fish, etc.

Not a very good pic, but introducing Kyla's fish Blacky (black molly), Maelie's fish Sunburst (Sunburst Platy) and Jaxon's fish Mickey (Golden Mickey Mouse Platy)... they were so excited! Monday night we had an FHE on the creation and loving and taking care of God's creations. Then Jonas brought out the fish tank, they had no idea! We got it ready for the fish and then Tuesday night Jonas brought home their fish. They have created pictures, songs, dances and parties for their fish. Maelie and Kyla have changed their fish names a few times... Repunzel and Eugene, Flower gleam and Glow and Kyla's other name has slipped my mind....

We got a kiddie pool and some water balloons!

We went to the park several times to enjoy the remaining of the good weather!

a very random post full of jumbled thoughts

Life has been pretty good to us. Jaxon is getting used to preschool and they say he is adjusting well, which I am a little surprised but glad he is doing good. I know he is ready to be seriously potty trained. He complains about his diaper alllll the time. But isn't too excited about going potty. He had his ENT check and still has his tubes in but does have an ear infection. And today he has a sore throat and runny nose so we kept him out of nursery. I went to Sunday School so I could be there for my calling and now Jonas is there for YM for his calling. I wasn't supposed to teach today but my usually very dependable partner wasn't there. I tried to split them in to other classes but they wanted to stay and have me wing it. It went pretty good and a couple of the kids were a big help. I think my calling is getting easier, I'll admit it. We had a good conference weekend last week. In between Saturday sessions, Jonas headed to Phx to get a couch off craiglist. He would have had enough time except for the hour worth of traffic he got stuck in and ended up missing most of the afternoon session. Our couch is very comfy tho and we love it. On Sunday in between sessions Maelie made a hat for each Disney Princess and the kids had fun wearing them. I'm not sure which one Kyla is but Jaxon is Repunzel and Maelie is Sleeping Beauty. I love conference weekend! I love going to church on my couch, hehe. But no really, it is great to get 8 hours of counsel in one weekend. It seemed to me to be a lot about preparedness, being grateful for trials that make us stronger, marriage and family, and temples.

I love this picture of Jaxon. Occasionally he is being a little more agreeable about getting his pic taken. We all miss Disneyland and can't wait to go back in like 10 years, haha. :)

Kyla being a cute little goofball. This girl has decided she doesn't want to go to dance class anymore. Actually I think the only thing she wants to do lately is occupational therapy with her favorite Miss Becky. She isn't too thrilled about preschool, or church, or speech, but I can usually convince her to go and she does have a good time. But dance... is another thing. I want to give my kids a variety of interests but Kyla says she just wants to stay home and play and I am thinking we will do just that next year, except for kindergarten and therapies of course. Maelie on the other hand loves dance!! She really enjoys it! We are trying to decide about next year. I want her to do soccer in the fall and baseball in the spring and she wants to too. But I do know that she loves dance. She is also still enjoying piano lessons. I can't believe she will be a 2nd grader in a couple months!!!

We joined the world of smart phones and we are pretty much addicted. I didn't have mine for 1/2 day this week and I almost died. hehe. I think the kids like our new phones too.

Yesterday was a fun cleaning day. Mopping is always the dreaded job between Jonas and I but the kids were fighting over the opportunity, too bad they don't know how to put their back into it. Someday... :)

Jaxon wearing a tie, it's a miracle! I think he looks sooo handsome!

Friday I went to a specialist and genetic counselor about my baby. I got to have an ultrasound and it was so great to see her/him. S/he was kicking up a storm, it was so cute! Then with the genetic counselor, I had to share my entire family history. And then he told me about how I could get tested to see if our baby had anything or to see if Jonas and I were carriers of anything. I have never been tested before and I still don't feel the need. There is definitely some history of some stuff in our family. Jonas and I have both felt for the past little while that a spirit was getting pretty impatient to join our family. We were struggling with if we were ready or not because sometime I don't feel like I have a very good handle on the kids we do have. But I kept feeling that prompting and we finally felt good about it that everything would be ok. Not always easy but ok. We are both so excited for this new baby coming in October. The counselor told me that most people get this test to find out if the baby is ok and if not to terminate the pregnancy. I feel that we are here to provide for whatever Heavenly Father wants to send our way. So here goes nothing! Oh, and the baby looks healthy. :) And tomorrow I get another ultrasound with my regular OB!

I got this off a friend's blog who has 2 kids with autism. This totally made me cry today...

The Very Special Gift
By S. Guevara

Once upon a time, three angels were busily working in the miracle factory. They were responsible for wrapping up all the little miracles and sending them on their way. Normally they wrapped each one in bright, sturdy paper with big, shiny ribbons. They stamped them with a delivery date and away they would go to the parents who eagerly awaited their arrival. Things usually ran pretty smoothly.

One day, however, down the conveyor belt came a little miracle that made the angels pause. "Oh my," said the first angel "this one's uhm...well...different." "Yes, she is unique" said the second angel. "Well I think she is quite special," said the first angel "but I don't think she will quite fit our standard wrapping procedures." And the second angel added, "And we know she's special, but will everyone else?" "Not a problem," said the third angel "obliviously a special miracle deserves extra special wrapping; and of course we'll send her off with our most heartfelt blessings. Then everyone will see how special she is." "What a wonderful idea!" replied the othims. So they searched the shelves high and low for their finest paper, and their most delicate ribbons.

When they were done, they stood back and admired their work. "Beautiful!" they all agreed. "Now for our blessings," said the third angel "for it is time for her to go." "I will bless her with innocence and happiness," said the first angel. "And I will bless her with strength to face the many challenges that lie ahead" said the second angel. "And I will bless her with an inner beauty that will shine on all who look upon her" said the third angel. Before sending her off the third angel, who was very wise, gently tucked a note inside.

And it said,

"Dear Parents:

Today you have received a very special gift. It may not be what you were expecting and you may be disappointed, angry and hurt. But please know that she comes with many blessings. And, while time may be pain, she will bring you much joy. She will take you on a very difficult journey but you will meet many wonderful people. She will teach you patience and understanding and make you reach deep inside yourselves to find a source of strength and faith you never knew you had. She will enrich your lives and will touch the hearts of all who meet her. She may be fragile but she has great inner strength.

So please handle her with care. Give her lots of attention and shower her with hugs and kisses. Love her with all your heart and she will blossom before your eyes. Her spirit will shine like the brightest star for all to see and you will know that you are truly blessed."

the BUS!

I'm kinda ridiculous! I cried on Wednesday, Jaxon's 1st day on the bus, because he was crying. And then I cried this morning when he got on the bus willingly and happily because it is so hard to let my kids go and see them grow up. It was also because I was so happy that he was happy and adjusting. I feel like he's grown up soooo much this week!

Jaxon's 1st day of preschool!!

Jaxon started preschool today! He didn't want to go and he wouldn't put his backpack on. It was so hard to take him out the door and put him in his carseat. He was crying and he wanted to go back inside. I was totally doubting myself, thinking maybe we should wait until next year! Maelie only had about 4 months of preschool and the only reasons Kyla and Jaxon are in preschool so young is because of their developmental delays. Jaxon is my baby and I don't feel like he's old enough to leave me! He is as much attached to me as I am to him! Anyway, Jonas said he sat with him at circle time for 5 minutes and then left him crying with one of the teachers. They said he got over it pretty quick and had a good day. They said he really liked playing with the trains, big surprise there. Kyla and I got there a little early to pick him up and we saw his class on the playground. He looked so little holding his teacher's hand and walking back into class. Right when we picked him up he wanted his blanket out of his backpack. And he was confused about why Dad wasn't picking him up since Dad dropped him off. Tomorrow we try the bus. So far he says "no" everytime I tell him he gets to ride the bus. Funny because I remember the first day Kyla got on the bus, Jaxon threw a fit because he wanted to get on too. Anyway, kids do grow up!!!

Disney - day 2 & 3

awwwwww.... after a fun-filled week we had to go home! Boo!! We all seriously felt like staying for another week. We haven't been on that long of a fam vacation ever. It was so great! Sometime we are going on a 2 week trip... can't wait! Days 2 and 3 at Disneyland were tons of fun! Tuesday was CROWDED!!!! It was sunny all day and I'm sure that's why. Kyla was sick those 2 days but it was manageable. We got her a stroller and she was on tylenol and only got out when she felt up to it. Jonas held her in all the lines. She started feeling more herself Wednesday afternoon and then it rained again and that called for shorter lines and less people at World of Color which was awesome!!! Kyla had a complete meltdown on Wednesday night! Anyway.. I really do love that place, I really want to go when it's less crowded sometime. Maelie loved all the princess stuff and she loved getting character's autographs. Kyla loved the roller coaster type rides and she liked picking out a souvenir. Jaxon loved anything that flew in the sky, had wheels, or train tracks - which was pretty much every ride. He did really good in the lines!

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!

the teacups!!

meeting the Princesses! We finally did this on the 3rd day and we got a 1/2 hour line luckily instead of the 45-90 minutes lines we saw at other times. Maelie really hoped for Sleeping Beauty. Oh well!

Jaxon didn't care for any of the characters except for these ones! Kyla was asleep in the stroller.

playing in the fountain at CA Adventure...

Kyla jumped out of the stroller for this pic op! Jaxon on King Triton's carousel...

the rocket thingy's... and Maelie at CA Adventure... we never got to ride the sun wheel! We totally needed another few days :)

jumping jellyfish!

Jaxon got his souvenir cars out to play any chance he could and took them in line with him in the little bag they came in, so cute! Maelie loved the swings, Kyla and I were in a tandem swing right next to her.


Goofy!!! After we got off Small World Kyla's treasured blanket wasn't in the stroller! She was SO STRESSED!!!! Jonas went back to look and he found it on another stroller. Phew! She was so happy to have it back. I was already making plans to have Grandma make her another one. That blanket has been loved for almost 7 years since Maelie used it before Kyla. Speaking of losing things, we only lost Maelie for about 60 seconds and it was terrifying!!!

Fairy Godmother! And Small World!

Maelie and Kyla both loved the Sleeping Beauty castle. On the 2nd day (when Kyla was sick) she jumped out of the stroller when we came to the castle and took off! She went straight to the walk thru that we had already done the previous day! Maelie and the Buzz ride - so fun!

The new World of Color show at CA Adventure was awesome! So were the fireworks at Disneyland on Tuesday night!

We love Disneyland and vacation in general!!!

Disneyland - Day 1

Kyla meets Mickey and gets his autograph... the girls at the Princess ceremony

Maelie and Mickey

Jonas and Maelie in Minnie Mouse's house

Goofy's car!!!

Disneyland is wayyyy more packed than we hoped and we went this week because we thought it wouldn't be!!! I have decided they should have fast pases for kids on the autism spectrum! Kyla totally has a hard time with lines! And today she woke up with a fever so we are still in the hotel room and Jonas went to get a thermometer and some tylenol! Family trips take a ton of effort! Anyway, don't get me wrong. We had fun yesterday. It poured in the morning! haha! And then it was great the rest of the day. The kids got to meet Mickey and Pluto. Hopefully we can meet more because they are loving the autograph book thing. We have to get in that princess line still. Kyla was so excited to go on Tower of Terror and she didn't like it so much. And then Maelie didn't want to go. They had fun at the Princess ceremony thing a ma jig, bug''s land, the coaster in Toontown. Cute Kyla wanted a pic with a prince and his autograph. We also all enjoyed Pirates and the Aladdin show. They loved Toontown and we still have a lot on our to do list so I am hoping Kyla is feeling up to it! She is sure determined to feel good!

the castle... the girls, especially Maelie, were really excited to see it and go through it.

DUMBO!!!

Jaxon was loving all the toon cars.... Maelie getting wet!

Kyla and Sir Lance

haha... Kyla wanted a pic by herself

Bugs Land!

ladybug teacups!

souvenirs!

At this same table I had a run in with some bad apples! I am allergic to apples and peaches, sometimes. I haven't quite figured it out. I had 3 slices of apples from the kids meals and a while later... I looked like Quasimodo! My eye is still a little swollen and I have some lingering heartburn. But it was pretty bad last night on the way home... my hands were itching like crazy!! Good memories! We are now in the same hotel for 3 nights, yay! It's a great hotel too... and hot breakfast! Now if we can just get out the door!!!