All the photos posted except for last one were taken by Kim Ence here is her website
I feel like I haven't written anything personal on this blog in a long time. I just post pictures. . We have been living here in Alabama for almost a year now and we have really enjoyed it. It will be a year in August. Hallie is loving school and is such a social butterfly. She is always making new friends. She is still a drama queen and is as girly as ever. She loves to read and draw, paint and color. She loves to dress up and dance and still has a huge imagination. She loves to play house and barbies. She also loves to ride her bike outside and play outside.
Funny story, Hallie and Owen are too scared to go upstairs by themselves. They refuse to go up there with out one of us or a sibling. They sleep with their lights on and they sleep together. The other day I went into Hallie's room to get her dirty laundry I walked in and smelled urine. It was very overwhelming and me being pregnant, I walked out. I had to go pick the kids up from school anyways. I wondered if maybe Hallie or Owen had peed in the bed, which is something they never do. When they got home I asked Hallie why her room smelled like pee. She started crying and said, "Will you get mad if I tell you?" I told her it depended on what it was. She was of course being very dramatic and it took me a while to get it out of her. Finally she told me, "I peed in the trash can because I was sooo scared!" Oh I was livid and shocked. I made her clean it out. She got a big talking to and promised she would never do it again. Ohhh..the joys of mommyhood. 
Owen is doing really well in school. He is very bright and has picked up reading really well. He loves his teacher, as do I. She is so creative and teaches her students through really fun projects. I love, love, love the way she teaches. Owen comes home with all kinds of information and knowledge and even wants to learn more about things like sharks, and italy, how plants grow etc. She makes learning so fun and I love it for him. He is very, very sensitive and shy. He cries a lot and gets his feelings hurt very easily. He has always been really laid back and chill, but in the past year and 1/2 or so he has gotten really uptight and stressed out about a lot of things. I'm not really sure what has changed in him, but I am constantly having to talk to him and calm him down. He gets along really well with his siblings for the most part and loves to help his daddy with projects. He is playing soccer and Chad is his coach. He is loving that!
Knox, oh Knox. He is so so different from Hallie and Owen. He gets into everything. He pitches fits and screams and does not obey ever. Punishments do not phase him. I've tried everything. He likes to escape the house and run as far as he can away from the house as possible. We have to constantly keep the doors shut and locked, including the chains b/c he knows how to unlock the deadbolts. He likes to get naked and run a bath for himself. I find him doing that 2 or 3 times a day. I have to lock the bathroom doors now. And just today he dumped his cereal bowl on the floor, dumped a 15 lb bag of rice on the kitchen floor, and made me cry at church, got into the bathtub upstairs, got on top of Chad's dresser and ate all his jellybeans haha. Having said all that. He really is so funny and entertaining. He loves to play and cuddle. He gives me lots of kisses and hugs and talks to me constantly. I love him so, so much. He loves to go to the playground, he loves puppies and buzz and woody. He loves his cousin Kayleen who is only a week younger than him. He loves outer space and flying and running and jumping. He just switched to a big boy bed about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I was so, so nervous, but he has transitioned really well. I am going to start potty training him now that I'm not so sick anymore. Can't wait.
Chad was called to the Young Men's presidency, which means he is the assistant scout master. So he is very busy with scouts and church activities. He enjoys his job, but I think he has become really kind of antsy. The pool is not finished yet, so he hasn't really started his real job yet. He is very anxious to get started! He has been so, so helpful the past few months. Poor guy. I have been sick in bed for the past 3 months. He has come home, every night, and cooked, cleaned, watched the kids without complaining once. I few weeks ago, when I was starting to feel better. I did all the dishes including cleaning the crockpot. I didn't think anything of it. I was lying in bed and chad walks in with the crockpot and says, "thank you so much for cleaning this, Bonny!" Haha..I cracked up. He has played lots of intramural sports since moving here including, bowling, basketball, softball and now golf. He really loves it.
....And me. Oh me. I don't think I ever announced on this blog that I am pregnant! Yeah!! I'm about 15 weeks along. We are all really excited! Anyways, I've have not been myself for the past year or so. I've been having a lot of health issues. I only say this because I really need your prayers. As you know, I have a thyroid disease. I have gone to several doctors trying to get answers, because I just haven't felt like myself, even with the meds. I've had a extremely hard time losing weight, but worse than that, I will work out and eat healthy but not feel stronger. For example,I went to the gym for 6 or 7 months straight, 5 or 6 times per week, doing weight lifting classes and intense cardio workouts. After several months, I still wasn't able to lift heavier weights than what I started with and I couldn't do more pushups even after doing 20 a day it still killed me every time. I had no energy ever and my hair was/is falling out, it has been a tough time for me. I finally was able to meet with a DR. who specializes in Hypothyroidism. She ran a lot of tests and took a lot of blood, asked me many, many questions, anyways, she thinks I may have Lupus. I am going to another Dr. to have more tests, but it is extremely hard to get into so I've been on the waiting list for 4 months. I'm finally going to see him this thursday. I am really hoping and praying that he is able to help me and doesn't treat me like just another day at the job, you know? Anyways, as you may know, finding out I was pregnant in the midst of all this has been really scary for me, as there is a risk for the baby because of my hypothyroidism and even more of one with lupus. It's also hard not knowing if my symptoms are pregnancy related or something else, I just have to think back to how I felt before, which wasn't much different, besides the morning sickness. I don't want to sound like a debbie downer, but I have had a really hard time being a good mommy and wife throughout all of this. Having no energy and motivation has really taken it's toll. I feel so guilty and some days just plain depressed. So please pray for me. I need them! Having said all that, I still feel so, so very blessed. All my family is so healthy and happy. I have the gospel in my life. I am so grateful for the Savior and his atoning sacrifice, the opportunity I have to repent and change myself daily. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father and his continuous Love and comfort. I am not alone. I'm so grateful for a supportive and loving Husband. He is my rock. He has helped me get through this mess, and hasn't stopped telling me that I'm beautiful, and that he loves me.
