Vernal, here we come!

Remember my nephew, Mason, that I put on my blog a few weeks ago? I finally was able to go up to Utah and see him!

First, we got to make a quick stop and visit Jamie, Rod & Lucy. Maddie loves being with the Smiths, and she tells everyone she is baby Lucy's big sister. Here she is practicing being a big sister. (I am a little worried!)

Then we made the long car ride east to Vernal. On the way back to the SLC airport, I came within about 2 feet of hitting a deer and drove through about 30 minutes of a snowstorm with crappy windshield wipers on my rental car. It was not my favorite part of the trip.

But it was all worth it when I got to hold my adorable little Mason boy cutie pants! He was sweet and I adored every second of getting to hold and love on this little man. Stacey was being very generous with her son. She even let me stay up with him all night for his night feedings. Stacey got to have a very deserved and needed whole night of uninterrupted sleep (if you don't count the time Emma woke up with a fever and hallucinated about ants), and I got to spend those intimate, sweet moments with Mason. It is strange how obsessed you can be about staring at a newborn's little face. I loved every moment of my sleepless night.

Of course, Maddie & Emma had an absolute blast together. There were the inevitable "I have been with you too constantly in the last 24 hour" fights between them. But they love each other more than sisters. (Can you tell which kid is more used to the Vernal weather?)

Baby Mason, I love you. Keep being a tough little man. I am thinking of you and your mommy constantly and I wish you luck with your upcoming medical treatments.

Easter Weekend

Complain about Vegas summers all you want, but spring time is gorgeous. Maddie & I spent all day Friday at the park, where she rode her little bike around in circles for hours. I am amazed at how non-shy Maddie is. She goes right up to kids and adults and talks to them and befriends everybody. I love it.

During our super cool park visit, I realized that Maddie outgrew her old bike. So I was going to tell the Easter Bunny to get one for her for Easter. But then I realized I would enjoy it oh-so-much more if I had Maddie ask her Daddy to build it with her. There is nothing, NOTHING, I enjoy more than to watch Josh miserably fumble around with tools, because there is nothing, NOTHING, he hates more. It makes me laugh everytime.

Then I brought Josh to a salon down the street for his Annual Mandatory Pre-Summer Pedicure. Of course, Maddie sweet-talked her way into getting her nails painted sparkly purple while Dad's feet soaked.

I now know that if I ever want Maddie to hold still for a period of time, I just need to paint her nails. She barely moved for almost an hour after because she didn't want to mess them up.

We had a family breakfast/egg hunt in our backyard. Luckily, we all have very late church so we got to spend all morning together. Cole loved to suck on his one green egg, and that was all he needed.

Cayden was working furiously to fill his basket, and Grandpa Stan was trying to keep up.

Maddie was so happy that Uncle Kyle came down for Easter, she actually jumped and clapped and cheered. Kyle's gifts were the only ones I REALLY hid, and he couldn't even find all of them. It cracks me up. Why, oh why do I get so much joy out of picking on the men in my life?

Josh & Brian were awesome cooks for us. They made pancakes, eggs & bacon, and we had a beautiful picnic in the backyard. It was so much fun, and a BEAUTIFUL day. (And Josh loved his spring apron that I made him wear.)   :o)

Then we went to Grandma Karen's to dye the Easter eggs and eat traditional scones. Yum.

Of course, Maddie took control of the egg dying process and made sure everyone knew how to make them properly. Once you put them in, you have to count to ten in English, and then ten in Spanish, and THEN you can get them back out. She is charmingly bossy, and I have NO idea where she gets it from.

I took this picture of my overly tired baby girl. She was very sleepy from a long day, but didn't want to take off her pretty dress and go to bed. The funny thing is, she looks absolutely stunning and beautiful here.

I couldn't let her get away with going to sleep sad and not smiling for a picture. So I tickle tortured her until she was exhausted, and I got this hilarious picture. All in all, we had a wonderful Easter weekend.

New Calling!!!

I got a new calling in the ward, and I am so darn stinking excited about it! 2nd Counselor of the Relief Society presidency. I LOVE Relief Society, so I actually cheered when I was told. And the Relief Society president is awesome and I can't wait to work with her. This is me ------>   :o)

Being productive again

I can't believe how productive I can be when I feel good. I will NEVER take advantage of my health again. The last few days I felt so good that I finally got around to painting Maddie's room. Unfortunately she insists that her favorite color is purple (which I hate). But it is her room, so I allowed her to make that decision. I am still waiting for her bunk beds to be delivered (I ordered them last August, Rrrrrrr.....), but here are the walls. She is so excited about her purple walls she screams and jumps every-time she walks in.

I can't believe how much better a room looks with the walls painted. My favorite room in the house is Maddie's old nursery, but my goal is to make her new "big girl room" even prettier.

Yes, I know I look like crap.

This beautiful picture was taken during our three hour visit to the emergency room at UMC. I was diagnosed with the flu, a severe ear infection, and bronchitis. Maddie had a cold. I was so miserable this last week I was barely able to get out of bed and thought that surely, death would be better than this misery. Luckily the last few days I have felt much better, but my head is congested with a never ending supply of phlegm. Somehow, Josh's "superior immune system" was able to completely bypass the plague that I was cursed with.

Please join our fasting and prayers.....

My sister, Stacey, just gave birth to an adorable little boy, Mason, on February 28th. A few days ago, Stacey brought him back to the hospital. He has pneumonia and ecoli - and is being tested for meningitis and other infections. He will be in the hospital for the next 21 days (at least) and is receiving antibiotics every 6-8 hours. These are very serious in a newborn, and I ask that everyone PLEASE remember little Mason, my sister, and her family, in your prayers.

I am recovering from bronchitis and an ear infection and a flu, and as soon as I am no longer a walking contagious mess, I will be going up there to help with her other kids and will have a better update for everyone. 

Aloha

We had a BLAST during our week in Hawaii. Thanks Dad for letting your kids invite ourselves on your work trip!

Cutest picture ever taken of the Madster.

Mom & Maddie at our hotel

Uncle Kyle (the greatest....manny....uh, I mean nanny....I have ever seen) telling Maddie the most elaborate and fantastical stories of make believe.

Our family helicopter ride

Maddie is ready to go.

Literally, within 60 seconds after take off, Maddie was asleep and slept the entire ride! She missed the amazing waterfalls, cliffs, mountains, and whales.

Our family submarine ride.

Maddie was FURIOUS that we didn't see any mermaids. We saw a sunken ship, lots of beautiful fish, and a freaky eel.

Maddie's brave slide ride.

Josh's brave slide ride.

The cutest little hula girl, Lucy! She was such a doll and made the trip so fun!

Maddie felt like a princess in our amazing hotel.

Ice cream break.

Family boat ride. I definitely highly recommend visiting the islands during whale season.

At the top of Maui's Haleakala volcano.

The very cool downhill bike ride.

Grandpa Dale & Baby Lucy

I totally hogged little Lucy the whole week. I don't think Jamie minded too much though.  :o)

Maddie the Mermaid

Josh's tradition: sleeping through the ENTIRE first day of vacation.

Uncle Kyle being wonderful again. (Little did he know that Maddie had a "turtle head" inside of that swimsuit when I took it off later that night. He - he)

Whenever you ask Maddie what she wants to do at the beach, she is guaranteed to say: Make sand castles! Well, she got her wish!

Maddie loved the slides at the hotel.

Josh & Rod enjoying their room service breakfast/tea party.

A Happy Day.....

We needed a happy family vacation, so where did we go? The Happiest Place on Earth, of course!

We carried on the Stucki family tradition of going on the Pirate ride first. That smile on Maddie's face didn't last long once we got on this "scary" ride. You could hear her saying the following things: "I don't like this at all." "I want to go home." "Why did we come here?" Maybe we will wait until she is a little older to continue this tradition?

We immediately tried to cheer Maddie up by going to the only place that really matters to her.

One of my favorite rides!

Maddie loved the Dumbo ride because we all squished onto one elephant and she got to do the controller all by herself.

For anyone who doesn't know, there is a new Disney area near the It's a Small World ride. The little girls can choose what Princess they want to be, and then they get the complete outfit and their hair and makeup done....

....then they get to go to the ball and learn how to dance with a handsome prince and curtsy......

.....And if you shell out enough money, they even get one on one time 

with princesses in a private room! Maddie was in Princess Heaven!

And of course, the teacups. (Which make me vomit, so I offered to take pictures instead.) We had a very magical time together!

A Sad Day....

It turns out that I am no longer pregnant...... I was so excited about the positive pregnancy test that I wanted to tell everyone! Unfortunately, little 1, 3 and 9 just went through too much (they WERE frozen for four years) and weren't strong enough.

Poor little Maddie took it hard. She had affectionately named the little guys, "Jack, Sophie & Sophia." They had to be named in that order and counted on your fingers, or she would make you repeat it. I tried my best not to cry in front of her, but I know she could tell how sad I was. I bought her a silly little purple wand at the dirty Barstow Main Street Station this weekend, and she came up to me waving her wand so excited: "Mommy, now I can make you pregnant again with my wand!"

What a sweet little miracle Maddie has been in my life.