update

It gets ever harder to keep this thing up to date with life and easier methods of communication like Facebook. But I will try, just in case someone still looks at this.

Maisie is in Second grade at a Charter school named OWL. It is a school that specializes in helping kids who struggle to learn in the traditional methods used in most of today's public schools. She is doing well and getting caught up with her reading each day. The school is small and she is making many friends and is currently starting a cheer leading squad for Boise state!! The kids get really creative when there isn't a ton of play equipment. Maisie is proud that she finally hit 50lbs.

Addie is in Parkplace preschool. Nampa public schools preschool program to help children with development needs. Addie is one of their "typical" kids. She helps the other students know and see what it is they should be doing. She loves it and is learning soooo much!! A little bus comes, picks and drops her off each day. She is getting so grown up. She is very helpful at home and loves to be my little helper. If I can't find something I ask her. She almost always knows where it is. Independent just like Maisie but does more for herself, does her own hair, picks her own clothes (o boy), gets her things ready and out to the car when she needs to. It's great. She is a big help with Sawyer too.

Sawyer is a little comedian!! He is almost walking, more like he could if he wanted to, just doesn't want to. He stands up all the time and dances, just won't step! HE loves to turn off the tv and push any other buttons he can find. He gets a kick out of teasing us that he will push it. He goes up and down the stairs like lightning. Jabbers at us all the time. Says several words, but mostly just Dada. He is without a dought a Daddy's boy, Brannon so much as even leaves Sawyers sight he freaks out!!! It is something to watch. He is most happy when he is in his highchair, or in his crib. He loves minke blankets just like his sisters, and rubs them on his nose like Maisie. He is a great sleeper and takes great naps. A mom's dream baby....so far!

Brannon has had a rough go of it with the military lately. Brannon has for the last year worked tiredly to get the Idaho National Guard ready to deploy again this September. He was told he would be staying home on the rear detachment to do logistics from home and man several armories while they were deployed. A huge difficult job that would take a senior supply person. Why they were leaving Brannon, he is very good at his job. Well 2 weeks after the soldiers had left to Mississippi for training prior to leaving for Iraq we get a call telling him he needed to leave to catch up to troops in Mississippi in days! Needless to say our family was in shock and very unprepared in every way!! We hurriedly took care of financial and legal documents, packed, and tried to prepare our kids for the difficult event ahead. After a gut reaching week of preparing to leave, and then another gut wrenching week of waiting for paperwork to be completed and personnel to fight out what the heck was going on.. We discovered that Brannon is temporarily unemployable because a medication he is on requires blood work every 6 months. Facilities in Iraq can't do the tests because facilities are closing. So apparently he can't go! I will believe it when the troops have been in Iraq for 2 months. The military can do whatever they want whenever to us, so I am less then trusting. This has been a horrible experience and I am even more angry with the military then I have ever been. I will hopefully work threw it all. For now I am just beyond grateful Brannon isn't leaving us right now.

All the stress of Brannon's thing caused me to have pinched nerves in my neck, ouch!! And a few days before we found out, I fell off a crate in the garage and sprained my ankle. Extra fun. Sawyer was sick again, 106 degree temperature. ER visit, very scary. He is doing better thankfully. I have been helping a friend in a bridal shop lately. I have learned so much from her. She is an amazing sewer and I love being there and helping!! I even do flower clips for her clients now. I love staying busy and taking care of my family!!! Things are good.

I know it has been a long time, and so much has gone on in the last 9 months, there is no way to catch this blog up. So I will hit highlights and post some pictures. Best I can do for now.

Maisie is done with her second year in school. She is a hard worker in school and loves her uniforms and teachers. Unfortunately we are very unsure if her current school will be open next year so we are on the hunt for another school for her. We have learned a lot about how she learns and how best to help her focus and concentrate. We still have a long way to go but everyday is new and a challenge. She is a supper sweet girl who loves to make everyone around her happy. She was baptized in March, and loves everything she is learning about the church.

Addie is feisty as always. We recently were visited by the binky fairy... again... She relapsed to a binky a few months after Sawyer was born. Unfortunately Addie has never figured out self soothing techniques without her binky so night times are still rough with her. Hard to get her to bed and she is up a lot at night which makes her cranky during the day sometimes. So we are working on that with her. No one makes me laugh quite like her. She is a wonderful help with Sawyer too. She turned 4 in May and is fascinated by the idea that she is Maisie's little sister, and Sawyers big sister.

Sawyer is the sweetest little man in the world! He is a mellow baby like Maisie was. Only cries when he is hungry or not being help enough. haha. He started crawling forward a few weeks ago. He has been going backwards for a month or two. He now has 5 teeth, and eats us out of house and home already!! He loves to snuggle and he loves Daddy!! He dances to any music he hears, even commercials. Everyone loves to snuggle on him and get their baby fixes with him because he is so sweet. He sleeps like a dream at night and I am so grateful for that. We blessed him in September. Of course I had to make his blessing outfit. Not quite as fun as a dress but very cute!! I realize I have baby proofing to do around here!

Brannon is very busy with work. Idaho guard is leaving for Iraq again in September. We have been blessed with the news that Brannon will be attached to the rear detachment who will be staying in Boise. He has been moved to Brigade or Battalion, I can never remember which one. Because he is the senior most Supply Sgt in his Brigade he has been asked to stay back. And senior refers to time in service not Brannon's age!!! HAHA! He won't appreciate that! We are grateful but he struggles with guilt that his soldier's are going and he isn't. I keep telling him that the most important thing to the soldier's is that their families are taken care of, and that is part of his job. They will be grateful their families are taken care of and that they won't have to worry. He will be traveling off and on for months until they are out of the country. I can deal with that, the idea of another 18 month deployment with 3 kids made me really heart sick. I am grateful to have a husband who is so full of integrity in his work and life. He loves this country and the uniform he wears. I am so proud of him!

I have been really busy with Photography work the last few months. I have been blessed with several huge jobs that have kept me really busy. I am learning tons and I feel like my business is growing and expanding. I also substituted a little this spring in the Vallivue School District. Wow what an experience. I have an even greater appreciation for teachers now! I have a new calling in church as assistant camp director and will be going to camp in a few weeks!! I am very excited about it. I love YW! I am also on the ward activities committee now as well. Ward Camp Outs here we come!! I also coached the Vallivue Middle School dance team this year. It was a great experience and I loved it. But it was a lot more work then I thought it would be. And it took more time then I thought it would. But it was wonderful to dance again and to teach again!

The summer is a normal busy summer with a trip to Montana, swim lessons, and lots of outside playing! Hopefully it will include some down time too!!

I have to say I could not do all I have had to do lately without the amazing help of my wonderful friends here!!! I am truly blessed to have friends who love my kids and are so willing to help! And a new laptop that allows me to work in more places then just my office!!

Sawyer Tait

We wanted to let everyone know we will be blessing Sawyer on October 18th. We would love to have family and friends come but understand that most live far away. We did however want you all to know!!!

A Month of Firsts

Maisie went to her first day of school September 8th at a brand new charter school. Nampa Classic Academy. We are very excited about the new school and its traditional methods of teaching. Maisie is very excited and ready to work hard this year!! As you can see she wears uniforms which I love... no more battles in the morning over outfits!! She looks so darn cute too!!!

Addie had her very first day of Joy School Preschool today as well! Joy School is a parent taught preschool done in our homes. She is only 3 as are the other 3 girls and it is mostly an introduction to letters, sounds and structure! She is beyond excited and keeps asking where her bus is and where her uniform is!!

Sawyer started smiling at 7 weeks and we are more in love with him each day. He is a very sweet baby. I have been blessed with another "angel" baby I think. He sleeps pretty well and he is sleeping longer all the time. He even went for 6 hours the other night!! He loves to be snuggled and loves his sisters all up in his face! He is a very patient boy. Everyone says he looks just like Brannon, and that its not just the hair line!!! He loves his binky. At 8 weeks he was 11 lb 2 oz and 25 inches long!! 90% for height! We can't figure out where that is coming from! I love the newborn phase, which is now over, and I really love little babies!! We look forward to lots of fun months ahead.

Weekend Escape

We knew some bad news was coming so we escaped to Salt Lake for our last weekend of summer. On Friday September 4th we received the call we have been dreading for over a year now. Brannon and the Idaho National Guard have been placed on notice to deploy next September. We really didn't want to be around when the information hit the news so we went on a little trip and had a wonderful weekend despite the bad news. We have learned in a military family we can't live or do things tomorrow or next year. Because next year or tomorrow may look very differently and we may not all be together. So we will have a year hopefully filled with fun, family time, and memories.

We went to the Mayan Restaurant for dinner our first night there. Wow what amazing divers!! The girls thought it was crazy scary!! A very neat place and worth the trip!

The best part about the weekend is we went to Temple Square. We spent hours looking and viewing everything. In the evening we went and watched the Joseph Smith video in the Joseph Smith Building. Sawyer and Addie slept threw it and sweet Maisie balled her eyes out during it. She was very concerned for the baby when Joseph was taken and tared and feathered, when he had his leg operated on and the worst was when he was martyred in Carthage Jail. As rough as it was on her it opened up many opportunities to talk about Joseph, the restoration of the gospel, our church and our testimonies. As a mother I find it hard sometimes to find opportunities in everyday life to begin discussions about gospel topics. This movie has provided us many opportunities for which I am grateful!! We had a wonderful talk sitting in front of the reflection pool by the Temple. If you look carefully you will see Maisie is still upset as we are talking. She couldn't wait to go to church again to tell them all she saw and learned. I love how excited it made her to see it all!! My favorite as we are walking away from temple was, "Mom I really felt the Spirit today!" A give back moment as my Mom calls them. As crappy as a parent as I have been the last year, moments like that help to make up the difference.

We also went to the Discovery Center at the Gate Way. The girls would have spent the entire day there if we would have let them. Sadly 4 hours was all we had before we headed home. We had a wonderful weekend as an entire family swimming and playing!

Canning

I have decided every post does not need a picture. To much work right now. Today has been a very long day. A day that reminds me why I decided not to do to much canning this year with a new baby. I canned 16 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 5 pints of spaghetti sauce, 7 pints of tomatoes with peppers, 9 pints of just plain tomatoes.... Dehydrated 1/4 bushel of peaches. Picked the raspberries... and nursed, changed, and snuggled when needed a baby. Fed 2 little girls who watched way to much TV today and started dinner. Days like today make me feel like a super hero for getting it all done, but exhausted because it takes so much out of me! Earlier this last week I canned 10 quarts of beans, and 12 pints of beans. I am so almost done with all this. And to think I didn't even do peaches and pears this year!! Also picked up Maisie's uniforms today to!! She looks so cute! Picture to follow!!

It has started!

I tried..... I didn't do a Dallas Nursery. Much to Brannons disappointment. But one month was all it took to have Sawyer in Dallas clothes!!! We have actually had this little outfit since we found out we were pregnant with Maisie. Being a girl she never wore it! But Sawyer is super cute in it and Brannon is very much in love with it!! I give up. I tell people I am a Dallas fan by marriage. And now that the season has started...... it will never end!

O No she didn't!

Well I guess it was bound to happen. Addie decided to cut her own hair a few days ago. She found some scissors in my bathroom and snip... bangs! She actually didn't do to bad of a job. Of course I was upset and told her her Daddy was going to be upset to. That put her into tears and she hid under the table for an hour. So clips and bobby pins here we come. Her hair was almost one length too!!!!

Welcome Sawyer Tait Williams!!!

After 10 days of inactive labor I was induced on July 16th at 7am. I was dilated to a 4 when we got there. I got my wonderful epidural and started pushing at 12. Sawyer was born at 12:39. Only 5 hours of labor for which I am very grateful. I jokingly asked my Dr if we needed to repeat the process a few times to get to 20 hours like my other labors!! I loved my Dr. She is a sweet soft spoken women who cracked me up when I was pushing because she was encouraging me in this super sweet voice and so calmly!!! Sawyer weighed 8 lbs 8 oz. 21 and a 1/4 inches long. 13 and 3/4 inch head. It took us until an hour before we left the hospital to decide on his name. Man that part stresses me out! We hope we got his name right. Poor Addie has a hard time remembering it because she thought we were going to do Makoy. The girls are great with him. Addie was a little hesitant at first. She told us she couldn't hold him because her hands were to small. Once we explained to her how to hold him she loves to now!!! Sawyer is a typical baby, who eats every 2 to 3 hours. Nights are rough like they are supposed to be right now. Learning to get us all out the door on time is coming along. He doesn't mind his car seat which is a good thing because of how long we have to travel. Addie and Maisie went to Montana with Nana and Papa for a week after they left here. They had a ball and miss them like crazy!! Mom and Dad where here and helped a ton like usual!! Dad painted stripes in Sawyers nursery and they cleaned the entire house. Mom helped me organize the studio, again. And then there is all the wonderful cooking from Dad! Cassie, Ricki, Justin, and Jessica came down as well. Very fun for the cousins to see each other. It was great to see Ricki and Cassie again. We sure miss everyone!!! Brannon's parents came for a few days this last week. Great to see them. The girls had a wonderful time with them. Over all we have been pleasantly busy and doing well. Sorry for taking so long to get pictures up. In no particular order here are some pictures of at the hospital, dr appointments, and cousins!

Swim Lessons

The girls started swim lessons the firs week of August. Maisie and Addie loved them!! I was expecting Addie to be a little leery of getting in the water without us but she has done great and loves going!

Lemonade Stand!

The girls made their own lemonade stand a few weeks ago. One glass was a dollar. We tried explaining to Maisie that this was a little expensive. She informed us she needed to make money!

4th of July

The forth was a hot, hot time this year. We went to a golf course to watch fireworks a few days before the forth. Very fun with lots of friends. We went to a parade in Melba and got lots of candy! We spent the actual forth with some friends the Baileys, dinner and fireworks. Addie crashed before the evening was over.

Surgery...again.

Maisie finally had her surgery June 19th on the moles on her head. They biopsied them several months ago and they came back not so good. SO a pediatric surgeon removed them. She had to go under for about 2 hours to get it all done. The surgeon was really careful to only remove the hair that he had to. We were really concerned she would have major bald patches. He did a great job and Maisie was a trooper. She was so brave getting her IV ( the staff actually sent her a card after wards telling her how brave she was for 7 and that she did a great job!). It took a little while for her to come around but she did great and we got to head home a few hours after surgery. We have to put cream on the incisions 4 times a day and clean them. She goes in July 2nd to have the stitches removed. There are 29 stitches total in 4 areas. She will have to go back in about 6 months or so to have a few more removed. The Dr didn't want her to have incisions on every part of her head. That would make for some uncomfortable sleeping so we will do this is in 2 phases. At least now we know what to expect!! We are so proud of Maisie!!!

Projects

Well I have been steadily knocking down my to do list. We got the girl's new room painted, ceiling, molding, and 2 colors. We also got the chair rail up and painted. Brannon did a great job of it!! Really proud of him! Bunk beds are up and girls are moved into the room. They love it!! I am really happy with the way the room turned out. I feel like I finally had a complete vision of what I wanted a room to look like and it came out that way! I am still waiting on some vinyl and a few other decorations I want to do but very close to all done. What a great feeling. The girls are loving sharing a room. We hear them giggling and talking after we put them to bed. It is so cute. Now if Adalea would quit falling out of bed! Funny side note. While painting their room I wrote both girls name on the walls before I rolled. Addie thought it was great and recognized her and Maisie's name right away. Problem was she was distraught after I rolled and the names were gone. Almost every morning since one of the first things out of her mouth is when are you going to paint my name again Mom. I am trying to explain to her that a friend is doing vinyl lettering of her name and it will be here soon!! It is so funny, she won't let it go!

I got the new spare room painted this weekend as well as had a yard sale. We got rained out today which was a bummer because we put so much work into getting ready and all that. I did make some money, almost enough to pay for all the paint and bedding for 3 new rooms! Grateful for that!! I am also VERY grateful for two great girls, Sydney and Savanna, who helped me paint both rooms. It would have taken me so much longer to get it all done!! They were great and so fun to be with. I can't thank them enough for all their help!!!

Maisie is done with school. We are looking forward to summer, and having down time. Unfortunately we aren't traveling at all this summer. To close to due date now and I don't really want to travel with an infant right away, so that kills our summer months. Plus we have to find a van before we can travel anywhere!! The girls do have swimming lessons in August which will be fun for them!

Brannon started Annual Training today so we will see very little of him for the next week and a half. We are so lucky he has two trainings this summer. The other one starts the day after I am due to have the baby!! No stress there!

Addie is doing well with potty training. We are really proud of her. And she is staying in her big girl bed pretty well. She is just a procrastinator at bed time. Still no naps, or at least no scheduled naps. She falls asleep randomly every few days. Like this picture. On the stairs!! Not sure how that one happened. It is pretty funny!

I'm going to get all the spare room/scrap stuff moved in to the new room this week. So then my studio will be back to normal!! I hate all the upheaval of switching rooms!! I am however waiting for my Dad to come in July to paint the nursery. I am very worn out and done with painting for awhile. I am so glad I have a Dad who can help!!! Although I am sure he is going to grumble when he sees what I want him to do!!!

Next great to do.... make 120 diapers and get baby stuff ready!