Our house turned into a home!

How to turn a house into a home? Well I think it takes many things but a piano has made a big difference in our home. We are so excited! Laura has been taking piano lessons and has been doing really well. We don't need to remind her to practice. We had a keyboard and she would get on it every day and practice her songs. Her teacher says she is doing extremely well. We are very excited for her.

BYU-I was auctioning a bunch of pianos from around campus. Some were pretty beat up but two of them were in very good condition. This was one of them. We placed our bid not thinking we would get it since we only bid one dollar higher than the minimum but in the end we got it! The BYU-I pianos are tuned every semester and so far this one seems to have been somewhat pampered. We feel very lucky.

When we told Laura that this piano was for her and the family to practice on she almost cried with joy. It was a special moment. Our living room has come to life. It not only looks beautiful but there is music constantly playing. I LOVE IT! Next semester I am taking a beginners piano class at BYU-I. Cool huh?

BABY#5

For those of you who did not know I was pregnant well... I am =) We had our ultrasound this Thursday. Everything is fine with baby so far and as you can see in the picture. IT'S A BOY! We are very excited and the battle for names has already begun. It is much harder for us to name boys than girls. I don't know why. We had the girls names picked out early in the pregnancy. They felt right and there were no problems. But the boys! My goodness! We can't seem to decide until the very last minute. Is this normal?

Laura's Baptism!

The highlight of the year! What a beautiful experience. I will never forget how I felt as soon as we walked into the church that day. It was so peaceful. When Laura and I went to the locker room area of the bathroom to get her changed into her baptism clothes I felt like we were in the Temple. We automatically started whispering and there was a feeling of reverent happiness which resembled the way I felt on my Wedding Day. All these years of having learned about how baptism is a covenant with the Lord became very real at Laura's baptism. I attended Primary, served a mission, taught primary etc.... This principle has been taught to me and I have taught it many times in my life, but I guess it took a child of my own getting baptized to be able to really gain a testimony of how real and important the covenant of baptism is. It was a faith promoting experience which has made me try to be a lot more reverent during Sacrament since it is a renewal of that special covenant. Laura we are proud of you and love you so very much! ( The little girl on the picture with Laura is her friend Breckley from school. They are in the same class and happened to get baptized the same day. The beautiful hairdo was Emily's creation. Thank you Emily).

Mateo turned 4!

Our sweet Mateo had his fourth birthday. His cousin Jayden came all the way from Provo. That was the best present he got! Those boys had a great time. I want to thank Emily, Jordan and David for coming all the way for Laura's baptism and Mateo's Birthday. You guys are so thoughtful. I also want to thank Abuela (mom) Madeline, and Carla for coming. We had so much fun with you guys. Please come back!

Laura turns EIGHT!!!

I cannot believe it. Laura has reached the age of accountability! She is a great little girl. She is very responsible and a joy to have around. She is always helping me with many things especially with Titus. I am grateful to have such a wonderful oldest child. Keep up the good work Laura, WE LOVE YOU!

For her Birthday we had a few of her friends over and had a little party. It was fun! Laura asked for Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner and for her cake she asked for her favorite: Lemon! Yum!

Ou little Computer Genius

Sure looks like it right? The other day I was making dinner. I looked over at our computer because I could hear someone pressing keys. When I saw Titus I had to get a picture. He looked like he knew what he was doing but it turns out we got a virus right after that our computer had to be wiped out. We almost lost all of our pictures. That's the last time my little genius will play on the computer.

Thanksgiving

Diaper changing assembly line. Anyone else need a diaper change?

We had Korrin, Will and their kids over for Thanksgiving. Their kids and our kids played and played and played like crazy. I feel bad that I did not take any more pictures. I just took a few of the baby because he is soooooooo cute!

Roar!!!!

Zeb likes to go online and show the kids videos of wild animals like lions and tigers fighting for food, and doing all kinds of scary loud noises. They LOVE IT!!! I love this picture because Titus' face is so explicit. I think it's funny.

Haloween 2009

Here are the kids Halloween day. Laura was a dead bride, Claudia was Snow White, Mateo was Tigger and Titus, well he was nothing. Oh well, he is too little for that kind of stuff. Next year we will think of something. I would like to thank our neighbors for all the costumes. They were very nice and let us borrow them. What fun! My dead bride was very dutiful in practicing her piano especially after we threatened her with no trick or treating if she did not practice. What evil parents we are!!! Ha Ha Ha (witch's laugh)

Surprise!

I was going to bed the other night and as I passed by the girls room this is what I saw. I was so proud of them. I think this is a good habit girls, It will keep you strong and safe in these latter days.

Mateo "EL GUAPO"

I finally got Mateo a white shirt and tie for church. He is now officially a future missionary!! He loves it too.

Claudia the helper!!

Claudia decided the other day that she would do my dishes so she brought a chair to the sink and started washing away. It was sooo cute. Thanks Claudia! She did a great job too!

Yellowstone with Titi Madeline

It was wonderful to have Madeline and Mom over. We had lot's of fun, and of course ate up a storm. Those women know how to cook! Four hours away (from Provo to Rexburg) is too far away. I wish we lived closer.

Zeb took them to Yellowstone. He is such a great son in Law! Mateo went with them. I think Mateo thought it would be fun to go but on the way back Zeb says that he said "Dad, I don't think I want to come to Yellowstone ever again is that OK?" Poor little guy he was sooo bored.

Claudia on K-Bus

I found two more pics of Claudia on her first day of school. They really were the cutest so I had to add them. The school picks up and drops off every kindergartner at their home no matter how close the live to the school. I had to send a note letting them know that I do want her to walk home with her big sister. The only reason they let her walk is because of the advantageous location of our backyard.

Our other primos

These are my guapo boys. They are getting sooo big. I got this tie for Mateo but now I need to find a shirt that fits him better. He still looks handsome though. He is modeling his new attire while showing us his manly owie on his face. Macho Macho Man!

I made this quilt and pillowcase for Mateo. ROAR!!!

We met the Baileys in Washington D.C. Zeb and Heath were both training for the Foreign Service. We left the job but they stayed and just finished their first tour in Costa Rica. The will be off to Latvia in about a year, after language training. We call them our cousins because, well, they are! Zeb and Melinda found out soon after we met that they are both descendants of Esaias Edwards. So there you go primos!!!! Luke, Ana, Mollie and Daisy. We love and miss you. Thanks for dropping by.

Back to School

Well school started about two weeks ago so I figured I'd better post some pics of the school girls. Laura is now in second grade and it looks like she will be able to finish all of second grade in one same school!!!!! I won't say that too loud or I will jinx (sp?) her. Her teachers name is Mrs. Hawkins.

Claudia is the star of the day because it was her first day of Kindergarten! She rides the bus to school and then walks across the backyard with Laura when school is out. She goes to PM Kindergarten and her teacher is Mrs. Rhoer. She is supper excited and jumps off the walls if she ever has homework!

Mother of one year old tries to do Genealogy

My life is not so hard because I have four kids. My life is hard because I have a one year old!!! The other day a sat at the computer and got a lot of work done on New Family Search. I'm trying to get my genealogy organized . . . I though Titus was being way too good so when I turned around to look for him, viola! There he was having a GENEALOGICAL BLAST with the corn flour I use to make Arepas! I concluded that this is why usually it is old people that get into genealogy. Oh well, I guess I will keep trying, after all no one is calling me a young fresh flower (or flour) anymore!