Grandma and Grandpa Sullivan's visit

Grandma and Grandpa Sullivan came for about a week and spent lots of time with us. On one the days we went to the park.

Grandma pushing Peyton in the swings












Grandma and Peyton

On one of the days Grandpa and Ashton built a snowman

This was one of the cutest peek a boo games ever with Grandma and Peyton. I love how Ashton walked up with his goggles on.

Here is a video of them playing peek a boo!

Peyton also got presents while they were here.

She got some necklaces and of course like everything else they have to go in her mouth.

Ashton really likes Peyton's new pom poms.

Grandpa playing Legos with Ashton

Ashton's 3rd Birthday

Ashton had an extended version for his birthday. A few weeks ago we took him to Pump it Up. It has 8 giant inflatables to play on and in. We took a small group of his friends and then he also had 3 sets of grandparents including 1 set of great grandparents.

Peyton loved this car.

Peyton and Daddy going down the slide

Sorry, not great pics

Oops these are in reverse

Then Ashton got the Garfield Movie which has been on constant repeat ever since and also Lego Duplos.

On Ashton's actually birthday, 3/31 we invited his friends out to the park down the street and let them play, ate birthday cake and opened his remaining presents.

I love how Trinity is holding up 3 fingers.

There are more kids there, but they were too busy to come eat cake.

Brody was helping Ashton out. After all, Brody did pick that gift out for him.

Daddy had to help and stand guard cause Ashton kept trying to bolt. The playground was more fun then the presents apparently.

At one of the only stages I would imagine where it's cool to get underwear as a birthday gift

As soon as the presents stopped he was gone

Our new baby...

...is a SUV!!!



Even though we had an SUV before we couldn't fit 3 car seats in the backseat. Also, our Trailblazer was only 2 wheel drive and around here it just isn't good enough. Even on a little ice I would still slide around. Taylor's little Honda did better then my vehicle and my vehicle is the kid hauler. We started looking last week and it's a little complicated to agree on something even though this vehicle is for me, Taylor still has to approve it : ) He was completely against a Minivan and I had finally accepted it. In the end he won and I'm not complaining.



We now have a Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer! We got a great deal on it and we had the engine checked out before hand and it's in great condition. It has new rotors and the brakes are great. We even got new tires put on as well. Anything we wanted done we got fixed. It really was a nice car buying experience.

Our Trailblazer had leather seats and we really didn't want to give that up. Any messes the kids made it was so much easier to clean up on leather then cloth.

I love that I have a full bench as the middle row instead of bucket seats. I now have 8 seats!

One of my favorite features are these 2 little buttons that fold my 3rd row up or down.

This vehicle has great features and great reviews. It even has great crash test ratings which is really important to me now that I haul such valuable cargo : )

Oh one last thing. I think this is best gift a kid could get. We bought this on Ashton's 3rd birthday and he LOVES it!

Snow Day

Just pictures!

No More Diapers...

for Ashton at least!

We've been potty training Ashton for quite some time now. He would do great at home, but we would put him in a diaper when we left the house and for overnight sleeping. Early this week Taylor and I decided no more diapers for Ashton and since then he hasn't worn a diaper. So far no accidents while out and about and he's been able to sleep through the night without an accident too. Although he doesn't have a perfect track record for waking up dry it has been successful and I know he can do it now. I am so proud of Ashton and can't believe how fast he is growing up.

A New Calling

I'm really excited about my new calling. I've been called as the Assistant Ward Welfare Specialist. It's a new calling for our ward. It encompasses the callings of the Ward Employment Specialist and Ward Provident Living Specialist. Previously the wards welfare needs were being met by the leaders of our ward, but since that need is becoming so great they have called 2 of us to this calling and many more to be called to the committee as well.

Here is a definition provided by http://www.providentliving.org/.

“The stake presidency [or bishopric] . . . may call welfare specialists to assist the stake [or ward] welfare committee as needed. These specialists should be stake [or ward] members who can assist other members in such things as finding employment, improving nutrition and sanitation, storing food, obtaining health care, improving literacy, managing finances, and helping meet other welfare needs”

I truly feel called of God to serve in this committee. He has been inspiring me all week on ways I can serve and how to get this committee going. All this days before I was even asked by our Bishop.

Sister Duke and I had our first meeting yesterday as a committee and we already have so much planned for this month and next month. I can't wait to share the news with our ward, but for now it will have to wait. Other helpful tips I will also pass on to my family and friends. I may have to start a different blog, but I will let you all know.

22 Weeks

Today I had my 22 week checkup, but I also had another ultrasound. At my ultrasound at 18 weeks we couldn't get a good look at Kipton's spine so that is what today's ultrasound was for. It was also my 7th ultrasound for this pregnancy. I've had so many issues, but in the end everything is fine.



Sometimes it's hard to believe just how flexible babies are in the womb and it's also neat to get to see how the baby is positioned.



Below is a picture of Kipton curled up in a little ball. For those who aren't familiar with ultrasound pictures I'll explain it.

His head is in the center and he is looking up, his body is in the bottom right with his thighs over his body, his knees above his mouth and his feet above his head.

Everything is going well for this pregnancy. I am developing anxiety, a hormone imbalance, but the doctor told me it will go away a month or two after birth so that is good news. I just can't handle too many things on my agenda. If I have more then one thing to do it stresses me out to where I don't want to do anything. Mostly it still gets done, but I'm a nervous wreck the whole time. I'm also developing a food allergy which is not a pregnancy thing my doctor said so she is referring me to an allergist to look into that.

Other then that I am 22 weeks along, measuring 20 weeks and I've only gain 5 pounds. Great news there!