Welcome baby Lexi!

I had the baby almost 2 weeks ago and I'm just now posting about it. I know I'm bad. Anyway, She came 9 days early. Contractions started about 10:30pm. Went to the hospital at 4:30am and had her at 1:10pm. Everything went great once I got my epidural and got some much needed rest. I didn't sleep the entire night. (I hate going into labor in the middle of the night). I was worried that I would get sent home if I went i too early so i stuck it out as long as i could at home. She's beautiful!
There's nothing like a nice two day hospital stay where you only have to worry about myself. My kids were in good hands thanks to grandmas and grandpas and B of course.
I have found that the transition to 3 kids has been quite hard. With us moving 1 1/2 weeks before into a new neighborhood and having another little person to awake care of has been hard. I'm hoping that i will get a handle on things real soon. All of these sacrifices are worth it. i love my kiddos. I'll post pictures soon.

I Know I Am A Slacker!

I don't know what it is about being pregnant but these last couple of months have left me feeling blahhhhhhhh! Do any of you ever feel that way? When you feel no energy to do anything. I find that sometimes it takes way too much work to keep up with my blog. Anyway, after my sister Tiff getting on my case I realized that I need to be better.

As far as updates go, I'm doing good overall. I'm 29 weeks! Yay! The baby is doing great. Still don't have any names for her yet. I'm still up for suggestions. Also, I know that the timing is bad but, we just listed our house to sell. When B and I first were married we lived in Holladay and loved it. So, that's where we would like to try to move. Who knows if it will sell but, we'll see.

Everyone else is doing great! There's nothing like being uncomfortable and waddling around all day. Oh the joys of being pregnant! She's worth it!!!!

Draper Temple Open House

What an amazing priviledge it is to have so many beautiful temples so close to us! This open house of the Draper temple seems to be especially special to me because this is the first time that children under 12 could walk through it. After going to the open house with our friends, Mike and Lindsey, a few weeks ago I knew that Caleb would love to go inside. So, on Thursday I took him with my mother-in-law. He loved the temple! It was so cute to see him with the pamphlet of pictures matching the rooms to the pictures. He can't wait to get baptized there when he turns 12years old. Later that night we were at dinner with my family and he was so excited to show his cousins the pamphlet of pictures and talk to them about the temple. I'm so grateful the at such a young age he already know that it is a special place. I know this will be something that he remembers forever. Here are some cute pictures.

Caleb and grandma

Me and Caleb

Following Jesus' example

I love to see the temple, I'm going there someday

To feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God a place of love and beauty

I'll prepare myself while I am young

This is my sacred duty.

It's A Girl!!!

Today I went to my 20 week ultrasound appointment and found out that we are having another girl! I'm super excited for Izzy to have a little sister to play with. My sister Jodi and I are 15 months apart and I loved it! We shared everything and were the best of friends. The doctor said that everything looks great and I am still on target for delivering on July 17th. I always feel so much better after they tell you everything is fine. Now the big challenge is trying to come up with a cute name for her. Any ideas? Let me know!

Thanks For Checking Back With Us!

It has taken me forever to get to this point of making our blog private. I am hoping that I did it right. Sorry to any of you who got multiple invites. Just know that I REALLY want you to come see me. I get my ultrasound on Wednesday. Any thoughts on what I am having?

Going Private Part 2

Some of you have not wanted to put your e-mail address on my blog so instead, why don't you just e-mail me with it at awallengren@gmail.com. Hopefully you will feel more comfortable leaving your e-mail that way. I'm going to be private on Feb. 20th. Please come and visit us!

Going Private!

I have decided to make our blog private because recent comments on my blog have been from people I have no idea who and they are from India! Scary that people from way over on the other side of the world are looking into my life. Leave me your e-mail so I can add you to my list. I feel so much better about this. I really feel like I can open up more to you without the world watching. I hope you will come back to visit my blog!

It's About Time I Told You The Big News...

So many of you have been wondering why I have been so sick lately. I'm sure you have guessed it, Yes I am pregnant with #3! We are super excited! I'm 13 weeks and I am due July 17th. Everyone has been saying that it is about time. I do have to admit that the timing is perfect! I'm so grateful for this wonderful gift of life and the amazing opportunity it be a mom again. I love staying home with my two sweet kids. I'm scared to be out numbered but, I'm sure I'm over reacting. So, that's why I have been sick. The morning sickness (without vomiting) has been mainly extreme nausea! I have been on 3 different prescriptions and nothing helps. I'm moving into my 2nd trimester so hopefully I will be moving out of the morning sickness stage. Don't you love the ultra sound pictures? These were taken at 10 weeks.

A Three Day Birthday Marathon!

On January Fourth Caleb turned 5! I know, I can't believe it either. Time flys! Anyway, He was pretty lucky this year because he had four birthday parties. The first one was on his birthday, which landed on a Sunday, with the primary singing to him and getting the exciting pencil from the artificial birthday cake. I don't know what it is about being sung to but he couldn't wait. I watched him was they sang to him. It was so cute to see him with his big smile on his cute face.

Mom and dad gave Caleb an addition to add to his new airplane set that Santa gave him. He was really excited when he opened it!



The next day at school he also got sung too, received a bag of gifts from his class, and gave out treat bags to all of his buddies. He loves to be the star of the show. That evening our plans changed a bit. We had decorated our house with balloons and streamers for the family birthday party with cousins. Unfortunately, the weather was awful and the traffic was a mess. So, we packed up the games and the pinata and celebrated it at my moms house so the family wouldn't have to sit in traffic. We had a fun time!

My mom wanted to make a cute cake for Caleb. She put these cute cars on it depicting a race track. She is so creative! I couldn't make a cake like this.

Izzy enjoyed her cake and ice cream on the counter. She was too interested in her food to look up at me as I took this picture.

Opening gifts is the funnest part of birthdays!

The kids played pin the tail on the donkey and had fun with the pinata. It was so fun to have my sister Heidi here with her three kids from California here to celebrate Caleb's birthday. He loves spending time with them. It was so nice to have all 13 cousins there to celebrate his party.

Thanks mom for letting us have the party at your house!

The last and final party was at my house with Caleb's little neighborhood buddies. They pretty much did the same thing that we did at my mom's house. He loves his little friends and really wanted a party with them. How could I say no?

It was a long couple of days and I am glad they are over. I haven't been feeling very well so it's nice to have his birthday behind me. I'm so grateful for my sweet little Caleb! He brings more joy to my life than I ever imagined. He brightens my day every time I see his big blue eyes and his amazing smile. How could I have been so blessed to be a mom to the cutest little boy in the world?

I love you Caleb! Happy Birthday!

Christmas Morning!

Christmas morning was so fun as always. The kids were so excited to run down and look to see what Santa brought for them. They first ran over to the plate of cookies they made and noticed the crumbs and the empty glass of milk. The carrots were gone too. He left a trail of candy canes that led them into the living room where they found their gifts wrapped nicely on the couch.

Sweet grandma Myrna made this adorable "I Spy" blanket for Izzy. She made one for Caleb years ago and he sleeps with it every night. This was a priceless gift. It's beautiful!

She also spoiled Caleb with a giant box of Lincoln Logs and some fun books

Who ever knew that a little tent could be such a hit. Izzy loves to sit and play games in her "kitty house."

This was the one thing Caleb was hoping for from Santa. This fun airplane set that goes with his train set. I think Santa spoiled him this year!

You can never go wrong giving kids Play doe. The love making ice cream sundaes with this cute set.

This was a fun Christmas for our family. We were sick for most of the month with terrible colds that lasted weeks. Luckily they went away just in time for Christmas. We feel so blessed and are so grateful for the wonderful spirit of Christmas!

A Fun Christmas Day!

Another fun family tradition is to go to my mom's house on Christmas Day and open our exchange gifts. This is so fun. Each person has drawn a name of a person to buy a gift for. Its a nice way of giving and receiving without having to buy for everyone in the family.

Caleb got Connect Four and knows all of the rules. He's so smart!

Izzy got a cute little Dora purse with a matching phone. She loves her phone!

"Grandpa, the phone is for you!"

This hockey game has been quite the hit. Here he is playing with little Cade. He loves showing kids how to play games!

Just a cute picture!

My mom likes to add a more spiritual side to our tradition by reading the Christmas story.

Christmas is the funnest time to be with family!

After we left my mom's we had a Christmas party with our long time friends the Deputy's at Jodi's house. It was a ton of fun to spend time with them too. Sorry, no pictures of that event. Thanks for hosting the party Jodi!

Christmas Eve!!

We enjoyed spending time with our families on Christmas eve. It is always fun to spend time with them on the big night. There is always fun, fun, and best of all family. Here are some pictures from our time at Brandon's parents house. We had a wonderful time at my mom's house too but forgot to take pictures.

The kids love spending time with their cousins Parker and Carsten

They never leave grandma's house without a couple of ice cream cones

Brandon's sister Tori and her two boys

My handsome hubby just hangin' out

After the long day spent at both grandma's house, it was time to get ready for the big night. We rushed home so the kids could open two Christmas Eve presents. Caleb was so excited about this that he carried around his two presents all day.

A fun Christmas story to get them excited

They opened up their Christmas PJ's. This is a cute tradition that I started when I had Caleb. This was something that I always looked forward to when I was a kid. Don't they look so cute?

After unwrapping the book and the PJ's it was time to get Santa's cookies and milk out. They made these cute cookies at my mom's house a few days before Christmas (another tradition). We didn't want to leave out the reindeer so a bowl of carrots were left for them too. Caleb wrote a cute letter for Santa and Santa wrote him back too. So cute!

Finally it was time for the kids to get to bed cause Santa had a lot of work to do to get ready for the next morning. I love Christmas eve almost as much as Christmas day. there is nothing like watching the anticipation and excitement from my kids as Christmas approaches.