Seaworld Trip

There were some big fires in San Diego this year. They were so appreciative of everything the firefighters did, the offered FREE tickets to Southern California firefighters and their families! ALL! Not just the guys that were on the fire. We went with my Dad, his wife, and my niece! It was so much fun!

Capri's Pregnancy Pictures

You remember, I started taking pictures at 18 weeks to watch the progression of my belly, with the help of her big "brodder," as he says it!

18-20 Weeks! 

19-36 Weeks!

That little boy cracks me up! I love his personality in the pictures!

Staycation 2013

We planned a "Staycation" with my mom! It was the week after Jackie's wedding and we had Sierra too! It was so fun!

Day 1: Hike up Mt. Rubidioux

Day 2: We scored FREE tickets to Legoland!!
We took the O'Rafferty's with us.
I have better pictures but I can't find them!
I'll update when I can! 

Legoland had a watermark included in the main park!
It was Awesome! The kids loved it! 

Day 3: Kitchen tour of CPK
The kids got to make their own pizzas and see the kitchen

Day 4: Snuggles in the morning. A fun relaxing day at home!
We decided to use the picture to tell the Facebook world we were expecting baby #3.

Day 5: Orange County Zoo
We saw the animals, rode the train, rented a bike.
We had tons of fun! 

We had one more day planned but unfortunately, I was in the ER the evening after the Zoo. We had a miscarriage with our Precious Baby #3. You can read the story here. Nevertheless, this was a great stay cation! 

Easter 2014

I will keep attempting family shots!
One day we will get one with everybody looking!

All dressed up!

The kids were lead on a scavenger hunt to find their baskets. . . in the bathtub!

He really enjoyed the Peeps at Grandma's!

Jeremy 4 1/2 years Update

He rides a 2 wheeler now!

Jeremy is such a sweet kid! He loss to show people he loves them. He constantly has ideas on things we can do to bring somebody something or do something to make them feel special! I love his heart!

This kid is a jokester! He crake us p all the time! He constantly asks me to teach him new jokes. Once he has them memorized, he tells anybody he can! His favorite: What do you call a nosy pepper? Jalapeño business!

Me: Jeremy, do you remember we talked about only kissing family. That means Daddy, Mommy, sissys and grandparents? You can't kiss Olivia.
J: Why?
Me: She's not your wife.you have to save your kisses for your wife.
J: Well, I want to marry her one day and she will be my wife, so why can't I kiss her now?

Gigi: Jeremy I'm looking for my phone
J: Your brain has a book when you can't find something you open it to the page and you find it.

Me: Jeremy let's put you back to a baby.
J: noooooo mom I'm a grown man boy Jeremy 4! I can't go back now!

I'm going on a boat. I'm going north east

Strawberry ice cream coffee that tastes like strawberry ice cream coffee, it's good for you so you can have as much as you want. Burp Carmel coffee, it doesn't taste like Carmel, when you burp it up to taste Carmel.

Song in his head about how he slept in "against all that reading! And was sleeping like a fish! Like a fish!"
"my feet have to be naked if they are on the trampoline! "

While Praying. . . Thank you for Legoland. I can't Wait to go again. I had so much fun, I can't so thinking about it because I keep telling me mom and dad I know they we'll get to go again"

 Learning about Paul in prison, Jeremy said, "I wouldn't be scared." The teacher asked "why?" Jeremy said, "because God would be with me!" The teacher said, "yes! Exactly!"

Called grandma "probiotic"

Something I thought I would never have to say, "you can NOT karate chop your penis"

He loves his sisters! 

In a nutshell. . .

It is my vision to be able to write once a week about the happenings in the Mini-Mart house. I really feel like I am missing out on recording fun activities, family memories, milestones, etc, etc because I am not diligent enough to journal them. My life is crazy! But I want to have time to record all of this and have something to look back on when i am missing the crazy!
Here goes. . . .

This week we have been dealing with sickness! Blah! It seems to be a slow onset. So far we are on day 5 of Capri, day 2 with Jeremy, Heidi seems to have escaped it, one point for breastmilk! I have the stuffiness and sore throat but no throwing up or cough. Thank you Jesus! The kids being sick makes for a crazy-can't-clean-or-catch-up kind of week! Jeremy has been home from school. We do pages in his workbook when we can.

Bobby officiated his 2nd wedding ceremony! AJ (the groom) worked with B's uncle Terry. Terry sent him to see B to get advice on how to become a firefighter! 12 months later he has gone through all the steps and is in the hiring process! Talk about motivation! He is also getting married and asked B to perform the wedding! They have developed a sweet friendship! I just adore watching B "do the Lord's work." It makes me so proud to be his wife!

We finished up a Marriage Class we have been facilitating! It's called Dynamic Marriage. Check out the link! It's an awesome class on digging into your marriage and taking it from average to DYNAMIC!

We also had a family-hangout-get-together day and Kimo and Auntie Donna's! Would you believe that on November 9 it was 90* and we had a SWIM party??? The kids had a blast!

That's all for this week! Catch you next week when we tell you about our weekend get a way!! Ooooo!!!

Heidi-Rae Update: 8 & 9 Months

 I have to do 2 months together again! December was crazy busy AND full of sickness :(. It's so sad to watch my babies fight off sickness! Here goes. . .

Weight 

Contrary to that picture, Little Love is keeping a steady 18 pounds. She has a a thin build, like Jeremy.

Health

Impetigo

We battle a cold in early December. The cough still lingers. I'm thankful that her first real cold was at 8 months! Breastmilk for the WIN! Right around Christmas Heidi developed a rash on her skin. I thought it was an allergic reaction to some supplements I'm taking for increased milk supply (I'm trying to increase my supply to help a friend out.). Turns out it was Impetigo, basically a bacterial skin infection. it didn't bother her, she wasn't scratching. Just a little fussier then normal, which come to find out she was cutting 2 teeth! My poor girl! It was a bad combo! And her teething necklace needed to be replaced. Cheers to a healthy January!

Sleep

We hold strong to our 10am and 1:30pm naps. Bedtime is around 8pm, with feedings at 3am and 6am. She is usually up for the day around 7am. She is sleeping in her room, at the end of the hall! EKK! That was really hard for me to  do. In fact, I did it by accident, the first time. I was putting the older 2 to bed and out Heidi in the crib to play while I rallied Jeremy and Capri. I went get Heidi for our Bible story. . . she was asleep! And she slept until 6am! Sigh. . . I still bring her in bed with us in the morning for her feeding.

She has developed a love for tags!

Clothes

Hanging out at church in Mommy's favorite outfit!

Most of the 6 month clothes are put away. And I am struggling to find my 9 month bin from Capri! Arg! We have one that was 6-9. I am making that work but I am going to borrow from a friend!

Sleeping on Daddy's chest!!

Social

Visiting Daddy's station!

This little girl is proving to be a social butterfly, just like her siblings! Although, she loves to go places she usually only wants Mommy and Daddy! She really doesn't like to be help by anybody else. Well, most of the time she lets her Gigi hold her if I am around. I am not complaining ONE BIT! I LOVE having a Mama's girl!! The other 2 are very PRO Daddy! I am keeping my baby attached as long as possible!

Annual Christmas Eve party!

Brotherly/Sisterly Love

The love these 3 share is immeasurable! We love to sit back and just watch them interact. Jeremy and Capri can make Heidi laugh like nobody else can!!

Diet

My little girl LOVES to nurse!! I love it! She is so easy  going about it! Generally, she eats about every 3 hours. But, if I won't be around at he 3 hour mark, she'll go early or later. She just goes with the flow! We have given her a few things to chew on as teething toys: Jicima, carrots, celery, apples. I have given her apples in the fruit net thing. She doesn't like it! I have also tried smashed and chucked bananas. . . NOPE! We'll stick with breastmilk for now!

Milestones 

WHEW! Since my last post she has started SO much!! Where is all the time with my last baby going? It's flying by leaving a mama in the dust!!

• Crawling!
• Pulling to standing and walking along furniture
• Waving and clapping
• She loves her walker! 
• Mimicking more sounds: Mama, Dada, Hi 
• She got her toes painted!

Cutest little baby toes! Painted teal by my nail lady!

Personality

Easy going is the best way to describe Heidi-Rae. She doesn't mind going places or eating whenever I can get to it. She smiles at everybody! She LOVES to watch her brother and sister perform for her. She wants to be right next to Mama.

Post Pardum

I have decided to take this portion out. I just can't get back to the shape I want right now. And each month I come to it. it weights on me (no pun intended). At this point, I need to be content with the way my body is for my kids. I am able to keep up with them, most days I don't sit down until nap time and then bedtime. This is the body God has given me for this time in my life. Sure, I would pay for a gym membership and figure out a time frame that works with naps and all but at what cost? Missing time with my kids and paying an additional fee and stress of finding someone to watch them? It's just not worth it.