April '18- Week 3- Gma and Gpa leave, First Baseball game, Giving Up Dairy

Sunday we spent our last little bit of time with my parents before they left to go home to Florida.

 Also Anna lovingly tucking in Dan for a Sunday nap.

 At Webster family dinner we celebrated April BDs, and Anna got her wrist slammed in Grandma's front door which left a nice bruise.  Dan and I watched some "This is Us."

Monday Anna had gymnastics and I organized my clothes and listened to my book for book club.  Ben had baseball practice and took McKenna to the library to find a book for a book report. 

I took this cute Boomerang video and it looks like Alice is riding an invisible bike. 

Tuesday McKenna had her final orthodontist appointment and I had my 6 week postpartum check up.  Aunt Lara babysat Anna and Bethany while I was at the doctor and took these cute pictures.  

 Paisley and Camille came over to play (at separate times).  McKenna also started her first day back at hip hop dance class.  Dan went to the Bee's baseball game with the Priest's Quorum and they were asked to do the Smith's produce run between the 4th and 5th innings! Dan is the carrot in the back..."precariously behind"...

I took the kids to Ben's first baseball game!  He got three hits, including getting his hand hit by the ball. He recovered quickly and had a great time.

Here's a little sampling of his swings and you can see the time the ball hit his hand.

Wednesday I started exercising a bit.  Anna and Bethany went to play at Alexander's.  My visiting teachers came over.  Jordan came to play with Ben in the afternoon and later that night Dan left for Park City for work meetings the next day.  

I also decided that day to give up dairy in my diet. :(  Here's a comparison picture of Anna's face around 6 weeks, and Alice's face at 6 weeks.  They both broke out and looked kind of rashy.  With Anna, I had several people recommend I try giving up dairy and sure enough, her face cleared up and she was much less fussy.  Alice thankfully didn't have the fussiness, but within about a week her face looked much better! 

Thursday Bethany came with us to Anna's music and when we got home we played outside for a bit.  We got to get some free Hokulia after school while Uncle Sam was training some new employees. Ben had music and then we went straight to another baseball game (Bethany playing with Ben's glasses).   McKenna had Activity Days also.

Friday I went visiting teaching to Shelly.  After school I somehow got everyone to take a little nap. That evening we went to the Cub Scout fundraiser spaghetti dinner and McKenna had a late night with Brittana.  

Saturday Dan helped the priests with their aerating fundraiser.  McKenna had fun making a power point presentation.  I worked on our Summer calendar and organized Anna and Ben's room a little.  Dan took Ben (and Anna) to batting practice while I took the others grocery shopping. We met at Bountiful Park for a while, then went home for haircuts, pizza, and showers.

April '18- Week 2- First Sunday at Church, Grandma Jeanne Funeral, Spring Pictures, Alice Smiles, Red and White Scrimmage, D and L Surprise Party

Sunday was my first time back at church after "maternity leave."  Thankfully my sister Emily was here to help me get the kids ready and we were ON TIME for church (and an extra bonus was the kids were pretty well behaved!).  After church I started a new thing where I want to read at least one story in the Friend magazine with the kids before we watch any shows.  Dan got some good half smiles out of Alice.  

 Here are some pictures of Alice in the same dress Anna and Bethany wore on their first Sunday to church.  

And just for fun, I made this collage of all my babies around 4-6 weeks old.  

Sunday evening we played games, had brownies and enjoyed being with my parents and siblings.  

Monday Emily came with us to Anna's gymnastics. Bethany drew "Emily" on a friend's boogie board.  We enjoyed lots of quality time with Aunt Emily while she was here!  

We had plans in the evening to take dinner to and visit with my Grandma Condie, but Mickelle and my mom were rear ended and my mom ended up needing some medical attention.  So we had dinner at home, Ben had baseball practice, and my parents and siblings came over later.  We also watched the documentary "Boys of '36" which was based on my recent book from club book titled "The Boys in the Boat."

Tuesday Dan and I went to the office of vital records and statistics to get Alice's birth certificate corrected.  My mom and I (plus my three younger girls) went and visited Grandma Condie for a bit before lunch. 

 I ran to Costco after dropping Anna off at preschool.  The kids got back their spring pictures.  They both loved that it was their first pictures with glasses and without braces.  

In the evening, we attended my Grandma Jeanne's viewing.  We only stayed for about an hour due to crazy children.  Then I went to my book club later that night.  

Wednesday Lara and Sam were nice enough to watch Bethany while we went to my grandma's funeral.  It was a lovely program with many wonderful memories of Grandma Jeanne (mine and McKenna's name sake).  Some of my favorite memories of her: I love that she was always very concerned for our safety and whether we had eaten enough.  "You'll be careful now won't you?" I loved her dyed red hair and her quick witted sense of humor.  She was faithful in church and served in the temple with my grandpa for several years and was even able to help me through part of the endowment session once.  I'm also pretty sure I got my love of babies from her!  

After the funeral my sister Emily had to head straight to the airport to fly home. SO glad she could come and not only be here for the funeral but also to meet Alice!   

Dan took McKenna, Anna, and Bethany home and I took Ben and Alice down to the graveside service in Scipio to be buried next to Grandpa Dave Thompson.  

Alice was so good on the long drive to and from Scipio and it was wonderful to be with lots of family that day.  

Thursday Anna had music and I got this adorable video on Bethany.  She had been saying this for a while and I finally got it on video.  "Baby Alice so tiny." *hands against cheek*

I also had a meeting for Bethany's speech evaluations to see if she will qualify for the free preschool.  I got some good Alice nap snuggles after taking Anna to preschool.  

 Camille came to play after school.  Dan got some great Alice smiles!  My parents came over for dinner and my mom made a yummy crab pie.  

Friday Dan took the day off work, did some yard work and took a load to the dump.  I went to ladies lunch.  That night Dan went to Mantua with the Teacher's Quorum for a retreat.  At home, we watched The Greatest Showman with my parents and Mickelle.  

Snapchat silliness and a funny pen Ben brought home from school.

Saturday McKenna went to Korie's BD party and Dan and Ben went to the Utes red and white scrimmage with some other Webster boys.  

McKenna and Anna played at the Alexander's and I took Alice grocery shopping.  I did some cleaning in the afternoon while kids took showers and baths.  We had pizza for dinner and then the kids painted a craft from Grandma.  

After kids were in bed, Dan and I went to a surprise BD party for Dave and Laurie who both turned the big 4-0!  

April '18- Week 1- Easter Sunday, Spring Break at Mantua/Treehouse Museum, Grandma Jeanne Passes Away, Alice 1 Month, So Jo Hotel Night, Emily Here!

Sunday morning Dan and McKenna went to the Conference Center to hear Grandfather speak. Bethany made me laugh making herself comfortable in Alice's baby seat.

We had egg salad for lunch with my family and watched the KSL new special on Grandfather.  Anna practiced more photography skills taking pictures of her beautifully painted nails and toes.  And I got a great picture of Alice giving Jonathan an awesome look.

We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon session and loved the new announcement about visiting and home teaching now called "ministering" and 7(!) new temples announced including one in RICHMOND, VA (near where I used to live)!  What an amazing and historic General Conference!  I always look forward to going back and listening to the talks over and over again so the messages will sink in more deeply! We headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's for the Nelson family Conference recap.

After that, our little family headed up to Mantua for two days for Spring Break!  Alice's first time! 

Monday we ate around 9am and the kids played princesses, played and danced to music on the keyboard, colored, played house... 

"Wuv Ma-way... so much." 

Dan was on his phone a ton getting things organized and communicating about all the changes that would be made after all the new announcements in Conference.  Then Dan took Ben outside and on the roof to fix a shingle that had come loose and was flapping in the wind.  

After lunch I napped with Alice while Dan watched the Wizard of Oz with the kids.  After dinner we went and visited my Grandma Jeanne at my Aunt Sherrie's house.  Grandma's health had been declining fairly rapidly, hence my parents coming to town for a visit. She slept the whole time we were there and we got to say our good byes.  :(  My dad gave her a lovely blessing as well.  Back at Mantua we watched "This is Us."

Tuesday Alice turned 1 month old!! 

We cleaned up at Mantua then had lunch at Arby's and headed to the Ogden Treehouse museum with the kids!  So many fun things there (the maps, diner, motorcycle, horses, and the train). We were only able to be there for two hours, but the kids loved it!  We even ran into Brigette McKamey who helped us find Bethany who was briefly lost.  

We got home around 4 and Bethany had a hard time waking up from her nap in the car.  

My family came over for dinner that evening and Dan had church appointments.  

**That night, my Grandme Jeanne passed away peacefully in her sleep. 

Wednesday these big kids got some great Alice snuggles!

Laura Lewis took McKenna and Ben to see the Sweet's Candy Factory.

I worked on laundry, then Anna joined the big kids for a play date at the Lewis's and I got a brief nap.  My parents came over for a bit before going to a meeting at the mortuary with my dad's siblings.  Mickelle and Jonathan came over for dinner that evening.

Thursday we started to see some little smiles from Alice! I used the morning to be productive and tidy up the house and shower.  The kids did pretty well playing and watching shows.  In the afternoon  Korie Brown came over to play and then we went to Hogan park with McKameys, Jaynes, Lewises, Behunins, and Johnsons.  We were home around 5, had dinner, then my parents and siblings came for another visit while Dan had church appointments.

Friday we chilled at home most of the day, then packed up and headed to a new Westerns States hotel in South Jordan for a Webster Family hotel night!   We met Dan there, so the kids were awesome in helping be bring everything in!  First item on the agenda was swimming of course!

Dinner at the hotel restaurant. 

Then we played games and watched movies in a big conference room.  Everyone slept fairly well with Alice only waking up once.  Saturday morning we had a lovely hotel breakfast then I showered while everyone watched a show. 

 We left by 10:45 so I could take most of the girls to a family baby shower for my cousin Lucy.  Everyone loved snuggling Alice!  McKenna then went to Whitney's house for a cousin play date and there was a fantastic rainbow!  I went grocery shopping and Kirk Pugsley and Lizzie Jaynes came over to play.      

My sister Emily flew in that evening to be here for our Grandma's funeral so she got to snuggle baby Alice too!  We hung out with my family that evening and got ready for church the next day.