New toys

I just bought a camera connection kit for my iPad so I can blog in Africa on the iPad. So I can upload the photos that my PC is too old to recognize! Here are some cute ones.

"On my honor..."

How on earth did it get to be March 17th? I keep thinking valentines day was last week.

So it's St Patricks day, and spring is upon us. I need to start planting seedlings if I want to have a garden this year. Life is well, crazy. I can only focus a day, maybe week, at a time. This full time student thing is starting to bear its fruits. I have about 12 credits after this semester, and an internship, then I'm done! Holy cow, it feels so good to almost be done. I'm looking forward to being a homemaker and spending more time with my boys.

Speaking of internships, I got one! I'm the new program director for a Cub Scout day camp just outside of town. I'm really excited. Now I don't have to take classes this summer, but I can have a month off of school before I need to get to work. It will be fun to be back working with cub scouts.

Ben is so busy. He works really hard to provide for our family, but we don't see him that often. On top of all the lessons he teaches, he has started a soul band that he is hoping to get off the ground and running.

Africa is less than a month away, and I'm getting really excited. It is going to be hot, humid, and hot, and I need to stop complaining about wearing pants and closed toed shoes while we are there (remember that one time when Ghana is on the ocean, on the equator??!). But it is hard when I wear sandals 75% of the year (or more). I'm also having to try and get used to a group of people where I feel considerably out of the loop. While half of them are married, I'm only one of two women with kids that are going on the trip. I am also older than everyone by a few good years (at least). We all went on a retreat a few weeks ago, and while I thought it was effective, the lasting outcomes have not been where I would like them to be. Sigh. There are a few people I've been able to get to know, and they don't seem annoyed with my lack of music major-ness. Oh well. I AM GOING TO AFRICA!

Below are some pictures of our last couple months. Grant is getting smarter by the day, and Henry is hands down, one of the funniest kids I know. And sweet baby James- man, did we name him well! He is the one thing that both Henry and Grant adore, and don't fight over. We are so blessed to have this little family. They are growing fast, but we are not wishing for more at this crazy point in our lives.
We miss you all!!!

3 months?

I can't believe I haven't posted in three months. Life has been busy. Here is a quick month to month overview.

Halloween: Grant was a bat. Henry was, well, "Just Henry." And James was being eaten by a shark! We spent it in Utah because Ben was the musical director for a folk opera called, "Deep Love." It was really cool.

Birthdays: Henry turned 3 mid November and loved it! Then 2 weeks later, grant turned 5! Crazy. All three boys had check ups and are doing really well.

Thanksgiving: we hosted our first thanksgiving at our house. Super fun.

Christmas was in California. While it was warmer than Idaho, it was still very cold. We do.d Disneyland and California Adventure. Did lots of hanging out, and ate lots of yummy treats (In n out!).

School started last week and so life is crazy. My sister watches the boys, I'm taking 12 credits and Ben teaches on campus and at some local music stores. I also made collegiate Singers and we're going to Ghana on tour in April. I love our crazy life, just not all the snow that Rexburg never plows!!

Post Much?

Holy cow, three children is a lot. Good thing I'm not in school this semester, because this mom thing is harder than I want. That's okay, because we have some cute kids. Even though Grant and Henry have turned into the devil, we still love them! James is a little bit of a screamer, but it's getting better now that he is on some reflux medicine. Ben is busy teaching guitar and running the music for "Deep Love: A Ghostly Folk Opera." Life is nuts but we adore our little family. It's a huge test in our patience, that's for sure. But again, our kids are cute so we'll keep them around. If they were ugly, we'd think a little harder about it... jk. 

When James was about 2 weeks old, we tried to do a photo shoot. Yeah- we're not professionals. These are the only ones I'll post.

GRANT! Here are some pictures we've taken of those other kids we have :)

HENRY!!! What a FUNNY kid!

And JAMES. I think I might just eat him one of these days!!!

Well, until I find 5 minutes again to post! Have a Happy Halloween!!!

We Had Another Kid!

Hi everyone!!

In case you missed it- we had our little baby. 

It's a BOY!

We named him James Earl Mathews. Go ahead- get all your darth vader jokes out now... I swear we haven't heard any of them yet ;-/ James after my dad's middle name and Earl after Ben's dad's middle name. He was 6 lbs 10 oz- that makes him our largest baby- by an ounce. He came pretty fast- here is the story:

Ben's family came into town on the 12th (Sunday) on their way to Yellowstone. After church they offered to take the boys with them. Ben and I couldn't say yes fast enough :) They got on the road at about 5ish... and Ben and I went to settle down for the rest of the evening. We relaxed and marveled at how quiet it was. I could tell I was contracting a lot- but what else is new? We sat down and watched a movie and I decided that maybe I should time them (I hate doing that because I feel like I make them up). The contractions went from 4 minutes a part to 3 minutes a part during the movie. At about 9:30 I called my midwife and asked what I should do! **NOTE- both my waters were broken in the hospital with the first two (one due to kidney stones, the other due to high blood pressure) so I really felt like this was all new to me!** My midwife said I should wait for them to get intense, not necessarily for timing of the contractions.

At this point, we decided to pack a bag for the hospital. While chatting with my sister, I remembered that we needed to bring the carseat. I felt very unprepared but we gathered things anyway (plus, I live 2 miles from the hospital- I wasn't worried). 10:30 rolled around and I felt some pressure in places I shouldn't be feeling it, so we jumped in the car and got to the hospital around 11pm.

This is me minutes before we walked out the door. lovely.

The nurses monitored me for about an hour, and then my midwife told me to go walking around the hospital for an hour- at that point (midnight) I was 5cm and 80% effaced (I had hardly changed since my last few appointments). I walked for an hour and man oh man... did the contractions get really intense. I came back and they checked me again. The walking was working- I was fully effaced and 8 cm. This picture is one I sent to my sister... it kind of hurt. 

At this point, they transferred me down the hall to a labor and delivery room. It was the room next to where Grant was epically born, side note. I got into that room at about 1:30 am. I labored for about 30 minutes and holy cow- did the contractions get intense. They were worse than Henry's delivery- that's for sure. At 2 am she broke my water, and this cute guy was born at 2:07 am. 

Aw- he's a little bit small!

He has many faces!! 

Angry James

Aunt Laurel came to visit. For the love- she's the cutest, too. 

Back at our place! Ben made that little onesie. Cute.

 Remember how the boys were in Yellowstone? We decided to take James up there to meet his brothers and bring them home. Henry and Grant LOVE him, and here is Henry loving him some James :)

I love this picture. Ben LOVES all his boys, but it is heart melting to see him with the boys when they're newborns. My midwife said to me today, "Your husband seems really supportive." I agreed and thought what an understatement that was. He is an amazing husband and father. 

For the love! I love this kid. He's so awesome. He is starting to smile in his sleep and he is really well mannered (so far!). James, I'm SO GLAD you're here. We are a complete family (for now) with you in our lives. I've never seen your older brothers so excited to love someone! You're an amazing addition to our crazy little family of boys!

PS- Check out how much sweet baby James looks like Grant!!!