Life with Lucy, David and Vivian

It was midnght, it had snowed and the kids were sleeping . . .

2012-01-25T22:29:00.000-07:00

So Marc and I made snow angels!

Neighborhood Preschool

2012-01-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a neighborhood co-op preschool for Lucy. It has been a lot and I have really enjoyed the opportunities I've had to prepare and teach. I've decided to share the information with what we did on My Good Friend's Blog. If you're interested, you can go here.http://mygoodfriendsblog.blogspot.com

I love being a homemaker

2012-01-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

I was once talking with a man who does construction for a living. He was telling me all about how much he loves his job. He then said, "I do not know of any other job where at the end of the day and the job is all done, you catch yourself just sitting back admiring what you have done." I looked at him, smiled and informed him that I knew of a job where this is done. He looked at me puzzled and I replied, "Homemaking."

The truth of the matter is when the rest of the world may need an award, a raise or a major promotion to feel they have accomplished something grand; all I need to do is look at a room I have just cleaned and I am filled with an overwhelming sense of worth. A pile of freshly cleaned and folded laundry is a beautiful site to me. I pat myself on the back when I sew a button on a shirt and give it new life. I get giddy inside when I perfect a recipe. And yes, I catch myself frequently at the end of the day, after the job is done, just sitting on my couch admiring the work I have done. Call me crazy, but I love being a homemaker.

Who knew . . .

2012-01-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

two teeny tiny teeth could bring me so much joy over and over again!

Sandwiched between two girls . . .

2012-01-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

Sweet David, I hope you remain a good sport with your sisters. We love you so much. Vivian always giggles when she watches you play and she gets ecstatic when you come talk to her. You and Lucy crack me up as you re-enact scenes from Dorah and have your own adventures. You are such a good boy and I know you are the perfect little man for your sisters. We love you!

Once there was a snowman

2012-01-09T22:13:00.000-07:00

Lucy and her friend were such big girls as they rolled the middle part of the snowman.

David decided to construct his own middle part.

The children were very pleased with their creation

Evidence that Marc and I really were there. Marc did the majority of the construction while I worked on the fashion and make-up side of things.

Swinging . . .

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

We have had an unusually mild winter this year and I have been trying to enjoy every moment of it. We have been going on walks, playing at the park and in our backyard. Some people have been quick to comment, "Oh but we're going to be feeling it in the spring when we don't have enough water." To them I say, "Well we can't change that today. So today I am going to have a lovely day at the park with my children."

Vivian loves to go swinging. Her smile cracks me up.

Three happy little children all in a row.

Such a big girl on the swing. Lucy and David just giggled as they watched her swinging. I was giggling too. Such a great memory.

No excuses . . .

2012-01-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

This is how I've been getting my workouts in lately. I just had to document this for posterity's sake.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T22:26:00.005-07:00

We have kept the tradition I brought back from Taiwan of receiving red envelopes with a prize inside for the new year.

After we opened our red envelopes, we started a new tradition that I am very excited about. We made a time capsule to be opened next New Years. The time capsule included: something small from each of us, a paper with all of our hand prints traced on it, a paper with answers from each of us about the same 10 questions, a flash drive holding copies of video Marc took as I interviewed the children, and a photo of all of us on New Years Eve.

Happy 2012 Everyone!

Christmas Day 2011

2012-01-03T09:55:00.001-07:00

Our house was all ready for the little ones to wake up


As you can see, Vivian was very excited for her first Christmas!

She thought everything she got was just magical.

It was so fun to watch the innocence of Christmas through Lucy's eyes.

Is that one happy Diva or what

David LOVED his dog. It is the animatronic kind and I think it took him an hour or so to realize it wasn't real.

Marc REALLY surprised me a replica of Nativity by Brian Kershisnik

Our handsome Jack all ready for church

The lovely lady

I love this picture and I love that I am this Mom.

What a lucky lady I am

After church, Marc tested out his new tripod as we attempted to get a lovely family picture with everyone in it.

Our beautiful Vivian

Then Grandma & Grandpa Sampson came with Great Grandma and the excitement started all over again.

Lucy was waiting all season to decorate cookies with her Grandma

What a fun filled Christmas day can do to you


It was so nice to have my Grandma come. She is such a wonderful woman. I treasure this photo.

Homemade gifts 2011

2012-01-02T21:41:00.001-07:00

This was our 6th annual homemade gift exchange. This year I made Marc a cell phone holder that hooks to the wall and holds your cell phone and cords while your phone is charging.

And he made me our favorite drink: Mexican hot chocolate! He even went to The Mexican Market to get the supplies and to learn how to make it. It was very sweet (in more ways than one). I love this tradition.

Christmas Eve

2012-01-02T11:49:00.001-07:00

Christmas Eve Traditions:

We all go over to Grandma Kay's

Make homemade pizzas

Act out The Nativity (new this year)

Each family unit performs a talent. Lucy danced her star dance on behalf of our family.

Then David didn't want to be left out

Jane and Vivian enjoyed their First Christmas together

Then we end the night with a white elephant and gift exchange. I love traditions.

Our sweetest Christmas gift

2012-01-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend Julie gave us a true gift from the heart this year. She made each of our children a precious whale crafted from old outfits of Jonah's. Then she gave Marc and me a whale ornament from his clothes and she gave our family a book about Jonah. It is the most tender gift I have ever received. But the sweetest part of all was when Julie said to me after we opened our gifts, "You got everything everyone else in my family got because you are family." How grateful I am for the blessing of this dear sister in my life.

Vivian loves her Jonah whale

David needed to eat lunch with his Jonah whale

My Mom always had a few select ornaments that were reserved to go towards the top of our tree and as we would hang them up she would share with us their story. Our sweet Jonah whale ornament will always have a spot reserved towards the top of our tree and I look forward to telling his story every Christmas.

Our Nativity

2012-01-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be so sweet to dress Lucy and David up as Mary and Joseph and then have Vivian be Baby Jesus since we actually have a baby this year and a boy and a girl . . . (you get the idea). Well, my sweet husband entertained my request and below is the "best of" from the photo shoot. They may not be exactly what I had in mind and David may look a bit more like a character from Star Wars than Joseph, but I guess sometimes all you get is the idea. And the idea is still very sweet.

My latest soapbox . . .

2011-12-27T17:25:00.001-07:00

Often in the midst of our greatest trials we learn our greatest lessons. It is in this light that I share something I have come to feel very passionate about. It's really a very simple thing, but something that I believe if followed could help save lives.

When my friend Julie was at my home and her son began to choke (if you remember, she was alone as I had just ran to get Lucy from dance and was away for about 5 minutes) she needed to call 9-1-1. She did so using her cell phone and when they asked her for the address, she didn't know it.

Would you? Do you know your best friend's address by heart? Your parents? Do they know your address? Could those you leave to watch your children tell others your address in the event of an emergency?

After I got back from the hospital after being with Julie after Jonah passed away, I was sharing with my Mom how awful I felt about a lot of things and one was that it had to happen when I wasn't there (of course I've come to trust that this was meant to be, but it doesn't mean I don't feel bad about it) and my Mom asked, "Well what could you have done?" I answered that I know I couldn't have done anything more, but I could have at least told Julie my address so she wouldn't have had to figure that out in such a stressful moment. I recognize in our situation, her knowing my address immediately really wouldn't have changed the outcome, but it still opened my eyes to this idea.

I thought about making a cute little sign with my address on it and putting it on my fridge for all to see and I thought about the fonts and colors I could use. Then as I pondered on why I wanted to do this I knew I needed to just do something. Fancy fonts and cute pictures could wait. I then took a scrap of orange paper out of the drawer and wrote my address on it and stuck it to the side of my fridge. I point out that it is there whenever anyone is at my home.

It's nothing big, but I believe it could help. I also believe we could just make it a given that our address can always be found on our fridge. My thoughts for this campaign are very much in the infancy stage, but like the scrap of orange paper that hangs on the side of my fridge, I know it just needs to have a start.

So I challenge all of you to put your address on the side of your fridge. Those moments of not having to scramble to figure that out just might make all the difference . . .

Seven glorious months with our Vivi

2011-12-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Our little lady brings so much sweetness to our home. We love our precious Vivian with all of our hearts. Some milestones for this month include: two new bottom teeth, after one week of being sleep trained like a champ she got sick; so we'll be working on that again, sitting up on her own-but still needs pillows for back up just in case, grabs EVERYTHING she can see and reach, interactions with David are becoming stronger which is so sweet to see, Lucy always seems to know the perfect toy she will want, Daddy does some great dancing with her, and Mommy could just eat her up all day long. We love our dear Vivian Rose.

This picture just begins to capture how much I adore this sweet baby. I find myself holding her well after she has fallen asleep (like hours) because I just can't get enough of her. When she naps for longer than a few hours, I feel an emptiness in my arms and I can't wait for her to wake up. She is pure joy.

The song I constantly sing to her is, "You and me baby we're stuck like glue." Because as overwhelming as it is to have this little one always wanting me, I know it will only be for a short season so I treasure soaking every second of it up. We love you Vivian Rose. Thanks for joining our family. You make life better.

Lucy's Nativity Dance Recital

2011-12-19T13:28:00.001-07:00

Lucy had her dance recital where the theme was, The Nativity. She was a twinkling star and this is what little stars do when they see one another.

I just stood back and watched all the sweet interactions between these cute girls. They made me smile with their discussions about their shoes and how they couldn't help but dance as they walked around the room.

Does Lucy have some great hair or what? And when did she get this grown-up?

Lucy's fan club: Grandpa & Grandma Sampson, Grandma Kay, David and of course Mom, Dad and Vivian.

These next few pictures of her dancing speak for themselves on how much Lucy truly loves what she's doing. I love how happy she is in them and the dear friends she is surrounded by. Her teacher, Miss Amber, believes strongly in sharing the spirit of Christ through dance and it is so clearly felt and seen as I watch the performances she produces. I LOVE that my daughter can be a part of something so beautifully inspiring. Enjoy the pictures (I sure do):

Can I tell you how much I love that this is my life: telling my daughter what a beautiful dancer she is while my mother attends to her every need as I hold my other daughter. Such a beautiful life I live.

And then my handsome Jack shows up to show me his special prize. I love this moment and I treasure my life.

Making the neighborhood gift with my children . . .

2011-12-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

It seemed like such a great idea at the time, and it actually was quite enjoyable for about 80% of the time. Then there was Lucy spilling flour out onto the floor and David having breakdowns each time I had to take the bowl away from him to make a new batch of mix resulting him not being able to take his measuring spoon and toss freshly made mix onto my counters. I will try to remember and focus on the 80% that was glorious ;)

My Christmas Angels

2011-12-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Life is just better with a sister!

Gingerbread creativity

2011-12-15T11:50:00.000-07:00

I saw an idea online to make a gingerbread nativity instead of a house. So this is what we did for family home evening and it was so fun to create something together. Marc was good at constructing the stable while I worked on the finishing touches with Lucy and David . . .

Our finished nativity.

Thanks Merts

2011-12-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

We love our hats

Pre-school Christmas party

2011-12-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

Lucy's little neighborhood pre-school had a Christmas party that was a lot of very fun organized chaos! We started with re-enacting the nativity. Lucy wanted to be a shepherd so she could hold the sheep.

Then we read Christmas stories and sang Christmas songs.

Then each kid made a candy cane ornament with pony beads. Lucy did a great job following a pattern. She taught us in family home evening that night, the candy cane is for the shepherd's hook and when turned upside down is a "J" for Jesus. Then they had these cute snacks in a bag that looked like a butterfly. As the children left they each put a toy they brought in a box to be donated to needy children. It was a very enjoyable CHRISTmas party.

Growing up

2011-12-13T15:25:00.001-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me how often I can look at my children and think, "When did they get so big?"

Marc said he looks like a college freshman in this outfit.

And this little lady leads the pack every day getting so grown-up, cute and wise!

Hang up the baby's stocking . . . .

2011-12-12T14:56:00.001-07:00


Hang up the baby's stocking. Be sure you don't forget. For little baby Vivian, has never seen Christmas yet. We told her all about it. She opened her big blue eyes. We're she understood it, cause she looked so cunning and wise!

At our stable . . .

2011-12-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

Everyone is welcome: pink my little ponies, duckies with American flags and leis. We try to remember the true spirit of Christmas around here.

Decorating the tree

2011-12-10T14:45:00.000-07:00


I love decorating the tree with my children. They get so EXCITED with every part of it: the lights, the tinsel, each ornament . . . it is so fun to watch them. It was really fun this year because Lucy & David were both old enough to put the ornaments on. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

A sweet story about our little angel. She is from the 60's and used to be my Grandma Sampson's. I love her for many reasons: she used to be my Grandma's, she's vintage, she has an a-line haircut and best of all: she is a red head. Apparently David shares my love because as soon as we took her out of the box David reached for her and said in the sweetest voice, "BABY!" We gently handed her to him (I was hesitant, but wanted to put my child's love and enthusiasm for Christmas above material items). He gently looked at the angel and then gave her a great big hug. It was priceless!

Seeing Santa

2011-12-09T14:21:00.003-07:00

While at The Gateway we were on our way to The Childrens Museum and low and behold there was Santa with NO ONE in line! What a Christmas miracle! Lucy told him she wanted candy corns, candy canes and a tea set. David was just brave enough to sit on the same couch as him with Lucy as a buffer and Vivian was just happy to be living life.

And does this picture melt your heart or what? So fun to be celebrating another baby's 1st Christmas at our home.

SLC Stay-cation

2011-12-09T02:19:00.000-07:00

After staying at my parents for Thanksgiving we went to SLC for a few days to have a little vacation as a family together. I worked hard to figure out what to do with our little ones while we were there, but the truth of the matter is; the hotel room was biggest highlight of all. Each night we popped popcorn and the kids thought it was incredible (and I thought it was wonderful I wouldn't have to clean up all the kernels).

I love this picture as it captures the spirit of childhood so well. I didn't even notice the different colors of tile, but to Lucy they became an instant gameboard where she could only step on the dark tiles. I love seeing the world through the eyes of my children.

And when a bed appeared out of the couch, you would have thought it was Christmas morning! Such an exciting place these hotel rooms can be.

We spent the next morning seeing Santa and going to The Children's Museum. It was an amazing place. David spent the whole time playing in the water feature while Lucy explored every nook and cranny: the market, the car, the horse, the house . . . Marc chased after the two of them while I sat in this lovely section deemed for nursing mothers and nursed sweet Vivi. So fun.

That night my parents joined us for dinner and we took the train to see the lights at Temple Square.

It was a bit cold, but still very magical.

David thought riding on the train was the best part of the whole vacation.


And apparently it was not the highlight for Miss Vivian.

The next morning we ate a yummy breakfast at the hotel (the Froot Loops were the kids' favorite) and headed home. It was simply wonderful to have TIME together as a family.

Vivian 6 months old

2011-12-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

Our sweet baby is growing and growing. She has TWO teeth on the bottom that were a bit rough to get here, but we managed. Whenever you put her on her tummy she moves right back to her back. She has started eating rice cereal which she tolerates, but she loves most to suck on an apple.

She still loves her Sophie Giraffe and chews on anything she can get in her mouth. She gets nervous when I am not around, but manages without me. She thinks everything David does is hilarious and admires her big sister, Lucy. She smiles big for Daddy when he gets home and likes to dance with him.

and she is constantly melting my heart. Every time she nurses, she has to grab my finger and I absolutely love it. We love our little angel Vivian.

Bunk beds!

2011-12-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

David was trying to climb out of his crib so we took that as a sign he needed to move to a different sleeping situation. We went through several ideas and finally landed on the idea of bunk beds. The kids LOVE them. Getting David to stay in his bed has been a challenge, but I've actually been pleasantly surprised at how well he has done. At first Lucy was a bit timid with the ladder, but she caught on quickly and has become a pro. Lucy tells everyone we meet about her bunk beds and even Grandma Kay had to stop by to see them. There is just something magical about bunk beds I've come to discover.

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

We were apparently too busy stuffing our faces to take very many pictures of our Thanksgiving this year. At any rate, here is what I can report. We spent the holiday at my parents' home with our dear friends, Heidi & Yvette. Marc and I started the day with a lovely walk in the hills so we could "earn our turkey". Then the boys went shooting and the ladies prepared the feast.

How is that for a toddler's feast?

My Dad making the potatoes!

And Lucy with her lovely decoration. We spent the night at my parents and then headed out for a "stay-cation" in SLC-FUN!

Happy Fall

2011-12-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

We love to play in the leaves.

Vivi likes to eat the leaves

Happy Fall!

A great cause

2011-11-21T22:12:00.001-07:00

My friend's fundraising raffle is up! Please help them bring their daughter home from Ecuador! You could win Ragedy Ann & Andy dolls made by Mom (she also made the cowboy booties and memory bear). Check it out and please help spread the word. All items can be shipped to wherever you are! Go HERE

First snowfall

2011-11-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

We had our first snowfall of the season on November 6th. The kids noticed it as we were rushing off to church. They were so sad they couldn't stop and play in it so we promised they could play when we got home. We barely were able to wrestle some boots on them (yes, David's are pink) before they were out the door ready to play.

Modeling his pink boots from his older cousin.

Thank goodness for that shade. It kept us true to our word and left just enough snow that they could play in it after church.

David loves to eat snow.

Lovely lady.

The things one can do in a dress . . .

Lucy's fancy fourth birthday

2011-11-07T16:22:00.001-07:00

Lucy's fancy fourth birthday started a few days early with her grandparents coming over for cake and presents.

Such a loved little lady.

The morning of her birthday she go to choose what she wanted for breakfast (toast, strawberries and orange juice) and where she would eat it (by Vivian). And she got to open her present from Vivian and David (a Care Bear)

Then our big girl was off to preschool with the shirt Aunt Kristi made her.

When Dad got home from work, she got to open our present for her. A new bike! She's still a bit nervous to ride it.

Then we all got FANCY for her party!

All of her friends came dressed in their fanciest attire. It was so fun to see them all dressed up. We played "bracelet, bracelet, necklace" (just like duck, duck, goose)


And pin the bow on Lucy

Aunt Jayna helped everyone make a fancy bracelet or necklace to take home.

The whole gang . . .

My favorite part was watching them dance to the ABC's. They were so confident as they all danced and sang with all their hearts. Oh how I hope this sweet innocence lasts a very long time for my children.

Then there was cake-that of course had to be PINK!

Happy birthday to our fancy four year-old, Lucy! We love you!

4 years ago today . . .

2011-11-07T07:51:00.000-07:00

This little firecracker stole all of our hearts. We love you Lucy. Happy Birthday! I am so grateful to be your Mom.

Pledge by Lucy

2011-11-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

here

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

The day started with preschool at our house. The kids got to wear their costumes, have a parade, read Where The Wild Things Are, decorate trick-or-treat bags, pretend to go trick-or-treating, pretend to pass out treats and they were going to decorate a gourd they picked from our garden, but they were a bit too cold for the stickers to stick to so it turned into a take home activity.

Then Grandma & Grandpa Sampson and Grandma Kay came to have dinner with us and see everyone in their costumes.

Here we are ready to trick-or-treat

Heidi came along for the adventure. Lucy loved her pirate costume.

David's first time trick-or-treating-he loved it! And Lucy was an old pro.

Although David didn't quite understand why we couldn't just stop and eat each candy we were given. He was a bit confused why we just stuck it in a bag and moved on.

And Vivian just enjoyed being outside. She got a bit fussy after we had been out for about an hour (yep, it took us 90 minutes to visit 15 houses!) But then she fell asleep. Such a sweet little Halloween.

Ward Carnival

2011-11-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

Such a cute mouse with her cheese

David stole the show as a puppy (he kept saying, "Doggy")

and our cute kitty who of course had to be PINK!

such a happy time!

the cat and mouse

The farmer with his animals

The Farmer in the dell, The Farmer's Wife, the dog, the cat, the mouse and the cheese!

Pumpkin time

2011-10-27T15:28:00.001-07:00

This year our garden produced EIGHT pumpkins! After sharing some with friends and family, this is what we did with the rest. These foam stickers were a hit! The kids loved decorating their pumpkins and could do it very independently. So fun.

David was fascinated with decorating his pumpkin.

Lucy was so pleased with her creation.

David carried his pumpkin all over and was so sad when he couldn't take it to bed with him. When Marc came home he showed it to him and would say, "Ok put it on." Just as I said as I would hand him a new sticker.

Our good friends Heidi and Yvette came over that night to make cookies and carve pumpkins with us.

David was fascinated by the whole carving idea. After Heidi carved this one, he brought me his pumpkin with the stickers on it and said, "Open it."

Even little Vivi was a part of the action. Happy Harvest!

To remember . . .

2011-10-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

Lately I have discovered that my mind has been both a dear friend and terrible enemy. I am so thankful for the moments my mind can so vividly recall the moments of sweet Jonah running through my kitchen or playing with David. David always loved to see Jonah. He couldn't resist patting him on top of the head. They had this "game" they'd play where Jonah would make a mess and David would clean it up. All the while David would say, "Clean-up!" while Jonah happily made more and more messes completely oblivious to David's desires to be tidy. I treasure the sweet memories I have of watching Julie lovingly mother Jonah. She was always so aware of his every need. I remember giving Jonah his first hair cut and he kept turning to see what I was doing. Julie was quick to point out that because his hearing aid was off, he probably couldn't tell what was happening to him until I physically touched him. She knew him so well. It was beautiful to see. These thoughts bring me great joy.

And at the same time, I find myself getting so frustrated with my memory. I do not like that I keep having to have this conversation with my mind. It goes something like this: I recall that Jonah passed away and then I have this desperate thought, "No, no it must have all just been a bad dream." Then I must AGAIN remind myself that it wasn't just a dream and I have to validate my thoughts with all the things that have occurred (The ER room, the funeral, visiting with Julie, etc) to lay enough proof for my mind to accept that this really did happen and my poor friend is facing every mother's worst nightmare. It is an emotion I have never before experienced.

We were told that it takes the brain a full year to comprehend death especially when it is someone you are close to. In a lot of ways this makes sense. I can see how this is your mind's way of helping you deal with something so extreme that if we were capable of understanding it all at once, it would probably be far too much to bear. So in that regard, I thank my mind for easing me in to this understanding. I would imagine when all is said and done, I will be grateful for the TIME it is taking me to travel this road of grief and understanding. I would like to think I will eventually even understand and appreciate my brain for acting in the way it has. For now, I do not fully understand it.

I do know this. I know that I am grateful for nights with little sleep because they are the result of moments I could share with my babies. I know I would rather have the time to play with my two-year-old than the time to take a nap. I know that dear friends are one of the greatest blessings we're given on this earth. I know that I live a charmed life and I need to do a better job at showing my gratitude for it. I know that life is really really hard. And yet it is through life's trials that we get the opportunity to learn who we really are, who and how we really love and what it means to feel all of the emotions God has blessed us with.

And for all this that I know; I am grateful. I am grateful for the mind that lets me know. The mind that lets me remember the sweetness and shelters me from the sadness. And a brain that lets me know I don't have to know it all. That for now, it's ok to wonder, "Why?" and to be confused. Because above everything else that I know; I know God lives. I trust that He knows. And I know I am His child and it's ok to be confused. He will lead me.

The Grotto

2011-10-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite family hikes is The Grotto by Payson Lake.

Even with the kids walking on their own, we still get to a cool destination in about 15-20 minutes.

Here it is! (David was still with us, he was just having too much fun playing with the rocks)

Can you see Lucy?

Heading down looking for caterpillars and enjoying the beauty of the changing leaves. Gorgeous!

Lucy's way of helping Vivian:

2011-10-23T14:26:00.000-07:00

Only a big sister would realize that all her little sister really needed was a computer!

I love . . .

2011-10-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Mornings like this. I hope Lucy & David will continually be friends. Hearing them laugh together melts my heart.

One of . . .

2011-10-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

The best purchases we've ever made. All of our babies love to swing. Now if we could just find a place to hang up another two somewhere . . .

5 months of sweetness

2011-10-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

How can it possibly be five months since sweet Vivian entered our lives? That smile says it all, she is the definition of joy and we are so thankful to have her in our family.

This little lady loves to go on walks and hikes. She has spent a good number of hours hanging out in that baby carrier. The bjorn is a given tool that will make her happy (accompanied with walking once it's on of course). She is a happy little hiker and can rarely resist the urge to take a little snooze once she's in there. Oh, she melts my heart!

She is growing well and seems to be cutting teeth?!? Thank goodness for her Sophie the giraffe, she loves that thing. She is currently on her third cold (poor third child). The other two resulted in ear infections so I am keeping my fingers crossed that this one will not have the same result. She is very talkative (I swear she says "hi" all the time and last night I think she said, "Dad"). She thinks Lucy is just about the coolest thing around (David is starting to be pretty neat too). I love to see her flap her arms and kick her legs when she sees me. She makes this "stop everything and coo" movement that is reserved just for me and I love it. I can't resist picking her up when I walk past her and she gives me her best smile and love in her eyes. She has got my number and I am just fine with that. We love you Vivi!

Pumpkinland take 4

2011-10-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

Our fourth pilgrimage to Pumpkinland went down like this: David thought everything was great. He liked the larger sized pumpkins the most and really enjoyed the lights in the "spook alley"

This little lady was super. She was happy to be held the whole time and shook her little hands and feet with excitement with each new thing she saw and as she watched her brother and sister running all around.

The Steed Men sure are amazing Daddies!

Exploring the outskirts of the corn maze.

We got to go with some of our favorite people: Aunt Jayna, Uncle Ryan, Eliza and Norah!

We have a picture with our family here when Lucy was the one in the bjorn, one with David in the bjorn and now it's Vivian's turn! We are so blessed.

Lucy is such a sweetheart. She had so much fun running and playing with Eliza & David and she was great to hold Vivian for pictures.

Oh sweet little Vivian, how you brighten our days!

Lucy being the scarecrow.

We decided to take these little pumpkins home with us!

David thought being surrounded by pumpkins was incredible. He kept saying, "Pumpkin! Big pumpkin!"

This makes me smile.

And so does this.


Came home with the cutest pumpkin from the patch.

Today . . .

2011-10-14T11:46:00.001-07:00

We went to Sam's Club to pick up some medicine. While we were waiting, I got the kids a hot dog (yes, you read that right) and then we watched Lion King in the tv section while they ate their hot dogs. When we walked out, it was a beautiful day so we walked over to a stream and fed the birds the buns from the hot dogs. It was wonderful.

Lucy: Forty-Seven Months

2011-10-07T06:26:00.002-07:00

Dear Lucy-

Recently your friend Jonah passed away. He was only 14 months old. As touchingly documented by Mom, we as your parents have learned some important lessons. As I mentioned to your brother, I will be writing you a monthly letter as well.

Here are some things I've noticed about you during the past month:

You have a beautiful smile. I love how your entire face lights up when you laugh and you show all your pretty teeth. I am grateful that you have lots of opportunities to smile, and I hope you always will. Now if I could only get you to smile that way when I take your picture.
You have a knack for figuring out technology. It's not a problem now for Mom or me to ask you to set up the iPad, start a DVD or VHS, or navigate the PBSKids website using a trackpad. As we speak you are playing a matching game on the iPad.
You've learned to push the swing. This has been a critical lesson in cause and effect. Indeed, I think you are realizing that cause-effect relationships apply in other areas of life as well. This is a lesson I hope you never forget, especially as life gets more complicated.
You love your sister. You frequently stop whatever you are doing and want to get her attention. You call her "chubs," "boop," and other variations of those nicknames. You are often the first one to notice when she wakes from her naps. Sometimes when Vivian is fussy, you are the one we turn to to help calm her down. I'm excited to see how this sisterhood bond develops over the years.
You are an extrovert. You like to have the attention of others, and you're verbal enough to be interesting to adults. For example, the other day you wanted to talk to someone about inertia and simple levers. Who wouldn't want to hear about those things from an almost-four-year-old?
You love to move. Dance class is a favorite activity, and you are certain to show me what you learned in your most recent class. Last night, we put on some kid's music and danced throughout the house. You absolutely loved it!

When I talk with your sisters, I remind them of something that I think every girl should believe about themselves. I say it to them every time, with the hopes that it will become a part of their belief system. I'll expound upon it a little this time, but in the future will sign off in the typical fashion I use with your sisters.

Remember that you are a good girl. Remember that you are beautiful on the inside. Remember that you are pretty on the outside. Remember that you are smart.

Love,

-Dad

And a child shall teach them . . .

2011-10-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday my dear friend was at our home with her sweet son, Jonah. While they were here, Jonah choked on a fruit snack and died. It was tragic, it was awful, and it was very very painful to watch my friend have to go through this. Despite all of that, I am so grateful God put me in the place I needed to be so that I could be there for my friend in her most difficult moment.

It has been just under a week since sweet Jonah left this earth. A lot of tears have been shed, many sleepless nights have been endured, and many moments of comfort and healing have been embraced.

I want to take a moment to try to share some of my thoughts on what this little 14 month old boy (along with his mother) have taught me.

-Life is precious: We had been canning spaghetti sauce and I needed to go pick up Lucy from dance class (literally a 5 minute task). In the time I was gone, the accident occurred.

-There is a power in sisterhood: Although I came home to a tragic scene of an ambulance, firetruck, cop cars and all my neighbors standing in MY front yard, the memory I have in my heart is that of sisterhood. Sisterhood because one friend was there holding my dear friend Julie while two other sisters were holding my children and yet another sister was running down the street to see how she could help. These sweet sisters looked at me as the ambulance was pulling away (I had been out of my car at this point maybe 60 seconds) and they said, "Go be with her. We have your babies. GO". And I went.

-God comforts us even when we may not want to hear what He has to tell us. I prayed like I have NEVER prayed before that God would heal Jonah. Each time I prayed, it felt so empty and I just kept thinking I had to pray harder. As the moments went on, I realized this was God helping me accept what was going to happen.

-God is in the details of our lives: There were so many tender mercies that occurred throughout this event. One that stands out, was that a blanket (that was not there when I left) was laying on the porch for Julie to place my Vivian on so she could care for her son. Oh if we could only see the many angels that must surround us.

-Our baptismal covenant to mourn with those who mourn is so real and so needed. Do we fully comprehend it's value? Are we too quick to jump to the comfort and lifting of burdens? Mourning with those who mourn is vital.

-Take TIME for those you love: That morning as we made spaghetti sauce, Jonah came running in to see what was making the nose coming from the blender. I scooped him up so he could have a look. Oh how I treasure this moment. I am committed to having many more moments like these with my children. I want to be continually caught up in the wonderment of my childrens' lives.

-In the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye can’t see. I had to pick my car up from the shop the next day and everyone in there was just so happy and fine. I literally had to stop myself from turning to them and saying, "Did you know Jonah died?" Oh how we must be patient with one another.

-When all is said and done, life is about relationships:I am so thankful Julie and I have made the time to be in the details of each other's life. I love her. I love her husband. I love her Jonah. She is my sister.

-There is power in the resurrection: After this occurred I kept wondering how I would even begin to explain this to my children. How will I teach Lucy about death? The thought made my mind spin. Then my sweet husband reminded me, we will teach them this by accompanying our lessons with insights on the resurrection. Oh how this put my mind at ease.

The aching is still so real. The pain is still very strong. The heartache and loss is incomprehensible. It is a difficult time. And the knowledge and insights are incredible. And most importantly, the love I have in my heart for my children, my husband, and for Julie and her sweet family has grown to a level I did not before comprehend.

David: Twenty-Eight Months

2011-09-30T21:05:00.004-07:00

Dear David-

A few days ago I learned an important lesson from your good friend, Jonah. He taught me that life is precious and that circumstances can change quickly and unexpectedly. You don't realize it, but you will miss him. I miss him, too. Even at this young age, he's been a great friend to you, and you to him.

So, with that sobering reminder fresh in my mind, I've decided to write you a letter on the monthly anniversary of your birthday. Without further ado, here are some things I've noticed about you during the past month:

You have a kind heart. I've known this for a while, but it's been reinforced to me almost daily. When Vivian is crying, you come tell me. You don't like it when people are upset with you and you try to quickly assure your positive standing by approaching them for hugs. I love that you're tender-hearted. I would much rather have you be so than to have you be insensitive.
You like to read. When I read books to you at night, you will ask for "that book" and read it again to yourself while Lucy and I are singing the night-time song. Sometimes you read out loud about "Max" or about "Love you through and through."
Your curiosity about how things works fascinates me. When I swing you in the porch swing, you look up to where the chain is connected. When playing with the garden hose, you study how the water comes out, and what happens when you put your finger over the end. I wonder what you will do with this curiosity you have.
You are sticking up better for yourself with your sister. Lucy has long known that she can "boss" you around. I've noticed now that you're tolerating that behavior from her less and less. Good for you, son; while I appreciate your gentle soul, I don't want you to be a pushover. And...sometime in the very near future, I think you and Lucy are going to both come to the realization that younger doesn't necessarily mean smaller.
You are doing great "using your words" when you get frustrated. You still scream, but when prompted, will with increasing frequency explain what has upset you, or what you want. Thank you for this. I appreciate understanding.

Thanks for being my good, smart, handsome man.

Love,

Dad

Dancing

2011-09-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

My sister got my girls these leotards when I was pregnant with Vivian. After I got Lucy ready for dance today, I just had to put Vivian in her dance outfit too! Oh the joys of raising little ladies!

Handsome Jack

2011-09-21T14:48:00.001-07:00

Oh my dear sweet David . . . you have owned my heart from the very first moment you entered this world. As much as I hate to admit this, I am afraid you sometimes take a backseat as the middle child. Daddy and I talked about this and we decided that he would take your sisters each week so that I could have time to just be with you. I TREASURED this time with you. We played with cars, read all your favorite books (over and over again), went on a walk, made snowmen out of the playdough we made together, and I took the time to just sit back and watch you play. You are such a clever boy. You are constantly trying to figure out how things work. You like to take different balls and throw them down the hill in our backyard and you study what is going on each time. I am in awe with your brain. It also melts my heart to hear you "read" your favorite books. The Big Hungry Bear and The Gingerbread Man are your current favorites. I love when you look up at me and say, "Can't catch me! I'm the gingerbread man!" Or when you see the strawberry in the big hungry bear book and say, "Isguised" (disguised) and then you point to the strawberry with glasses and a mustache on and say "Otato head!" (potato head). We love you David. I hope you will always know the joy you bring into our lives.

4 months

2011-09-20T14:52:00.000-07:00

Sweet Vivian is 4 months old! We are all still madly in love with her, she is still a great sleeper, she still loves to nurse and Lucy is still her biggest fan! She is my easiest baby thus far and just seems to genuinely love being around others. She will give a smile to almost anyone at almost anytime. She really knows who I am and is beginning to think Marc is pretty cool too. We Love you Vivian!

First day of pre-school

2011-09-12T09:21:00.001-07:00

Lucy has started preschool! She won't start kindergarten for two more years so we're doing a neighborhood co-op this year. I am excited for it (but not near as excited as Lucy is). We made a calendar for her to track when preschool was starting and when the day finally came, she wore her backpack around all morning. I love it.

I am working with some incredible mothers and we decided we wanted our focus for our childrens' first school experience to be centered around values. I love that I can be doing this in my child's life. I've always been a teacher, but being able to use my skills with my own children is heaven.

*Note: We just went next door for her first class. As we started to go out the front door, Lucy turned to me and said, "Mom I know where I'm going." When I asked if I could go with her because I was excited to see her start preschool, she said, "Um, ok."

Things I'm grateful for on a Thursday afternoon

2011-09-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

I'm grateful for a little boy's smile that beams with pride in his ability to "help" clean up the house by putting everything in the sink. I'm grateful for my new couch, but even more than that, I'm grateful for a husband who willingly helped me plan the new layout for our family room. I'm grateful Vivian likes to fall asleep best by nursing . . . I love the tender connection this brings to us. I love that Lucy does yoga in her dance class. I love that I have a Lucy and Vivi. I'm thankful for a little boy's sweet expression to his sister every time he says, "Thank you Wucy." I can't get enough of hearing David say, "humidifier, lamisil and Abinadi". I'm in love with hearing my children talk about letters and colors. I'm grateful to be married to the man of my dreams. I'm thankful he so lovingly puts up with my emotions. I'm grateful I didn't marry any of the other men I knew before I met him. I'm thankful for students I can associate with through BYU (both past and present). I'm grateful one of my closest friends right now is a woman twice my age who I serve with in the church. I'm thankful I don't have to know it all. I'm grateful for forgiving children. I'm grateful for the atonement that affords me the promise of starting new every day. I'm thankful for the brownie recipe that is worth only 2 points on Weight Watchers. I'm also thankful for vanilla cupcakes that are worth a lot more than 2 points. I'm thankful for a dear friend that knows how to show up at the perfect time. I'm grateful I can read to my children.

Little Vivian is 3 Months Old

2011-08-26T10:25:00.003-07:00


A few stats: Weight: 13 lbs 7 oz Length: 24 in

A few highlights: Champion sleeper (10pm-7am), very sweet baby, so mellow, beautiful smile, in love with her big sister, just starting to get anxious with strangers, loves to talk with her stuffed animals, very verbal (nursing takes twice as long because she has to stop frequently to tell me something-I love it), loves to be outside, loves to listen to Daddy's voice, bath time is a favorite activity, and my most cherished highlight: she is a great cuddler.

Ever since birth if Vivian was upset, as soon as you even started to help her she would calm down. She is a very grateful baby. I know that may sound weird to say about a baby, but I truly see her gratitude the moment I begin to help her and it melts my heart.

Truly our home has been blessed with an angel

My attempt to get all 3 of my children in the same picture . . .

2011-08-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

What we've been up to . . .

2011-08-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

Vivian modeling her yoga skirt from Grandma

Vivian is working hard on growing

Lucy can always get her to smile.

See the cars by the tv? David always has to put them there no matter how many times I take them down.

Lucy reading to Vivian. Melt my heart!

Vivian loves to talk with her fishy friends on the swing. (All my kids have loved those fish)

We play outside A LOT!

This onesie from my sister cracks me up! And isn't Vivian adorable!

Vegas

2011-08-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Our welcoming note from our cute nephews.

Vivian's first time swimming. She's not yet a fan. But boy was I grateful for the relief from the heat!

Remember when you just hung out in your swimming suit? Oh the days . . .

Grandpa with his two newest additions: Jane and Vivian (they are just 1 month apart).

Marc stuck Vivian here and she was instantly swarmed by her fan club. It was so cute.

All four of us sisters (ok so none of us are blood related, but we're sisters nevertheless) had babies within 10 months of each other 2 years ago

And two years later . . . we had another set!

The happy family all together to share in the celebration of sweet Jane.

A beautiful moment on the drive home when all three kids were sleeping!


Which led to some very happy parents who enjoyed an opportunity to chat without interruptions. Happy roadtrip!

Today . . .

2011-08-12T12:33:00.006-07:00

Today I got spit-up on my shirt and I didn't mind because it meant I have a baby in my home to call my own.
Today I didn't get dressed until lunch time and I didn't care because it meant I was busy playing with my sweet children.
Today I sat in a rocking chair until my back ached and I rejoiced because it meant I was holding the precious baby sent to me from above.
Today I listened again to my daughter tell me about The Wizard of Oz and I smiled because of the gift that is mine to raise her.
Today I tickled my son as he threw a tantrum while I changed his diaper because I was thankful for the strength he's been blessed with.
Today I reflected on a sweet baby and dear mother who will not have the same blessings today that I will.
Today I took time to be thankful for the simple things.

Sweet Ruby Jane

2011-08-11T18:29:00.002-07:00

One of my former students has a sweet little daughter named Ruby Jane who is in desperate need of a liver transplant. Will you please take a moment to pray for her and her dear family.

The more I get to know Ruby and hear of her Mom's trials, the more I recognize just how very blessed I am. They both have taught me how magical it is to be a part of the simple things in life. Through their example I find myself getting on the floor and playing with my children more. I embrace the opportunities I have to do things for my children like bathe them or sing to them as I get them dressed. I welcome opportunities to feed and eat a meal with my family. I find myself holding my children a little longer and listening a bit more intently. I laugh more and get frustrated less. And I find myself welcoming the opportunities we have to just be at home with each other. Simply put, I have been taught (and reminded) the blessing it is to be a Mom.
***I wrote this last night and I just learned that sweet little Ruby is now resting in heaven, no longer in pain.

4 Generations

2011-08-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

Grandma Sampson, Dad, Me and sweet Vivian

Great Grandma telling Vivian Rose about her Grandma Rose. "She was loved by everyone."

Five years ago today . . .

2011-08-05T00:14:00.015-07:00

who would have known we'd go from this . . .

to this! Thanks for the incredible journey of love, laughter and increase!

Hiking for 5 hours with 4 kids 4 and under . . .

2011-08-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

We rode the ski lift at Sundance to hike to Stewart Falls. Part way up, Vivian decided she needed to nurse. It was a bit of an adventure, but we pulled it off.

My sister and her boys joined us. They were in love with the scenery (who wouldn't be)

Here we are: 2 month old on Mom in the Bjorn, 2 year-old on Dad in the Kelty and the 3 1/2 year-old hiking on her own-sheesh!

The 3 1/2 year-old got some lifts from a very strong Daddy most of the way.

Sweet Vivian slept most of the way. That Bjorn is magical!

There was a lot more water this year, so my strong husband helped/carried everyone over this part.

except for me, because I'm rugged!

We made it! I love this site and I love this hike!

The kids loved playing in the water-especially David!

Our newest addition to the hiking crew.

The hike was a loop, so the best part of the hike was getting to the end of the trail (the beginning for many who don't take the lift) and after some pretty intense hiking with some very young children, we see the trail was actually closed!!! Bless our hearts.

Family Photo Shoot . . . which one is wall worthy?

2011-07-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

1) The orchard

2) The castle

And some more that we liked . . .

Your thoughts?

2 months stats

2011-07-22T13:12:00.000-07:00


Can you believe it's been 2 months already???

Weight: 11lbs 13 oz (76th percentile)

Length: 23 inches (82nd percentile)

Head: 16 inches (90th percentile)

Way to go healthy Vivian!

And can I just add that I am SHOCKED that 2 of my 3 three children are above the 80th percentile for height!?!

Birds!

2011-07-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Some barn swallows made a nest right outside our back door. We have really enjoyed watching them.

There are three babies. Can you see them all?

The one with its mouth open seems to be the most dominant.


Here's their Momma (or Daddy?) Two birds took their turns making the nest and now take their turns feeding the babies. They are constantly feeding their babies. They started building their nest a few days after Vivian was born. I have enjoyed comparing the responsibilities of caring for a little one with them. Sometimes the Momma has to just sit and rest on the ledge after several feeding trips while her babies still squack in the background. I feel for her.

Lucy calls her . . .

2011-07-19T15:27:00.000-07:00

Chubs ;)

How to take a photo shoot of the 3rd child

2011-07-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

First brother and sister will make sure her headband is on straight.

Then sister will tell brother not to touch her

Sister will point out the cute saying on her shirt

Brother will adjust the headband while sister gets her to smile

Brother will offer her a ball. Because, who wouldn't want a ball?

Child number three will raise her hand as a warning that she just might be done with all this attention.

And Mom will try another day to get a cute picture of JUST the baby.

Just some cute shots of Little Miss Vivian

2011-07-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love to dress her up. As Marc says, "Girls never lose their dolls, they just grow-up and call them daughters."

Lucy adores her little Vivian. She is an incredible big sister.

She sleeps best on a bit of a tilt. She seems to like the swing or her little papasan chair best. I could stare at her sleeping all day!

This past week, Vivian has really started to focus on things and to smile. I love this phase of awareness. I can just feel her connecting to my soul when she looks at me.

I love how it looks like she is laughing in this shot when in reality I think she is just about to cry.

Poor Vivian. She is usually very content. What I love best is that if she is upset, the moment you begin to help her, she will start to calm down. She is such a grateful baby.

And she could not be more loved. We all love and adore her to pieces. What an amazing blessing this sweet baby is to our family.

Princess Dance Camp

2011-07-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

Lucy attended princess dance camp and it was completely magical! She went each day for 3 hours for a total of 4 days. Each day centered around a princess and her attributes. They started each day with dancing to music connected to the princess, had a healthy snack, then had a story time and craft and ended the day with another healthy snack and choreographing dances. Lucy loved it. Every day she came home excited to tell me about the princess they talked about and to show me her craft. She also showed me all sorts of dances. It was so fun to watch her be a part of something so wonderful. I loved having her tell me all about it.

This boy

2011-07-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

Loves to figure things out. If it is something with an on/off switch; odds are David will love it. I love to watch him try to figure things out. He is such a boy and it simply fascinates me to watch him.

Happy 4th!

2011-07-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Vivian was very patriotic.

On our way to the parade! Daddy was already there (he had been saving us seats since 4:30 am)

Lucy with her dear friend, Leo.

The cannons were a bit traumatic.

As for tradition, we had friends and family over to our house for waffles after the parade (forgot to take pictures-but they were YUMMY!). That night for dinner, of course we barbecued!


Then we watched a movie with our cousin. She stayed for a week to help and it was wonderful!

Happy Independence!

Testimony

2011-07-11T13:46:00.000-07:00


Lucy brought this in to me the other day and said, "This is my testimony. It says, 'We should be good so Heavenly Father can help us. Jesus loves us. Do not run in the street. Amen."'

How boring my life would be without her!

I love . . .

2011-06-28T11:29:00.001-07:00

moments like this

Hailey graduated

2011-06-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of the beautiful young woman Hailey has turned into. Marc flew out to see her graduate on Friday.

She is heading off to the school of her choice where she will study fashion design.

Such great sisters. I'm sure it will be hard for them to be away from each other.

One very proud Pappa. Way to go Hailey!

Blessing sweet Vivian

2011-06-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

Vivian received a name and a blessing from her Daddy on Father's Day. The blanket was made by my Mom with scraps left over from when she made my wedding dress.

I absolutely fell in love with this dress when I saw it and isn't that sweet slip to die for. I was worried it would be too small when I bought it and it turns out she was swimming in it!

Our little sweetheart in her slip. We snapped this shot about 10 minutes before church was starting!

Sweet Vivian Rose all ready to receive a lovely blessing from her Daddy. She was perfect through the blessing-I understand Uncle Ryan was in charge of the binky-good job Uncle Ryan!

Marc gave her a tender blessing. Parts that stand out to me most was that he told her how grateful we were to have her as a part of our family, he also blessed her with a great intellect and a kind heart. He always uses the most beautiful words when he gives blessings and I am always so touched.

Such sweet sisters. I love how much Lucy adores her little Vivi.

We didn't get pictures of the many family and friends who came to support us on this special day. But here is a shot of Marc and me with our three babies. Can you believe in less than five years time I have gone from single to this! Life is wonderful.

Dear Vivian, we are so very thankful you are a part of our family. We love you. We know you were meant to be our's. We treasure your sweetness daily.

What's in a name?

2011-06-16T04:27:00.001-07:00


Vivian Rose

When I was pregnant with David and we still didn't know if he would be a boy or a girl, I thought the name Vivian would be a nice name if we had a girl. When I shared this name with my mother-in-law she said that was the middle name of Marc's Great-great Grandma and that she had always loved that name. I then learned that Lucille Ball's sidekick Ethel's real name was Vivian and I thought it was fitting since we already had a Lucy. Then when Vivian was born, just before we named her, I kept thinking how great "Lucy and Vivi" sounded together and they just seemed to work very well together. Marc agreed, we prayed about it and we have loved the name for her ever since. People often comment about what a "beautiful" name it is. We agree.

Her middle name, Rose, was my Chinese name given to me by my host family when I lived in Asia. We thought it sounded lovely with Vivian and was a way to name her after me. After she was born, my Grandma reminded me that Rose was the name of my Great-great Grandma. I had forgotten about this, but I thought it was wonderful that our little Vivi will carry the names of her Great-great-great Grandmothers on both sides. May the legacy continue . . .

Road trip to Idaho

2011-06-15T08:52:00.001-07:00

My sweet cousin, Mandy got married last Saturday so we braved a road trip with three small children and headed up for the party. This was also Vivian's first time to meet her Great Grandma.

The lovely couple with most of our family (David was running down the hill). Doesn't Vivian look like a doll?

Lucy was mesmerized by the bride.

This girl was in love with the whole wedding idea.

Marc snapped this little beauty. Isn't it a great shot.

What are these two up to?

Marc caught this picture of David with his hands full of candy. Such a cutie.

2 week stats

2011-06-09T07:35:00.000-07:00

Our little munchkin was our first baby to be above her birth weight at her two week appointment (the other two were actually below). Way to go Vivian (and Mommy for finally figuring out the whole nursing/supplementing thing).


2 week stats: 7lbs 11 oz (from 7lbs 6 oz), 21 1/2 inches long (from 19 1/2 inches) 100% adorable!

How we have been spending our days . . .

2011-06-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

Vivian can usually be found sleeping. She really is such a good baby. Great sleeper. Great eater. Yay!

Lucy LOVES her baby sister. She is always willing to hold her and sing her songs.

I am in love with having daughterS. What a special spirit enters the home when sisters are there.

Sweet David is just in love with Vivian. Unfortunately he likes to show his love by poking her all over the face. Yesterday he was bouncing a tennis ball on her head. Tricky.

Vivian passed the bilirubin test! Thank goodness we didn't have to keep getting those tests done.

We have been blessed with lovely weather and a great backyard so we have been enjoying much of our days outside. (Vivi's first picnic)

They are so in love and I am constantly watching that little boy's hands.

Some day the scriptures might be more exciting to her.

growing is a pretty exhausting thing.

Pretty much we're all just obsessed with this little piece of heaven . . .

Happy Birthday Son

2011-05-31T12:30:00.000-07:00


Happy 2nd Birthday to our: Handsome Jack, Boy, Man, Lion . . . David Andrew. We love the sweet joy and rough tenderness you bring into our home.

Happy Sunday!

2011-05-29T08:19:00.000-07:00

Vivian is wearing her first dress (it is the same dress Lucy wore for the first time too). Marc is off to church with Lucy & David and I am home with our newest angel until she's a little older to fight off germs. We're listening to lovely hymns and I have to smile when I think about Marc at church with Lucy & David-they can be a handful ;)

Lucy's first dance recital

2011-05-27T14:02:00.002-07:00

I kept saying my last week of pregnancy that the baby could come any time after Saturday so we could make it to Lucy's dance recital. Well, the baby came on Friday so I didn't make it to the recital, but we were able to get ourselves together enough to get everyone else there. Above, Lucy's teacher is helping her see where to go since she missed the dress rehearsal. After they left the stage to go to the green room, Lucy looked up at Marc and said, "Dad, I just want to dance on the stage."

I think the following pictures show on her face just how much she loves being on the stage!

My favorite picture of the night. She is so happy.

The recital was to The Wizard of Oz and when a certain little poppy misses dress rehearsal because her sister was just born, she may have to be escorted off the stage by Dorothy after all the other little poppies have left.

At the end the dancers all got flowers. It sounds like it was wonderful. I can't wait to watch the DVD.

Little Vivi's first photo shoot

2011-05-25T13:48:00.001-07:00

Yes, we are THOSE parents who could not resist the ridiculously overpriced photos they take of your baby at the hospital. I just couldn't stand the thought of knowing such adorable pictures existed of my baby and I wouldn't have copies of them.
Oh I love them and I love this baby!

Vivian's Birth Story

2011-05-24T09:59:00.017-07:00

Let's begin with a small history/medical lesson. I have a genetic diagnosis of pelvic dystocia which basically means I have a small pelvis so my babies don't drop, I don't dilate and (according to my doctor) I don't go into labor on my own. My Mom and my sister have the same "thing". Therefore, Lucy and David were both planned c-sections. It's really pretty sweet for my personality. I get everything all ready, the house is clean, the babysitters (my parents) know weeks in advance of the plan, etc, etc. So when my doctor told me a few months ago we were planning to have Vivian on May 25th at 7:30am, I moved forward with "the plan". I even believed so strongly in this plan that I was so bold as to say to people when they would make comments like, "Well you know babies come whenever they come." That I would respond with something to the effect of: "Well not my babies. They are planned." Boy did I eat those words!

The week prior to Vivian's birth I kept having A LOT of pressure in my lower pelvis. There were even a few times I could not walk because of this pressure. When I explained this to my doctor he told me it was because it was my third baby and they were fairly close etc, etc. So I just went with it. I left my appointment on Tuesday, May 17th with the plan to see my doctor in a week on May 25th at 7:30am in the operating room for my PLANNED c-section.

The pressure still continued, but I just went with it. Then on Thursday I saw my chiropractor who helped relieve the pressure a bit. Friday morning (May 20th) Marc got up at about 6am and headed off to exercise and then he would go to work from there. We had our prayers and I stayed in bed to rest until Lucy & David got up.

A little before 7am Lucy came in and asked me for some milk. I got up, took a little drink of water and brought her some milk in her room. As I stood up from handing her the milk, the thought came to me, "I just peed my pants." I had not done this yet with this pregnancy, but I knew it was a common thing to do while pregnant. I thought, "Well I've got 6 more days left and I wonder what else will go out in my body."

I went to the bathroom only to realize that there was a decent amount of fluid that had come out. I was so confused because I had no sensation of peeing and yet this trickle came out of my body??? I then thought, "Did my water just break?" I decided to give it more time and see what my body did. About 30 minutes later of an uncontrollable trickle that kept coming out, I decided I had better do something. I thought, "Either my water just broke or I have lost complete control of my bladder."

Having your water break is bizarre! You really feel like you're peeing because you have a constant trickle and yet you have no sensation of actually peeing. So crazy!

It was 7:30am at this point and I knew my doctor would be in his office at 9am. I figured I could go to his office then and he could test to see if what I was leaking amniotic fluid or not. I decided in the mean time to call my Mom to see if she could come watch the kids if we were going to be having a baby that day. She of course said she and my Dad could be right out and then she told me that I needed to call my doctor's emergency number and see what they wanted me to do.

I followed her advice and the nurse said I needed to get to the hospital within the next hour or two so they could confirm if my water had broken or not. I asked if I could just go to my doctor's office when he opened. She then said something awful, "Your doctor will be out of town until Monday!!!"

Finding out my doctor was out of town was the only time I cried.

I then began packing and I put on a movie to keep the kids busy. Marc had returned my 36 missed calls and texts at this point and I said to him, "I'm about 98% sure my water just broke." He said, "Ok, I'll be right there." And he headed home from where he was in Orem.

I explained to Lucy what was happening and that Grandma Sampson was coming to be with her. When I got done I asked, "Are you so excited to see your baby sister?" she looked at me with a smile and said, "I'm so excited to see my Grandma Sampson!"

We finished packing, showered, got ready and by that time my parents were there to watch the kids. Marc and my Dad gave me a blessing. Marc blessed me that I would have peace and comfort and that I would advocate for my needs to be as comfortable as possible. I instantly knew form the blessing that everything was going to be just fine.

It was hard to say goodbye to David because he just came over to me and cuddled me. I knew he could tell something was up, but just couldn't quite grasp it. I held him for a few minutes and then we needed to go. He cried a bit, but was perfectly content to be with his Grandma too.

I couldn't believe Marc and I were actually having a surprise birth! All the other times we headed to the hospital we had just gone on a leisurely walk, dropped our Redbox movie off and met our parents on the way. Now we were heading to the hospital completely unannounced with my pants looking like I had just peed them.

We got to the hospital and no one was at the front desk as a woman in a wheelchair in front of me was acting like her baby could come out at any moment and I stood behind her with my pants all wet. Finally someone came and took care of both of us. They got me back in a triage room and with a strip quickly confirmed the liquid coming out of me was in fact amniotic fluid and in deed, my water had broke. Marc said even my belly looked different. I was quite surprised just how much liquid kept coming out.

I technically was still not in labor as I was not dilated nor was I having any contractions. They said if they waited too long my body would eventually start contracting and since I was having a c-section anyway, they wanted to get the baby out fairly soon. My status was "urgent" but not an "emergency".

We checked in at 9:30am and the surgery was scheduled for 12:30pm. The doctors came in and introduced themselves. They were so good to visit with us and get to know us a bit before they delivered our baby (and we put our lives in their hands). My friend Julie came to watch Lucy and David so my parents could meet our little lady when she got here.

The surgery was very, very peaceful. I felt as though the anesthesiologist did everything in his power to make me as comfortable as possible. Marc was keeping me updated with comments like, "Now they're through the skin." "Now he's to the uterus" And just when he held up the camera and said, "They're all through the uterus and she's about to be born." He showed me the camera with a black screen and said, "The batteries dead!" The anesthesiologist told him to go grab his phone from our triage room, but then the nurse said, "I'll get it, you're having a baby!" She got the camera and was great to snap shots for us.

Then little Vivian was born and she just squacked and squacked. The first thing the doctor said when he pulled her out was, "Hi chub-a-lub." Then the doctor told me to look up at the ceiling and he held her up for me to see. She was just screaming and she was so petite. I was instantly in love.

Marc went back while they cleaned her up. She was born at 1:04pm, weighing 7lbs 6 oz, 19 1/2 inches long and had APGAR scores of 8 and 9 out of 10.

Marc was able to bring her out to me all wrapped up while they finished stitching me up. The two words I would use to describe the moment he brought her to me would be: love and peace. I loved having her head pressed beside mine. She was so peaceful and looked all around while she kept sticking her tongue in and out. It was the sweetest little tongue I have ever seen in my whole life.

Then Vivian needed to go to the nursery to be checked out. When they went to take her to the nursery they asked Marc if he wanted to come. He looked at me and I smiled and said, "Go be with her." He bent down and kissed me and told very slowly and sweetly, "I love you. You did great." It was a beautiful moment.

Then I just hung out with my doctors and nurses for another 20 minutes or so while they finished stitching me up. The nurse wheeled me back in the recovery room where they monitored me for about an hour. Marc, my Dad and my Mom all came in to be with me. It was like Christmas as we shared stories about what all had just happened and we looked at pictures together.

Marc and my Dad went back to be with Vivian while my Mom and I sat and enjoyed the moment together.

Finally I was able to be reunited with my daughter. My Mom handed her to me (she has been the first one to hand me all my babies). I just held her and got her all unwrapped so I could look at her. Her perfect little fingers and toes (which are all quite long might I add). I am in love with her tiny little nose. She is perfect in every way. Then I nursed her for the first time and she latched on like a champ! She has been a sweet little baby ever since.

I have treasured every moment with her. I am so grateful to be her Mom. And I am so thankful to be a Mom for the third time. I feel like I have learned how to treasure each season all the more with each baby I have had. You really understand just how quickly time passes and how beautiful each moment we have together is. I love my little Vivi.

May I also add that I love that we got to have our "surprise" birth. As scary and stressful as it was, it was also fun to call Marc and tell him my water broke and to have my parents come out to hep in the middle of the craziness. It was also fun to race off to the hospital and to be admitted without an appointment. It was all very exciting.

I also learned that it's actually quite uncommon to have your water break without being in labor first. It happens less than 10% of the time. So, thanks for the unique experience Vivian. I'm looking forward to the many more adventures you will bring our way.

Introducing . . .

2011-05-20T22:19:00.002-07:00

a lovely little lady who decided to come a little early by breaking her Mom's water.


Vivian Rose arrived at 1:04pm on May 20th

7 pounds 6 ounces

19 1/2 inches long

Simply heaven

We love her!

David turns 2 (pretty much)

2011-05-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

David will officially be 2 on May 31st, but since his baby sister will be coming on May 25th, we decided to celebrate a bit early. I had to include this picture of him in the morning. He loves his bed. He often will stay in his bed an extra 30 minutes or so just reading his books or talking to himself.

Lucy presented him with her gift. She was so excited to pick it out and give it to him. She hid it the night before behind the curtains so "David won't find it."

The golf club set was a hit. This picture is so David-squatting down and checking out things out from every angle to see how they work. Such a crack up!

They played with this for a long time. it was fun to watch.

We gave David a little piano. As you can see, they both loved this toy as well. Lucy would just play away and sing all sorts of songs while she played.

David was quite the musician as well . . .

Then we had a little party at the park. The weather was great and the kids loved playing there.

The cupcakes up close. David loved all the cars.

You can always count on Grandma when it comes to fun.

Lucy had a very important job of entertaining our guests.

while David and Daddy played in the field

blowing out the candles

eating the yummy cake

the pinata was a hit, but it took Grandpa to get it open.

Pretty sweet form

Our Handsome Jack

Happy Birthday David Andrew!!!

I had contractions once . . .

2011-05-10T09:57:00.002-07:00


(35 1/2 weeks pregnant)

Starting Thursday, April 28th I came down with a bit of the flu (and so did Lucy & David). It really wasn't that bad for me. I mostly just felt nauseous and didn't feel much like eating or drinking very much. By Saturday late afternoon it began to get worse. I went and helped out at our ward activity not feeling very well (but when do you feel well when you're pregnant?) By the time the activity was done, I told Marc I really didn't feel very good.

Soon after that, I began throwing up and my tummy would tighten really hard and it would really hurt for about 30 seconds. After about the 3rd time my tummy tightened (each was about 20 minutes apart), it dawned on me that maybe those were contractions! I called my sister-in-law (who has actually gone through the process of contractions-I have not-I just have planned c-sections) and she said if they continued for the next hour or two I should call my doctor.

After two hours of the contractions I called my doctor and spoke with the nurse. I explained to her that I had two previous planned c-sections and had never experienced contractions before and wanted to know what my doctor wanted me to do. She said, "I hate to be the one to tell you this, but if you've had two c-sections and you're having any contractions, you need to go to the hospital and be seen right away."

I started to cry and my mind felt numb. I asked Marc, "What do we need to take? Should I change out of my pajamas? Do we pack a bag?" Marc calmly reassured me I could go in my pajamas and that we didn't need to take anything. I agreed, but asked him to grab the camera just in case. Fortunately our dear friend Heidi had just happened to stop by so she stayed with the kids while we sped off to the hospital.

While at the hospital I was still throwing up and I felt MISERABLE. They had me hooked up to all these monitors and asked me all sorts of questions. My nurses were wonderful. They felt that most likely I was too dehydrated from being sick and my uterus (being the muscle that it is) was reacting to the dehydration by contracting.

They got a hold of my doctor who ordered two liters of fluid to be delivered via an I.V. as well as anti-nausea medication and some morphine. By the time I was leaving the hospital (6 hours later) I was feeling great, I got to watch a re-cap of the royal wedding (which I had missed) AND I had the most delicious popsicle I have ever eaten.

Things have been fine ever since. Fortunately I never went into labor, I was just contracting and once the dehydration was under control, I was fine. And baby was great the whole time (I loved hearing her heartbeat while we were there).

And that is the story of the time I actually had contractions.

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-08T20:24:00.000-07:00

I love that this was the wrapping for my presents (if you can't tell, the bunny bag says, "Happy Easter" on it).

Time was tight in order to get to get to church by 9am, but Marc still made sure to make me breakfast. Oh and best gift of all, he got to come to church with us and didn't have his BYU meetings!

Me with my sweet babies. I love that Mother's Day allowed me to reflect and treasure the sweetness of my children.

We wanted to make sure this lady was a part of the festivities. She'll be making her debut in less than 17 days!

Then my sweet love grilled some delicious chicken as part of a lovely dinner he made for me. Note: he is grilling for me in the rain, David is playing in the rain (in his church clothes) and although you can't see; Lucy is dressed up as Dorothy as she sings, Somewhere over the rainbow. I love my life!

And for dessert: a delicious cake decorated by my children.

This was my most memorable gift of all. The kids were so proud of it, it was yummy and I loved that Marc would be patient enough with them to have them decorate it. I treasure my family and I feel honored to be a Mom.

Nursery reveal (before and after)

2011-05-05T07:32:00.001-07:00

As embarrassing as these are to show; I am pleased with the end result. Before this room was the nursery, it was the "office". Which when translated correctly means: "The catch-all room".

Because we had the space, we'd just put whatever we needed to in this room and shut the door.

As you can see, it was pretty bad.

It's also where David would take his naps

And would you look at her now! All clean, freshly painted and ready for our little lady!

The crib up-close.

I love the bumper pad. Isn't my Mom amazing! She also made the valance, the curtain to hide the shelves, the bed skirt and blanket and . . .

Lovely little shelves filled with delicate things like: the tea set my Grandma made me when I was little, the statue my mom has and she gave to all of her daughters, the pillow my Grandma embroidered, the sign my best friend sent me when I was having Lucy and some treasured books.

I love this picture. The two things currently hanging on the walls of the nursery are: a picture of The Savior with the children and the alphabet. As I looked at that last night I thought how fitting the pictures were. What more could I want for this baby than for her to have the gospel and a love of learning in her life.

And an up-close shot of the rug (with some cute little Lucy toes) that the moment I saw it, I had to have it . We are very excited for our newest family member to join the family.

In honor of the royal wedding . . .

2011-04-30T07:21:00.002-07:00

I made a fascinator for the baby! It was so fun to create. Marc's response was, "It actually turned out a lot cuter than I thought." I can't wait to see her model it. And just to clarify, only the pink part is what she'll wear.

David knows his letter sounds

2011-04-27T14:39:00.000-07:00

I didn't even realize he knew all of his letter sounds until one day Lucy was singing this song to him and he knew all of them! Such a smart little boy. David 23 months.