Week 2

Started out the week by going to Medieval Times. It was so much fun for the kids and that makes it so much fun for the adults. It was a dinner and tournament, watching horses and knights perform skills that were really quite impressive. I was really impressed with the horsemanship. Our boys LOVED that all throughout dinner they could eat with their hands, yell and cheer, and watch a show.

Went in to DC two different days. Learned QUICKLY that there is no parking. There is plenty of parking spots on the street, but you can only park there for two hours, then you must move your vehicle to a new spot. There are garages and some underground parking, but all have such low clearance that I couldn't park in any of them. So I tried the train later in the week. The first trip we ended up spending the day at the National Zoo. It was the first time I tried getting all the kids around all by myself. I strapped Dahlia to me with our snugly, had Isabel in a stroller, and Peach/Tate traded off on who would be at back of the sit/stand stroller. It worked better than I thought. Quite a workout when going up the hills of the zoo, but for the most part great. The zoo was fun. The weather was a perfect day for this kind of activity. The second trip we didn't get to see much other than the train station. It was such an ordeal to get to DC that we ate and then started the trek back to our apartment. Even then, we weren't home until 10 o'clock that evening and the kids and myself had more then enough.

Emily went home so I am major bummed about that. I had much higher dreams of what my summer would be like with her here, but will have to settle with working full time and not going anywhere. Defiantly not my ideal summer but the way it turned out.



Side note: My neighbors in Utah have threatened a legal battle over our joint fence... I wonder how crazy this will get.

Week 1 in Baltimore

I left Utah last Friday and arrived in Baltimore on Sunday afternoon. It was a long drive, by Emily made it great. This week was spent just trying to get my bearings. There is always office stuff to deal with. We needed to get another apartment (since we had three new guys come in yesterday and two more soon) Then just watching numbers and hoping our guys do well.
I have already been to DC, but only to the Platinum office there. I did see IKEA, but the kids did not want to go in, so neither did I.
Our apartments are amazing! They are big and the area is beautiful. The pool looks fun for the kids. Kids are working on keeping their voices down and doing what they are asked. I am working on not getting my feelings hurt so easily and getting the laundry, dishes, and dinner ready by the time Gentry gets home.
I am so glad Emily (my sister) will be here for the summer. I hope we don't drive her crazy.
So..... not much to report. This next week is going to be amazing, so stay tuned.

Gentry + April

I recently shared the story of our beginning on another site; I figured I would repost it here.
Gentry and I met on a Thursday night. I had just joined the SUU Ballroom Dance Team and as a requirement to be on the team, I had to take Fundamentals of Ballroom each semester. It was my first time to the class and I got there late. I walked in and noticed him right away. He was clearly the best dancer on the team and so hot!!! The instructor talked to me for a moment and then put me in line to next to her and told the guys to switch partners. It just happened that Gentry was to dance with me next. Unfortunately, he was too busy flirting with the girl he was currectly dancing with and wouldn't let go of her. The next guy in line got tired of waiting so he side stepped him and started to take me in dance postion when Gentry cut in and took me in his arms. That was it for me. I was gone over the moon for him. He looked into my eyes and said; "You have the most beautiful eyes." I blushed and souldn't look at him again. The music starts and he introduced himself, asked my name, and we start talking. When our instructor tells everyone to seitch again he said we didn't have too and we just keep dancing. Eventually class os over and I float home. He runs home and says to his brother and roommate Landon, "I met her. I met the girl I and going to marry. Her name is April and she has the most beautiful eyes."
We dated exclusively till the end of the school year at which point we broke up. Not because we didn't like each other or because of some fight. It was really because we had never really thought about getting married. We wanted to remain friends. We would call or write over the summer but with no expectations and no promises. We were both free to date and kiss whomever we wanted. If in the fall we wanted to start dating again, we would. If not, we would go our separate ways.
After only about two weeks of being home I knew that wasn't going to work. I missed him so much. I hoped he would call in the evenings. I checked the mail everyday for a letter. I turned down friends for dates. I told people I had a boyfriend. I was sying to know who he was spending his time with. Who was he thinking about? When would we see each other again? One evening after getting off of work, I saw a guy I have had a crush on in high school. He came over and we talked about the past year. He told me about his plans for his mission and how school was going. Some flirting was happening and then he asked me what I was doing that night and if I wanted a ride on his motorcycle. I didn't even have to think about it. I said no thanks, and then headed home to call Gentry. It was the night I decided to marry him. I realized I was IN LOVE with him. I didn't want to date anyone else. I wanted to be with Gentry and hoped he felt the same way.
The end of the summer we were married. Although we haven't always been as happy and as in love as we were during the dating/engagement process, I am still over the moon for him. I still get butterflies after periods of being apart. I thank God for the blessing that is Gentry when I see him wrestling with my boys and dancing with my girls. I often wonder how I got so lucky. This year will be fourteen years since we were married and I can still remember what he was wearing that first time I saw him, the song that was playing the first time we kissed, and how it felt when he first told me he loved me.

And away we go!

This is it!!! The week we move. It is the last week of school for my two boys, both of them have birthdays (Happy Birthday Court and Tate!) I have to meet with the couple that is house sitting for us. We are going to the Planetarium. I planned out options for each day of driving, full of treats, car activities, and movies to watch. I will need to have every stick of clothing washed, folded and put away, along with every piece of linen. My house cleaned. Bills paid. Run to the bank. And I need to be prepared for Dahlia with bottles and diapers.
I have missed Gentry. I get frustrated so easily at him, I wish I didn't. I try to not let it show but I have NEVER been good at covering my emotions. I think being away is what is hard on me. He has never been a big phone conversationalist (I may have just made that word up) and he is eat, sleeping, dreaming about work so we don't talk about anything else. I think of myself as fairly independent, but with five kids I can't just do something on my own, I have to haul everyone with me and I find myself longing for my partner.
I am already missing my mom and dad, ward, house, BED, yard and life back home but also looking foreword to the adventure that lies ahead.
If anyone lives along I-80 and is dying to see me and my gaggle of kids, drop me a line. I would love to have something to do along the way.

Lots to Do

The summer has officially begun in our house. I know it snowed Friday Gentry is in Baltimore. I have been there and back. His office is put together and running (not quite smoothly yet but that will come).


I thought I would come home from being out there and be bored, but so far I can't keep up with everything that needs to get done. The kids are filling up all of my time with end of year activities. It really is so fun!
My week looks like this:

Monday
Grocery Shopping, including diapers and formula
Return some hats to the mall
Get some clothes for the boys birthdays
Laundry

Tuesday
Sister's birthday
Peach to preschool
Court field trip
Kevin here to help finish up Courts car
Hope of America Performance at BYU

Wednesday
Another sister's birthday
Bank run
Clean house
Court's ballroom practise

Thursday
Peach Preschool
Boys send flowers and gift certificates for teachers
Courts dress rehearsal for ballroom
BOOK CLUB

Friday
Tate's field trip to the zoo
Laundry
Pinewood Derby
Ballroom Performance

Saturday
Yard Work
Ballroom Performance

I Will Be His Hands

This year Easter and General Conference fell on the same day. Initially I was disappointed to hear that. One of the things I love about Easter is seeing all of the beautiful dresses on Sunday and the great Easter lessons/messages in church, the fancy dinner, the family activities, and the spirit of the day. I love Conference because we usually make it a "jammy" day (wearing PJs all day), watch conference from the couch, have a relaxing dinner, hang out just at home, and the spirit of the day. Combining the two didn't make sense in my mind. Boy was I wrong.
Easter was a perfect day. We spent Saturday night at my mom's, kids woke early for baskets, had a big breakfast with everyone, and then Conference began. The girls still wore their Easter dressed and I did their hair during the talks. In between morning and afternoon sessions we did the family activities that have become Easter traditions. Sunday evening we ate dinner, played some games, and talked.
Saturday's sessions seemed to have started the theme of parenting and relationships and Sunday just continued it. So many good talks, and lessons that I needed to be reminded of and have reinforced. I really feel like I will be a better mother because of it. One high light for me was when the tabernacle choir sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today". It is a beautiful song and one of my favorites.
Dieter F Uchtdorf's talk moved me. He told of a statue of Christ that was destroyed. The towns people tried to have it fixed but His hands were unrepairable. The statue now has a plaque next to it that says, "You Are My Hands". He talked about how members of the church have done many deeds of service and love, but unfortunately not all do, and not always. My sister and her husband have been through a lot in the past couple of years living in the South and when I hear some of her stories, my heart goes out to them. I want so badly to be able to reach out to them and lighten their load. I want to give service and love to them, but I am two thousand miles away. I have prayed often that Christens in her area will do things for them that I can not. Then the spirit bore testimony to me to do the same. I can be someones sister here, I can reach out without judgement and love, I can do more and be more. Hopefully someone can do the same for my sister and her family.

I had a great day on Easter Sunday this year, with new resolve that I can and will be His hands doing good for my family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers. May you do the same. There was just something about the spirit of the day.

BALTIMORE

This summer we will be hanging in Baltimore MD! We are all so excited. Gentry thinks his guys will do great. Court is looking foreword to seeing all the places he has learned about this past year in history. Tate just wants to do all the things we did last year (mostly the water slide). Peaches wants to see the "summer house". Isabel keeps bringing me her swimsuit and telling me to put it on her. I love it all!
I've spent the day researching the city and surrounding areas and would love to fill you in.

Baltimore played a key part in the American Revolution. In 1814 after burning Washington, DC the British attacked Baltimore where troupes successfully defended the city. Francis Scott Key witnessed the battle and later wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner", a poem recounting the attack.

July is typically the hottest month of the year with temperatures typically between 91 and 73 with high humidity. May will probably be the best month with average temperature being 77.

Baltimore has a light rail system. Its airport is the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and is about 10 miles South of down town.

As I do every year I have started compiling a list of some "must see". Here is what I have come up with so far:

The Baltimore Harbor, John Hopkins University, Baltimore Orioles is the MLB team, Colts are the NFL team, Historical Ships, Maryland Science Museum, the National Aquarium, American Visionary Art Museum, Fort McHenry, the Inner Harbor in Fells, The Baltimore Zoo, Washington Monument, The Enoch Pratt Library, Lexington Market, St. Mary's Park Island, Walters Art Gallery, Tyson Street, Antique Row, and Edgar Allan Poe Grave.

In DC I will be going to the Smithsonian, Holocaust Museum, International Spy Museum (Court wants to rob banks when he grows up so he will LOVE this), National Cathedral (sixth largest in the world), and a visit to the White House to name just a few.

Not to mention its location in the East.

I googled how long it would take me to get from Baltimore to a couple places and these were the results:

Washington DC 1 hr 3 min

New York NY 3 hr 30 min

Philadelphia PA 1 hr 55 min

Virginia Beach VA 4 hr 43 min

Warwick RI 6 hr 20 min

St Cloud FL 15 hr 23 min (hint hint Chad and Teri)

Fort Walton FL 17 hr 41 min (hint hint Sean and Spring)

Bethlehem GA 11 hr 14 min (hint hint Doug and Joanna)

If you have ever been , please let me know what I should do while there. And for anyone of you that have ever wanted to go, I know we could make room in our (actually quite large) apartment. We haven't had many visitors during the summers and I would love some!

Swim Wear

I have been coveting this swim suit since I saw it. Too bad I wouldn't look good in it (still need to loose some baby pounds) but boy do I want it!

You can find it at www.anthropologie.com if you love it as much as I do

Fangs

I know it isn't Halloween but Tate just lost his fourth tooth in a row. Giving him FANGS! I hope they grow in soon so he can chew his food befor swallowing it; :)

Expansion

No I am not talking about my breast expanding past the point of no return. We are talking about the expansion objects because of water and temperature. Courtlands science fair project this year. I hate these types of projects. I never enjoyed them when I was in school and times really haven't changed. They stressed me out then and they still do so Gentry took the lead this time. Court loved it and I am glad we are done for another year.

Emotions

As I tried to be release from the hospital, I had a talk with my doctor. He told me all the things I needed to do to take care of myself. He concluded by telling me to continue to take the Prozac and we would talk more about it at my six week appointment. I (knowing my body and emotions) decided to take another route. I stopped taking the anti depressants figuring that it was a hormonal issue because of the pregnancy. I asked Gentry to keep this in mind and let me know if he noticed my sliding. I also knew that I would have to self check on a regular basis in order to keep on it. After all, as bad as I felt I panic to think I might feel that way again. After a couple weeks I am doing great. I feel better than I did during the pregnancy and on medicine so I hope that I am back to "normal" (what ever that is).

Headed Home

After too long (and not long enough) of a stay at the hospital we are headed home. Can't wait to sleep in my own bed and enjoy the comforts of my house. Jacey gave me the cutest 1920's style hat and Dahlia looks very stylish in it. I am so excited to sleep in my own bed.

Welcome Dahlia

So after what seemed like the longest pregnancy known to man, I was finally induced and had our beautiful daughter. Dahlia Emily was born on Sunday morning and wouldn't cry even when the nurses worked hard to get her to do so. She weighs 7 lbs. 2 oz. and is 20 inches long. My mom was able to be there along with Gentry. Like all of my births, it is a moment that is almost indescribable. There is such an outpouring of emotion. Some of concern, stress, joy, relief, but mostly LOVE.

That night Emily and Joey brought my kids to see Dahlia and me and they did so well. They mostly wanted to see how I was doing, probably because when they walked in I was so swollen with the IV fluids of the day that I did not look myself. After crowding around her and everyone taking their turn to kiss her, Gentry and I gave everyone a little gift. We started this ever since having Tate. We want all our kids to feel like the day is special and that they are apart of that. Plus it gives them something to do while in the hospital. A distraction from when the talk turns to the grown-ups.
Each one of the kids wanted to take a turn holding Dahlia and getting a little snuggle from me. Sweet moments.
I was exhausted from the day emotionally and physically but after everyone was gone and Gentry was passed out, I took some time to just talk with this precious gift. I told her how much I loved her. That I was grateful that she joined our family. That I had many hopes, expectations, and dreams for her. That
Then I thanked my Heavenly Father for her, and for His wisdom in knowing that she belongs with us. I pray that we will be good to her and raise her in a way that will be pleasing to our Lord. Through the birth of all my children I have a better understanding of unconditional love. I know just a little more how the Lord must feel about me.

Dental School Applications

He has done it! Finally after all this time Gentry has sent out his dental applications. He has already missed the deadline for some schools and barely made the deadline for all the others. After taking pre req classes, preparing for and taking the DAT, writing essays and writing out quite a few checks, the first stage of applying is finally done. I feel relieved and stressed. It is out of our hands. Now we just sit and wait. Say a prayer for us, wish us luck, or send us positive vibes through the universe. I just hope he gets in.