...pregnancy, so beautiful!

It is so fun to take pregnancy pictures, I love the anticipation and excitement that soon to be new mom's (and dad's) feel! Here is a friend of mine who is just such a beautiful girl, she is sure to have a beautiful baby...and soon!





Already a loving family...




Check out those eyelashes!




A little vintagey...


Glowing!


Happy Mother's day friend!...and to all those moms out there!

Updated Pictures of Our Chickens

While in the Salt Lake area a few weeks ago, we were able to stop at Temple Square on Easter Sunday. The kids weren't into the whole picture idea, but I gave it my best shot anyway! Josie was especially irritated and completely avoided looking at the lens...

Thanks to my persistence and Dave's help I got this rare shot of Josie's face turned to the camera!

Of course I had no problems with this ham!

....or my pretty poser!

Moster Trucks!

Today we got to go to a Monster Truck Ralley! The reason we went was really to see Carrie's brother race his 4-wheeler in the Quad Wars they had in between the monster truck events. We had fun, til little J reminded us that the activity was during her nap time!

We got to see Grave Digger up close!




The kids got the opportunity to see how big the trucks are, including their HUGE wheels!


This pose was unprompted! He was just channeling the POWER from Jurassic Attack!


Standing in front of some cars that were later PULVERIZED!


Of course those big trucks are LOUD...especially Grave Digger, so ear protection is a must! The muffs looked so huge on J's little head!


Then there was my little man and his big cheeks! So fun!


Pictures courtesy Carrie's phone! We didn't want to lug around my big camera...so the phone pictures will have to do!

My baby is 2!

I cannot believe my baby is 2!!! It is so cliche...but, where does the time go?!?! We feel so blessed to have this spunky, energetic spirit in our family and just love her to pieces!

Here is her terrible 2 face...dirty shirt and all!


When I asked her to hold up 2 fingers, this is what I got.


She was born 3/3/07, about 5 weeks early, shortly after 10 pm and weighed 6 lbs 4 ozs. Here she is is just after delivery, before she started having trouble breathing and was sent to the NICU, which would become her home for 2 weeks.


She had respiratory distress and her right lung collapsed. They had to place her on a jet ventilator and placed umilical lines. It was so scary seeing her hooked up to everything, even though I am fairly used to the sight...it is completely different when it is your baby! I wish we had gotten a photo of our poor baby with all the apparatus she was hooked up to, but I was such a basket case at the time the thought never occured to me. The next couple of shots were after they took her off the vent and pretty much all her lines.


She seemed so small under the warmer, though she was one of the larger babies in the NI...


Finally getting to go home! The doctors actually wanted to keep her another day or two and I told them no! I had taken an early baby home before and we did just fine and I promised to take her for weight checks as often as needed. They just kind of looked at me for a second and then said okay... I know I sounded crazy telling the doctors we were leaving, but the only reason they wanted to keep her was because she wasn't gaining weight and I knew we could give her what she needed at home. When we left that Saturday she was 5 lbs 15 ozs, 5 ozs under her birth weight...on Monday, 2 days later, at the Pediatrician's office for a weight check she was 6 lbs 8 ozs!



She hasn't slowed down since! She became quite a chunky monkey after that!


...and always so happy!


I think you will agree she is quite the ham!






















We love you J!!!