My Life in Six Words

I recently read in a magazine about summing up your life in just six words. Here's what my life is:
Smart girl. College. Teaching. Wife. Mother.
That's quite broad, but I could break it down into years.
1996
Graduating college. Not married. Plan B?
1998
Tall red-head. He's not my type.
1999
Yes, yes I do like him.
1999-2001
He loves me. . . or maybe not.
2001
Just bought a brand new house.
2002
Married for time and eternity-finally.
2007
Three kids in three years. Yikes!
2009
New house. New baby. Crazy time.
2012
All my dreams have come true.

Happy Birthday, Lacey!

Before I knew we were having a girl, I thought it would be a girl because she was already keeping me up at night. When I was carrying her I knew that she would be strong because it hurt when she kicked me. Lacey was due on February 26, but she came on the 12th, and now she has the same birthday as my Grandpa Haynes. I was scheduled for an induction, but I had been having contractions all day the day before. I called the hospital and they told me to come in so they could check it out. When I arrived at 10 p.m. I was dilated to a four and they admitted me. Another baby coming early! (You will get no complaints from me!) I wanted to try having this one without an epidural since I did it for the last one. However, I got to a point where I said, "Give it to me." But if I had just waited a little longer, I wouldn't have needed it. Again, my baby was in a hurry to be born. I had to stop pushing until the doctor was there,and I swear the nurse was keeping the baby in, but at least my husband was there for the birth.Lacey Sharon Pendleton was born at 4:16 a.m. 7 pounds, 2 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long. Today this five-year-old is fun, stubborn, silly,creative, and super smart. She already taught herself how to read! She can be shy at times and completely uninhibited at other times. Like when I was singing with the choir at church and she was dancing next to me. Or when I was leading the music in Relief Society and she was spinning around me. I get kind of mad, but it's also kind of funny. Recently she fractured her collar bone. She didn't let that slow her down one bit. She would just keep playing or climbing or jumping until she bumped her injury and it hurt enough for her to stop for a few seconds. She's a spitfire, but I love her!

Halloween 2011

Lacey-Witch 

Lia-Ladybug

Lance-Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Luke-Red Power Ranger

Lance and Luke and Lacey were in a Halloween Show at the mall.

Lia's Second Birthday (October 2, 2011)

Lia was not happy about the candles on her happy birthday cake.

Even though she is a toddler, Lia refers to herself as Baby, because that's what I've been calling her for the last two years. She loves to watch Dora and Yo Gabba Gabba on TV. She loves to do what the other kids do.  It's so cute to watch her try to do cartwheels when the other kids practice their tumbling.For her birthday she got a Dora purse, a Barbie trike, and some new clothes. She is a happy girl and we all love her to death!

First Day of School 2011

Luke started kindergarten and Lance started 2nd Grade. They both love school and are excited to see old friends and learn new things. This year school starts an hour earlier than last year. That will be an adjustment for all of us. Other things the boys have to look forward to are tumbling on Mondays, Desert Trackers (although that starts half an hour before school and I think it might be hard to get up even earlier), and Luke will be in soccer. Lacey will be in preschool in the afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday, because if she went in the morning my day would look like this: drop off at eight, drop off at nine, pick up at 10:40, pick up at 11:30, then pick up at 2:21. I think it's more efficient to drop off at 8, pick up at 10:40, drop off at 12:30, then pick up at 2:21, then pick up at 2:45. Lia gets to hang out with Mommy all by herself for at a least a little while during the week.

Harvest Time (October 9, 2011)

Lacey was very interested in planting seeds this year. In the spring we found seed starter packs in the dollar aisle. We started them, but I didn't expect them to grow. Then we transplanted them to a planter by the kitchen window, but I still didn't think they would make it. Then we moved them outside and they kept growing and growing. And then in the fall we found three little red tomatoes. That small bit of success has inspired me to try again! Maybe next season we'll get some tomatoes we can actually eat!

Luke and Mommy Day

Luke wanted a day with Mommy after he saw how much fun Lance had. So for Luke's day out we went to Build-A-Bear Workshop. He picked Alvin from "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked." After that we ate lunch at McDonald's in the mall food court. Then, because it was two days before Christmas, we finished up some last minute Christmas shopping. Luke is pretty content to do his own thing most of the time, but it's good to get one-on-one time with him.