Happy "Love" Day

"Love Begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much LOVE we put in that action."
                                                                   -Mother Teresa

*I LOVE you Matt for making me laugh
*I LOVE you Keia for your courage
*I LOVE you Mattix for your sincere compliments
*I LOVE you Kalli for your hugs

Fetus

Welp, for the two of you who still read my blog, I'm back.  I'm almost 7 months prego and not in any rush.  I felt a little anxious coming to my third trimester.  I have many moments when I am super excited to meet the little guy (we have named him fetus for now), but then I have times when my kids allow Matt and I to sleep in and will miss those days.  It is really funny living in San Diego and telling people it is my fourth- they look at me like I said my 12th!  The lady doing my ultrasound said that I must really like being a mother to have four, and I responded- Yes, I actually do.  Anywho here is a mini-update of our fam right now:

Matt: Is doing great with Insurance.  He is still working out every morning or going surfing- what, dream hubby!

Me: Still playing basketball every week- I do tend to pee my pants while I'm playing.  Doing the mom thing and reading an amazing book on finances right now- will post about that later.

Keia: Is almost finished with her first real season of basketball, she is a little timid, but loves playing. I'm helping coach the team, but trying to not put my own love of the sport on her (secretly sooo happy she loves it).  Third grade is going well, I was worried about her making new friends.  She told me her best friend is a tomboy like her.

Mattix:  Starting his first season of Baseball.  Matt tried to talk him out of it because Matt did not want to be bored watching it....um, luckily Mattix stuck to his guns and said he really wanted to play.  Mattix has a hard first grade teacher- that I love for him, but he comes home in some moods sometimes.  He just lost his first tooth this month :)

Kalli:  Loves going to her Joy School with her two other friends.  She gets dragged around to my errands all day, but just loves to be in the same room with me.  It takes all my will power, but I do play Barbies with her often.  She is getting so much older.  I attempted to put her in Ballet because she lives in tutus at home, but she would not participate.  I knew she was shy, but I really did not see that coming.  She told me that she would go to an Art class though- we will see.

Fetus: Moves often, and always after I have sugar- I have serious control issues lately.  (Can't get enough sweets).  May leave the hospital without a name since his parents cannot agree- serious tension. He is growing and thriving.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Huffman House!  We are expecting baby #4 coming in May.  We thought our family was complete, but Heavenly Father let us know that there was one more waiting to come to our family.  We hope everyone is healthy and happy. 

Happy Halloween

A Child's Prayer

Kalli has started to pray all by herself (without wanting me to whisper to her).  This is what she prayed for tonight.  Mattix thought this was hilarious and so did Matt since he started to film her half way through!

Moments

It seems so long ago when Keia was this little.  She is about 18 months in this picture and it seems like a different lifetime.  I have really been praying to have "moments" with my kids each day.  I will catch myself just trying to get through the day and get a thousand things accomplished.  And when I do have a free moment- I am checking my email on my phone.  I am so grateful when I take time to slow down and observe my children or take the time to let them share any of their random thoughts.  I felt overwhelmingly grateful for my family today.  I wish I could freeze us and put us in a bottle and never have us grow any older.  This has been the funnest stage of parenting so far and I am truly blessed for every "moment."
Today's moment:  Sitting close to Mattix during Keia's soccer practice and listening to him talk about really random things.  His eyes were twitching from his ticks that he has had since birth and he would make himself laugh and turn to me and give me his awesome smile- best smile in our fam.  He put his arm up on my leg and just gabbed away- coming from a boy who at times gets lost in the crowd from his domineering sisters.  Just me and him and all my attention- it was a beautiful moment that I could have missed. (Turned my phone off ;)

                                                                   Sweet Mattix

We Did It!!

Team Lauren had a huge fundraiser on Saturday night and was able to raise enough money for almost our entire team to do the 3-day Breast Cancer Walk in November.  We raised almost $5,000!!  It was a great night filled with very generous people who supported our cause.  I am so glad we have raised the money and will now keep getting my miles in.  I am following the suggested schedule and walking up to 35 miles a week for training.  This Friday I will be walking 14 miles.  Walking is very easy, but it takes forever!!  I'm use to getting in a quick, sweaty, heart pumping workout and being done.  Walking takes me hours, but I have been reading a lot of books during my training, which is nice!  Here are some pics from our event- GO TEAM LAUREN!!

 If any of you would still like to donate- my personal webpage is: www.the3day.org/goto/kendrahuffman

                         We LOVE Pink!!!!  Amy, me, Patrice

Self-sufficient

Five things will help us towards being self-sufficient:

1.  Learn to LOVE work

2. Acquire a spirit of self-sacrifice

3. Accept personal responsibility for spiritual strength, health, education, employment, finances, food, and other life sustaining necessities.

4. Pray for faith and courage to meet challenges.

5. Strengthen others who need assistance.

Toothless, finally!

She did it folks, Keia has finally lost her two front teeth.  She is 8 and a half and had only lost 2 teeth, but not anymore.  Keia is my bravest kid- she let Matt tie dental floss around them and just yank them out- they were wiggly, but not that wiggly.  I couldn't even watch.  I can't believe how grown-up she is becoming.  When I took this picture she was going to soccer practice (nice socks:)- it is her first "real" team.  I LOVE sports, so it is so fun having my kids starting to play and enjoy sports.  Do I want to run on the field and be a part of the team- yes, but my role now is to provide the orange slices at half time.  Anywho- love this girl.

  We started a new school this year.  It was hard for all of us to leave our old school, but I know we will learn to love the new one- the mascot is a dolphin, how can you not love the school!  So far the kids love their teachers and are slowly making new friends.  I just feel grateful that we live in a place that has such awesome schools and that my kids still love going to school.

                                        Keia started third grade.

                                    Mattix started first grade.

Me and Kalli are hanging out all day together, just the two of us.  I am loving it!  I love having this little girl with me, she is my buddy.  Life is good for this mom- trying to make each day count and battle the time of spending time with the fam and getting things done.

Disneyland weekend

Baba and Grandpa Bob took all of Matt's siblings and families to Disneyland.  We also celebrated his sister and brother's birthday.  I always have so much fun with his family- I think the highlight was sitting in Chick-fil-A with just the siblings and spouses and laughing so hard at the fights Matt and I use to have.  Ahhh, good times, good times... not the fights, but being able to laugh at them!

                                    Seriously, love how close they are!

Mission Bay

Growing up, my Uncle Mike would take his kids and us out on a boat and ride the "water weeny."  It looked like a long yellow banana with handles for about 6 people to ride.  My family did not do many things growing up, therefore I remember going out on the boat like it was yesterday.   Now "Pop" takes all the grandchildren out to ride on the boat.  It was so much fun to see my kids enjoying going on a boat- we don't do those things very often.  My cousin Alicia took all these photos- so talented.

                                          Here is Pop with the new generation =)

                      Here is a lot of my cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and their kids.

                         Umm, can you notice my 'brown kids' in the mix =)

Family Ties

We have been hanging out with Matt's fam and having a good time.  Matt's dad and brother came to visit us- my kids love their "Surfer Grandpa" and Uncle Tomi.  In fact, both Keia and Mattix have said that they want to live with Uncle Tomi if me and boo die... probably because he is always buying them toys and giving them money!  Then we were off to Vegas baby!  Matt's mom spoiled us with a hotel room while she entertained our children- ice skating, chuck-e-cheese, museum, Wet-n-Wild water park etc.  It was a much needed vacation for everyone in our family- I love hanging out with the brothers and sisters-in-laws.  Keep the memories coming this summer!!

                                         This is us at a show at the Excalabur

      Happy Fourth of July in the 117 degree weather in Vegas- the hottest it has been since the 90's!!