A visit to the Dentist

I normally wouldn't bring a camera to the dentist but since Kasey did all their cleanings I thought it would be fun for them to remember when their Aunt would take care of their teeth.

We had Taylor go first to be the example to the younger kids. The first time we came to the dentist he wanted nothing to do with it even though Kasey and Katelyn were there to take care of him. This time though he was a champ. He got to watch a movie while Kasey took care of him.


Next came Allie. She wasn't so sure she liked the dentist.


Afterwards it was Ashley's turn.


She started out ok, even liked the taste of the fluoride.


But once Kasey started the actual cleaning she was done. We had to hold her down to finish but we did get to finish and I think she was ok with it. Maybe next time she will be better.



While Taylor was waiting for Dr. Jensen to come check his teeth Ashley wanted to climb up and lay with him.



We left the dentist with a good report of no cavities. Thank goodness. I don't know how I'd get them to sit through their teeth being drilled. They might have to knock them out.

Taylor's birthday party

This year my mom talked me in to giving Taylor a birthday party with his friends. I am so glad I did. We decided to make it a water party, the perks of a summer birthday. We got out his slip n slide, the sprinkler and his pool. The kids had such a fun time playing and it was really fun to watch them getting a long and having fun. We invited; Seth, Liam, Celine, Rob, Conner F and Conner W, Christiaan and then his cousins Allie and Jaxen. It was quite the party.

The slip n slide was a hit once they got the hang of sliding. They would start back on the concrete and then make a run for the slide.



Conner was probably having the most fun. Even though he had a cast on his arm it didn't stop him from playing.

Celine making a run for it.

Kenzie helped Jaxen slide down.

Opening presents, the part everyone likes. He got a lot of cool gifts. They all pitched in helping Taylor open his gifts and play with the toys.

Grandma McCuistion made really cute cupcakes. She used blue frosting and then put a gummy life savor on top with a teddy graham in the middle, like the teddy bear was swimming. What a cute idea. That's what mom's are for, to help me be creative...not my expertise. Thanks mom for doing it! The kids loved them.


After a little more playing we ended Tay's party with a Pinata. He did this at his school and asked if we could do it for his birthday party. I couldn't resist a pinata. They loved it. I thought I got a picture of everyone taking a shot but I guess I didn't.


It took a long time to get this "kung fu panda" to break down. They probably each got 3 turns. Taylor ended up killing it at the end but I filming and didn't get any pictures of it.


Look at Conner's baseball swing. He has the stance down. This kid is going to be a good athlete with all those brothers of his.


Celine and Liam taking at swing at it. Inside was a bag of candy for each person and then they also got a bag of bubbles to take home.


It was such a fun memorable day for Taylor. He has a lot of good friends in the neighborhood.

Taylor turned 4

Taylor turned 4 this year, I can't believe it. His birthday happened to land on Sunday and after having dinner at my parents house we came back to our house for his birthday party with the family. On the way home he fell asleep. We had a little bit of time before people started showing up so we let him sleep. Apparently he was exhausted.

Once people started arriving we tried to get him to wake up. No matter what we did he was not waking up. Ashley kept kissing him. I would lift up his arm and drop it and it still would not wake him up. With everyone there laughing and yelling his name he would not wake up. It took us a good little bit before he finally opened his eyes. Once he woke up he was surprised to see everyone there but was then ready to get opening his presents.

He got lots of fun gifts this year. He got a transformer from Uncle Dave


New boxer briefs from Grandpa and Grandma McCuistion and a few outfits.


He got a Green Bay Packer football, baseball bat and baseball from Grandpa and Grandma Hamblin



And a razor scooter from Grandpa and Grandma McCuistion. He was really excited to get outside and try it out. He always borrowed Celine's so he was happy for his own. He also got some water toys from the Risenmays, a head flashlight from the Robins...and I can't remember what else...oh, a slip and slide and video game from us. He had a great birthday and loved all his gifts.




He even got a golf birthday cake. It was sure yummy too!



My handsome little boy is growing up too fast.

4th of July

I know I am way behind but I'm trying to catch up here. I've got to before out little boy comes or else I'll never get caught up.

For the 4th we had a BBQ at my parents house and swam. We followed all that up with our "Parking lot of fire!" as we call it. It used to be just us and the Bishop family, maybe a few others, that would gather in the parking lot to light off our fireworks but it has grown to be a neighborhood thing and its kind of fun. Tons of people come, set up their chairs and light off their fireworks.

I'm not sure what Ashley was doing but I thought it was cute. She lined up the kiddie chairs and then placed a diaper on each chair except for the one she sat on.

After the kids swim in the pool they get a little cold and want to warm up in the jacuzzi. I love the picture of Allie kicking her feet up. It cracked me up when I saw her do that.

Ashley and Allie watching the fireworks together. Allie kept calling to her to sit by her. Ashley was a little nervous of the fireworks and would only sit with her for a little bit.



Taylor sat by her too. Allie absolutely loves Taylor. Its fun to watch them together.


Doug's trying to help her not be so scared of the fireworks

She was ok with the sparkler though

Taylor wanted in on all the action with the fireworks. There's our amazing fireworks show. Huge huh? The guys tried to make it more fun by doing all the bigger ones together. They were big enough for the kids but not so much for the adults. It was still fun though.

One exhausted little girl. She played hard all day. She would not take a nap, no matter what I tried, so she finally crashed at the firework show.

Kenzie and Taylor

35 Weeks and Counting

As much as I hate pictures of myself I thought our little boy might want to see what I looked like when I was pregnant with him. I am now 35 weeks. I would say that for the most part, this pregnancy hasn't been too bad but now that I have reached the end, maybe since about 30 weeks, its been a lot more uncomfortable. Lately my lower abdomen and back have been so sore that I have to waddle sometimes just to walk....which I absolutely hate. This little guy is very active, I think more than Taylor and Ashley. I always have a little foot kicking me on my right side, luckily not so much in my ribs. I love to feel his little body move around and to try and guess what it might be that I'm feeling. I had an ultrasound two weeks ago and he weighed 5 lbs 4 oz. She mentioned that he had hair....maybe he'll have more than my other kids. I was surprised she could see that. Everything looked really good with him. There are no more concerns about his ecogenic bowel. When I went back at 20 something weeks, I can't remember when it was, the doctor I saw said that he was a pretty healthy fetus and that the ecogenic bowel was pretty weak. I was greatly relieved. I asked the nurse at this last ultrasound if she saw any evidence of an ecogenic (bright) bowel and she said no. The only concern I have now is that the cord is around his neck. Its not around twice and not knotted but it still worries me a little. Although I think its pretty common. I just found out a neighbor of mine learned her little boy had the cord around his neck too. I had a feeling this little guy did because he moved around so much. So, things are going great except for being uncomfortable. I cannot wait to have this little guy here. We are still thinking Parker Douglas for his name. I'm not completely sold on the name but we can't really think of anything else right now and Doug really likes it and the kids are starting to like it so that might be it. I guess we'll see.

Newport Beach Part 1

Back in June, yes that long ago, our family went to Newport Beach. We stayed at the Marriot Newport Coast Villas. Its such a nice resort but I think it jinx's my family. I'll tell you why. Three years ago we came to the same resort and I believe we stayed in the exact same condos as we did this year. Doug, Taylor and Paris got sick either with the stomach flu or food poisoning. The day we arrived, that night I had the stomach flu and Taylor had it the next night. Is that weird or what? I couldn't believe it was happening. Coincidence? I don't know. I haven't thrown up since I was like 12.....then it happens the first day on my vacation....hmm. Luckily no one else got sick and we were able to enjoy the rest of the week.

Our kids loved the sand. They never wanted to leave the beach even if we had been there all day long. Taylor still asks when we are going back. Its really such a great vacation to go on because you don't have to keep them entertained. They play in the water, play in the sand, back in the water, ect.

Dusty, Ashley, Kristin and Dad.

One of the things my kids loved to do was go out in the water and when a wave came up they would hurry and run so the wave wouldn't get them.

Ashley then started picking up handfuls of sand and throwing them at the wave as it came on shore

Doug was trying to convince Ashley to get on the boogie board so he could take her for a ride. I guess she did it the day I was sick but I never saw her get on again.

Doug and Taylor getting slashed.

The other thing the kids liked to do was run after the sea gulls. The other little boy is a friend Ashley made. They played together for hours. Running away from the waves and throwing sand at them. It was fun to watch them play.

One of the only naps I got Ashley to take while we were at the beach.

The only picture of me. I realize I probably don't take enough pictures of me with the kids. I hate the camera and seeing pictures of me but I don't want to deprive my children of pictures with their mom so I am going to try and be better. I spent most of the time under the canopy to stay cool. The water was freezing, way to cold for me to want to get in. I just enjoyed sitting in my chair, watching the kids play.

This is what our set up looked like. It was so nice that we brought the EZ up. With three of us pregnant it helped a ton.

The McCuistion Family

Towards the end of the week Taylor discovered he could try "wakeboarding" (that's what he called it) with the boogie board. It was so fun to watch him try to figure out how to balance himself on the board and stay on when the water hit him. He spent hours doing this. He had such a fun time. He is so remarkable to me. When he wants to learn something he just works at it until he gets it. He doesn't give up. A lot like his dad. Its really fun to watch him.

This kid has natural talent with just about anything. He is so lucky. I hope his brother is good at sports so they don't have any hard feelings towards each other.


Three exhausted little kids. They really played hard the whole week. Too bad they didn't sleep longer. Their naps seemed to only consist of a hour here or there.

Newport Beach Part 2

While we were at Newport Beach we decided to do something other than the beach. My sister found out there was a zoo close by in Irvine, I think it was called the Orange County Zoo. It wasn't as spectacular as it sounds, but we had a good time. Its kind of like Thanksgiving Point but nor horses and cows. They had coyotes, bears, goats, snakes, animals more known to that region. It was really hot, I tried to stay in the shade, but we had a good time. I'm not so sure I liked Taylor kissing this goat, germs you know, but he didn't get sick so we're ok.
They got to brush the animals. Ashley wasn't so sure that she wanted to do it but Taylor loved it.

If daddy helped her she was ok. She eventually did brush the goats

On Friday we packed up to leave. We stopped by Grandpa McCuistions house in Redlands before we went to the other McCuistions for a BBQ. We just hung out in my grandpa's backyard where it was nice and cool.
The kids love Jake as you can see. They love to tackle him and wrestle. Especially my son. Taylor loves to play with Jake. He's just so good with kids.
No matter what bind Jake gets Taylor in to and no matter how mad Taylor gets at Jake he still goes back for more.
Here's some of us just waiting around to go to the McCuistions. I love the look on kristin's face. Of all us pregnant ones, she had it the roughest being only one month away from delivery.
The kids also tackled Grandma. Taylor has his head under her shirt! They love Grandma too.