Power Squad - Reunited with the Jensens!

Spring Break brought the Jensen's down to Vegas! We got to see them for a few lovely hours, going to Cafe Rio for dinner with a group of 8 crazy kids. Then off to the park before we were kicked out of the aforementioned Cafe Rio. We missed having Janel in the picture at the park, but she is there in spirit. Move back to Vegas, Jensens!

Monster Trucks!

Matt, Miles, Danny and Gabe got to experience something pretty cool recently - Monster Jam World Finals down at Sam Boyd Stadium in Henderson. My fears that I would be in labor that weekend and Matt wouldn't be able to attend ended up being unfounded - dang it. They had a great time and had two full days of monster trucks - which are Gabe's absolute favorite thing in the world. Little boy heaven, basically. Miles had never watched any monster trucks before, and though he wasn't quite the fan going in that Gabe was, he did have a great time!

Monster Jam from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

Ward Easter Egg Hunt

We talked Becky and Danny and crew into coming with us to our ward's Easter Egg hunt on Saturday .We strategically missed the fun run and showed up just in time for doughnuts! :) 

Penelope tried to crack open her Easter eggs - hilarious!
Crackin' open Easter eggs! from Shannon Hiller on Vimeo.

And we had to have In n Out for lunch, of course. Kids got to sit at the stools all together this time.

My Kiddos

Waiting on baby, but happy to spend some time with my three kiddos before he comes. They are so excited to meet him! 

39 Weeks - Literally a Watermelon!

I feel like a full-size watermelon is in there, not a mini one. One week to go!

My "Sprinkle"

Leah, Jonelle and Betty threw me a 'sprinkle' for Baby Boy Hiller - a little shower for the "experienced mom" who has the major things already for baby, but likes to get a few new things too. :)

I am waiting for some other photos to be sent to me, but just wanted to post mine and say thank you to everyone who came and for their generosity. We had guys at the party too, which was a first for me. It was fun to have Matt there and help me open presents. We feel pretty ready for baby to make his appearance. Any day now, buddy.

Kid Quotes

Penelope has a really great memory when it comes to books, especially those she loves to hear again and again. She can "read" about 15 books almost word for word, and one of them is Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? The other night she was reading it to me, and she got to the purple cat page and said with the saddest voice and face, "Mom, I really, really wish I had a purple cat.... (sigh)." The likelihood of us getting a purple cat is just about the same as getting a real cat, hate to break it to you Penelope...

Along the same lines, Miles and Penelope, and sometimes Claire, would like a pet of any kind. They know I grew up with lots of animals and they think that's so cool! I try to explain that they were almost all outside pets and we lived on a large piece of property, not a little Vegas lot. Miles said, "Mom, are we EVER going to get a pet? Even a fish?" They would probably be ecstatic for even a little Beta fish at this point...

I am still working from home two days a week and I try to get in my hours while Penelope is napping but sometimes that doesn't happen, usually when she boycotts her nap that day. I was asking Penelope repeatedly to stop touching my laptop screen because she was getting her fingerprints on it. She said, "Ok, then I'm gonna go wash off my fingerprints. OK?"

Another day when she didn't take a nap I told her she was going to be so tired later in the day. She said, "I'm not tired, I'm just nervous."

Penelope: Almost Three and Sassy As Can Be!

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Artwork

Penelope has started to draw eyes on her people, which I think is so cute, and arms coming out of their heads. I think all the kids have done this as they started to draw more and more. Claire added the words to Penelope's drawings.

And this sign has been on the door to Claire and Miles' room - I thought it was so funny - Keep out! But hey, we are reasonable. Just let us know if you need us... 

Chalk Walk

Part of Art Night at Claire's school was they each got to paint a square on the blacktop. 

37 Weeks

Baby has dropped significantly - head down - locked and loaded. Work rude comments abound - I think next time I get asked about anything pregnancy or baby related, I will just say, "I don't feel like talking about this with you right now."

Or if they go ahead and say something rude like, "How much weight do you think you've gained? I mean this pregnancy compared to last pregnancy?" (which actually happened recently) I will smack them on the forehead like on those V8 commercials and say - TRY AGAIN.

Cute Baby Old Stuff

I think Penelope is ready to be a big sister. At least I hope she keeps this fascination with everything small, blue and for baby. My favorite is when she says, "Look at these little little shoesies!"

 https://vimeo.com/121861832

Miles Quotes

Lately, Miles is the king of "why?" and "what if?" He has a question for everything, all day long. For example, if I ask him to stop pulling on a piece of yarn that he has strung down the banister and onto the couch, instead of stopping, he asks, "Why?" "Because it is wrapped around your little sister's neck and you are about to choke her, that's why. Just do what I say!" It's like this all the time.

Anyway, he does say a few other entertaining things and I have managed to write down more of them than usual this past week. Here are a few that made me laugh.

During Church, Miles is a snack monster (well, that's all the time actually). He had already had two snacks, and I am feeling like everyone is judging me because my five year old has to have food to keep him occupied when he says, "Phew! All that coloring made me hungry! Have any snacks?"

Miles and his new haircut this weekend - handsome fellow!

We were watching a promo about the youngest girl to win a medal at the X Games and Miles says, "I think I was born to be a skateboarder."

Miles asked us why he can't remember being in heaven. I told him that our memories of heaven aren't there because this life is a test - if we could remember everything we knew before, or who we were with, this life wouldn't be much of a lesson. We were sent here to learn. He said, "Well, I'm pretty sure I already know all the big answers to the test."

Miles came out to the living room and announced, "I would APPRECIATE it if everyone left the brush in the drawer so I can find it every time." I said, "Oh, well where was it then?" He said, "On the bathroom COUNTER!" Heaven forbid...

From the back of the van, Miles says, "Mom, did you know that I have drank beer?" I said no you haven't. "Yes I have," he says, "ROOT beer!" I told him that is not even close to the same thing, but I still don't think be believes me because he said, "It is the same, it has the same name!"

36 Weeks: The Doctor's Note and 26 Days to Go!

At my last doctor's appointment, I asked for a note to allow me to wear any type of shoes I want to work, and to be given permission to not wear nylons. At my office, they are pretty conservative when it comes to women's clothes - anytime you wear a skirt, you have to wear nylons. And if you wear nylons, then you are probably in closed-toe shoes. It's ridiculous. I feel like I was very professionally dressed at other offices in the past with no nylons. Anyway, I want to wear long skirts that don't even show your legs, let alone your ankles. I have quite a few comfy maternity maxi skirts and while they aren't as corporate looking as a suit or slacks, I just really need them right now. Hence, the doctor's note, aka The only way to get out of the dress code.

I recently posted this doctor's note on Instagram with a caption something like - Yes, I really did have to get a doctor's note to be able to NOT wear nylons - apparently, I work at the 1970s. I thought I would post the comments I received from my friends - pretty funny! And they supported my claim that this dress code has got to go!

I am excited to not worry so much about my clothes at work - and to  be more comfortable. I am carrying very low, and it seems my work pants were all made for women who have a volleyball above their belly button intead of a watermelon below it. No stretchy fabric low enough to help a girl out. Anyway, I'm at my once a week appointments now and am trying to decide between two hospitals so I can pre-register. If this baby was my pregnancy with Miles, he would be born in five days. But, I have a feeling that won't happen... dang it. 

Recent School Happs

The school year is flying by - almost to Spring Break already. Maybe the pending delivery of Baby Hiller is also helping things go quickly, but we just seem really busy lately. Despite the fact that for the first time since Claire was maybe 2 are we blissfully unscheduled and uninvolved in any extracurricular activities. No sports, no dance, no gynmastics, nothing! I love it, even though I know it can't last forever. I just need to not be treking out across soccer fields with gear and chairs and umbrellas right now, so we are taking this soccer season off. Then we will try to find another up in North Las Vegas and give that a try. Maybe I will even get crazy and put Penelope in a gym class!

In the meantime, elementary school is one big project or busy work packet after another. This week Claire had to create a 3-D bug of her choice to bring to present to her class. She chose the Monarch Butterfly. We made the bodies out of salt dough and added wings using Mema's stamp collection and wire legs and antenna. Adding the habitat/environment brought it all together. I, I mean Claire, better get an A. Oh wait, they don't do As and Bs at her school... or Os and Ss. So let's hope she gets an "approaching standards" or "exceeds standards" on this project. Don't. Get. Me. Started.

Their school is also crazy about Spirit Weeks. This is the third Spirt Week we have had - this time part of reading week. I am running out of crazy hair day ideas... but they love it!