We're still Alive!

I haven't posted for awhile because I'm still missing so many pictures. I'm not much of a computer person and when something changes (new external hard drive and a new camera), I can't seem to function without getting used to them. So I guess I start posting without pictures until I figure it out! I've missed posting Hanna's first two gymnastics meets of the season. Last meet, she got a medal when she placed third! She did so much better already than last year. She scored her highest. I'm so proud of her and it is really fun being so close to her during these times. Of course I feel like I could strangle her most of the practice times, but when it comes time for competition, it's all fun. Our team got new leotards and they are so neat. I can't wait to show pics! We're gearing up this week for hosting our own meet. The whole gym has been transformed. Most of our equipment has been moved out and stored in a trailer so we can fit a bunch of people in our building to watch the meets. I've been amazed at the help that the booster club parents have already done. They've spent hours moving and repairing equipment to make it possible for their girls to compete at their gym. Even the local paper covered us hosting a meet. Hanna was just mad she wasn't in the paper this time! I told her when she has a split leap on beam like Hailey (the girl who's in the paper), she can make the paper again. This is a funny statement, because Hanna hates beam. Her leaps aren't even an inch off the beam! She's awesome at bars though, she's almost got her skills for the next level. I guess that's why gymnastics is so hard, there are four events that you have to be good at and you have to train so hard at each of them. Well, we'll see how this Saturday turns out. I'm just excited we won't have to host another big even until May. Yeah!
So Piper has a boyfriend, named Collin. I love the way she says his name. They play with each other at the gym, because their sisters have gym at the same time. She holds her "l" sounds like Alizah does and Collin's name has two l's-so she says it extra cute! Alizah also has a boyfriend named Dane. She looks forward to every Friday to go to Ready Readers to go to her special class that Dane goes to. She's so excited cuz tonight was only one more sleep until she gets to see Dane! I don't know if Hanna has a boyfriend yet. I just worry already when their boyfriends are a little bit more real. I imagine I'm getting what I deserve after what I put my parents through, but is it really fair when it comes back at you times three!!!

Alizah, A-OK

We just spent the morning in the doctor's office getting x-rays done and Alizah is cleared for activity! Her head is no longer broken and she gets to take the brace off her arm too. Problem now is she won't take the brace off and she can't walk. See, after her bravely making it through the x-rays (remember-her EXTREME anxiety with doctors), the nurses ambushed her with five shots. So she won't move off the couch and yells at me, "COME MOVE ME!". But she is content sitting in one spot enjoying her "haul" at Wal-Mart. She proudly sat in the cart with the smirk on her face that says, "my mom will get me anything that I want." Which was true, she now is eating enough of her favorite junk food to last her all month! She does have to share her new Dora doll with her little sister. We are being lazy the rest of the afternoon until we go to gym tonight. I'm trying to catch up on the loads and loads of laundry that I ignored all last week.

More Christmas pics

Ok, you have to turn sideways to see this pic, (I can't figure out how to rotate this one for some reason). It just shows how perfect Grandma Maimi's gift of the tutu is because the girls nighttime ritual includes dancing ballet, jazz, gymnastics in the living room. The are constantly telling me they need more space to move. The bunny ears were an impromtu addition from the play room!
Poor Piper...she gets new bedding for Christmas. That's what she gets for being the third girl. We have plenty dolls, kitchens, dress-up, make-up, etc. so she didn't need anything! She loves her new pink, pink, pink....

This is Hanna's $10 gift-card to Wal-Mart which was on her Christmas list. It cracked me up because it was on her list along with laptop, cell phone, ambercrombie clothes, etc. All this expensive stuff, then a $10 gift card. I'm thinking she doesn't know the value of a dollar!!!!

WE BELIEVE!!

Baby Alive for Piper.....

Pony RollerCoaster for Alizah......

Cell Phone for Hanna......

The kids definately had a great Christmas and believe that Santa is real,
because mom and dad wouldn't buy these kind of presents!!

Christmas is over and we are back into the routine of things, but you can still see signs of it around our house. I still feel like I'm recovering, trying to find places for all the new toys and wanting vacation to come back! The kids love all their presents and got everything and more than what was on their list. Grandma and Grandpa Nelson were with us for Christmas and got to see the kids' faces light up when they opened their gifts. It's so fun to watch them unwrap and look with anticipation of what was inside. The Baby Alive for Piper was a hit for the day and then it's been a pain ever since (thanks, Santa). She wets and poops (yes everyone-i signed myself up to change more diapers!). I think Santa thought it would help Piper potty train, but no go for that one. She is just happy watching "Olivia" (this is what Piper named her after a little friend of hers) do it and insists that she's a baby still! Alizah's Pony Rollercoaster entertains her for HOURS, yes hours. She is perfectly content playing it by herself or with her sisters. She absolutely loves it! Hanna thinks she is way cool with her cell phone. She called Kiki and mom one night at 1:00 in the morning, so we had to go over rules of the phone. No calls after 9, no texting, no internet, no giving it to your friends, etc. I know everyone thinks she's too young for a cell pbone, but I guess Santa doesn't! If anyone knows Hanna, she is not one to break rules. Once you tell her, she won't even think twice about not following "a rule". Unlike her cousin, I hear, who bought $80 worth of games on his mom's phone which had already had a block on it, that he somehow got around! I guess the lady at the cell phone store doesn't even know how he could get around it, so she refunded the money!! So Santa giftswere a hit, and I'm catching up on the blog finally, after brandon finally figuring out how to get the pics of my new camera and onto the computer. SO I'll be posting more with the tons of pics that we took over the break!

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY ALIZAH!!

Alizah’s birthday was a little bit emotional this year due to the fact that I feel like we are lucky to have her with us. As most know, she took an extremely bad fall down the banister and has a skull fracture and a broken arm. Needless to say, I was a little choked up at her birthday party, just sitting back and watching her with her friends. It’s sad that sometimes it takes a little scare to give more hugs and kisses to our kids. She got plenty of them today. So here I go starting what everyone else does on their kids’ birthdays-naming 5 things that are just Alizah! (great idea to actually pause and think about just that kid)

1. I love the way she says her r and s sounds, and holds her l sound, I know she’ll eventually pronounce these sounds the right way, but I want to remember the cute way!
2. Alizah is also known has our Tiger. She has a way of dealing with things internally until she gets fed up, then unleashes very quietly, but deadly. Hanna’s scarred face is evidence of this. Is it right to love something like this?
3. Jeans and yellow/white stripped shirt, headbands, silver sequin shoes, blue jumpsuit, white ballet, and…..LEE-LOWS!! These are things that Alizah wears on a daily basis. She has her own “style” that she rarely wavers from- even though I beg, plead, and bribe.
4. Animals and ponies. When Alizah gets hooked on something, she totally immerses herself and everyone surrounding her in it. Our living room is often set up with her animals or ponies in a line talking to each other through her. She plays very contently for hours by herself. She’s possessive of what is hers, but is learning to share with her sisters.
5. Brave! Alizah has overcome many obstacles this past year, even more in the last few months. She has been able to answer questions in church, go to her school be herself, make new friends, go to the doctor multiple times-each better than the last, brush her teeth every day, and open up to new people. These may not seem big, but they are to Alizah. She has been “diagnosed” with a few anxiety disorders and a few other things, but has done wonders this past year to the point that I’m not sure about them anymore. I am so proud of her!!

I LOVE YOU ALIZAH AND HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY!!

2008 Polar Express

As I am running a little backward on my blogs, this was our next stop on our vacation two weeks ago....The North Pole!! We boarded our Polar Express in Heber City, Utah and made the magical journey to the North Pole! It was very exciting for the kids and I'm sure made memories for them. We sang Christmas carols, read the Polar Express book, and ate cookies and hot chocolate. They got to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas and Hanna changed hers at the last minute! She didn't want to tell Santa she wanted a cell phone, so she told him a camera, which surprised us! She said afterward that she didn't want to be embarrased asking for something too old for her....but she was sure Santa knew what she wanted "in her heart." I'll never know what goes on in her head half the time. Alizah held true with her My Little Pony Rollercoaster and Piper asked for her baby doll. Santa gave them each a bell and the elves told each of them which reindeer the bell came from. Piper's came from Rudolph (which Alizah wanted REAL BAD), and Alizah's came from Blitzen who the elf said she was lucky cuz he never really shares). I don't remember where Hanna's came from, so I'll have to ask her. All those kids ringing their bells at once for an hour after, is still ringing in our ears! Papa and Grandma Nelson were able to make the trip with us and after we went into Salt Lake to spend the night. We made a quick trip to Temple Square to see the lights. I say quick because it was freezing cold and we basically ran through the outside lights. The next day was my birthday, so we had a nice dinner at The Spaghetti Factory in Trolley Square (my parents took us their alot when we were llittle) , and we went Christmas shopping a little bit. I was able to go to Tai Pan, an interior design warehouse, which my friend Lisa has been talking about and I walked around with my mouth open the whole time wishing I had brought a U-Haul with me to take home! All in all-great trip!!

My Christmas Card Secret

So I feel like I also need to reveal my Christmas card secret. My uncle Terry seems very impressed with my ability to maneuver graphics and take wonderful pictures to create a beautiful Christmas card. Well, my secret is I have good friends!!! I have a dear friend who is a professional photographer and an AMAZING graphic designer. She does amazing work and all of the grandparents also recieved her magic as they got pictures for their office and houses! So thank-you my friend. THANK-YOU JENN!!