Happy Anniversary!

For our Anniversary this year, Bryce and I got a babysitter to watch the kids and we went to dinner and a movie. We ate at Applebee's, where we both had steaks and mashed potatoes. Afterwards, we watch Sherlock Holmes II. The first half was slow, but the last half picked it up. It was nice to spend the evening together. I am thankful that I have been married to such a wonderful man the past 11 years. The kids and I are blessed to have him in our lives. We have survived our up and downs the past 11 years, and I am happy that I have had Bryce by my side the whole time. Love you Bryce!

Sledding in a Winter Wonder Land

The morning after Christmas, we took the kids over to Bear Lake to stay in Steph's condos. On the way, we stopped at Peter Sinks and went sledding with the Merrills. There was a constant breeze which made it chilly, but the boys stayed pretty warm once we got them bundled up and they started moving around. This was Clayton's real first experience with snow clothes and boots. This was also his first time to go sledding. After we got him dressed, he looked like the little boy on the Christmas Story. He looked like he couldn't move in his big jacket and boots. Bryce took Cooper down the hill for his first and his last time. Bryce didn't have his boots on the sled all the way, so Clayton got "dusted" from head to toy with snow all the way down the hill. He didn't think that was too great! When he got to the bottom, he had lost a boot, a glove, and his binki. Needless to say, he was done sledding after that experience.
Cooper, on the other hand, had a complete blast. He would just cruise down that hill whether he was forwards or backwards or sideways. And he would go way down to the bottom. I didn't think he would like it because of the hike back up, but he kept going over and over again.As soon as Paul pulled out his snow mobiles, Clayton got excited about that. He went on a few rides with Bryce and Paul, but decided it was too cold, so he spent most of his time in my arms. He let me pull him around on the sled for a few minutes.I went on a short snow mobile ride with Shaylee and Brittney. It was too cold for me and I did not have a helmet or a mask on. Bryce enjoyed riding the snow mobile. He used to own one back before his mission and would go all the time, so it was nice for him to have the chance to go again.Jaden, Addey, and Cooper had a great time going down one of the smaller hills. They would go over and over again. They were riding on a big sled, so all three of them would go down together. They would always crash at the bottom, but it was fun to see their faces as they raced down the hill. When we got to the condos, we got everything unpacked and headed over to Stephs condo for dinner. After that, we took the kids over to the pools. I sat by the baby pool while Clayton played and had a good time. Bryce took Cooper into the big pool where they played and had fun. Bryce would toss Cooper and Jaden across the pool. They thought it was great! The boys really enjoy swimming so that was fun to give them that opportunity, especially during the winter.That night, we went back to the condos and played games. We played "What If" with Paul, Steph, and the teenagers. The kids had a great time playing the "Cat in the Hat." The boys were tired when we got back to our room. As soon as Clayton hit the pillow, he was out! It was such a nice and relaxing day spent with our kids!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....

I really was wishing we had snow for Christmas, but there wasn't one flake this year. In fact, its been one of the driest Decembers' Utah has ever seen. This year, Christmas was on Sunday and we had church at 9 am. I got up a little early so that I could get showered and ready before the boys woke up. I noticed that Cooper was awake in his bed. I asked him if he could wait till I got out of the shower. He said, "Of course, I will just lay here and play my DS." What a good boy!!!
At about 8:15 we woke Clayton up and told him that Santa had come to visit our house. After a family prayer (new Christmas morning tradition), we headed downstairs to see what Santa had left for us. The boys were so excited!
Clayton really loves trains right now, so Santa brought him a "Thomas the Train" train and tracks. He can control the train with a little joy stick. He also received a train movie in his stocking, which he has watched almost every day. He had a great time going through his stocking and "unwrapping" presents. He kept saying "more presents?" He mostly just wanted to unwrap so he ended up unwrapping for Bryce and myself.Cooper came downstairs to find 2 baby frogs in a small ecosystem. He also got a transformer and some video games. We got him a bean bag to sit in while he plays his games. We also got him a rock and gem kit. He loved using his tools to chip away at the block of plaster to find 12 gems. Cooper received a journal in his stocking. Its a nature journal and he likes to write about things he learns about animals. After the boys opened their stockings and one gift, we had to hurry to get ready for church. We had a great program at church. The choir sang and the bishopric talked about the birth of Jesus. I was worried about going to church because many people knew about our failed pregnancy....and my emotions were still sitting on my sleeve. I tried to get out of their ASAP, but my neighbor caught up with me and I lost it. I cried so hard and it was great...Back home, we changed our clothes and continued to unwrap the rest of the gifts. Bryce got me a Home Base for my Ipod and some wind protectors for my four wheeler. He also got me some clothes and a running sleeve for my Ipod. Bryce received some clothes, a jacket, and some new basketball shoes. We had a good Christmas morning. It was fun to watch the boys and the excitement in their eyes.
At noon, we headed up to grandma and grandpa Coopers. We were able to visit with them before everyone else got there. We ate a light lunch with them, and then went to the Douglas' for the rest of the day. Its the first time we have all been to the Douglas' in a long time. It was nice to have almost everyone there and to be able to spend time with each other. We ate lots of yummy food and played games. Afterwards, we stayed at steph and pauls that night. Merry Christmas!

The Results

For those of you who have done IVF, you know what the last three weeks has felt like to me. It's very stressful and its a constant worry, and waiting, and wondering. And then internally, you are trying to have hope and faith, but also protect yourself in case your expectations aren't met.
And no matter how hard you try to focus on other things (like the upcoming Christmas holidays) , in the back your mind, you have a weight tugging on your heart and mind and body....
and you feel like you are literally holding your breath for a few weeks...and then there's the emotional part of it....when you just can't take any more and you break down a cry for a few minutes....then your back on your feet again ready to face it all over.

Last Sunday was our big day to go back to the doctor to get my blood drawn and to find out if I was pregnant. They drew my blood at 8:45 am and then we headed home. Bryce and I paced the floor while we waited and waited and waited for the phone call. The call finally came in at 11:30. Our nurse, Heidi, proceeds to tell me that they like to see HCG levels be around 100, but that mine was at 67. She told me that I was pregnant and not to be discouraged. She said that they thought it might be the beginning of a pregnancy and that I needed to go get blood work done again in 48 hours.

Bryce and I really struggled for half the day. We weren't sure how we should be feeling...happy or sad....joyful or worried.....excited or cautious. We decided later that day that we would try to be positive and have faith. We called our family and told them the news. Everyone was excited. We told Clayton and Cooper and they seemed to be happy. The nurse told us we were pregnant, so that was something that needed to be celebrated.

This past Tuesday, December the 20th, I went to McKay Dee Hospital to get my blood work done. I was pretty antsy while waiting for the results. We were told we would know by noon, but I never received a call, so I called the doctor at 1:30....."I am sorry Jennifer, but I have bad news for you. Your numbers dropped to 30, so something is wrong with the pregnancy. Continue to take your meds and go get your blood drawn again in 2 days, just to make sure."

Well, I was literally shocked. That was completely opposite of the news "I knew" I was going to hear that day. It really rocked my world. I expected that everything would be fine and that nothing would go wrong. When you have these "expectations" that build for weeks and weeks, it is hard to pick yourself up after those expectations have been destroyed.

I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for our family and I really hope that that plan includes more children. I really feel like Bryce and I will be blessed with another child, its just going to have to happen a different way. These past 10 years, we have tried every option, and with this last IVF, we have done everything possible to try to get pregnant. Its out our hands now and we can completely turn it over to the Lord. He will direct our paths and give us the peace and comfort that we need. I don't always understand why certain things happen in this life, but I know that they happen for a reason. Heavenly Father is all-knowing and he has a certain time line for things that happen. Our family has received many blessings and I know Heavenly Father will continue to pour out more blessings on our family. We have the two most amazing boys and we have been blessed with the greatest family and friends on this Earth. Thank you to all of our friends and family who have loved and supported us this past year. We wouldn't be where we are without each of you!

Birthday Blues

On the 20th of December, Bryce and I found out that things went wrong with the IVF and pregnancy. It was a very hard week. I really tried to be happy but had a hard time making that happen. The next day was my birthday and while many friends and family sent me happy birthday wishes, it was also a day of mourning for me. I tried to make it a happy day that best I could. Jacqui and Bekka also helped by taking me out to lunch at Jason's Deli. I spent most of the day at Jacqui's and then Bryce and I went to a movie that night. We saw Mission Impossible. It was really good and helped take my mind off everything for 2 hours. Also, Bryce bought me a Polar watch that tracks heart rate and calories. I have been wanting one for sometime now, so I was very excited about that. Its a great watch and a perfect color for me. All in all, it was a good day....just a lot of ups and downs that day. Looking forward to a happier "Birth Day" in 2012!

Sorenson Christmas Party

Every year the Sorenson family has a Christmas Party in Smithfield. The Sorenson family is Bryce's mom, Marilyn's, family. We always meet at the club house for sloppy joes and yummy desserts. It's always nice to see some of the family that we don't get to see very often.
We also got to see Brandon and Jill and their kids. In fact, when I sat down on the couch, I got bombarded by all the kids...I still win the award for Most Favorite Aunt....just kidding! But it was nice to sit and visit with the kids. We played the white elephant games, which is a tradition at this party. With there being over 40 people, it takes quite a while and can get boring at times. It was nice to have Kassie and Jaden keep me company. Clayton was excited because he got a Thomas the Train engine. He kept running back and forth between me, Bryce, and Papa. He would drive his train up our arms or legs and then run off to play on someone else. Cooper got a transformer. He played Hide N Seek with the kids. We had a good time that night and we look forward to it next year!

Gingerbread Homes

In the years past, I have never made gingerbread houses with the boys during the holidays. I guess I never thought to. But this year, we had the opportunity to make these houses three times. The first time was at Freedom Elementary with Cooper. We were allowed to bring our little ones, so Clayton came along to see what the excitement was all about!

They used little milk cartons for their base and they worked perfectly. I helped get Cooper started with the frosting and then he took off and did a great job. He made the front door out of pretzels. He made a chimney out of some soft red licorice. Clayton had a fun time decorating the ice cream cone like a christmas tree. I put on the icing and he put on the candy. They had so many different types of candy for the kids to decorate their houses. Clayton didn't eat any of it until the very end. I was so proud of him! It was fun to sit back and watch them be creative.The second time with made the houses was at Grandma Douglas' house. Cooper and Clayton got to spend time with their cousin, Hunter. After about 10 minutes, Cooper and Hunter were done making their houses, but Clayton worked on his for another 30 minutes. He had such a great time using the icing and putting peppermint candies on like a brick patio. After the patio was finished, he started stacking candy on top of the candy. This little project kept him busy and happy for a long time. I will have to do these every year or maybe a few times a year to keep Clayton happy. He loves to use his hands and he is very meticulous and OCD about how things should be done! Nothing like his mother!The last time we did houses was on Christmas Eve. Clayton was asleep, so me and Cooper headed to Jacqui's to do gingerbread houses with Reese, Jaxon, and Landon.....and let's don't forget Jared! He made a gingerbread race car

Christmas Party in Wellsville

This year we had a Christmas Party at Grandma and Grandpa Coopers on the 11th of December. Everyone chipped in and brought food for a yummy lasagna dinner. After dinner, the kids had a great time playing all the fun games that Steph brought. They played Christmas bingo and everyone won a surprise. Another one of the games was an "elf dress up" activity where the kids were on teams and they had to race to see who could get dressed the quickest. Cooper wouldn't do it because he didn't want anyone to laugh at him. The kids looked so cuteWe also played a guessing game with the adults. It was a Christmas song game. Afterwards, grandma had me read the kids a Christmas story and then she wanted us to sing Christmas carols. It was nice to just sit there and sing songs and enjoys the Spirit of Christmas. Grandpa was having a hard time breathing that night, so he mostly stayed in the living room close to his oxygen. I love that even though Grandma's house is quite small, we can fit lots of people in it and everyone still has a great time!

All Aboard!!!

Two Sundays ago, we took the boys to the Ogden Train Depot. There was an old steam engine that we wanted to show the boys. Clayton is so into trains right now. He plays with them all the time. He loves to put the tracks together and take them apart over and over again. He also is OCD about making sure every last track is used. He also gets upset if anyone touches his trains.

Anyway, both of our boys had a great time at the train depot. It was cold outside, so we didn't stand in the long line to see inside the steam engine, but the boys played on some of the old, "retired" trains and they thought that was pretty cool.We will definately have to come visit this place again when its not so cold and we have more time!

The Day of Transfer

On Tuesday, November 29th, I went in for an ultrasound. The doctor wanted to check the lining of my uterus and make sure it was thick and healthy. It is supposed to be at least 7 mm thick and mine was at 17 mm thick. That night I stopped doing the Lupron shot, decreased my estrogen, and started the progesterone shot.

One week later, on December 6th, Bryce and I headed down to the hospital for my transfer. They took us into a special room where I was prepared for the procedure. We had Dr. Petersen doing the transfer that day. He walked into the room, handed us a card with a picture of our 3 embryos on it and said, "Here are your babies." He preceded to tell us about their quality (1 being very low quality and 2 being good quality). He told us that he would feel comfortable transferring 2 or 3. He then told us it was time for a "family meeting" and that he would give us all the time we needed to decide how many to transfer. Bryce and I shared our thoughts with each other and then decided unanimously that we wanted to do all 3. We felt like if we transferred all three, it would give us a greater chance and we also felt like we didn't want to leave one of the embryos behind. I was really emotional during this time and my loving husband said, "Jenn, if it is supposed to work, it will....if it doesn't then we will be fine and we know that we have two boys who love us and we love them." I already knew this, but it was so nice to hear it from my husband.

The doctor walked in and we told him our answer. He said, "I think that is a good decision. I would have done the same thing." He gave me two Valium and then did an ultrasound on my stomach to find my uterus. The embryologist came into our room, had me verify the vial with my name and birthday and then handed it to the doctor. The doctor read my name and birthday to me and then the embryologist took it back to his lab and we got to watch him suck our 3 embryos into a catheter up on the screen. He then brought them to the doctor. The doctor put that catheter into another "guiding catheter" and transferred them into my uterus. They double checked to make sure the embryos were not left in the catheter and then we were finished. The doctor came up to me, shook my hand, looked me in the eyes and said, "Good luck. I will be praying for you." I couldn't stop the tears from coming. I was very impressed with this doctor. He was very caring and made me feel like we were the most important people to him at that moment.

After I rested for 30 minutes in the chair, a nurse (who helped us with our first IVF cycle) came into our room and helped me into a wheelchair and down to the truck. The employees who work there are great and I can tell they love their jobs and helping people like us to have families.

On the way home, my wonderful husband picked up some Little Caesar's pizza and bread sticks for us. We got home, ate lunch, and then I fell asleep till Coop got home from school. I was on bed rest all Tuesday and mostly on Wednesday. I owe thanks to so many people....Jacqui for always being there for us and for watching and caring my little Clayton, Holly for sitting with me for a few hours, Sallie, Rachel, Lori, and Julie for bringing food into our family....and the many, many family and friends' thoughts, prayers, and fasting on our behalf....I received so many nice texts and phone calls. I am so blessed to have so many people that love me and my family. Thanks for being so great to us. You are the best!

Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, we rolled out a huge peice of paper on our kitchen table. We taped all the sides and then wrote "I am Thankful For..." on the top. It was alot of fun to sit down with the kids and write or draw pictures of the things we were thankful for. We just left it there for a few days and it continued to fill up. It was a nice way to give thanks and remember our many blessings.

On Thanksgiving morning, I was awaken at 2 am by Clayton crying in his room. I stumbled through the dark half asleep when I realized he had croup, yet again. This is the 7th time this year. We took our familiar drive to the Wee Pediatric where they administered a steroid shot, and we were back in our beds in less than 45 minutes! The good news is that we are getting quicker and quicker. Clayton slept well the rest of the night. On Thanksgiving Day, he wasnt' the most pleasant fellow to be around. The meds make him tired and emotional.

On Thanksgiving morning, Cooper and I went and participated in the stake 5k. Cooper rode his bike next to me while I ran. It was alot of fun and a nice way to spend some time with Cooper. He also had a great time and thanked me for inviting him on our way home. As I was running, it reminded me of when I was a young girl and I would go up to Texas A&M campus and run the Turkey Trot with my dad every Thanksgiving. Those were good times! It was nice to run in the morning so I could eat whatever I wanted throughout the day. I definately want to do it again next year.After the run, we headed up to Steph's house for the day. It was great to spend another Thanksgiving with family and especially Grandma and Grandpa Cooper. I won't get many more holidays with them, so it is always great to be in their presence. Steph and Grandma made the turkeys and the food was great, as always.
Kylee, my neice, is studying to be a massage specialist. She gave me a nice massage after lunch and it felt great. The kids had a great time playing with each other. Clayton was ornery and tired because of his croup. Later that evening, we continued to eat and watch the Texas vs. Texas A&M football game. The Aggies lost by one point in the last few seconds. What a frustrating game!We had a great Thanksgiving holiday this year. We didn't do the Black Friday shopping, which was kind of nice. On Friday, I went to CrossFit with Paul. It was nice to workout after all that food. Bryce took Cooper to the movie,"Dolphin Tale". After that, we spent part of the night with the Douglas' eating turkey sandwiches and playing card games. Later that evening, we put Clayton to bed and sat in the hot tub with Cooper. The next day, we headed back home so we could get our Christmas lights up on the house.

Preparations

In late August, I decided that I better start "preparing" to get pregnant. I wanted to get my body back in shape and lose some weight before I hopefully got pregnant. I talked to my friend, Mandy, and she helped me lose 15 pounds. I am now working out 3-5 times a week and trying to eat a little better. I feel healthier and stronger.

I also went to my cranio sacral therapist two days ago to get my energy flowing correctly again and to make sure every thing is aligned. I love cranio therapy. I only need it about every four months but it really helps with my headaches. I also know that cranio therapy is helpful when trying to get pregnant. It was a really good session and there were many "future emotions" that were tangled up in my body tissues. We worked those out,but there was one emotion that she said was stuck. She felt like the emotion that I was having a hard time letting go of, was a feeling of helplessness. I talked to her for a second about my thoughts. Right now, I feel helpless. In the end, I can only prepare and do so much, and then it is up to the will of the Lord. So, in a way, I feel helpless. Anyway, this all might sound weird to someone who has never had cranio sacral therapy, but it is actually really neat work.

Last night, Bryce and I were able to attend the temple in Bountiful. It's always nice to go into the temple and feel the peace that resides there. I was able to put some names, along with ours on the prayer roll. I hope that through the faith of others, along with ours, our family, and our friends, we will receive help in this process.

I have also been trying to stay away from caffeine. I really love Dr. Pepper, and it is definately a weakness of mine. I will have a small glass or a sip now and then, but I have decided that the week before the transfer, I want to stay away from caffeine.

As far as the invetro goes, I have been on Lupron shots for 2 1/2 weeks now. Today I start taking 3 estrogen pills a day. I will continue this until next Wednesday. I have an ultrasound on Tuesday to make sure there are no cysts and also to make sure the lining of my uterus is thick and ready to receive the embryos.

There are so many things to think about when trying to prepare one's body to get pregnant, especially with the invetro process. I am two weeks away from transfer and I hope that I am ready, both phyisically and emotionally. This is something that never leaves my mind. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and Christmas is right around the corner. Its such a fun and busy time of year, but I am having a hard time focusing on other things right now. So, part of me wishes the invetro process would be here and gone, but then I don't want to wish my most favorite time of year away either. It just seems like the anxiety, worry, hoping, and wishing just builds up as it gets closer.

I just went upstairs to take my morning meds which consists of an estrogen pill and a Lupron shot. Cooper's friend is here and he saw me with the shot. He said, "You have to give yourself a shot? Doesn't it hurt?" Cooper says, "Yes it does hurt." Jaxson says, "Then, why would do it?" Cooper says, "Because my mom really wants to have a baby." I guess that says it all!

Bring Me Back

November is National Adoption Month and so I thought I would share a few thoughts about adoption. I have been blessed to have two beautiful boys, one from adoption, one from pregnancy. I have often thought about the two experiences. They were both completely different, but equally amazing. Looking back, I would not choose one way over the other. They each have their positives and negatives, and I can say that I definitely felt the Hand of the Lord in the adoption and the natural birth. Both were very spiritual experiences and I am so thankful that I have had both these opportunities.

I am so thankful for such wonderful birth parents. They are such great people and they have shown us so much love. As I have gotten to know them over the past 6 years, along with their families, I have grown to love them as if they were my own siblings and family members. I am thankful to a birth mom, that to do this day, still supports us and stands by her decision to place Cooper with our family. Though she has rightfully chosen to step back and create some distance between her and Cooper, I still receive very touching and meaningful texts, emails, and notes from her. This has meant the world to me. She is married now to a wonderful man and she seems to be very happy. I will forever be grateful to her for that choice she made on that beautiful night of April 14, 2005.

I often look through my pictures, letters, and scrapbook from that night, and I tear up every time. It brings me back to that night. I think about the nerves, the tears, the smiles, the heartache, the joy, the pain, the look in others eyes, and most of all, the unconditional love that was felt in that room for Cooper. I will always treasure my pictures and letters from that day. They bring me back!

I am so thankful for a birth father who is loving, and kind, and supportive. I have witnessed the tenderness and love that is in this man. He has such a big heart and I see that is Cooper as well. I am grateful for a man that stood by the side of Coopers birth mom through her pregnancy and together, they made the difficult decision to place Cooper with us. Not very many men stay in this situation, but he did and that says alot about him. I was told by my caseworker, that this was really rare, so I knew he must be amazing. I will always have a special place in my heart for him.

I am indeed grateful for the birth families. I have had the opportunity to build great and lasting relationships with these wonderful people that I call family. They have really took us in and treated us so kindly these past 6 years and I will forever be thankful to each of them. We have been very blessed by adoption. It has touched our lives forever!

The Struggle, the Pain, the Hope

Last December, Bryce and I started thinking about having another child. We didn't prevent from December to about April. I really thought that we might actually get pregnant. I have heard so many times that women who finally get pregnant after years of infertility, might have a better chance of getting pregnant again, because the body knows what it feels like. I was really hopeful and excited, but it never happened. Month after month went by, and nothing. Oh well, so we decided to start "trying".

Now, as I have said before, I don't like trying. I don't know if its because its already a very emotional thing to have infertility, and then to have to do temperatures, "have to" have relations every other day, take ovulation tests, stand on your head for a few minutes after the deed is done, and then think that every little thing that happens to your body over the next few weeks means your pregnant......but then you see that little color of pink and your hopes are dashed for another month.

Anyway, Bryce and I started trying for a few months. When I saw my doctor in December, he said, "you should be able to get pregnant within 3 months of trying. if you can't, come see me and I will help you." In July, we decided it was time for some other help. I started Chlomid in July and was on it for three months. Again, the doctor said, "if you cant' get pregnant on Chlomid in three months, it won't help and you will have to do something else."

With family in town during July, hotel stays booked with other family in September, and nights in relatives houses in August, we had a hard, yet creative time "trying" during that special week of the month!

The first of October, Bryce and I went back to the University of Utah Reproduction Medicine. There we met Dr. Erica Johnstone. She went over all of our information and told us about our 3 embryos that were still frozen. She told us that 2 of them were pretty good and one was kind of weak. We talked about the fresh cycle vs. the frozen (cryo) cyle. The % drops to 30 on a frozen cycle. We walked out the office feeling good and ready to start the 10 week process.

As soon as my next cycle started, the first step was to start birth control pills. I just finished a 3 week dosage of those on Saturday. I started the Lupron injections a week and a half ago and they seem to be going fine. Lupron makes you so you don't produce any eggs. I have only had one night of "night sweats" where I woke up completely drenched, but for the most part have been fine.

Right now and constantly, all I can think about is this invetro. I have thought alot about faith and hope and how they go together. Here is the answer I have come up with: I have hope that this process will work for us. Yet, I want to have the faith to trust Heavenly Father's plan for us, regardless of what happens. Honestly my thoughts drive me crazy most of the time. I assume that it will work, because it did the first time. But then I think, 'what if it doesn't work'. And I don't even want to go there. So, my thoughts are all over the place. I try not to focus on it too much, otherwise, it makes me emotional. I am trying to keep my thoughts and emotions on the surface, but it is going to become harder, especially with all the drugs that are going into my body in the near future. I start estrogen pills in 2 days and then progestrone injections in 2 weeks. Although it is difficult at times, I know that this is what I need to be doing right now.

I also feel like I am alone in this process right now. Bryce is not part of this at all. He will go with me to the ultrasound, but thats about it. I have so many emotions, thoughts, and feelings about it, but I feel like there is no one that understands. It just feels frustrating at times. Oh well. Life is good and soon this will all be over. I am so thankful for medical advancements and technology that give us this opportunity to even try to get pregnant. Its a wonderful process and can create wonderful results!

Happy Birthday, Jocelynn

On November 6th, my sister, Jocelynn, celebrated her 40th Birthday. To help her celebrate, Steph and I helped Kyle plan a surprise birthday party for her. It was alot of fun. We had it out at the Paradise Town offices. Many friends came and we at pizza, breadsticks, and yummy dips. We ended up playing couples bunko and that was a blast. Jocelynn was very surprised and it seemed like she had a great time! Happy 40th! So blessed to have you as a sister and a friend!

Halloween

This year we missed the ward Halloween Parade because we had Bryce's work party. On Halloween night, we went over to Jacqui and Jared's for trick-o-treating and taco soup. The boys had a blast this year. I didn't think that Clayton would like to dress up, but he was Ok with it.
When he realized that he was getting candy from every house, it started becoming very exciting for him. He loves candy. I know most kids love candy, but he LOVES candy. In fact, he would go up to every door, say trick or treat, thank you, and then run down the side walk saying, "candy, candy, candy."

Cooper really caught the "vision" of trick or treating this year. He and Jaxson wanted to keep going and going. They ran from house to house and got so much candy. Cooper doesn't really care for candy that much, so he still has a bag full sitting in his closet. They had a great time and it was so much fun to watch them be excited and it always brings back memories from when I was a kid! Happy Halloween.

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