Programmed

It has been the week of programs - Three to be exact. We have attended Curly's Kindergarten program, Ballet recital, and Music class recital. The latter two were held at different retirement homes. As Curly put it, "We sang for the Grandmas and Grandpas." After the music recital, the children personally served cookies that they brought to the adoring audience members.

Curly as one of the Mrs. Clauses in the Kindergarten Play

Curly singing with her good friend who lives down the street.

Pretty in Pink ballerinas

In other news, baby girl (any ideas for a blog name?) is more than a month old and growing way too fast!

We visited the Mesa Temple to see the Christmas lights. A different experience than visiting the Salt Lake Temple lights, a much warmer experience.

A Special Visit

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why...
Aunt Pika came to town!

We had a visit from my Aunt this week. My Uncle Pato was also here for part of the week. Curly and Lou had so much fun playing games and make believe with Pika. I asked Pika to help furnish a dollhouse that we are giving the girls for Christmas and she did not disappoint! It was like Santa's workshop around here with Pika making the most darling furniture. She is amazingly creative and resourceful. I can't post pictures yet at the risk of the girls seeing their Christmas surprise. Pato got to work hanging cabinets in our laundry room. He did a great job. A new dollhouse for the girls, a looks new laundry room for me!

We didn't only do projects, just mostly... we did enjoy a lunch out together on Saturday and a few Christmas parties in the evenings. It was fun to have visitors. Thanks Pika and Pato!

A New kind of Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was the first time that we have not spent the holiday with either Fisher's or my parents. We stayed home... for the most part. We did get to eat the big turkey dinner with my uncles and a few cousins, but mostly we did our own thing. It was quiet but nice... We went to the zoo, watched movies, decorated for Christmas and played games. Curly's class gave a Thanksgiving program that was darling. As you see, Curly was a pilgrim woman and her line was "Mercy Me".

In other news, life with a newborn has been busy because even though I want to sit and hold her all day, we have other commitments. Curly finished her first season of soccer. She had a great coach and lots of friends on her team. I won't say that she loved it. Most weeks were a huge battle to get her to put on those darn shin guards and two feet long socks. But now that's it over she's saying she wants to play again... we will see.


My mom came to help for two weeks and it was wonderful. It was very hard when she left and I had to be the "mom" again. She fed us, kept the house clean, filled the freezer, played with the girls, finished projects, got up with the baby... I could go on and on. Hopefully I can be like my mom when I grow up :) And as always, she took pictures of all the cute things my kids do that I never think to capture. This is from a walk to the park with the girls and their neighborhood friends.


Curly and Lou having a picnic in the garage. I am not sure why they chose this location, but they had fun.

Lou playing with "Moon sand" that grandma brought. That stuff is cool!

Okay, I did think to take one picture. Snuggled up in Grandma's bed. It was a sad morning when Curly and Lou ran to the "guest room/front room" to see Grandma and discovered that she was gone.

Who knew a box could be so entertaining? We saved this big freezer box and Curly and Lou really wanted to sleep in it. We told them they had to wait until Thanksgiving. It was a great motivator, "If you want to sleep in the box, you need to..."
It's been a little chilly here. And by chilly I mean in the high-50s during the day. We are quickly becoming Arizona wimps and the girls have been layering on snow clothes at bedtime to stay warm.
Curly and Lou still love, love, love their new little sister!

So Sweet

Time is passing too quickly and I can't believe our sweet little baby is already 10 days old! We all adore her and can't get enough time holding her, touching her little toes and fingers, feeling her soft hair, smelling her sweet baby scent, and watching her funny face expressions. We marvel at the miracle in this new little person

We have a baby!

And it looks like pink is going to be in for a long time around our house! She arrived Thursday night and we are very glad that this sweet little girl is here.

It's Halloween!

A few pictures from our Halloween festivities.

Fisher and Lou carving our pumpkin.

The finished product.

Curly as Ariel and Lou as a Ladybug. Lou even won a prize in the costume parade - I think she won on account of cuteness (the costume was nothing special) but she sure is!

And there is the pumpkin baby belly - my friend joked that I should have given the Jack-O-Lantern a growling face to show how unhappy we are that the baby is not here yet.

For the Trunk or Treat we decorated our car as a shark. Fisher did a great job!

Happy Halloween!

Guess what...

We are counting down the days until this baby arrives and hoping it is in the next week. As tradition in our families, now is the time to make your best guess and we will award the winner with a sweet prize :)
In the comments or via email - Guess the gender, birth date, name, and weight.

From my head to my toes...

I am definitely pregnant. Be evening I have "cankles" and fat sausage toes but this post is not about my swelling feet... it is about the strange phenomenon I call "baby brain". That decrease in brain function thing that happens when you are expecting. I like to think that it's because the growing baby is sucking extra blood from my brain. Here is one recent manifestation of my baby brain.

I had a meeting at work this week. I loaded Lou into the car (my boss is very nice and let her come) and drove to the hospital about 10 miles away. I had my meeting, we got back into the car and headed towards home, dropping Lou off at preschool on the way. From preschool I was planning to run some errands and realized I didn't have my cell phone... I thought this was weird because I am sure I heard it vibrating on my way to work. I decided a quick stop at home was worth the trip (you always need your cell phone when you think you won't). After searching the house, I used the home phone to call my cell phone and heard it ringing... in the garage? After searching the garage I found it... on top of my car!

It rode 20 miles to work and back through at least 12 traffic lights and 20 turns and never fell off! I had missed a call about the time I thought I heard it vibrate (apparently on top of the car). It was a miracle. The sad thing is - I don't remember putting it on top of the car and if I hadn't found it there, I never would have known what happened to it. I will be glad when regular blood flow returns!

Fast Forward

Just when we thought life was going to start slowing down and we would be able to catch up on the mile long "to do" list, someone pushed the fast forward button and time seems to zooming past. Weddings happen, funerals happen and suddenly we are three weeks away from the arrival of baby three and there is still a lot to do!

But let's rewind for a minute to what has been happening. My grandpa George Lovell passed away a week and a half ago. His family breathed a sigh of relief that he was free from a crippled body that had not allowed him to speak for almost 10 years and more recently has prohibited him from moving freely.

I am grateful that I was still able to travel and could fly home for the funeral. I am also grateful the Fisher encouraged me to go, while he stayed home and for friends who very graciously watched the girls while I was gone and Fisher was working. All of my siblings were able to be there and it was a unique and fun experience to drive from the Salt Lake airport to Idaho in a car with my siblings from Provo, Boston, and New Jersey. I don't remember the last time we were all in a car together (especially without kids to distract us). The visit was short but very sweet, with most of the time revolving around the viewing, funeral and the preparations for them. Funerals often are family reunions and I saw many cousins, aunts, and uncles that I haven't seen for several years. The cousins sang the closing song of the funeral... there are 48 of us in all, and at least 35 were there. It was a touching experience for me and I could imagine my Grandpa and Grandma sitting on the front row, holding hands, and smiling as they listened to their posterity sing.

My dad and uncle. My dad is sporting the wig he wore years ago after losing his hair to chemo. His brother still has all his hair. Neither has lost their sense of humor.

My mom, sisters, and I

The beautiful funeral spray. The wheat shafts very fitting for my grandpa who has worked hard as a farmer all of his life. I also learned that his name, George, means "Farmer" or "Of the land"

Rewind two weeks ago to my cousin's wedding in Henderson, NV. We met up with my parents there and enjoyed seeing them and my cousin's family. It was a new experience for Curly and Lou to attend a reception with a dance. And I have to admit that it was the most "hoppin" reception dance I have ever been to. Curly couldn't get enough! She kept joining the dance circle and taking her turn showing off her moves. Lou thought dancing was fun, until the group formed a circle around her and started cheering, then she folded her arms across her chest and stomped off the dance floor with her nose in the air. I wish I had caught it on camera.

The happy couple. The bride and her mother made the wedding cake together!

My dad dancing with Curly

Curly and Lou warmed up the dance floor, before it got crowded.

My parents, myself, and Fisher

Grandpa Lovell ~1919-2010~

George Lloyd Lovell, 91, of Ririe, died at his home Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010.
Born Aug. 16, 1919, the second child of George Hyrum and Harriett Borrowman Lovell, he was raised on a farm in Ririe, where duties began at an early age. By age 8, he had mastered harnessing the horse team for digging potatoes using a block and tackle to hoist them into place. George became "man of the house" at the age of 15 when his father was disabled by a heart attack.
George enjoyed giving trumpet performances and was valedictorian of his class. His father's death necessitated forgoing his dream of education and dropping out of college to manage the farm and provide the opportunity for his siblings. He determined to provide that for his children also.
During his days at Ricks College, George courted and married Amber Grover of Ririe in 1942 in the Salt Lake Temple. They returned to the farm to raise their eight children.
George enjoyed being an early adopter of newer farming methods, and prided himself in maximizing productivity. He enjoyed farming with brother Rendon and family, and many wonderful employees. He took great pride beautifying his farmyard with lawns and flowers, and teaching his family the blessings of working together. They expanded to provide support and entertainment for their growing family. The "Triple L Ranch" became a site of numerous reunions, church, and community gatherings. He was named to the East Idaho Agricultural Hall of Fame and as an Outstanding Alumnus of Ricks College.
George served the LDS community for 30 years as a bishop, East Rigby Stake president and in the Idaho Pocatello Mission presidency. He and Amber spent their only years out of the Ririe area presiding over the Texas Dallas mission from 1973 to 1976. He treasured friendships created during those years of service. He became an accomplished speaker and was honored to speak at numerous memorials and church events.
George is survived by his daughters, Deon (Winston) Larsen of Rexburg, LaRae (Clyde) Cook of Ririe; sons Robert (Brenda) Lovell of Riverton, Utah, Gary (Carolee) Lovell of Rexburg, J. Kreed (Carolyn) Lovell of Henderson, Nev., Lynn (Blynne) Lovell of Higley, Ariz., Ron (Tammy) Lovell of Ririe and Theron (Kim) Lovell of Queen Creek, Ariz.; sisters Lois (Jack) Parry of Idaho Falls and Myrna (Kenneth) Hamilton of Idaho Falls, 48 grandchildren and 94 great-grandchildren.
George is preceded in death by his wife, Amber; daughter Alice; great-grandchild Issac Timothy Lovell; brothers Ray and Rendon Lovell; and one sister, Leah Cleverly.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at 11 a.m. at the Ririe Stake Center with President Mark Lovell conducting. The family will visit with friends on Sunday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., both at the stake center. Burial will be in the Ririe-Shelton Cemetery under the direction of Eckersell Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.

Who needs a cozy mattress...

when you can sleep on the cool, hard tile.
This is currently Lou's favorite place to settle down for the night. After she is tucked in, stories are read, and Curly is fast asleep, she gets busy setting up camp in the hallway. I am not sure why the shoes are lined up, on other nights we have found the entire contents of her drawers neatly stacked along the edges of the hallway or piles of books or toys. Funny girl - at least she goes to sleep eventually!
Last week we invited lots of friend to join a music class - hosted at our house but taught on a rotating basis by the moms. We have held class twice and it has been a lot of fun, a little wild, but I think the kids love it! They especially love the parachute at the end of class!

Grateful

It has been a very busy week, but all of the busyness has been overshadowed by thoughts of a friend who is far away. A woman from our old ward in Utah passed away this week. She was young. She has a young family. She was positive, funny, spunky, and kind to everyone. She had the most beautiful smile. She and her family have been constantly on my mind and in my prayers.

Her amazing husband regularly posted updates on her condition on the internet and it was hard to sit here and read about her suffering and not be able to go help... but it was amazing to me to see the tender mercies that a loving Heavenly Father sent to her and her family through the people around her - family, neighbors, friends. There has been and continues to an incredible and miraculous outpouring of love and support.

Everyone knew her time was short and when I read the news that she had passed away, I felt grateful that her pain was gone, that she was surrounded by her family, and most especially that she knew of our Savior's atonement that makes it possible for her to be with her family in the eternities. I am grateful for the power of prayer and for the gift of the Holy Ghost that can bring peace and comfort. I know that peace and comfort will sustain her family in the days, weeks, and years ahead. I know that we will see Terrilyn again.

One Year

This week marks the anniversary of our move to the land of the sun. I still tell people that we are new or that "we just moved here", but I guess I can't say that anymore. I don't feel like we are Phoenix veterans either, but definitely more comfortable. So, what do we think after a year of endless summer... There are many things that we really like about this place we currently call home.

- The community - We were talking to a friend who teaches school in Peoria district (where we live). I asked her why this school district is ranked highest in the state, in spite of all the funding, overcrowding, etc... that schools face these days. She thinks it is because people in this community are very family oriented and working to make this a nice place to live and raise a family and I would agree.

- Our friends - We have made some good friends and reconnected with old friends that make life more meaningful and fun.

- Our girls' friends - This is probably the biggest bonus - we feel very grateful that there is a neighborhood full of sweet, wonderful little girls that Curly and Lou can play with.

- Our ward - we love it!

- Fisher's job - He highly enjoys his work and that is important. (and we are grateful to be employed)

- The winter weather - we just wish the warm winter occurred during the summer months and that we had seasons to enjoy. But that said, we have loved swimming in the summer and fall and biking and going to the park in the winter.

- Our home and garden - we like having a house and a garden - though it has been a challenge to figure out the growing seasons here... it's a fun game to see if what we plant will actually produce anything (our beautiful honeydew melons melted before getting big enough to eat :(

In celebration of this anniversary, we are focusing on all the things we like about Peoria. We are happy here and have enjoyed having family visit and being able to visit them. Here's to another year in the southwest...


A few pictures from the past week -

Lou's preschool class (a mom taught co-op preschool).

Having fun with our friends the Rollins (one of the old friends we are very grateful to have here)

Miss-matched

Curly started taking the big kid bus to school - which is really scary for me (I cried the first day). She looks so tiny next to those 3rd graders, 6th graders, and 8th graders. But, we have a posse of neighborhood girls around her age and that little army with the 11 year old sister of her friend as commander fights the bus battle together :) Having a bus is very convenient, getting to the bus stop is a challenge - especially with Lou in tow. This was her ensemble the other morning as I tried to hurry her out the door to catch the bus at 7:30: Several layers of pajamas, different colored socks, and a mismatched pair shoes. It made me laugh.


This weekend we completed one of our baby arrival preparations - bunking the beds. The playroom is becoming the nursey, so to make room for toys and floor space to play with them, the beds are bunked. Curly is cozied up in the reading nook we are creating in front of the window.

August = back to school, our anniversary, and a campout

Sweet moment - I woke up from my nap last Sunday to discover Curly washing dishes.

Well, that fateful day has finally come... my firstborn has officially entered the public school system. Curly started Kindergarten this week. She was very excited for this new adventure and it did not disappoint. She loves her teacher, recess, and riding the bus home... hopefully she will like learning too :) To initiate this great beginning we held a "Back to School Banquet" or "fancy dinner" as Lou and Curly named it, complete with candlelight and a new school outfit fashion show. The dinner was a hit and I think it is a tradition that we will continue.

Ready for Kindergarten

Curly with her teacher and student teacher. We lucked out to be in a great classroom!

This week also marked our eighth year of marriage. As with every year, we can't believe how fast the time has flown. It marked the first full year that we are not students and have an official job. That is something to celebrate!And finally, no summer would be complete without a camping trip. Our ward provided the opportunity and we jumped at the chance to be with friends and escape the heat. We drove 90 minutes northwest to the Prescott area and enjoyed a pleasant evening and morning at Granite Basin. Fortunately, Fisher gave into my pleas to bring the air mattress (I used the pregnant woman ploy) and we all slept relatively well.

Lou with two buddies.

And we are back!

Curly, Lou and I returned from our three week visit to Idaho and Utah. What did we do for three weeks you ask? Well...

We went to Artic Circle (a lot)

We hung out with nice Aunts (a first day of kindergarten necklace from Ba)

We rowed on Daybreak Lake with cousins

and aunts

We floated the river with Grandpa and Grandma

We went to a fair

We slept (some of us, like me, a lot)

We fed the ducks at the nature park

I went to a Brighton Girls Camp staff reunion (many of my sisters, cousins, and aunts worked there also - so it doubled as a family reunion)

We went to the aquarium with Oma

We got to see Aunt K-Rae when she came home from DC

We had our yearly photo shoot

We rode the carousel

and a whole lot more... K-Rae was volunteered (by my mom) to make the long drive home with us (and she more than graciously agreed). We were very happy to have her visit and sad when she left. We had enough fun to last until Christmas! but as Curly put it, "It's fun to be home, mom!" I agree, it is nice to be home.