The difference between boys and girls!

My kids absolutely ADORE Molly- and that is a complete understatement!!:) They LOVE her!

They are pretty good with her.... and want to help in EVERY way that they can.

I have already noticed how sweet they are with her... for instance Erin gave Molly her cute little doll to nap with...........

And when I walked by a second time, I found her like this...........

Ethan thought she was missing a little something, and she looked much more comfortable with one of his darts.... ON her nose!

This little baby girl is going to be SPOILED and LOVED like crazy and that is the way it SHOULD be!:)

Introducing...................................

Molly Mae

born Dec. 28, 2009
5 lbs. 14 oz.
17 1/2 in. long

AND

perfect in EVERY way!!

More to come as my computer cooperates. I have so many posts to do and I will eventually get around to them- but for now I'm just going to enjoy my baby!

But the birth story and MANY more pics and funny stories already to come...............

A little update..

I promise I will be posting about Thanksgiving REALLY soon- but here is a little video clip of some fun we got to have! Along with a picture taken at Apple Hill where we cut down our tree. MANY more pictures and videos to come. I promise-- but right now I've got to run to do some more organizing in our new apartment- and pics of that coming too!!

I also wanted to let you know really quick about my December specials over at Fit n' Fun and Then Some-- ALL training packages are half off for the month of December!! Go here for more info.

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I know I enjoyed mine:)

Here is Ethan and Erin sledding near Tahoe with their cousin Garrett running out of the way! Too cute!!!

Personal Training Services!!

Over at my fitness blog, I have posted my new training services that I'm offering to anyone, EVERYWHERE!

Head on over here if you are interested, and if you happen to leave me a comment on my fitness blog- THEN you will automatically be entered into win 2 FREE months of on-line personal training!

You don't want to miss this:)

7 months and cutting onions

Today is Nov. 10th-- which means I have exactly 2 months left before I'm supposed to deliver! Whoo-hoo! Seriously-- I feel like it will be here tomorrow with Thanksgiving then Christmas right around the corner. Then here comes baby!:) We are all still so excited. She is doing well- I'm feeling GREAT! Everything is perfect. But onto the more exciting news...

Ethan has learned to cut an onion! He came home from school today and asked to cut an onion. I was like, "What?? Where did THAT come from?" I needed an onion chopped for my meatloaf and food prep is always a great way to go- so I obliged.

Ok..ok.. I really did it because I wanted to see his cute little face and what would happen once he started cutting the onion. If you want to know too... watch below! ANYTHING for a good laugh.....

Spiritual Sunday (monday now....)

I don't know what it is - but lately I feel like I've been a little faster to jump at my kids, a little faster to let them know what they are doing wrong, a little faster to raise my voice, etc.... and I feel like I have NO patience! Every little thing will get to me (or rather after the 10th time of saying something vs. the 100th I freak out). I'm also usually not one to think that I'm a bad mom. I believe that discouragement or really getting down on yourself only makes it harder to get back up, then to be like- "ok, I shouldn't have handled that situation like that and now I'm going to move on and do better next time. "

However- this past week and a half has seemed a little tougher to not get down on myself. Feeling like I'm not doing enough, not teaching my kids and being a good example, etc...-- and the only time I get like that is when I decide to rely on myself to do everything vs. going to my Heavenly Father in prayer to ask for his help and guidance. (and why do I ever try to do it on my own??)

This morning was really no different with the kids being slow to get ready for school, then it seems like it always happens in the bathroom when it is time to brush their teeth- and the yelling and screaming and crying begins... this time- Dante was trying to be nice - and was going to brush the back of Erin's hair for her- but Erin didn't want him to- but he tried to force it and take the brush away from her-- and with the playing of tug of war with the brush ... Erin ended up hitting her finger and cutting it-- nothing big, but big enough to make a big debacle about it.

Nothing I should get upset about -- but because something similar happens every morning before we have to get to school-- I think I was going to go crazy! (again WAY to early to go crazy and to be jumping at my kids!)

So- after I dropped them off at school I came home and opened up lds.org to read some conference talks that I had missed. I went down the list and the one that jumped out at me to read was Elder David A. Bednar's talk on "More Diligent and Concerned at Home"

I can't believe that I missed that talk! We didn't get to watch much of Saturday conference... and I'm glad I was impressed to read his talk because it was what I needed. I actually laughed at the part where he says,

"Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking."

I mean- doesn't that sound familiar!

And then I feel better when I see happy pictures like these of when my kids are getting along and LOVE each other and when things are peaceful and happy in our home..... and that the showing love and consistency in our home IS working out after all!!

(My 3 little rascals on our way to their first swim meet this last summer)

Dante and Erin at Harry Potter showing off their awesome shirts made by Aunt Emily

Dante and Ethan hugging at a swim meet.

Ethan and Erin sharing some down time before their next swim!

The kids all loving on dad for his b-day!

One of my favorite pics of my kids playing warrior and damsel in distress....


Erin and Ethan with new baby puppy Sadie.

Erin and Ethan helping Dante create his gingerbread house masterpiece at his school Christmas party in 1st grade!

I just need to remember that as long as I keep doing what has been asked of me, and asking my Heavenly Father in sincere prayer for help and guidance, then my "days" will not turn into weeks (like this one has) and instead I'll be able to be reminded of what my purpose is and how PRECIOUS my children are and that the positives far outweigh the negatives and that it will all workout in the end.

We are one big HAPPY FAMILY!:)

And a hiking we will go.....

A little while ago, a month or so, we decided to take to the hills of California and go hiking. It was a nice little hike-- not too demanding physically, but hard enough to where the kids felt like they were really climbing a mountain-- and to top it off... not only was it a fun hike, but Chet and the kids got to go tree climbing in the process! I got some pretty good video, especially of Dante trying to come "down" the tree.

Here are the pics and video from our first fun California hiking adventure!!


Chet and the kids hiking up the steep terrain! I love how accomplished you feel when you reach the top of something:)

Ethan collected our "firewood" all along the way! Too bad we weren't camping, and instead just went for ice-cream treats afterwards instead of making yummy s'mores.

Chet in the fun climbing tree showing the kids how easy peasy it is to climb a tree.

YEAH!! All the kids made it (and I made it too... with my 6 month preggers body!) I was proud!

The great climbing tree!!

Once we reached the top this was our gorgeous view! I know it's not a waterfall or hanging lake-- but it was still pretty:)

And everyone resting before having to head back down! Yes- Chet is passing some much needed gas- and Dante is burping up whatever he was burping up..... Classic family pic!

And to save the best for last--- climbing up the tree was hard at first for the kids- well- for Dante-- but he made it and coming DOWN the tree turned into the real problem!! This video will def. be kept in the family archives to show future dates! The more you watch it the funnier it becomes:) My 2 year old niece even asks to watch it-- and quotes it- especially the now... NOW!! and "Mom... will you just come up a little" and perhaps the funniest part is the end when Chet tells you how long of a "step" it is to the bottom of the tree!

ENJOY!!!

We are 2 shy away from being the "BRADY BUNCH!"

(she's a happy baby AND has Ethan's nose... so looks like she will look like him)

For my birthday my family was in town and we decided to go to a 3D/4D ultrasound place to finally find out what we were having! I think 29 weeks is long enough to wait:) I was so excited that they all got to see. So far- our kids have gone boy, girl, boy....... and so everyone (even the kiddos) were hoping for a girl to even things out-- and sure enough we are having a

BABY GIRL!!

Either Chet and I have forgotten how high my emotions can run when I'm pregnant OR as Chet would put it "this baby is doing a number on me" or he also likes to call it the little demon baby. Then when we went to the ultra sound-- and got 2 consecutive pictures like THIS--

LOSER!

we are starting to wonder.........

But in all seriousness- we are all so excited about this new little girl soon to be here, and we know she will be just the sweetest thing, just like the others have been.

Why do I have a feeling that it will be a LOT sooner then I think??

SIX months!

Yes, that is me--- I've made it to the SIX month mark which is also 27 weeks... without any problems or really any discomfort at all--- but it is slowly but surely coming on-- the having trouble getting comfy in bed at night... the having to use momentum to get off the bed... feeling like there is a "bowling ball" in my tummy, feeling like I'm a mile away from everything when my belly is touching it- like the sink when I do dishes, or the laundry basket when I can't hold it in front of me anymore.... this is usually where the "slowness" of pregnancy kicks in for me-- because I ONLY get BIGGER from here!

So, to help me out a little I'm going to go and eat some of these yummy bad boys!

and share them with Chet and Co. .... because I'm shareable like that;)

Miramar Air show....

Last Saturday (has it really been a week?) we headed over to the Miramar Airshow in San Diego... we thought admission is free, seating (on the tarmac) is free, parking is free-- WHY NOT??

I had never been to an airshow, the kids had never been to an airshow, Chet has been to a million airshows... and we needed to spread the airshow LOVE... and I was most excited for........

THE BLUE ANGELS!!

Aren't the GORGEOUS?? I'm not gonna lie-- I almost cried (blame it on the pregnancy) when they flew right over our car (because traffic was really bad-- so they ended up flying while we were waiting to park- but we still saw their AMAZING show!) Now maybe I think they are so amazing because I watched either a documentary or an IMAX about the blue angels and how you have to be the elite of the ELITE to be a Blue Angel!! And all that it takes to be one.... and MAN was it out of this WORLD!

Here is my one awesome picture of the Blue Angels... saying I was actually there. Since I don't have a high tech camera to capture them in a split second-- ALL my shots turned out blurry or REALLY far away.

That was my favorite part of the whole show... and seeing how excited my kids were to get up and pretend to be pilots in these BIG macho planes, and Humvees, and don't even get me started on the weapons... Dante fell in LOVE!!

So did Chet!
And the biggest missile of ALL was this thing-- you should have seen how POPULAR it was for "photo shoots" It was WORSE then going to see Santa the day before Christmas!

But we got one... and they were EXCITED!

Here is the funniest picture of the day---- the dude in the picture(furthest to the right, jeans and a grey muscle tee)-- the one that is clearly leaning back and staring in awe of the "missile" ... he took his picture at least SIX different times-- it was getting so ridiculous I HAD to take a picture of him... He was also talking to the missile like the camera could here him... He would point to the picture-- lean his body back- point to the missile-- and then shout, "Dannggg" but using another word! He would have to retake it because either his cigarette made it in the picture, or he didn't think he looked good, or he wasn't close enough... I was laughing because I haven't seen anything like that! It was CRAZY! And each time, he would go, "Daaaannng!" all while pointing to the big missile.

Chet running after the kids as they go from plane to helicopter to Humvee- I mean there were THOUSANDS of -you name it- for the kids to play in and explore! It was great!

Ethan stole the camera from me and had to take a shot. He LOVES the closeups!

Ms. Erin in one of the planes!

The kids in front of a wicked helicopter with cool missiles! (notice Ethan's newest pose in all pics... Hands MUST be on hips)

And again-- you can tell his hands are on his hips!

And taking a breather while the kids snack on some snacky stuff and while we watch some more of the airshow.

If you are ever in the Southern California area during the Miramar airshow- it is totally worth the trip and because it's ALL free- minus the food-- which is VERY enticing to say the least... we just tried to stay far away from the food tents-- so we wouldn't be tempted:)

FUN family pictures.... the good and the NOT so good.....

Who doesn't LOVE looking at pictures?? Especially when it is of their own family... and as you look through pictures a flood of memories come sailing back!

That is exactly what happened to me, and as I looked for the "perfect" family picture to put at the top of my blog... I came across some that made me laugh and that would NEVER make the family blog- because I just want to "appear" perfect... but who am I kidding!!:)

So to give you all some enjoyment with family pictures past of some good and.... some bad-- and some of just my kids- I hope you realize, like I did- that the GOOD pictures are the ones that show what REAL life is all about:)
(and why I chose the top picture... because obviously I'm trying to get Ethan to turn around for the picture while he is trying to climb up a giant frog... Erin is READY and Chet and Dante are waiting for the green light)

So I proudly give you

The Ranger Family

(This is my favorite! Again... Erin is the ONLY one ready)

the JOYS of having a family!!!!

I LOVE you my growing family:)