WHERE To StArT?!

Where does one start when one hasn't blogged for 9 months? Does one go back and try to "catch up"?- That seems so overwhelming. How does one pick the most important events to blog? Which ones get left out? I'm thinking I'd better just pick something and START! So here I go...

March 20

Cassie went to Alta's Jr. Prom. We had a lot of "fun" picking out a dress. Ultimately she did get the dress she wanted and she looks beautiful! Cassie completed her Jr Year with great grades, a lot of hard work, lots of new friends, some work at Water Specialties, lots of dance classes and competitions, and a super fun summer ahead.

March 27

Bethany was baptised. It was such a special day! I cannot believe my first baby girl is 8-years-old. She is such a strong spirit. She can be the SwEeTeSt and the SaSSyest girl. She LoVeS horses, animals, bags, and leashes (seriously, you never know when you might need a leash to walk a dog, rabbit, or duck). The years go way too fast and I cannot even imagine what the next 8 years will bring.

March 30

MacKenna turned 4. I've never had a little girl be so excited for her birthday and her "party". She had it planned months in advance. Too bad her mom was WAY pregnant and WAY too tired to party. We did manage dinner at her favorite restaurant, Training Table, for cheese fries and presents. MacKenna LoVeS friends, playdates, preschool, primary, treats, and talking (where did she get that from?!).

April 4



Easter and Spring Break in St. George- My HaPPy PLaCe! We enjoyed the company of Darren's sister Cindy's family from Arizona and Grandma Shirley. We also had a visit from the Easter Bunny at the Annual Pectol Family Egg Hunt. SuPEr FuN TiMEs!

April 9


Addison Leah Hunsaker arrives. Isn't she the cutest?! She surprised us by arriving 4+ weeks early. I'm thinking she might be trying to tell us something...

April 19



Isabelle turns 6. Izzy really wanted the baby to arrive after her birthday- she doesn't like that her birthday is always LAST. I told everyone that I didn't care when the baby arrived as long as it was after the 19th. Guess I'm not in charge (only of some things). But, she decided that having Addi's birthday on the 9th and hers on the 19th was kind of cool, so she wasn't too mad. Izzy too had her birthday party planned. Thanks to Baby Addi's early arrival, she settled for presents and dinner at El Rancho Grande for her favorite- BeAn DiP. Izzy is the most SENSITIVE girl. She cares so much about others and is a good friend. She will play with anyone and give anyone a hug to make them smile. Isabelle loves to BoUnCe like a MoNkEy, animals, MILK, blankets, and her DADDY.

WeLcoMe BaBY AdDi

Our family has been blessed AGAIN with a baby GIRL! We are so grateful for a healthy precious little one. Seriously a miracle. Addison Leah Hunsaker arrived 4.5weeks early after 18 hours of labour. We thought delivering our 4th baby was going to be a snap. NOT so much! My water broke on Thursday, during MacKenna's playdate. After dispersing three girls, getting Cassie checked out of school to pick up girls at dance, and calling Grandpa for backup we headed to the hospital, thinking our new little one would arrive within the hour. Again, NOT so much! It all began to be a comedy of errors; here's a sample: had to slow labour to get antibiotic going, my doc took off to attend her daughter-in-laws UofU program, my IV infiltrated (which means I was getting NOTHING but a big fat swollen arm), getting major blisters from tight blood pressure band, a baseball size blood-ball forming, major finger pricks every hour for gestational diabetes sugar levels, Darren FAINTING during the epidural, my veins collapsing (I have great veins normally), and my leg going numb for two days. FOR THE LOVE! Sitting for 18 hours waiting for baby to arrive and only having a granola bar in the last 24 hours was making me NUTS. My mind started to stress and tears started to come. Baby Addi finally made her grand entrance at 6:29 am. After being told her lungs would have issues and she may not go home with us- Addi proved them all wrong. She was the biggest premie baby weighing in at 6 lbs 3.5 oz. Thanks to Nurse Jessica, Addi learned to eat great and brought those sugar levels right on up. She was able to go home with me and is doing FABULOUS. It wasn't exactly the delivery we'd anticipated, but was an adventure all the same! Nothing like a scare to make one rE-BeLIeVe in MIRACLES!

PiNk

PINK is officially our favorite color in the Hunsaker Home. Yes, it is true, we are having our FOURTH GIRL in April. On April 30, 2010 our home will increase to a total of SEVEN females: 4 girls, 1 mom, 1 rabbit, and 1 teenager. Darren is estatic- okay, maybe a little stressed. The thought of another girl in his home really makes him "wild" with excitement. He had the ultrasound tech check 3 times to make sure he was going to get another sweet little girl. The most important part- she looks healthy and "perfect". The girls are VERY excited! Bethany wants to name her Jewel (and make her a pet), MacKenna likes the name Sparkle, and Isabelle is still set on having a brother to hang out with :) We'll keep you updated on all the FUN FESTIVAS related to GIRLS. More posts to come and most definately PICTURES...

FaLLinG into FALL

I LOVE this time of year! Sweater weather, school starting, leaves changing color, and Halloween! Who doesn't love a good holiday (Darren that's who). I've been a little behind in the blogging world, so here is a summary of what has been keeping the Hunsaker Family so BUSY! Remember I mentioned I LoVe JuLy, so I'll save the July Festivas post for later - Here's to August & September!

My niece Cassie (the gorgeous 16-year-old on the far left) moved in with us when school started. Darren is thrilled to have another female in the house; his total now = 5 fabulous females, lucky-lucky man. Cassie started life at her new school with a BaNG at the HoMEcoMinG DaNCe!

Checking out the CoWs, ChiCkEns, GoaTs, PiGS, RaBbiTs, & HoRSes at the Utah State Fair. We went with some of my HHS friends/students/teachers. It was the morning of 9/11, hence the red-white-blue outfits.

9/11 Flags with Friends.
Between Steph, Teresa and myself we had 10 children ages 7 and under.It is amazing to see over 3,000 flags representing those who died on 9/11. The whole sight gives me goosebumps (children & flags).

Darren spent a week in Lake Powell with "The Boys". We spent the week by: Tara starting teaching at a new high school, Cassie starting a new high school and moving in, Bethany starting 2nd Grade, Isabelle starting Kindergarten, MacKenna starting Preschool, and my back going OUT. I'm thinking Darren got the better part of the deal! Dad & Jill took pity on me and invited us to Kamas. Sidenote: If you ever want to see the SmaLLest, ShoRteSt, mOst CanDY parade, GO to Francis Frontier Days! Dad entertained the girls fishing for helium balloons. It is a very intense sport.

Our next adventure was driving up Mirror Lake Highway to some waterfalls and to get ice-cream. I think dad forgot the INTENSITY of small children, rocks, cliffs, waterfalls, water, AND confinement in a CAR. He quickly adapted, notice the tight grip on MacKenna's hand.

Isabelle and Tara/me at the waterfalls. Notice the appropriate hiking footware, Darren would be so proud (ok annoyed). It was great times watching Jill & Dad run after 3-small children. Very entertaining!

Cassie (she's in the chair) got an end-of-the-summer job at Raging Waters. So we tagged along one day and spent some time riding the tubes/slides. Great times!

We ventured off to the Heber C. Kimball Family Reunion in August. They have it at This is The Place Monument. The girls LOVE it. They can ride trains, work with leather, wash clothes in a tub, make candles, ride ponies, pet goats, and eat $10 ice-cream.

Some of my cousins' kids and my kids. We were told by the elders (that would be The Aunts & The Uncles) that this makes them Cousins-once-removed.
The Uncles & The Aunts
Richard, David (dad to me), Laura, Mary

We took the kids to Golden Spike National Monument, west of Brigham City- Where the railroad joined the Pacific & the Atlantic. Isabelle was mad it wasn't Thomas the Train, MacKenna was mad she couldn't ride the trains, & Bethany was just mad. I was ThRiLLeD I got another stamp in my National Parks/Monuments Passport :)

HaPPy JULY FeSTivAs!!!

I LOVE JULY!

July has been my "happy month" since forever. It begins with the 4th of July Festivas, continues with Big D's Birthday, rolls into the 24th Pioneer Day, and ends with a big ole' BANG on my BiRtHdaY!

A few other July loves:

trips to Bear Lake, my Dad's birthday, absolutely NO school, Draper Days bike parade, getting up close and personal with the parade floats, the Kamas demolition derby, great rodeos, and the list just goes on and on and on.

There just isn't any better month of the year! I seriously get as excited for July as I do Christmas.

If you know me well, you might know that:

1) I LOVE fireworks

2) My emotions run high in July-

I cry everytime I hear a Patriotic song

3) I LOVE a parade (big, small, doesn't matter)

4) My children were all conceived in July

5) I LOVE red-white-blue

6) My girls wear "the colors" every day of the month (OK, almost)

7) I LOVE our country * USA *

8) My happy month, July, lead us to getting married, just ask Darren about his 6 month dating rule...

April 19 - Happy Birthday Isabelle!

Isabelle Cressa turned 5 years old on the 19th of April. She is "the middle child". She has always been sweet and easy going. Not a lot ruffles her feathers. So, when I hear her yelling, I know it is "serious". It is a good thing she has such an easy going personality and tough spirit. She has needed it. She had a horrible allergic reaction when she was 10 months old, resulting in- major hives, looking like a leper, surgery for tubes in her ears, and never-never having any form of penicillin. She falls down ALL the time, good thing she is such a tough girl. During the weekend of her birthday we were in Moab with friends. During the 4 day adventure, Izzy split her upper lip, skinned both knees, took the skin off both palms of her hands, and gave herself a great black eye. She is a GrEaT friend. She can play all alone or make a new friend in minutes- either way she is happy. On her bedroom wall I put the song lyrics to "You Are My Sunshine". I've sung that song to my delightful Isabelle from day one!

Isabelle is our Wiggle Worm and our Snuggle Bunny all rolled into one.

She is our: Busy Izzy, Pooh Bear's Tiger, and our Bouncing Ballerina.

Isabelle LOVES life and we LOVE her!

March 30 - Happy Birthday MacKenna

Three years ago on March 30, MacKenna entered our lives. MacKenna let her mom know she was going to be the focus when she created gestational diabetes. She was almost 3 weeks early, was born on an even day (ending our odd day cycle, I'm a freak about numbers), and she interrupted my work conference. She made a statement, "Hello world, here I am and don't you forget it". MacKenna is our sweet baby girl. She was so little and snuggly when she was born. She is loving, kind, and gives lots of hugs, kisses, and smiles. Don't get me wrong, she is as WILD and mischievous as the others. But when I tell her I love her, she runs over, gives me a hug and melts my heart with, "I love you too mom!" LiFe JuSt DoEsN't GeT bEtTeR tHaN tHaT!