Christmas is upon us!

My sister in law makes these really cute ornaments out of clay. It is a very time consuming process and she is so good at it.

I had her make this angel for my mom.

This one is for my sister, Kay.

This is for Tanner Rumelli.

This is Taggetty Waggetty. Can't you see the resemblence?

So, I'll need to have her make one for Whitley, and while she's at it, she might as well make one for our new addition. I have been chastised for not making an announcement earlier, but I was trying to wait until after Christmas just because my uterus seems to have a hard time hanging on to the little suckers. This is my 8th pregnancy and you all know I only have three kids. So, it just gets hard to tell people you're pregnant and then a few weeks later you're not. And then you have people who heard you were pregnant and they see you a few months later and you're not showing and they didn't hear that you had the baby yet so they look at you funny and talk behind your back. It all gets really uncomfortable because nobody ever knows what to say, or they say somethng mindless like, "well at least you weren't that far along." It hurts and I've been through it more than my fair share of times so I apologize to anyone who found out in a round about kind of way-sorry Wendy, but be gentle with me(: I think I could have gotten away with not telling anyone, if my sister Kandie hadn't joked about me being prenant on the phone and I didn't laugh, or my two sisters-in-law who said I was showing at eight weeks, or my son who overheard me talking about it and then told his whole second grade class. It's hard to keep a secret when you have so many people who love you! So just pray that I make it the next 6 weeks without losing too much weight, and I think things will be good from there(: I'm due July 3 so I am betting on June 15 or 16. They just seem to come a week earlier every one I have, not that I would want a premie, but it's the whole uncooperating uterus again. So, from everyone here at our house, enjoy this holiday season!!!!

Twilight frenzie!

Okay, so, I was never really interested in the whole "Twilight" crap. People kept telling me I had to read the books, and I was like, "'whatever, I'm not going to waste my time on vampires." But I happened to see a trailer from the movie and my curiosity was piqued. I saw the movie opening weekend and was amazed at the feelings and emotions it brought out in me. So, I saw it again last weekend with my schmoopy, good as the first time, but he didn't get what all the hype was about. So, I've had some time on my hands, not feeling well and being in bed alot, that I thought, "what the heck, why not see what happens next" Last Friday, I finished the second book. Saturday and early Sunday morning I finished the third book, and Sunday and into Monday, I finished the series. The last two days I have been on Stephenie Meyer's website reading outtakes and tidbits, anything I could find. I heard she had started another book, "Midnight Sun" that was in Edward's point of view to go along with the first book, but she wasn't finished with it and it accidentally got leaked. She is quite upset about it and may not finish it. I read the chapters that were leaked and I will be severly disappointed if she can't find it in herself to finish. (It was good!) So, yeah, anyway, word to the wise, don't start if you don't have some time on your hands because they definitely leave an impression. I'm actually kind of glad I didn't read them before because I would have been way too impatient for the next book to come out. Anyway, I guess it has been a good escape from the misery of the first trimester, but I guess I can always dream!!!

Halloween

Halloween is usually a big deal at our house. I have so much fun dressing the kids up, but this year it just seemed to come too fast. I didn't even get my Halloween decorations up. We did manage to carve some pumpkins, but that was the extent of our celebrations this year. Tanner wanted to be a dead cowboy.( I think he got the idea from a Bundy cousin last year) I was not creative at all with Tag, he was just a cowboy because we had stuff from Trek left over. Whitley was a carebear. She looked so cute. She kept her hood on and her round face was just so cute poking out. The elementary school does a halloween carnival every year and then a trunk or treat afterwards. So that was how we spent our Halloween!

Whitley is one!

My little princess turns one today! I can hardly believe it. The year has gone by so fast and she is getting to be such a big girl. I know she has been a big girl since she was born, but she is just acting so old. It's fun, but it makes me a little sad because the time has gone by so quickly. She has been such a blessing in our family, and after we got her over the reflux she has been my best baby. She still takes two 2-3 hour naps a day, and she sleeps all night long. We can put her to bed awake and she will fuss for a minute, but then she is out. We still can't get Taggert to go to bed on his own and he is almost five. She has the sweetest little voice, but she is starting to get a bit of an attitude.(I have no idea where she gets that from(: She isn't walking yet which is okay by me, but she will be soon enough. As long as I was nursing she was my girl, but now that we have stopped doing that, she is becoming quite the daddy's girl. Her daddy loves it. Her face just lights up when he comes home from work and she squirms to get over to him. She's not dating until she is twenty, and even then, Trent will be cleaning his gun until the unlucky fella brings her home on time. We are just so grateful for our Whitley girl. Happy Birthday Chubba!

She got frosting in her hair and just about everywhere else!

Tanner's two front teeth

Tanner is upset because he won't be able to eat apples for awhile. It is so funny to hear him talk that I have actually caught myself talking with a lisp just because I like the sound of it. He really will be singing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" although he doesn't think that is a very good present. He is concerned with what color his braces are going to be and I said "hold off buddy, you've only got two permanent teeth so far. Let's wait and see what the other ones do". For some reason he thinks braces will be cool just because his dad had them. I want him to be like his daddy, just not every aspect.

Raegan's Blessing

We went up to northern Utah this last weekend for my "little" brother's new baby girls blessing. He has got such a cute little family. (It is interesting to note, which I probably have before, that every one of my siblings and I have all had two boys first and anyone who has ventured out past that has gotten a girl next. I only have one brother who has more than three, but I think it is kind of cool.) As I watched my brothers with their kids and my kids, I just felt very proud of who they have become.

I've got good brothers and I am glad that we have stayed close. I feel like I miss out on a lot living so far away but it is always fun to go home and laugh and joke around. I call my brothers putz sometimes but it doesn't mean I don't love them, in fact in means just the opposite and I am glad they know it(:

Time out for Women!

This last weekend, I got to go to go to the Time out for Women with one of my very good friends, Amy, with no kids! If you've never been to a "Time out for Women" I suggest you go. It's put on by Deseret Book and it will make you feel like a better wife, mother, daughter, aunt, whatever. It is so uplifting! I've only been twice, but it was time well spent both times. So, Friday night we got to enjoy a concert by Jason Deare and his crew. If you've never heard me talk about the "Joseph" cd, well, this is the guy who wrote all the songs.

This guy is amazing! They have just come out with a new cd "Trek" and since Trent and I went on trek this summer, this cd really hit home for me. I was telling Jason how much it touched me after experiencing to a small degree what the pioneers might have gone through, and how it just made me cry, and he gave me a big hug. Anyway, they performed songs from their new cd, and it was just awesome, it's not yo mamma's church music. It's not like some churchy music that is so cheesy you just want to throw up, this is really good music full of emotion and power. If you've never heard either of these cd's: "Joseph: a Nashville tribute" and "Trek" I promise it will be worth the $12.00 for them.

This is the rest of the band. The guy, Bradley Hull, on the right is single. He's 32 and we heard he is looking for Barbie with a testimony so if you know anyone like that let me know. Amy's cousin is Dan Truman, the guy who plays the piano for Diamond Rio, and he helped produce these songs and plays the piano for them , so if you have anyone in mind, Amy can probably get him the message(: He wasn't there that night because he was playing with Diamond Rio in Jackpot, NV.

This is Mindy Gledhill. She sang a couple of the songs for us and she has an amazing voice.

This is Tim Gates. He also sang a couple songs and he also has an amazing voice. He is actually the lead singer in the group Due West. I think I've actually heard him on country radio but I can't remember what song he sang. The guy that is single is also in the band.

Anyway, it was a much needed escape from mommy duty, although, I am still nursing Whitley and for some reason it didn't cross my mind that 24 hours away from her and a pump would leave me quite uncomfortable. So when the conference was over, I made a mad dash home and hoped she was waiting for me when I got there. All in all I'd have to say it was a very "uplifting" weekend!!!!!(:

Pretty girl!

I put a little barrett in Whitley's hair. It's that little pink thing on the top of her head. She looked so cute. Her hair is getting long and it is curling in the back. I am so excited for her. The barrett didn't stay in long because her hair is too soft. I need to get some cute clips to put in her hair to make her more feminine looking. I don't do much with my own hair so this should be interesting to see how her hair turns out(:

Our new kitty, Phantom.

We got a new kitty on Labor day! Her name is Phantom because of the markings on her face. We haven't had a lot of luck with kitty's at our house so we are keeping her inside until she gets a little bigger. Whitley likes to pull her whiskers, but she doesn't like to have her paws touch her. It is funny to watch. Taggert likes to hold her, too, but he usually ends up throwing her on the floor. When we first got her she wasn't eating and Tanner said, "Why don't you just feed her like you do Whitley?" I was like, um, no. That isn't going to happen.

Betty Crocker in the house!

I am so pleased with my creation! My mother-in-law got 8 boxes of peaches which we have been bottling and making jam out of, and we still had some left over. So, I was going through my cookbooks trying to find anything with peaches in it. I found this recipe in the cookbook my sister-in-law, Kate, gave me. (SEE I really do use it!) This is the creamy peach pie. It was really easy and I have to say it was really good. My boys loved it! They had to have seconds. I have also been making my own bread which my husband says is really good. He said I am becoming quite the little cook. My little family may survive my little cooking adventure yet!!!

Jensen Reunion

Every Labor Day weekend, we pack up the family and head to Kolob. If there is one thing I did right, it is to have married into a good family. We have never missed the Jensen Reunion my whole married life and it is because we have so much fun, and there are so many good people to associate with. Trent's mom has nine brothers so there are lots of cousins and aunts and uncles running around. I love it! I wish my own family would do something like it, but it wouldn't be the same even if all ten of us showed up-just kidding. We do programs at night and have a testimony meeting on Sunday. The guys go shooting, play horseshoes, nap, and eat, and let me tell you, we eat good up there! It is something I look forward to and I am grateful that it has been such an important thing in Trent's family's life.

Trent and Danna

This was Tag's two most favorite places to be in someone's arms giving lovies or on the 4-wheeler

Oh, we are in for it!

Trent went in to get Whitley up yesterday morning and this is what he found. She is standing! She seems pretty proud of herself. Just last week she got the hang of crawling. I am going to have to start baby proofing EVERYTHING!!! I thought it was going to take her a little longer to get mobile because she would crawl just a little and then she would sit back down like she was winded or something. There is no stopping her now!

Tanner starts school

Tanner started the 2nd grade on the 13th! (I am a little slow) He was mad at me because I wouldn't buy him a new backpack. I washed his old one and he decided it would be good enough. He has decided he wants to bring his lunch from home which has worked out pretty good. We are trying to cut back on expenses so he and Trent are both taking their lunches. He has a pretty big class this year so I may end up volunteering to help his teacher out. They do so much and really don't get compensated like they should. I hope he has another good year.

Time for another reflection(:

So yesterday brought on another wave of emotions and life reflections. My little brother just had a new baby girl last night, and just by talking to him, I can tell she's already got him wrapped around her finger. There is just something about having this new little life in your arms that is amazing. I remember when Whitley was born I couldn't stop looking at her. She was so beautiful and perfect. I had so much love for her and to see Trent with her just melted my heart. He was so cute with her. There was just so much joy.

On the flip side of that...Trent's cousin lost a baby girl yesterday. She was just four months old and I can't imagine anything more devasting than losing one of your babies. I found myself looking at my kids a little different yesterday, but especially my baby girl. I looked at her and was so grateful that she is almost ten months old and she is healthy and strong, so grateful that we still have her. I thought about Taggert and all the times that he could have been taken from us. And then trying to explain to Tanner that bad things happen to good people and that God isn't doing it to hurt us. We came here to get a body and to gain experience so that we can return to him one day. We are here to be tried and tested. We have to go through some bad so that we can know just how good it is when we go through the good things in life. I know that it is easier to say it than it is to go through it, but I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that I will be with my mom again. I will see my sister, Kay, and my grandparents, and what a great reunion it will be. I also know that there are things that happen in our lives that only the Savior can heal. There are things that only He can help us through, and he will if we will let. I am just grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ that has been restored in its fulness upon the earth. I don't want to think where I would be without it. I have had too many things happen in my life for me to deny the truthfulness of it. I know that my life has been greatly blessed because of it.

I don't know what else to say so I will just sign off now(:

An epiphany!

I had a really hard realization hit me Saturday night. We were at Trent's parents house for his Grandma's 91st birthday party. One of Trent's cousins was saying how cute Whitley was and I said, " Yeah, she's fun. I have really enjoyed her." Trent's sister said, "Well, yeah, after Tag you'd enjoy anything." I said, "It was really stressful." But it really got me thinking. My poor son has only known his mother to be stressed. He had respiratory problems from the start and because of that he was too weak to nurse. He kept having these episodes where his heart would race. I would try and tell the doctor, but either he didn't believe me or didn't think it was a big deal. He'd give me some medicine and send us on our way. We finally ended up in the ER and after numerous tests, Tag and I were on a plane to Phoenix because there was something wrong with his heart. He was so upset and easily aggitated when we got down there. I would try and talk to him and rub his little head, but nothing I did seemed to help so they had to sedate him. It killed me as a mother to know that I could not comfort my son. I thought to myself " he doesn't even really know who I am"

Tag had several tests and we had to wait several days before the doctors could tell us what was going on. Once they finally figured it out , it was almost too much to take. Not only were there several things going on with his heart, they did a genetic test and found out he had partial trisomy 18 (the same thing Trent's sisters have). We had not expected that. The doctors then had the gall to ask us if we wanted them to do anything for him. That's when I stood up and said, "He's not going to be completley incapacitated! He's going to be able to run and play! Yes, we want you to do all you can for him!" They never questioned us again. They fixed his aorta which was pinched off and left the hole in his heart, hoping it would close on it's own. He still has a hole in his heart but it has healed up enough now that his doctor doesn't think it will ever be a problem. So his first year of life was filled with doctors and tests and lots of hospitals. It seemed he would just get over something and get something else. It was a neverending battle. It didn't matter if I kept him home away from everyone, or took him out once in awhile. So, his second year he had his G-tube put in. That cut the hospital visits down, but tube feeding is an experience all its own. He hated and we hated it. His third year he got his adenoids out and tubes in his ears. He also got glasses. He has been healthy and hospital free for a long time now and we took his tube out the beginning of this year. That has been such a blessing!

So, to make a long story short, Taggert probably sees me with Whitley and says, "What the crap, I got jipped! She never fed me like that. She never looked at me like that." So he voices his disapproval by pushing her down when she is sitting up playing or he whacks her in the head with a car or book or something. When I really stop and think about it, I can't really blame him. He did get jipped. I was always so worried about him that I couldn't enjoy him. It was just one thing after another, one specialist after another. One little man should not have to endure so much and the sad thing is, is that it is probably his parents who needed to learn a lesson, certainly not him. And I am still learning! He can be so loving and funny and cute. He is a special kid with a lot of love to give. Maybe when he is pushing his cousins down he is trying to tell me that I need to be more gentle, or when he screams for no reason at all, he is telling me that I need to speak a bit softer. I don't know, but I love him and we'll get this all figured out, and hopefully he'll figure out what the toilet is used for before he goes to Kindergarten next year. I don't think his teacher will approve of him squatting in the corner pooping(:

Pics of Tag's performance

I thought I uploaded a video, but upon checking my own blog, I have discovered that there is no video. I have tried to upload it twice now and it just isn't happening. I didn't get any pictures of him doing his giddyup dance because I was laughing too hard, but here are some of him and his little class. He was a seahorse. I think he had a good time. He loves to dance. I will continue to try and get the video because it was really cute!

Tag's 30 seconds in the spotlight!

Tag has been taking a class this summer and he had his first performanceWednesday night. He got to dance twice but the first time he just stood there and watched everyone else. This one he was giddiup and riding! It was fun even if it only lasted 30 seconds!

Tagged Again!

1. 10 & 5

10 years ago I wasn't married and Trent was still on his mission-that's crazy to think about. I had just started going to massage school.

5 years ago we had just finished building our house and I believe I was pregnant with Taggert, but didn't know it yet.

5 months ago Tanner was still in First grade, Taggert was in preschool, and Whitley was not sleeping through the night.

5 things I need to do tomorrow:

1. Take Tag to St.George for his preschool class.
2. Clean bathrooms.
3. Change sheets on the beds.
4. School board meeting.
5. Trek reunion with the Ma's and Pa's.

5 bad habits I have:

1. I pick at my kids-noses, ears, eye buggers. I know they all hate it but it is a pet peeve of mine to see little kids with those three parts 0f their faces dirty.
2. Spending more money than I should-my excuse most of the time is, but it was on sale!!
3. I am sure if Trent were here right now he could come up with these last three but I just can't think. I am not saying I am perfect. Anybody who knows me knows that is just not true, but I am having a moment.

5 Places I have lived:

1. Clearfield, Utah
2. Harrisville, Utah
3. South Weber, Utah
4. St. George, Utah
5. Littlefield, Arizona

5 Things people don't know about me:

1. I'm a pretty good shot with a .22
2. I can actually ride a horse pretty good, too.
3. I have a scar on my hip-from a shark bite-ha,ha
4. I thought my sister was going to get better, just like she had done so many times, and then the call came.
5. I wish I would have gotten to know my grandparents better.

I now tag my sister Wendy, Jen Wade, and Kandie

4th of July in Clearfield

The parade was fun this year. Taggert didn't cry when the firetrucks came by, he was clapping, when the cheerleaders came by dancing, Taggert was dancing, probably better than some of the cheerleaders! Whitley looked so cute with her little hat on. The kids had fun chasing after the candy. Trent and I have been reading some books on the Revolutionary War and it has gotten quite emotional for me knowing what the people here in America went through so that I could enjoy all the freedoms that I do. The declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776, but the war for our independence lasted much longer. We are on the 5th or 6th book in the "Prelude to Glory" series and we are in 1780 with three or four books to go. I guess it's a lot like the pioneers. They were tried and tested to see if they really had faith in God to continue what he asked of them even under the severest persecutions.

Summer in small town Littlefield

Yes, Taggert is swimming naked! Whitley is so hot her cheeks are turning red, and Tanner has a huge toad that was just sitting in the grass. Life is good in a small town!

Messes or Memories

A few months ago I read an article in the Ensign that really bothered me. This dear sweet, obviously drugged up mother wrote that "they didn't make messes at their house, they made memories." I wanted to throw up. I feel it is these kind of people who make the rest of us feel like we just aren't cut out for motherhood. Well, I am here to tell you that at the Reber house, WE MAKE MESSES! And most of our messes have nothing to do with the good memories that we also make!!!!!

Summer Fun

We went to the Manti Pageant a couple of weeks ago and decided to make a camping trip out of it. Tanner has been wanting to go fishing so we did some of that, but we didn't catch any fish. We went to Panguitch Lake, Palisades Lake Resort, and then ended up at Fish Lake. The weather was so cool and nice we didn't want to come home to the heat, but all good things must come to an end(:

Whitley got so dirty, before I put the blanket down, she put a handful of dirt in her mouth!

Trent got out little boat out which the boys loved.