The Attorneys Widow

31 weeks 6 days

2011-12-20T16:11:00.000-08:00

And I'm still sick! Well, and even more so now. The nausea is still totally here, though I'm not throwing up all day, usually once a day! I'm not taking the meds every day now since I don't have to be in class. BUT.....now I have caught this wicked cold, Mara has it too-and all this mucus is NOT helping my already very uneasy stomach!

And goodness gracious, coughing so hard while having a rather large baby in my belly really.....really, hurts! It feels as though he is propelled right into my cervix every time, it stops me in my tracks!

I have a doctors appt tomorrow, just a regular OB check up, should we place bets on how many weeks ahead he is this time? I feel massive, I feel like he is massive-I can't believe we still have like 9 weeks left!

First Attempt at Gingerbread Houses

2011-12-20T16:06:00.000-08:00

So, I've never done gingerbread houses with my kids, we have done gingerbread people before though, and Jake is off all week so he really wanted to do some things with the kids and suggested that maybe we should try our hand at some houses.

They didn't turn out so bad! Though I certinaly learned some things that I should keep in mind for next year! The kids had a good time with it and actually spent some time really doing it. Mara of course loved it-she would do crafts all day long! But the boys actually did really well which TOTALLY surprised me!

The sweetest thing

2011-12-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

So, I can't reach my feet all that well, Jake's lucky I bother shaving my legs at all at this point!

Mara came up to me and asked if I would paint her nails, I told her sure, and then she stopped before she reached the hall way as she was running to get some polish, and turned back and said, "Can I do yours?" ha ha ha, well of course!!

She had so much fun doing it, and it was absolutely adorable! She kept telling me how fun it was and asking why we don't paint our nails every day! ( since then though she repaints her own nails about once a day! lol ......and she did mine again last night!) I'm one lucky momma!!

30 weeks pregnant

2011-12-08T12:34:00.001-08:00

Well, I've made to 30 weeks! This pregnancy has been hard, harder than the others. For lots of different reasons.

We have a had a lot of changes happen over the last year, and honestly pregnancy + hormones + change are a really bad combination. Oh and maybe throw in 3 kids and a husband and going to school!

I'm still sick. Not throwing up so much any more, but unless I do take my anti nausea meds I can't eat, or if I do eat it certainly feels like it wants to come back up. When I ordered my last bottle I thought for sure that had to be the LAST bottle I would need. But I'm down to a week left in this bottle and I'm thinking I should probably order another-just in case! Because I don't see all this clearing up in the next week!

My belly is big, my little son is like a tornado. He kicks so much and the kids love to watch my belly go up and down and back and forth. The only time they want to cuddle with me is really when they want to cuddle with Asher-but I'll take it!

The kids are so excited, I'm excited to meet him-but it might be even more exciting to watch them meet him. They are beyond excited!

Every day they count down and ask how big he is, and how much has he moved and what did he react to.

They talk about who gets to hold him first and how long they each get to hold him. They talk about how soft his head will be and how much they want to kiss his cheeks, and what he will smell like.

They want to know all the little details of how their births went and how I think his will go.

I hear them debating if he will have hair like Eli and Mara or if he will have more peach fuzz like Solomon.

They place bets on how big he will be, and how many days late he will arrive. They were all "over due" and both boys were born on a Monday and Mara was born on a Tuesday, so the bets are divided between the 20th and the 21st.

Going into this pregnancy I was really worried if I could love another baby the way I love my kids. I feel...and always felt that I knew these three before I was even born. I felt we had this bond. So even though I wanted another baby so badly-it worried me, would I mess up what we had? Could I love him or her the way I do my others. That's part of the reason I think I really wanted those 3D ultrasound pictures-I needed to see him, I needed to be able to feel that he was real-and I wasn't just sick for nothing!

I love him, I do. And each day I see my kids being so excited for him, it makes me love him even more!! Hearing them use his name, and talk about what they want to teach Asher, and who they think Asher will be like, just makes it more real. I realize I'm not having him just for me, he is theirs too. It's kind of fun and exciting to be having this baby as a family. When I had them, they each were so little they didn't really care! But this time-they are in love with him, even before he gets here. He is loved sooooo much, and I know he feels it, he reacts different when they are all around with their hands on my belly, then when it's just me!

These next 10 weeks are going to seem so slow, I hope with the holidays they feel faster!! We are all ready to meet our new little man.

Solomon-Taekwondo

2011-11-29T14:29:00.001-08:00

Solomon has been wanting to martial arts for a while now and I've just been putting it off since I really don't feel well still! BUT at the schools Harvest Festival last month he won 3 months free at this Tawkwondo school. He was besides himself happy!! He is doing really well and loves it!!

3D ultrasound at 26 weeks

2011-11-29T13:55:00.001-08:00

So the kids were really bummed when they found out that the doctors office wouldn't allow them in to see the babies ultrasound so I have been bugging Jake to let us go and get a 3D one!

I have to say it was more fun watching the kids be soooooooo excited than even seeing my little man-Asher. We have a name! The middle name is still being tossed around, I think we know what it is but until I'm certain you will have to do with just a first name!

He was moving around lots and blinking his eyes, yawning and trying to put his umblical cord into his mouth-the kids thought that was pretty cool!!

In this first picture he is sucking his thumb.....awwww

In these next two you can see a squigly line on the right side of his face, that's his cord, and in the video he was certainly entertaining himself by playing with it! It's so weird to me that I can't feel that!

He sure is handsome, and we love him so much already and can't wait to really meet him!!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-29T13:46:00.001-08:00

Solomon the ninja

Mara the fairy

Eli the hippy

We had a great Halloween! I took the kids around the cul-de-sac while Jake handed out the 1 bag of candy I bought since we never get Trick-or-Treaters, and by the time we finished the circle he was out! So, the kids had to pay a candy tax to fill my bowl! ;-)

Jake took the kids out around the neighborhood and I handed out more candy this year than we have in the 3 years we have been here COMBINED! It was nuts!

When the kids got home they dumped out their candy and began counting! I believe we ended up with near 400 peices of candy! Holy cow!! That's not even counting the candy I "taxed" them with at the begining of the night!

Pumpking Patch with Mara

2011-11-29T13:36:00.001-08:00

So, with having school 3 days a week this semester it's been kind of hard to make it to the field trips for the kids, but I really felt I should take the day off of school and go with Mara to the Pumpkin Patch! You see, I went with the boys on their first trips and it's one of those things I thought, "if I don't go I'm going to hear about this for years to come!". Not that I didn't want to go...but it was one more day I'd have to take off from school! I'm glad I went, Mara is my little buddy and I know as much as she is excited for this new baby-it's scary for her! All the changes that will happen, and a big part of me ( despite being sick) knows I need to stay just as involoved with her as before to make this transition smooth!

Here are some pictures from our trip to the farm! Mara has come with me twice here before with Solomons' class, but she was thrilled that it was finally HER turn!

I love you Mara, you always make me smile!!

Ballet for Mara

2011-11-29T13:33:00.001-08:00

So Mara took a little dance class a few years back and really liked it. But, I got busy with school and never enrolled her again!

So, her school has a dance class you can take through them and it's quite reasonably priced so I signed up her! She loves it!!

Here she is on her first day!

Her teacher tells me she has quite the talent and is really focused in class and had "natural talent". When the teacher told me that I kind of laughed...she sure didn't get the gracefulness from Jake or I! ha ha ha!

Sucking up to the tooth fairy

2011-10-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

So Mara is 5 1/2 and has her first loose tooth! This afternoon while I've sat here and tried to study for midterms I have been constantly interrupted by her wanting to know how to spell certain words.

I finally asked her what in the world she was writing:
Mara: I need to send some letters to the tooth fairy
Me: Why? Your tooth hasn't fallen out yet!
Mara: Because I want her to know what a good job she does, maybe if she and I are friends and she likes me she will give me more money when my tooth falls out"

I had to try very.....very...hard not to bust up laughing! That honestly has to be the best story I've heard in a long time!!

Thank you Mara, Mommy needed something like that to break up the craziness of studying!

Midterms....yuck. This time Math isn't even the issue! I got an A on my last test, it's Sociology! I thought picking this class would be easy--I'm social, I like to people watch, it should just all make sense!! But all these weird, kind of vague definitions that kind of sound like it could mean such and such...are REALLY throwing me for a loop! It's not as straight forward as I thought it would be!

Walking to class is beginning to be a pain too--literally, I have to pace myself-if I really get moving those braxton hicks like to kick right in, and those hurt! I find I have one area of muscle that really tightens up and doesn't want to let go and it will stay tight and just hurt for 15 minutes, which seriously makes it hard to focus in class!

Every week I think, "we are one week closer to December...just a little bit more". I can't wait for the semester to be done, to be closer to having this little one out!! I love babies, and honestly don't mind labor, I just don't like being pregnant and being pregnant doesn't like me either!

Only 122 days left! ha ha ha ha

We are now 1/2 way done!

2011-10-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

Today makes me 20 weeks and 6 days along!

We went in last week to have our ultrasound done, we told the tech to not confirm or deny the gender but to take a picture of it and just let us see it!

This is what was given to us!

It certainly looks boyish to us...so we are going to say "boy" for the time being! But, I guess there is still an element of surprise, babies foot is actually blocking some of the crotch area so I can't be totally certain there are not 3 white lines hiding and that thing sticking up is part of the cord! THOUGH, the nurse practitioner when she saw my chart thought it was a boy...so....??

Here is our adorable little ones profile, that little nose and the shape of his face just makes my want to cry, I want him out! I want to cuddle him and sniff his head!!

He is certainly beginning to move more and react to sounds and what I eat, I love feeling him move. His favorite spot is WAAAYYY down low, right on my pelvic bone and it's almost like he flicking it, feels kind of like a *ping* like something metal having a vibration---so weird! The kids have all been able to feel him a few times now, and thats' been super special to me to see them be so excited over it!

Here are some belly pictures we took last week when my new maternity clothes came in the mail!

Jake wanted a butt shot because he thought my butt looked nice in my new pants..the kids all cringed and ran from the room, it was pretty funny!

Mara, and I...the only girls in the family. She was okay with the news of this probably being a boy, but a few days later she had a bit of break down, sobbing...begging me to please try for a girl again! It broke my heart!!

I'm having more better days than I was so, that's nice-I was hoping not to have to order any more anti nausea pills when this bottle ran out, but no such luck, I still need them to function so I picked up a new bottle today when I was at the Dr's for my appointment.

Oh, the appointment! So, they measured my stomach and surprise surprise I measure ahead...so, how big will this baby be? I'm betting we break 9 pounds, that's my guess! Eli was 8 pounds 8 oz, Solomon was 8 pounds 13 oz and Mara was 8 pounds 7 oz. The way I feel my stomach already pulling as I walk, I don't think he is a light weight!! But gosh, look at that picture of him above, he is dang cute already!!

Sick? What's sick?

2011-09-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

I'm down another 3 pounds this week, which normally- in my regular life I would be thrilled with! And honestly, it's not like I'm broken hearted to a see a smaller number, I could use to loose a few more! But, given as there is a baby in my belly-I do have to try my best not to loose too much!

Sorry kiddo, if I have to live off of cheerios and water so do you! Stop messing around in there and I might be nice and give you something with substance!

I am at 18 weeks and 4 days now, and we have our ultrasound on Thursday! Jake and I were looking at different cloth diapers today and which sling I want this time around. It's starting to feel a little more real! I'm feeling the baby move now, not as much as I remember feeling the others by this point, I'd day it's more comparable to Solomons pregnancy than the other two who seemed to try to claw their way out the whole time!

My pants are getting tight and my regular shirts are having a hard time covering the button that is being held to the pants by a rubber band-and the maternity pants I've worn-well the panels are starting to show. So I guess it really is time for me to break out the real maternity!

The kids had school picture today last week, I can't wait to see them this year, last year they turned out fabulous!! We always give the grandparents pictures for Christmas, so it's nice when they look great! In fact I was thinking maybe we should do family pictures right now-while I'm feeling thinner, before the weight starts coming back on!! lol

I have to say this pregnancy has been harder than the rest, hyperemesis is bad in general, but this has been bad-bad. And Jake's been soooooo good through it. I don't know what I'd do without him! He cooks dinner every night, and he makes lunches for the kids every day! He has been my rock, while I struggle most days to even want to be alive he is there to still tell me how much he loves me even when I feel like crap and for sure look like death! ( smell like it too!)

I am glad that even though this has been SO hard, that my kids get to see their dad be so loving and protective of their mom. And see how the "roles" don't have to be something set, that a daddy can still clean, or cook, or help them do their homework-just like mom can. That's something they will remember and expect from their own partners later in life-and that I'm glad for!

Getting Closer!

2011-09-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

Today I am 16 weeks 6 days along! I had an appointment last week and the baby sounds great! Of course the Nurse Practitioner gawked at the weight loss-they all do! I have had a different provider for every pregnancy, and so even though I tell them how my pregnancies go, they tend to still be in shock when I come in for an appointment and am 20 pounds less than I was when I came in before!
I mentioned to the NP how there were many times I really felt I should have gone to the ER for IV fluids but its just so much work! I have to get someone to watch my kids, and I have to get a ride, and then I have to pay $50 for water ( ouch! for water? now if they could pump some morphine in, that would be worth it! ), and in the end its just not worth the effort to peel myself off of the bathroom floor, clean myself up and get it all done! THEN she tells me, "well, you know, if it's during office hours you can just come here, we can hook you up and it doesn't cost you anything!"

WAIT....WHAT???? How come no one told me that!! Free would have been worth it! lol ( says the cheap-o with Jewish blood running thick through her veins). Free would have been worth possibly peeing on myself because of the force of the vomiting, Free would have been worth finding a sitter, Free would have been worth being stuck with a needle and not getting an narcotics!...AHHHHH!

School for me has been going fine, I have not thrown up, though I did get to class one morning and outside the class door was a pool of vomit...someone else had beat me too it! I do sit next to the doors, and I sip water and eat pretzels the whole time and I carry gallon size zip lock bags in my purse-but so far so good!

We are no closer to coming up with names with this little person, than I am to being 6 feet tall! Jake and kids are insisting it have a "Z" name and are referring to it as "Zed". They figure that will be the nickname one way or the other....I on the other hand am not thrilled with the "Z" theme. To make it worse.....Jake really thinks we should let the gender be a surprise. The kids and I are dying! We ALL want to know, and honestly it makes it easier with names, I don't have to fight for both, only one! Not only am I fighting with Jake about it, but the kids are quite opinionated about what they like and don't like. This baby may come home from the hospital listed as "Baby Heninger".

We have the BIG ultrasound on the 22nd, so to find out-or not to find out?!

Eli's 10th Birthday

2011-08-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

I have a really hard time thinking that my oldest is that old! It doesn't seem like it's been that long. I don't feel like I'm 10 years older!

I remember turning 10, and it's strange to think that he is remembering life or has feelings about different things, and that he will remember this time in his life!

He was so excited to add a digit to his age, he was talking about how that only happens once in most peoples lives, I hadn't ever thought about it in that way! But of course he had! ha ha ha

So for Eli's birthday I had told him that there was just no way I was going to be able to make a cool cake and throw a big party here with his friends. But he had other ideas any ways! He really wanted to try crab! So, we decided that for his birthday we would take him out a a nicer restaurant and he could try crab! He was THRILLED. He has been talking about that for weeks and weeks!!

Eli loved the crab, he ate way more of it that I did, Solomon and Mara didn't order crab but did try some and were not impressed and stuck to their own meals!

Eli says its his best birthday ever, and that makes me feel better since I couldn't throw him a big party!

The start of a new school year

2011-08-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

So Wednesday was the kids first day back to school, and Mara's first day ever! I got up early, and took some of my anti nausea medicines, put some make up on and got dressed. I pulled the kids out of bed which actually didn't take much pulling since they were excited to go to school! ( aka mom is really boring!).

Everyone ate and dressed in record speed ( that wont last long!). Then it was time for pictures....now my kids have this habit of looking any where else but where I am, so it was a constant struggle "Look at me!, no..me! Not over me...do it while you smile please".....over and over....until my oldest broke down crying over how long it was taking..and that was the end of photos. grrrr children!! Is it to much that mom has a nice picture and you don't all look like I dropped you on your heads as babies!!??

We hopped in the car, and headed over to the school. I felt the tears coming as Jake drove, I held them back. We got there and dropped the boys off at their classes, and took Mara to hers. We saw several friends dropping off their kids and the most I could say was "hi" and a nod-I was ready to cry!

BUT-I didn't! I held it together! We left them there and headed home, and as soon as Jake left for work I sobbed!

We can chalk it up to hormones or the fact that my baby was gone all day, or that my house was so quiet it was weird....but it was hard for me! I *knew* she would be okay, but I didn't *feel* like she would be!

I don't leave my kids with babysitters hardly at all, and if we go some where it's my mom or siblings who watch them! I think I've paid a sitter twice since Eli was born!( Well-except for preschool) So, for me to leave my baby girl at a big school with teachers I didn't really know yet--was really hard! I kept watching the clock, 4 more hours, 3 1/2 hours, 3 hours....I just wanted to pick her up and know that it had all been okay!

Of course when I picked her up she bounced into the car and started telling me how great her day was and that she had made 2 friends, who's name she couldn't remember. She had had a blast, it was only Mom who had the hard day!

When we got home, she and I sat on the couch and cuddled and watched a show and she ate a snack, and my heart was happy. She was okay, she would be okay--but it has still been hard the rest of the week to send her!

The boys of course had a great time being able to see their friends again, they both have the same teacher they had last year so I wasn't worried at all, I knew they would be good!

I start school tomorrow, I think it will be easier for me to have her gone at school while I'm gone-I wont be thinking about it as much! I don't know yet how I'm going to survive school this semester! It's probably going to be harder than I'm preparing for-but I'm going to try my best to get through the whole semester! The anti nausea's only do so much, so I'm going to have an arsenal of pretzels and water and zip lock baggies to throw up in all stuffed in my bag, and just be hoping and praying I wont have to use it! I'm only there from 9-12:35 this semester so hopefully I can do it!

As far as baby news, I'm about 14 1/2 weeks along, so into the second trimester! I have probably 5-6 more weeks of really feeling sick, and then it will start tapering off. I'm looking forward to that!

I've lost almost 20 pounds and most days eat a few pretzels and a sip of juice. It's hard to keep my blood sugar up and not feel shaky and week, in fact Friday while the kids were at school I was throwing up in my bathroom and at some point must have passed out or something-I woke up 2 hours later on the floor of my bathroom sleeping! I stood up and got into my bed and slept for about another 2 until I needed to start getting ready to go pick them up from school!

I look like death in pick up line, the teachers look at me like, "you going to make it home okay?"...ha ha ha ha, maybe!

Next appointment is September 1st, so about 3 weeks, and then on the 22nd we get our big ultrasound!! Yea!! Jake keeps trying to convince the kids and I that we should let it be a surprise, but I don't think the kids and I are listening! ;-) We ALL want to know!!

My kids are cute

2011-08-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

And that makes me happy. I have been trying really hard to find a few things every day that make me happy because right now-I'm not particularly very happy!

It's hard to be cooped up all the time, unable to find the strength to shower and get dressed, and go some where..all with the thought of puking looming over ones head. It's lonely, and depressing, and very hard for someone like me who likes to solve problems and get things done!

I don't like not being able to make my kids lunch, or bake some bread, or make a cake with them just for fun! I don't like that we can't just pick up and go have a picnic at the park for a few hours, or run to a friends house to swim. I don't like not feeling like me, and I can tell the kids don't feel like themselves right now either, we are all a little grouchy around here!!

The meds work some times.....today they are doing okay! I'm not eating anything, but I made my kids lunch, and cut their sandwiches in fun shapes and made plans with them of what we should pack in their lunches this year. And it almost makes me want to cry-just the normalcy of it all! How I wish for that back!

The kids go to school next week, and I start back the week after. I'm still not sure how I'm going to do it. I'm betting on a few close calls to the bathroom, and having to sip ice water and munch on pretzels while I try not to disturb anyone! I just keep thinking, only a few more week, you will start feeling better--it will work out.....and then I just hope and pray it does, otherwise it's going to get ugly at school!

I'm just about at 13 weeks, and with the others I did begin to have some better days come about week 20. Still sick and all, but better, and I keep thinking 6-7 more week, we can do that right....breath...sigh....

So, despite this struggle, I am grateful for:

My kids who have learned how to be self sufficient this summer

My husband who has cooked more in the last 3 months than in the 11 years we have been married!

Friends and Family who put up with my constant cancelling of plans and don't get mad, but are understanding.

For "On Demand" otherwise I wouldn't have anything to watch after so many weeks of laying on the couch!

I'm grateful that my kids are so excited for this baby, and help give me some of that excitement-since my own is buried deep right now in being sick!

I am grateful for this baby **cry** , despite these struggles, it is something I have wanted sooooo badly for so long.

27 more week....I can do it....I can do it.....I can do it.......

Hyperemesis

2011-08-01T18:46:00.002-07:00

That's what's called. Why it is I'm so sick. It's not normal "morning sickness" where some crackers before getting out of bed can help...unfortunately! It isn't made all better because I eat some protein...which is sad.

Unfortunately nothing really helps when your morning sickness is so bad it's categorized as Hyperemesis.

I've had my first trip to the ER, I probably should go more than I do, but I am a cheapskate, and it's hard for me to justify the $50 co pay! It usually goes something like this in my head-----

"I just threw up, I can eat something now, it will level things out in my stomach. I can't stop throwing up, It's got to be almost over with this cycle......vomit.....how many times was that now...12? 13? Have I kept anything down....maybe some of the juice soaked in before it came back up, I'm probably okay....vomit....Oh I'm freezing!, kids grab me a blanket.....Oh I am burning up, Eli point the fan back at me......vomit....." and before I know it I've thrown up 20+ times in a day.

I have 3 different prescriptions right now for anti nausea meds, none of which seem to work well. One-seems to take the edge off, I can visit, eat a little, make it to a doctors appointment....but then I can't go #2 for a week! One is the same as the first but is dissolvable rather than having to swallow it, but tell me this, why-oh why, does it have such a bad after taste! As if that's any better at helping me lol!

The third...oh, it's a suppository--just in case nothing else is working. But really-who the heck wants to take that!! Not me! I tried it once...shudder...it didn't work much, eventually put me to sleep for the afternoon-not something I could take every day that's for sure!

Mara watches me and has decided she wont be having any children-that it's too hard. I agree, I don't know why I keep doing it! I must be a glutton for punishment.

I wouldn't wish this on my enemy.

For the most part I have stayed up beat, and as much on top of life as I can. My house is cluttered, but not dirty, dishes are getting done, laundry is being done, kids are bathed and fed. But I feel worthless-I can't keep up with things the way I think they should be. My kids are so bored and I can't do anything about it! My husband is worn out from trying to do my job every night when he gets home from working all day.

For the first time today I sat down and cried, I cried because I don't feel like I am bonding with my baby, I'm too sick, and too exhausted. I cried because I feel like I have made my kids lives worse by choosing to do this. I cried because I want to feel like me again, I feel like a shell of what was there-the rest is gone.

Can you help? No, probably not....lol....It's not you, it's me! I don't do well with people coming in to help, can my kids come play sure!

Why am I writing this? Because I hope that when someone else searches for the word Hyperemesis they might come across this blog post and realize they are not alone in the pain and the sorrow they are feeling going through this--and that I think is important, because often for those of of us with "morning sickness" this bad we feel alone, we feel like people think we must be exaggerating, we must not handle things well. It's a scary place to be, to feel so incapable of doing anything -for ourselves-or our families!

Here is a great site for those interested in knowing more about it, or if you have a family or friend who could use your help! http://www.hyperemesis.org/

1st appointment!

2011-07-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

So this is the first baby we will have had with Kaiser and oh my gosh that appointment was the longest I have ever had! I think I saw like 4 different departments!

Got to see the baby! I cried hearing the heart beat---even though it's number 4 it's still amazing! Due date is February 15th, though how about we say at least the 20th and then I wont be all depressed when the due date comes and goes, and goes, and goes.

Feeling oh so fabulous, if fabulous involved bad breath and not showering every day ha ha ha.

My kids got to have a great day though the day I had my appointment! ( much better than our normal sit on the couch and watch TV days!) Mara got to go with my aunt and her 2nd cousin Lorelei to a boucetown type place and then they came back here and played! The boys got to be spoiled by Karleigh ( who's kind of like an aunt, she was dating Steven when he left on his mission), and she took them out to the movies. Though Solomon was more impressed that she bought him candy at the theater since I'm always too cheap to do that! lol

I was so grateful that people were letting them do some fun things since I can't right now, they were all so much happier and in better spirits having been able to to out and do some fun things! So thanks ladies for your help!

Today the kids get to have dentist appointments, that will be fun I'm sure! lol

It's worth it right?

2011-07-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, I am so sick.

Not just sick, really sick.

Last night was the worst so far, for the most part I feel nauseated all day, maybe a few throw up sessions, but still holding it together-going to see friends & family-watching other friends kids-keeping up with my house...but oh last night!

Last night was as if I was dead and had been sent to hell. Yesterday morning/Early Afternoon I had been feeling just fine! And then 2pm hit, and I sat on the couch and turned a show on, I felt the dizziness and the nausea creeping in. Within an hour I was dying in the bathroom, my kids were running and covering their ears. I could hear them whispering about what mom was doing in the bathroom!

About 4:30 I texted Jake to tell him he would be making dinner, and he called me back and when I heard his voice I started to cry! Why? I don't know! Let's chalk that up to hormones! or maybe pain?

By that point my throat felt like I had torn it out, and stomped on it, put it in a blender and then tried shoving it back in. Sweet man that he is made me some cheesy potato's ( which is the only thing that sounded okay!) at like 9pm. I would keep the potato in my mouth as long as possible because it tasted good, and I knew as soon as I swallowed it would hurt and feel and taste like my food was burned!

I finally fell asleep on the couch last night, and rather than waking me up so I could feel nauseated again Jake let me stay sleeping. I actually slepped really well...but....when the kids woke me up this morning I felt the nausea rush in!

I went back to my bed and just layed there for a few hours while the kids took turns coming and talking to me.

I'm up, dishes are done, I've eaten some creamed corn and a mcd's style breakfast hashbrowns...my head is spinning, I've lost my cookies a few times today-but nothing like last night! Thank HEAVENS! I look like death, probably smell like it too.

There are art projects ala Mara all over my floor, and blanket forts ala Solomon cluttering my house. Eli is being sweet and understanding as I have made him my man servant "more ice water please".

This is all worth it right? I wanted another baby soooooooooooooooo bad. I can't even add enough "o"s! But I sure hate not feeling on top of things, and being bored and stuck in the house for fear of ralphing on someones floor or having to use a public toilet!

My kids are so stir crazy. I think I've already watched anything that looked remotely interesting off of "On Demand"...so I'm not sure what to do with all this free time spent lying on the couch being dizzy! Eli has already told me he is so bored he wishes he was in school.....LOL now that's bad!

Jake was saying I should use the time to write a blog about being pregnant....I think my description of my pregnancies may persuade people not to be pregnant. Maybe rather than a pregnancy blog I should write a blog for teen girls and the school systems can use it as birth control! It's working for Mara-she says she is never even getting married so then she doesn't have to have babies! oh boy.

I've been keeping a secret!

2011-06-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

Now, the video taping of this didn't quite go like I planned...lol, you will see what I mean! Some young men were a little offended by the set up!

So once we calmed down an offened young man who thought I was offending his manliness by offering him dinner on a plastic plate......

(Shelby would be my little sister, there is quite the rivalry among them!)

So yes friends and family, the Heningers are welcoming baby number 4!!

It is early, but I figured I should apologize to you all now, and fess up that the awful vomiting sound you keep hearing at your house, is coming from my house, and I am very very sorry!

Heninger #4 should be here around Valentines Day-though these babes like to be casually late ( or really late in Solomons case), so I wont be holding my breath!

Alone time

2011-06-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get much of that? I don't, unless it is late at night and my kids are finally asleep and I can watch TV all by myself without anyone asking me what is going on!!

But, for some reason my kids all think THEY need alone time. Probably one of the biggest fights in our house is one of the kids will go out to the trampoline and the others will follow and then the first one who went out comes in yelling to me about how no one will let them have ALONE TIME!

Last Saturday we got home from lunch and it was raining pretty good, Solomon walked past me and said he was going out to be alone. I looked outside to see this

Ha ha ha ha ha ha to be a kid again!

shudder

2011-06-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

I was knocking down the daddy long legs from the play house outside and went to close one of the windows only to find-----

The picture doesn't so it justice! It was about the size of a dime, and hairy!! We caught it in a canning jar and then looked it up on line, found out it's called a "daring jumping spider"...thank goodness that thing did not jump at me or I would have seriously died!

Video of the Waterfall

2011-05-31T08:38:00.000-07:00

I tried to post this last night with the blog post but blogger would have none of that!

So here ya go, just to show how insane is really was to be that close to a rushing waterfall!

Getting lost in the wilderness

2011-05-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

So today since it was Memorial Day, and Jake and the kids had the day off we decided to go up to this trail Jake had read about and do a little hike and see a BIG waterfall!

The day started off really great-beautiful drive!!!

It was a short hike in, really-only maybe 1/2 a mile ( my kind of hike!)

You walk off the trail and follow some markers along large granite slabs, and finally come across this waterfall!

It kind of slowed and some of it pooled in areas, and Solomon had no fear and scared the crap out of me by hopping over this and running up the other rocks on the other side!!

When I found him, he was relaxing and enjoying himself!

And Mara, well, she believes hiking should not require looking anything less than SPECTACULAR. So she wore her favorite pink dress, and her brand new pink cowboy boots from Grandma Anderson!

The boys went up the mountain to see if they could reach the top of the waterfall-Mara and I stayed down below, well when the boys got back they insisted we come up...gosh that was a treacherous climb, but it was amazing!!

Here they are walking up even HIGHER!

Solomon was very zen!

After we came down we headed down and saw this pathway lined with rocks and wood, and we thought,
"well, that looks like a trail"...and it was, just not the right one. But before we realized that the kids had a blast having snowball fights!

So after we realized we were on the wrong trail, Jake ran up the mountain to see if he could figure out where we should be and Eli was sure we were going to die, he informed Sol and Mara and I that we would only live at the most 3 days!

Well, we did finally make it out! And overall I think the kids and even I, had a fun hike!

money money money, money

2011-05-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

You sang the title of this post right? ;-)

So, I came out of the shower this morning and walked into the living room to find the contense of Mara's piggy bank on my floor.

Can you tell what the pile on the far left is????

It's her wrappers from some chocolate candy coins she had a while back lol, I had no idea she saved those!

Semester is DONE

2011-05-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

YEA!!!!!!!

Can you feel how happy I am?? ha ha ha

It's weird to be home today-it feels like I should be as school, how fabulous not to be! I started dishes, and laundry and at an orange, and posted on some online boards, and read a few blogs, and played around on Facebook....

Gosh.....why did I go to school? This is so much more fun! ha ha ha ha.

I have about a month with just Mara and I before the boys are out of school, I think I see a lot of art projects and painting of finger nails in my next few weeks! YEA!

is math really that important?

2011-05-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

So, I have been studying my rear end off trying to get this math to sink in...some how my rear is still there, and the math is not...oh well.

Seriously, while I'm working as a nurse is my patient going to ask me to figure out their weight or blood pressure by doing Algebra? seriously!! ugh!

I have been in the hospital enough times with migraines and pregnancies-that I for one would prefer those becoming nurses learned less math and history and learned how to put an IV in without causing so much pain---because most nurses-S-U-C-K! Yes, suck at putting IV's in! But yea, I'm really glad they learned math! ;-) It shows in their skills!

Mother's Day Talk about Heavenly Mother

2011-05-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

So I got asked to talk on Mothers Day and had to chuckle a little since getting to know my own Heavenly Mother has been an intense process and something very dear to me over this past year. And my first thought was to give a talk on her, but I worried that people would think it was weird, since in the LDS culture it seems to be very taboo to discuss our Heavenly Mother. Some how as women we are supposed to desire to be like her and become a Goddess as she is, but we are taught very little about her! I worried over it and tried to formulate other ideas for a good Mothers Day talk, but they just wouldn't come. I knew I had to talk about her, I knew that being asked to speak on this day was God's way of telling me to take that chance.

So I did, I hope it came off as well as I heard it in my mind while writing it. I hope it inspires and empowers other women to connect with the devine feminine-our Eternal Heavenly Mother, and allow her to have a role in their lives as I have felt her in mine.

I know I already had a post not long ago but my feeling about my dad and the trial, but that too had to be worked into this talk, as it was the catalist for my searching and desire to find a relationship with my Mother in Heaven.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Motherhood is not a perfectly clean house, having a fabulous family home evening planned, or always being happy with your children and happy that you are a mother.

I have known many women who often say the price of motherhood isn’t what they expected! How much they longed for the ability to be a mother, and how much harder it is than they expected! They often feel guilty for not loving every moment they spend cleaning their homes or teaching their children, or picking silly putty out of the carpet!

I know some of you here today may not like Mothers Day at all, you may feel like you don’t measure up, or maybe your relationship with your mother or your children may not make it a day that you love to celebrate, but I hope by the end of this talk that you will understand that there is still a reason to celebrate!

What I share with you today is my own struggle…..

My father’s arrest was like a bomb, and his subsequent imprisonment ripped through me like shrapnel. Then it was the constant limbo of a criminal trial. Now comes the purgatory of prison sentence, where we continue to wait.

During this time of turmoil in my own life where I very much was sinking and not doing much swimming, I began asking the Lord, no, pleading with the Lord for comfort, and not really his comfort. Having had the relationship with my mom and my grandmothers and my aunts all up heaved at the same time, I desperately wanted and needed to feel like my Heavenly Mother knew that I was suffering, and new I needed her, her guidance of how to be a good mom of how to make it through this horrible time, and unfortunately for us women, there is much written on how men can become like Gods and, but there is little for us to know about our eternal Heavenly mother and how it is that we can be like her. I remember once asking a primary teacher why it was we didn’t learn much about Heavenly mother and she told me it was because Heavenly Father was protecting her, and at the time I totally accepted that, but as I have become a mom I’ve often smiled at that thought thinking that maybe he was protecting us, as my kids can attest, the “wrath of mom” is often worse than the “wrath of dad”.

During this time I was also attending a lot of births, for those who don’t know I work as a doula, I help women prepare for childbirth, and I go with them, and help them through the process. And while doing this I began realizing how thin that veil between heaven and earth is. I often felt whisperings of direction and inspiration while being in those rooms. I saw how immensely the burden of the women was lifted as her mother and sisters and friends would come in, it was as if that hug passed part of the pain and suffering to them and together we would all get through it!

Though this was never more clear to me than amidst the excruciating pain of my own labour. That Amazonian struggle, accepted on behalf of womanhood by our Mother Eve, to wrestle Life, kicking and screaming, living and breathing, into this world. When I've had my children I've felt those generations of women that came before me. My power to create came from my Mother, and her Mother, and her Mother before her, and all those countless women whose sacrifice made my own sacrifice possible. To give my body to bring forth my children and I have felt those mothers before me there.

Yesterday I spent a couple hours in a room filled with mothers and their sons. As I watched them visiting together, I noticed how a mother's love is present in her eyes, how you know her love is real. Mothers are different than fathers; mothers really come down to their children's level, really engage them on their own terms. A child's struggle is a Mother's struggle-we take it personally. We feel the weight on our own backs as we see the burdens our children bare. Perhaps this is no truer than where I was yesterday, under those fluorescent lights, eating vending machine junk food at inflated prices, presided over by very rude armed guards. But I saw no “druggies,” or “child molesters” there. I've been eating monthly the sacrament of chips and soda with these men and two years now. Over that time they have been transformed from monsters into human beings.

I share with these men their burden of humiliation received from the guards. The feeling of powerlessness. Here among the warehoused souls. But when I think about all those mothers, and of my own grandmother, there's I see a kind of transcendent love. I think it’s what it means to be sealed – love that bridges even prison bars. A mother's love for her children – even there,– manages to come through. This will sound strange, but I want you to know that I am grateful, eternally grateful, that my children get to see this. I don't worry that they will be desensitized by cartoon violence in media, because they are sensitized to real human suffering, the part of society that we lock away out of sight and out of mind. Were we warehouse the mentally diseased, the poor, the addict – the least of these our brethren.

But while I am grateful for the gift of insight, this experience that I see teaching my children compassion, it is by no means easy. Let me tell you, it knocks you down a few pegs. I've had to completely change the view I had for my future, and my children’s.

But we've had help, during some of the most awful gut wrenching moments of my life I have been able to turn to my mom’s mom. She came to my rescue many times when I felt I was about to die. This hasn't been easy for her either, and she has had to deal with other crisis' of her own, but she has become someone I can confide in. I no longer feel like her granddaughter, but her daughter.

And it was through her the Lord was able to talk to me. Like I had said in the beginning, I was on my knees begging for understanding and comfort, compassion…often our answers to prayers come through others kind works or actions.

And on this particular day, it wasn’t whispered to me, it was thrown. I often call my grandparents and my grandma and I will talk on the phone, and my grandpa ALWAYS picks up the other line and listens, he hardly-if ever says a word, but he hears me cry, he hears my pain, and he hears me tell her about my joys and my triumphs. He hears my questions, and my fears, and he knows what I wish for my kids. And after a particularly hard day I had called them, and when I got off the phone exhausted, it was as if my Heavenly Father said, “it’s just the same way, you may pray to me, in the name is Jesus Christ, but she knows, and oh-Melissa she knows, she has always listened and she has always known.”

I am grateful for the testimony that I have of mothers, of transcendent love, of woman's power of procreation, a power that is eternal like the priesthood. I am grateful to have been present at scores of births and feel that veil so thin. Birth is a revelation; it reveals the power of womanhood, of motherhood, and of our Mother in Heaven whom we seek to emulate.

I am grateful for the knowledge that I have a Heavenly Mother that I can some day know, I am grateful to know that I am created in her image. During many sleepless nights these verses from Oh my Father has brought my much peace,

For a wise and glorious purpose

Thou hast placed me here on earth

And withheld the recollection

Of my former friends and birth;

Yet ofttimes a secret something

Whispered, "You're a stranger here,"

And I felt that I had wandered

From a more exalted sphere.

I had learned to call thee Father,

Thru thy Spirit from on high,

But, until the key of knowledge

Was restored, I knew not why.

In the heav'ns are parents single?

No, the thought makes reason stare!

Truth is reason; truth eternal

Tells me I've a mother there

Spring Break

2011-05-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

Oh it was so nice to have some time off....though I am totally ready for summer break now, that little bit of a break was just not enough!!!!!

We went to Los Angeles and took the kids to Six Flags Magic Mountain, Eli has been obsessed with Roller Coasters this past year after we went to the Six Flags near us this last summer thanks to our friend Hadley and some free tickets! So he has been obsessing over this trip for a year, he was BEYOND excited!!

We took off Sunday and drove all day long, got to the hotel around dinner time but the kids had no desire to go eat since there was a POOL at the hotel! ha ha ha

After a swim we found a small Mexican place just down the street, it was sure yummy!!mmmm, so good at eating McDonald's on way....McD's just can't compare to Mexican food!!

We were up early the next morning to make it to Magic Mountain before it opened.

My kids were not fond of having their pictures taken, and despite the enthusiasm of being there, you sure don't see it in these pictures! ha ha ha!!

NOW, here comes the picture heavy part, and you thought it was heavy before! Jake and Eli headed off to do the big people rides and us shorter folks headed to the short people area!

I love the next 4 pictures more than you know! We were getting a little bored waiting for Jake and Eli to finish up their rides, and we had already gone on all the ones we could, and then Solomon, oh that child and his imagination! I often find videos he has made of himself pretending to be a super hero...any ways, he saw these statues and he and Mara end up spending a good amount of time here, laughing their heads off---as well as many people who passed by us!

Now this, this was awesome...Solomon was so thrilled to get this picture, I think I'm going to have to print it and frame it for his bedroom!!

AND here is my big boy, tired and worn out and extremely happy, after a long day of roller coaster riding

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

We started off Saturday night by dyeing some eggs!

Eli-in the back, Solomon in the gray, and Mara

Mara dyeing her eggs

Sunday morning Eli came running it at about 7am telling us to get out of bed ( heck no)....now don't judge too harshly the other two kids were not up either!! So at 7:30 when my alarm went off we went to find the Easter baskets. My kids then had a good healthy breakfast of chocolate before it was time to get dressed for church!

And yes, my kids are all in their underwear and nothing else! I swear I don't know where they get it from-you will never find me walking around my house like that---bra less, yes! naked, no.

Heart Ache

2011-04-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

So, I usually try to keep my emotions under check but yesterday was hard. I delivered a cake out in the town I grew up in, the one I moved from when our lives imploded.

I had not been by my parents house since before my mom moved, I just couldn't handle it. But, yesterday I was alone in the car and I was driving down the streets of this town, a town I was soooo familiar with. A town I thought I would buy a house in, and raise my kids, and the tears started coming. I knew I need to drive by the house, I had been worried about seeing it, what kind of emotions would I feel?---the emotions I prefer to imagine that I don't have! But I needed to, kind of like to beat it-and not let the fear beat me.

I drove down the street I had driven a million times, sadness flowing through my body, another realization of all that we have lost. As I drove by the new owners were outside with their kids playing in the car port, I pulled around the corner and parked......and I sobbed, ugly loud sobs. That should be my kids playing there I thought. My heart broke more than I have let it in long time.

I like to pretend, and I would prefer that others think I have it together-that I have dealt with this tragedy. I want others to think I'm okay, that I have forgiven what has been said, and I'm okay with my new path. But my heart aches for the life we have lost, the friends we have lost, and most of all I ache for my children-all that they have lost, and don't realize yet that they have.

I ache for the simplicity of my life before, I wish I hadn't had to see the unchristlike attitudes that those we called friends displayed. How they some how confused what my dad was being accused of, as all of us being lesser people-or just as guilty.

The things that were said to my mom, unthinkable.

I wish sometimes at night that I could go back, back to before I realized the church wasn't perfect, or go back to my old routines of park days with friends, and swimming at my parents.

Never, even in my nightmares could I have imagined the path we have been thrown on. I would like to think that I have grown, become better-more enlightened, more knowledgeable, more compassionate, more understanding. And I think to an extent I have, but I have also become more questioning, not as quick to believe, more angry, and less tolerant of stupidity....not all things I'm proud of. I wish the knowledge hadn't come at such a hefty price.

Through it all though I think Jake and I have gotten closer and we are a better family, we made it through hell and back, and I think we feel if we can handle this, we have got it covered! ;-) I know I don't take my family for granted any more, my children mean more to me than I thought they could. I wish I could always take away the heart ache they will experience in life especially knowing how much mine has changed me.

I much prefer the days where I can pretend I'm okay, rather than having to acknowledge those emotions--I don't like those days as much!!!

More CAKES!!

2011-04-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

SPRING BREAK!

2011-04-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Holy YEA!!! I think I might be more excited than the kids!! I want a break too!! ha ha ha

I made a new cake today!

The Elders called and asked if I could make a cake for a lady who was getting married by the bishop tonight so she could get baptized tomorrow! Mara loved picking out the flowers for it this morning, I love the colors too!! I got to try frosting with a new recipes that I have only used with piping on cupcakes-it worked pretty well, I love the flavor of it, it's more rich and not just sweet like the one I normally decorate with!

So Sunday morning we leave to go to Magic Mountain, the kids are beyond excited!! And while we are down there we are going to go to a beach with my cousin Renning and her kids---I'm not sure Mara knows which to be more excited for, seeing Lorelei or Roller coasters! ha ha ha She and Lorelei had such a good time together this summer at our family reunion I am sure there will be tears as we pull way from the beach and head home this week!

Oh spring break, please bring calm and and no homework and waking up late and afternoon naps, thank you.

Luv,

Melissa

allergies? headaches? YUCK!

2011-04-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

Headaches and I are good friends...well, good maybe isn't the right word-but we know each other very well!

The first time I remember having a migraine I was about 9 or 10, we were coming home from Great America and my siblings had gotten a squeaky toys of some kind. And the sound of it was driving me crazy, my head already was hurting and I felt nauseated and that sound, oh....oh...that sound!!

All through High School I had migraines, I tried not eating chocolate, or sipping coke, nothing really helped. Every so often I would end up at the ER needing pain meds, oh morphine how I love thee!

Well, when the flowers and trees get blooming it always aggravates things. All day today I have had this buzzing in the back of my head, and my poor middle child seems to also be afflicted with the unrelenting "joy" of headaches. He and I are quite the site...popping pain meds, filling up bags of ice, sniffing nasal sprays-it's beautiful! ha ha ha

As much as I love spring, I'm already over how pretty the flowering trees look, the pain just isn't worth it!! OUCH!

Solomon's April Fools Prank

2011-04-01T21:38:00.001-07:00

I came out this morning to take the boys to school and found this ha ha ha, nice job son!

Mud? Yes please!

2011-04-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

So today I decided I would take the kids to the park after I picked them up from school. Seth and Shelby came over to hang out today and I figured they could help me keep an eye on all the kids while we were there.

So, there is this little stream that runs alongside the park that the kids always like to try to catch tadpoles from. So they are down there playing, and this other girls comes along, she is probably 12 or so. So, anyways, they are all searching for tadpoles and eventually the younger kids are tired of it and we head over to the play ground while Shelby and this girl stay in the water.

A little while later Shelby comes back by us and has dirty legs and hands and is trying to wipe it off on the grass, I look back and this other girl is covered up to her knees and from her hands to her elbows in MUD. Not just dirty water but mud-mud! So, she is telling Shelby she is super girly since she wont get more mud on her and goes to rub her hand on Shelby and I say, "yea, no, she doesn't need any more dirt she is riding in my car", then this girl leans at me with her hand and asks if I want some, I say "nope, I have a date tonight and I'd rather not have to shower again! Thanks though". THEN she balls up the mud on her hands and goes to throw it over our heads.....but this is not clay mud this is wet-water-mud. And what does it do....SPLATTERS ALL OVER ME!!! My arms, my clothes, my chest, my face EVERY WHERE! And she says, "sorry Mam, didn't know it would do that", and walks off......

I didn't know what to say! Needless to say, we gathered up and left the park asap! Can you believe it!!??

Once we got home Shelby and I got cleaned up while Seth took the kids out in the front to play in the sprinklers, the kids loved it-it really was a beautiful day--despite the mud.

Owl Cake

2011-04-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

I did this cake yesterday for a friends baby shower, it was really hard to let it look messy or feather-ish and not smooth it all out! lol!

Weddings...

2011-03-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight was so fun! I did a wedding cake for some friends from High School, and while there got to see a bunch of people from High School I have not seen forever!---well, from like High School!

It was so fun to chat and meet their wives and girlfriends/husbands and boyfriends. I wish I had taken some pictures of all of us together! But, I didn't! I did remember however to take a few pictures of the cupcakes!

So for your drooling pleasure.....mmmmm......

District Pinewood Derby!

2011-03-26T23:47:00.000-07:00

And 3rd place goes to???

Yea Eli!! It was really exciting! Last month our scout troops had their own race and he got 1st place! So since he had done so well he was invited so come to the District race which includes lots of other scout troops from the Sacramento area.

He was so excited he turned to me at one point and said, "mom I'm so happy I feel like I could cry-but they would be happy tears" and then he got a little teary eyed. I have to say it was adorable-considering I've never seen my kid "happy cry"

At one point during the race the guy starting the races put Eli's car on really crooked. Even before he started the race everyone was yelling, "it's crooked!!" but he didn't seem to hear us, and Eli was just DYING he was soooooooo mad! ( He started crying then too, but those were not happy tears!). Jake had to go up the judging desk and make sure they re-ran it. The guy doing the races didn't seem to want to, but the lady up there told him to go ahead and re-race it. It was silly really, why wouldn't you re-race it? Are you really going to make a kid loose because YOU put in on wrong? If he hadn't re-ran it I would bet you money there would have been one pissed mother bear running up to the desk to give him an ear full!

Solomon can not wait until next year when he gets to do the pinewood derby, though he keeps drawing these designs that I think will be more show car than fast car!

Mara's 5th Birthday Party

2011-03-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

So a few weeks back I sent out some super cute pink girly Birthday invitations to all of Mara's friends, only to have to call their nice mom's and tell them it was cancelled! We were all so sick!! Mara was devastated-for the past YEAR all she talked about was her 5th Birthday party, she would go over her invite list, and her theme and her cake and what we would eat OVER and OVER and OVER again!

So we finally were feeling better so we set out to have the best tea party ever!!

Here is her fun super pink and girly birthday cake!

And then we had lunch, little sandwiches and goldfish, and "pink tea" aka pinklemonade

Jake read to the kids some of Mara's favorite books!

And then we opened presents.....

And then we sang Happy Birthday and had cake!

All the kids seemed to have a good time, and Mara especially enjoyed herself! She had been soooo mad at me for canceling the party they it was nice afterwards to have her tell me it was her BEST birthday yet!!

I really just can't even begin to fathom that she is that old! She really isn't my baby any more!!

blah blah blah

2011-03-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

My ear is clogged, I can't hear anything. This happened to Jake last week too, it's really disorienting! I was getting really peeved with him last week because I had to keep repeating things-but now I GET IT!!

I took my first Psychology test and I pulled of a 90% woo hoo! So relieved, it's always scary with first exams, not really knowing how the professor will test and how much of what is on the review sheet will really be on the test!

So, a few weeks back I had to cancel Mara's birthday party since she was so sick, but now we are finally better and not having fevers or coughing up lungs, so I rescheduled for this weekend---SHE IS THRILLED! We are going to have at tea party with my moms tea cups. Mara wanted to invite her friends who are boys too, not sure they will be quite as thrilled with the theme as the girls will be, but she was really excited to invite them to have pink tea, aka pink lemonade, and tiny sandwiches!

My sister Jill is coming home tomorrow! She is bringing her boyfriend for us all to meet, my kids are so excited to see her again, especially Mara--she sure misses Auntie Jill, Mara is soooooo Jill's "mini me"...attitude and all ;-) We have a fun rest of the week planned, I will have lots of cute pictures to post I'm sure!

Weekend with Grandpa & Grandma Heninger

2011-03-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

Jakes dad and his wife came to visit, they got her Thursday evening and left this morning and at the moment are stranded in Truckee! Their car blew a gasket and so now they are waiting for a bus to leave from there to take them home, but that bus wont be in until 5:30 tonight!

While they were here though the kids had a great time! We went to Napa Bolthe State Park on Friday

Mara, Solomon & Eli

Solomon, Lawrence & Barbara

Banana Slug

Grandpa showing the kids how he can walk across a log

Jake, Solomon and Lawrence

Eli, Solomon, Mara, Lawrence, Barbara

Solomon

Solomon & Mara

Lawrence, Barbara, Solomon, Jake, Eli, me & Mara

Eli, Solomon, Melissa, Mara, Jake, Lawrence

Mara, Lawrence, Barbara, Eli, Solomon

And then on Sunday night Grandma Heninger had a craft project planned:

Here is Jakes self portait

Here is Mara's self portrait, too cute!

Weekend is over, and now it's time to regroup! Today I have done nothing, aaahhhh, I layed in bed and then took a long shower, having company is fun, but it can sure be exhausting! Time to finish laundry!

Jakes Facebook status today read......

2011-03-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

"Well, at least I can check "cough so hard you crack a rib" off of my bucket list."

My poor guy! I got home last night from seeing "Blithe Spirit"- a play the community college is doing- I had to see it for my class, and he was sitting here in agony and every time he would cough he would groan and grimace.

I was pretty sure I was going to have to take him to the ER the way he sounded! So I sat up still dressed just in case for quite a while, until he decided maybe-just maybe it wasn't so bad. But every time he coughed last night his sounds told a different story!

So this morning when he got up to go to work he knew he just couldn't do it and went over instead to the ER. I was getting worried since he hadn't called or texted and had been there over 2 hours. But FINALLY he texted me he was coming home and that, yep, he had indeed cracked a rib!

We are quite the pair, my cough is making sure I always have a headache to remind me that I'm alive, and his cough is so mean it cracked his rib!! I'm really ready to give this house guest the 'ole kick in the pants and don't let the door hit you on the way out speech!!

I'm dishwasher less

2011-03-03T16:57:00.000-08:00

Dishwasher less *sigh*

Our dishwasher has been leaking since well before October, in October I noticed mold growing under my flooring in the kitchen, and told the landlord....well, he never fixed it! I kept mentioning it, but still nada....well, we all have been so sick and the pediatrician who looked at Solomon's lungs ( since his asthma has been really bad) asked if we had an mold in the house! UM YEA! So I really pushed the issue with the landlord, and so a repair guy came today to remove the dishwasher and dry up the area where it sits.

So now we have to have a heater in the space until Monday when the repair guy comes back to look at it and hook up a new dishwasher, and then get new flooring!! FINALLY! But, I have Jake's dad coming to visit next weekend so we will be in the midst of renovations...pain in the rear!! I sure hope they can finish it before he comes!!

I think we will be eating off paper goods for the next week, I soooo don't want to wash by hand!!

Life as we know it

2011-02-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

So much in my life has changed in the past few years. I look back at these old blog posts and I see a different life, a life I wish was still there. I think part of the reason I have not blogged is I didn't want to relive what our family was going through with my dad and the trials and the prison.

My family was shook, my testimony torn apart, my children's life up heaved. And as much as I wanted to record the good things, it was easier just to post those pictures on Facebook, than have to actually write anything of meaning. I guess it was my way of trying to pretend that all I knew or had before wasn't all completely gone.

But, as much as this is a blog, it's kind of a journal, and I do feel bad to my children that so much of their lives in the past 2 years has not really been recorded, as I have been more on survival mode than anything!

We have grown so much despite the awfulness of the past few years. As much as I wish all of it had never happened, I am grateful for the lessons I have learned in compassion-judging-true Christianity, I am grateful that my kids have seen what the men in the prison are truly like (much kinder and nicer than the guards that's for sure!), that their hearts to them and their plight are open. They know many of them have done things they should not have, but they don't view them as the scary bogey monsters under their bed, instead they have compassion. They have taught me what true love for your fellow man looks like, something I hadn't learned from church.

Even though with all my heart I wish my kids didn't have to go to the prison, or see their grandpa in prison, I am grateful for the things I have learned, by being there, and and by having these conversations with my kids. They see the world more truly for how it is than I ever did, and amazingly they are not as jaded as I feel.

Why post today? Today my baby turns 5. As I came here to find her birth story, I cried....looking at how blessed I am to have my kids, and an amazing husband, who has been there for me through all of this. And I realized how much I missed having their little sayings and pictures and stories recorded-and I realized I needed to become me again, maybe not cool mom me, since I'm not all that cool--but not just surviving me, but a new better me.

Today Mara turns 5, I believe each of us has gifts- gifts given to us by our Heavenly Parents, just as I give my kids their genetic code, I think we each come to earth with something from them, and Mara's is something I can't quite put into words. It is amazing the amount of peace I feel when I sit with her, or the way people flock to us in a store, or how she makes friends every where. People are comfortable with her, she makes people happy-in a way I have never seen before!

This gift of hers has been a blessing to us through these past few years, and especially to my mom. I refer to her gift as my moms therapy!

Now, don't get my wrong, she is a typical kid who can drive me up a wall and be very defiant, but the good out ways the "normal kid", and I'm often amazed at who she is and who she is becoming. I am so blessed to be her mom, she isn't just my daughter-she is my friend.

Happy Birthday baby girl.

Did you know?

2010-07-20T19:37:00.001-07:00

I own a shirt-and wear it, that my little brother wore then he was 12? yep....Being short is an awesome way to inherit clothes!

Getting ready for our big Canada trip!

2010-07-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

So the past few weeks have been full of penny pinching and being thrifty! We are finally going to make another Canada trip! The last time we were there Mara was about 6 months old-so it has been a long time.
Ofcourse it seems as if the universe has a vendeta against us going...UGH.

So, now 3 weeks before we leave I realize my passport has expired and I need to get a new one because even though I don't need it to get into Canada, I will need it to get back into the US! That caused much stress and running around, and the desperate hunt for our marriage license! I keep all important documents in an orange folder-but for some reason it wasn't there! I seriously tore this small house apart! Finally found it, mailed it off....and now we wait...and hope it gets back in time. Otherwise I guess maybe my mom will get to over night it to me!--that sounds like fun too doesn't it!

AND-to top it off, the day I was running around getting it mailed off, my battery died! I called Jake almost in tears. Thank goodness it was just the battery and not the alternator or anything more serious, since I already have to go get new tires on the van before we leave!ouch.

Now to find some wonderful person who will loan me a mini dvd player---because ours died this month.

See! The universe is against me, what did I do universe? How can I get back on your good side?

Funny Video!

2010-07-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

I thought this was pretty funny!

"Mom can you believe he's still gone?"

2010-07-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

Steven, my little brother is on his mission now. He left 3 weeks ago and poor Mara is just so sad!

When Steven and his girlfriend Karleigh started dating Mara was quite upset-Steven was hers. She has since adopted the idea of polygomy and sweetly allows Steven to love Karleigh too...ha ha ha.

We all went over late at night to watch Steven open his call:

And then we went to see him set apart. After he was set apart we went over to A&W to get some sodas-Mara didn't leave his side!

Probably three days after he left Mara and I were sitting on the couch, she was leaning against me while we watched a show, she looked up and sighed. "Mom, can you believe he is still gone?"

This might be a long two years!

My oldest

2010-07-01T23:51:00.000-07:00

Eli is going to be 9 next month, he made me a mom, and yet I find often is my hardest. I guess I never took into consideration that a child whom I made would be so different-and yet so loved. He isn't like me....at all.

Some times I am mean. Some times I don't listen the way I should, but some times we have a great time-usually cooking! He likes to help me in the kitchen-I think he realizes he can talk to me about that stuff and I might actually understand something-rather than talking about black holes to me! I think it bothers him I'm not a science wiz!

Sorry dude-this here mum don't understand all that science gunk! Well-not unless it deals with body parts and babies and nursing...that I get! But that's not the kind he wants to talk about.

I am greatful though for him, his desire to talk about it, has taught me a lot!

I love this picture of him, he really wanted a new Atlas, Jake got him a kids one and he studied it,and studied it!

When I went to bed a while back I went to turn off his bedroom light and found him like this. I am so greatful that he is smart, and that he loves to learn, it really makes me happy! Even though some times it makes me look not so smart.

I love you Eli--Love, Mom

Migrane "Hangover"

2010-06-29T17:11:00.001-07:00

Okay, so unless you've had a migrane I don't think you get it! People always ask how I'm feeling after one, and well...I'm okay, kinda sssslllllooooowwww. But, I'm here!

For example, this afternoon I sat down on the couch to watch a cartoon with my chitlins and then, realized I'd been sitting there for over an hour....wa...wa...wa? Where the heck did my hour go! It's things like that...and I move slow too, and I am not too sharp.

And all day today I am having de ja vu....though I believe it's just Solomon not taking "no" for an answer.
"mom can I have this coke?"
"no, I already told you you can't have my coke"
"but I'm dying"
"go put it away"

that's happened like every 10 minutes this afternoon, you all should be really proud of me for not having given in! Normally I probably would have, but this slow thing, had kind of made me mean....grrrrr.

I'm back, I promise!

2010-06-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

So, here we are, it's been over a year.....and the thought that a year has passed, all but consumes me. I kept having this feeling that it would be too hard to remember it all and go back over and update it all...and so I just never did!

But this morning while I sat here partially high from a vicodin (thanks to a mean thing called "migrane"), I decided I just needed to jump back in, find my voice, and put up some cute pictures.

So, my kids are older, Eli turned 8, we baptized him...wow! He finished 3rd grade, and was so excited to get his STAR reports back-he ranks in the 98th percentile for other 3rd graders in the nation. Now, I am not smart enough to have ever scored remotly that high and would have been thrilled-but this gosh darn genious turned to me and was like, "wouldn't it be awesome to be the 100 person!"....ha ha ha, sure love that boy.

Eli at his Baptism with Mimi and Pappi

Solomon is 6 he finished his first year of school, he is a Kindergarten graduate!

Solomon with Ms. Crystal
He is like the tallest kid in there...me...I have a tall kid. Isn't that hillarious! He is so smart, he's going to give Eli a run for his money!! He has such a sence of humor, and is so sweet!
Mara is 4....yea, my baby is 4. I can't even believe it, my baby! She is so wonderful, I have been sick lately with migranes and she takes such good care of me. She has been going to "preschool" the past year while I went back to school, she goes 2 days a week with Miss Amie. I missed her so much even though it's just 2 days a week, and she always makes sure to give me one of her amazing Mara hugs, it makes those bad days so much better!

Oh, and along the way Jake broke his leg riding his motor scooter, had surgery and has some cool x-rays to prove it! I went back to school, some day I'll be a nurse...maybe by the time Jake is retiring! Hopefully after this past year we are all wiser and not just fatter ;-).
Now it's probably time I remove myself from the blog and let the pain meds really take effect. Going to go cuddle with my kiddos and enjoy our lazy summer morning.

Eli's Jog-A-Thon

2009-03-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

Today Eli participated in his very first Jog-A-Thon!

First off, Thank You-Thank You, to all those who donated!

Eli did awesome, he never once stopped, he ran a steady pace the whole time, he did 14 laps, and continued to lap the other kids as he did it!

Eli is the 4th from the right, in the gray pants with the orange stripes.

Here they go!! Eli is 2nd from the right.

Here he is as the race finished!!
And this is Eli and his best friend Dale!

My baby is 3

2009-03-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

So, Mara had a birthday last week....can you believe it, I can't believe it.

There is no possible way my baby girl, is that old! ( And I would post some old baby pics, but they are still on the old computer...sorry!)

Mara is into princess big time, so we had a big princess party!

And for those interested here is her birth story:

Tuesday morning ( 4 days after her due date!) I got up with Solomon at about 5:30 and turned on the cartoons for him. I then headed back to bed. All of a sudden I was woken up by a contraction, my first thought was, "hey, this is how it happened last time!". So I rolled over, and went back to sleep, only to be woken up again.

Jakes alarm went off, it was 6:20, and I said, "I think this might be it"...to which he says, "oh yea"...and I realize he isn't listening, so I say it again...and he jumps out of bed and tells me he is getting ready and to call my mom since its going to be rush hour soon, so we need to go. So I start getting things together. They arn't they close, probably still 10 minutes apart, so I dilly dallied and finally we headed out the door just after 7am.

We got to the hospital in good time and went up to L&D. They hooked me up, yes, contractions, no not real close. Then they checked my cervix, a 5 1/2! So, they were going to keep me. By that point the contractions were really hurting, and I was surprised they were not closer together. So, we get into my actual labor and delivery room and its close to 10am, and I am really in pain, and still my water hasn't broken!! They check me again and I am at a 7. So while I am sitting there the nurse is talking to someone at the door, and then comes back and tells me its the anestisologist and before he goes down to do a c-section he wanted to know if I needed anything, so I said yes!!! He came in and gave me the epidural, which I was so happy for by that point! And still, no water broken and still the contractions are only about 5-7 minutes apart! I was dying with the pressure!

I paged the nurse finally and told her I needed to push, I needed the bag broken, something!!! So she checks me and tells me I am at an 8-9, and my bag in bulging. She tells me they wont break my water since they want all the antibiotics in since I am GBS positive, but if it breaks on its own then thats fine obviously. So, I sit there breathing just praying the bag breaks!
Then again at about 12:15 I page her telling her she needs to check me now! So she does, I am complete, but STILL my bag was not ruptured, and they want to wait to break it until 1pm, because they can't put in the other set of antibiotics until 1:00. Then another nurse comes in at 12:45 and puts the antibiotics up. They page the doctor who is down in the cafeteria on break. Finally she makes it up there!!!

At this point I have my eyes closed just bearing down on each contraction, its the only way I can get through them. The dr is standing there explaining to a med student how to break the water, and so her hand is up inside while I am pushing. She is talking and then the nurse says, "You need to hurry and get ready dr". So I hear them start bustling ( my eyes are still closed). And I start pushing like a mad lady. Less than 5 minutes after my water was broken Mara Karren Heninger was born! She weighed 8 pounds 7 oz, 20 1/2 inches long, with a head size of 14 inches.
The contractions never got closer together than 3-5 minutes, so its good I didn't wait to go to the hospital! And I made it to a 7 with them still 7-10 minutes apart!
She and I both had a lot of popped blood vessels from the pushing part going so fast, mine were all down my neck, hers are all over her face and her eyes were bruised, but besides that its all good!

Nature Center

2009-02-05T21:05:00.001-08:00

A few weeks back we went to this nature reserve in town, its just down the street from Eli's school, it was really neat, and FREE!

Here is Jake telling the kids about the Native American huts

They had these condor wings for the kids to try on to see just how big they were!

Wild turkeys were all over!
I love love love love-this picture
And then we saw deer! Lots and lots of deer!

Basketball

2009-02-05T20:59:00.000-08:00

The boys have been playing on a city basketball "team" this month, tomorrow is this last Saturday, it was fun watching them learn how to block and pass, funny too!

Daddies are the best

2009-01-03T22:25:00.000-08:00

For as busy as my husband is, he is so much better at taking the time to sit and play!

Every night he reads the kids a story, they got Narnia from Uncle Andrew and Aunt Shannon for Christmas, and so that's what they are reading right now! But, tonight Mara didn't want to listen, so after he was done he pulled out her new "Littlest Pet Shop" and sat and played with her. He is great with her, she is his princess and he totally lets her pull the Princess card. I've told him he is going to regret it! Earlier this week I overheard this conversation-

" Daddy I think I need a drink of your soda"

"No Mara, you can have it, drink yours"

"But daddy, I am your princess and you are supposed to share with your princess!"

Wanna guess who drank daddies soda? LOL!

Thanks Jake for being so amazing! I love you.

New Years Eve

2009-01-01T22:34:00.000-08:00

Well, New Years came, and neither Jake or I were really up for a party, so we hunkered down at home ready to watch a movie with the kids and pig out on Chex mix and donuts when we heard the sad news that Jakes cousins son had passed away.

Ours hearts go out to her and her family, and we certainly begin the new year thinking about her and hugging our little ones a little tighter.

Christmas Day

2009-01-01T13:05:00.001-08:00

Started early...about 6am....

The kids woke up to find that Santa had left them presents in the beds!

And then they ran out to the living room, tossed open the stockings

Later in the day we headed over to my parents house and they opened more presents, and ate more food...and just had a great Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas Eve!

2009-01-01T11:52:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! Since I have so many pictures from our fun family Christmas I am going to seperate them a bit so that your eyes don't go cross eyed from picture after picture!

This is the first year we have done a big Christmas dinner on our own, and if I say so myself, it turned out very well!
The family was thrilled to get started! And I think Solomon might have just about eaten his weight in stuffing!
Later in the evening it was time to open the annual jammies...it looks to me like that might need them given their nakedness...
I think the jammies were well received!
Then it was time to wrestle with daddy, even our dog Ruby got into it!

Next came the time to drive around and look at Christmas lights! So be bundled the kids up and off we went!

Eli's first race!!!!

2008-12-15T15:53:00.000-08:00

So Eli's school has been having the kids run laps every day, so that they eventually have ran a marathon - 26.2 miles. And since they have been running, they invited the kids to run the end of the Marathon that came through Sacramento last week, 2.62 miles.

Jake took Eli downtown REALLY early! Eli did great! He ran the 2.62 miles in just under 21 minutes, he never stopped once, and ran the whole time!! He wouldn't even stop at the water stop because he didn't want to loose his time! :-)

Here he is at the begining, before he started running.

And here he is after finishing his first race!!
Eli, mommy is so proud of you!!

Solomon's 5th Birthday

2008-12-15T13:44:00.000-08:00

WOW, WOW, WOW...my little man is 5. That just blows me away!!!

Solomon decided to go for a Wall-E party this year!

Here is his birth story that I wrote not long after he was born: Feel free to skip if you would rather not know! LOL!

Solomons due date was at the end of November 2003 ( American Thanksgiving). We anxiously waited, hoping for something to start on its own, since I was really hoping for a VBAC.

Sunday night, December 7th, we were out at my mother in laws house having dinner like always. I felt uncomfortable, but nothing to really make me think that he would come soon. I was sure hoping though, as I was 9 days over due! After dinner I just went and sat in my father in laws recliner and tried to get comfortable, my back and my hips ached.

We left at about 8:00pm and went home and put Eli to bed.

The next thing I remember is getting up at about 3:30 needing to pee. I stumbled out of bed to the bathroom. When I wiped there was a green tinge, but with sleepy eyes I wasn't sure. I stood up like they tell you to do to check if your water had broken, not even a little trickle. I headed back to bed. A few minutes later I had this pain, the pain like you get after you ate way too late at Denny's and you need to go number 2! I thought to myself, "I am not getting out of bed again, I just went pee", it was hard to get out of bed at this point as you can imagine! The pain subsided and I rolled over. A few minutes later I had the pain again, "alright" I thought, "I'll get up!". As I got up I noticed my garments were wet. I didn't feel anything come out! I headed to the bathroom. Nothing. I changed my underwear, didn't smell like anything, so I just figured I must have slept more than I thought I had and just sweated a lot.

I got back in bed. Another pain, by the this time Jake had woken up and noticed I was groaning. He grabbed his watch next to the bed and handed it to me and rolled back over intending to go to sleep. As the next pain came, which I soon realized was a contraction, I hit him and handed his watch back and told him to time, it hurt too much to keep my eyes open. After a few minutes we realized they were 5 minutes apart already. So, Jake got up and went to take a shower while I finished packing my bag, I called my mother in law to tell her to meet us at the hosptial so she could pick up Eli. I called my mom to tell her it was happening. By the time Jake was ready to go contractions were 3 minutes apart.

We hurried through the cold snow and got into the car. Before we could even drive away from the curb it happened, my water broke, gush, I yelled, "I am sorry I can't stop it!". Jake nervously laughed at me as he gunned it to the hospital. We got there and parked, I made it to the door and then before I could make it though the second sliding door I had a massive contraction, so I stood there in the cold clinging to the wall while Jake went to get me a wheel chair. The nurses rushed us up to Labor & Delivery. They never even made me sit in triage. The had me change, and hop into bed, I was 3cm. They got all the IV's going since I was GBS positive and left us there to labor.

I remember Joyce coming in at one point to take Eli from us, who was very nicely sitting in the chair playing with Daddies Palm Pilot to keep him busy. I sat pretty much straight up with my eyes closed making a slow deep groaning noise. The contractions got to the point where there was no end, they were continuous. When the nurse came in I told her I wanted the epidural. It took another hour for the anstisiologist to get there. At that point I was at a stretchy 6!! Woo hoo! He gave the epi to me and I told him I loved him.

Not long after that I noticed I was feeling a LOT of pressure and pain. So I hit the epi button. I knew I didn't want to hit it a lot, I wanted to be able to push effectivly. Nothing, still pain. Finally I told the nurse I felt like I need to go number 2 again. She helped me to the bathroom since I was connected to the IV. When she went out I tried to go, and found that pushing really helped the pressure and pain I was feeling, so I kept doing it. Jake came in after a few pushes and asked what I was doing, "pushing", "don't push! you don't want to have him in there!". The nurse came in and checked me while I was sitting there, "wow, you are at a 10, go ahead and push a few times here and when you can come to the bed for a practice push". A few pushes later and the only time I yelled at Jake ( since he was telling me to get off the toilet while I was pushing ), I made it to the bed. First push, his head was there. Off runs the nurse to get the the dr, the NICU staff, and respritory since he had meconium.

The tell me to grab my legs, I can't reach them I tell them, I have short arms, my belly is in the way, 2 nurses run towards me to grab them. The dr then tells me he wants me to scoot back, yea, away from him, "I can't I yell, the babies head is right there!" I feel people trying to pull me up, they didn't move me far". Contraction after contraction came, I needed a drink...ice chips, oh heavenly!

Finally, Solomons head is out, "stop pushing" Dr. Munoz tells me, he needs to clean Sol's mouth and nose out first. Next push he flies out, 8:58am, the dr cuts the cord and the wisk him over to the warmer to check his air ways for meconium. Jake goes with him while I get stitched up.

I look over, trying to look past all the nurses, and I see this big pink baby with very little hair crying, and I can't help him! I kept staring, almost in shock. He was mine. I just went through labor, I just delivered him! He is our baby! They finally bring him over to me and he latches on right away, and we sit there nursing. They weigh him, 8 pounds 13 ounces, 21 inches long. Bigger than Eli, I delivered a baby bigger than my first and under 6 hours!

The nurses clean the room up and Eli comes in with Joyce and Duane, Jake puts him on the bed with me. We tell him this is Solomon, his brother, he just came out of mommies tummy. He tells us he is funny, and thats all. He holds him, and smiles, says, "funny baby, funny funny".

My baby, a VBAC, a big baby, with no meconium at all in his lungs, no intervention, 10 days late. Everything the doctors had told me not to get my hopes up for, and there is was, it all happened.

Rainy day fun...

2008-11-30T01:31:00.000-08:00

or not??The picture does not do the mess justice! It was from my back sliding door, through the living room, down the hall way and into the bathroom...and then back down the hall way, through the living room, and out the sliding glass door.

I was glad the boys were having fun useing their imaginations outside...but sheesh!!

Oh, how I love my new steam cleaner! Oh my gosh...love the dang thing!! Took all those little foot prints out of my carpet, and has allowed my soon to be 5 year old to see his 5th birthday!!

New Car

2008-11-19T10:14:00.000-08:00

For the first time since we have been married ( 8 1/2 years) we had to buy ourselves a car!

Thats a pretty good run for having people give us cars, we are so greatful for that! Jake's mom bought us his first car, she got it for him when we came off his mission. Then my dad got us our Escort Wagon, and then my Grandma and Grandpa Stratton gave us our first minivan.

Well, after being rear ended, and having some other things going on with the car we figured now was a good time to go for it. So....here she is!

It is a 2006 Mazda MPV, and we are really loving it!

The coolest thing....with it having bucket seats, no one touches each other!! score!

Maras' first hair cut

2008-11-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

"She no longer has God's hair cut" Jake said....but we both agree she looks adorable!

Mara has really thin fine hair, and as the day would go on it was become less nice and more stringy...so I decided we needed to get a fresh start! She calls her new hair her "princess hair". She did great, no crying, no wiggling!

Before:

During:
After: And what is it with kids and funky picture faces! ugh!

Eli's first play!

2008-11-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

So Eli came home a few weeks ago talking about Turkeys on strike and some songs he had to learn.

Come to find out all the 2nd graders were doing a play! He was kind of nervous, so I got out my old photo album to show him his mom had been in quite a lot of plays herself and it was "in his blood"....I don't think he quite believed me! LOL!

But he did it!!

Where is Eli? ( Anyone remember Where is Waldo?)
OH! There he is! Top row, 2nd from the right, next to the Pilgram.

Jake has a new job!!!

2008-11-17T08:32:00.000-08:00

So I have been holding that bit of info back until all the "I"'s were dotted and all our "T"'s were crossed, but it's official now!

Jake is really excited, he will be working for the State Legislature, in downtown Sacramento! They are going to have him in the Enviromental dept, so he is really happy about that!

Congrats Jake!!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-07T12:56:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween began with the Harvest Festival at Eli's school!

Here we have Mara our Supergirl, Solomon as Ironman, and Eli some some weird Alien! LOL

They had the kids for a costume walk, and Mara was just looking all over trying to take it all in. Solomon seemed to become Ironman and walked the whole way like he was made of metal!The kids played games, ate junk food, and had a really good time!

Then we had our Stake Trunk or Treat! I'll just say this stake goes all out, the kids had a great time! Here you are check out my crunched up bumper from our car accident earlier this month.Oh Halloween we went to Jakes bosses home, and they had a party for all their associates and their families. I tried repeatedly to get a nice picture, and either Mara would be trying to use her super powers on me or she was admiring her brothers! OH well, we tried!

Our week in pictures!

2008-10-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

So this week was my dad and my brother Todd's birthday's. So last Sunday we celebrated with cake, and apple crisps, and presents!
Mara enjoyed helping to blow out the candles!
And Jake had a moment when he missed Canada so much he decided to dress up as a Hutterite!

Then Monday my good friend Alyssa called me bright and early to ask what I was doing that day....well as it turns out I spent the day playing with her 2 kids- Ethan and Jackalyn ( Jackalyn has a big crush on Eli!) while she had baby number three! When I took her kids to the hospital Monday night to meet their new baby brother, I got to have myself some baby time...so nice!! So congrats to Alyssa, Zowen is beautiful!!

And while we were at the park I snapped a picture of Ruby for all you dog lovers out there. She will be 12 weeks old this week and is over 14 pounds!
Then Thursday my friend Kim came over and we took Solomon and his good friend Kayden out for McDonalds. Mara and Kim's daughter played too....but they two of them move so fast I don't seem to catch them together!! Mara though did pose for 1 picture, to show me how great McDonalds toys are! LOL!
Then Saturday morning we met up with Kim and her husband and kids and went to the fish hatchery! The kids had a great time!( Mara, Eli, Kayden, Solomon)

These two are never far from each other!

Well, I guess that will do.....more to come!

welcome to the family

2008-09-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

So my uncle got remarried this past month back east so we had a get together to welcome his new wife into the family. So, ofcourse I brought a cake...

And since my uncle loves to Karaoke a bunch of people got up and sang. Even Jake....he is so cute when he sings!

Here is Julie.................

Then Byron her husband.................

My Uncle

His new wife

My Aunt singing the "cake song"

And then Jake sang a few songs too!

Every day this week

2008-09-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

I have worked out! What a huge accomplishment....don't laugh!

Okay, fine, laugh... seriously, I always start working out and by Wednesday I burn out and eat a whole tray of brownies by myself. But, this week I worked out every single day!!!!

Not that it's been easy given that I have made 2 cakes and have a third to do....mmmm buttercream.....butter of the god's more like it.

So, this dog thing....is kind of over rated! I think she is cute, but if she poops on my floor one more time she may find herself an outdoor dog...okay, maybe not quite yet. But sheesh, I think think potty training my kids was easier! And if you look below you will notice that Mara and Ruby were not best buds, but now, those two are so dang cute together! Mara is not afraid of those sharp baby teeth, and wrestles with her! Brave little girl if you ask me, even I wont get near her when those teeth are showing and she is all excited and wanting to play! She is a really pretty dog though, and already very protective of her human kids! Just what I was hopeing for!

Announcing the Arrival of.....

2008-09-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

Ruby

She is a 9 week old Black lab/retriever mix. She is adorable, she has white on the tips of all her toes and a strip down her tummy...and the rest is all black.

Jake and I think she is adorable, Eli thinks she is kinda cool....Solomon doesn't like her and thinks she is scary, and Mara thinks she is the devil......not quite the reaction we had planned on!

So ladies and gents, I am used to babies....but have no idea what puppies need or when they need vaccinations...etc...so help a girl out!!

Krista and Sam's Wedding

2008-09-07T22:02:00.003-07:00

This weekend my cousins Krista got married! Mara was the flower girl and was totally excited for the fancy dress, and the flowers and all that fun girly stuff!

Here is Mara and I waiting for pictures, it was HOT!
id the cake...this massive thing hung out alright for about half the reception, and then decided it didn't like sitting there.....luckily as it fell, all was caught except the very top....so we had plenty of cake....but I seriously had a heart attack....and swear to never use that stand again!! ( it was rented and the first time I had ever used one like that!) Luckily Krista has decided not to hate me forever and everyone said it tasted good, which is at least 50% good right! LOL!

Here is Mara waiting for the ring ceremony to start...standing next to her Papi...she sure loves him!

During the ring ceramony Mara stood so nicely up there, she and the ring bearer-Sams nephew made eyes and spent most of the night together pretending they were the center of attention!

This little man came into the pool house where I was cutting cake and informed me that he and Mara needed a peice of cake. So I cut a small peice and then asked him where he wanted me to take them. He told me he could handle it, he picked a table and the two of them sat there chatting and eating cake! Then, Solly came and sat down to make sure no funny business was happening, LOL

It was a busy busy weekend, but fun! It's always fun to see all the family!...and now....I'm sick.

Things that make me happy

2008-08-25T14:09:00.001-07:00

I have different photos I have taken, and just have never gotten around to sharing them, so here are a few things that make me smile!

Jake combing Mara's hair after her bath...without even me asking!!...say it with me...aaawwwww....

Megan and I getting our books the night the last Twilight book came out! Cute pic of Megan...just ignore me...it was a long day....

I went in to check on Solomon and Mara before I went to bed one night and this is what I found.

Mara at the sprinkler park

Solomon and his friend Andre at Eli's birthday party ( Sol is in the red)
Toby, Andre, Mara and Solomon

My baby is 7....and first days of school.....and new pictures!!

2008-08-23T00:02:00.000-07:00

Oh why oh why do I do it!!! I wait and I wait to blog and then there are just so many things to say!!! Bear with me alrighty!

So, my cousins husband was a doll and took some great pics of my kiddos!

Solomon is 4 1/2, Mara is 2 1/2 and Eli is 7.

And now that my oldest has made it one year older we threw a party!! We swam at Grandma and Grandpa's house, had a magician....and frosted cup cakes....Now really....only my kid would pick for me not to make their cake right....so yea, I have no cute birthday cake pictures for ya this time....obviously my cakes are not cool enough for big kids like him! ( totally kidding, I'm not offened, sheesh, it sure was easier! LOL!)

( Jake, Todd, Jill, Jills friend Michells, Eli, Magician, Ethan, Shelby, Maddie, Solomon and Andre)

( Eli with his Wii...and his handsome Uncle Steven sitting behind him)

And the highlight of the day...."Eli" got a Wii....lol...I wonder which parent picked that out....ha ha ha......

And then after the big shin-dig, Eli started back to school, 2nd grade this year!

There he is...my big second grader! ( In the orange and white stripes)....

Since he has been in school I have been walking him to school and then going walking with my friend Megan....I decided its probably time to stop blaming my shape on the fact of having babies...since my baby is now two.....tomorrow...I get to get a gym membership! nice....

oh and probably a dog too....we had someone try to break into our house this week....more on that in another post!

8 Years ago today

2008-08-04T16:43:00.000-07:00

Jake and I were married in the Oakland LDS Temple.

cute kids and a new table

2008-08-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

So, we finally got a table for our house! And I did a little remodle on it. And since it hardly sits without visitors...I finally just had to snap a pic with all the tables visitors present! Here are the munchkins coloring and doing their work books!
I think the black looks so much better, and those kids are pretty adorable too!

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream

2008-08-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

I totally spaced with our busy week and never put up my Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream...this was the challenge this month on the Daring Bakers!

It was certainly a challenge, I did learn lots, but boy thats a lot of work for a cake! LOL!

Lunch with daddy and the fun at "Winco-land"

2008-07-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

So today we headed out to visit Jake, aka Daddy, at work! We got to see him in action. He looked so hot standing there holding his papers and studying them like there was no tomorrow...hot I tell ya!

He took us out to lunch, Mara threw a HUGE hissy fit because I ate a french fry that belonged to her...save us all!

Then we dropped daddy back off at work and went to Winco! Now, for us little town folk who aren't used to Winco it's like going to Disneyland! I like going to Winco, I always get such good deals!!!! woo hoo!! Getting a good deal is almost better than going to Disneyland in my opinion!

A really busy week...Fun with cousins....and more....

2008-07-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

We had SUCH a busy week last week!! Abut we sure had fun!

So last week my cousins Julie and Joanie came to visit us and have a play date!( Left to Right-> Maddie, Ben, Solomon, Eli and Mara)Then...Mara decided it was too hot to keep all her clothes on...ooo the bums are so cute!

We had a great time that day with the water!

The next day my mom and youngest sister came out with us to the movies and to lunch with my grandma and grandpa aka Mimi and Papi!

Then,the next day we were lucky enough to have my other cousin Jessica come over with her adorable son, and I'll call her my cousin even though she is really my cousin-in-law, because I really like her! But, dorky me didn't take any pictures!

Then we got together with some friends from Woodland and did lunch on Friday.....and then....I got to go out and have a kid free night with my new friend Megan, who seriously is like an old friend.....maybe we were seperated at birth! LOL!

We had a jam packed week last week!

AND stay tuned for the table renovations! I got some benches off craigslist a few weeks ago, and then went and bought some matching chairs and table from Ikea, so this week I'm going to paint them!!

Crash.....

2008-07-18T08:49:00.000-07:00

So, Tuesday night I was sitting at the computer chair, talking to Jake, the kids were just out of the bath and were getting their jammies on, and then we heard a crash!

My first thought was that one of kids had knocked over a lamp. So we start going through the house trying to find what crashed. Nothing...and then we noticed

There was a hole in our window! OH.MY.GOSH!!!! So we called the cops, and neither them or us could find what came through! It's more the size of a bullet, but they said if it was would would find it imbedded in the wall across from the window, and we couldn't find anything, so they thought a rock....maybe some kid with a slingshot? Nope, we couldn't find one in the house, no bebe's either! So who knows what came through!

But, its fixed now, looks better than new! Lets just hope it never happens again! Freaked Jake and I right out!!

Jakes got a new ride!

2008-07-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

Jakes been eyeing the scooters for a while, seeing as they are sooo much cheaper to drive!

And soooo.....He finally did it! The boys think it is THE coolest thing ever!!

and................................off he goes..........................>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

So...what do you do all day?

2008-07-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

I dunno, what do you do all day?

Things are here havn't been too exciting! Since moving we have checked out the parks, the library, the stores, spent some time getting to know some new friends....and sitting in our house because this heat and smoke is rediculous!!!!

And yea, sorry no pictures yet, my house is very livable, but I havn't decorated, so no, you don't get to see pictures yet! LOL! I promise....soon....give me another week! Alright fine...you can have a front pic....

Oh! I know whats exciting! I went to Seattle....... all by myself and hung out with some great people for a whole weekend!!! Just a bunch of LDS ladies all acting like teenagers, staying up until 3am, playing games, doing hair...but boy, my body doesn't handle it like it used to handle sleepovers! but boy was it fun! I CAN.NOT.WAIT for next years GWO ( girls weekend out!)

This is me and my friend Taffi riding on the tram to get to other parts of Seattle! She looks thrilled to be sitting with me doesn't she! ;-)

Oh, and Mara made a hit on youtube this past week! Here is the link because getting it to download on here takes a LONG time! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycoNQMkKEz8

And.....I put a new cake up on the cake blog....so go check it out!

We are moved!

2008-06-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

The move went fine, and now comes the "really" fun part! ( rolling eyes to the back of my head)...unpacking!

The house is adorable though and once I am all done unpacking I'll put pictures up for everyone to see. It has a great big backyard and the kids are having a great time in the dirt back there!

We got an email from my brother Blake who is serving his mission in Argentina, he had his first baptism this past week, here is a picture he sent for us.
My brother is the shorter of the 2 missionaries, the one on the left.

Oh, since I posted last I got to attend a great birth! The mom was amazing and I got to see a water birth! I have had a lot of clients labor in the water, but none stayed in there to deliver, so that was so cool! I totally want to have another baby just to do it again.....Jake says no....what a party pooper!

School is out, Eli is now on his way to 2nd grade, what a big kid! He and Solomon are going to be so bored with me all summer, I think we are going to have to find some cheap day trips to do just to keep them from going crazy!

Today we checked out a park close to us, and met up with my cousin Julie and her son Ben, and some ladies from our new ward. The kids seemed to have fun, but the wind today was just awful! I don't remember it being this windy when I was a kid! And tomorrow......who knows....anyone want a play date!? LOL!

moving...again...

2008-06-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Yep, ladies and gents the Heningers are on the move again!

I know it's been a while since I posted, I have wanted to, but then there comes that time where there are so many things I was going to post and didn't that it becomes a daunting task....so yes...I have buried my head and pretended I wasn't here!

So, to the moving first. We are moving out near Carmichael, out near Arden Mall. It's a cute neighborhood! We are sad to be leaving soooo many great friends here in Woodland, but we know this move will do us good! And Jake is thrilled because it is so much closer to his work! It's going to save us so much on gas!!!!

Lets see, since we last posted, Mara had her first trip to the dentist! She did great, and no cavities!!

Here she is afterwards with her prizes!

Later that day I got a call from my cousin Brians wife Kelly telling me it was time to come and help her through labor! So, I drove down to Modesto and helped bring an adorable little boy into the world!Kelly is the woman....oh my gosh, she was a total pro!

My birthday came, I turned 26....Jake gave me the coolest present EVER! Knowing we were going to be moving he gave me a GPS!!!!!! OH. MY.GOSH the best thing ever! With driving so much into Sacramento lately, it has been so helpful since I don't know where anything is!!!

Mothers day came, and he and the kids truly surprised me by making me breakfast, I never even heard him get up!! So sweet!!!

I also did another volunteer birth, it was so great! It was with a wonderful couple, and she actually delivered in the birth tub AMAZING!!! Such a cool experience to see!!

Underwear model

2008-05-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

.....ummm, oh I mean Underwear man, as in a monster. I got it! Solomon this is a picture I will be showing every girlfriend that comes to our house, just so you know!

Love,

Mom

Mosquito Season

2008-04-29T12:35:00.001-07:00

So, the mosquitoes are out and about already, that sucks for poor Huck! Honestly I tried to get a picture, but you can never really tell in the pictures how big he swells up.

Today when I picked him up at school his teacher asked me what he bumped his head on....

"nothing Miss Tris, it's just mosquito season!"

"Your're kidding me, that's just a bite?"

"yea, and it was 3 times bigger yesterday than it is today!"

Time to go buy some more "OFF".........

Cheesecake Pops

2008-04-27T15:24:00.000-07:00

So the daring bakers challenge this month was the cheesecake pops! They were very good! I made them a bit bigger than I probably could have, but it made sooo many, so I think we were just fine!! The cheese cake recipe its self was devine! I think I may just make some for me to eat next! LOL! So rich and creamy with a great texture!

Here they are in the balls, just before I put the sticks in, and this was only the first pan! LOL!
Here they are all ready for the party! ( I made them for a Scentsy Party I had!)

The directions are pretty long, but I guess that's better than assuming we know what we're doing right!!

Cheesecake Pops Makes 30 – 40 Pops

5 8-oz. packages cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¼ cup heavy cream

Boiling water as needed

Thirty to forty 8-inch lollipop sticks

1 pound chocolate, finely chopped – you can use all one kind or half and half of dark, milk, or white (Alternately, you can use 1 pound of flavored coatings, also known as summer coating, confectionary coating or wafer chocolate – candy supply stores carry colors, as well as the three kinds of chocolate.)

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening(Note: White chocolate is harder to use this way, but not impossible)

Assorted decorations such as chopped nuts, colored jimmies, crushed peppermints, mini chocolate chips, sanding sugars, dragees) - Optional

Position oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

Set some water to boil.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt until smooth. If using a mixer, mix on low speed. Add the whole eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well (but still at low speed) after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and cream.

Grease a 10-inch cake pan (not a springform pan), and pour the batter into the cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with the boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and slightly golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and cool to room temperature. Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.When the cheesecake is cold and very firm, scoop the cheesecake into 2-ounce balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Carefully insert a lollipop stick into each cheesecake ball. Freeze the cheesecake pops, uncovered, until very hard, at least 1 – 2 hours.When the cheesecake pops are frozen and ready for dipping, prepare the chocolate.

In the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water, or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, heat half the chocolate and half the shortening, stirring often, until chocolate is melted and chocolate and shortening are combined. Stir until completely smooth. Do not heat the chocolate too much or your chocolate will lose it’s shine after it has dried. Save the rest of the chocolate and shortening for later dipping, or use another type of chocolate for variety.Alternately, you can microwave the same amount of chocolate coating pieces on high at 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.Quickly dip a frozen cheesecake pop in the melted chocolate, swirling quickly to coat it completely. Shake off any excess into the melted chocolate. If you like, you can now roll the pops quickly in optional decorations. You can also drizzle them with a contrasting color of melted chocolate (dark chocolate drizzled over milk chocolate or white chocolate over dark chocolate, etc.) Place the pop on a clean parchment paper-lined baking sheet to set. Repeat with remaining pops, melting more chocolate and shortening (or confectionary chocolate pieces) as needed.Refrigerate the pops for up to 24 hours, until ready to serve.

I have a new neice!

2008-04-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

My sister in law Heidi, ( Jakes brothers wife), had a beautiful baby girl this week! So everyone welcome little Matea! She was born Friday- weighing 8 pounds 1 oz!

I have to say, seeing this little one, and having all my friends getting pregnant it's making me a tad bit baby hungry!! Jake dear...you better watch out!!! LOL!

She says her name!!

2008-04-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

So after the video of Mara there she now will say her name!!! wooo hoooo! I seriously almost cried, her saying her beautiful name made it even more beautiful!

I have been trying to upload the videos of Solomon singing but blogger is having issues, I have one of him singing a song he made up. He reminds me of me as a kid, he lays in bed at night and belts out made up songs f.o.r.e.v.e.r LOL!

The Sol and Mara and I have been doing chores the last few days, kind of spring cleaning around here. Today was the windows! It was so cute the two of them just working as hard as they could....and as soon as they would get one side clean their hand would be put on the other to support them in their hard work....not exactly productive as I then would have to follow behind them. I can't say I was a saint and didn't mutter any grumblings, but I did keep them to a minimum as to not give them a reason for giving up, I really do want them to do chores some day!!!

Mara, what's your name??!

2008-04-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to take more little videos of the kids! So for the next few days thats what will be whats going up here! Up first is Miss Mara!

Black Eyes, Monkey Children and more!

2008-04-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since I last posted. I think it's more that I wait so many days to post, and then I have ns many things I want to say, and it seems daunting and then I just never get around to it!

Well, a few weeks back now Mara decided to follow in the ways of her older brother Solomon and cut her face open just after she turned 2~ You know, with her hair pulled back she looks soooo much like Eli--it's nuts!

.......Now onto the monkeys that live in my house. I'm not sure where they came from, but heck they leave a good mess on my walls!

I also did another cake. This one was for the Relief Society dinner. The color was a lot lighter, more of a pale yellow, but for some reason I couldn't get it to photograph right! grrr!

1st Daring Bakers Challenge

2008-03-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

Alrighty, so this was the first time I have done a challenge with the "Daring Bakers".

I did this for a Sunday dinner with family, and went way easy on it. The lady whos recipe it was said we could pretty much play around with it as much as we wanted as long as we followed the cake and frosting recipe. So....since I had already made several cakes that week I decided not to do anything fancy with it...how boring am I!

It was a frosting recipe I hadn't done before, I had heard about it, its supposed to be the same kind that Duff on Charm City Cakes uses, more of an Italian Buttercream....I wasn't so sure it was going to work since it starts out looking like this! But it did and it was good. My husband and my sister say they prefer it over the regular buttercream...but I think I like the traditional buttercream better! I like the sweeter! But, the cake was great and was a big hit!

And there ya have it...simple and sweet...

The hostess for this month was Morven from http://www.foodartandrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/, thanks Morven for the fun challenge!!

You can check out the rest of the Daring Bakers blogs at http://daringbakersblogroll.blogspot.com/

Weekend of Pictures

2008-03-22T21:43:00.000-07:00

So I have some adorable pictures of the kids from the last few days, so I thought I'd share! I also have 2 cakes I have done this weekend....so here is this past week or so in pictures!

Here is Mara and Shelby searching for Easter eggs at the churches egg hunt. My friend Cyndi does a great job with every one of the ward activities, this was no exception!!

Here is Solomon..............And Eli....and thats Me in the brown sweater and Mara on the ground........This is my brother Steven and Mara she was having a GREAT time swinging with my brothers!Blake and Mara....fun fun!

After the churches activity we went to the park that afternoon.......and got ice cream from the ice cream vender.

and then.....the cakes! First is a cake to send of Blake onto his mission, his farewell is tomorrow!

And the next is to celebrate Easter

Mara's Birthday celebrations!

2008-03-03T08:44:00.000-08:00

We had dinner over at my parents house on Sunday and my sister and her roomie came and we all celebrated with Miss Mara!(Notice the now squished cake I mentioned in the last post!)

She got new shoes with heels from Aunt Jill........

and a dress!! I am so glad Jill got her those because she needed a new outfit for her 2 year pictures this weekend!!

Then, Grandma and Grandpa got her this doll, and it is seriously cool! It's "skin" feels almost real, and its eyes close, and I don't mean like flip down, they crinkle together and close, and she cooes and sucks on her bottle

Then, we got home and I realized I had left the present from Papa and Nana Oler on the sink and the Barbie that Eli and Sol had picked out for her. So, we opened those before night time prayer. So parden the messy boy room! LOL! Thank you Papa and Nana for sending presents all the way from Canada!! Mara LOVED that puppy, the puppy and the Barbie made it to bed with her and have not left her hands yet this morning!! Thank you to Mimi and Pappi and Gigi and Grandpa Hayden for the cards!! Miss Mara was seriously spolied, she ended up with 2 talking dolls, a cinderalla snow globe/music box, shoes, clothes, puppies, candy, and a barbie and money.....so, yea, when's it my birthday?!! LOL! Lucky girl!!

Cinderella Cake up on the cake blog

2008-03-01T22:57:00.001-08:00

The link is to your right, go check it out and leave a comment!!
( Mara's reaction is priceless!!)

My baby is 2 today

2008-02-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Mara's second birthday is today, and quite honestly I want to sit here and weep. Ladies and Gentlemen this is the first time this family has had no babies and no diapers since August 13, 2001 ( when Eli was born!).

I know, she is still little and not all grown up, but she is certainly more little girl than she is little baby!

She loves her brothers, she loves to sing with her daddy, she loves to visit Grandma and Grandpa Anderson's house, she loves to dance and to talk on the phone. She loves to have her nails painted, and to put on her dress shoes and "tap tap tap" on my kitchen floor. She loves babies, and dollies and puppies, and esspecially princess'!

She is the princess in our home and she knows, and loves it!! Happy Birthday little princess!!

I thought for the remincing types I would paste her birth story here! Mara was due on February 24th, so she was 4 days late!! ~~~~~~

Tuesday morning I got up with Solomon at about 5:30 and turned on the cartoons for him. I then headed back to bed. All of a sudden I was woken up by a contraction, my first thought was, "hey, this is how it happened last time!". So I rolled over, and went back to sleep, only to be woken up again.
Jakes alarm went off, it was 6:20, and I said, "I think this might be it"...to which he says, "oh yea"...and I realize he isn't listening, so I say it again...and he jumps out of bed and tells me he is getting ready and to call my mom since its going to be rush hour soon, so we need to go. So I start getting things together. They arn't they close, probably still 10 minutes apart, so I dilly dallied and finally we headed out the door just after 7am.
We got to the hospital in good time and went up to L&D. They hooked me up, yes, contractions, no not real close. Then they checked my cervix, a 5 1/2! So, they were going to keep me. By that point the contractions were really hurting, and I was surprised they were not closer together. So, we get into my actual labor and delivery room and its close to 10am, and I am really in pain, and still my water hasn't broken!! They check me again and I am at a 7. So while I am sitting there the nurse is talking to someone at the door, and then comes back and tells me its the anestisologist and before he goes down to do a c-section he wanted to know if I needed anything, so I said yes!!! He came in and gave me the epidural, which I was so happy for by that point! And still, no water broken and still the contractions are only about 5-7 minutes apart! I was dying with the pressure!
I paged the nurse finally and told her I needed to push, I needed the bag broken, something!!! So she checks me and tells me I am at an 8-9, and my bag in bulging. She tells me they wont break my water since they want all the antibiotics in since I am GBS positive, but if it breaks on its own then thats fine obviously. So, I sit there breathing just praying the bag breaks!
Then again at about 12:15 I page her telling her she needs to check me now! So she does, I am complete, but STILL my bag was not ruptured, and they want to wait to break it until 1pm, because they can't put in the other set of antibiotics until 1:00. Then another nurse comes in at 12:45 and puts the antibiotics up. They page the doctor who is down in the cafeteria on break. Finally she makes it up there!!!
At this point I have my eyes closed just bearing down on each contraction, its the only way I can get through them. The dr is standing there explaining to a med student how to break the water, and so her hand is up inside while I am pushing. She is talking and then the nurse says, "You need to hurry and get ready dr". So I hear them start bustling ( my eyes are still closed). And I start pushing like a mad lady. Less than 5 minutes after my water was broken Mara Karren Heninger was born! She weighed 8 pounds 7 oz, 20 1/2 inches long, with a head size of 14 inches.
The contractions never got closer together than 3-5 minutes, so its good I didn't wait to go to the hospital! And I made it to a 7 with them still 7-10 minutes apart!
She and I both have a lot of popped blood vessels from the pushing part going so fast, mine are all down my neck, hers are all over her face and her eyes are bruised, but besides that its all good!

Boy, and now looking at these old pictures I even see just how big my boys have gotten too!!! WOW!

Evolution of Huck

2008-02-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

When you walk into our house you are most likely to hear Mara running down the hall yelling, "no HUCK!", "ouch Huck!"...."stop Huck"......"my mom Huck!!!!".

Who might Huck be??? Well, Solomon, duh!!

When Solomon was about the same age Mara is now, he started calling himself Solly Huck. Now, fast forward to about 2 months ago when Mara would not even acknowledge that Solomon existed. We would point to the boys and to her aunts and uncles and she would atleast try to say their names, but every time you pointed to Sol she would either ignore you or call him Eli.

And finally one today we heard her calling him something but at first it didn't click as to what she was calling him! And then finally she said it clear enough, "HUCK!".....and so, my Solomon is now known as Huck. Jake and I were laughing about it last night, how much Solly seems to like it when she called him Huck....maybe this will be something that sticks, something everyone knows him as when he is in High School. And then we thought, ummm, maybe not, it is pretty close to something else, LOL! Thus the reason I don't yell "HUCK" at him at the store!

One of my favorite things.....

2008-02-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

Well, one of my most favorite things is when my husband sings. He has an amazing voice and it is so sexy! LOL! Whats even more beautiful....when he is singing with my kids. Mara love to sing and help him play his guitar, so here they are together playing. ( I apologize for the wall behind them...the kids wacked the chair back and have gouged the wall, it needs to be fixed....(sigh)...one more thing!)
Also, I have a new cake up on the cake blog, http://cakesbythequeenofcake.blogspot.com/, feel free to leave comments!

Cinnamon Rolls

2008-02-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

So I finally tried our Ree's recipe http://thepioneerwomancooks.com/ , she has such great recipes, and this one is no exception! The maple icing is so yummy! My kids were ever so impressed! Eli loves maple bars and he was so excited because the icing tastes just like what the donut shops use! I love her food, and her blog is great so check it out!