hmmmm...Boise State Football....or...Scouts

Ok, so Roarke and Holly were throwing a BSU party for the first game of the season. Brody and I were so excited. Last year, Brody had the chance to go to Oregon and watch the Broncos take on the Ducks and beat them on their own turf. It was an exciting game and definitely one that he still talks about. Apparently those Oregon Duck fans are vicious...(excluding you of course Dave). Anyway, The night of the game also happened to be Roper's first pack meeting for cub scouts. He was to be receiving his Bobcat award. Brody and I had talked to him about the football party and we let him know that next month he could receive his bobcat award and he didn't seem upset about it at all. Well, the primary president met with him to give him his Faith in God book and he confided in her that Boise State football was more important then he was. She relayed this to me and naturally, being a mother, 5 alarm bells went off in my head and I informed my sports crazed husband that we would have to go to pack meeting and possibly miss the start of the game. What's more...I told him that he had to act excited about pack meeting and act like he really wanted to be there so Roper wouldn't get his feelings hurt and so he would know that he is more important then BSU football. So, here we have the pictures of me, in my BSU shirt, receiving my bobcat pin. (I guess they give awards to the mom's too because we help them so much). Brody obviously took this picture while sitting in the back by the door with the two girls waiting to book it to the car and get the heck over to Roarke and Holly's to watch the game. The good news, Roper knows that he is more important then BSU football to his parents and Brody made it in time for the kick-off after all. I guess you can have it all!

Dad! There's a badger in the backyard!

"Dad! There's a badger in the backyard!"...this is what we heard one evening from our Roper. We both thought...sure, wow, a badger...it's probably a dog. Well it was a badger and it wasn't really in our backyard. It was in the field behind our backyard but I think that is close enough for me. Brody called Grandpa and told him to bring his gun. Grandpa shot him from our driveway, went out into the field, and brought us back our badger. Ya know, they are kind of cute little animals until you look at their 5 inch claws!! This one happend to have a pipe stuck around it's neck. It wasn't very old so we probably saved it from strangling to death. Grandpa cut one of the claws out for Roper to keep but our dog ate it...LOVELY HUH?! Just another day on the farm...

Rope's Birthday Bowling Bash

For Roper's 8th birthday this year we decided to go bowling...it's fun for the kids and easy for a mom who just had a baby. We had a great time but I think all of us could improve on our bowling form...don't you?

She's Here!!

OKAY....We decided for the 4th of July this year that we would take a trip to eastern Idaho to visit Rich and Lindsay for a day and then head on over to Poky to celebrate the 4th with Tee, Mike, Bryce and Marianne....well....I woke up bright and early (5:30 am) the morning we were to leave so I could shower, finish packing, and get the garden watered etc... I was feeling a little crampy (for lack of a better word) but I thought nothing of it. I still had a month before my due date and the last time the doctor checked I was barely dilated to a one. We got the kids loaded up and headed to the gas station in Eagle to fill up and get some goodies for the road. The whole time we were in the car I kept telling Brody I just didn't feel good but I still thought nothing of it. While Brody was filling up the car, I went inside the store and bought some cereal, bananas, muffins, and drinks. On my way back to the car I had a big enough contraction that I had to hold onto the side of the car. You would think that THAT would have clued us in but, NO. When we arrived at my parents house my mom convinced me that we should go to triage just to get checked out before embarking on a 4 1/2 hour drive. I felt silly checking into triage. I kept telling the lady at the desk that it was probably nothing. I'm sure she thought I was strange. So, they outfitted me in a hospital gown, laid me on a bed, and wrapped a strap around my belly to monitor contractions. The nurse told us that I was having a few contractions so she was just going to check me and see if I had dilated any more. She slapped on some gloves, told me to spread em, and proceeded to check (I HATE THAT PART). Low and Behold, I was dilated to a 5 and 88% effaced. She said, "Well honey, you aren't going on any road trip I can tell you that right now...you are going to have a baby!" My mom and I just started laughing our heads off. We had to call Brody and have him come to the hospital and after an epidural and a few hours later...Annie Leigh Miller was born!! She weighed 6 lbs 8 oz. (which they said was great for a preterm baby) She was covered in that white stuff they call vernix because she was early. She came out screaming her little head off and no sound could have been sweeter. The NICU nurses checked her over, gave her a clean bill of health, and wrapped her up in a blanket and handed her to me. It was love at first sight. It still amazes me...the instant love you have for your child. When you feel them growing and moving inside you, you already love them...but seeing them for the first time...that just seals the deal and they have your heart forever. I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE THREE KIDS!!! After trying for so long to have children...I really feel blessed...I can't even begin to describe the joy I feel. I HAVE THREE KIDS....an amazing son, and two beautiful girls!! My cup runneth over!! So, I posted these pictures from that glorious day...You can tell that I am hopped up on drugs in them....Don't you love those labor room pictures?!