Fall fun!

I can't believe another year has gone by already. I remember blogging about this last year... only it seemed like just a few months ago! Another family trip to the pumpkin patch!

They picked some seriously big pumpkins this year! You know what that means... more goo to dig out!

The next day we decided to go on a witch hunt at Gardner Village! Now this was my idea of Fall! Both days.... mid 70's! Loved it!

(Justin wasn't a big fan of the witches)

The witch hunt was a success! Found all of 'em! Now if only the weather would stay this nice!

Come play Monday!

Hi everyone! I am going to have a get together at my house this coming Monday, the 19th from 11-2. Kenzee will be in town that day! I have met so many Mom's who have never had a get together with other families and would love to! If your child with Down syndrome is at school, please feel free to come anyway and meet other mommies! Your other children are welcome too! I'll have my 4 year old daughter home. I know this time won't work for everyone, but feel free to come and go as you need to. I already sent this to those that are on facebook, but I didn't want to miss anyone! If you know of other people that would like to come, please let them know! I will provide drinks and some munchies and you are welcome to bring a snack to share if you would like. It should be fun! I don't want to leave my address on here... so feel free to e-mail me and I will send you the info! I'm all about doing a monthly get together too if anyone else is interested! Hope to see you all Monday!
tequick@comcast.net

Let's get together!

I know it's probably kind of weird to write a post about a get together... but most of my connections are from this amazing blog world! During this past year, I have been able to meet and get together with so many amazing families with children with Down syndrome. I don't have a big house and it's too cold to go to a park or BBQ. I'm thinking (and know that this is SO out of my element, but I love my new "family") of having a get together at my place sometime soon during the day for a few hours. I know everyone's schedules won't match up, so I'll do my best to make it several hours long so people can come and go as they need to. We can have some munchies and just hang out. There are several awesome Mommies that I have met individually, but never in a group setting that I know would love to meet more people. I would love for EVERYONE to come if they can! Like I always say, the bond that you have with these other families is real and very amazing. Leave me a little comment and let me know what days and times would work best and we'll see what we can come up with!
P.S. Even if you are secretly reading my blog and we have never met... please comment and come! To all my friends who don't live nearby... I hope to meet you all someday!

Cool tricks!

There are so many cool things that I can do. I'll share a few of them with you!
For example....

The cozy way that I sleep

How I can decorate my face with milk when I hammer my cup on my table (once I really learn how to use it, the milk might end up in my mouth)

not to mention the fun trick I can do in this video...

I know what you're thinking... You wish you were as cool as me!

"Mom... it's October, right?!"

Taylee has been waiting for me to flip the calendar from September to October! The month of October was her month to choose if she was going to go on a date with Mom or Dad. She didn't want to waste any time! She chose the first Saturday of the month... AND her Mommy!
We have a few rules for our "dates."
It's only one day out of the month and it has to stay around $15.00 They get to choose how that money is spent. (miniature golf, a movie, lunch, etc.)

This was our conversation as we were heading out...
me - "Where would you like to go on your special day?!"
Tay - "Well, I really want a new toy. Shopping is an activity, right?"
me - "Well, I guess it is, but our limit is only $15.00 for the day!"
Tay - "Perfect! I brought my wallet. You buy half of my toy and I'll buy the other half. Then we'll go out for ice cream!"
me - "If that will make you happy, then that's what we'll do!"
Tay - "OH MOM! You're the best Mom EVER!"

She was on cloud 9 with her mini pet shop toy! When she is happy... you can sure see it and feel it! She was all giggles! Love her!

It sure feels good to be the "Best Mom EVER!"

National Down syndrome awareness month!

Down Syndrome Creed

My face may be different
but my feelings the same.
I laugh and I cry
and take pride in my gains.
I was sent here among you
to teach and to love.
As God in the heavens
looks down from above.
To Him, I’m no different,
His love has no bounds;
It’s those here among you
in cities and towns
That judge me by standards
that man has imparted,
But this family I’ve chosen
will help me get started.
For I am one of the children,
so special and few ,
that came here to learn
the same as you.
That love and acceptance,
it must come from the heart.
We all have a purpose,
though not the same start.
The Lord gave me life
to live and embrace.
And I’ll do it as you do
but at my own pace.
-Unknown

Buddy Walk 2009

Our first Buddy walk was amazing! I am so thankful for all the love and support that was shown to Justin and our family! It means so much to us. So much time and work was put in to this event. I saw so many people that I have met through blogs and facebook, it was so good to finally meet them in person! It was so wonderful to meet some new friends too. I just wish I would have had a little more time to talk to all of them! I am so excited to make this a yearly tradition! Love my angel!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bright light in Times Square!

Almost two months ago, we received this very exciting e-mail from the National Down Syndrome Society....

Congratulations! After a nationwide search, the photo you submitted for the 2009 NDSS Times Square Video has been selected! The video will run in Times Square in the heart of New York City on the MTV plasma screen on Saturday, September 26, 2009.

The day has finally arrived! Tomorrow his darling picture will be shown in a special video presentation the morning of the New York City Buddy walk! This wonderful event helps to promote acceptance and inclusion of all people with Down syndrome. This year about 2500 photos were entered, and only 226 will appear in the video. The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of a welcoming community. I will be so excited when my DVD arrives in the mail!

We are very excited to be attending our first Buddy Walk here in Salt Lake City tomorrow as well! It has been so much fun planning our team and watching his team grow! Pictures are soon to come!

GO TEAM JUSTIN!

Family adventures!

We sat around Saturday morning contemplating what we should do for the day. We realized that summer is about over and we really haven't spent much time in the beautiful mountains that we are surrounded by....
So American Fork Canyon it was!

The kids had so much fun walking the trails, throwing sticks in the water, and climbing mini rock walls!

As we drove out of the canyon, we saw this fabulous Discovery park and just had to stop! The kids had a blast!

You can't go to American fork with out having Taco Amigo for dinner! As you can tell, the girls thoroughly enjoyed their ice cream cones!

We also decided that we would start up our Mommy-daughter and Daddy-daughter dates again. This month April was able to choose who she wanted and where she wanted to go. Lucky me! We were able to do a round of miniature golf together! We had so much fun... she even won!

I love my family!

It still fits!

This post won't come as a surprise to any of my family (they have witnessed it a time or two!) ... but I still think it is hilarious!
FIVE years ago my girls got these cute pajamas from Grandma and Papa for Christmas. Taylee (right) was 2 1/2 yrs. old at the time. Well, as the years have gone by, she has continued to wear them. Each year I tell her, "Taylee... you really shouldn't be wearing those anymore. Pretty soon your booty will be hanging out." To which she says .....

"MOM.... I LOVE these jammies! I will NEVER stop wearing them. Besides, it still fits!"

FYI - size of jammies - 24 month!
Button on the back of the neck - impossible to button!
I guess this is what she'll pack when she has sleepovers. Maybe they'll even be in her drawer during college. I feel bad for her future hubby!

Clap with me!

We've been clapping a lot around here!

Dad put me against the wall so that I could practice standing with out holding on to something. (couch, coffee table, etc.) There was so much clapping going on, so I thought I'd join in! I didn't even fall while I was clapping!

You guessed it... more clapping! Mommy and Daddy bought me a new forward facing car seat this morning! They started clapping when I sat in it. Of course I had to clap too!

Apparently my sisters were big enough at 9 months to sit forward.... I'm 16 1/2 months and SO ready to see what they see! I LOVE it! It feels so good to be big!

Heber City birthday bash!

Saturday evening we had the opportunity to spend time with Preslie and her family in Heber City to celebrate her 1st birthday!

(the cuties checking each other out!)

The property was beautiful and very refreshing! We learned in a hurry that Justin is NOT a fan of horses and cows! That's okay though... we weren't going to rush out and buy any anyway!

Taylee and Brynn enjoyed running up and down the mini mountain right in their backyard!

April was so excited when she finally had the chance to hold sweet P! She kept asking me when she could have a turn to hold her... she was in Heaven!

We were also able to see Jaxson and his family at the party. Everyone loves holding Jaxson. He's quite the angel. The girls soaked up his love!

I know I always say this, but I am so thankful that Heavenly Father placed these angels in our lives! They are wonderful friends!

I'm a big girl!

I can hardly believe that my little Brynn isn't so little anymore! Today was her first day of pre-school! She has been so excited for this day (especially since I didn't put her in last year), but once the day finally came, she wasn't so excited.
On our way to school she was trying to hold back the tears. We took her to the store to buy her a candy necklace to put in her backpack. (She didn't like that it was empty anyway) We told her she could have it if she made it through her first day. What do you know... it was time to drop her off and the flood gates opened! We said our good-byes....

and came back to this happy face 2 1/2 hours later! She loves pre-school! She couldn't wait to show me what was in her backpack and to finally put on her candy necklace! (which she deserved! Miss Amy said she only cried long enough for us to walk out the door) She asked if she could go to McDonalds for being such a big girl! (yuck... but again, she deserved it!)

I am going to loose one fantastic shopping buddy. She loves everything about running errands... which makes it so nice! Whether I like it or not, she's officially a pre-schooler! Justin and Mommy had some fun of our own while she was off playing!

I'm pretty sure he'll keep me plenty entertained while the three girls are off at school!

End of summer happenings!

I was going through my pictures and realized that there is a lot I didn't blog about this past month! Here are a few of the things we have been doing as summer is coming to an end...

Uncle Mike was cool enough to teach swimming lessons this year. As nervous as they were, they loved every minute of it and were sad to see it come to an end.
(April with her cousin Ashlee)

Taylee showing off her mermaid skills.

Brynn is learning the real technique! Mike truly is amazing. Not many people know how to deal with Brynn and her funny attitudes, but he made lessons so fun!

A final visit to our new local "beaches."

(April, cousin Kendra, cousin Ashlee, and Taylee)

A summer BBQ and carnival at Grandma's apartment!

The birth of Sadie Goldhardt! (cousin)

Daddy Daughter Bowling date! The girls couldn't wait and enjoyed every minute of it!

Brynn asks every day if she can go bowling again.. but ONLY with Dad!

It's always so sad to know that summer is coming to an end. But we sure have enjoyed it and all of our many activities!

Happy and over it!

Thanks to all of you who offered such wonderful advice and let me vent in that last post! It was obviously effecting me more than I thought... but today is a new day and I am over it! I count my blessings daily and don't want to take away from that. I am blessed with so much, this is just another bump in the road that will soon pass. I know Heavenly Father will never give us more than we can handle!
We have decided to keep our pricey insurance. It's too much of a risk to drop it. I do have several phone calls and applications in as of tonight! Any help for my sweet one will help! So thank you ALL again... for everything!