Our 4 Year old....almost

Here are the way cute pictures of Emma we got done yesterday. It is almost her 4 year birthday, but we needed to get the pictures done while we were in the 'city', so here they are. She did SOOOO good, they only had to snap the pictures once and they didn't even have to ask her to smile, she already was! It was such a change from past experience! Anyway, we had a fun time and she looks amazingly cute! This is my favorite pose...

Birthday Cake Ideas & Motherhood

So as I sit here being sick again, I keep trying to think of how much of a blessing children really are. I tell people not to ask me if we are having any more kids when I'm pregnant because I will probably tell you this is our last. I thought being 6 1/2 months along would justify being not "sick" anymore? but I guess this little guy wants it to be tough. I was telling Greg the other day that I start to feel "okay" around 8PM until 11PM. So I have a 3 hour time period where I don't feel nauseous to get all the 'stuff' done around the house. And since the grocery store here closes at, oh, 8pm, I can't do that then. Some days can be great, but others.....yuck! Okay, so I'm over the pity party now, I just needed that off my chest.

On to life. This is the cake that Emma wants for her birthday. We'll see how it goes and if it gets done. Well, there are two choices, we'll see which one we can do. (of course it will be 'happy birthday emma) :o)

I ran across this photo the other day of when the Cleverley family went on a cruise last December and thought I would post it because it reminded me of how beautiful it was and how much fun we had together as a family! This is Greg's parents and siblings and spouses. We actually cruised with over 60 people! It was a family reunion with Greg's grandparents. Now THAT was a awesome family reunion! (although the kids were at home with the other set of grandparents...we don't recommend taking kids on a cruise...maybe when they're like 16 or so).

Greg and I are all for cruising and can't wait to go on another one! It was so much fun I can't even explain it! One of the best parts was the food. I think I gained 5 lbs in 8 days! :o) We ate all the time! Luckily we did enough walking and running after our kids when we got home that it was easy weight loss. We did the Caribbean cruise (Jamaica, Haiti, Mexico, etc.). So, when we get more money saved and we're not pregnant, everyone save up there pennies and we'll all go cruising together!

Our Week

I guess between scouts, ballet, snow, enrichment, library meeting, scout meetings, and everything else life throws at us we seem to keep going. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened lately. Emma is doing ballet now and is loving it! She is so cute to see do tap and get the coordination right. She is performing at the Festival of Trees this year, so we'll keep you all posted on that. This past weekend we had an enrichment where we all came in our PJ's and had breakfast at a sisters house and lounged around talking and eating! The food and company was awesome! Thanks mom for watching the kids. We also got to spend some time the past few days holding new baby Hunter again! We just can't seem to get enough of the cutie pie! He loves to sit right on our baby bump (Cody) and cuddle. Breann, you are right, he loves to cuddle. We are in the process of getting ready for Emma's birthday later this week! I can't believe she'll be 4 already! She is SOOOOO excited! For some reason she has been wanting a Dora the Explorer birthday cake.......I guess I'll have to look into that one this week. And she wants some barbies. She is surely a girl. We are working on Christmas presents this week before we head to Colorado so we can bring them with us. Save on the shipping thing, unless they charge for 2 suitcases on the airlines now? I guess I should check into that. We are also deciding on Halloween costumes. Carter wants to be Elmo (no surprise there) and Emma can't decide between a fairy, a bee or a horse. What are all your kids going to be for Halloween? Oh, an update on Emma and potty training: she is doing SO much better! (thank goodness) We are down to about 1 accident a day, which from where we were, is HUGE! YAY! Happy Fall everyone!

Our Snow Day

So, Saturday we got our first snow storm! Yes, Idaho does have its great summer days and then all of a sudden, bam!, it's winter! Not much fall or autumn time, but I guess that's what we all get for living in good 'ole Idaho. We love it though! It didn't stop our plans either. Ever since we moved into this house, we've been meaning to rip out this old root cellar we've had in our backyard and it's been put off for over a year now while we've been doing various other things around the yard and house. Up until Saturday! I am SOOOOO thrilled to have this gone because it was such a hazard around the kids and dangerously filled with nasty spiders. (my ultimate enemy) There was boards on top of it and Carter just loved to walk on them and get around all the holes that were around the edge. He would try and run to it before I could catch him, but now, it is gone! Despite all the snow and rain and wind and cold (high of 32) Greg braved it all to drive 6 miles to and from getting the very drafty tractor that had no windshield or windows to rip this eye sore out of our yard. (sidenote: The tractor had a top speed of 15 mph. Thank you my hubby!) We knew it would only get put off until later and decided it was time. The guy at the dump thought we were nuts! Pulling up with 2 pickup loads of junk and trees we ripped out. :o) The trees were yucky ones that had overgrown in the wrong places and Greg had a lot of fun ripping it all out. It feels awesome to finally get a lot of this done. Now all that is left is to till the garden and hopefully mow the lawn once more before winter fully sets in. Hopefully the snow will melt here soon and we can finish up. Maybe this year we'll actually see the kids Halloween costumes without having to have them covered up in coats and boots!

Here is Greg with the snow and the tractor ripping out our junk in the backyard. (Having fun)

Here are the kids and Greg outside building a snowman (with cool cornstalk arms) and mommy taking a picture from the nice warmth of the house.

Halloween Cookies and "eea"

So here were are making halloween cookies and noticing that Carter has starting a new language or a new qwirk or trying to speak spanish? You'll have to decide. It all started with calling me "Momeea" and now it is "Cookeea". Also, he has added the "eea" to Emma and Daddy and just about all single words he says. I am thinking it is because he is used to hearing spanish on Sundays (we're in the spanish branch) or that it's just a really cute phase he's going through? I guess you'll have to help me decide!

Okay, so I have to admit that the top picture isn't a picture of the cookies we made....here are the real pics of the kids. I don't know if I could go to all the effort of the top cookie as cute as it looks and then just eat them! :o) They are sure cute though!

Hunter is Here!

Philip and Breann welcomed their new baby boy, Hunter, into the world on Monday night! We were able to go and visit them in yesterday to see how baby Hunter was.......and he is SOOOO CUTE! Yes, these pictures are just so dang cute I can't get over it! Good job Phil and Breann! :o) Emma was saying that Hunter was going to be her buddy and she just loved holding him that she had to hold him twice before we left! She just loves babies and can't wait for Cody to join our family! She keeps asking if it is going to snow tomorrow because we told her that when the snow flies, Cody will come! :o) Hopfully it is true. Well, we really think Hunter looks like Philip and Breann & Philip agree. He is a handsome/adorable little guy and we love him! Congrats you two! Love ya!

messing up the blog

I tried changing my blog template and totally messed everything up. Will fix later...

So, it is harvest time! Yes, we have been living the life of potatoes, grain and now on to sugar beets. This is a picture of Carter at my parents house. Isn't he cute?! He was being babysat while I was the fill-in truck driver for potatoes. I really enjoy driving truck at harvest, so it was no problem for me. I guess some people thought it was quite a big deal because they couldn't believe I was 6 months pregnant and driving truck, but I guess you can never get all the farm-girl out of me! :o) It sure was fun and here's a big thank you to mom, breann, and breanna for watching the kids! You guys are awesome! Also, to the men of the family, here is a shout-out to you for all your hard work! Greg, Dad, Phil & Cavin--you guys are great!

Yesterday Breann, Krishele and I decided it was time for pedicures and a girls night out. Thankfully the men folk finished up harvest that afternoon and were able to be the babysitters and we took off to get Breann's nails all ready for delivery in a few days! Yay, we will get to see "baby hunter" (as my children call him) on Tuesday! We are all thrilled to add another cousin/nephew/grandchild to the family.

Wasn't today's conference wonderful? The parts that I was able to hear were very uplifting and it was also wonderful to hear of the new temples announced! I am always amazed at the growth of the church and the number of temples that dot the earth. I am also so excited about the new "Behold Your Little Ones" nursery manual. I think this will be so wonderful for our little kids to even have at home.
Also, if anyone has any potty training tips for a resistant toddler, they would be welcomed with open ears!
Here is a big *hug* and *kisses* for my hubby who has been so great with the kids this weekend and helped out so much around the house. (He is an awesome dishwasher) The kids really missed him while he was gone so much for harvest, but now that he has been here yesterday and today, they are loving it! We all can't get enough daddy/hubby time with him. I Love you Greg!