How Did We Do This?

I look at pictures of a few years ago, how did we make it through? And here we are doing it again!!
Here are some old timey photos.

Hazel is officially sealed to Nathan and I through a ceremony in the Temple. She was officially our daughter by law a few days earlier.

I don't think you can deny that CC and James look alike, this is CC

Thing 1

Thing 2

Hazel newborn

A Case for Benevolence

I believe how I treat my older child is how my oldest child treats the children under her. When I snap at her and feel ill tempered, I see her turn right around and lay it on CC. Not fair. If I want kindness in my home. I must show kindness, not just require it.

I believe in many ways the oldest child sets the tone for the other children. My older sister never learned how to dive so none of us did, she ran cross country, so I did etc...

Hazel will use anything she has, for a bow and arrow, I am telling you the girl is fierce

Here is what I have going for me with Hazel running the show. Hazel is brave and daring. She is so good natured. She is super sensitive to me, but when I don't have my game on, she really gets rattled and behaves badly, but she will grow out of it. If she believes in something, she sticks to it with every muscle in her surprisingly muscular body. (The trick will be to get her to choose good beliefs) Hazel protects her family and friends. She is a good teacher. She and CC love to learn. I often hear them talking about letters and trying to figure out spelling.

CCs true nature came out when N8 sent these flowers. She would stand and watch them, stare at them and sigh several times a day. To CCs future man: send flowers!

At the museum after the babies were born, fun for mom and girls to get out!

Hazel and Claire Christine

These goofballs love dressing up

We used to go on a lot of walks. It is so much work to get everyone fed and dressed and out the door. By the time you get everyone fed, the one that was fed first wants to be fed again!! Look at Hazel giving the stinkball face, now look at CC countering it with all her heart. I find it to be the case that when one girl is in the wrong, I have no greater ally in the world than her dear sister. It works both ways, but that rivalry is for another post

I also feel fortunate to have CC as the second sister. We call Hazel "Justice" and CC "Mercy". She is generous and kind. A bit whiny but I think it counters Hazels bossiness nicely. It is not in her nature to speak out of turn, be wild or rude. She is gentle and soft spoken with a wonderful imagination. She is a sweet, mellow kid that loves cuddles and being held. CC protects Hazel. That is interesting, Hazel protect the family, but CC protects her. So tender.

Peace is important to me. So in order for me to have benevolence passed from sibling to sibling. They must have benevolent leaders as their parents. (That doesn't mean we get walked all over).

The Best Salsa

To my well salsa-ed palette, the best salsa is at El Azteca restaurant. It is the sweet and mild. Oh I do hot, not to worry, I know all types of salsa, but the best flavor is there.


There is also a Mexican resto named Lauras Kitchen. They have the best green salsa, well they call it guacamole but it makes no difference in name, it is smooth and runny coats the chip perfectly. I could drink it, I might be willing to part with my soul for those two recipes...

Hi Honey, What Did You Do Today?

I thought I would write a list of my normal morning, I could do a whole day, but you'll get the picture after a few lines. Unfortunately, Hazel and CC were with friends for the morning so I don't get to show you how much fun/work/trouble we have together, another day perhaps. So I asked Linda and Amanda good neighbors of mine to help me with Hazel and CC. Once a week they eat breakfast with their family. Mornings are so chaotic you will see, I asked for help and they were willing to throw me a lifeline. Sometimes mornings start at 5am, sometimes 7am, I make no excuses and no apologies. I love this life.

Somedays, I get so much anxiety in the morning, I feel like I am looking over the edge of a huge cliff and I have to jump it over and over again. No one is holding a gun to my head telling me to do any of these things. I love it, I love them I want to. Then why do I get so anxious?

7am
Wake up 

Clothes on H and CC

Send girls to Linda's for breakfast

Shower and get ready

H and CC back

Set them up with a show

8am

Make bottles

Wilson up and wet thru, clean up baby

Quinn up

Bottle Quinn

Hazel comes in, squeezes babies makes them cry, I ask her to come get her fingernails cut, she bails

Change Wilsons clothes

Bottle for Wilson

Pull James out

Bottle James

Change Wilson's blankets

Clean up 2 spit ups on floor

Clean spit up on my bed

Put Quinn and Wilson down

Play with James

Make my bed

Play with James

Eat a handful of nuts

Put away clothes, laundry from last night

Throw out the stinky diapers

Wilsons sheets downstairs to be washed

Start a load of wash

Wash bottles

Convince Haz and CC to make their beds

Stop Hazel from scaring James

Get CC out of N8s closet, trying on shoes, pulling out "outfits for dad"

Do their hairdos

Hazel chooses to play in back yard til Tori comes

9am

Hazel brings in a roly poly

Sylvia comes for play date with Tori, takes girls

What to make for dinner?

Put away books and toys and hair do kit girls brought out

Answer the phone 2 times

Windex shelves with dust

Dust ceiling fan sort of, good enough

Call N8

Make bottles 

Pull James out, nap didn't stick

Refill formula canister

Eat granola

Wilson's nap didn't stick either, hear him talking, pull him out

Front room tummy time for both

Make wilson's bed with new sheets

Pull Quinny out

10am

Nurse Marianne visits to weigh and measure babies, talk about development (1hour)

James goes down

11am

Wilson takes a bottle and goes down

Quinn takes a bottle

Call n8 report on nurse visit

Insurance phone calls

While in hold with insurance comp water dying plants
Bathroom break

N8 home for lunch I take a rest, he holds down the fort

At this point the babies are going down about 7-8pm and waking well, Quinn and James at 5 am for a bottle, Wilson is -a midnight, 4 am, 6am kind of guy. I think we are gonna have to put him in the front room, I am not sure how long we can keep up 2 feeding schedules at night and he is big enough to sleep a little longer than he is sleeping. While I have been recovering, N8 has been doing all the feedings. I don't know how he does so much on so little sleep, but he wants me to get better. I gotta say, he is a wonder to me.

A Good Day

Wilson twice and James once fell asleep in my arms today. What a sweet treat. It is a good day.

Pictures I Just Need to Get Off My Chest

Wil, CC and James

Babies discover Baby SigningTime, Wilson didn't miss a beat, he loved it, Quinn and James gave up half way thru.

Chance, Sophie and Hazel have created and extraordinarily beautiful sand castle.

Why does Quinn remind me of Elvis in this picture?

Wilson looking dapper and Jamie looking charming

Oh, How Can We Figure This Out?

Quinn taking a bite of delicious nutritious I dunno, James eating his bib and Wil in the background waiting for his chomp. We should turn James and Quinn around, then we could stand in one place, instead of making ourselves dizzy walking around the island giving bites. At this point they share the same spoon and bowl for time sake. They are all exposed to the same germs at this point, we will figure that separate stuff later, once we have a better seating arrangement. The other blue chair in the background is a booster for the girls.

So here is the seating arrangement thus far. Anyone got a better idea? I was even thinking of taking the legs off our dining room table so we would all sit on the floor Japanese style, but my mother in law assures me not everyone is as comfortable sitting on the floor as I am. But not everyone has triples or eats at our table.
I am ashamed to admit that we don't often sit as a family for dinner. Usually one of us is on baby duty while the other eats with the girls, I know it galls my mother to the core to read this. She, of the double veggies and set the table lifestyle. I am just excited (and surprised) to get a main course cooked! Usually, I rely on the fruits or veggies Hazel and CC eat during the day to be enough.
So for dinner tonight I made a pot roast with potatoes. Usually, because I am my mothers daughter I would have to set the table and make a salad and some type of veggie. We would all sit down together and pray, then eat. Clear the table. Do dishes. It is a little more hectic than that and I hope Mom forgives me, I know she does. We will get it figured out, give me a few more years. All I hope for is some little girls that wash their hands before and clear their places when they are done. Low standards are so easy to strive for.

Grandpa Can You Do This?

 Dear Grandpa and Grumpy,
So I hear you are both thinking about retiring huh? I was thinking that you guys aren't that old yet. But what do I know? I am only a half a year old. Yup, today is my half birthday, six months old. Old enough to eat rice cereal, apple sauce, green beans and sweet potatoes. Old enough to have a crib to myself because I paw everyone else, (I am just being curious!). I am old enough to roll around and shake hands when you ask me too. I am old enough to know that when mom says "Bob and weave Quinny!" I need to wiggle my hardest and shake my head so everyone will be happy with me and we laugh together. I am old enough to feel like I want to chew on everything, something is going on in my mouth and it just feels good to bite hard. I am pretty old, like you. And I am pretty grown up. I know you guys are good at what you do, so am I. You are good with your hands, climbing roofs and fighting fires, remodeling homes, teaching students and training teachers, you both have raised fine families and have wonderful lives. I share many of your traits, I won't say anything about chubby tummies or hair lines for right now, but I really look up to you and I love you. So what I really want to know is, can you do this Guys?

Love, Quinn