cylis birth

We celebrated Father's Day by taking Daddy out shooting...

then went on a hike and bike ride.

I think my family forgets I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant!

Then we finished with the kids and I making Daddy a nice dinner and some yummy peach cobbler:)

Father's day was bittersweet this year as I haven't seen my own Dad much this year but was happy to celebrate it with my husband who will be a new Daddy again!

We have been enjoying our summer days. It feels so good to wake up and know we don't have our normal school schedule we can just play and be free.....





We got season passes to a near by waterpark. It's been nice to take the kids there once or twice a week and cool off. The big kids go on the waterslides while the younger ones play in the kiddie pool right in front of the lounge chairs. I lay there sipping my ice tea and every once in awhile will dip in to cool off. I know my time of relaxing is coming to an end!

The weekends have been filled with birthday parties..

In the last 2 weeks we have attended 11 birthday parties between all the kids:)

My poor unsocial children. ha!

All but 2 of the cousins have birthdays in the summer too. So it makes for tons of birthday fun.

Just think next year we will have a big 1st birthday to celebrate too:)

I say we just have one big carnival birthday next year!

My brothers son Cylis turned 4...

Here's some pics from his party...





all the cousins!

Austin is the oldest and the one to break open spiderman!

Here's a short video of the girls diggin' Cylis's new ride!

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4th of July!

We played water volleyball.

My sister Brianna her husband John,

Justin and I were all on one team.

My other sister Brenda and her husband Scott were on a team with my brother Brad and his girlfriend Jamie.

We had a blast!


We throw the kids in the jacuzzi peecuzzi as my brother calls it. ha!

While the parents play. Good times!

My team won! My brother hates to loose and we kept teasing him that he lost to a girl, a very pregnant girl:)

Every year my Grandparents senior park holds a 4th of July parade. I think "we" are the parade!

Farrah loves her Uncle Brad

After the parade, swimming and beating my brother in volleyball just our family went to go watch fireworks at Redlands University. Best show I've seen.

My pictures are all out of order, but here is the loosing team. Scott my brother-in-law. Who is about to become a Dad soon. Him and my sister are in the process of adopting:)

I'm so excited for them!Let Freedom Ring with ring pops:)

The parade.

That's my Grandma in the fancy golf cart she's in charge of the Muncheon Luncheon, my kids and all the cousins, then my Grandpa in the far back driving. He's in charge of the Recycle Club haha!

Aren't they cute!

They love showing off all their great grand children!

Here's the kids at the 9pm firework show. I think I was sleeping when Daddy took this...I was beat!

My Grandpa! We are so close and I love our talks!!!!!

watching the fireworks just before the sprinklers came on!

my star child:)

I think we went a little crazy with the paint this year!

Maggie is always in the parade too and so is this hot Granny! haha!

This was Sunday night dinner. I did a 4th of July theme.

Here is Daddy making red white a blue drinks for the kids.

We read books about the 4th of July and why we celebrate it. It was so neat to hear the kids say, "we've been to Independance Hall."

They learned so much history on our trip and I'm surprised at how much they remember. Even the little ones:)

Dancing after the parade....they told us they are going to get married when they grow up!

I love this picture above. This sweet man came up to Farrah and asked her to dance. He twirled her around and she just loved it!

then went back to dancing with her future husband.

Our Sunday night dinner....Daddy reading a story to our young patriots:)

The kids and I made this for our Sunday night dinner....

more parade pictures....

note to self:

hide all markers before Fallon arrives.

his request:

I hope your all enjoying your summer as much as we are!

Baby Sprinkle

I look extra big here because my Mom is so tiny!
or at least that's what I'm telling myself while looking at these ha!


I really didn't need a shower being that this is my 4th girl, but my Mom and sisters wanted to "sprinkle" me with love and diapers:)





We had the shower on a weekday evening. Just a few friends and family...it was perfect!



My Grandma!


Her and my Grandpa will be watching all the kids while I'm in the hospital.


She is already planning dinners and things to do with them:)


I don't know what I would do without them!




My Mom and sisters made yummy appetizers and desserts.


Faith took all these pictures.

I don't think Farrah had enough dessert ha...

I love all the embroidery items! I love the way her name looks spelt out!

We took a group shot late in the night after some had already left....and that crazy girl in front would be my sister aka the hostess with the mostess

the hostess that has thrown 6 baby showers for me!

Give it up for Brianna!

One of my friends couldn't make it and her comment to them was," don't worry, I'm sure Bridget will have another shower next year."

She's joking, I know she secretly lives to party plan!

Thank you everyone!

Love Notes

Today two of my babies big kids left for summer camp.

They will only be gone 3 days but it's the first night and I'm already missing them:/

I'm sure there probably yelling “Who rocks the house?” until their blue in the face as I type this. Not even thinking about missing home. sigh.

I'm happy for them, and I know they are going to enjoy every minute and make such neat memories.

I've prayed for them this week that God will open their hearts to all he has for them this weekend and that they will grow in their walk because of this trip:)

I just have to share,

Faith wrote each of us a note (on her cute little stationary)

Dear Dad,

Thank you for working hard for us so we can do fun things! I love you so much! I'm glad we get to spend nights together at prom! You are the coolest dad in the world. Thank you for working for this family! Thank you for driving us across the country! Thank you for making money so we can have this house! When your gone I always wish you were here! That's why I like the weekends! Have a good day at work. I love you Dad! You set a very good example for us. Your the best Dad in the world!

Love, Faith

melt me!

Dear Mom,

I love you soooo much. I'm glad I was put in this family! I love this house and my room. I love you sooo much. It's fun when we can go for a drive all by ourselves!

Love, Faith

love this girl!

Dear Austin,

God Bless you Austin. It's so good to have a big brother around! Especially when your chain breaks on your bike or when you need help with a project! I'm glad God gave me a big brother! Your awesome! I love you so much! I hope you can use your talents for Him.

Love, Faith

ahhhh......

Dear Landen,

Your such a good brother, even when your wild! I will admit you are better than me in most things. I'm sorry about all the fits we have. I'll try to be a better sister. Yes, I do love you! I hope God can use your talents and energy for something to serve him.

Love, Faith

haha too sweet!

Dear Farrah,

I love you so much! Don't worry even when your older you'll still be a princess! You are such a good little sister to me. I love when you always want to hold my hand or you want to wear your boots because I'm wearing mine. I'm glad I'm your partner!

Love, Faith

they are so close even though they are 6 yrs apart.

Dear Finley,

I love you so much! It's good to have a little sister like you around. Your funny and you always want to snuggle. Your so pretty and sweet.

Love, Faith

love!

On another note...I'm 2 days short of 34 weeks!

I haven't been giving the little girls baths because of my big belly:)

It's hard to get up and down so I've just been throwing them in the shower.

Tonight Farrah said, "Mommy when are you going to stop spraying us off and just bath tub us again?"

I thought that was too cute!

I told her,

"Soon honey....we don't have much longer:)"

She has been asking almost every day since December, "when is the baby coming out?"

I'm sure she's starting to wonder if her Mommy will ever be normal again.


I took these pictures of me actually to send to my husband while he was at work. ha! By the time he gets home from work my hair is usually pulled up in a messy mom bun, I'm a sweaty mess and I have changed into whatever is comfy. Now days a moomoo. Poor guy! So, I sent him these because I did my hair, make-up and put on a dress. For once, maybe twice this pregnancy:0

I was getting ready to head out the door to a "baby sprinkle" my Mom and sisters were throwing me:) I'll share pics later.

I am seriously so excited to meet Fallon. It's so exciting to see who God will send to bless us with this time. Each of our children are so unique and precious. I can't wait to see the faces of my children as they see their little sister for the first time!

Not saying I'm the best Mom, but I really feel like I become a better Mom with each child I have. Maybe it's because I have more love:) oh...and the smell....It will be so nice to kiss and smell a little one again. I love the newborn scent, it's so sweet!

I also can't wait to share this time with my husband. I really believe the birth of a baby is the ultimate fulfillment of love between a husband and wife. I love him more with each child we have!

Ok, I'm getting mushy, but I just can. not. wait!

I feel so blessed that God has decided to reward us again with another little love:)

Vaccinations........

Last night I went to a vaccine workshop to educate myself on both sides of the vaccine debate. I have always wondered since my first child was born almost 12 years ago if I was doing the right thing. Now with having a newborn and being pressured by the "No Shot No School" campaign to vaccinate my 7th grader I feel I need to really educate myself. I have gone to a couple different workshops now, one being very pro-vaccine and the other being very against them. This meeting was hearing both sides pro's and con's. I went with an open mind and ready to learn. I am on information overload (so please bare with me as I just type what I had jotted down last night) and after leaving I felt like I had even more questions than I had walking in. It was an open type meeting where parents would ask questions and the panel of doctors would answer them. A very well respected doctor from Loma Linda was one of the doctors answering a lot of the questions. There were holistic doctors who were strongly against vaccines but Dr. Katiraei from Loma Linda was giving his take on vaccinations. He believes that there is a no size fits all vaccination. Every child is different. Every family is different and the environment they live in is different. The same dosage is given to an 8lb baby that they give to a 50lb child. Most vaccinations are protocol but not necessarily needed. Like the Hep B within 12 hours of birth. Who's idea was it to vaccinate ALL newborn babies for a sexually transmitted disease? Another example for protocol I saw last week was when I went in for a prenatal check up. I'm Rh-neg and so is my husband so I don't need the Rhogam shot. I know who the babies daddy is and therefore I do not need the shot. They still fought to give it to me because it's protocol. I have never had it before. I know who my babies daddies are:) I understand it's their job but as the patient you should know your own body and your own child. A lot of the pressure is to protect the doctor, which I can understand. It is his job, but it is our job as parents to know our children and what is best for them or us. Vaccinating them on the state or government schedule might not be best for your child's health. He also feels vaccines are more convenient for parents than they are for your child's health. So kids don't get sick therefore parents won't need to take time off work. It's good for kids to get sick, it builds the immune system. There is a place for vaccinations but vaccinating for everything under the sun is not safe. He went over what is in the vaccines such as foreign tissue, aborted fetus, mercury, aluminum etc.... He talked about the MMR being very unnatural for the body. Parents need to look into the long term effects that can be caused by vaccines. Many children will get vaccines and will be perfectly fine but in others it can trigger such things as autism, asthma, allergies, eczema (just to name a few) etc... The doctor recommended that each parent look at your child's family history. Your genetic pool, do you have autism in your family line, then maybe a vaccine could trigger it in your child. Something I never thought about that he brought up was to get the name, date, and batch your child's vaccine is coming from. What does the vaccine your getting your child grow on? Does your child have a food allergy to something that the vaccine in grown on. Breastfeeding is huge! They stressed how important breastfeeding is for your child. If you are not going to breastfeed your baby and put them in daycare at 6weeks etc (I'm using this as an example) then maybe you should vaccinate your child. Their immune system is not as strong as if you were to breastfeed. If you do plan on breastfeeding and your child will not be around a lot of kids then you should be fine not vaccinating them. Your child's diet plays a big part in their heath as well. A great resource is Dr. Feder's website you may want to take a look around her site. I also found this article helpful. As far as school, you are the parent and the school can't make you vaccinate your child. It really is as simple as a waiver, ok and a lot of hassle from them:) But remember you are the parent! Here is a list to help you find a vaccine friendly doctor near you either to skip vaccines all together (and they will happily treat your child), or help you with a more personal vaccine schedule or delay schedule.

I know some friends that didn't vaccinate their children until they went on mission trips. Then they were vaccinated before leaving the country. Or before joining the service. Or even entering college. Some schools do require.

The doctor that does have children doesn't vaccinate. The one who doesn't said if he were to vaccinate his child or his best friends child it would be only the following....


The Hib vaccine( doctor said it's still out there.)
Prevnar
and maybe Pertussis.
the Verasela vaccine (chicken pox) he recommends delaying until teenage years.



I'm going to be ordering this book:
The Parents' Concise Guide to Childhood Vaccinations by Dr. Lauren Feder

It covers important issues such as:

• If you have chosen to vaccinate your children, she offers both practical

medical and natural remedies to avoid possible side effects.

• If you have chosen not to vaccinate your children, she offers natural medicines to strengthen your child’s immune system, along with tips on how to deal with legal exemptions, school requirements, and medical insurance.

• If you’re just not sure what to do, she offers a balanced and easy-to-understand discussion of the issues, explaining the truth about the effectiveness of vaccinations, side effects, and much more.

My 11 yr old son Austin joined me as he is interested in the medical field and I felt it would be a good learning experience for him. As we walked out the first thing he said was, "You are not injecting me with the Pertussis!" I think the meeting scared him a bit as he said, "nothings safe!" It really does come down to educating yourself and knowing your children and what is best for each individual child. They are all different!!!

Please feel free to share in the comment section.
Those of you that attended the meeting last night, I'm sure I left a lot of info out, please feel free to add your comments as well.
This is a hot topic that many of us are confused on. I think it's important to take the time to look into it though!
I think we can all learn for each other.

A Wonderful Day Spent With My Kiddos

Yesterday I took the kids to Kidspace in Pasadena for a day of fun. I enjoyed watching them run around and just be kids...enjoying these days with them!
*pause music below*

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Daddy Daughter Prom

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