Our Trip to Drumheller...

On Tuesday we made a quick decision to load up the trailer and head up to Drumheller. Tyler had mentioned before that he thought the boys would like going there, but we just didn't seem to know when we were going to fit it in this summer. Luckily Tyler's work schedule (or lack of it) made it possible for us to make a mad dash up there. We spend the 1st night camping in Carseland and a really nice campground. It was right by the river and the boys had a great time just riding their bikes around and playing at the campground. Tyler had to a do a quick job there the next day and was home by noon so we packed up and headed to Drumheller.

When we got there we went to the Tourist Info building and got maps and brochers on all the fun things we wanted to do. We found a nice campground but it came at a price, $45 a night! That is STEEP. But it did have full hookups and a heated pool...so I guess you pay for what you get right? They boys had fun swimming in the pool after it stopped raining and it was the perfect way to tire them out before bed. The night wouldn't have been complete though without a fire and marsh mellows. Tyson & Carson loved sleeping in our new trailer, Francis. Yes the trailer has a name. LOL! Tyler has a habit of naming all our vehicles. It is quite funny. I was surprised at how well they slept and even more surprised at how quickly and quietly they fell asleep. Maybe it had something to do with them being completely exhausted??

The next morning it was time for us to head out and explore Drumheller. We knew we didn't have much time before we had to head home so we chose the 2 things we wanted to do the most, the Royal Terrell Museum & Reptile World.

I must say that I was completely awe struck at the museum. It is amazing to me that they have found these creatures that roamed the earth so long ago right in our backyard. It was fun to see where all the fossils have been discovered. We saw some from Milk River, Crowsnest Pass, Dinosaur Provincial Park, China, Utah, Russia and from other parts of the world. Tyson and Carson LOVED looking at all the HUGE dinosaurs. Carson was quite frightened by the HUGE T-Rex. He wouldn't even stand near it so I could take his picture. Here are a few pictures from the museum:

Even baby Grace managed to make it into a picture. Here she is with her brothers at 2 weeks old. We will have to take her back to the museum when she is older so she can see what she missed out on.

It was near impossible to get the two boys to look at the camera at the same time and to both be smiling, so eventually I gave up! Oh well...kids, sometimes they co-operate...and sometimes they don't. This was one of those times when they WEREN'T co-operating.

Before we left the museum the kids had one more thing the needed to do. They needed to become Jr. Paleontologist. We had signed them up for a Jr. Dinosaur Adventure. They were excited about this and couldn't wait to go to their "class." In order to become Jr. Paleontologist they needed to pass a few tests. They needed to learn about different types of dinosaurs, learn about fossils and learn about what it takes to become a paleontologist. In order to be a Jr. Paleontologist they first needed to look like one. The kids were able to make a visor and they loved doing this little craft.

They did have fun making their hats even if their faces aren't showing it. LOL! After they made their hat it was time for their final test...they got to actually dig for a dinosaur! Well not a real dig, but a pretend one, the kids sure thought it was for real though. They were so enthusiastic and excited about digging up a dinosaur.

The kids really enjoyed this. Carson is still talking about his new hat & about digging together to find the dinosaur bones.

Well I have more to write about it but the baby needs feeding...so stayed tuned to part 2 of our Drumheller adventure.

Catching Up...

WOW so many things have been happening it seems I have lost track of everything I should have blogged about. So this will be a quick update of all the fun we have been having.

First of all was the Coaldale Candy Parade. The kids look forward to this every year. It was fun to have Grandma Jensen, Auntie Kimberley & Jayda join us. Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying the parade and cashing in on all the candy that was thrown out.

After the parade was over we had lunch in our backyard. We had yummy KFC Chicken and lots of good salads. I couldn't believe how much chicken the kids ate. I guess it was a BIG hit.

One fun thing that Coaldale always does on parade day is have a kids fest in the afternoon. We have gone to this for the past couple of years and the kids just love it! This year they had 3 large astro jumps which the kids LOVED! We couldn't keep them off of them. They also had places to play with bubbles, a fish pond, a sand pile, balloon maker, face painting, and a petting zoo. Tyson & Carson loved playing in the Astro jumps so they didn't participate in much else. But we did manage to get Carson to go see the animals at the petting zoo. Here he is getting up close and personal with this calf. It was SO cute!

We are HAPPY to announce that Carson is FINALLY potty trained! YIPEE! He has gone 8 days without any accidents. The incentive all along for him to become potty trained was that after he went 7 days without an accident we would buy him a BIG BOY bike. He has been riding around on this broken down tricycle for far too long and we wanted to upgrade his bike, but he had to be a big BOY first. So on Friday we went to Toys R Us and he got to pick out his bike. He was so happy and kept riding the bike around the store. I just loved seeing him so happy and he knew that he was getting his bike because he was potty trained. It is SO nice not have to have change a 3.5 year olds diapers any longer!

Also this weekend we had 2 family reunions on! It was a busy weekend. On Friday night we went to Cardston (Kimball Park) and had a Jensen reunion. This was all the relatives of my Grandpa Jensen's siblings. There were lots of people there that I didn't know. It was fun to meet family that you didn't know you had, and to reacquaint your self with people whom you haven't seen for a long time. The kids had a fun time playing at that park with their cousins.

On Saturday we headed out to Magrath for a Pilling reunion. This was a low key reunion and it was GREAT! We all just sat around and watched the kids play while the adults visited. Tyler's uncle Al is such a genius! He made a water slide for the kids that they went down and then landed in a big pool. The water from the pool then recycled itself with a pump and went through a tube and then back down the slide. It was awesome! I would have gone down it if I hadn't just had a baby.

LOL! Tyson went down it a few times and he loved it. I wish my pictures of it would have turned out better...oh well I think you will get the idea anyway.

And last but not least...some new pictures of Grace. I think she looks like a little doll. I am just lvoing this little girl to pieces & her big brother loves her a lost too!

Family of 5...

On Sunday Carson made this adorable picture of our family. I just had to share it with everyone. Here is how our conversation went:

Carson: Look at my picture mom

Mom: Carson your picture is so NICE! Who are all the people?

Carson then pointed to each picture and said:

This is Dad, this is mom, this is Tyson, this is Carson.

Then I pointed to the 3rd and smallest figure and said, "Who is this?"

Carson: This is your baby Grace.

How cute is that! I was surprised that he even remembered the baby. He doesn't seem to pay much attention to her. But occasionally will say "Your baby is crying mom, or your baby is so cute mom." He doesn't realize that she is HIS baby too. It is amazing for me to think that just 1 short week ago we were a family of 4, and then in a matter of hours we became a family of 5. It seems that Grace has always been a part of our family, she fits in so well, and everyone seems to be adjusting perfectly. I love having a girl and seeing the boys interact with her. She is such a GOOD baby. I have been taking all the time I can to cuddle her and enjoy all these special moments with her. Since this is our last baby I am kind of sad that this chapter of life is over, but am excited about the future. For now though I just enjoy each moment I have with her as a newborn and hope that the time doesn't go by too fast!

Official Story of Baby Grace's Arrival...

Okay...I finally have a minute to sit down and actually think about all that has happened over the last 5 days. So here is our story...

On the way into the hospital Tyler and I kept talking about how excited, anxious and nervous we were all at the same time. Before we left for the hops ital Tyler gave me a beautiful blessing of comfort that all would go well for the delivery and that the baby would be happy and healthy. This is something he has done with all 3 of my kids, and I can testify that it really makes a difference to know that my Heavenly Father is aware of what I am going through and that he is there to comfort me. How grateful I am that I have a husband who honors his priesthood and is able to give me a blessing when needed.

We arrived at the hospital at 7:30 and did the necessary paper work and then it was off to the delivery room. At 8:00 my awesome Dr. came and induced me. About 20 minutes later I started to feel minor contractions, nothing painful, but some cramping. I was expecting things to go very fast once I started to feel some pain, but this wasn't the case. I kept telling Tyler that I was hoping to have the baby by 12:00, and he kept telling me that I shouldn't set myself up for disappointment that things could go very differently this time around. Still in the back of my mind this was my goal. Anyway I wasn't really progressing all that fast by my contractions were coming about 2 minutes apart and I was able to handle the pain. At 11:40 Dr. Adolf came and checked me and I was 4 cm. I was DISAPPOINTED. I thought I would have been farther along than that. She broke my water after that, something that I haven't had done, but boy it make thing happen WAY faster. Immediately the contractions were stronger and closer together and by 12:29 Julia Grace entered the world. I am so thankful for a fast delivery and that I was able to do it naturally. I am thankful that my body handled the delivery well.

What a comforting feeling it was to hear her first cries and to know that she was breathing. Both of my boys came out and weren't breathing and they had to call down NICU. It was scary. I was happy I didn't have to experience that with Grace. Another relief was to not have her little feet kicking me in the ribs and feeling like I coudnl't really breath all that well. And the instant relief of having NO heartburn! Here are a few pictures of Grace right after she was born.

Here is a little history about Grace's name. Tyler and I couldn't decide what to name the baby and it wasn't until the day we left the hospital that we finally narrowed it down. I had always liked Grace and so we had decided that somewhere in the name Grace would be used. Our 2 options were Julia Grace or Gracie ReNae. On my mom's side of the family her grandmother's name is Julia May, and her mother's name is Julia Clare. My mother's name is actually Julia ReNae. My Grandma (Clare) and my mother both go by their middle name. So we decided to call her Julia Grace to carry on the family name of Julia, but we will be calling her Grace or Gracie. I think it is important to name your children after someone you admire or use a family name. I am happy that we decided to use Julia. I have to admit that when I first saw the baby she just looked like a Julia Grace to me. I love the name and am happy that is what we decided on.

The boys are totally in love with Grace! Especially Tyson. He can't get enough of her. He is going to be such a protective brother. Carson on the other hand doesn't really know what to think. He like the baby but keeps calling her "mom's baby." He doesn't exactly know what her name is yet and we have to keep reminding him what it is. He is attentive though and doesn't like it when she cries. I'm sure over time he will grow to like her more.

It is great to be a mother of 3. I think I am adjusting well, and I am thankful that Grace is such a good baby! I am thankful that I feel SO GREAT! We have been out for a walk most every night since we got home. We watched the candy parade today and in the afternoon took the kids to the Kid Fest. It is great to feel so wonderful, and to have made a FULL recovery already. Life is good and my heart is overflowing with gratefulness for all that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with. I am grateful for family who is so supportive and willing to help to take the boys and come and help me at home. I am thankful for great members of my ward who have brought in meals and taken the boys for play dates so I could have a rest. I am especially grateful for Tyler, he is the best husband a girl could ask for. He was great during my labour, he knew exactly what I needed and how to help me cope with the pain. I was thankful for his encouraging words and his joy when I brought our daughter into the world. He has been great since I have come home with helping around the house and taking care of Tyson and Carson. I truly am blessed and I have 3 little miracles to remind me of all of my blessing everyday.

Picture of Grace

Just another quick update...LIFE Is busy with 3 kids but so WONDERFUL. Here is a picture of Grace just so you aren't in suspense any longer. I promise to write a longer post with all the details REALLY soon.

Baby GRACE is here!

Just a quick update...baby Julia Grace has arrived. She was born on July 1st at 12:29 p.m. She weights 7lbs. 3 oz. and is 19 inches long. She is PERFECT! I promise to post some pictures soon.

6 Quirky Things About Me...

I've been tagged by my sister. I'm sure she would know 6 quirky things about me better than I know them about myself. But I will give it a try anyway.

SIX UNSPECTACULAR QUIRKS ABOUT ME:

1. I really am annoyed by bad service at a restaurant. It isn't unusual for me to complain about the service we are getting. On the other hand if the waiter or waitress is really good then I will rave on and on about them. And I show how good the service was or wasn't by the tip that I leave. Maybe this is a pet peeve instead of a quirk.
2. I have to have my toenails painted...at ALL times. Doesn't matter if it is winter time and my toes don't see the light of day for awhile. They are always painted. Which reminds me that I need to re-do them before I have the baby. LOL!
3. I always do my hair and makeup. No matter what I am doing that day I get "ready". Some people find this weird but I just don't feel like myself if I'm not made up. Even if I don't plan on going anywhere and just stay home and clean the house, 99.9% of the time I have my hair done and make up on.
4. I always run the yellow lights. To me that just means speed up. LOL!
5. We used to have "our bench" in church. But since our ward combined together with another ward I would have to be there 20 min early to get "our bench." I really do miss "our bench."
6. I have to be the driver of the van. Almost 100% off the time when Tyler and I go somewhere together in the van I do the driving. I like the way I drive better. Unless I am really tired and I don't care how long it takes us to get somewhere then I will let Tyler drive. But more times than not you will see ME in the drivers seat. VROOM VROOM!

Our Piano Man...

Last Friday Tyson had his end of the year piano recital. I must say that for his 1st year of piano I am impressed by all that he learned. And even more impressed that he enjoyed it. It was a bit more than I expected as far as practising and commitment were concerned, but in the end it worked out great. I love the Music for Young Children program. It is a group based piano lesson where the student and parent attend together. It is a great way for the kids to learn, and it involves much more than just learning the piano. The kids were able to sing songs, learn rhythms, and how to play different instruments. I am thankful for the 2 month break, but anticipate how much Tyson will learn next year. I hope I can manage with taking the baby to lessons with me. I guess we will just have to try it and see how it goes.

Teacher Rachel is GREAT with the kids. She has alot of patience and is a great teacher. I was happy that Tyson was able to get into her class as this was the last year she will be taking new students. I hope that Tyson will remember teacher Rachel and how she taught him how to play the piano and develop a love for music. I am sad to say that I don't remember my 1st piano teacher :(

Here is Tyson's little class. It was nice to have another boy join him. Each child contributed something different to the class, and by the end of the year we were all pretty comfortable with each other.

And to end this blog entry I will leave you with a video of our concert pianist!

Maternity Pictures...

I was able to pick up my maternity pictures on Friday and WOW! I am so happy with them, and I am so happy that I decided to get them done. So here are a few of my favorites.

Rebecca also took a few pictures of just the boys. I was happy that she did cause they were needing updated 8x10's really bad!

Now the hard part is trying to decide what copies I want and of what sizes. There are too many to choose from.

I have more to blog about...but the boys need to get to bed so it will have to wait until tomorrow.

OH I have some very EXCITING NEWS!! Baby girl Pilling will be born on July 1st, 2008. My Dr. has decided to induce me on that day. YIPEE!!!! Only 23 more sleeps. LOL!

Fairmont Vacation...

This past weekend we took a little vacation to Fairmont, B.C. It was a fun little get away and was much needed. We went with our good friends the Wolfe's. They have 2 girls about the same age as our boys and they have grown up together, and get along GREAT! The 5 hour drive there went by quite fast and the kids travelled well thanks to a few movies and treats. We arrived in enough time to get a little swim in before bed time. The complex we stayed in was brand new and SO nice! We couldn't have ordered better weather, in fact I got a sun burn! We spent 1 day at the outdoor pool with the water slide. But unfortunately the water slide and the spray part weren't working. We were just happy to be able to go in the pool and the kids didn't mind not being able to go down the slide. This picture of Tyson totally cracks me up! He sure is a little fish. He was jumping in the pool like crazy and was trying to convince me to let him take his life jacket off. I didn't give in though. The life jacket just adds that little bit of extra security and that way I didn't have to worry about him. He still had a great time!

The next day we decided to take a little hike up to the natural hot springs. It was a really nice hike, but a little vertical for a girl who is 34 1/2 weeks pregnant. LOL! I just took it slow and put one foot in front of the other and I did just fine. I made me realize that I am totally out of shape though. Looks like I will need to start jogging again once the baby comes. The path we took was along side a stream and it was really beautiful. The kids had fun exploring and running up ahead of us. Tyson was a little apprehensive about crossing the stream, but he made it. 3/4 of the way up to the hot springs you come across a waterfall. It is the drain off of the natural springs pools and the water is warm! We weren't really pre-pared to go in the water but that didn't stop some of our gang. Carson went in the buff and Tyson went in his underwear. They had a BLAST! Tyler and I didn't get in...we aren't that adventurous I guess. And the thought of having to walk back to the van in sticky wet jeans didn't really appeal to me. If I would have had my swimming suit on I would have gone in for sure. It was fun to see all the kids having so much fun. I hope that they will remember doing this for a long time.

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  Another highlight of the trip was when Ryan decided to take a polar bear dip in the river. Of course he had to convince Tyler to do it with him, and in turn the kids wanted to go in as well. Check out this video, it is SO Funny!

As you can see it was a GREAT weekend!