Happy Belated Birthdays!

I know it is the last day of the month, but I told you I would get birthday wishes out while it was still March! :)

So happy birthday first off to my handsome hubby! I hope he had a great day. I met him at work and took him to lunch at 5 Guys Burger's...YUM! Then he opened presents and I made him a killer homemade carrot cake...it was just sinful!

We celebrated with family the next day on Kevin's birthday at mom's. So happy bday to Kevin too.





Then happy birthday to....

Dad












McKenzie Jepson



Shalae








Tatum Ballard, (who share's her bday with Chet!) Kelsie Ballard, Layne Ballard & Braeden Doyle













Weston Neff




*WHEW*

Oh darn...it posted funny and not how it should have with the pics and I just don't have time to try and fix it so, SORRY! You know I meant well right?

B is For...

{ Boys, Brothers }

We had a very busy but fun weekend. Friday didn't start off too great as I ended up getting Mastitis and got really sick. Thanks to our great family, especially mom and Shellie, they were able to help me get things ready for our busy weekend. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! I am on the mend and feeling MUCH better so that's always a good thing :)


{Baptisms}

Saturday, Talon was baptized. We waited an extra month to do it so my brother and his family could come from California and make both the baptism and Cash's blessing all in one weekend.

He was so excited to get baptized and looked so cute in his white jumpsuit and brand new suit. He looked like a little missionary! Kylee said the opening prayer, which was really neat that she could participate in the program. (I don't know that she thought it was so neat though)

Chet said the first thing that Talon said when he got out of the font was, "That was AWESOME!" I am so glad he thought so and I hope he remembers this day always. The spirit was so sweet and as the proud mother I was just so proud and weepy. Tal is such a good little boy and is always wanting to do what is right. I'm so proud of him for making this very big and important decision in his life. He even bore his testimony on Sunday and was so cute. He said he was so glad he got baptized and "hopes that everybody will get baptized!" So sweet :)




We always have such great support from family and friends. There were so many people their that there was "standing room only". We are always so grateful to everyone for all of their love and support! Talon's school teacher, Ms. Driggs, even came to support him on his special day!... Now, how many school teachers do you know that will do that? She is so cute and we think she is just awesome for doing that and making him feel so important!

Tal and Ms. Driggs

Such handsome men!

Then it was off to Leatherby's for some ice cream to celebrate! Talon got a rainbow shake and his face was just so cute when they set it down in front of him. His eyes were as big as silver dollars when he saw how big it was! (he's used to getting a dish of ice cream only)

{Birthdays!}

Then we headed to my parents to celebrate the birthday of this cute little girl! Her birthday was actually on the 20th...which reminds me that I haven't done my birthday wishes for all the birthdays this month! SO SORRY! (that will come before the end of the month...I hope!)

Then my cute nieces came over and played while their parents went to the jazz game. Jordan rocked the guitar on Rock Band for the first time and she's only 6 years old!!! Love and miss these girls!!!

{Baby Blessings}

Then today we blessed our sweet little Cash. He was just the handsome little guy in his white tux. Chet really wanted him to wear a black suit, for "The man in black", but I really wanted him to be in white like the other kids...babies just need to be in white for that anyway. Chet did such a great job for both Talon's confirmation and the baby blessing. I am so grateful that he honors his priesthood and is able to perform those ordinances for our children. The spirit was very strong and he will never know how much that means to me. I love him so much!

Blessings...that is what I have been given in my life! Through my cute little family, our amazing family and all of their support! We celebrated both events with a brunch at Mom and Dad Fullmer's, thanks to the generosity of my wonderful mother in law!!! Our wonderful family pitched in and thanks to them all there was oodles of food! Again, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! We love you all so much and are forever grateful for your continued support for our family!

My two handsome men on their big weekend together!

The Announcement

Now that they have been sent out I thought I would post Cash's official birth announcement.

It was quite the ordeal taking this picture and I'm sure we would've made for a good laugh had anybody been watching us. It took Chet, two kids and myself to pull it off but it was fun and I am happy with the way it turned out. (Kids holding up the backdrop, Chet holding the baby on the guitar then dodging out of the way on the count of 3 while I snapped the pic)

After all, we had to do something fun with the name and since Chet had the black guitar...why not? Right?

SO in Love!

{ CUTE! }

Okay...I may be a little biased but I just think this little guy is so dang cute!

*LOVE* LOVE*LOVE*

Cash is one month old (yesterday) and he never stops making our hearts smile :)

As you talk to him you can just see little "tries" of a smile...I actually got one, once! He is just so sweet and I'm so grateful to have this sweet little spirit in our home.

I know you are all probably getting sick of all these pics but you know how it is with a new, cute baby and a camera. Can't stop snapping away :)

A Memory Is...

Something Precious as Gold!

Talon had his Grandparent program at school Friday and it was so cute. They recited poems, sang songs and some kids even shared memories in different categories of "A Memory Is".

Talon's memory was "something precious as gold" and even though he wasn't chosen to share it, all the kids wrote them down on a paper that looked like a patchwork quilt. He chose to tell about his Grandpa Jay and what a great boxer he was and how he loves to go to St. George every year with him and have him wrap his hands to box. He also said he hopes someday he will be as great of a boxer as his Grandpa was. Too sweet.

They had a slide show and after that the kids got to waltz with their Grandparents...they were even taught how at school! He waltzed with Grandma but settled for a hug from Grandpa...haha!

Andy also came back from his mission on Friday! Welcome home Andy :) He hasn't changed a bit...only tanner! He still has the cute funny personality and it was SO fun to see him again. We are so glad to have you back! Hunter was so excited to see him and kept saying, "I can't remember his face!" The kids all loved how he was still so funny and would play with them. He really was missed.

It's been 3 weeks since Cash joined our family. He is just cute as can be and getting chunkier in the face (even though he is still small). We love our little Cash! All of the kids have been really sick this weekend so they have been banned from getting too close to him. It has been TORTURE on them! Hope they get well soon and hope my little guy doesn't get it...that could be SO bad!

Cash was 7 lbs 3 oz. at his 2 week appt which was really good. My pediatrician has been out of the office for 6 months due to cancer and he is now recovering and came in for a short time and we were able to see HIM finally! I'm so glad he is getting better...I really don't want to have to go to another Dr.!

As for me, well...I am still adjusting but things were looking better this weekend. I have up and down days but this weekend I am feeling like there is hope! :) Chet was such a great guy and took over the middle of the night feedings for me this weekend so I could sleep. I love him so much and I don't deserve him. I'm so thankful he's mine! Thank you to everyone who continually reach out to help me in so many different ways! You will never know how much I appreciate it! Love you all :) XOXO

The new babies, Greydie and Cash
who are only 3 weeks apart...

And their mommies,
me and Brienna

Cash at 3 weeks

What a Day

Wow...nothing like getting kicked in the gut while you're already down! Our, once, great big bear of a dog wasted away to nearly nothing and was put to sleep tonight.

It all started with the explosion of "mess" he made in my laundry room...remember that one?....well, that was basically the beginning of the end. His diarrhea never stopped and actually got worse. After that incident and other episodes of diarrhea in the garage Chet kept telling me, through my fits, that he had to be sick b/c he just didn't do that. Well, we didn't realize just how sick. Then it was the vomiting and then not eating all together. He probably had not eaten one thing in the last two weeks. He would still move around and wag his tail and be there to greet you but this last week he took a turn for the worse. He got to the point where he would not even bark at visitors (and those of you who know him know that is a rarity) or move. Chet took him to the vet a couple of days ago and he gave us some meds to try. Poor dog would not swallow them and when he would he would throw them back up. He literally was nothing but skin bones.

These last couple of days he did nothing but lay out in the snow. Even with the garage door open, he would choose a snow patch on the lawn or deck and just lay there. The other morning Chet found him out frozen covered in snow. The poor dog didn't even go into the garage for the night. Even though he was shivering he just could not, or didn't want to, come into the garage. So, Chet made an appt to take him back into the vet today. When I brought him into the garage today I took one look at him and thought "my dog is dying". I hoped beyond hope that it was something that was able to be fixed but my gut told me that he would not be around too long.

The vet did some blood work and confirmed what we were dreading most. He had some type of lymphoma or cancer. Chet had to make the decision then to put him down, or try other options that would just delay the inevitable and in the meantime have a dog that was still suffering. He said he couldn't even get the poor dog to lift his head off the floor to talk to him. Gosh this is the worst part of having a pet. Knowing that this day will come but when it's a decision you have to make it's even worse. He was only 7 years old (human years) and Retrievers usually make it to 13. I thought we had another good 6 years with him at least. Chet walked into the house with red, swollen eyes and I knew then what he had to do. Not fun! I only wish I would've said goodbye to him before.

I can only imagine that he was SO happy to be let go. Chet even asked him if that's what he wanted and he kind of gave a heavy breath and just laid down completely onto the floor. I know many of you have heard me vent and gripe at how annoyed I was with him for digging, or chewing or running off but I never would want it to come to this. He was a great doorbell and made me feel so safe when Chet was out of town. I did love my dog. We have all been sobbing and mourning the loss of our buddy. Cute little Makayla went into her room tonight and cried herself to sleep.

We went out to dinner to tonight and it was so strange to come home and not have a big dog in the way wagging his tail, beating you to the door ready to knock you down. We will all miss our big, golden, happy dog. We loved the 7 years we did have with you Gunner. Have fun running and playing without hearing the "beep, beep" of a shock collar!

We love you and will miss you so much.

All our Love,
Your Family

Sleep?

Reaching out to all moms!!!

Ugh, I am SOOO tired. I really have forgotten how busy, tiring and overwhelming it can be to have a new baby. I am really having a hard time adjusting with this one. And it's not that Cash hasn't been a good baby. He has done okay sleeping at nights...that is, up until the last couple of nights. Last night was rough. He would not go back to sleep unless he was being held. I would feed him and he would seem out cold until I put him down in his cradle. Then he would fuss and cry. We would give him his binky and that would last a couple of minutes before he would spit it out and start all over again. Just when I thought I would get to go back to sleep! *sigh* rhis went on for a half hour or more after feeding him. And he takes so long to eat as it is!

I don't know what to do. Chet has to work so I worry about the baby keeping him up and then I have other kids to take care of so frankly, it's been hard and overwhelming. I don't want Cash to get used to being held every time he sleeps...how do I get him to start doing it on his own again? I just know that I don't think I can handle it if he doesn't. I have spent a good portion of my day yesterday feeling so tired and overwhelmed. Crying all day. He is my last baby and I really want to enjoy every moment of him but at times...like yesterday...I find myself feeling so disconnected to it all. Wondering if I did the right thing having another baby and I don't want to feel that way. I know it is wrong and I don't want anything to happen to him. I am so happy he's here. I just need him, in the worst way, to be a good baby. I know I can't control that and as he gets older and sleeps less more of his personality will come out and that really does scare me. All of the "what if's" go through my head like, "what if he's colicky", "what if he has behavior problems"...

I know I need to take it each day at a time and I keep telling myself "I know it will get better" but it is so hard at times. Help! Is there anything I can do to help him sleep better without holding him? I need help in getting over these feelings and "baby blues". Some days I have great days and feel great and happy but the last couple of nights have changed that. Chet gave me an awesome blessing last night and I also ask all of you to PLEASE pray for me. I need them! I am open to all suggestions and advice!