He's Here!

Baby Tatem is here! On Thursday April 10th at 5:00am I went into labor. I was afraid to wake anyone up because it was so early, so I took a shower and got ready and by 6:00am the contractions were so strong I decided to tell Manuel and call my neighbor to come stay with the kids. At 7:00am we arrived at the hospital and at 8:32am Tatem was born!

We only stayed at the hospital for one day and one night. It was a good experience and we love our little baby so much. The next day Manuel took the girls to their Utah State Clogging Competition and the won first place! Then he took Gabe to soccer. My mom came, Cherise and Jared came up. They brought gifts and my mom made dinner.

Life is so wonderful right now. We have been blessed in so many ways. We were brought nine dinners from our wonderful neighbors in the first few days of being home from the hospital. The doorbell has been ringing constantly with wonderful members and friends from our ward wanting to bring us gifts and meals.We decided to freeze them and now I don't have to cook for another week. It's been such a blessing. We live in the best neighborhood on the planet! I have to say it is such a good feeling to let other people serve you. I had forgotten what it's like - humbling and heart warming.

 We decided as a family we are going to do some service this weekend at church and in our community to pay it forward for all the service we have received. Manuel is going to take the kids to clean the church and help someone put in their new sod. Paisley is going to draw pictures and I'm going to write lots of "thank you" cards.

The kids love their new little brother and they are all such good helpers. He will be a spoiled little boy (in a healthy way).

DAILY QUESTION: When was the last time you let someone serve you?

Big boy!

Dr. Johnson holding Tatem

Getting ready to deliver.

Grandma Bev, Tatem and Cambrey.

Grandma Bev made these brownies.

Grandma Bev gave the girls a tea set with little tubs to wash the dishes in. The kids did this all Saturday afternoon.

This is the family photo we took at Grandma Bev's 60th birthday party.

Cherise and Jared with the kids.

The girls after they came home from their competition.

Such a good brother.

Looking into the nursery for Tatem

Ready to leave the hospital.

Gabe and Paisley got to meet Leo the Lion from Real Salt Lake at soccer sign-ups.

Holding Tatem for the first time.

The kids waiting to meet Tatem for the first time.

Meeting Tatem

Manuel packed them dinner - ravioli.

The hospital offers a "candlelight dinner" for the moms and dads of new babies. Manuel and I ordered Philly Cheese Steak subs.

Look at that hair.

The hospital also gives pedicures and free salon services to the moms that had new babies. I got a nice pedicure in my hospital room.

Manuel playing soccer with the kids. Tatem's bed

It's Spring Time

So, on April Fool's Day the kids played a joke on me. I had already fooled them by telling them that Disney Land was forever shut down because it was too dangerous with the recent earthquakes. So, they got revenge by making fake poop out of clay and putting it in Cambrey's underwear. Gabe said, "Mom, it looks like Cambrey pooped, there's something in her pants." So, I examined her underwear and sure enough I saw what looked like poop. "What?" I shouted, "Did you really poop Cambrey?" Then they all began to laugh and I realized this poop had no smell. The joke was on me!

I made four plates of Easter cookies and took them to the families that I visit teach. We've been eating super healthy at our house, but on the weekends we have no eating rules. 

General Conference weekend was wonderful! The kids paid attention to all eight hours of conference. We have a little game that's a tradition in our family. We set up cups that have pictures on them of all the topics that are usually spoken about in conference. When the kids hear that word, they get to put a bean in the cup. Each bean represents one penny. At the end of each conference session they add up all the beans and get to cash in the final amount at the dollar store. They ended up totaling at $38.00. Wow! They thought it was neat that the cup "Jesus" always had the most beans in it.

It's been perfect kite weather lately and we have been flying this kite in the front yard many times. I love spring time! Gabe has been recruiting all the kids in the neighborhood to go rock hunting with him. They find lots of rocks and then try to cut them open hoping to find diamonds. Then he turns the rocks into rings for his sisters. What a cute boy!

We can't wait until Friday when the baby comes! It's going to be a busy weekend. While I'm in the hospital, there is the soccer sign-up/carnival Friday night, the girls' clogging competition in Salt Lake on Saturday morning, Gabe's soccer game and team soccer pictures, Paisley has a birthday party to go to after and my family is coming up to visit. Then Manuel will take the kids to church on Sunday. He is going to feel like a single parent. What a great husband!

The team trophy from last competition.

The fake poop

My Easter cookies

Homemade pizza on "pizza night"

Gabe made this ring for Cambrey Paisley and me taking notes

Look out how fluffy and moist they are! A yummy dinner I made with homemade pasta in it.

The delicious orange rolls that I made for conference I made vanilla smoothies with our conference breakfast.

Look at how good they were during conference!

I made a homemde Asian soup with Ramen noodles, orange chicken and pickled ginger. I served it with coconut juice and sushi! Cambrey and Paisley said it was their favorite dinner!

I love my kids!