Rebecca and her baby

Just wanted to let you all know that Rebecca is in the hospital. She has been having pretty consistant contractions for about 36 hours and they can't give her the medicine to help stop the contractions since that makes her blood sugar go crazy. So...it looks like she may have a New Year's Eve baby. I will keep you all posted.

"Bad Bird!!!"

As usual, Caleb calls to check on Liam and I during the day. I had Liam in his high chair eating some lunch, and as I looked outside (to see the electrical and water workers-they are doing a bunch of work on the complex), I saw a little squirrel running across our patio, then a GIANT bird attack it. It isn't unlikely to see the squirrels running around, they often do this, and play throughout all the trees. I was shocked when I saw the huge bird (which the pictures I have dont do it justice) attack it and kill it right before my eyes. Liam is staring outside, and Caleb is trying to talk to me on the phone. I explain to him what has happened, and Liam is saying "uh oh". That is right, "uh oh!" Caleb then tells me the bird will fly away with the squirrel. So I think no worries...Liam and I watch...the bird tries to get over the gate but cannot so he drags the carcass to the end of our patio. Oh Great! I tell Liam that is a "bad bird", and he tells me "duck" I said it looks like a "duck" but it is a "Bad Bird!" After he finishes his lunch, I wash him up, just to see that the bird and dead squirrel are still on the patio...Liam is staring out the glass door, and then pacing yelling at me "bad bird", on and on...

We are now really late for nap time, he is trying to tell me about this bad accident while I am trying to forget what I just saw, and to have a little break. He peaks out the window in his room, and the bird is still there, eating what he has just killed. Yikes! Needless to say it is disgusting, and now we have a dead squirrel and no bird eating it on our patio.

I thought it was too cute, with Liam telling me about the "bad bird" or "duck" in his eyes. Here are some photos, but I actually thought I was watching the animal channel when I saw this.

Cookies.....

It is so cold here and I haven't exactly been in the Christmas mood but today is a great day for baking.  I'm trying a couple of new recipes and frankly I'm looking for a new sugar/butter cookie recipe so I can break out Violet's cookie cutters and have a little fun.  I'll let you all know how that goes.  I think I'll try this recipe but not today.  Today is mainly baking cookies for Emily and Grace to take to friends before the break from school.  This lady has a fun website if you want to check it out.

http://thepioneerwoman.com

Congratulations Faith & Jesse!

I am so excited for you guys!!!

They're engaged!!! (added by Louise)

Thanksgiving!!!

Caleb, Liam & Julian


Three sets of twins. Front row: Caleb, Jack, Christian & Julian. Back row: Grace & Emily.


Big Caleb set up Grandma Violet's toy train for the boys. They loved it...

Caleb and Jessika sharing a wide mouth pose...

We had a great Thanksgiving. Lots of good food and spending time with family always makes for a great time. We had lots of twins in the house too. I didn't really think about it until Marvin brought the subject up. From the top down: Nik & Leah, Emily & Grace, Caleb & Julian, Christian & Jack and then of course Gabe is a twin. We often don't recognize that Gabe is a twin too. Enjoy the pictures...

Liam is way cool!

The other day when we were visiting, Emily & Grace decided to put this hat and shades on Liam, and he thought it was fantastic. They got this great photo, and it is way too cute!

Thanksgiving desert...

We are planning to have Thanksgiving day desert at Marge and Tom's place. Those of you who can attend plan to be there sometime in the late afternoon. Let's say 5 or 6 and if possible bring a desert to share. Hope to see you all there. It should be fun to get together and see everyone. I personally can't wait!!!

Our newest arrival... Zander

I suppose I have waited long enough to post something about Zander. It has just been an awful roller coaster these last six weeks.

Zander was born on October 28th at 8:39am. He was 4lbs and 14oz and 17 inches long. When he was first born I got to see him for about 1 minute before they took him to the NICU. I just remember being so relieved that he cried. After I saw him for that minute I wasn't able to see him until the next day since they had me on so much medicine. He was on a little bit of oxygen for the first night to help his little lungs get used to breathing and then he didn't need it any more. He also had the feeding tube in his nose (a couple of times) to help make sure he was getting the calories that he needs. I remember going in and seeing him in the morning and being so excited that they were able to remove the tube and found out that he had ripped it out...he did that both times that they had put it in!!

When we left the hospital he was 5lbs and when I took him to the doctor five days later he is already 5lbs 8oz so he is gaining weight well. We get to go back for our weekly weight checks to make sure he is still gaining.

Haylee is so excited to be a big sister. Because it is RSV season, she wasn't able to go into the NICU to see him at all and there were no windows into the room that he was in so she was just living off of pictures. They had transferred him to a new nursery the Sunday before he came home so before church my mom, Bryan, Haylee and I went to the hospital so she could finally get a peak at him through a window. She did so well the entire time that I was in the hospital before Zander was born and the time I stayed in after he was born.

So we are all home together now and Zander continues to grow. I hope to be able to bring him to meet you all at Thanksgiving.

Fun at Islands

Last weekend we got together for Jack and Christian's blessing! It was so fun to have everybody together. I'm still waiting to get the entire family photos, (that unfortunately could not be taken on the temple grounds because of protestors!) but until those get back we did get some photos of a fun time we had going out for dinner beforehand. While Christian and Jack slept (most of the time) Caleb and Julian crowd surfed- getting passed from one willing aunt/grandma/grandpa/parent/uncle to another. They also had a blast with Liam, especially Caleb, who I guess didn't get along with him quite as well in July. Fun times!!!

Boy's blessing

So before my camera died, I was able to get these pictures of us in front of the church building in LA. It was so nice to see everyone, and to have the newest twins blessing. Congratulations to Ian and Melissa!!! If anyone has any other pictures, post them please!

Guess who? or Guess what?

If you can't read the fine print don't worry you are not blind, it's just blurry. But it say's "It's a girl" That is right Danny and Janessa are having a girl! And boy are they excited or should we say and girl are they excited.

Zander Myers

Rachel is home from the hospital and when she's up to it we are all looking forward to some pictures of Zander and a post from Rachel.  Hope you are feeling better and better with each passing day.  

Annah and Jasons wedding

Annah & Jason Bunker

Last night was the wedding of Annah and Jason Bunker.  Of course I forgot to bring my camera again.  I'm always so busy making sure everyone gets out the door I forget the things I am planning to do so of course no camera.  Anyway the whole affair was very beautiful.  Nice dinner and everything.  Holly assured me that Janessa would post some pictures so I guess you will have to wait.  

My New Shoes

Well as most of you know I have terrible problems with my feet.  While we're at it I might as well mention problems with my back and neck as well.  I'm a big ball of pain.  What an exciting image that must create for the reader.  I never shop except on the internet.  I've needed a new pair of shoes for ages.  Since I never shop and never ask anyone to help me regarding fit I usually end up with shoes that are adequate but not great.  Well my new shoes arrived via UPS yesterday and they are wonderful.  I went on a long walk (40 minutes) with a co-worker and what a dream these new shoes are.  Now I'm not saying I was pain free but it wasn't too bad. My hips usually hurt like heck after taking this walk not to mention the other body parts I've already named but not this time.  I love my new shoes!!!

Who loves Chocolate? KARLEE!

Karlee helped me make brownies Sunday! She loves brownies, just like her mom! :)

Master Jack

Wow, it's been a long haul but tonight little Jack got to join his brothers at 1866 Greenfield. In typical NICU style we found out just hours beforehand that he could come home this evening. We had a lot of things to do to prepare for him, a few more followup appointments than Christian needed to have, but somehow we managed to get it all done. He was discharged at 9pm and we celebrated with Pinkberries frozen yogurt on the way home. We are so thrilled to have you home little Jack! Welcome little ones. By the way, Jack is on the left and Christian the right.

Holly's Home

Holly at the airport just getting off the plane.
Wahoo she's home at last!

Say cheese!

14 YEARS OLD!!!!!

Thursday was Grace and my b-day. We turned 14 years old. YEAH!!! We now are mia maids. We can go to church dances too. We went to The Old Spagetti Factory and got lots of presents. The Old Spagetti Factory sang to us. They probaly thought we were turning 12 because we still ordered from the kids menu. I also colored w/crayons. I guess we will always be little kids. It was lots of fun. Congrates Caleb and Jamie. Oh and Liam.

Big News!!!

Liam's big announcement, and he is so excited!!! We are due March 21, 2009.

I HIT A DEAR

It was awful. I was driving kids home from the high school and I was on the wooded part of Winding Way when a very young dear ran out in front of me. I was able to avoid ruining the car but I hurt the dear. It ran off on three legs and I felt terrible. Poor thing. I was traumatized. It's been a big week. Holly is home from Brazil. Ian and Melissa's new twins were born (August 21). Christian David and John Gilbert to be called Jack. Caleb's birthday and Margie's birthday and Mary's birthday too. I got my full paycheck even though the California State Budget still hasn't been passed. That's another for the record books. It'll be the latest budget ever signed passing the previous record of August 31. How's that for history... Then there is the historic presidential race. What a great time to be alive.

August Updates

Just the highlights for us in the last couple of weeks all of the kids started school again. Haylee is in first grade now.

She is very independent!! At her six year old physical, her doctor told her she should go into theater when she gets a little bit older because she will is so good with drama. She is going to get to start to walk home with some kids from school so MeMom or Sam don't have to fight all of the school traffic to pick her up.

We were able to go to the fair on Saturday with some of our family. Haylee thought it was interesting to watch as they were pumping the cows. We are really lucky to be able to live around all of our family and be able to do so many things together.

First visit to Fusion Salon and Spa

Well I took the girls to get their hair cut at the salon and spa today. Their very first time at a real salon. Of course they have already had a professional hair cut since Faith has been cutting their hair but they've never had the pleasure of having their hair shampooed in a salon shampoo bowl. I'm sure they will write about this in their journal's tonight...

July 29th...Cholesteatoma Day

Before the surgical procedure. Of course I forgot the camera so I couldn't take a picture of her as she was being wheeled into the operating room. I did plan on bringing the camera but there was no one else in the prep room with a camera so I didn't feel so silly forgetting. I guess it's not something you would usually document photographically.

This was a little bit after we got home from the hospital.

Passed out on the bed...poor Grace.

This was Grace last night. She looks pretty glamorous with her ear cup on don't you think??? The procedure lasted about four and half hours. A fairly long surgery. The cholesteatoma was much larger than the surgeon expected and he had to drill out a lot of her skull bone and of course the little hearing bones were completely eroded so they were out too. He had to pack a bunch of gel/foam type stuff inside where the bone used to be. It will slowly dissolve as her bone grows back. Grace has been a real hero. Very little complaining and very little use of the pain killers that were prescribed for her. She's actually feeling fairly good considering how extensive the surgery was. No hearing in the right ear at this point but hopefully she will get some of her hearing back. Another surgery in 4 to 6 months to make sure there is no more infected cholesteatoma. At that time the surgeon will place some prosthetic hearing bones in her ear. She might need a hearing aid but he said she should have fairly normal hearing at some future point. You go Grace...

Moving Day

Everyone gets in on the act even Liam...


Well yesterday was moving day for Caleb and Jamie and Liam. Jamie's family came bright and early at 7am to get things started. Actually Caleb and Jamie have been boxing things up for a few days. Gabriel helped and I took pictures. I wasn't even very good at the picture taking. My back has been bothering me for a few days and I wasn't able to help at all. The Gilbert's are settled in to their student housing in Davis and our house was very lonely without them. We love you and hope your new adventure is exciting...