For some reason, March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion.

(everything is backwards these days)

Seven Suns... the originals

I love this picture.

I love seeing Tyler and all of his brothers together.

New York 1988- Helen Levit

For some odd reason, this picture speaks to me. 

 I have been laughing... maybe it's because every time I try to talk on the phone my kids are all over me and have little concept of, "this is my space...this is yours".  It also seems like my little people sometimes like to talk all at the exact same time.  A while ago my friend said, "Heather, every time I call you it sounds like you are in the middle of Time Square". 

(oh, wishful thinking)

i will try to...

now is a good time to be wise

Finnegan's First Game of the Season

Go Finnegan!!!

Finnegan made three goals! 

After he made his goal he would do a cartwheel, which was 

cheered on by the sidelines (aka Dad and Brandt).

Finn and his buddy Cameron.

I love polka dots and I love quilts.

The perfect combo.

*

This quilt was fun to make because once the applique was finished my kids helped me put it together. They each would pick a "polka dot block" they liked and hand it to me.  I sewed it together in that order, and it worked out great.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Here's to you... the crazy Irish people that I love.

A couple of weeks ago, Isabella got to attend "Winter Dance Attack".  She got to see great dancers and take class from them.  She worked really hard and had so much fun.  

The teachers were Jermaine Brown, Eddie Barcello, 

Caroline Lewis-Jones, and Robert Contreras  

                          

                                   

                

Finishing

Pap stopped by to let Finnegan finish his fence.  Finn took this job serious and came out with his toolbox in his hand and his googles on.  

A job well done!!!

Thank you, Pappy.

forgotten poem

A couple of nights ago, I was looking in an old box and I came upon this poem that I had written for Tyler.  He had never seen it though, and I had forgotten all about it.  I wrote it in 1997 during our first IVF attempt.  We had no doubt that it would work perfectly... and I was going to give this poem to Tyler when it did.  Well, it did not work that time, and obviously I put some things away to save for a later date.  

However, six years, three more invitro's, and two pregnancies later we were a happy family of six.  Things may not go as planned... but it always goes, so hang on and enjoy the ride.

*

At seventeen I met the boy of my dreams,

Who soon became the man of my life.

Five years later on a warm spring day,

I became his beloved wife.

A new life as one, soul mates so true,

A sun, a moon, and soon a star.

Hopes, dreams, and goals shared by two,

I am so grateful for who you are.

Sex didn't work so a petri dish must do,

Two kind men helped mix our magical brew.

Shots, retrievals, sperm, oh my!

Our dreams are coming true... we've reached the sky!

An Irish and Italian,

Our genes have been mixed,

We've created fighters and lovers,

Oh! What a fix!!!

In my womb our babies will grow,

Is there one or two?

In four months I'll begin to show

Then five months later I'll be due!

Our family of two is expanding,

The Lord is blessing us from above,

So take my hand and hold me tight,

As we raise our children with love.

Congratulations Daddy!!!

Girl Scout Cookie Season...

I love thin mint cookies.  

When I was a little girl, I was a girl scout.  That has nothing to do with

why I love these cookies though.  They're just so yummy.

Night

The word night at our house is spelled "h e l l".  

You would never know it by the looks of "Tyler's Angels" (below)...  but by 4:00 am, when we've been up multiple times, with multiple "sleep stealers", woken up to Finnegan peeing on our gas fireplace, and have been kicked out of our own king sized bed... you would agree.

Before I was a mom, I loved the night... now I take a deep breath when I see the moon,  and wait in fear for how I am going to feel when the sun rises and I can barely put my contacts in my eyes.

(above)  sweet images that fool you...

(above)  Reality...

Isabella is enjoying our bed as Tyler sleeps in a chair.

You may think this is staged, it's not.  It's life and I'm tired. :)

"wood obsession"

If you know Finnegan, you know that when he gets something in his mind, that's it... it becomes an obsession.  However, once he has his fill, he can move on quite easily.  One day, during the month of  February, Finn decided he wanted to build something out of wood.  The focus and drive was there, now I just needed wood.  It was a Saturday and by the time I realized I could no longer distract Finn from wood, every "wood supply" store was closed.  So, I found some large chunks of wood in a field, loaded it my car, drove home, gave it to Tyler, and said "have fun".  Well, it was the worst, wettest piece of wood in Provo.  It caused a lot of heartache and hours of wasted effort.

So, on Valentine's Day, Finnegan got some "quality" wood and he and his Dad painted and nailed together a great tool box.

Pap and Noni had also heard about Finnegan's obsession and showed up with some "buck poles", so Finn could build part of a fence with his Pap.  He sawed and hammered and loved every minute of it.  I never planned on having a miniature buck pole fence in my garage.  But then again... I never planned on having a bulldog, or a cat that was given to my kids by my Mom when Tyler and I were out of town.  It all works out though.  Everyone's happy.

LOVE

* Last summer my friend Ashlee Raubach took these darling pictures of our kids.

I absolutely love them!  These are just a few of my favorites.

The "Kite Runner"

Last week was very windy...

which translates to, "Hey Dad, let's fly a kite".

Kite #1... got stuck in a tree just five minutes into the fun.

(Thank you, Finnegan)

Kite #2... huge, awesome, and successfully made it into the sky.

(Thank you, Tyler)

Day 2 of kite flying...

Lola, Isabella, and Tyler were the main kite flyers this day.

Lola actually made it very difficult because she kept chasing and attacking the kite.

Isabella had lots of fun.