Happy 10 Year Anniversary Andy!

I can't believe it has been 10 years!!! I love this picture because it was a candid shot and it has my dad smiling in the background (as well as my mother-in-law, Andy's brother Mike, & one of our faithful friends, Bryan). We have been so blessed with wonderful family and friends who have been there for us throughout these 10 years together and we thank all of you for your love and support! I had no idea how much my life would change in the next few years after we were married - from baring 4 beautiful children, to losing my dad when our second child was barely a year old, to all of the stuff in between, good and bad. Andy, you have been amazing through it all. I can't imagine a more loving, supportive, thoughtful, selfless (I could go on and on) husband. You make life so much fun for our whole family! You can tell by looking at this picture how excited we were to start this journey together and I am even more certain today that I made the perfect choice when I chose you for my husband and as the father of my children.

Salt Lake Temple December 2000

I woke up extremely sick Tuesday and could hardly function throughout the day (a little better the next day). Andy came home a little early, took the kids to get something to eat and go Christmas shopping so that Nathan and I could rest. Jesi helped him pick out these beautiful flowers. I have been so completely out of it since Tuesday morning, that I completely forgot it was our anniversary yesterday! Apparently Andy picked out the perfect Willow Tree figurine because Jesi asked me "Mom, how did they make it look just like you and Dad and Nathan?" And, Kassi went up to it and said in her sweet little voice (actually it isn't usually sweet and little - but it was this time), "oh, cute ...Mommy, Daddy, and yathan!" I love how she says Nathan, by the way. It is like she is cheering his name!

We ended up ordering out Chinese for our actual Anniversary, which I could say was calm and romantic - but, I can say that the milk was caught just in time, so we had no spills. And, we did have candlelight through all the emotional breakdowns (from the kids, not us :). I think next time we'll feed the kids spaghettios first, or wait until we can go out :). I had thought about changing the clocks and putting the kids to bed an hour early, but that seemed like too much work :). At least it will always be a fun memory! We were hoping to go to the Christmas Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert for our Anniversary date this weekend, thanks to Darren and Cari volunteering to watch the younger kids, but Nathan's schedule has kind of gone out the window with my being sick, so I don't know if it will work out.

Since I've been a slacker at posting, here are a few pics of the kids with Santa. I love how you can totally see their personalities in how they respond to him!
Drew with Santa at our Ward Christmas Party this year (asking for a Ford Truck Remote Control Car - previously just a remote control car - oh boy, I hope Santa's elves really are magic and FAST)!
Jesi asking for "pillow pet slippers" (previously changed her mind to a "Toy Story Jessie Doll" b/c her Mom knew that the pillow pet slippers were no longer being sold except by a few people wanting to get rich on e-bay! I think Mom has convinced her again that a doll would be more fun to play with & it helps that her cousin is asking for the same one)! I'm beginning to understand why my mom always said that Christmas was "judgement day" for parents!

Kassi - making a partial silly face. I think if Santa would have asked her what she'd like for Christmas she would have given him a mouthful (of suggestions her siblings have recommended). Drew is convinced that this is Brother Gillespie and not the "real" Santa :), so he probably assummed she wouldn't talk to him. Anyway, she didn't ask for anything and would be happy with just about anything. We just hope she doesn't want everyone else's toys rather than her own!

Nathan - he didn't ask for anything either. Well, I guess he did want something for Christmas because he stole a few hairs from Santa's beard. I was thinking about scrapbooking them, but they were kind of hard to keep track of :). I hope he doesn't get put on the naughty list for that one! I'd have to argue with Santa on that. The poor kid has been rubbing off all of his beautiful red hair and how else could he tell Santa that all he wants for Christmas is some more hair?!? He is getting very good at grabbing things lately. His favorite things to grab are hair and Daddy's scratchy chin. I bet you can guess that he just likes to eat, sleep (in short spurts), and play all day! He is no couch potato as he does not like to be set down much!

Well, I just wanted to wish you a Happy Anniversary, Andy. Thank you for being so patient with me through all these years and being willing to put up with me through eternity. You make me want to be better every day and I hope someday I will be worthy of the amazing man that you are and of raising these 4 beautiful kiddos.

Drew's 9th b-day party is Friday afternoon and I think his party list is up to 17! I would have put my foot down, but he is going to a new school and making new friends, and how do you disclude any new friends or old friends? So, I better get going and do some catching up around here. Hopefully I can update this blog some more before Christmas because I have been a slacker! We do send out Christmas cards so if you don't receive one and would like one, just let us know - we ordered 25 more this year and really didn't need quite so many! We're up to 150, which sounds kind of crazy, but it is one of our favorite Christmas traditions, especially receiving them from our friends and family. We wish you all a wonderful Christmas, just in case I don't get this updated beforehand - hmmm, I guess that is pretty likely considering my recent history of blogging!

Baby Nathan Has Arrived!!!

Baby Nathan is here safe and sound! This first picture of him sitting in my lap on Sunday when the rest of the family was at church. What a handsome little fella. Time is flying by way too fast already!!! I have been having a hard time posting pictures (much to my family's frustration) because I just don't want to put down this huggable, kissable, lovable, adorable boy! But, Jesi wanted some one-on-one time with her brother and is enjoying reading to him, holding him, and surrounding him with all kinds of books and stuffed animals that she thinks will make him happy. I think he is just happy to hear his sister's voice just like he heard in the womb!
We were at the hospital at 5:30 AM to get ready for the c-section at 7:30. Nathan was kicking like crazy during those two hours before he was born, but then again when wasn't he kicking like crazy? I think he was letting us know he was ready! They put a strap around my belly to monitor the baby's heart rate and my contractions and it seemed like he was trying really hard to kick that strap off!
This picture is slightly awkward! The anesthesiologist offered to take a picture for us. That guy is Andy, if anyone is wondering who the guy is behind the mask :)!

He had a good set of lungs and screamed loud enough for me to hear him in the other room. This picture was taken during his first bath! Somehow we ended up with another red head!

Little Nathan had the sweetest little moan that we thought was SO cute. I left messages for some of our family the first day with his little moan. Soon afterwards we found out that that could be a sign of respiratory or other problems. So, he had all kinds of tests done that first day. Everything seemed fine. The x-ray of his lungs looked good. The only problem was that his white blood cell count was slightly elevated. So, they put him on antibiotics just to be safe. Two days later when the blood tests came back looking good, they took him off the antibiotics. He never seemed like he was in pain, so I think he was just singing to us! My dad always had a song for everything (which I seem to have inherited), so maybe he takes after his grandpa McConkie?!?

Finally back in my room after all the testing was done for the day. They did continue to monitor Nathan closely, but he seemed to be as healthy as could be. He did have low blood sugar a couple times, so they supplemented him twice, but he has been eating like a champ ever since and has gone through LOTS of diapers already!!! The first night home he wanted to eat every half hour, but last night he did much better! The spinal went great. I was up and walking just a few hours after the surgery to go visit Nathan in the ICU.

Drew's turn. The kids were SO excited to finally have a baby brother they could hold. My poor belly will miss the kisses, but I'm sure Nathan will be clobbered with them now! We called Drew from the hospital the morning Nathan was born, just minutes before he left for school and Drew said, "I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE A BABY BROTHER!!!"

Jesi's turn! She has had so much fun "wrapping" up her little brother in blankets like they do in the hospital.

Daddy and son. My mom spoiled Nathan with beautiful blankets. Andy likes the BYU blue ones the best! This one has cars on the other side, which Drew loves! Andy was a trooper like usual, staying at the hospital the first night and the 3rd night as well. It was fun to watch him try to diaper a newborn again!

Taking a little nap with Mom. I love how his arms are wrapped under his head in this picture. He is so cuddley! It is amazing how you can burp a baby when you are mostly asleep!

Kassi's turn! This picture was taken the next day before Jesi's soccer game. Andy is coaching her team and she LOVES it. I need to post pictures of Drew and Jesi playing soccer this season. It is almost over! Kassi did try to sit on Nathan's head the other day, but other than that, we haven't had too many close calls!

My mom has been staying at our home, watching the kids and taking care of things since the night before Nathan's birth. She has been wonderful. Thank you, Mom!!! The kids have had so much fun with Grandma, I'm afraid they'll be bored when she is gone. Luckily Andy's Mom is coming tomorrow and will be here for a week!

Nathan has been spoiled with flowers, gifts, and visitors. We are so appreciative of all the phone calls, meals and love and support we have received from family, friends, and neighbors!!!

Little Nathan Paul! We have had Nathan's full name picked out since we found out he was a boy at the 20 week ultrasound (and really we had the name chosen before than, just in case he was a boy). Andy's best friend growing up was Nate Strong up in Idaho, so he has always loved the name. So, it wasn't hard to convince him to name our little boy after one of my ancestors, Nathaniel Ashby, a shoemaker who lived just a few blocks from the home of the prophet Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois. My parents were blessed with another baby when my Mom was 43 years old. If it had been a boy, they were going to name him Nathaniel after this ancestor who was visited by the prophet for the year that they lived near him before his martyrdom. Since they had my sister Nicole instead, my whole family has always thought we needed to have a little Nathan in the family! Paul is my dad's name, who passed away 4 1/2 years ago.

Some of these pictures are taken at a weird angle. I probably should have flipped a couple on their side. This is the last day in the hospital, so we are just letting Nathan take one last little nap before dressing him for the ride home!

My sister Nicole picked out a stuffed Monkey, monkey fabric for this blanket my Mom made, and a monkey outfit. So cute!

Jesi saw this picture and said, "Look Mom, it looks like Nathan is saying "Oh me, oh my!""
I think she was right!

Checking out those precious little fingers!

Our sweet little guy enjoying his last few minutes of freedom from clothing! We just watched home videos of the other kids' births and Kassi actually had a lot more hair than Nathan. But, he has quite a bit! It seems weird not to need to put a little bow in his hair! But, boy is he a handsome little fella!?!

In his first little outfit from my Mom and Kim and Nicole. It say's "Daddy's little Rookie" Andy likes it because it is Timpview colors!

It looks like he has inherited his Grandma Sanderson's toes, which means he will be very talented at picking things up with his feet :)!

Responding to Daddy's funny faces!

I love Nathan's face and hand position in this picture. It's like he is saying, "Oh, garsh, another picture of cute little me?!?"

Ready to go home!!! And, he wasn't the only one ready to go home! We've been loving every minute with this cute little guy!!! Welcome home sweet baby boy! We love you so much already and we are so happy that we can be together forever!!! Don't ever doubt how much you are loved by your family, friends, neighbors, your Heavenly Father and older brother, Jesus Christ, and that many angels are watching over you! Thank you for being our little angel on earth!

Back to School!

1st Day of 3rd Grade! Drew likes his new school and really likes his new teacher. He is making new friends and working hard. School is becoming a little more difficult each year, but he is a pretty good little trooper! He loves having Jesi go with him in the morning. He drops her off before going to his own classroom and is such a sweet brother to his sisters AND his new baby brother (pictures to come)!

Big Bro. going to show Sis. around the new school!

1st Day of Kindergarten! Jesi LOVES school and loves her new teacher. It is so fun to see her enjoying it so much! The kindergarteners are required to give their teacher a high five, a handshake, or a hug when they see their parents are there to pick them up. Jesi was the only one I saw who gave her teacher a hug instead of a high five. That shows how much she LOVES this teacher! I was worried about how she'd do in school this year because she is so shy, but obviously I just worry too much! She comes home and teaches me all the songs they are learning and tells me about all the books they read, etc., etc.

Picture Day!

A Fun Picnic & Feeding the Ducks with Dad!

One of the kids' favorite things to do is visit Daddy at work, have a picnic, and feed the ducks! We've been doing this since Drew was Kassi's age and it is still a big hit! We tend to do this several times a year and it never gets old!

Kassi spreading her wings!

This was a 1st, although it shouldn't have come as a surprise to any of us. Kassi is definitely our little dare devil and she was getting into the popcorn tossing a little too much! You can see her starting to slip in this picture. She fell forward and got some nasty green goopy water all over. It took me several washings to get the stains out of her clothes! But, luckily she was fine - just needed to rest and eat some popcorn for a minute!

You can't see her clothes very well, but her right side is all wet, thus the funny face!

The ducks tend to hang out mostly in the pond, which is enclosed by a locked gate, but occassionally they come out through the stream. They are always willing to poke their heads through the gate for a bite! Kassi was making me nervous, because she is short enough that the ducks all wanted to eat the food out of her hands as she held onto it too long!

Handsome fella!

Nothin' but trouble :).

Sweet little "Sissy"!

I wonder if they are thinking the same thing?!? Oh, and I kind of went crazy posting today, trying to catch up, so there are 3 more posts below!

Family Reunion in Heber!

Wow, I didn't realize how far behind I was until I started doing these catch up posts! This is my 3rd post today and I have a few more to come! We had a lot of fun at the McConkie reunion this summer (my dad's side of the family). My dad's sister was in charge and she did a great job planning this reunion up at the Girl's camp up in Heber (which by the way you have to reserve a year and a half in advance)! They had great little cabins with wooden bunkbeds and nearby bathrooms (always a plus for the pregnant lady in the middle of the night) and a big pavilion with an attached kitchen. It was perfect. And, I think the highlight was the fun obstacle courses that families were able to sign up for. We signed up for the swing, which was the easiest of the 3 courses - for the kids of course :). Drew didn't want anything to do with it, but the girls at least got on the swing! For being afraid of heights, Andy did awesome - going all the way to the top! I wasn't able to do it because the rope would have been a little dangerous with a protruding belly (or at least with a baby inside). But, it was very fun to watch!

Kassi is pointing to my dad's parents in this picture. I think she recognizes their faces just like she does "Grandpa McConkie" who passed away before she was born!

The kids all painted these fun shirts at my mom and Kim's home before the reunion, along with some fun visors and water bottles.

Before and after the obstacle course, they had some fun activities to teach "working together" to make it across an area or achieve a task together, etc.

Another highlight was the paddleboats! Drew was a little disapointed that he had to sit in back, but it was beautiful and we all enjoyed it!

Notice the deer behind these handsome nephews of mine!

My uncle carved these amazing boats for all the kids! I didn't get too many good pictures because Andy was helping assemble the boats most of the time that I was helping the girls put them in the water and chasing them down the stream! Boy was the water cold!!! Jesi didn't seem to mind. She had a blast doing it over and over again! We managed to not lose Jesi and Drew's boats. Some lucky scavanger must have found Kassi's!