Disneyland 2015

Our Disneyland trip was wonderful! We enjoyed leaving cold Idaho in February to go and enjoy some warmer weather. We stopped in Las Vegas to stay the night on our way to California. James called it "Lost Vegas". Rachel was impressed by the casinos and couldn't stop talking about the gambling, and how that was such a waste of time to gamble and not an honest way to earn money, etc. The kids got to see a circus act at Circus-Circus and saw the water show at the Bellagio. We hit rain on the first day in California, so we had to play on the beach in our ponchos. We also visited the Newport Beach Temple. We had wonderful weather for four days in Disneyland. The kids did well. Eli was the best traveling baby we could have ever dreamed of! He sat content in his car seat and stroller. We were so impressed. James was a big boy to walk most of the time...but we gave him an occasional turn in the stroller while I carried Eli is the Ergo carrier. Both Rachel and James went on almost every ride they could go on and were very brave. James loved the Tower of Terror (at least the first time), The Haunted Mansion, and the Tiki Room. Rachel went on "Indiana Jones" 3 times and the Tower of Terror once...even though it made her a bit nervous, but her favorite rides were Goofy's Sky School, Radiator Spring Racers, and Thunder Mountain Railroad. (Splash Mountain was closed.) Rachel was very helpful to feed Eli bottles in the car and she was also very grateful and appreciative of our special trip. We stayed in St. George on the way home and the kids loved climbing red rocks in Pioneer Park. The drive home was snowy and a bit scary in places, but the trip ended up being wonderful. We're so glad we could make some great memories at the Happiest Place on Earth!

James turns FOUR!

We sure love our little James. I can't believe he is four! He is in constant motion. He has been in Joy School this year and has been doing a good job learning his letters and numbers. He loves zombies, Legos, Hot Wheels cars, I-Pad games, and rough-housing with anyone who will play along. He has enjoyed Sunbeams this year and when he helps me out around the house or helps with baby brother, he likes to ask, "Did THAT help Heavenly Father?" He has a sugar-tooth,and I have to keep very little sugar in the pantry, or he will eat nothing else. He idolizes his big sister and is doing better with keeping his tantrums in check (thought it's still a work in progress.) We have learned so much from James and are so glad he is in our family. His birthday was fun. He got a Candyland cake (since he enjoys that game and loves sweets.) He got to eat pizza and play at Leo's Place (his one real birthday request.) We had cake and and ice cream afterwards. He also got to go to Toys R'Us to pick out a small toy and get a crown and balloon. He was happy, and we were just glad we could celebrate since our family has had so much sickness going around lately.

Baby Eli

This sweet little guy fill our lives with so much joy.  He is 7 months old now.  His siblings adore and smother him with affection.  Austin and I spoil him.  He is so good-natured and sweet.  He now laughs out loud and babbles "ma-ma, ba-ba, ga-ga, and da-da" sounds.  He likes to blow spit bubbles and just got two new little teeth on bottom. He rolls both directions, likes to jump in his bouncer chair, but mostly likes to be held and carried.  Below are pictures of him from 4-6 months old.  

Fall 2014

A late fall meant trips to the parks even in October! It was so nice. On one nice day, we went to Community Park and found the hugest piles of leaves everywhere. The kids buried themselves and played in those leaves for the longest time. We even had some decent-sized piles in our yard this year; our maple tree and ash tree are becoming decent-sized.

Our kids loved going to the Idaho Falls U-Pick Pumpkin Patch.  We met Jakob and Grandma and Grandpa Robertson there.  It was a perfect fall day, and Eli did pretty good letting me cart him around in the Ergo baby carrier.  They ran all over the place and didn't want to leave.  (I didn't get pictures of the hay bale maze and go-carts, but they had a blast.)

 Halloween was so much fun this year.  I kind of dressed up (about as festive as I've been in years.)  We had spaghetti monsters for dinner (spaghetti with olives and cheese for eyes and mouths.)  The kids danced to Halloween music, and then we got in our costumes.  I stayed home with Eli and handed out candy to trick-or-treaters.  We had tons come to our house!  In years past, we've had hardly any, so it was a great year for us.  Because the weather was so perfect, Austin took the kids trick-or-treating for TWO hours in our neighborhood.  They collected six pounds of candy between their two bags.  (No, they did not eat it all in one day...they are still working on it well into November.)  In Idaho, that will probably not happen again--usually we have to wear coats on Halloween and they only want to trick-or-treat for a few minutes.

 Rachel wanted to be a ninja for her costume this year, so I found this "Dragon Lady" costume for a great deal online, and we gave her some ninja sais and called it good enough for a ninja girl.  (She loved her costume and wanted eyeliner to make her eyes look Chinese.)  James took a little convincing to get him to dress up at all...luckily I got his costume for about $3 last year in an post-Halloween clearance, so I only cared about him wearing it for trick-or-treating.  He agreed when we told him that people only give candy to kids in costumes.

Rachel's old baby costume got recycled this year!  After seven years in storage, it was nice to have a young baby in October again.  Eli was a cute pea pod but only wore his costume for pictures.  It was just too hot for such a fuzzy, warm costume this year!  But he kept me good company, and the trick-or-treaters all thought he looked cute in his pumpkin onesie (pictured a few pictures above.) It was a memorable Halloween!

Elijah's Birth

Elijah Paul Robertson came to us two weeks early on July 24th, 2014. He weighed 6 lbs. 12 oz. and was 19 inches long, making him our smallest baby. I never imagined that I would go into labor early since we induced our other children so close to their due dates. And I said out loud a million times, "I can't go early because we need to get at least a good week between this baby and Rachel's birthdays." Ha, ha...I shouldn't have knocked on wood. Of course, he wanted to crash Rachel's party and come on the day we were celebrating her birthday! He is our Pioneer Day baby, and he was a wonderful surprise!

I woke up with contractions around 3:00 a.m. and just tried to ignore them and go back to sleep.  I had a house full of company and a party to host, and was sure that it was just false labor.  A few hours later, after the contractions didn't stop, I woke up, quickly showered, made Rachel's birthday cake in record time (I'm usually a slow cake-maker), did my kids hair, and had Austin take me to the hospital just to be checked.  I told them that I hoped I was wrong about being in labor, and I would love it if they would send me home.  As it turns out, I was already at 8 cm.  Yeah, after my last labor, I should have known that I don't feel labor pains until I am almost all the way dilated!

 I cried for a minute about missing my daughter's party, but quickly got excited to have a baby!  He was here two hours later. (He would have been sooner, but they were delivering 4 babies that morning and had to leave me with an epidural, dilated to a 10, waiting for the doctor for an hour.

Rachel was the most excited about her baby brother.  She just couldn't stop grinning.  She is such a loving big sister.  The kids were a little disappointed that we decided on Elijah as his official name, because they liked "Eli" better.  We figured it was a compromise for everyone, and we all call him Eli mostly.  But Elijah can be his more formal name--I love the way it looks written out, and Austin wants to have the option to call him either name.

James kind of treated baby Eli more like a toy or teddy bear or something...I don't think he showed any excitement until we showed him the umbilical cord "owie" and first poopy diaper.  Maybe it's a typical boy thing?  A few days later, he finally came around and actually said, "I like baby Eli."

I have been loving a newborn at the house.  I feel such a sweet spirit with him in our home.  I wish it didn't go by so quickly!  (The only part that I don't love is feeling exhausted with the late-night feedings.)  But I am lucky to have Austin off work to help so much with everything.

Austin forgot that he really does like the newborn phase, too.  He is such a good, loving daddy.  We are usually fighting over who gets to hold the baby.  He is so happy to have another little man in our family.

Welcome to the world, little Elijah!  We feel so blessed to have you in our family!

Rachel's 7th Birthday

This was a very unique birthday for Rachel. I feel a little bit bad that her birthday was overshadowed because Elijah was born on the day we had her party scheduled.  Luckily, we had family in town that day.  They were able to step in and host the party while I was at the hospital. Rachel was still very happy with her special day, and she actually said, "A baby brother was the BEST birthday present." So sweet. Their birthdays are two days apart.

Grandma Monson whipped up a bean dip for Rachel--one of her favorite foods.  Grandpa Monson and Great-Grandma Anderson were also there.  Austin ran home from the hospital for an hour or two to be at the party (Eli was born a few hours before the party started.)  Kesti's family and Grandma and Grandpa Robertson, and Jakob were also able to come.  I am so grateful that we have family that could support us and make it a special day for Rachel.

I woke up with contractions and quickly threw together this cake before I had Austin take me to the hospital.  When I walked into the hospital, I was dilated to 8 cm.  (I think I did a pretty good job with the cake, considering I was in active labor while I made it!)  But I didn't feel like I could just leave without making sure she had a birthday cake to celebrate with.

We love Rachel and feel so grateful for her enthusiasm and joyful giggles.  She is truly a ray of sunshine in our lives, and she helps us remember to laugh and wonder.  Happy 7th Birthday, Sweetie!

New York and Ohio Trip

So, Austin and I took a little trip back east before I get too big and pregnant and tied down with a baby. I guess you could call it our "baby-moon". First we went to Cleveland and stayed with his brother Bryan and his family. We loved visiting with Bryan and Sarah and getting to enjoy Jessie's sweet smiles. We all went to Kirtland (a short drive from Cleveland) together and they showed us around Cleveland which is apparently a historical rock and roll city. We enjoyed the city and had a great time.

Jessie was such a good girl in Kirtland and all day long driving around.  I was amazed that a five-year-old could go to all the church history sites we saw without whining or complaining.  We loved the tours we received.  There are so many cute couple missionaries at all the sites.  Kirland has been majorly improved and updated since I was there last (fourteen years ago.)

I didn't realize that "The Christmas Story" was filmed in Cleveland.  We stopped and took a picture by the actual "Christmas Story House".  Notice the sign... in case you are in doubt.

Then Austin and I got a rental car, said goodbye to Bryan and Sarah and drove through Pennsylvania to Buffalo, New York.  (About a four-hour drive.)  The night we arrived in New York, there was a huge storm and they got tons of snow.  So...we got to visit Niagara Falls in the snow.  It was actually beautiful but very chilly with that icy mist blowing everywhere.  Surprisingly, we were not the only ones there.  There were quite a few tourists.

Then we drove a little farther to the very tip of the state and Lake Ontario.  It was a beautiful drive alongside the Niagara river gorge.  At the very edge of the land, we toured Old Fort Niagara.  Lake Ontario looks more like the ocean than a lake from there, so it feels very isolated...almost as if you'd arrived at the end of civilization.  It has been preserved since the late 1700s.  And the big building pictured below is an old French Castle which was the main part of the fort.  There were lots of other preserved buildings we were able to walk through.  This gentleman in uniform gave us a musket demonstration and a mini-tour.    

Then we made our way to Palmyra and Fayette to see some more church history sites.  Below are pictures of us at the Peter Whitmer farm (worth the extra little drive out to the Fayette/Waterloo area.)  And also pictures of us at the Smith Log Home and Hill Cumorah.  We took lots of pictures of the Sacred Grove covered in snow but forgot to get one with us in it.  It was so peaceful and probably a lot prettier with a fresh blanket of white than it would have been all brown--since nothing is blooming yet in New York.

We are so lucky that we have awesome parents who were willing to watch our kids while we went.  The kids had a great time and didn't even miss  us.  Their grandmas really spoiled them with lots of love and attention.  It was so nice to get away as a couple.