Our life according to my iphone

Every night I tell myself I am going to blog but it never happens, obviously, I haven't updated in a long time.  So tonight I went through the 4,555 photos on my phone {you think I am joking, I'm not...it drives Jared crazy. I do download them to the hard drive, I just forget to delete them off my phone.}  No harm done...anywho, so I uploaded a bunch from my phone, pictures from the last 5 months or so.

 Jack likes to play with his sandbox mates whenever their is anything going on at the school.  It's so funny to listen to their little conversations.  My child may or may not be a tad bit bossy. :)

Those that know me well know how much I love me some free stuff on the side of the road.  We came across this lil bench in front of a house on our way to swimming lessons.  It was covered in spider webs and looking pretty gross but I really wanted it.  I quickly slammed on the brakes and grabbed it.  The only problemo was that I had all the kids in  the car and it wouldn't fit.  So I did what any other mother in the same predicament would do and I tortured my children by putting it on top of them, forcing them to have spider webs 2 inches from their faces.  To be honest I was grossed out and praying that nothing would decide to hatch in our car.  We got it home, it sat in out living room for a week and them I slapped some paint on it, sanded the edges and bought a few pillows and now it is a great piece in our living room.  I painted it the same color as the Finch family cabin in Payson, Utah. {Jared has been a bit homesick for the cabin this year so I knew he would dig the color.}  I love projects, especially when they cost next to nothing.

I swear Sunday's are the universal day for naps.  I don't get them that often, but when I do they are glorious.  This is usually what happens when I try to nap.

I love moments that melt my heart.  I walked into Lucy's room a few months back and Rex had tenderly written all these notes for her.  Earlier that week in Family Home Evening we had been talking about kindness & doing things for each other.  The results were awesome.

 

I mean, c'mon...seriously!  So tender!

I am into dressing like my infant. Actually I didn't notice until 3 or 4 people pointed it out to me while I was out & about that day.

This little rascal likes to trick me sometimes.  He'll pretend to be asleep & then I'll put him down and nope....head pops up, hey mom, totally not asleep...let's start over, it's fun.  I want to squirm and smack my face on your collar bone for another 20 minutes and then I'll crash.

So back in July I went in for some testing because during my pregnancy I was severely anemic.  I was on ion pill & they weren't doing anything.  I was feeling super tired and having trouble gaining weight.  Well after some blood tests and a same day surgery to have a piece of my small intestine taken from me to be biopsied, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Yay!  So for years I haven't felt well after eating pretty much anything...turns out the lining of my small intestine was completely bare.  I hadn't been absorbing nutrients for quite some time.  Needless to say...now I knew why most days I could hardly pry my eyelids open.  Anyway, I can no longer even have a trace of gluten enter my body.  It's teaching me a lot of self control and discipline, but I must say that after 4 months, not only do I feel better, but I feel like it's getting easier. There is a lot I can't eat, but there is heaps that I can eat. My children had to be tested with blood tests {yep, that was fun...let's just say there was crying, Liv fainted, smacked her face on the ground and gauged her knee...Lu was convinced that they left the needle in her arm every time we went over a bump on the way home...yep, a bit of drama, but we made it through}.  Lu was the only one who came back positive for the gene.  They will all be tested every 3 years, but Lu every 6 months.  So now I have a nifty Coeliac Association card that gets me discounts and  cool info in the mail.  I will have another biopsy taken in about 6 months to see if the lining of the small intestine is repairing itself.  I try to focus on feeling good and not feeling like I am missing out because there is a lot I will never, ever in my life...like ever, ever {just feel like being dramatic} be able to eat again.

Anyway, long story...longer...I went to the Gluten Free Expo in Sydney a few months ago with these lovely friends.  There was booth after booth with samples and discounts GF foods.  I learned a lot and came home with some deliciousness.

Just being cheese ball...a gluten free cheese ball that is.... oh dear, that was bad.

So motherhood...I spend a lot of my time with this chubby baby on my hip...I love it, I do get tired and I have to stop occasionally, but him down and stretch like a cat.  Sometimes I hear a rumble come out of him only to find that some of the rumble has escaped onto my shirt.  Luckily this time I was in my PJ top which was on backwards and I was in the comfort of my own home so I just left it for a bit.  It's real life...it is how it is...

I love sights like this on a Sunday afternoon...creativity at it's finest and all the kids enjoying each other.

These two are handsome...

We are all about celebrating Australian & American holidays.  We celebrate birthdays for two days as well.  Father's day here is in September, not June like it is in the states.  So Jared gets two father's days.  He deserves it.  He is a great father and these kids truly adore him.

We have a great ward and sometimes we like to hang out on a Sunday.  Some great conversations take place.  Really great people in our ward.

This was Sam's first time sitting in the cart.  He tried to suck on the bar every 30 seconds but he did a good job sitting up.

Sam loves to suck on his toes.  He sucks on them sitting up, he sucks on them when he's on his back.

I know I take a billion pictures of his face squished up while he is sleeping, but I can't help myself, he is so cute!

I love sneaking photos of the kids playing when they don't know I am there.  This was especially sweet.  I listened to Jack talk in different voices as he played and talked with his cars.

Jumping over the hedge at our house happens quite frequently.  So far no one has hit their knee on their face yet.  Touch wood!

                                                Goggles in the bath are a must....

The girls got vouchers to get their nails done last Christmas.  Well we just used them and they loved it.  They felt pretty grown-up.

Dinner time at our house often looks a little something like this.  Dad gets home from work and transforms into a human jungle gym.  JAred is quite talented.  H can hold a baby, balance a 3 year old on his shoulders, eat corn and have a conversation with me. i'm impressed!  For reals, I am!

We are Finch's, therefore we play cards.  Haha, it's fun.  Sunday nights with cards are always good fun.

Jack was finally old enough to go into the play zone at Ikea.  He was thrilled, I was thrilled.... First thing he did was canon ball into the ball pit...then he yelled bye to me and then kissed the glass.  Love you, Jackie Boo!

Thank you Costco for providing two seats for my two boys who need buckles.  Jack especially loves it because he can boss take care of his baby brother and touch him constantly...oh and try to shove samples of food in his mouth.

For the past two years the kids have been taking dance lessons at school.  They get to compete in a competition at the end of the term against 12 other schools.  Last year Liv took first place twice with her partner in her age group.  Well this year she took first place again and Rex took second.  So proud of them.

Jack found his flannel jammies that were size 12-18 months and decided that he needed to wear them.  So I let him wear them to go grocery shopping.  Apparently I said he didn't need shoes either.  #bogan #healwaysfindsthingsitrytohide

The bumbo is great.  Sam doesn't love it but lucky for me he his thighs keep him in & he stays put when he arches and tried to get out.  Thank you thighs for being so hefty.

Every check up with this boy I get emotional. He is making such great progress.  He is a bit small and short, but he is healthy and so cute.  He is nothing like what the doctors were expecting.  He is a miracle and we continue to thank Heavenly Father for blessing us with him.  He is so loved at our house and he brings a lot of happiness into our family.

I asked Jared if he was the one that told these girls they could grow up.  He said it wasn't him so I am wondering who told them they could get big.  I wish I could make time slow down.  These sweeties are so beautiful.  I am happy they have each other.

Not sure if I mentioned that Jack got mad at Lucy and threw her Ipod touch into the toilet?? Yep, he did.  Then a few weeks later Rex's ipod almost got destroyed so here we are at the Apple store waiting to hear the verdict on the ipods.  Let's just say it wasn't good.

Sam has two teeth.....

I went to a baby shower for my friend Laurie who is having her first baby next month.  It was great to see her.  While I was there I saw a girl that looked just like a girl I served in the Missionary Training Center in Provo.  We kind of looked at each other and then figured it out.  Below is a picture form the MTC in 2000 and then now.

Super duper small world.  She is from Italy, but married an Aussie.  I am from the US and we now live 2 hours from each other in Australia.  It was so great to catch up.  She is still as lovely as ever.  Very Italian.  Love it!

                                                             Fruit eating on the counter.

           Sam's first swimming experience with one of his besties, Cozette.  They are 2 weeks apart in age.

Lu decided she wanted to cut her hair, so I did.  We cut off 5 inches.  Two weeks ago she decided she wanted her hair back.  Sorry sweetie... it may take some time.  I think she looks darling.

Well my hair has been so dry & crusty since having Mr. Samuel so I decided to chop 5 inches off my hair too.  It feels so much better, but I do miss my long hair too.  Luckily it grows like a weed.

Liv & her friend had a bake sale in front of our house one Saturday.  They made signs, made a menu and hired their siblings to get people to stop.

One night I was out with friends and Lucy was sad that she didn't get her normal tuck in since 99% of the time I am home at night to say good night.  I came home and she was asleep with my picture.  So tender!

Sometimes I get to substitute in Primary at church.  It is so fun.  Here is Lucy with her friend Ava.

Sam has been trying to get his top buckers and it's been brutal.  He has been miserable so he's been needing some extra cuddles to go to sleep.  The cuddles usually end up with me falling asleep next to him on the floor.  I think me napping by him helps his gums feel better. ;)

I took this lot to see the One Direction Movie.  I kinda loved it and felt a tiny crush on Harry.  Too bad I am old enough to be his mother. Gulp!

                                             Jack likes to teach Sam the art of can stacking.

Jared went on a young men's camp out for 4 days and I let the kids sleep in my room.  It is possible to cram 5 kids on a double mattress on the floor.  If during the night it gets to crowded they just fall off the bed.  I find them scattered all over my room in the morning.

                          Jack wanted to make sure he got every last speck of butter chicken.

Jack found these soccer boots as they call them here {cleats back home}.  They are 20 sizes too big but he loves wearing them so I let him.

Jared came home from camp and I went to pick him up.  All the YM were there and no joke, all of the flies in Australia were there.  Here is a big pile of camp clothes.  Plug your nose.  Smelly or not, we were thrilled to have him home.

Oh these moments touch my heart.  I love seeing my kids help each other.  Lucy is great at feeding Sam.

Lucy has been trying to lose a tooth forever.  She has tried poking her tooth with sticks, banging them on poles...seriously, she has tried so hard.  Well her baby teeth just wanted to hold on so much that her big girl tooth decided to come behind so we had to visit Dr. Wes {Lu's future father in-law if all goes well with her plan to marry his son Conner} & he had to pull her tooth.

Her numb smile was so cute that we kept saying, "Lucy smile."

Then her lip got massive and she didn't want to smile.  Lucky for her it was back to normal in the morning, otherwise we would have had a bit of drama going to school.

This will probably be a post by itself for another time, but real quick I'll just say, we are opening a Shave Ice shop her in Bondi near the beach.  My brother Rob designed our logo & we love it.  Here we are opening one of the shavers.  Rex asked if he could have the crate to live in...umm, I hope he doesn't tell people he sleeps in a crate.  Hahaha

                                                           Go Utah Jazz!  Jazz fan for life!

                                                        trying out some flavors of shave ice.

                                            Bondi beach with the Riley's

     General Conference is always a highlight.  The packets & treats keep their attention for 10 minutes, but oh well. :)

Jared thought it was funny that I took a pic of our legs while watching conference.  I actually didn't mean to but I kind of like it.

So there you have it.  Some of the many pictures on my phone.  I will have to sift through the other thousands and do another post...hopefully sooner than later.