February

somebody is all ready 3 months old!  how does time go by this quickly!?  miss ellee bell, bell is still addicted to her swing.  she sleeps in it every nite until she wakes me up 1, but mostly 2 times during the nite.  we are on our 3rd set of batteries.  i don't think the other kids used one set, combined!  i have been working with her on sleeping in the crib.  if, on a monumentus occasion, she will sleep in there, i usually snap a pic like the one above :).   miss emerson is working on not peeing her pullup since ellee was born.  if she can do it one week in a row (7 stickers) she will get a green, ice cream cone.  in the meantime, during the day, this is her signature look after the potty.  so her!  just sporting the kitty panties tucked into the shirt. :) 

we celebrated valentines day with lots of sugar cookies!  i didn't want to face them at christmas, so i prepared myself and did them in stages this time so we could have them for a treat and give some away.  it was still chaos.  kids on the counter, sprinkles on the floor, frosting all over clothes.  ellee crying because she was ready to eat.  and a rs sister at the door in the middle of it to pick up a plate for a family we were taking dinner to.  nuts! :) but good.

some days the weather is nice (usually when i'm at the office!) but, if i'm not, we get out the stroller and take ellee for a stroll.  mind you, with 4, it is almost impossible for vigorous exercise.  someone's always hurt, or behind, or needs to stop, or in this picture, stuck in the mud in the bottom of the canal with his boots screaming that he can't get out and his boots won't come lose.  good times.  good times!  otherwise he's out with his syndrome cape roaming the sandpile and checking the stray cat trap.  him and emerson help dad put them in the dumpster after he 'takes care of them'.  bridon was asked at library yesterday what goes in the garbage truck.  he answered matter-of-factly, 'bad cats.'  of course. 

  in defense of taking care of the cats, they were getting out of control!  they were even starting to tunnel under the chicken coop.  nuts!  however, ben didn't shoot them all.  one of our employees wanted some to let loose at his place for mice control. 

bentley played y-ball for 5 weeks.  not sure it is his love, but i feel it is great that he gets the opportunity to try different things out!  ben usually took him to his practice and then he had games on saturday.  i need a dif lense for action shots.  they turned out all blury.  his strength was definitely rebounding. 

this past, president's day weekend, we were finally able to get down to bountiful utah to visit my aunt carolee who was in a terrible accident.  it happened at the same time i had ellee, so we hadn't been able to make it to see her.  she broke her neck and severed her spinal cord, so she is now paralyzed - only movement with her head and some in her hands/arms.  i was so grateful to be able to go see her.  we took bentley and ellee and lisa and eldon, blaiz, and ivy.  she was in good spirits and is fully aware, no cognitive damage whatsoever.  trapped in her body now.  i wish i could help.  i wish i could make it right for her.  it def. made me do some thinking as i walked away... (see her update blog for further thoughts). 

we enjoyed the weekend just the same.  we got to see dad and alan's family for a little bit.  ben and i took the kids bowling and then attended church in thatcher the next day.  mom came with us and helped out with watching the kids so we could make it to the hospital.  on monday, we attempted some icy sledding.  there is tons of snow still down there.  bentley was the one who had a blast and didn't want to stop from our family.  everyone else had a great time too!!  tylee helped make cakesicles for belated birthday treats, we played and took pictures, and had a great time.  thanks everyone! oh, and that blasted red meat chicken was still alive tuesday morning when i went to help do chores.  i remembered bentley left the door open at midnite on friday.  went up there and she was missing.  thought the cats or shera, or a dog or a coyote, or a fox got her.  she has nine lives.  i don't even think she lays eggs!!!