May 31, 2011

Memorial Day

This year was really low key for our family.  Since I am about 8 months prego we didn't do much.  We took the boys to see where my Grandfather was buried.  We pass by the cemetary almost every day and my boys kept asking me where Great- Grandpa Beard was buried, so we thought it appropriate to take them and put some flowers on his grave.
My Grandpa Beard was not a member.  He supported my grandma who raised 4 children in the church on her own.  He served in the Korean war and although I have not heard many stories about what happened to him over there I am sure there are tons to tell.  I know my grandma keeps the knife he carried around with him in the war in her kitchen drawer. 
He smoked since he was a young man.  He always drank too.  I never heard stories of him getting drunk but he always enjoyed his mixed drinks.  I remember growing up as a kid and when we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's house to visit he would be sitting at the kitchen table mixing his drinks and enjoying some program on T.V..

My grandpa is the man in the middle of the other two gentlemen.  This picture was taken during the Korean War.
My grandfather passed away in 1992 after a long battle with lung cancer.  Due to all the smoking he did, it took him pretty early at the age of 65 (I think, I know it was close to that age).
Now we go to his grave site almost every year to remember the great things he did.  He was a good man.  I don't remember a whole lot about him because I was alittle younger. I do remember him always having nicknames for all the grandchildren.  I can't remember what mine was, or if I even had one but I wonder what the nicknames he would give my children would be.  He has had all of his temple work done so we just hope that one day we will get to see him again.
My boys really enjoyed putting flowers on his stone and looking at all the decorations on everyone else's headstones.  It was nice explaining to them why we celebrate those who have passed on. I think Keaton understood it, but all Andrew would say was that he wanted to be buried in his bed at home and not in the ground.




We are only sorry we weren't in Arizona to visit Madalynn's headstone.  She was in our thoughts.  We sure miss her.

May 29, 2011

Ok a few rules for those of you who are curious about a pregnant woman. I saw this and thought it was perfect for every mother expecting out there....






Bowling night with family

A few weeks ago Keaton brought a flier home from school about kids bowling for free during the summer.  So I checked it out and it seemed like a pretty fun deal.  So we signed all three of our children up for it hoping for some fun ideas this summer to keep them entertained with fun activities.  So why not bowl for free?  You can't beat free these days.  So yesterday we decided to take the whole family out for an evening of bowling.  (Never mind that my stomach looks like I swallowed a bowling ball)
 Our two older boys have been a few times and since the lanes were in Emmett we wanted to check it out and see what it looked like.  I wanted to make sure it wasn't a place where someone could mug me and my children when I had to take them all by myself.  Turns out to be a fairly decent place.  There were only 6 lanes in total but when you are the only ones at the lanes, then it is plenty big enough.
After a full afternoon of fun activites.  We decided to end the day with Aunt Camille and the gang bowling.  Lance's youngest sister Camille is here for the Memorial Day weekend and it was so much fun to see her.  My boys love her! They were so excited to spend the evening with her. 
Owen was so excited to be there! Of course we set up the bumpers on the younger kids lane so they wouldn't get discouraged each time they bowled with their balls ending up in the gutter.  So everytime it was Owen's turn we set up the little rack they have for the little ones and he was so happy to watch it roll down and knock over the pins.
Andrew enjoyed rolling around on the floor and was content to just lay down and watch the balls roll down.  I was so grossed out that he was laying on the floor. I just kept telling myself that it would build immunity. No harm in this right?

Aunt Camille and Chiara

Poor Chiara was sitting on a video arcade game and fell down and cut her the corner of her eye pretty bad.  She started to bleed and before you knew it her eyelid and surrounding area was twice as big.  Poor little girl. No fun way to end an evening.

Thanks for a fun evening!  We are so excited to have Aunt Camille with us.  Have a great Memorial Day weekend!!!

May 22, 2011

Life right now

This week was a really slow one for me.  I am not sure if it is because I am getting bigger, feeling more uncomfortable or because my kids have so much energy I just can't keep up with them anymore.  This week I was feeling a lot of those icky Braxton Hicks that are no fun.  I wish it were my time and I wish I could tell you they were for real but nope, they were the ones that just make you feel miserable.  Oh the joys of having babies.  I guess it is true when they say, the more you have, the harder it gets.  I am starting to understand that alittle better.
The weather has been corporating more with us and so we have ventured outside a lot more.  That makes my boys very happy and that makes me, their mom, really happy too.  My boys are already gettting some tan lines on their skin. Time to pull out the sunscreen I guess.
Lance has been really busy with work.  The bank and all the inspectors will come the first week in June to inspect all the houses and make their final call as to whether they will keep some of the companies or can them.  We are crossing our fingers that it will turn in our favor.  Lance and the boys have been working so hard.  Seems like they are busy from sun up until sun down.  This weekend he took the boys on a "work project."  They love going with him.  They love finding "treasures" as they call them.  Just junk that my boys love most.  It was nice to have a few hours by myself on Saturday when Lance took them.  It was much needed.
We have another ultrasound coming up on June 6th to see how the babies kidneys are doing.  We are crossing our fingers for something good this time.  Hopefully they will either stay the same measurment, which will usually mean that her kidneys are just a little larger and that is how her body is or they have strunk. The doctor said that the "normal" measurement for a babies kidneys are 1 cm and our baby is measruing 1.1 cm.  Which is just slightly above normal so the doctor does not seem to be concerned. Just good to be cautious.  I have been so happy with our doctor. He is a good guy and I feel confident that all will work out for the best.  We have read up about these kinds of things and usually they heal themselves and if not by the time they are born then shortly thereafter.  So we are just waiting to see what happens.
The boys only have 2 more weeks of school left.  I can't believe that the summer is almost here.  What am I going to do with three very active boys?  I am trying to find things to keep them busy and keep them well entertained. I am open for ideas too.  Keep in mind that I am not in complete fit form but I think I can get out and do some active things.  We will see.
We are still holding our weekly classes about the essential oils.  I think they are coming along well.  I just wish we could get more people to come.  There are so many people that have called, emailed or texted me about when and where but not that many people are showing up.  But those who do come are regulars and I feel like we are just expanding with so much information.  It is quite overwhelming at times but I am loving all the information out there.  I just wish I had a million dollars to do it all.  One step at a time I guess right?

Yesterday we took the boys to the school to play.  It was so nice outside and they were starting to get bored so we headed down to the elementary to let them get all their wiggles out.  Keaton has become pretty good at the monkey bars.

 Do you remember the days when you could swing and swing and swing and not get dizzy or hurt your hands?  I do.  Now, it looks like it just hurts.  He is so proud that he can skip some bars.  I guess that is the cool thing to do during recess in kindergarden.  It still blows my mind that he is going to be in the 1st grade next year.  When did he grow up so fast?  He is number 5 on the waiting list for the local Charter school and we are crossing our fingers that he will get in.
Andrew, well he is just always one step behind Keaton and one step further with a slap than Owen.  I swear those two don't get along most days.  There are some days when I see them giving each other hugs and just love each other and other days, they live to get mad at each other.  Sometimes it is quite commical but how do you keep them from killing each other? Is it just middle child syndrome or what? 
Our lesson for our combined class today was about learning the signs and symptoms about anxiety and depression.  It was different and obviously it must be an issue to address our ward, but it was really interesting.
There was a woman who came to our ward to talk about her experiences with the two and how she has managed to get back on track.  She had some posters up with all the signs to look for in young children, teenagers and adults.  As Lance and I were looking under the young children, I whispered over to him " Lance all those signs are Andrew."  Some of the signs are....
~ temper tantrums
~ continual disobedience
~ nightmares ( Andrew doesn't have these)
~ anger, aggression

Anyways, the list went on and some of those fit Andrew right now.  Now grant it, he just turned 4, so my thoughts were,  at what point do you look at your children to recognize early symptoms so you can stop them before they get bad, or is it just my four year old being a four year old?  Do you have any thoughts on this?  Momma Snyder, what do you think?  I love your input on things like this.

Well that is pretty much it for now.  Our life is getting busy and it is only going to get busier once this baby comes. We can't wait.  I feel like I did while expecting my very first baby.  I feel like I am having my first all over again, this time with a girl.  No nursery decorated yet. No nothing yet but we will get there hopefully.

May 16, 2011

Too many choices

I am really trying to get this nursery together.  I am not sure what color to go with.  What bedding to choose and what to decorate with.  This girl stuff is too confusing and there are too many choices to choose from.  So wish me luck this week with trying to pick something.
I love the darker colors.  But if we are having a girl, everyone tells me to go with pink.  I am not too sure about pink.  I am liking all these new colors that are starting to come out.  There are so many different patterns to choose from.  Any ideas?

May 14, 2011

32

Happy Birthday Lance!

We were all tired, dirty and sweaty.  This is our sweet family!

Bounce

Last weekend Keaton's friend Cameron invited him to his birthday party at a place called Bounce in Meridian.  We had always heard about this place and how much fun it was for the kiddos so he was pretty excited to go.  We went along with him and took the other boys so they could play along too.  They had a great time.  There was lots to do and the boys ran until they couldn't anymore.  Owen had a blast. He just thought it was so much fun to jump and not get hurt by anyone or anything.  He was a happy boy. 




May 9, 2011

Sweet Baby Girl in 3D

Aren't these amazing? We got to see her face in 3D.
She couldn't be any sweeter.  I love her so much
already!
Sweet dreaming baby girl!!!!!!


Isn't that amazing?  You can see her actual profile.  She is so stinkin cute!

May 7, 2011

27 weeks
Still no name yet

do you like the name Alexis?
or Sophia? or maybe
Karissa?

or maybe you hate them all?

your brothers keep referring you to
"baby girl"
how would you like that for the
rest of your life?

.... i have a feeling that wouldn't
go well later on in life for you.

be patient, we'll keep searching
the perfect name is out there

The book says that you are getting fatter
and starting to dream.

Sweet dreams baby girl!

May 5, 2011


I think too much about the things I want to do or dwell on the things that should have happened more than the things that just seem to happen day to day.  Does that make sense?  I need to focus more on what life is trying to teach me and just go with it. I am sure I am limiting myself to so many possibilities that are out there just waiting for me.  I am really happy with what life has given to me.  Now, I just need to relax and see what life is really waiting to give me.  I know one of things that I am anticipating is the arrival of this new little one.  I can't begin to express how excited and how scared I am.  Can those feelings go hand in hand? I feel like I am experiencing both of those right now.  When we first found out it was a girl I was just waiting for the sonographer to start pouring out the bad news.  From previous experience I was waiting for them to tell us that something was wrong.  Now that we are having a girl and she is healthy and whole I keep thinking it has to be too good to be true.  I keep having the dream that she is really going to come out a boy.  I guess I will put full faith in Heavenly Father that it is a girl and that she is happy and healthy.  I hope she knows just how much we have waited for her to come to our family.  It has been fun picking out fabrics for her room.  Fun new things to try out and just adorable little clothes. I think I go into her room at least once a day to just look at all the little things collecting in there.  I just love her so much already.  Even though we don't have a name I am confident that Lance and I will finally agree upon a name that we both like.  It will be the challenge of our marriage if we can agree on a name together.  We are starting a list but it is small in number.  When we do have a name,  it will be the perfect name too.  We are scheduled for another ultrasound coming up on the 9th. This coming Monday.  The doctor wants to take another look at her kidneys.  At our last ultrasound they were both alittle enlarged but it was nothign too concerning to my doctor. He said these things have a way of healing and correcting themselves.  It just happens with a growing and developing fetus sometimes.  So wish us and wish HER luck! I will keep you all posted.
As for other events happening in the Snyder home, we are finally enjoying some nice weather.  This week has been absolutetly gorgoues and my boys have died and gone to heaven being outside 24/7. I have really enjoyed it.  Today we went to the same park just down the road from us twice today just to let the boys get their wiggles out and to just play and have fun.  I even had fun.  Being as large as I am, I was pretty proud of myself going down slides with Owen and running around chasing my boys.  It didn't hurt then, but I am starting to feel it now. I hope a good nights rest will come my way.  I highly doubt it.  Seems like lately we have been playing an exhausting game of musical beds.  Both of my older boys wander into my room sometime between midnight and 3 and I end up getting kicked out of my bed.  So where do I end up?  In Andrew's bed.  I am alittle too big but most nights I don't care because I am beyond exhausted and I just want a place to lay down and not be disturbed.  That doesn't happen until around 7 when my youngest, Owen will push is little push lawn mower in to wake me up telling me he is hungry for breakfast.  That is usually when my day begins.  Some days I wish all my children would just sleep in until 8 or so.  I only have one child who truly knows what that means.  Andrew is my good sleeper and some mornings he won't get up until after 8 sometimes 8:30 like this morning and we were scramblin to get things together and out the door ontime for school. 
Life is good.  Life is busy and I am one tired and worn out mom.  Time to put this mom to bed. Goodnight!

May 1, 2011

Sunday afternoon

Since Grandma was out of town this weekend, our Sunday dinner was moved to Justin's house.  Since the weather was BEAUTIFUL today we decided to have a picnic outside.  Everyone came over and we had a great time.  Everyone chipped in and brought something and it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  My brother had a huge backyard, so that gave all the kids plenty of room to run around and play games.  My dad played quite abit with the boys and they really loved that.  They love those who will get down on their level and play with them. I mean really play with them.  They know the difference now.  A special thanks to all of those who made them feel special today.  It was so nice to feel the sun on my skin and to actually feel warm being outside.  I hope it will last through the week.
Lance BBQ'd on our grill that we brought over to Justin's.  We had everything, you name it.  It was great food and there was great company.  We just layed out the blankets and parked and visited one with another.  Thanks Justin for letting us come and crash at your place.  It was a nice change.
I love this picture of my son Owen and my dad.  Owen loves his grandpa!  He loves wrestling with him and just being with him. I thought it was so much fun to watch them interact with each other.  Thanks Grandpa for loving him so much!!!!

Owen and Chiara can get a long most of the time.  Today they did pretty well except for a few times when they wanted the same toy.  They were so entertained playing in this flower pot with Boche Balls that I just had to capture them getting along.  Aren't they so sweet?

Can I just say how grateful I am for the sun?  It has been a while since I have felt its warmth on my face.  I am getting excited for summer that is just around the corner.  I hope so anyways.  Here's to a nice Sunday afternoon.