Family Reunion!

What could be better than a fun filled four days with family? Honestly, four days on the beach in Hawaii would probably be better, but this was a close second. We had a great time visiting family and the kids couldn't get enough of their cousins. It makes me so happy to see how close they all are because that is how I was with my cousins growing up. A big thanks to Joseph's brother and his wife. She has become the older sister I didn't have and we really appreciate them opening their house to us. We had a great time!!

Jackson Hole!

I really didn't want to got with Joseph to CE this year. Madi was sick, Olivia was still so little and I wasn't feeling well. 2 days in a hotel with the 5 of us while Dad was at class didn't sound appealing. And although it wasn't nearly as fun as last year, we still had a good time. We were esp. glad to get to see one close couple from School and meet their new baby.

Besides swimming and shopping and the alpine slide which we did last year, they had added the jumping trampolines. The kids loved them and I couldn't believe how brave Madi was. It was great to see our little 30 pound girl flying up in the air with a huge smile on her face!
Chuck Wagon Dinner as a family

Madelyn doing the trampoline

Taylor and Emma both in different cables!

Olivia's Blessing!!

I know I am very slow in posting this, but I really want to give a big thank you to the family members that traveled for Olivia's big day. Esp. grateful to my grandparents who made the trip out. It was very special to have her dad, grandpa, great grandpa, and uncles in the circle. Mom, thank you for all your hard work on her blessing dress. It is beautiful and something her and I will treasure always.
Joseph's sister and her family made the trip to represent his side and we really enjoyed having them. And to our siblings who endured awful circumstances on the drive back, thanks for making the trip out, sorry the trip back was so miserable!

A Few of Olivia!

Olivia has become one of the family now. She is smiling and it is quite humorous what we will all do to earn one of those smiles. As I was uploading I realized I haven't taken any of her smiling so I will have to post them soon.

She is such a doll and is already sleeping from 10pm-6am at night. She enjoyed the trip to see family, but hated the car rides. She started to get so she would cry when we put her in her car seat. Below are a few pics from the past couple months. One on her blessing day, one with Grandma Katschke at the reuion, and one swimming in Joseph's brother's pool. I let her knowing it is clean and only has had family in it, she loved it and stayed in for about 20 min.

Catching Up!

I thought I would take some time to catch up on the past month's activities in our home. There are a number of posts, some kind of long. I guess I have missed blogging!

Missing My Kids!

I am so grateful for the time I have had the past 2 weeks to recover and am also so grateful for all the amazing help we have received. However, I am still really missing my kids! I think it is true that you don't know what you have until it is gone. I struggle with being a patient mom and there are so many nights I am burned out and frustrated, but the past two weeks have reminded me all that my kids bring to my life.

Taylor is our solid rock. He is calm and mellow and quick to obey. He is a thinker and asks questions that help stretch me and his father. He is already very good about regular scripture study and prayer which is an example to me. The past 6 months he has been the one to walk with me when I am lagging behind and offer a hug. I tell him that since he is my only boy is is supposed to take care of his mother, and he truly does.

Emma is my the excitement and laughter in my life. She is genuine and is always offering to help in the kitchen and such. She gets excited about the little things and makes it so easy to have fun with. She loves to giggle and it reminds me of when I was her age. She is also so sweet to Madelyn and is constantly helping get her dressed or snuggling her at night.

Madelyn is my ray of sunshine. She and I have been buddies these past 6 months. We have spent a lot of time playing on the ground, watching movies, doing puzzles, and coloring together. She has been so easy to entertain and I have enjoyed our one on one time together. She is my most cuddly child and it has been hard on her to have mom not able to hold her as much because of my big belly and pain. I look forward to have her back and be able to cuddle with her again!

Only 4 more days until they come home! I can't wait! In a week when I am getting frustrated again and impatient, I will come and read this and remind myself how lucky I am to be these children's mother!!

Excellent Fan!!

Madelyn was such a good sport this week. Emma had 3 rehearsals and 2 recital nights and Taylor had 2 soccer games this week. She was so good about supporting her brother and sister and being drug around this week. Thanks Madi for being a great fan!!

Spring Soccer!

Taylor really enjoyed soccer this spring. He was more aggressive than in the fall. As you can see from the pictures we are still quite cold in the spring so we needed turtle necks and a couple of days had to wear hats and gloves. The day it was 35 degrees he didn't enjoy too much. April in Wyoming is still Winter:0(.

Dance Recital Week!

Pictures of our Beautiful Emma!!


Emma chose this pose on her own! I think it is a cross between sassy and just plain cute!!

Planting a Garden!

Mother's Day

As I catch up I am remembering back a month or so to Mother's Day. I never posted anything for this so of course first I want to pay tribute to the wonderful women in my life. My mom, Grandma, sister, mother in law, sister in laws, friends. I have such amazing women in my life and to each of you I look for examples of righteous, wonderful moms. I have to esp. say that my mother and grandmother are two of the most influential people in my life, without whom I would not be the person I am today!

(This was Mother's Day last year. I wish I could do this with my sisters, Mom and Grandma every year!!)

My husband never forgets a holiday and he always spoils me. I awoke Sunday morning to breakfast in bed. He now has help. Emma got up on her own at 6:00am wanting to help make breakfast. She is a really good helper. They made crepes with fresh berries and whipped cream. It was so delicious. When they brought it in there were gifts from each of them and a dozen roses!! Joseph gave me a new video camera which I am so excited about and a new pair of sunglasses(one of the perks to being his wife)! But my favorite gifts were from my kiddos. They were so excited to give me their presents and each was nearly bursting with enthusiasm. Taylor had made a card and a magnet with his picture on it, Emma gave me a paper tea pot with tea to relax with that she made at school and a beautiful homemade card (she had taken the tea off and explained that we can't drink it;0), Madelyn made a wheelbarrow out of wood that she made with her Dad at Home Depot and a flower in it. She was esp. pleased that she had gotten to make her own gift. The day continued to be wonderful as the kids tried to be kind and helped their Dad also make dinner. Joseph made chicken alfredo and homemade rolls. I must say they were so good that I think I will relinquish that job to him. It was a wonderful day. I get so much pleasure from being a mom and am so grateful for my family!!
(Boy I look terrible, I was really ready to have a baby!)

New Arrival

Olivia Lynae was born at 12:22pm on June 5, 2009
She weighed 7 lbs. 4 1/2 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long



The delivery went great with no complications. About a half hour after the delivery however, complications started for me. I began bleeding a lot and after about 3 hours of intense pain and a lot of bleeding they called in my doctors. They did an emergency D & C and found that I had two additional placenta lobes attached to the uterus causing the problems. Shortly after the D & C I began to feel better and my blood pressure began to go back up. Olivia and I both came home from the hospital on Saturday, but I lost 2 units and blood and will be staying close to my bed for a month to recover. It scared Joseph and I quite a bit, but we feel very blessed and witnessed the hand of the Lord guiding and blessing us many times that day and the days after.


We want to thank all our family for their prayers of support this past week. Esp. Joseph's parents who were willing and ready to come if needed, and my parents for taking the kids back. The doctors were willing to release me only after they heard I would have a couple weeks to heal, so my dad and mom headed to Utah on Thursday with the kids! We already miss them so much, but are so thankful they are happy and I have this time to rest and gain my strength back!! Thanks Dad, Mom, Ashley, Carly, and anyone else who will assist in caring for my children over the next couple weeks. I wouldn't be able to get through this time without you!

Why Mormons Build Temples!

Sheridan First Ward Idol

Our kids performed at the ward talent show (1st Ward Idol). I was such a proud mom. They were nervous and didn't sing out very well, but I am proud of them for even trying. Here is a clip of their performance.


(I don't know how this happened, but somehow when I uploaded this video the music is about 3 seconds behind the kids. weird because it isn't that way on the original video. Anyways, sorry for my lack of technology, but it gives you an idea of their performance!)


Joseph played the role of host, aka Ryan Seacrest!

For Mom and Ashley!

I promised I would not be putting pregnancy shots on this site. I just feel very self-conscious when I am pregnant and figure that is the advantage to living far from you all, I can just see you after the baby is born and I am not as large as a whale anymore. However, I am giving in just this once for my mom and Ashley. All others feel free to scroll over this post. Mom, Ash, here is the view at 33 weeks. There won't be anymore coming so enjoy!!

Thanks to Joseph's Family!

One of many statues for sale on Main in Sheridan, we had such a fun time visiting the antique shops in town!

Pics at the Wild Life Reserve, we have Elk and Buffalo living in this reserve.

Easter Saturday at the park for the community Egg Hunt.

Since I have been on partial bed rest we have had so many people serve us in kind ways. April was no exception. I want to give a BIG thank you to Joseph's parents and his youngest brother Kenneth and wife Aimee. The second week in April we were excited to welcome Grandpa and Grandma to our home for a week. The kids were thrilled to have them here. They did a lot of cooking and dishes and gave me a chance to rest. We had a few more painful days and having them here really helped out. It was also fun to celebrate Grandma's birthday and Easter while they were here. Then we had a week alone before we again were privileged to have company come to help. Kenneth and Aimee were so amazing. They were constantly entertaining the kids and the kids couldn't get enough them. They took them to parks, a movie, and played with them just about every minute they were here. We really had a great time with you Ken and Aimee! Thanks for all the memories!

I really appreciate both our parents and siblings for all the encouragement and support we have received the past few months! You guys are the best!!

Easter Weekend!

We got a new basketball hoop for Easter this year. Taylor has been begging for one and is esp. excited. So, in each of their baskets they got a new basketball from the Easter Bunny. Well, except for Taylor who already has two balls and needed a new mitt for baseball this year. We went to a community egg hunt on Saturday. It was very crowded and I think we will avoid it next year, but on Sunday we went to our friends house for dinner and had an egg hunt there with them. It is so nice to have good friends to celebrate with.

Chicken Pox?!

Emma said the cutest thing the other night. We were talking about the Holy Ghost and feelings it gives us.

Emma says: "When we feel the Holy Ghost we get chicken pox all over our arms and lots of prinklies and it makes us cry."

We all got a good laugh from that one, I think she was referring to goose bumps.

Sisters!

Madelyn has been having bad dreams the past couple months. At first she would come up to us, but after a little while I started to notice that after I put Madelyn in her bed, she would climb in bed with Emma. Emma has been such a good sport about this. Madi has to be close enough to Emma that they touch and many times she is wrapped in Emma's arms. Emma has told us many times the next morning that Madelyn had a bad dream in the night, but Emma hugged her and then she was okay. I am so glad that these two are so close and that Emma is so sweet to her little sister!

Getting out of Sheridan!

Having not left Sheridan since the beginning of November, I was really wanting a change of scenery. Traveling is not particularly easy for me right now, but we decided to just go to Billings for Spring Break and have a little mini family vacation. It

was just what I needed. We went with a couple families from here and stayed for 2 nights. We stayed in the Wingate so we could try out their new indoor water park, went to Build a Bear and Chuck E Cheese's for the kids, and did a little shopping for me and Joseph. A stop at Target, the mall, and Costco are always a must. The weekend was very relaxing for me and fun for us all. I was also glad to get to attend the temple since I hadn't been since our last trip in November. Every family needs a few days away every now and then!