Happy Halloween!

Saturday we were able to go to our ward Trunk or Treat which is the only trick or treating the kids did! They made out pretty good even though at the end Cooper said we had to keep going until his pumpkin bucket was full ...Not to self - I will buy smaller ones next year!! This year Cooper was Optimus Prime, Chloe was Snow White, Reese was a pirate princess and Ryker was a pumpkin!

Not quite sure who the vampire kid is but Cooper, Finn and Henry hanging out!!

Chloe and her best friend Lily who she prays for every meal.

Chloe and Reese posing for me!!

Cooper and Chloe impatiently waiting to start trunk or treating!!

**Ryker being such a great baby as he always is**

This year since Halloween was on Sunday so I switched days working so I could have Saturday off and worked Sunday. Saturday was a big day for us as Ryan was able to go our friend's sealing. They were able to adopt a newborn, 6 months ago and now legally have adopted their daughter so we are so happy for them! Also then on Sunday they were able to bless her! It was so precious and what a great experience for us to be here with them at this time in our lives!!

Ryker's Blessing Day (9/26/10)

Ryker was 2 months and 1 day old when Ryan gave him a blessing in our ward here in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was great to have friends there to be with us as we know our family couldn't make it down. I searched and searched for a blessing outfit for him the last week after we had decided what day to bless him because I lost track of time I didn't have time to take anyone up on their offer to make him one! I hope that one day I am good enough at sewing to do that! So this is the one from the church clothing store! Ryker Benjamin Frank is his whole name. Ryker we found on the internet and the site we found it one says it means becoming rich. Benjamin is from Ryan's side of the family since I have used the names from my side of the family for the girls and we use Ryan's side of the family names for the boys! Now it's fair!

Ryker also had his two month check-up the day after the blessing which I wasn't too shocked at his stats since he is gotten heavy to carry! He is 12 lbs. 6 oz, 24 inches long, and his head is actually small and 15 1/2 inches round! Ryker is such an amazing baby he started smiling about 2 weeks ago and just loves to look at people and talk and sleeps through the night! He sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night but if I get home from work I try and feed him so I can sleep in one long stretch!

The kids did great during his blessing and every day are so good to Ryker! He gets lots of love from the girls! I have to remind them he is not a doll but their brother :)

**LOVE YOU RYKER**

Sorry for the turned pictures but we lost our memory card and they didn't get downloaded to our computer first so I took them out of our email.

Happy Birthday Reese!! (late)

Reese's real birthday was on August 27th, and we went out shopping and had a great night together as a family! I can't believe Reese is two! She is so much fun! Honestly, she is so cute that when she does something bad she has this smile like, "you aren't going to punish me cause I am cute" and then you just tell her no and really ----she listens! For now!

She had her two year check up yesterday with our new pediatrician and when you are two you get a book at your appointment and a sucker and a sticker so it was almost another birthday for her! She is still small except for her head!! She is 34.5 inches tall, weighs 24 pounds and her head is 18 3/4 inches around (which is the same way Cooper was!)...So she is well rounded!!

Fun things about Reese are she just got 7 teeth in these last 3 months so now she finally has 14 teeth and gets to see the dentist for the first time next Thursday! She loves to brush her teeth, play with dolls, books, blocks, color, watch movies, run errands, go to the regular parks, water parks, swim, dump things out and put them back, and she loves to sing and dance! Most of all though she loves a sippy cup and her blanket! You know she is tired when she whines for those! I have cut her hair a few times but the girls and I will be going out soon for REAL haircuts!

Reese is very loving! She gives some of the best hugs and kisses! She loves everyone! So when someone comes over before they leave she has to hug and kiss them! Sometimes we have to tell her to stop hugging and kissing but it is so precious!

I have started working so we made a cake that day which the girls helped me make and another reason I am behind on blogging this! I hope to get better about it since I am done training and studying every night but working full time! I love my kids and husband so much! And doing this makes me appreciate all the blessings I have!!

3rd Post for the Day (Ryker's butt)

I know there are a TON of cute outfits out there but I haven't been into little boy clothes for 5 1/2 years now! My friend from church gave us this outfit and I just love this part of it so I took a picture! Ryker is probably pushing 9 pounds now and is 3 1/2 weeks old! He is a great baby and is so alert and loves the noise and craziness of our house when he is awake! If it is quiet he starts to cry but it's not really a cry he is just letting us know he wants to be in on the craziness!

We have received a lot of really cute outfits but I haven't really taken any pictures but I will! He is in 3 month clothes and his face just broke out in some baby acne. DRIVES ME CRAZY!! I think it might be the laundry soap as one of our other kids had it and I switched and their face cleared up! I know there is nothing we can do but it still drives me crazy! His still has all his hair and is a great baby!!

Just a couple cute pictures!

Sorry for the pictures being turned not sure how to fix it right now :)

2nd Monsoon

Last night we had our 2nd real Monsoon!! I think I slept through the first one (the week after Ryker was born) when Ryan took the kids outside and played in the rain. One area got more than 3 inches of rain just yesterday evening but we only received about an inch in those couple hours! The kids were eating dinner when it started and Ryan was at a dentist appointment so I told him they had to finish dinner and get dressed to play in the rain. If we didn't live in a neighborhood I wouldn't have cared so much about the getting dressed but there were people out driving around! Ryker slept through it while I watched the kids play in the water. There was thunder and lightening of course but we saw most of that after the rain. The wind was the worst because it knocked a lot of the old fruit out of the trees in our backyard so I picked up 4 grocery bags worth of old grapefruit and oranges in our backyard. We should just go through and pick it all but it is too hot right now!

(Sorry the pictures are a little out of order!!)

Ryker sleeping through it all but enjoying the smell of the rain :)

Look at how high the water is on Reese's legs! Yes, Cooper is sitting down in it! We have a dip going out of the driveway to the road and this is the puddle that filled it up! It leads to a drain about 30 ft. from our house.

Inching their way into the big puddle ....This is the end of our driveway.

Kids first touching the big fast moving puddle...

Chloe and Reese checking out how deep it is and Chloe wanting to get that branch piece from out in the road...

August 9th Cooper's 1st day of School

(Very excited to wear his backpack)

August 9th, 2010 was Cooper's first day of ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN! I didn't realize they have all day here until another boy's mom told me which made me really excited but nervous at the same time! Cooper still was taking naps some days so I didn't know how he would do. They start at 8:45 and end at 3:10 for Kindergarten as they get out 5 minutes early to get to the buses before the older kids.

The Friday before school started they had a little meet and greet your teacher for a couple hours. I took Cooper to meet his teacher as his school had just called me Thursday and changed it. They said class sizes were getting too big and they added a new teacher. Cooper still says he isn't going to school but then I tell him he can't ride on the bus and he changes his mind so I am thankful for school buses! It is kind of annoying taking all 4 kids around the corner where everyone drives too fast every morning but it gets Cooper to school....You may be asking why don't I call and get it changed and believe you me I am trying! Cooper is the only one to get on the bus in the morning and the two other boys that get off in the afternoon live farther down on our street so there is no reason to keep the stop the same!! But they have bigger issues and they have to change their insurance to be covered on our street so it will be another three weeks before it is changed she said! GRRRR! Only reason I hate it is because it is 90 degrees outside at 7:56am when he catches the bus and about 105 on average when he gets off the bus at 3:50 and those are the times the bus is supposed to arrive (so I drive in the afternoon how bad is that?!) ....Let's just say it comes about 5 minutes later than scheduled...But it's better than in the beginning where it was about 10-15 minutes late picking up and dropping off...

First day of school Ryan took Cooper and they both did great! I thought I would be an emotional wreck but I did pretty good! Not sure if it was the lack of sleep or how much I loved how quiet the house was ... and still is :) Ryan also picked him up from school that day and what do you know...He got into trouble!! So everyday we ask him how his day was and then if he got into trouble! It is a little frustrating since he has only had one good day since last Monday. But he missed last Thursday and Friday because of a stomach / fever bug he and Reese came down with. Yuck! He is learning a lot and is really good in a lot of areas but having never been to preschool he is testing his boundaries.

I find it interesting that they did not do assessments here. Cooper did not have one but his teacher does evaluate them three times a year. I just hope that he can learn what he needs to and we can work with his teacher in any way to help him! I love him being at school and how tired it makes him but he is experiencing a lot which I know will help him grow in so many different ways!

Here's Ryker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ryker Benjamin Frank was born on Sunday July 25th, 2010 (his due date)!! He is now officially one week old today! He weighed 7 lbs. 4.8 oz and was 20 inches long. Average for my babies but he was really easy to deliver...Thanks to my epidural!!

The story is on Saturday July 24th I was kind of feeling crampy off and on all day but nothing consistent or painful. That night Ryan's mom, Dawn, flew in to stay the week with us! We picked her up from the airport then headed to our church for the Pioneer Celebration. We had dinner there and mingled then came home as we were all tired!

Sunday morning I woke up at 3:30am due to contractions. They weren't consistent and about 5 minutes apart so I just laid there until 4:30 Ryan woke up and I told him so of course he couldn't go back to sleep. Finally around 6am they were getting closer and more painful so Ryan told his mom and I finished packing the hospital bag. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30am and checked in but the first nurse we spoke to almost made it seem like they weren't going to take us! Ryan asked if we should go to another hospital but she was just confused as my doctor rarely delivers there but I was on the schedule Monday morning for an induction but they didn't have any of my paperwork. Turns out it was just sent to the hospital up north (same hospital just a different location which apparently happens all the time) so it was faxed down and they let me stay! Ryan and I had been told this hospital is not that busy and we would love it but for some reason there were lots of babies born days before us so it was busy...

They checked me and I was dilated to a 4 which never happens on my own! Usually a bath or breaking my water gets me past a 3!! After that exciting news the contractions were getting more intense and they put us in a room to deliver!! I received my epidural and the doctor who did it was amazing! I think it was the least painful one I have had and it worked great until the end! Finally around 11:30 my doctor came in and checked me but I was still about a 4 or 5 so he broke my water. About 10 minutes later when he came back to put in an internal pressure monitor to really measure the contractions I was already a 6!! Another hour later I was telling Ryan the contractions were getting painful not just pressure but pain! I have never felt that and so I called my nurse and asked her what it was and she said oh just contractions and I could up my epidural medicine if I wanted but Ryan suggested we get checked and I am glad he did because the baby was ready to come out!

She called my doctor who only lives a few miles away and in the mean time the baby was moving down and I was actually feeling the pressure to push. I didn't but that is a first also! Ryan and I go to church with the doctor and he is really laid back. Ryan asked if he could help deliver so they got him all prepped and Ryan and Dr. Nelson sat at the end of the bed and he talked Ryan through everything. Ryan did about 90% of the delivery. The doctor of course took the cord off from around the neck and turned the head a little so it would be down. I pushed once and the head was out. I started on a second push but was told to stop and I think that is when they took the cord off but then the shoulders came out. I kind of coughed / laughed and the rest of his cute little body was out! Ryan held him up and I couldn't believe it was a boy! Ryan usually is crying at that point but he was so excited and in shock both from I think doing the delivery and that it was a boy we just kept smiling! Next Ryan and Dr. Nelson cut the cord and this might be too much information for some but Ryan even delivered the placenta.

Ryker came out with peelie skin and long fingernails and our doctor was showing us how the placenta was showing signs of aging because he was full term! Dr. Nelson then hung out with us and we talked about a pediatrician and he recommended one which we really like. She performed his circumcision which we opted for in her office not the hospital but Ryker is already so tough he didn't even cry!!! But then he got a diaper rash that is the worst I have ever seen on my kids! We are still treating it but it isn't going away quickly poor guy!

We stayed 24 hours in the hospital which I am glad we did as I had a rough Sunday afternoon with cramping and sweating. Ryker did great and even pooped about 10 times while we were there. I had GREAT nurses the entire time! They were very informative and extremely friendly! Of course the food was decent but I didn't have high expectations as I was not that hungry the entire time I was there! Monday afternoon we had to wait to be released as Ryker's bilirubin level was a little low but he was fine when we took him to the doctor Wednesday. When we came home Monday afternoon two of the women from church made a huge, DELICIOUS meal for us. It had everything! It was also Dawn's birthday so she was excited to have a nice meal and we were glad that she at least had that for her birthday! We have been receiving meals since then and it is so nice not to have to cook every night. I think I have cooked twice since we have been home and Ryan has been able to take lots of time off work as he has a ton saved up! He goes back this next week but can come home if I need him...

Cooper, Chloe, and Reese all LOVE their little brother. Cooper is so happy that Heavenly Father answered his question if he could have a little brother! Chloe LOVES to hold him and is very good at it! She is always kissing him and hugging him and just loves to be with him. Reese keeps calling him "baby". She is always saying "hi baby" and kissing him! Ryker is great and rarely cries unless he has a dirty diaper or is hungry! Which reminds me of when he was first born he was just looking around and the baby nurse kept trying to make him cry and he wouldn't. She was a little nervous at first but that is how all our babies are!

The nurse was able to get some pictures and overall we had a great experience. Dawn was able to come and stay with us until this last Friday and was a huge help not only with the baby but also the three oldest. She had them all day Sunday while we were at the hospital and off and on she would watch them for us so we could run an errand or Ryker to the doctor. Ryan and Dawn took them to IKEA and swimming also. It is a lot to take these kids anywhere but they needed to get out of the house a few times! Thanks Dawn for coming down to Arizona!

Now here are all the pictures!!!!!

June and Most of July

Where has the time gone?! I am seriously slacking!! June was filled with swimming, playing at the park and my doctor appointments so the same things as May really! I have a friend from church who lets me come to her house and swim since no one uses her pool because all of her kids are busy in the mornings! Then she would spoil my kids with popsicles too! We also really like the water parks but some are too slippery and I am scared my kids are going to crack their heads open so we go there almost every other week!

Cooper taking Reese around to the other parts of the water park!

Cooper trying to convince Reese to put her face in!

Chloe pretending to take a shower :)

The kids are getting used to the heat as it is over 100 degrees almost everyday and just too hot unless you are in the water and now the pool water is too warm....Sounds weird I know and I just experienced it but you really can't cool off in the pools!

The kids did do swimming lessons back in June but I didn't get any pictures...I was in the pool with Reese while Cooper and Chloe were in their own swimming classes. The kids did great and learned a lot about putting their heads in the water, what could happen in the deep water and of course some cute games to play in the water!

Sunday is our due date for this "surprise" baby! We still do not know what we are having when it comes to the sex of this baby but everything looks healthy as our three ultrasounds have shown! I do not have that motherly intuition and this pregnancy has been a combination of how I felt with Cooper and with the girls so I am really torn! I have been busy sewing lots of stuff for the baby and of course one for a boy and one for a girl of everything. We were going to be induced yesterday but my doctor didn't call in time so there was no room at the hospital. So unless I go on my own I wont have this baby until Monday the 26th. Makes me a little nervous since I think this baby is going to be on the bigger side...I know 8 pounds doesn't sound like much but it does to me!

This is the rag quilt I made for a girl, I didn't get a picture of the boy one...It is the first one I have ever done and it was fun! A lot of work but really cute in the end!!

This was taken this last Sunday and will be my last picture until baby is here :)

Cooper starts school on August 9th and is not very excited about it. Sometimes he wants to go but mostly he doesn't want to go so we are praying that he will change his mind once he starts and is riding the bus! It is all day kindergarten here so he will be gone most of the day which I am sad about because he is such a big helper to me but on the other hand I wont have to be yelling at him and Chloe to stop fighting! They really are getting along better especially when they are playing on pbskids.org together! It is really cute!

Watching the fireworks together!

Reese wondering where the sound was coming from during the fireworks...I think she had just taken a drink of water! And she WANTED to wear the monkey backpack we didn't make her!!

Hopefully the next post will be soon and all about baby :)

Belly, yard and park pictures!!

I don't remember the last time I took a belly picture so sorry I look so HUGE in this picture! This was after a long afternoon today (Sunday) where my heart was bugging me pretty bad so I did a lot of laying down....Hence, why I look so tired!!

I am 32 weeks today and had an appointment with the NP this last Thursday and from the last ultrasound they want to monitor the baby closer. This baby is only in the 18% which is hard to believe because I am measuring right on! But I had 3 ultrasounds with Chloe and she was fine just my smallest at birth so far and now she is my biggest kid!! Well, she is catching Cooper for sure! We have another ultrasound in 2 weeks and then another appointment this time with my doctor! He is currently in Europe on vacation with his family which I think is great and I see him as soon as he gets back! Then we get down to the every 2 week appointments...Time is just flying by!

So instead of a sprinkler system in our yard (which is one thing I miss) we get our yard flooded every 2 weeks! Lucky for ME come October it is only once a month! But this water company comes around and at some time during the day every other Tuesday they turn some pipe on and flood our yard to look like this! Not only is it annoying the day it happens but the next day also is hard because it is still so muddy...We aren't paying for it so I really can't complain!

(sorry for the screen lines)

The parks here are covered which I LOVE! I can be in the shade and so can the kids...It is still at least 90 in shade most days so out in the sun it definitely is pushing 100!! Everyone keeps saying it is cooler this year than most years...I am THANKFUL for that let me tell you...I take the kids at least 3 days a week to a different park because it is free, fun for them and they get some energy out! They still don't like that all the parks have sand but that is probably the best for kids in the heat! Everyone also keeps telling us the first summer here is hard and after that we will love it! I think we will because we are still going for walks every night around 7pm with Cooper and Chloe on their bikes and Reese in the stroller...Carrie walking and Ryan running because Cooper is getting too fast! We keep threatening to take his training wheels off but he wont let us yet!

(one of the parks has a train ride and carousel so we gave it a try and it was fun but kind of expensive for only a 8 minute ride if you ask me!)

Reese's favorite place to play at one of the parks...They have the poles that let out mist if you press the button and then makes puddles and fun mud playing for the kids!!

Chloe LOVES the slides and is ALWAYS making new friends!

Cooper always running and trying something new! He usually makes new friends but for some reason people don't watch their kids here and they are kind of rude (even to adults)! So he chooses not to play with them but he has met some nice friends at church I just need to set up play dates!!

The kids also start swimming lessons next Monday! I think the first day will be hard but after that they will love it! We missed getting Cooper into soccer and Chloe into tumbling but we are on the waitlist and can sign up for the next round! It starts right before we have this baby so I am little hesitant but they would only miss maybe one day! Swimming lessons are cheap and since we don't have a pool it is their pool time....NOW I am regretting not getting a pool :( All the moms keep telling me I will want to be in a pool every day while being pregnant! I didn't realize that most pools are gated here and usually have a lock or an alarm...Now I wish we could move after a few months but then it wont be as hot! I just can't take all the kids to the pool and not have that fear of losing one! We can go on Saturdays with Ryan and our whole family is $7 :)

Since coming here we have had a lot of crazy things happen to us, mostly bad, but we also have been blessed to have a great ward to move into and are meeting new people all the time!

Cooper is registered for Kindergarten and is really excited for it! Chloe is growing in so many ways it is so fun! She is REALLY excited for "mommy's baby" to come out so she can help take care of "the baby". Ryan just noticed Reese is getting 7 teeth finally! (I only saw 3 but he found more tonight after her bath!) She only has 7 so after a few weeks she is going to look so much older I think! And she is trying to potty train which I really don't want too but it might be time or more months of diapers! Our unborn child is doing good as far I can tell by the movements and the growth of my stomach size :)

Ryan and I are grateful for all that we have and know that if we didn't have trials then we wouldn't be blessed....By experiencing these trials which may seem huge now we know something great lies ahead for us and these trials will seem so small :)