A blessed Day

Sunday, Sept. 6th we celebrated Memphis!

He was blessed by his father and surrounded by many men that love him. We were so blessed to be able to have so many make it down to participate and many others that sent their love via the phone.

I love love love listening to babies blessings. There are so many promises made and amazing things blessed to this child if only they stay strong. It was a great day!

Jackson, Allison, Bobbi, Grandpa H, Grandpa G, Gramo, Mimi, Papa, Ruby, Erik, Melanie

Lovie, Memphis & Me

Lainie, Kylie, Creed, Carter, Jadyn, Shelbs

Let me just say something about his little blue outfit. This cute thing is 34 years old. My dear husband was blessed in this and his mom kept it all these years in wonderful condition! All 3 of my dudes wore this on their blessing day! It is so cute and very special! Thanks Mimi

Grandpa Goulding & Gramo

Papa & Mimi

Grandma Bobbi & Grandpa Hallows

Sunday morn before church we were all adoring little guy

and I couldn't resist this picture.

Boys, Glorious Boys!
He's doing it...
He is getting bigger and I think he is a doll!

overloaded

There is so much on thee ol brain tonight. I have been overwhelmed with thinking as of late. I know that might sound like I haven't taken up the past time in ages....but really I feel like my mind is swamped full of thoughts and ideas and conversations within it's self.


I have been thinking of the world and it's turmoil that we see daily. You know, I see often on the news...some one trying to endure and recover from the aftermaths of earthquakes, hurricane's, tornadoes, tsunami's just about all that mother nature has to offer. It saddens me that there are people around the world trying to pick up the pieces from that experience. And here I sit in my warm, strong house watching my colored tv.

I have been thinking of the US and the turmoil that we see daily. Lately I have been pondering the happening and the aftermath of what happened on Sept 11th, 2001. I remember exactly where I was and what I did when I heard the news.
This year I will remember what I was doing and how I felt on sept 11th, 2009. On this day my girls school was celebrating Patriot Day. We were asked to have the kids wear red, white and blue shirts and come ready for a assembly. As I was driving my little girls to school I tried to answer their questions about why "bad men would want to use an airplane as a bomb and kill lots of people". I thought about their questions and my answers and thought how lucky I was to have such freedoms. I remember driving them to school and passing numerous parents walking their kids to school while wearing their American flag shirts. I passed a small car loaded with 4 men dressed in their beautiful military uniforms getting to ready to some how explain to a school full of kids why they fight others, why they see death and distruction all the time, why we can go to the church we want, why my girls can attend school just down the road. I could see through the windshield their chest colored with awards and badges for their bravery. I got a huge lump in my throat and wished they all knew how grateful I was for them.I wished that they could some how know the love I had for them. Where does that type of bravery come from? I wish I knew.



I have been pondering the State of Arizona and it's turmoil that we see daily. I see people losing their jobs and their homes and it saddens me to the core. But a story I heard just a few weeks ago...made my heart hurt. I got a call from a close friend with the report that a mutual friend of ours had lost her husband that very morning due to a heart attack. I was so sad for her and her family. It took me back to when my younger sister had lost her own husband. I thought about what she might be going through. I could never know for sure, I only knew what I had witness for myself as an on looker. It breaks my heart! I know that nothing I would say would possibly make her feel better, it's just that I want to try any way to fix those who are hurting.

I have been pondering the state of my house and the turmoil that I see daily. I see marker on the walls, toys on the floor, dirty laundry in every room, dishes filling the sink, floors needing to be vacuumed and so much more. BUT YET....it doesn't sadden me so much. It's a small turmoil compared to what surrounds us.
I am kissing, loving. listening, hugging and squeezing my babies and that's what is keeping my mind in check.

I could very easily let the worlds problems get me down and take me to a dark place...but I see my little babes and they pull me back to what is my focus. I see my husband loving me and my kids and I realize that all that turmoil and negativeness that is out there is to slow me down.

I have been reading this book lately and it's been a wonderful eye opener for me. It's a 7 book series called .
"The Great and Terrible".by chris stewart
It's been interesting reading about how Satan is so real and he wants US so badly. He and his evil followers are screaming in our ears doubts, nonstop. They want us to doubt ourselves and others. They want us to think bad thoughts about ourselves and others. They want us to treat ourselves and others horribly. There is nothing that that they won't do to try and get us. Satan is real and wants us all. He knew us as individuals in the pre-earth life and we him. He remembers how we stood up to him and did NOT choose his way. He remembers how we were strong then and what we have inside us. He hates that we are filled with light and are here on this earth. He is miserable knowing that his plan wasn't followed by us and he will not stop till the time has all run out.

This book has also reminded me of the simply, peaceful and warming reminders from Heavenly Father, Jesus and those that have passed before us. And how they too, are constantly cheering us on and reminding us that we are loved beyond measure. I have been reminded how we also knew Jesus so well in Heaven and we had faith in his plan. We loved him and all that he was willing to do for us.
I have thought so much about all those who are on this earth and aren't following THE PLAN that we originally signed up for. It breaks my heart knowing that we all knew the truth and yet some get here with their bodies that they were promised and then make choices that are totally contradictory to what we came here to do. Then there are those that chose Jesus' plan and they were born into poverty and dangerous situations and yet they find a way to get back to the Father.

My mind is full and i love it!

yippee for no tv

Are you ever secretly happy when your kids don't do their chores in time, which in return means they lose the TV and then they have to play together for the next 2 days? Because to them "playing together is the only thing you can do when the tv is off and everything else is so boring."

And in addition to them playing together and loving each other..the noise level is down?

I am...

my heart cheers for joy!

I know what your thinking...

just turn the blasted tv off, right?

yippee for wetness

Are you ever secretly happy inside when your lint trap is too full and your clothes don't get all the way dry...which then means you can wait another cycle to fold and put away your clothes?

I AM

My insides cheer for joy

Buggy asked...therefore I answer!

My sister just posted a question on her blog. I would reroute you to her site, but she is a private dancer, she dances for money...I mean she is a private blogger. Wow, i just got a little cared away right then.
Anyhow her question was:...

What can happen in 5 minutes?
Then she goes on to show a lovely art show done by a famous artist that lives in her house...he happens to be under 2 yrs old and he just so happened to do his art work on the washer and dryer, walls and a few cabinets doors. It was fabulous! Especially because I didn't have to clean it up.

So here is my question:

What can happen in 5 minutes at my house when I just sit down to nurse?

You know when your two older boys get real quiet and you hear their bedroom door close ever so softly...you just know...you can just bet on it, You might as well plan on it being something exciting and delightful.
Here is what I found...

PS these are Styrofoam beans from a 30 year old beanbag my mother in law gave me. It use to be Luke's and his brothers.

PSS We still have the bag half full...not nearly as comfy but....whatever!

little boy cuteness

Oh how they LOVE their brother.Creamers just cracks up looking at all of Memphis's

tiny body parts.

Cedar asks me all the time
"mom, can you take a picture of us?"

34 and holding for 364 more days.

It was my birthday yesterday and I received so many phone calls to wish me the best day ever. It's funny because everyone that called me and left a message, sang me a song. Every song that is on my voicemail is so different. I wanted to jot down a few that I received...for the memory bank.

Ruth & Sam and kids sang the traditional happy birthday song, but the phone was cutting out so I got a wonderful new rendition which had about every 3rd word gone. It was so fun to listen to. I could hear Jennifer in the background singing her heart out. Love that girl.

Sisal called and sang a wonderful heartfelt beautiful traditional birthday song to me. It of course being the first call in the morning! Thanks, and I am glad I was awake already, just in the wrong room to answer the phone. This girl is always on the ball when it comes to remembering people.

Bug called and sang a song that went a little some thing like this:

Happy Birthday to you

We're thinking of you

We hope you have a good day and

eat lots of watermelon sour patch kids....too ......ooo...ooooo.....oooo...ooooo....oo"

spread out over a 45 second or so...totally something she would do.

Robbie sang:

It's your birthday shout hooray,

we want to see sing to you to day.

One year older"

and then I pipe in to add "and wiser too"

and then she finished her off with...."happy birthday to you".

again...so robbie!

always such an enthusiast.

Dad and Mom called and left a message that of course I saved...anytime my dad sings...I listen!

My dad has an amazing voice that is soothing and so comforting.

Dusky of course had to sing a song that involved a butt:

Happy Happy Birthday

you're getting really old

your butt is getting bigger

and it is full of mold.

I loved my birthday....so many people called or text a birthday wish and I love Love LoVE being remembered. Presents are nice....but I would rather have a phone call or a note.

So thank you.

Now lets' talk about getting OLD.

Lately I have been struggling with the thought of "at what age is old, for me?"

When I was in my early 20's I dreaded turning 30. I thought 30 was the age that the cracks appear on the face, the hair turns dull, the boobs start sagging...even more, the bones start bending and things just hurt.

When 30 came around...it didn't effect me like it did LUke.

32 on the other hand was a bit different...all those things that I thought would happen at 30 came 2 years later, I was late on my calculations.

This year I have been thinking about the age and what accompanies a woman when they stop the "childbearing" process...by choice!

Is that the time that I would turn old?

When I no longer have in my future, pregnancies and newborn babies.

Is that the time I get crusty and my hair turns dull?

I knew that the little baby boy I was pregnant with was my last pregnancy and I was excited to have him in my arms. At the same time....I knew that when the pregnancy ended, the day that I would have no more babies in my belly would come too. I was sure that when I left the hospital with my new little baby...my hair would turn dull and I just might need a walker to get to my car.

I look at my sisters that are older than me and see that they are in the best shape of their lives. I see that they seem/act/look younger by years. I see that they are happy and that they love this new chapter in their lives that is all about raising their children. And you know I see that they aren't OLD. They don't have dull hair, or bent bones, no cracks in the face either...I can't comment on the saggy boobs, though!

Age is a crazy thing...my parents and parent-in-laws will forever be 50 and holding. They look the same as if they were 50....they all act young and happy.

Turning 34 has opened my mind to not letting me age myself by silly thoughts of being and feeling old. I need to embrace this new, exciting and wondrous time in my life that will be all about the 5 babies that I have. I love being a mom. I love being with my kids. I love that they keep me young and on my toes. I love that I am 34 and won't have to think about another birthday for 364 more days! Now...i can focus on Luke's 34th birthday!

Embrace age with Grace!

a childs mind

The joys of being young and so innocent!

My sweet Lainie has been doing some scrap booking as we like to call it at our home. She made this cute sign that hangs over little brothers bed...it has a huge "M" and some other scrappy things pasted on it.

Then she surprised me with this sign that she so excitedly taped outside the master bedroom door....you know while the baby is sleeping. (wink)

Luke and I read it and just had to giggle a bit!

In case you can't see it clearly is reads:

Shh....Baby in progress

thank you

More Memphis Boy!

It is really hard for me to describe in words my experience with the delivery of our little Memphis boy. I feel so incredibly blessed with the fact that this boy came to our family exactly the way I imagined him to.

On my 37th week visit I found out that Memphis was breech and to my great sadness of the thought of having to have a c-section I was so relieved with the fact that I knew he was healthy and all was fine with the baby.

It was all about me and my anticipation of the recovery from this surgery that made me feel sad. I had voiced my concerns in a previous post and within a few hours I received an email from a great friend with some suggestions on how to get the baby to turn on his own. It was a list of about 17 suggestions. I read them with an open mind thinking maybe, just maybe these things might work. I must say, when people would ask about my c-section date I would vocalize that I was okay with it, I had had a breech baby before and he didn't turn so I was going to deal with it the best I could. BUT deep down inside...I KNEW that he had just turned days before my last dr. visit and I was so sure that he was going to go right back to where he needed to be. Well, this email that Emo sent me suggested things like....

1. acupuncture (didn't try this)

2. do handstands in the pool (didn't try this)

3. Try the stink bug position with your head and knees on the ground and bum pointed upward (tried this)

4. Visualize the baby turning (I tried this non-stop)

the list goes on and on....

I asked my sweet husband for a blessing and the by the time he removed his hands from my head, I had the most peaceful feeling that all was well. I had this deep down calmness that he had flipped and I was going to be fine.

A few hours later I went to the dr. and sure enough little dude had his head back to where he needed to be and we cancelled the c-section appt. right then.

Come July 27th...I had seen the dr and was only dilated to a 2...boo hoo for me!

I was slightly disappointed because I was quite ready to have this baby. The dr. agreed to break my water on the 29th and if all progressed okay she would give me a little pitocin to get'er movin.

At noon on the 29th I was scheduled to go to the birthing center and get started on having this baby. It was a strange day because I drove along the side of my mother to the birthing center. Which was so cool driving along talking to my mom about life, love and the pursuit of motherhood.

Luke had the other 4 kids in their last summer movie experience. We knew that I wouldn't be doing anything exciting until way after he was finished with the kids so we decided to let the other 4 have their day in the sun with dad.

1pm I was in a room with an iv and just playing the waiting game...although I was having some amazing conversations with my mommy!

2 pm the dr came in said I was dilated to a 3.5 and then broke thee ol' water....

4pm the nurse said I wasn't progressing fast enough and gave me the choice to have pitocin or not...of course I choose YES! Why delay the purpose of being there?

In between 4pm and 6pm I dilated to a 4 (I was very disappointed in my dilation skills) and so the nurse kept increasing the juice in the pitocin tube.

5:45pm still @ a 4 (bummer) but contractions where getting stronger. I asked for the epidural. I wasn't feeling extremely uncomfortable yet, but knew it was just 5-10 minutes away.

6:00-6:40pm I was very very uncomfortable with intense contractions. Slumped over with my chin to my chest while the doc jabbed me in the back 4 times for 40 mins, trying to get a small wire down my backbone. YIKES that was insane.

I feel bad, now, for my sweet husbands hand....but at the time I was focusing on the pain going somewhere outside my body....and his hand was the outlet!

7:50pm dr walks in and informs me that I am at a 10 and its go time. I was blown away that I had dilated from a 4 to a 10 in just over an hour. It floored me and luke! The doc then says "let me go change my clothes, I'll be right back"

8:00- 8:15 pm preparation are made bringing out all the blue clothed covered tables, shiny metal pans, beds being pulled apart all sorts of nurses file in, and the french fry warmer getting heated up.

8:15ish pm dr walks in puts on her gown says "push.....okay don't push"

8:19pm baby boy Memphis bungee's his way into our arms.

I know it sounds unreal....that's exactly what i keep saying. Luke and I couldn't believe our eyes! I have never in all my 5 births been given the baby so fast after he entered the noisy world. Having him laid on my chest all messy and covered in what he had been living in for that past 9 months. I loved that experience!

Luke was so happy because when he cut the ambilical cord he got juiced with blood...he thought that was so cool.

I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough for such a wonderful and spiritual experience as we had while awaiting our little boys arrival. I loved everything about this day!

I remember earlier in the day, my mom and I were in my room just waiting for things to progress. We heard a new little baby crying in the room next to mine. We both got a little choked up thinking about how close that baby was to the other side and how my little Memphis was still so close to our Heavenly Father. From His arms to mine....what a overwhelming thought!

There is so much more I want to write and share...I think it will have to wait for another day....I hear someone squawking downstairs.

School is in session!

Sadly, Summer has come to an end for us in the southern Arizona area and we are not impressed with it at all.
The girls started school on the 4th of aug and I was sad to see them go. They have been a big help to me over the past few days while the new baby boy has come home. Now, they are gone most the day and I am sad!

I am happy to announce, however, the girls love their teachers and so far they are excited to be back in school...only because they haven't had homework yet. I can't wait to hear what they have to say when the homework starts coming home in the backpacks.


Our school has a uniform code that they have to wear either blue, white or gray shirts!
I love it...no arguing in the mornings on what should they wear.
It's wonderful!Three days in school and already Lainie has come home bouncing off the walls because she was selected out of all the kids in her class to be on the student council!
She is so happy and so excited to of won the votes! She told us the story over and over on how there was a tie with another boy and so their was a re-vote and she won by one!! Luke and I were blown away by the fact that she raised her hand to be on the list of possible canidates...she is normally quiet and shy in school. We are so proud of her!
Shelby swears that her teacher is a vampire and she feels like she needs to wear a garlic necklace to school sometimes. Her teacher is a cute little tinker bell-ish (with black hair) looking lady. The only concern I have with Ms. U is that she looks like she is about 13 years old. Shelby is in for some real fun this year. What a sweetie.

Memphis is in the house

We are so thrilled to welcome

Memphis Hallows

to our home.

He made his appearance on the 29th of July at 8:19pm.

Weighing 8 lbs 5 oz and 20.5 inches long.

Which really surprised me. I was expecting a 9 pounder....thank goodness it wasn't as Stacy wagered.


I know Heavenly Father was watching out for me in every aspect of this day. With timing, size, parental help, health, mood, dr's and so much more. I will have to go into more detail when my feet decide to not turn into a balloon while sitting at the computer. So for now here are a few photos of our sweet baby boy!

DANG I have cute kids!