Xander's Field Trip

Yesterday we went on a field trip to the Plumpton Zoo with Xander's preschool class. This particular zoo is a Rescue Zoo which I'm all for supporting. They had many different animals there, including a giraffe, 2 black bears, a mountain lion, a Siberian tiger, and a beautiful white wolf. The zoo is quite small but we still had a great time looking at all the different animals. Xander, of course, loved the crocodiles (they were really alligators) and I loved the tiger. Noah was transfixed as he watched all of the animals moving around. He got so excited and would clap and do his little growl at them.

This humongous Siberian tiger came to the zoo from a family in Canada who raises wild animals for TV and movies. I was so jealous of the zoo worker who got to tickle the tiger with her feather; I wanted to be right there with her. I asked her if the zoo has any volunteer opportunities to which she replied, "Yes. I'm a volunteer." I'm going to have to look into that because I would love to work with all of those animals.

Noah loved all of the roosters, peacocks, and other birds that were wandering around the zoo.


I included a picture of this little guy, a marmoset. There is always some animal at every zoo I visit that seems intrigued by me. Sometimes it's funny, like the wild cat at the Cincinnati Zoo that kept trying to attack me (thank goodness for glass windows); then there was the white lion that followed me with her eyes the whole way as I walked the zoo ramp...well, that was a little scary. (I think this trait must run in the family because the snow leopard at the Cincinnati Zoo ran straight at my sister Kelly and would have pounced on her except for the gate that was in the way.) This little guy was so cute and came right down to the window to get close to me.


Xander checking out the sores and cuts on this little creature...Xander was very concerned.

Noah got the biggest kick out of this animal. Of course the deer thought that we had food to give him so he kept licking Noah's hand. Noah LOVED it!

Liahonas

Sunday night we had a really fun Family Home Evening lesson about the Liahona. So on Monday night the kids got to make their own Liahonas. They get to keep them in their rooms to remind them to be faithful and to turn to the "Liahonas" in their own lives for direction and knowledge.


As you can see they got quite creative.

Congratulations, Aunt Kelly!

My sister Kelly just graduated from law school this weekend and we are so proud of her. As a part of our Family Home Evening last night, the kids drew her pictures saying Congratulations. I can't wait to see the pictures of her graduation on her blog (hint, hint!). We love you, Kelly, and are so proud of your great accomplishment!

Savannah L. Pierce, Kindergartner

A few weeks ago I issued Savannah a challenge. If she would read 12 Dr. Seuss books all by herself (with a little help from me) I would take her to Barnes & Noble and buy her 4 Junie B. Jones books. Well, you guessed it from the picture...Savannah accomplished the goal and we bought the books yesterday. We also started reading one of them last night and I must admit that these books are hilarious. I'm really proud of Savannah for working so hard on her reading.

Frustration

There are very few things I dislike about living in the East, the humidity and high cost of living topping the list. There is one thing, however, that is quickly climbing to the top of that list: eastern game times. Last night the Utah Jazz game did not start until 10:40 out here. 10:40!!!!!! Being the crazy Jazz fans that we are and it, of course, being the playoffs, David and I stayed up and watched the whole game. And you know what frustrates me even more than the starting time? The fact that we stayed up until just after 1:00am just to watch them lose. Don't they know they are supposed to win at home, especially when their East coast fans are staying up until all hours of the night just to cheer them on? I knew I should never have put the Jazz logo as our background on the blog; I knew that was a jinx waiting to happen. (Yes, I firmly believe in the jinx but that's another story.) So, after all of this sobbing, guess where David and I will be come Saturday night at 10:30pm? Yep, that's right...parked in front of the TV, cheering on our team. Go Jazz!

A Nice Evening

We just had to head outdoors tonight and take advantage of the beautiful weather we had this evening. I pushed Noah in the new car he received for his birthday and the kids rode their bikes. It's always fun just spending time together as a family.


We recently bought the kids new bikes and Xander is still learning how to ride his. David was there to help push him every once in awhile.

The Dora Party

Last week was pretty rough. Savannah was home Monday through Thursday with the stomach flu so therefore I was home Monday through Thursday as well. It is so hard being confined to the house for four days. Anyway, Friday morning I walked in her room, hoping, hoping, hoping that she was well enough to send to school. I was overcome with joy to find her ready and eager to get back to her classmates. Freedom at last! Once Savannah was out the door, the boys and I headed out to run some much needed errands but by mid-day I realized that both the boys weren't looking too hot. By Friday night Xander had a fever and both Noah and Xander had leaky noses. Great, I thought, there goes my weekend too. But Saturday morning Xander bounded out of bed full of energy so I assumed he was feeling better. We headed off to a Dora birthday party for one of his preschool friends, Dominique. This little girl is soooo cute! I call her Miss Cutie Pants and Xander has picked up on the nickname. He told me the other night at dinner that he wants to marry Miss Dominique Cutie Pants. Well, this was quite a fun and creative party! Each of the kids received a backpack filled with items that would help them as they went on a Dora adventure. They consulted their maps to know which way to go...over Troll Bridge, across Crocodile Lake, and several other Dora hot spots. Savannah seemed to be having a great time but Xander just wasn't himself. It was a hot day and he refused to take his jacket off for most of the time we were there. Plus, he just wasn't feeling well. Midway through the party I knew I needed to take him home. Oh, well...it was a fun party while it lasted. I was only stuck at home with the boys for Sunday; thank goodness Xander and Noah seem to be much better now.

Consulting the map. Notice the jacket in the 85 degree weather.

Crocodile Lake.



Swinging through the jungle.

The enormous, mute, rather scary Dora who visited the party. I don't think she was a big hit with the kids.

Happy Birthday, Noah!

Yes, I am a horrible mother. I was asked about a month ago to be in charge of the refreshments for the Stake Enrichment Activity. I accepted before I remembered that the activity was being held on Noah's first birthday. What can I say? We had never celebrated Noah's birthday before so it just didn't register when she gave me the date. Anyway, we ended up celebrating Noah's first birthday the day after his actual birthday. Thank goodness he's only one; it makes no difference to him when we celebrate but I still felt bad.
We started off by opening some presents. He really wasn't that interested in doing it...Xander and Savannah did most of the unwrapping. Noah just played with this one toy that our neighbors gave him and pretty much ignored everything else.


We then moved the party to the kitchen for the traditional "digging into the cake by the one-year-old" routine. Noah did not disappoint. He refused to wear his party hat, though.


He started off slow...

...but once he got a taste of the chocolate it was all over.

"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this 'chocolate' clean from my hand(s)?"

The ice cream was a hit as well.

Off for a thorough scrubbing in the tub!

Noah turns 1!

One Year Ago - We arrived at the hospital at 6:00am on Tuesday, April 17, 2007. Although this was my third baby delivered c-section, I was still a little nervous. I had no reason to be...Noah's delivery was wonderful and my recovery was speedy. Yes, call me crazy but I do love my c-sections...for me it's the only way to have a baby. Noah weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz., just 1 ounce more than Xander had weighed.

Our sweet little Noah Calvin Pierce. We chose the name Noah from a character in one of my favorite movies, "The Notebook". We named him Calvin, after my mom's dad.

We had found out the sex of both Savannah and Xander before they were born. I was doing ultrasounds at the time of both my pregnancies so it was really easy to get on and find out what they were quite early. Since we had a girl and a boy, we decided to do things the old fashioned way this time and find out in the delivery room. It was so hard to wait and not know, especially when I had my medical ultrasound. I had to turn my head during most of the scan so that I wouldn't get a sneak peek of what gender the baby was. Right before the doctors pulled Noah out, the anesthesiologist positioned a mirror by my belly so I could see the actual delivery. I had never done that before but it was great this time because as soon as they pulled him out I was able to say, "It's a boy!" right along with the doctors.

We spent 4 1/2 wonderful days in the hospital (other than the fighting couple in the room next to me). I have always loved staying at the hospital and they literally have to kick me out to get me to leave.

I never have David stay the night at the hospital but he was there most of each day. He spent his time there holding our little Noah.

Noah has been an absolute dream baby from the start. He is so sweet and happy. I can't believe that he is already turning one!!! Where did the year go?

My Grandma Gabe

Yesterday I received the phone call that I knew would come some time but I was still dreading all the same - my Grandma Gabe, my mom's mom, passed away yesterday morning. She was in her 90's and we all knew that it was just a matter of time but it is still hard to lose the ones you love. After I got off the phone with my dad, a flood of memories of my grandma came rushing into my mind. We grew up living close to her and my grandpa so there are so many holidays we spent together as well just being at grandma's. One memory that I especially love is when Heidi, Kelly, and I stayed with my grandparents while my parents were away on a trip. Grandma and Aunt Dena took us to Magic Mountain and we had such a great time. I remember being on one of the smaller roller coasters and looking behind me to see my grandma, sitting with either Heidi or Kelly, with her arms in the air, screaming with joy. There are so many fun memories like that of a grandma that I spent a lot of time with as I grew up. And there is my last memory of her...in October 2006 David and I went to Hawaii and decided to spend a night in LA so we could see my grandparents. I am so glad we took advantage of that because it was the last time I got to see her. It was only one night but that night she pulled out her high school year book for me and told me some really great stories. Although we will all miss her, I know that she is in a much better place and that there is a great reunion going on right now with members of her family that she hasn't seen in a long time. Love ya, Grandma!
My last visit with my grandma!

Primary Activity

On Saturday morning the kids attended a fabulous Primary Activity. The theme of the activity was "Divine Destiny" and the kids all dressed up as princesses and princes. There were 3 quests they completed throughout the activity, earning them jewels that were placed on a sash they had received when they first arrived.


To end the activity, the kids participated in a "royal procession" and Savannah got to carry one of the flags. All of the parents and kids then got to watch a slide show presentation of all the primary children in various activities in their lives. It was wonderful!

My little prince.

"Grandpa" by Xander Picasso

Xander loves all of his grandparents but he really bonded with my dad last year when he came out to watch the kids for a week while I was in the hospital having Noah. Since then Xander talks about Grandpa Schaeffer all the time. The other night Xander drew this picture and said it was a picture of Grandpa. He then asked me to hang it on the wall so that every day he could see his grandpa and give him a kiss. And he does...he kisses the picture every day and says "I love my grandpa."

The Madness Ends

March Madness is over, unfortunately, but, as the old saying goes, "All good things must come to an end." I actually had a successful year this time in our family tournament. Little did I know that when I picked Memphis to be in the final game in my all-the-way bracket, which, by the way, everyone else scoffed at, that that pick would bring me victory. Ahhh, it's such a better feeling than last year when I came in last place in both brackets. It's always such fun and I truly enjoyed all the great games this tournament. I'm also facing the end of the NBA season. Yes, I know, there are still playoff games to come but the twitch is starting. Each year around this time my anxiety levels rise as we inch closer and closer to the end of the sports season. (Obviously I am NOT a baseball fan!). The Jazz only have 3 more regular season games left and then hopefully their playoff run will last for a LONG time. But I truly hate when my sports end for the summer...college football in August seems such a long way off.

Speaking of basketball, here are some great photos of my own little basketball player. Noah is in LOVE with David's basketball and screams when anyone takes it away from him. I can't wait for the days when I'll be able to watch my sons play in their own basketball games.

The ball is almost as big as he is...I can't believe he can lift it.


Basketball is in my genes. You gotta love it!