Family Reunion 2014 Kick off Video!

Primary Program

Addison and Alana practice some songs for the primary program...but evidence shows it is exhausting work!

You know how it goes -- song #1 is perfect, then as the hour long program goes on, their reverence also starts to wain...if you don't know what I'm talking about, watch the video to show you WHAT the program might turn out to be like for these two kids :)

Forever Friends

Six.

Six of the best friends ever.

Laura, Heather, Me (9 months pregnant with Lylah Grace, thanks shiny belly), Anna + David, Jen, Brooke

These (minus the hubby in the middle) were my best friends in high school.

There's something amazing about seeing each other through those formative times.

The crushes.

The inside jokes.

The tears.

The Spice Girls.

Everything brought us closer together in the end.

First there was Heather.

Friends for 27 years:

My next door neighbor since we were 3? 4? well, before kindergarten.  We walked through the woods together (a strip of trees separating her house and mine, but to us it was a magical land where Snow White went to sleep among the day lillies, where we buried my mom's spoons after I learned about the pioneers burying their precious things before leaving their homes, and made "soup" in the pot hole of her driveway, mixed with water, mud, leaves, and anything else we could find.  

Next came Anna and Laura.

Friends for 20 years:

Sixth grade.  I still feel cool that 2 of my closest friends are identical twins AND that I can tell them apart even in their baby pictures.

There's Anna, who politely introduced herself to any wandering spiders that came into her room, offering a peace treaty that if they didn't bother her, then they could live.  But if they violated that circle of trust, they had no promise.  We were ever together in our pursuit of happiness...even wearing silly socks or funny underwear just because it would make us giggle. 

And Laura, who called 911 when we found a lost dog (because this clearly was an emergency to somebody!)  It is long awaited gratitude, I realize, but thank you Laura, for giving me the cliff note verison of EVERY BOOK through school that I didn't want to read.  Maybe it's time I go back and read "To Kill a Mockingbird" because your notes made it seem very interesting :)

7th grade brought me Brooke.

19 years ago.

I remember watching her dance in Copellia, and in Kinesis, and being amazed, wishing I could be as good at something as she was at dance.  I admired her training, dedication, and loved that her naivete of things of the world was equal to mine :)  I learned about stage Moms and the value of surprising her on her birthday with chocolate chip pancakes in our PJs.  Quite a pair, we were!

Then came Jen.

17 years ago.

High school. Freshman year. A generous, beautiful, sweet girl who loved everyone for everything.  Oh the inside jokes I could list!  We hosted Australian exchange students together and vowed they were the cutest boys in the world (that is, of course, until we met our husbands, duh.)  She came to church with me, I went to the American Juice Foundation with her (oops, Jewish), Marsha & Jan's (I mean, Max & Benny's)...

These girls are the greatest.  And that's why when we get back together for a wedding or something that's far and few between, it feels like no time passed.  It feels comfortable.  And I love these girls for that.

I'm so proud of who they are and who they have become.
I feel like I should be an old lady sitting in a rocker talking about friendships this old.

But I'm glad I'm not, and we have our whole next 20 years to be together.

Let Freedom Ring

Happy

Fourth of

July!

Best.Day.Ever

It's true.  History does repeat itself.

But not always in our lifetimes.

Lucky for Steve and his Dad, it happened in theirs.

Steve and Dad going through the temple together

1998

Steve and Dad going to the temple together

2013

They both were absolutely glowing when they came out of the temple yesterday.

It was a precious and sacred experience.

Where's Waldo Lylah Grace?

Can you spy Lylah Grace below?

Yes, the kids and I were having WAY too much fun with a sleeping girl!!

Just makes me laugh :)

Is this what they mean by a Family Bed?

Step 1:  After all the kids are in bed, lay down and fall asleep with the baby, despite it being 7:30 PM.

Step 2:  Wake up 2 hours later and resume household chores downstairs.

Step 3:  Pause to listen to the pitter-patter of the rain and the distant thunder rolling in.

Step 4:  Laugh in surprise when you return to your bed hours later to discover all the kids found a safe haven through the storm.

Addison, Carter, Lylah, and Alana,
all comfort each other through the midnight thunder storm

Where have you been all my life?

Our Sweet little Lylah Grace

is now 5 weeks old.

She still feels so new, and yet, it's like she has been with us all along.

 1 week old

 2 weeks old.  On her first day of church

 3 weeks old.

 4 weeks old.  

Taking her first bottle, which as you can you see from the emptiness of the bottle, was a success!

And she is still able to wear (most) of her NewBorn size outfits and sleepers.  

She is precious to us, and we LOVE how she sleeps with her hands under her chin!

She still snuggles and sleeps a lot.

We still feel an absolute glow about having her here!

The Magical Kingdom of Grandma's House

It's truly a magical place.

Though we live an hour away, we were invited to Grandma's house to stay as out-of-town guests for a few days.

There was a lot of this:

 and this:

 the kids totally discovered this:

 and plenty of this:

and sweet bonding moments like this:

The kids get along so well at Grandma's House.
They explore.
They imagine.
They play together without fighting.
And they just love being together.

And that gives me time to do this:

I made donuts from scratch!  YUM!

This is how the magic happens when we go to grandma's house!

My kids LOVE it there, of course, giving me moments to explore my inner baker.  Or is it my inner seamstress.  Or could it be my inner sit-and-talk-with-my-mom-er.

Whatever it is, it is wonderful.

Lylah's Baby Blessing

On Father's Day, Lylah received her baby blessing at church.  She was angelic.

Steve's sister Michaela, his step-dad and his mom
Our family and Steve's Dad behind
My parents next to me

The blessing was as sweet as can be.  She is a compassionate girl, with a heart open to serve and to uplift those that the Lord will put in her life.  I'm humbled and thankful to have this little girl in our family.

As Alana did, Lylah wore the same dress that I was blessed in 30-x years ago.

 I believe in the power of the priesthood, and that it has been restored on earth again.

 Mike, Steve, My Dad, Steve's Dad -- all worthy priesthood holders

Ice Cream for Lunch

"okay guys, come for lunch," Steve called throughout the house.  We had all worked and played too long this afternoon, so lunch was on the table at 2 -- if we didn't eat now, it would ruin dinnertime.

at last, they were all at the table.  heads bowed.  arms folded.  ready to give thanks and bless the food Steve had prepared and was already dished out on plates.

and just as the prayer was about to begin:

I interrupted EVERYTHING and said, "WAIT!  I HEAR THE ICE CREAM TRUCK!"

 Me, yes me.  I did it...I did what every parent would admonish a three-year-old NOT to do!

We leapt up from the table.  No prayer was said as left our plates and we fled outside to greet the truck.

 Now, you must understand:  as Carter perfected and polished the Music Box Dancer song for his piano recital, his motivation and treat was to buy ice cream from that ice cream truck once it came around playing its tune.  Problem was, it was only coming by on Sunday...

So when it came by on a Wednesday afternoon, we literally LEPT at the chance.

And there our lunch sat.  On our plates.  Forsaken.

On the day we had ice cream for lunch.

Maxin' and Relaxin'!

Lucky Addison!!!  He is on a weekend trip with his Grandma and Aunt right now!  Oh, how we MISS HIM and his cheerfulness and humor and his kind sharing ways with his siblings, but we are SOO glad he's having a GREAT time!

  Grandma sent these pics from her phone last night.  He is having a magnificent time!

Ahhhh....

Now THIS is what the Sunday nap was meant to be!

Believe it or not,

I can see the blessings in my life for having a C-Section.

It gives me the permission and necessity to just sit and rest and cuddle with my baby.

I love it.

I love it.

I love it.

It's hard to describe the bonding and attachment that I get from all that time together.

I am so thankful for the service that I get from my Mom and my Mother-in-law,

family, friends, and neighbors as I heal

(my Dad even planned an entire Memorial Day BBQ for the day that I got home, which he and Steve prepared completely!  Bless HIS heart!!)

My personality makes me feel guilty to just sit and rest and cuddle, so without the surgery, I probably wouldn't get this chance.

So thank you, God, for requiring me to sit down and love, and snuggle, and bond with my baby!

Remember this rhyme?

When I saw how comfy Lylah was in Daddy's arms, the only thing that came to mind was:

Mama had a baby and her head popped off!

(from the ol' dandelion poppin' days)

She's so used to being soo scrunched up inside of me!

Slideshow of Hospital Pictures

Available only until June 5, you can see the pictures that were taken at the hospital.

Click here to see the slideshow at chicago.bellababyphotography.com

Click on "View Photos"

Login as Family/Friends using password: dorl523madura

Keep your credit card hidden, or you may be tempted to buy one to put over your fireplace ;)

Meet Lylah Grace

Lylah Grace

10:14 AM

7 lbs 13 oz

18 inches long

As beautiful as ever.

Prepare to fall in love, just as we all have.

Parents

We can't help but feeling like 2 boys and 2 girls is perfect for us.

We stayed in the hospital for 5 days (including birth day), and it was such a sweet bonding time for the three of us.  I LOVE this newborn baby and how much she knows her Mommy.

Right after birth, she was crying and crying as newborns do.

But as soon as she was brought over to me and I started whispering to her, she was absolutely quiet, and still, and calm.  And not by coincidence.  It was very obvious that she knew my voice.  And she was comforted by it.  And she knew me.  She stayed quiet for the remainder of the time right there by me.  It was very tender.

Carter

 Carter is THRILLED! Holding his brand new baby sister!

He seems to glow when he is around Lylah.

His class took a pole what the gender would be:

4 voted for a boy.  16 voted for a girl.

When he held Lylah for the first time, he became trapped in their own little world, started rocking her back and forth singing Rock-a-Bye Baby, but with these new words:

Rock-a-bye baby In Daddy's arms,

Daddy will hold you Safe from all harm.

Daddy will love you and sing you to sleep,

Love you forever -- a promise he'll keep.

These come from a book called Daddy's Lullaby by Tony Bradman (LOVE!), a book that he and his 1st grade teacher gave us as a baby gift.

Carter had a very tender heart all during pregnancy, too.  He was the luckiest kid who felt the baby move the most.  And he thrilled at every kick, roll, elbow, and "high five" he got from the belly.

He came home from school one day with a book he wrote:  "BABY NAMES" by Carter.

And on Wednesday, the day before the baby was born, Carter brought me breakfast in bed (since I couldn't eat day of surgery).  

And after school, I found 16 presents wrapped for me and the baby.  He helped his siblings go around the house to find toys, books, and blankets that they thought the baby would like and they would like to share with the baby.

SO SWEET! 

Since we've been home, he has been so sensitive to her.

One of my favorite moments was when he was holding her and started reading her a chapter book.

Addison

Wow.  I can not believe this little boy!  He is so sensitive and sweet to his baby Lylah!

My favorite thing I heard him say was "*Gasp* You have the cutest little ears!"

He can't get over her little-ness.

He just keeps looking at her, and stroking her, and whispering to her.

There was a very magical moment when Lylah held Addison's hand shortly after they met.

 He rocked her as he held her for the first time and started singing, I am a Child of God.  Alana soon jumped in to join him, and the three of them melted our hearts all together.

Addison also helped Grandma H make brownies to bring to the hospital as a Birthday Cake for Lylah!

What a SWEET IDEA!

Alana

Alana is beyond tickled pink about this baby girl.

She is so sweet about sharing anything with her, and she often comes to Lylah with blankets, stuffed animals, and drawings that "she will just love". She has loved going through our baby clothes and knowing that she had worn this when she was a baby, too.

When Lylah came home from the hospital, Alana was the first to hold her.  I heard her whispering,

"This is your house!  This is where we all live together, and you will love it."

Then she told me she wanted to put the baby in her doll crib!

Alana was so excited to hear the baby's name was Lylah GRACE...and is insisting on calling her Gracie (Angelina Ballerina's Best Friend's name!)

My Dad stopped by for a surprise visit the day Lylah was born!  Of course, he was immediately smitten!

 My Mom came the next day, and had the same reaction, of course.

Steve's Mom spent a few hours with me that afternoon and loved cuddling this little one!

And YEA for Cambrea, our awesome friend and babysitter, who snuck in a visit during her busy life!  She started babysitting for us when Carter was just a few months old!  

Michaela, Steve's Sister, is VERY happy to see all this pink again!

And of course, we had to send the announcement to my nephews servings missions right now in California and Peru!  We thought this was appropriate for them:

SO cute and cuddly from all her bending in the belly!

Coming Home! 

 Look at this little girl! How could you resist her!