It's been a LONG, LONG year!

So after not blogging for over a year, I have decided to jump back onto the blog wagon. So a lot has happened in the last year. Here's a little summary:

• I finished my school and graduated from BYU-Idaho with my BSN

• Ben graduated from The U of C with him MBA.

• We are no longer a family of 6 we are now a family of 7! We welcomed London Jeannie Mary Hughes into our family on March 13 2011, weighing a whopping 5 lbs 13oz. It has been quite the adventure since she has come along. She is now almost 5 months old and is tipping the scales at 8lbs 7 oz as of yesterdays weight. She has spent a total of 3 1/2 weeks in the Alberta Childrens Hospital having a sorts of tests run to try to figure out why she is not growing. We have our share of specialists (Genetics, GI, Endocrine, Metabolics and Immunology). They have taken a TON of blood from her little tiny body, she's had numerous procedures done, MRI, abdominal ultrasound, rectal biopsy, upper GI, barium Enema, Chest X-ray, EKG and LP. Still no firm answers. The closest thing to an answer that we have been able to get is that she may have what they call, Russell-Silver Syndrome. Its a form of primordial dwarfism. London has brought such a special spirit into our home. Her smile lights up a room. Whatever challenges she had been given I know that she will make the best of it. She reminds me so much of my grandma Lock. She was a fighter, and London is too.

• Not only are we a family of 7 now, we now have my parents living in our basement. Oh the stories my children will have to tell when they grow up. I'm sure of it. It has been so nice having them here. Extra hands!

• Our oldest, Bailee, was baptized. It was a wonderful weekend. Her cousins from Idaho surprised her for the weekend! She had so many family and friends there to support her. London was also blessed the next day. We call it our weekend of white.

Back to the books!

So Bailee and Lincoln started school a few weeks ago. Now it is Ben's and my turns. I started my semester last Thursday and Ben started hi final semester of his MBA last night (YEA!!!!!!!!). It seems like it will be all business and no play for us :(

Bailee is loving her teacher and her class and Lincoln has adjusted well to kindergarten. The best part is that I haven't received any phones from the school regarding either of them yet (I must be the best parent ever!!!!!)

In a few months Ben will be finished with his MBA and I will be one semester closer to being finished with my BSN and Bailee and Lincoln will be half way done the school year. It will all go by so fast. Here's to enjoying where we are at now and not hoping for the future to come too soon!

First Day of School

I think that for Lincoln the first day of school felt like it was never going to come. For me our summer has been so long with yucky cold weather that it seems like school just got out for the year. Lincoln was very excited to start kindergarten. He admitted afterwards that we was a "little nervous" at first, but he had fun and likes his teacher Miss Rauser.

Bailee's an old pro at this school thing. She was so excited to be able to ride her bike to school. I am hoping the the novelty won't wear off. The first day of school is a bit of a gong show to begin with, but the first day of school in a brand new school... oh my.... thats is in another league of craziness. We survived though and tomorrow will be another day. Bailee loved her teacher Mrs Rassmen-Wood. I met her outside of the school and she seemed delightful.
The boys in the hood. Nick (left) is Lincolns friend that lives 2 houses down and went to preschool with him. They are like 2 little peas in a pod. They are so similar it is scary. I do have to admit though that I think even Nick can out do Lincoln in the energy department. Nate (right) is Lincolns best bud. They have been friends since their family moved here 3 years ago. I really can't believe that the day has come for these boys to go to school. Look out world because here they come.
The classic picture under the school name. How can I resist though. This school has been a long time coming (2 years in fact). It is a very exciting day for many reasons. Now onto day 2, 3, 3 and so on. Good luck guys!!!!!!!!!!

Dinosaur Museum

This was Lincolns year for a birthday party (since he was turning 5). He kept telling me that we wanted to go to the dinosaur museum and so he made the choice to go there as a family instead of having a party with his friends. So, last Saturday we took the kids to the Royal Tyrell Museum. It was awesome. Its about 1 1/2 from Calgary in Drumheller. We left Harrison with grandma and grandpa and took the 3 bigger kids. They we in awe over all the dinosaurs. I don' t think that Jackson closed his mouth the entire time that we were there. It will definitely have to be repeated!!!! Good idea Lincoln!

Ben LOVES triceratops. He had to get a picture with it. As you can see Jackson likes them too!!!!

This is an actual dinosaur bone from their leg. They say that is comes from a medium size dino. Can you imagine how big the bone from a large dino would be?
The kids were trying to look scared. Really they loved it. Bailee was a little aprehensive at first, but got into it in the end.

It is amazing to me that these are all actual bones that they have discovered. The kids always ask, what would it be like if the dinosaurs were still alive. What wold it be like? I am assuming that we would be on the menu. I'm not sure that I would want to have the experience. I'll stick to letting the kids use their imagination.

Jackson turns 3 today!!!!!!

So totally can't believe that my baby turns 3 today. There is no way that it has been 3 years already since he was born. He's been though some stuff in the last 3 years, but made it through like a trooper. I went into preterm labor with him at 25 weeks....(yuck!!!!). He spent a week at the children's when he was 2 weeks old, we found out that the poor kid couldn't hear when I had put him into speech because he wasn't talking by 18 months. He had tubes place in his ears in May 2008 and then this year found out that the poor kid can't see. We got him fixed up with some nifty glasses and its a whole new world for him, he can now see and hear!!!!! Amazing!!!!. Oh ya, lots of bumps and bruises and a set of stitches last summer to top it all off. He's had to be tough being the third child and all. He still loves to cuddle and still loves his binky. I wonder if they will let you take those to school with you??????I guess that we will have to jump that hurdle when we get to it. I love you J. Happy birthday!!!!!!!

This is his cake that I did, well actually it was cup cakes. It is supposed to be a monkey. It looked a lot better before I stuck the candles in it. Now it reminds me of a reindeer. Anyways, I was happy with the way that they turned out. Definitely pleasantly surprised!

Bailee's new hair do

Grandma and grandpa Shaughnessy invited Bailee and Lincoln over for a sleepover last Friday (Aug 20). They had so much fun. Thank you grandma and grandpa for everything!!!!!

Bailee has been wanting a new hair do for school for sometime. She hadn't ever really decided on what she wanted, so I never went a head with it. Grandma must have figured it our, because when she came home from her sleepover she had the most amazingly cute hair do. She looks so grown up. She still grins from ear to ear when she looks in the mirror. She loves it. Thanks grandma!

BEFORE

AFTER

Totally need an update

So, I have totally slacked off this summer in updating my blog. My mom, my sister AND Ben have been on me about getting some updates. So here is a little synopses of I've missed so far.

1) We went down to visit the rest of the Hughes gang the end of July, beginning of August. It was so much fun. I mean who wouldn't have fun with 11 little ones all playing and laughing. We usually go to a water park close by, just outside of Boise, but this year we thought that we would try something different. We all went to Utah!!!!!!! We spent 2 day at at Lagoon. Man did the kids ever have fun. That was, I think the highlight of there summer. Bailee and Lincoln we actually able to ride a big roller coaster. Thanks uncle Scoot for introducing Lincoln to the Bat!!!!!!!!!! Yes that is Lincoln in the front with his Uncle Andy beside him.

2) We were able to spend a few hours at temple square. It is amazing down there. They now have this mini replica of the Salt Lake Temple. It shows what the inside of the temple looks like. It is really cool!!!!!

3) We went of a tour of the conference center. The kids thought that it was so cool that they actually were able to be where President M

onson actually speaks. The roof is amazing. The views are amazing!!!!!!!!

I thought that this picture is a perfect foreshadowing of things to come!!!! Keep your eyes on the goal girls and you will get there!!!!!

All in all our trip was a success. We had a few bumps in the road like Lincoln puking just as we arrived at the border and Bailee getting heat stroke our first day at Lagoon. But it was nothing that a little nap and air conditioning couldn't fix.