Our family made the long trip out to see us over the holidays!

we visited the Nauvoo Temple, the church historic sites
and Carthage Jail

played in the snow

had loads of bonding time

and blessed sweet baby emmett

Dax cried for nearly two hours this morning after their leaving sunk in.
We all knew it was inevitable but we sure hated to see them go.
Come see us again......any time!

Emmett has clogged tear ducks and the infection seems to be going away now with the eye drops. We're hoping they'll clear so that he doesn't have to have surgery to unclog them. Other than that, he's been a good baby so far. My first three were all colicky or had acid reflux and that usually starts around 2 weeks, so I'm just waiting but also hoping that maybe this one will be different. Regardless, I love, love, love having a baby. I do hope when my kids are all grown that I am content as I am now.

The first snow storm and snowman of the year! Nothing makes my kiddos as happy as when it snows!

Last week I had a dear friend come stay with me. She cooked, cleaned, took care of my kids and was my sound board for a few days. She even sent Greg and I out one night for a date where we found all 4 restaurants in town closed so we settled for a root beer, jerky and a kitkat from the gas station and parked by the Mississippi and watched a barge slowly move up the river talking about how we can't believe we're the parents of four! What a time we had....thanks Marianne!

The other day I was reading my scriptures, finished and thought, "I did not learn a thing" so I reread what I had read and came across this verse in 2 Nephi 4:16: ". . . .and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard". I couldn't help but think about all the people in my life who I have seen and heard serving me and others around me. I find myself throughout the week pondering about all those my path has crossed that have changed me forever and made me want to do and be better. I'm so thankful for that in my life. I believe that that was Heavenly Father's intent from the beginning. He put us here--together--to learn and grow. I love that we are all in this--together--and that we have the capacity to inspire others. To everyone I have ever seen and heard serving ...... thank you, thank you, thank you. I will never be the same.

Interactions with Emmett

4:14 am: Emmett crying
I find Dax hovering over Emmett
Me: Dax what are you doing?
Dax: singing to Emmett. I heard him crying so I woke up!

Me: Lucas, will you please hold and rock Emmett while I put Nolan down for a nap?
Lucas: Sure
A few minutes later
Lucas: Rarrrr!! Rarrrrrrr!!
Me: (yellng from upstairs) Lucas please don't yell at Emmett
A few minutes later
Lucas: Rarrrrrrrrr!!
Me:Lucas, why were you yelling at Emmett?
Lucas: He has the hiccups and I was trying to scare him!

Nolan: tiss ead, old em, tiss ead, old em..............(kiss head, hold him...all day long!!)

A few of the new guy:

I wish I could keep him new forever

I finished my advent calendar a while ago. It went up yesterday
along with all the other Christmas decor. This is one of those things that I will never do again
(right beside crocheting and knitting).
Greg made the frame and the rest seemed to just take forever.

Emmett Verl Godfrey
November 20, 2010
8 lbs. 5 oz
20 1/2 inches long

Finally, finally, finally my sweet baby Emmett has arrived.
Friday, November 19, 2010
1:30 pm: doctors appointment; dilated to a 4; stripped membranes
5:00: contractions start
5:15 pm: rush to get kids fed, laundry done, bags packed, house cleaned
6:00 pm: contractions every 3 minutes
7:00 pm: ready to go
7:15 pm: Grandma Cathy & Grandpa Ed arrive (what they have become to us--so so thankful for them)
8:10 pm: arrive at hospital
9:15 pm: given first dose of penicillin (group strep B+)(need the other one in 4 hours)
11:00 pm: RELIEF! The Epidural
1:15 am: call nurses station to say "I think I might be close"
1:23 am: Doctor broke my water
1:28 am: Emmett born

This has been one of the longest pregnancies for me. Emotionally, spiritually and mentally challenging and so so draining. How grateful I am that a loving Heavenly Father hears and answers my prayers during my darkest of hours. I feel so blessed to have four little boys. There is something so magical about a newborn. We are all loving every single minute he's been here with us.

Nolan's 18 months photos turned into 19 1/2 month photos.

This week I've been working on getting all my Christmas stuff done. The only good thing about no baby yet is I can just keep pluggin away at it. I finally found a dresser for the baby's room and hopefully we'll get it refinished this week
(but I'll gladly take a baby anytime!).
As for the boys:
Dax: had a really hard time watching "How to Tame Your Dragon" (he's just super sensitive)
Lucas: wants an aircraft carrier for christmas
Nolan: loves kitties
Baby(close to having a name): is constantly on the move

Today was just one of those days. Seems like all I did was raise my voice (I know I promised not to do that) and cry. I'll be honest, after 9 months of feeling like crap I don't really know how to handle it anymore. This pregnancy has been really hard on me......mentally. That said, one moment I did enjoy out of my day was watching Lucas draw out of the Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Animals.

Dax had a big halloween party at school and Lucas thought it just grand that he got to sit next to his brother after the parade and eat a bunch of candy.

Just a little party we attended as a family. I was lame and didn't plan anything until last minute. It was almost time to walk out the door and I said, "I'm wearing all black, what can I be?" Dax replied, "How about a road?" Great! So a road I was for a few hours. Greg was our mighty duck hunter.

Nolan's coloring gets a little out of control sometimes. I can't keep him from biting the tops of markers off and that's all he wants to color with lately.

3 more weeks. 3 more weeks. 3 more weeks. But who's counting?

I ordered a wall calendar from Vista Print last year for free. The offer stands now you just have to pay for shipping!

Halloween Costumes:
Exactly like last year Dax could not decide what he wanted to be. The list included: Iron Man, Ostrich, Dragon, Cowboy, Snake, Mole, Ninja, Spider, Bat, and Zebra. The only one he kept going back to was Iron Man which I have absolutely no idea how he knows who he is, however, we settled there.

Lucas on the other hand wanted to be a Fly Fisherman and never looked back.

And Nolan is a dragon

"BUGS, BUGS, BUGS, That's What I Like!"
So the project for this month at school was to build a bug. Dax wanted a dragonfly. A red, orange, black and green dragonfly. With help from his dad using some wood, paint, plexiglas and a few other materials here's what the two created.

While on the subject, we have had hundreds of baby wolf spiders! They are everywhere. I suppose that each of those 5 humongous wolf spiders we killed laid well over 2000 eggs and tempo only killed a mere portion of those. I really hate bugs. It's gotten a lot worse with having kids. I'm a big ol pansie when it comes to killing one too. I hate having them on, around or near me. Nolan will pick up the little spiders and bring them to me while we're outside! I can hardly stand it!

Because this is all about bugs, this is among one of my kids favorite books "Ant, Ant, Ant! (An Insect Chant)" by April Pulley Sayre (Trip Park is the illustrator which makes this book so great)

My picture of Dax's treat for this month is terrible as it looks like I was short on frosting--which I wasn't! That being said, these are the best cupcakes I have ever had. This is not my recipe and I can't find where I found it, but here's the recipe:
1 box cake mix (any flavor)
1 cup buttermilk
vegetable oil (the amount suggested on box)
4 large eggs.
Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until moistened (about 30 seconds) then increase the speed and beat 2 minutes longer. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Frosting:
1 stick butter
1-2 T milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar.
Beat until fluffy.

They are awesome!

Today Greg ran a 5K and the boys a hundred meter dash for Eagle View Community Health Awareness Day. They've all been preparing for weeks. Greg was the first guy to finish in his race and Dax took first and Lucas third in theirs.

Dax is really into racing lately. You can tell that this is his element (at least for the time being). They run around the track at school for PE a couple times a week and he always reports back as to who won. Lots of times he's just right being Bryce or Kaden and some times he wins. Too bad we don't live by the Ogilvies anymore so they could give him a few pointers!

Pumpkin Pancakes and Buttermilk Syrup my favorite.

One of the goals I set for myself a few weeks ago was to spend less leisure time on this computer. However, there is some great stuff to be found on it, when I do give myself a little free time!! Here's a couple sites:

"Sugardoodle" is a great Family Home Evening help.

"House of Smith's" has an adorable Halloween display. I'm not a big Halloween decorator, but I couldn't resist copying some of her ideas.

I'm going to make a Christmas Advent Calendar. I'm trying to reproduce this one from "Paper Princess Chronicles". I just really want my children to know the reason for the season as it seems every year Christmas comes and goes. We reenact the Christmas story on Christmas Eve, open our presents the next morning and it's all over. Over. I want it to be so much more than that. I want to savor the music, the smells, the feeling, the moments. Everything Christmas has to offer. So for this year I'm going to try to make it an experience and have something for us to do as a family 20-25 days out that prepare our hearts and minds for the holiday. Some of these ideas aren't bad. I welcome any traditions you might have!!

Everyone probably already knows about this website "The Learning Page", but I use it almost daily for at least one of my kids. It has great coloring pages and helps with learning the alphabet.

Boys are good. I'm gaining lots of weight and Greg finally got to go golfing.

September 19-September 26

Daxton and Lucas thought it would be a great idea to spray Nolan down with a hose. It was about 50 degrees outside.
Our mole trap has gone off 4 times, but still no mole. I guess our sandy yard is a bit too soft.
One baby blanket down.
One more to go.
I had really bad leg aches.
Acid reflux isn't far behind that.
Greg decided not to get a bow.
Greg decided he needs a gun.
Dax will not ride the bus.
Lucas is really into jets and airplanes and always makes them about 2 feet too long. They break. He cries. Always.
Nolan is 18 months.
Baby moves a lot.
Baby has no name.
I'm wondering how I'll ever handle four little kids.
7 more weeks until I'll know.

(baby blankets)

I know these can be eaten all year around but I really like having them during this time of year. My friend Micah shows how to make them here. I use a few different ingredients and don't end up looking as grand as her's. Mine consist of carmel apple wraps, melted white chocolate, and cinnamon and sugar. They are so yummy!

I love this time of year. I've never decorated with glitter, but gave it a go this year.

Nolan gets into everything when we're outside and gives most of it a good taste too.

The only problem I see with having a house full of boys is we are going to have to have four firearms, four fishing poles, four bows, four pistols, four of absolutely everything their father has. Greg is getting a bow soon so the boys just had to follow suite. Although Dax has the wrong eye open here, he's getting the hang of it......and loves it!

Nolan has a few years....for now it's swinging and crying time (he's only smiling because I made him)....

otherwise he's pretty stinkin crusty.