Anyone else totally tired and not feeling like blogging even though a million things have happened!? I have so much I should blog about for journal purposes....but I got a new book for Christmas (okay...I bought it for Brandon and I) and it's a good one. It's the kind of book that makes the laundry wait and eating seem unimportant...but what else would you expect from Gerald Lund?

I have 190 out of 802 pages read.Seriously...if you haven't started this book...DO...don't let the number of pages scare ya!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! Already!? Then Christmas...then New Years...then the little feelings of disappointment that the holidays are over.

I LOVE this time of year! I love every little thing about it...I love the traditions that Brandon and I carry on from our childhoods for our kids and I love the new ones we have started for our little family! I love shopping, I love decorating, and even though I sometimes dread it, I love baking and taking goodies to our family and friends. I love watching my kids get more and more excited as Christmas day draws nearer. I love talking to them about the birth of our Saviour and even more, I love hearing them talk about Him. I love the songs, the food, Christmas Eve at Brandon's parents house, watching the kids act out the night of Christ's birth and all the family singing together! I love Christmas morning...the enthusiasum from the kids... and wishing there were just one more gift to open. I love eating taquitos and tamales with guacamole on Christmas day. There's so much to love about this time of year. Mostly I just love being with my family and feeling so much love for and from them!

I hope you are all loving this time of the year too!

Merry Christmas to you all!

(yes...this is your Christmas greeting from our family this year...you know you love it!)

WOOHOO! I am 20 weeks! Half way there!...but, I don't know how I am going to manage being bigger than I am! (yikes)

Okay...I have to tell you something funny that Adelin said. We were baking homemade oreos last night...the kids were helping...and you moms know how "fun" that can be. I was getting a bit frazzeled by the kids being on the counter and sticking their fingers in the mixing bowl and I let out a, "Geez Louise!" Addie's calm reply was,

"Geez Louise? That's a new one."

LOL ;)

...bitter with the sweet...

What an exciting day today is! I recieved a text at about 7:30 a.m. from my best friend Kristin. Her little guy finally decided to make his grand entry into this world! I am so excited for her and her family and I can't WAIT to see pictures of little (9lb) Makai and to talk to Kristin and see how things went!

Then, about an hour later...I got a text from my brother in law. It was a picture...but my phone doesn't recieve pictures. Anyhow...My sister in law Teresa gave birth (via c-section) to a little boy this morning too! I don't know any stats on my new nephew....but hopefully I'll get to see him soon and find out all that fun stuff!

Two babies in one day! How fun is that!

There's also another little baby to tell you about. My sweet cousin Carrine who lives in Utah just recently found out that her baby (who is due around the same time as ours) has a congenital heart defect. (Those three words make my heart sink to my toes and a lump come to my throat.) The preliminary diagnosis is tetralogy of fallot...click HERE for a simple explaination of what that is. She will be having a fetal echocardiogram  and meet with a genetic counsler on Jan. 5th...she will get some more definate answers then, I hope. I know that this is going to be a long journey for them and hope that you all will remember her and her family (hubby and 2 little kiddos) in your prayers. I also know that prayer, along with fasting is a wonderful tool our Heavenly Father has given us and if you are able to fast, they are a family that could really use that extra strength from above that it would provide them.

Oh...just got another text (Brandon's not gonna be happy...we don't get free text...but what can you do? Get a texting plan maybe?) My little nephew is 9 pounds 5 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long! Definately a Flake baby! (bet she's glad she didn't have to push that guy out!) Don't sure on the name yet though. They all (mom, dad and 6 other kiddos) have names that start with "T"....so I am interested to see what they name him! I vote for Tarzan! ....hey why not!?

The Real Meaning of Christmas...

If you have little kids, gather them around the computer to watch THIS. Addie snuggled up next to me and we watched it together. It is the Christmas story, narrated by a child. I loved it.

Click here

"What all of us long for in our hearts, at Christmastime and always, is to feel bound together in love with the sweet assurance that it can last forever.....It is through the Savior’s life and mission that we have the assurance that we can be together in love and live forever in families."  (Henry B. Eyring)

To read the whole article go HERE.

I think about Mary, the mother of Christ...as she peered down at her perfect newborn baby boy...I am certain she knew that He was not just hers....but did she know what He would go through....for us....for her? I imagine that "Silent Night" was filled with silent tears streaming down a mother's face as she cradled her child in her arms and wondered..... 

Adelin Dee...the 4 year old!

4 years ago?! That was a busy time in our lives....lots of change going on! New job, new (to me) town, new (to us) house, new ward, and then...a new BABY!... Addie took us by surprise being born 2 1/2 weeks early. Her mama was not prepared! But...Addie was so ready to come, she blessed me with a 2 1/2 hour labor and delivery! She was such a pretty baby! One thing that I remember about her being born is that she licked the nurses hand as she was wrapping her in a blanket.

Why does 4 years seem like so many!?

Now, Adelin is a fun, energetic, loving, sometimes crazy, always sincere, never unforgiving, compassionate, playful, helpful, self assured, beautiful little girl who can leave me in awe! She loves to help me cook. She loves to play Barbie's and she is the best little mommy to her baby doll "Sally". I've loved seeing her grow and become a best friend to her sister....and now that her sister is at school most of the day, she's become a best friend to her brother. I admire how easily she makes a friend and consider myself one of the luckiest people alive because I am her mommy!

We sure love ya Ada-girl!

Baby update...

I had a doctor's appointment today...and before that, I had an ultrasound! Brandon was able to come...so it was kind of like a date! :) We got Kaitlyn off to school...(SO nice to have Brandon home to help with that!)...then dropped the other two off at my mother in laws.

It is always very reassuring to have an ultrasound when you are pregnant...to see all the vital organs developed and functioning...two arms and two legs...fingers and toes. Thankfully, that is the case with this baby. So far, everything looks good! I am still measuring about a week bigger than what I should be (according to my dates)...so I guess I will go with their due date which is May 11th. I just realized today that there's a very good chance that I could be in labor or delivering a baby on Mother's Day next year!

So...I guess you might be wondering if we are having another girl or boy. I am not very clever about announcing these types of things. Making you

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anticipation

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used. SO I will just say it! We're having another BOY! :) And we're excited as can be. We've talked about names a little and we all still like Connor...which is the name we almost named Weston. But....we still aren't dead set on it.

Well....there's our news! We will have equal amounts of testosterone and estrogen in the house! Should be interesting!

I have so many neices and nephews on the Flake side that it's easy to lose count....but my 2nd nephew on my side of the family was born this past Tuesday! I haven't seen him yet....not even in picture....but...from what I hear, little Cooper Christopher Barrett is a cutie! I talked to Eric right after he was born and he was maybe in a state of shock or something. He didn't say much! But he called me yesterday (which tells you just how excited he is) and talked to me about little Cooper for a few minutes. Kim had a c-section...Eric says she's doing pretty good...which I hope is the case! It's so funny to think that my little brother (who I remember my mom going into labor with) is now a daddy! I know he will be a great dad! Talking to him yesterday brought back memories of when we had our first baby. You think you know what you're getting into....but nothing can prepare you for not only the task of taking care of another person who relies soley on you...but for the instant love you feel and the instict you have to protect your child from anything that could possible hurt them. Those are some of the strongest feelings I think a person can have!

I can't wait to meet Cooper and hopefully I'll be able to snap a few pictures of him when I do!

P.S. I'll be posting about more babies soon. I have another nephew scheduled to be born on the 18th and my best friend Kristin is due any second too!

I have dinner in the oven (chicken pot pie)...a salad in the fridge...kids playing nicely (not trying to brag)...my dishes are done and the little bit of laundry I have to fold can wait while I do a little blogging update! (didn't mean to ryhme there!)

So...other things have gone on other than Weston's herpetic finger...although worrying about that has been somewhat comsuming. I took him in to have it looked at again on Monday, just to make sure it was healing and that I am taking care of it correctly. My kids were Awful (notice the capital "A"?). I could barely talk to the doctor and I am pretty sure he's wondering why on earth I am having another baby when I can't keep the 3 I have under control...well at least never in his presence and not too often otherwise. Weston was turning the lights off and on, Adelin and Kaitlyn kept pulling the stur-ups in and out of the examination table LOUDLY...and then they went and hid in the corner behind it. Needless to say, all three of them had a time out when we got home. I sat them each in a differnt spot of the kitchen and stood there and watched them to make sure they didn't budge...and when they did...the timer started over. Then they got to hear me talk about how much it costs to go visit the doctor and how it's a waste of my money when they misbehave while we are there. (lucky kids huh?) It was one of those moments...you know the kind...but they're being good right now...and really...I have forgiven them!

At the beganning of this week, I looked at my calendar and this week was pretty much blank. It's amazing how when I look at it today...all the days are filled in with things...well, tomorrow isn't....yet. Monday I went to the above mentioned doctors appointment. Before that I had gone to ED's to get a few things and you all know how I feel about shopping with kiddos! Then Brandon and I (I think I helped...although I can't really remember) whipped up a delicious and not so nutritous dinner of chili dogs (there was a side of veggies)...then we went over to my mother in laws house and made popcorn balls! I guess this is becoming sort of a tradition since I have convinced Mary Louise to make popcorn balls with me two years in a row now! It's my favorite recipe...one her mom used to make. We grown ups did the cooking part and the kids made them into balls...with me reforming them. It was fun! Oh...and it even snowed a little that day. Then in the middle of the night these howling winds picked up. I was really hoping it would result in a "late start" for our schools at least...but nope...even with icy roads...school was on schedule! (darnit) Tuesday turned into another busy day somehow...we went and looked at a few houses then had tithing settlement. (oh...I found out that Bishop Bailey and I are relatives through a great+ grandfather Andrew Hunter Scott...who happened to be the next door neighbor of one of my mother in laws relatives!) Yesterday was busy too...I did tons of laundry and went to Mutual.

I guess it's all the regular things you do that aren't written down on the calendar that fill the days up. The cleaning, cooking, dishes, laundry, spills, crying, bathing, driving to and fro, drying tears, etc, etc, ...and I am glad for it...most days!

Kaitlyn and I are VERY ready for Chirstmas break. We both can't wait to sleep in. (only 5 more days of school to go!) She has been busy at school rehearsing for the first grade Christmas Program. She has her part memorized...and I am excited to get to see her perform next week.

Adelin thinks it's still summer. She's spent most of the last two weeks in her swim suit. She even wore it under her clothes to the doctors office. (I didn't find out about that until she had to use the restroom there) She's also loving Christmas music and has me turn it on so that she can dance to it...in her swim suit with her "high heel" church shoes on.

Weston is doing good. His finger doesn't bother him unless the bandage is off. It's hard to get him to go without it at night so that it can get some air. He usually asks for me to bandage it back up. Oh and he's been so cute lately too. The other night, I was saying prayers with him. He wanted to do it himself. His prayer went something like this, "Heavenly Father, taint-to for the day, taint-to for horses, taint-to for prophets, taint-to for cows...." It was so cute, felt bad that Brandon missed it. The other day we were sitting on the couch, sharing a blanket, and he looked under the blanket, touched my belly and said, "your big belly is huge". I told him, "Real men lie and tell girls they are skinny no matter what." Then he said, " Oh...you skinny and beautiful." (gotta train 'em while they're young!)

Well...I think I have used up my blogging time! Hope you're all keeping warm! (it's COLD here!)

(Here are some pictures of me, Addie and Weston enjoying our popcorn balls!)

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I am sure that by  now you are sick of the "play by play" of Weston's finger situation...but a couple people told me that they want to see what it looks like now.

This was the only pictures he wanted me to take...

                                               

I guess wheter or not his finger is looking better is debateable. It did seem to swell a little after I took his bandage off. But for the most part, I think it is improving.

added later: This morning while I was getting Weston dressed I told him that I would be carfeul with his "big finger". He told me, "It's not a big finger...it's a mountain...kids can climb on it." How can you  not love that adorable imagination!?

(This picture is obviously not Weston's finger...but that is what the outbreak on his finger looked like at one point...before it mutated and got really nasty.)

My doctors nurse called this morning to give me the diagnosis....herpes simplex...same virus as your common cold sore. In this form, it is known as herpetic whitlow. It is something that you'd see more commonly happen to a dentist or dental hygenist...but evidently, it happens to little two year olds as well! I was talking to a dentist friend last night and he said you can get whitlow from just having a little sore on your finger and then touching a cup or drinking fountain that someone who had a cold sore drank out of. I also have a friend whose hubby is a doctor and he suggested that since all of my kids have had severe reactions to the herpes virus (they've all had terrible outbreaks at age 2...but Kaitlyn's and Addie's were in their mouths) that I should get a consult from in infectious disease physician..which I hope to be able to do. I am so glad for people in my life who can give me professional medical advice!

I think pictures of Weston's finger belong in a medical journal! The great news is that last night, when we changed his bandage, he was crying because of the pain. I was a little worried that his finger had gone numb because of how he didn't react at all to the doctor lacerating his finger and hadn't complained about pain after not being on any pain killers for 24 hours. His finger is looking better...still ugly but definately improving. I will try to remember to take a picture tonight when I change his bandage.

Thanks for all your prayers and concern!

Love ya!

Finger update

Well...there's really not much to tell. Dr. Peterson has never seen anything like whatever Weston has. The labs are not done. The lab tech said that the bacterial one isn't growing...which to me is good news. I am not sure, but I think a bacteria is harder to get rid of than a virus...because a virus will basically just run it's course. Dr. Peterson cut a little "window" into Weston's finger and drained a bunch of fluid off. He hopes that it will continue to drain and not get as swollen as it was. This morning, if you can imagine, it looked even worse than the pictures I posted. Weston was a trooper at the doctors. He sat on my lap munching away on his granola bar, not even flinching while the doctor took a razor to his finger. I, on the other hand could bearly breathe and had to close my eyes...me and needles and poking skin just don't mix. Anyhow, we hope to know by Thursday what this is. Then we can maybe switch to a medicine that is better able to fight it. My neighbor suggested swabbing it with bleach then rinsing it off. She said that worked to kill some crazy thing she had on her finger once. Maybe I'll give that a try tomorrow if things are still looking bad.??? The good news is that it doesn't seem to be spreading to his hand or any other part of his body. But after seeing the doctor drain the "blisters", I think it's going to be a long time before his finger looks better...even after the illnes is gone because the outter skin will most likely sluff (sp?) off and then new skin has to grow.

That's all for now! Please keep this little guy and his yucky finger in your prayers!