Brazil Plans

So we are going to Brazil. And we're going next month, six weeks from today. I, personally, am excited to have an adventure to help pass the long months of expecting, which always go by way too slowly. We'll come back in July before I'm due, my OB is good with it. And for the kid's braces, the orthodontist says it's no problem either. So yay! Those are the first people we wanted to check with. School we're assuming is okay, as is their band group.

When we first started toying with the idea, we told Joseph and Ethan, who had concerns about missing school and band, that they were free to stay if they wanted. Mel also would have been given permission to choose, but she was already packing her bags. Joseph and Ethan, after careful pondering and consideration, have both chosen to stay and have our blessing. So they'll be staying with Corey's parents and having their own new and memorable experience from March to June and then will join us in Brazil for a few weeks after school is done. So that's what we have planned so far. And, another great thing, our awesome landlords are ok with us coming back here, so we don't even have to pack up the house. So things are just awesome and all the details are being worked out. Over the top blessings from the Lord yet again. Feeling grateful.

Cabin Fun

We're headed up to spend the night with friends again up at their cabin. Corey is going skiing tomorrow with some of the kids, should be fun. Only bad news, I can't find my camera, and I can't use my phone camera cause that is locked at the moment... Corey switched carriers today, says Verizon will work better for us in Brazil, they have international service without the fees AT&T has. Anyway, hopefully someone will take pictures that I can steal.

Ten Visas

Every now and then for the past few months, Corey and I will talk about what the chances are, percentage wise, that we'll be going to Brazil. It's been below 40% for most of the time since he began toying with the idea in October. Today it jumped up to 90%. Last week Corey bought plane tickets for him and Melodie to go down in April for when Movie Mouth has a few hotel events. They were going to have a lot of fun together. But now all of Mel's fun has been squashed cause we might be joining them. He cancelled their tickets today and is trying to get up the guts to "strike the bell" again as he fights the typical jitters that come before every big decision like this. So, he's been trying to keep busy doing other stuff in possible preparation. Yesterday morning all the kids signed their visa papers, he printed up 10 copies of itineraries, 10 copies of letters stating why we want visas, with 10 birth certificates and 10 passports in the respective piles for each person (me and 9 kids, Corey's already got his visa)

So that's what Corey spent the better part of yesterday working on. It's quite a process, cause as he noticed once again "We got a lot of kids..."

And so I guess we'll see what happens! Corey did say (and this was part of our thinking when we went to Costa Rica) that it seems like when you have the choice between doing something or not doing something, you should do something! So I'll keep you posted, cause it looks like it might happen.

----- BREAKING NEWS!! -----

This just in! (via a quick Skype chat at 6:03) 

Corey's bought airfare for us to go to Brazil. 

Plans are to go to Florida first, where they have a direct flight to Campinas.
So to Florida on March 23, Campinas on the 27th. 

We're gonna do something! Fun!

Wes' Braces

Here we go! Are you ready Wes? He's all smiles.

Actually he's had butterflies in his stomach for the past 24+ hours. He was excited to get out of class, and everyone knew when he was going and wished him luck. He'll be back soon with a new look!

I was going back and forth checking on Wes and checking on the girls watching a movie in the lobby. When I returned he was standing at the sink rinsing out his mouth - brackets are on! Time for the wire.

And an hour later he's all done. He got a coupon for a cheeseburger and fries so we picked that up for him to take back to school for lunch. He got blue and green braces, you look great buddy!

You know your siblings are going to be totally jealous, atleast I know Ethan already is, that silly boy. Try not to rub it in his face too much.

Author Abi

Abi's been writing up a storm lately (goes through a ton of paper, I have to hide it from her now cause we're on our last ream and she could breeze through that like it was nothing). The following three creations are all from last night. First she cleaned the house while I took Hyrum to band. I told her that if it was clean, I'd bring back a treat. When I got back, I found a clean house and this note - 

"Her is a klen hase. love Abi and Jules and Lily. we will klen sumor kus I love klen! cus I wont a tret to nite."

Proper English translation ~ "Here is a clean house. Love Abi and Jules (Abi's friend and our neighbor) and Lily. We will clean some more cause I love clean! Cause I want a treat tonight."

She also made this one - she was just being creative and made a little temple thing on a paper and said "The templ is holy i have den to the templ wons i liket it decus i gon a cucy it tas god her is the templ.

Translation ~ "The temple is holy. I have been to the temple once. I liked it because I got a cookie. (It was at the Bountiful Temple Open House, I told her they don't always give out cookies) It taste good. Here is the temple.

 I love it Abi. Keep it going. And she wrote in her journal this morning too, unfortunately Lily cut it up before I could save it for her scrapbook.

Translation is "Last night I had a doughnut. It taste good. I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up I saw my brothers and sisters. Went to school and it was dark. My mom and Dad was there too. And last night I went to school. On Sunday I went to my Grandmas house. I got a new bracelet. And today I am going to school

Abi, you're a good little writer. Keep up the good work! The spelling will come with time :)

Out to Dinner with Family

We had a rare treat last Saturday night - we got together with my family! And it was a very rare and special treat because we got together without the kids and so we all had lots of time to visit and laugh, it was so fun! We tried to get together over Christmas but didn't get all the Utah siblings together cause they had other family in town and orthodontist appointments. It gets harder and harder each year cause we're such a big and busy group. But we decided to try for an "adults go out to eat" on a weekend in January, and after 20 emails of "what days work for you" we finally found one date without soccer tournaments or traveling taking one of us away. So Jan. 31st was the day and we all went out to Mimi's Cafe in Sandy. Mom and Dad treated us, so nice. Jared and Jerusha's kids babysat Grant's and Neil's kids. We were in a side room and weren't totally by ourselves, but it was private enough that we all could all see each other and hear each other and it was just great. Someday it will be nice to have the Indiana and Texas siblings here. The last time we were all together was when Beka got married in 2011, and that was still missing one in-law. Ya do what you can. 

Anyway, great visit. Lots of laughing as Neil and Amy remembered the 3 and a half years they lived with my mom's parents. Neil's perfected his Louie Jean impression. And he broke his collar bone and so he rubs it just like she always rubbed hers, so funny. What else did we laugh about? We started dinner at 6 and were there until 8:45. This was the only picture I got that turned out at all. Stephanie took one though, I'll try to get a copy of it.

Good times, I love my family!

Corey's Home!

These four little girls are so glad when Daddy comes home! And Corey's lap doesn't have room for them all. Hope he doesn't get smothered. He said "I gotta figure out a different time to come home..." His flights usually come home Saturday afternoon. Perhaps when the kids are all in bed would give him a little breathing room. After he was released from their clutches he also commented, "I like them. They're just.... competitive." :) We are glad he's home safe.

Orthodontist Appointment

Neither Corey nor I had braces growing up, so I have no personal experience with orthodontics. But that is about to change, cause I now know that I have kids that will need them. Today I took Wesley and Abi in for a consultation at McDonough Orthodonics. Their office came very highly praised via my facebook request for recommendations. My little sis' endorsement was the one that influenced me most, so she's the one I named and that I think they'll be sending the $20 thank you gift cards to in the mail. :) I have to say I was a little skeptical of all the enthusiasm and raving about them, I mean they can't be that amazing, it's just another dental office, right? But I'm happy to say after our appointment there, they delivered on all those high expectations I was trying not to have and I love them too. (I wish my maternity appointments could be as much, blah) Great office, great experience, even cookies as we left, and I'm super glad we're going there!

Abi is just 7, and Dr. David (such a nice guy!) said that orthodontics are most likely in her future, but not yet. So Abi just gets to come back every 6 months for a check up. Abi is glad she doesn't need them yet. She was pretty nervous, but then again, she is always been my sensitive little girl. When they were taking pictures of her teeth, Wesley and I were laughing so hard, I had to go get my phone to take some pictures. I hurried out to the lobby to grab it. And to check on my 3 little girls (still watching Monsters Inc, good baby sitter Lily!) We came back, and they had moved on from the clear plastic funny face maker and on to a metal one...

This was Abi's and mine and Wesley's favorite part of the consultation - making silly faces with their mouth opener thingy's while they took pictures of her teeth.

Wesley and I were laughing so hard at her, and I think she was laughing too, but you couldn't tell she was smiling cause her lips were already spread out all the way. When she was done, she was excited to see for herself what all the fun was about. I showed her a few of the pictures I took of her ~ "AHHH!"

...and then we said "Wes, you're next!!!" And we started laughing again

We'd never had so much fun at the doctors!

So funny!

For Wesley, the moment is upon him... Wes is getting braces next week!!! Are you excited?

C'mon, show me your most excited smile!

Hey, you can do better than that!!

Abi and Wes both want some of these mouth things for their birthday, cause just think of all the fun we could have making funny faces with these! Oh yeah, all the kids in our house of characters would love it.

So, Wesley is going back tomorrow to get models of his teeth made, and then next Wednesday he goes back for the braces. We'll post about that big day when it comes. Joseph and Hyrum have appointments next week, we'll see how many kids in braces we can have at the same time! Yeah, that sounds like fun! (Hope it doesn't break the bank!)

11:30 At Night

What are most toddlers and 1 year old's doing at 11:30 at night? I don't know, but I think it's probably not the same as my babies. 11:30 at night, and they are still in a game of making food.  Sophi cooking up a delicious concoction for Natalie.

Natalie can't wait to try Sophi's new recipe!

Ok little girls, as soon as Mel puts her journal and scriptures down, it's lights off.

Abi wanted to move the kitchen up to their room, and she tucked it behind the closet door so they have a little hall way as their kitchen "room". Kids seem to love small spaces. Sophi heading back into the kitchen for more food. Cute girls.

Neck Hugs

Everyone loves sitting by Natalie during dinner time. She's a bit messy, but the cuteness outweighs the possible spills and food messes she'll make on ya. And the kids always are excited when Natalie starts passing out neck hugs, which she often does at dinnertime.

 (Mel is being weird in these two pictures, not sure what she's doing)

Natalie had already given Wes and Abi a few hugs, but with a little help and encouragement, she did it again so I could capture it on camera.

Often when she gives out her "hey buddy" hugs, we love seeing the reflection in the windows of her cute little arms just barely able to reach around the neck. She's such a cute little girl! The kids were laughing telling me how cute it looked from the front, too, with her little face all squished in there.

We like you Natalie, we love having you around! Thanks for making all of us feel special with your little hugs.

Sophi's Dinner Party

Tonight the kids were playing together perfectly and beautifully. That often happens once it's past 10pm and it's time for bed. I came to check on the status of teeth and pajamas, and they were all lost in a game of "Sophi's Restaurant"

Sophi was a busy as a bee (in the green haircurlers) running back and forth from the kitchen to the table, delivering food she was making.

And all her customers were asking for refills of drinks too. She'd run over to the pretend sink and make a water sound as she put the cup to the faucet to fill it up, then deliver it back with a "Here go!" in her little Cinderella voice.

Ethan said "You know all that stuff I said about hating all the princess movies? I take it all back. This is really cute!" Yes, the big brothers (understandably) prefer to not watch the princess movies, but now that they see that the fruit of all that girly-ness is a little sister who hums while she cooks pretend food and sings as she delivers it, well, it's made her brothers have a change of heart. :)

They were laughing at the cute food combinations Sophi brought out to them, such as cookies topped with a generous helping of ketchup (that was my dinner), or a sandwich topped with cream and a cherry (Abi's meal).

Sophi, you are too cute. And Natalie liked the game too. She's practiced her cooking skills by playing with the pans and lids.

She's getting ready to open up her own restaurant in the next year or so. With all these kids, we might always have a kid restaurant since toddlerhood may never end!

First Brazil Trip in 2015

Corey left for Brazil today. He gets back the 31st. Since I'm pregnant, I let myself get some survival food this time. Not cheesecake this time, we're going for coconut ice cream heaven, mmm! They are at the local Walmart now. I usually resist buying them, but since I'm in survival mode, I picked some up on the way home from dropping him off at the airport. I also happened to run into one of my teachers from 9th grade there in the freezer section. I said hi. Not sure if she remembered me or Corey (she was our supervisor when we were SBOs in Jr. High) but I told her our names and that we got married.

Corey was pres in the middle there, I was historian. Sure, it was 23 years ago (I knew that since we just had our 20 year high school reunion) but you remember us, right? It's not like you've had 100s of students each year from the 7 classes you've taught over the past 20+ years! Yeah... she probably doesn't remember, thats ok, but she was nice. It was only a little awkward. I asked her if she gets stopped often, she said she does. There are kinda like celebrities to an exclusive fan base that happen to find them now and then. 

That's all that's going on here. And Corey introduced the kids to BYU's Vocal Point a few weeks ago, and they have been listening to this song A LOT, like a ton.

I didn't think I'd get sick of it, but I did today. Still, it is pretty cool. We think Tanner rocks (plus my little brother knows him, so we feel like we have some sort of connection to him) :) I just saw this ball prank video, I think I'll show it to the kids to get them off of their vocal Point kick (no offense guys) Pretty funny prank. :) Have a good weekend