Training 'em when they're young...

Don't call 'child protective services' ... she VOLUNTEERED to do this!! Yeah, it's great! Jade loves to help clean. So, I gave her the scrubber, and said, ' have at it'.  She did a GREAT job! :-) She also does dishes, and puts them away in the correct cabinets and drawers and everything (we'll see how long it lasts)! 

Finally some more PICS!!

Yes, I am terrible at taking pictures! I think I need to take a photography class.  I would enjoy that.  But, I had my neighbor take some photos after church last Sunday.  They both had these cute matching dresses (thanks to my friends in my ward) and Grace is already busting the dress at the seams! So, we had to take a picture before it was TOO Late! Jade had a little trouble holding on to her (poor Jade, she's almost her size already)! 

And She's OFF...

The other day Jason came home for lunch and Jade took his cell phone, found a tie in the closet, and grabbed his work badge and headed for the door.  She even remembered to say, "See ya later, drive safe, love you" a phrase which she says EACH morning as Daddy leaves for work! 

                

I finally got a few pics of baby Grace as she was prematurely awakened from her BEAUTY SLEEP! She is doing well and almost a whopping 10 pounds! We haven't done her pictures yet because of the terrible 'baby acne' that HAS to show up RIGHT when we want to take some pictures! Geez! Go away! :-) Maybe this will mean she'll bypass the teenage acne phase!

Aww...CUTE!!!

IS this not the cutest picture ever!?? We had a BBQ party to celebrate Scott's (Jason's Dad) birthday at our house.  I looked over and saw them all sitting together and HAD to run inside and grab a camera! Funny how life changes so fast... and now Scott's a Grandpa and Jason and his little bro Nick are FATHERS of their own! :-)

SUMMER LOVIN'

Well the weather has been SO HOT lately and every single store was SOLD out of all the kid pools!!! What's up with that? There is still another MONTH of summer!?!? All that is at the stores now is 'back to school' stuff! Some of us are STILL ENJOYING SUMMER!! I called every store in the valley and no one had ONE little pool left! Then one night we went to Toys R Us to look at something, and lo and behold... ONE POOL LEFT!!! It even has a slide! PERFECT!! :-) Jade had so much fun! 

Grace Elizabeth- Is Here!~

JULY 8th, 2008 (1:52 a.m) 

Gracie entered the world a little late (6 days) but for sure, worth the wait! She is a doll and we apologize for the lack of pictures.  We are getting some professional ones done very soon and will post them.  She was 8 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches long. 

THE BIRTH STORY: 

Well, I didn't want to get induced so that is why I let myself go over the due date! :-) I wanted my body to just do it on it's own and see what happens! It was hard being over due but I was lucky and was not that uncomfortable! I have good pregnancies.  So, on Monday around 4 pm I started having contractions about every 3-5 minutes apart.  Finally right after dinner, I told Jason we needed to go to the hospital.  We got there around 7 and they checked me and I was dilated to a four. So around 8 pm they admitted me and hooked up the IV and antibiotics.  My AWESOME sisters (Carrie, Jenny, and Heather) were there and my FABULOUS mom and mother in law.  Each of them helped SO MUCH!! I wanted to do it NATURAL (no epidural) and without their help, never would have made it! They each helped me by fanning me, giving me ice chips, pressing on certain spots to help the contractions... etc.  I basically just dilated to a 6 by midnight and went from a 7-10 in about 30 minutes.  She came after only a few pushes and it was amazing to see what your body does... on it's own! It was crazy! Did it hurt? umm.. yeah, but I felt so great afterwards! Gracie came out wanting to eat right away and being SO alert! I have to thank my sisters and mom and mother in law again because they all stayed up late with me and helped so much! Some of them even had to go to girls camp the next day! :0)  LOVE YOU GUYS!  

MY AMAZING HUSBAND:

Okay, so I HAVE to put a special note about Jason! I don't know HOW I got so lucky to be married to the 'perfect' husband ever! He was so comforting during the 'labor' and so attentive to me.  I remember one of the nurses afterward telling me "you married an Edward"! (all Stephenie Meyer fans will get it).  Of course I already knew that.  He took the week off work to help me and to spend time with his #1 fan... Jade!!!!! She had so much 'daddy time' she was on cloud nine! He also cleaned the house constantly, did laundry, helped with the baby, did all dishes, and found time to care for me! What a sweetie! Needless to say, Jade and I both cried when he went back to work.... love you, love you xoxoxo

More Pics

Jade adores her new sister and loves to help out mom! She is having fun taking care of 'her baby doll' while I feed and change Grace.  It's so cute! Thanks Grandparents, Jenny, Carrie and Nick for helping with Jade and taking her to the park and the library! We appreciate everyone! :-) Here are a few pictures we've taken since we got home! (Except the embarrassing picture of Me in LABOR with my 'BIRTHING TEAM' taking good care of me! )