We LOVE change at our house!!!

Well only 2 more days until we get this baby here - so exciting!!! I can hardly wait for this pregnancy to end - swollen feet and hands, gestational diabetes, the excess hormones that make me cry at the drop of a hat and that I can't get under control, the feeling that every time I stand up everything is going to fall out, I can't wait for that all to be over!!! And of course we will have a perfect little someone to love, can't wait to cuddle up with her and just stare at her and be amazed!

Craig has been AMAZING!!! He has bent over backwards during this pregnacy for me! He has been so sweet and loving, I just want to bottle him up! He has changed jobs this month from recruiter to being over the Recruit Sustainment Program - R.S.P. He is in charge of drill every month for all of the kids who have joined the Guard, but haven't shipped out to their basic training sites. He does payroll, hotel accomodations, meals, setting up, tearing down, making sure all of the paperwork is done for every kid, etc. Instead of holding one kid's hand through enlistment, he has 20 - 40 kids to get ready for basic training! He has put in some long hours - 90 last week! He still has a few kids to enlist and get them ready for M.E.P.S. His nephew, Logan just joined this last week and seems pretty excited about the whole thing. Plus he is still working on the house and yard and his garden is doing GREAT!!!

Now for my oldest baby - Ryan, we left him in Boise on the 6th of July - SOOOO hard to do! He flew out that next morning, but with all of the bad weather across the country, his flight was delayed, so they missed their connection, then they finally got to Atlanta and had to wait 1 1/2 hours for the bus, then ride another 1 1/2 hours to Fort Benning, get there around midnight and then they keep them up all day!!! We finally got a letter on the 19th - his 18th birthday!!! Short but sweet! The weather is just hot and humid and they are working really hard. I got the company commander's letter today telling me "my son has arrived safely at Basic Training". Well isn't that a relief?!?! But they do have a website with Facebook and Flickr links with updates from other moms and pictures of the boys from the company commander's wife - haven't seen him yet, but it's nice to see what they are doing. The website is www.2-47panthers.org. He is in Alpha Company.

Now onto Courtney, she is getting more and more driving time in since it hurts my feet so bad, which is no skin off of her nose! She now has her own room and I forgot how big that room is - I want to move down there!!! She has been really good about helping out around the house - even laundry! She is super excited about Chloe and also the fact that she gets to miss part of Girl's Camp to be here when the baby is born.

Joslyn has moved into Ryan's old room and we have decked it out in purple!!! Purple comforter, purple sheets, purple lamp, purple and pink rhinestone clock, we have white daisies hung around her closet that we are going to enter twine with you guessed it - purple lights! She has been a great help too!

Chad McKay aka Joe is even a little bit excited for this new sister. Now that he's the only boy at home, him and Craig are palling around. He went with Craig on the 11-year old scout camp over this last weekend and had a great time! He still smells like campfire and he tells me he likes that smell!!! He was so excited to take his pocketknife with him. Last week he cut the palm of his hand with it - just a small slice, but he showed it to me and said "I am grounding myself from my pocketknife for 2 whole days." Well okay then! He's SO funny!

Some of the fun things we've done this summer are Ryan's graduation and party, Ryan's going away party and having Kevin & Sharlene and Stephie come down for fireworks, 4th of July, Airport Appreciation Days, Steel Days in American Fork, Turner Reunion in Pleasant Grove, seeing cousins from back east, lunch at the park, swimming (wading) in the backyard pool, putting puzzles together and then gluing them - they are going on the downstairs family room walls. We've enjoyed this summer!!! The kids don't go back to school until the 2nd of September, so we will still have a month or so to get to know Chloe and just kick back and relax!

We Have A Middle Name and Family Update

Well we have decided on a middle name for Chloe - Matilda. It was Craig's Grandma Ockerman's name - everyone called her Tillie and she was such a sweet woman! He was in Boise this last week and had a dream about the baby and in his dream that was her name and I LOVED it!!! It just flows and it follows my rule of thumb, "can I yell it down the street to get her home?". Plus, it will follow our tradition of middle names starting with "M's", not that we have tried to do that and Ryan didn't fall into that category (his middle name is Craig), but they all have family names and that is what we were shooting for!

Craig has started working on the shed and made a lot of progress, I will be taking pictures as we go along. He is dirty, sweaty and his whole body is throbbing from the work, but it looks good so far and he is very excited about it!

I am doing much better and have only gained 18 pounds so far!!! As long as I remember to take my medication (Lexapro and Benadryl) I am fine. The children are glad to remind me to take my "happy pills" and see me very medicated, they all do lots to help out around the house. I don't know if it's love or if they are scared of me (probably a little of both or so I would like to believe!) but it seems to be working! My advice to anyone out there is to make sure you're done and that God is done with you before you have one graduating from high school and all the stress that puts on you, plus being pregnant, accepting any church calling, working, having other children, trying to sleep more than 6 hours a night and living life!!! But I must say my WONDERFUL husband has been a GREAT source of strength during all of this. He just lets me cry when I need to, nap if I can and hold down the fort while I escape from it!!!

Ryan only has 3 days of school left this week and then graduation on the 27th!!! He can hardly wait (and neither can we!!!) He has 50 days until he ships to Basic Training and I've never seen a kid so happy to be going to Georgia in July!!! He is looking at it like a great adventure - which is what I have always taught him that life is about! He attended prom on the 8th and I have yet to get the pictures developed, but they were so cute! He went with his friend, Clara.

Courtney is excited for the end of school, but not that she won't get to use the school library over the summer. They sometimes have books that the public library doesn't have yet. She is raring to go driving, but that is going to have to wait until I have this baby, that is too much stress for me, even with all the Benadryl in the world! She can't wait for Chloe to be born and be "AWESOME" as she puts it. She is going to be a great help this summer!!!

Joslyn is a little bit scared about going to middle school next year (and so am I!!!) but she will be great! She is asking lots of questions about all of the changes that are going on with her and her body and is proud to say she is a "tween"! She's not so sure that she wants to grow up (and neither am I!!!) but I have assured her life only gets better after "High School Musical" and that there are lots of other things to like in this life. She has been a great help lately and I am loving that! She is very excited about the baby and all the things that go along with it - clothes and ribbons for her hair, etc. She is doing great in soccer and school.

Chad McKay (my little Joe) is so CUTE!!! He needs to grow into all of his little elbows and knees, but he is at such a fun age! He is very independent, "I know what to do Mom", is a phrase I hear alot, but there is nothing better than getting a hug from him or a "my momma rocks!" coming out of his mouth! He is also doing great in soccer and scored his team's only goal this last Saturday. He could ride his scooter back and forth all day and survive on Wii and cartoons, but I have to make him stop and eat sometimes. What would that be like?!?!

Baby GIRL Ockerman

Well we found out yesterday that we are having another girl, so exciting to know! The ultrasound tech took lots of pictures and we got to see that she has everything right where it should be, very comforting! We think we have agreed on the first name of "Chloe", but we can't decide on a middle name and it's starting to turn into a fight, so we are just going to have to wait on that. Chad is still holding out hope that she could turn out to be a boy, we told him not to hold his breath, but I think he is. The girls were of course thrilled and Ryan said, " A girl huh, I guess that's okay." I am excited and have already found a ton of pink material that will be SO cute for blankets and such. Craig is excited and even posted the ultrasound pictures on his facebook page! The due date is now the 29th of July, it seems far away, but I know it will sneak up on me, there is SO SO SO much to do before that!

The Children - all 5 of them!

I don't know if it's because I'm older (is 37 really that old?!?!) that's what everyone keeps on saying, BUT THIS PREGNANCY IS REALLY KICKING ME IN THE BUTT!!! Even with the vitamins, I am exhausted by about 4:00 in the afternoon.

But on a happy note we are in week 16, only 24 more to go. I put it in weeks, because they go by faster than months and it just makes it seem shorter to me anyway! We have had 2 ultrasounds already because of some minor emergencies and seen the baby and heard it's little heartbeat - VERY exciting!

Now on to the other children - Ryan is still wrestling, I almost don't want the season to end, because I LOVE wrestling! He is learning to cook lots of good things in his teen living class (I don't know why they don't still call it Home Ec?!?!) And he is VERY proud of the skull mug that he made in pottery - quite good!

Courtney is driving for the 3rd time today, and she has her PowerPoint presentation in World Geography. Power point presentation?!?! What ever happened to draw some pictures and make a poster?!?!

Joslyn completed her Exploration Notebook - Yeah, lots of coloring pictures and gluing and stapling, that I can keep up with! She is learning fraction and all that they encompass - so that means, I am trying to remember fractions and all that they encompass! Next year, she's on her own in math - I only go up to 5th grade!!!

Chad is learning time - and in a day and age where there are so many digital clocks and the only people who say 35 after the hour or 15 to the hour are over 60, he is struggling to understand why he would need to know that! But today he did tell me - "Okay, I think I am getting that." Well see how his test comes back today!

They really are the lights of my life, I just have to remember to turn the lights on!

Updates and Changes for the New Year

So I am the worst blogger ever! But I have been busy!!! Let's go back in time...November 2009 - Craig turned 41 and thinks he is so old - not true, just getting better!
Thanksgiving with Craig's family - very nice. Had a relaxing weekend at home.
December 2009 - Ward Christmas Party - great fun!
Grandma Anne's Christmas Party - always a favorite - love that family!
Ockerman Family Christmas Party - great food and fun!
Found out we are going to be parents AGAIN! WONDERFUL News! Truthfully - very surprising, shocking, take your breath away news, but we are excited!
Wrestling starts - WOOHOO!
Courtney celebrates her 15th birthday (how could she be that old?!?!)
Christmas Break - 16 days of doing ABSOLUTELY nothing in your pajamas - I hope this is what heaven is like!
January 2010 - Back to work and school. Ryan - more wrestling, Courtney - driver's education, Joslyn's 11th birthday (WOW!!!), Chad is still Chad - that boy lives and breathes video games - I have to make him stop and eat!
We are truly blessed with the amazing families and friends that surround us, hold us up, inspire and teach us what awesomeness really is.

October in a nutshell

Craig and his fellow YM leaders took the young men to the Saturday sessions of General Conference and the Priesthood session. They also participated in the Scouting for Food drive. He has traveled to Boise four times this month also. Jessica enjoyed 2 - 4 day weekends from work and started her Christmas sewing. She is very excited to see her Yankees go to the World Series! Ryan joined the Guard on the 22nd, and went to his first drill on the 24th & 25th. He finished up soccer, the boys took 4th place at State. He has gone on a couple of field trips for school to ISU's Library and the Bannock County Jail. Courtney went to work with Jessica, as she did fulfilled her job shadowing assignment for school. She loves this month as Halloween is her favorite holiday! Joslyn carved a pumpkin and is enjoying Red Ribbon week at school. She was able to spend the night for her friend, Olivia's birthday on the 16th. Her class went on a warm field trip to Lava Hot Springs and she received her glasses as well this month. Chad has earned his Bobcat award in Scouts. He received a certificate and a coupon for Sizzler's for perfect attendance for the first 6 weeks of school. He and Joslyn did a great job in the Primary program. We had a great time at our ward party on the 9th with great food and dancers to fit our Polynesian theme. Tendoy's Fall Carnival was also great fun with games and prizes on the 23rd.

My baby is all grown up! Or so he thinks!

Ryan just left for his first RSP drill (RSP stands for something, but it's basically the kids who have joined the Guard, but haven't shipped to Basic Training yet). Let me back up - Ryan joined the Army National Guard on Thursday the 22nd of this month - October. This was totally his decision, Craig was even trying to talk him out of it! He doesn't ship to Basic until next July and he is going to Fort Benning, Georgia. Georgia in July - what could be more fun?!?! From there he will go to his AIT (Advanced Training) for a year-long school, I'm not sure where. He is going to be a radio repair technician (I think). He is very sure of himself and his future plans, I just wish I was!!! Craig took pictures of him swearing in and this morning when they were getting ready to leave, but my computer thinks it already has too many pictures and other things to let me download them!!! But I will as soon as possible!

Century's Homecoming 2009

Ryan, Autumn, Taft and Christina

Ryan and Autumn

Autumn with her shoes off and bending her knees!

Taft and Christina

Our Family

Our Family

Us with Grandma Nila

the gorgeous flowers my Mom brought - they've lasted all week!

All about Chad

Papa helping Chad with his new Hot Wheels set

Uncle Duane and Aunt Norma enjoying birthday cake and ice cream

Grandma helping Chad put his new puzzle together

CHAD!

Chad's birthday party

I just love this picture - he's so cute!!!

Chad's Baptism

Craig and Chad

Ryan, Craig, Chad, Courtney, Joslyn and Jessica

Our family, plus Grandma Nila, Papa, Aunt Myrna, Uncle Duane and Aunt Norma - they are Chad's great-great aunt and uncle! It was So nice to have them all there!

Our family

Chad turns 8 and gets baptized!

Chad turned 8 on the 5th of September and was baptized that day!

I love this picture!

With Craig standing there, you can get some idea of how out of control my garden is - but my motto is - "It it grows, I'll water it!"

Craig got the fence done and both sides of our are now stained too!

Sunflower waiting to open

sunflowers are just happy flowers - who doesn't love them?!?!

the shed gets concrete!

We finally got the concrete poured for the shed, now we just need to put up some walls and enclose it!!!

Ryan is cleaning up the edges

Garden

Our garden has gone wild! The pumpkins and spaghetti squash have come from the very back to the zucchini and the spaghetti squash has started to climb up the sunflowers - so we find them hanging from the sunflowers!!!

the corn next door has finally had a growth spurt!

I might get enough for 1 meal - but that's good enough for me!

Spike

Chad found this porcupine on the 31st of July by our garbage cans, which are under my carport!!! We called animal control - they said they only did dogs and cats! They suggested we call fish and game and they said he would "just wander away" WHAT?!?! We live in the middle of town! So we called them back and told them to come and get him! TRhey did about 45 minutes later. He didn't do anything, just sat there, very calm. But when the f & g guy tried to slip the noose around his neck, he kinda freaked out - who wouldn't?!?! He left a bunch of quills behind, that are kinda short - about 2" long and half black and white and kinda greasy! We only had him for a short time (it really seemed long enough to me!) but we named him "Spike".

July/August

Looking over my last couple of posts - so much has changed! My garden is like a jungle and the vegetables are AWESOME! Lots of crookneck, zucchini and spaghetti squash, peas, beans, and beets. The corn is actually growing, the carrot tops are so pretty and the pumpkins are starting! I've had tons of apricots from friends - so lots of yummy freezer jam! I cut my hair and donated it to Locks of Love - 24 inches! Ryan turned 17 on the 19th - we had a breakfast party for him here then went to Grandma Nila's with stops along the way to see Grandma Anne, Grandma Turner, Uncle Jim & Aunt Lynne and Aunt LenaGean. Grandma had a party for him in Papa's bar and then we spent 3 1/2 days in Vegas seeing some old friends - Kim Abbott and family - so fun!, Aunt Benn , Aunt Kim and kids, hanging out by the pool, and seeing the sights! Then back to St. George and nice and cool Cedar City for Jacob's baseball tournament. A quick week, but loads of fun! Joslyn had her tonsils out on the 31st. Hydrocodone obviously doesn't agree with her so once we got her to quit throwing up (after a trip to the ER that night), she did pretty good - LOTS of Popsicles, jello and pudding. Craig's dad, Ralph had a stroke, that scared us, but he's doing really good now - it's amazing the medical knowledge that they have now! Started getting ready for back-to-school - buying supplies, new clothes and shoes, etc. I went back to work on the 19th and the kids start on the 24th. Ryan got his driver's license TODAY! I am a basket case! It's hard to let them just drive away - so I followed him (discreetly - he knew I was, just not any of his friends) when he had to go to soccer practice - it's 10 miles one way and on the freeway! But he did AWESOME - didn't speed, used his blinkers, was a very responsible driver! He will be a senior and has already started soccer practice - he's going to play goalie for the JV team and they have a game tomorrow! Courtney has done lots of babysitting and went to girl's camp and read more books than I thought possible - I am having a hard time keeping up! She will be a freshman - she's kinda nervous about being a the high school, but she knows where the library is now, so that set her heart at ease. Joslyn went to Activity Days camp and lots of fun Activity days, has ridden her bike and played with friends. She is starting 5th grade and they are the oldest this year! Chad has ridden his scooter and played in the water - EVERYDAY - but Sunday. His friend, Zhigy has moved back so he is happy, happy, happy! Craig has done tons of work on the house and yards - he's amazing! We've been blessed to see lots of family and friends and spend time with them. Chad's baptism is coming up on September 5th - he is very excited to be "drowned" as he puts it and start Scouts and 2nd grade. I have loads of pictures but they are going to have to wait.

Chad's Glasses

Chad's reading teacher suggested we have his eyes checked and sure enough the boy is blind as a bat! Well maybe it's not that bad, but he does need to wear them all the time, hopefully this will cut down on the 'accidents' the kid has! Example - running into walls, falling down, tripping!

He is SO excited to wear them too - probably because now he can actually see things! Who knew!