{st. louis trip}

I decided I wanted to take the kids somewhere fun for spring break.  I was talking to a friend about it and she also was really wanting to take her kids somewhere.  Neither of our husbands could get work off so we decided to drive down to St. Louis in one big van...ours:).  We had two moms and six kids.  We had such an amazing time!  I am so glad we decided to go together.  It was such a fun trip full of museums (science and magic house) and food and friends and a hotel stay!  My friend Andrea Davis was such a trooper...she was very pregnant!  I will definitely have to plan more trips to take with friends so we don't just have to wait around for Chris:)...even though we wish he could come every time!

{happy birthday momma}

35!

Wow, so much has happened in the last couple of years of my life.

  I have two beautiful children and a wonderful life in Dunlap, Illinois.

  My life is so different from what I had imagined when I was young, but I am very grateful for all the blessings I have.  I have been very busy with my calling in the Primary Presidency along with trying to have another baby.  I have not written as much and have really gotten behind in updating pictures and such because there has been so much going on in my life!  We have been trying for a couple of years to have another child.  We are in the process of trying to conceive through an IUI procedure.  I already have tried surgery and also been on a medicine called Clomed for six months.  We are now being seen by an infertility specialist here in Peoria.  I am really hoping we will have at least one more child, but I feel at peace knowing that God is truly looking over me and my family and cares what happens in my life.  It might not be exactly as I would have chosen, but I lead a very blessed life.  These couple of years have changed how I view my situation.  I thought I would be heartbroken for the rest of my life if I only had a few children instead of the big family I imagined when I was young.  Now I am so grateful I have two precious little ones and will feel so blessed if the Lord gives me just one more!!!  

Now, here are some of my birthday pictures!

I am also tagging on this post a picture of Eliza at the ER.  She was so sick and in so much pain from a very extended stomach (I have never see anything like it ever!).  The picture is of her in a toga I made out of a sheet...let's just say things came out in a hurry and there was a big mess...what a long night! 

I am also including some pictures that the kids took of Easter starting to be put up...I love decorating for the holidays.  I am so glad the kids captured some pictures at the Illinois Eye Center because I swear I have spent more time there than anywhere in Peoria.  With a small child in glasses there are constant adjustments and repairs and new glasses!

{time to say goodbye}

We had one last hurrah before we left to go back home.

  Henry really wanted to have a picnic at "Sunny Hill", his favorite place on earth.  This happens to be a plain grassy spot by Grandma Karen's house.  It was really early, but Jess and Amos and Michael and Amanda and their kids all came.  It was really great to see them one more time and have so much fun at Sunny Hill.  We even played Red Rover!  On the way there we stopped for a Keva Juice.  I have to have one every time I go back to Bountiful...they are my favorite and I think my kids are now fans too!  After we got back to Gramme and Poppy's I rushed off with my cute mom to find some undershirts I can only find there.  It was really cutting it close to get to the airport, but we had fun and I even got some yummy lobster soup on the run!  I ended up getting a migraine..completely blurry vision in the airport.  It was so scary, but people were really helpful and my kids were so very good.  I found some medicine and it eventually faded away, a blessing and answer to prayer.  A long trip home, but we made it!

{girls night out}

What can I even say?

The best time ever!!!!!!
I was picked up at about 5:30 p.m.
We had appetizers and soda at the hotel,
and chatted.
We shopped at the mall and tried on clothes,
and chatted.
We ate at Zuppa's and I had fabulous lobster soup,
and we chatted some more.
Then we went back to the hotel and went hot tubbing,
and chatted.
Then we went back to our room and got ready for bed and
ate some treats and chatted LOTS more. 
I got to wake up so very leisurely and read a book for awhile...
I then got to eat a delicious breakfast with no cooking or clean up!!
THEN we went for a quick pedicure and back home by noon.

This seriously was the best girls night ever!
The only bad part was that Monica was starting to get sick and had a restless sleep in the hotel...it was supposed to be her night to sleep all night long with no wake up calls from little children.
I am so glad I have this girl in my life!!!

{boondocks}

I not only forgot to take pictures on Sunday with the Dea family, but also did not take any pictures the day before.  We spent the day with Grandma Karen and the rest of the gang!!  It was fun being around Rock and Jace and seeing how much they have grown.  We had a great day Saturday eating yummy food, hanging out and talking and catching up.  The kids had a lot of fun with all of Grandma Karen's cool toys! 

 Monday was the Badger day.  Henry was so excited to be reunited with his cousins!  The three of them are very close in age and get along really well.  They even held hands going into the restaurant...so precious:)  We went to lunch...I got to sit between my two big brothers:)  I really had such a great time just laughing and joking with them...reminded me of when we were little!  So fun!!!  We then had some rest time.  I went to Jaron and Brittany's with my kids.  All the kids watched a movie and I got to chat with Brittany!  My dad, Jaron, and Ben had been working feverishly to finish redoing Jaron's bathroom so the men were exhausted!  After some down time we all went to Boondocks.  This is not something we usually do or have ever done, but we wanted to do something active that everyone could enjoy and participate in.  It was super expensive, but ended up being soooo worth it!  We played laser tag and raced each other on the race cars and squirted each other on the bumper boats and played lots of other games and the little itty bitty kids jumped and played on the playhouse inside.  We ended up staying way late...everyone was exhausted but so happy!  Henry was in absolute heaven that he was tall enough to race with his own car.  He raced Kayson and I think Kayson won for sure.  Henry was slow and steady and a careful driver...so funny!  I really missed Ben, but I will never forget the great time I had with my brother Jaron!  I had perma grin when I was racing my dad and Jaron!  Really good day!!!

{sunday in utah}

I love Sundays at home in Illinois and I really love Sundays in Utah with family.  When you live close to your family I think you take for granted a nice Sunday dinner with family...talking and relaxing and connecting.  It felt so lonely at our house on Sundays when we first moved to Illinois.  I now love our peaceful casual Sundays with no running around business, but I still would take family Sundays over it any day!

We went to church with my family and then spent the rest of the day over at the Dea's.  It was so nice to see everyone (except Elder David Dea)!!!

I am really MAD at myself for not bringing my camera with me!  I really wanted to get a family picture with everyone...updated for my kids.  It was fun to come when there was new news, a baby on the way and a marriage on the way.  The kids always have so much fun at Grandpa and Grandma Dea's.

  My favorite part was the DIVINE brownies that Grandma Dea made...I piggyed them right down!

{grandpa craig}

It was really nice to visit with Grandpa Craig while Chris was in town.

  Grandma Laura could not make it because of illness with her parents and we really missed her, but sent our prayers!

I love these pictures of Grandpa Craig reading to Eliza!