Zions

Last weekend we went to Zions National Park. I had never been, Ive passed by it but, never got down. I wish we could have seen more!! It was not easy hiking up these trails and taking shuttles carrying a baby in my belly, one on my hip and having Chanel who falls every 30 seconds stumbling her way up and down the trial and Jameson who is OBSESSED with anything that moves running off the trails to catch some weird bug or something. So we only got to see a small part of the beauty. I want to go back with leashes, strollers and backpacks for the kids. Maybe something to knock em out too so I can really soak it up! We all had a blast! On Saturday Rory went biking with some of my mom's friends that are up there. I don't think Rory knew what he was in for, these guys are EXTREME mountain bikers! He left about 9:30 am and didn't return back until 8 PM! They came back with one guy that had a broken arm and a girl that had smashed her face in. I kept thinking if that were me I would be bawling my eyes out and making Rory rush me to the nearest instacare so I can get the strongest pain killer available and then I would pout and whine about it until it was healed. Even then I might still whine some more! But NO these people continued on with the ride and then came back and CAMPED OUT ANOTHER NIGHT!!!! Crazy... Luckily Rory came back in one piece (I was a little surprised) and he stuck through it with the best of em! He even chose to go down a harder trail then the rest with one other nut job! I was very proud of him, and I would have told him that except I was a little irritated that he had dropped me off in a desert with 3 kids and expected me to keep them entertained by myself ALL DAY!??! Actually it wasn't that bad, between the Virgin River, frogs, bugs, ant hills, bikes, dogs and of course the luxury of have a TV and DVD player it was rather easy. Just exhausting is all. Sunday is when we went to Zions. It was my day and that's what I wanted to see. It was amazing (what we saw of it)! I cant wait to go back, I want to plan it out a little bit better next time because there were so many amazing trails we didn't even get to see. Around 4 we decided we should start heading home. We got everyone and everything loaded and the kids were completely exhausted so we thought this was going to be a piece of cake. We would ride home in complete silence and peace, without the whining and stopping every 5 miles to go potty. We got about 1 hour down the road when we heard a POP and the truck lost all power!! We BROKE DOWN!! So we inched our way into the nearest town, Cedar City and parked at a Checker Auto Parts for about 2 hours where Chanel managed to get her fingers smashed in the door and pee her pants at the same time. Then we were off to the Auto zone for another 2 hours where Jameson dropped one of the 4 dogs we were with on the baby and it scratched her poor little leg really good. It was so much fun!!!! In the end my mom came and got the kids and I. I got to ride in the very far back of her SUV (we ran out of seats ) with the dogs the whole way home!! We finally made it home around 1 am but at least we made it home!! Poor Rory stayed with his truck in Cedar City working on it all night. I felt so sorry for him!! He is such a hard worker. I kept saying lets go rent a hotel and you can hire someone to do it in the morning. But no, Rory was bound and determined to get it done himself! He made it home the next day, with a blown turbo and now a big fat bill. But he is still working on the truck, I don't doubt it will be running better than before in a few days. So that's it! It was so much fun and I highly suggest going to Zions!!!

**** HaPPy BiRThdaY RoRi AnA!!! ****

One year ago, right at about this EXACT time I was calling Rory to tell him my water had broke and our baby was coming and coming FAST! We didn't know what we were having so my bag was a little big, prepared with boy clothes, girl clothes, unisex clothes etc. And only one very tiny, itty bitty preemie shirt I had stuck in a couple of nights before this because I had a very strong feeling this baby wasn't going to wait until June 4th. So after shaving, doing some laundry and making sure the other 2 kids were taken care of we were off to the hospital. We got there about 2:30 and I told the nurse she should call my doctor because I was ready to push (of course she thought I was crazy and made me wait in the waiting room and never did get around to calling my doctor!) By 4:45 my baby GIRL was here!!! She was so tiny but perfect in every way. She weighed in at 5 lbs 13 oz. almost half the size of my first born. We were so thrilled to have her! Everyday she brings a smile to all of our faces, every time I look at her I still melt. She is such a sweet and sensitive little person that has so much to offer to this world. I love everything about her and feel so blessed to have her. She loves her family so much and she shows it to all of us all the time. I still cant believe it has been a year!? Time really does fly when your having so much fun! I just want to list a few things about her that I want to remember.... (you can skip this it might get kind of long)
I love how when she gets tired she will stick her fingers in her ears.
When she sleeps she will rub her blankies on her face.
When I ask for a kiss she always gets such a serious face and then leans in really slowly and gives the softest, perfect little kiss I have ever had. Like something on a movie.
How she yells at everyone and everything!
She screams every time I put her in her car seat like we haven't done it a million times before.
Watching her DANCE!!! She can dance like nobodies business!
She loves music, it always makes her happy.
When she gets sad she will pout about it forever and milk it for all its worth.
When she gets hurt its the end of the world!
She jumps at everything! She was even like that in the womb! She is constantly getting scared by some loud noise!
She is so ticklish.
How she twirls her hands and feet.
She squeaks!!! When she was a newborn she would do it and people couldn't figure out what it was. She still does it all the time but now everyone knows where its coming from!!
Her hugs. She squeezes so tight!
How she always wants to cuddle.
She always wakes up laughing.


Okay I could go on forever. I just don't ever want to forget anything about her. She is so special!! As I type this I can hear her upstairs waking up from her nap, calling me in her own little baby language she has. She is so happy and ready for anything!

Happy birthday baby girl! You made it a whole year, and in this family that is not the easiest thing to do. Thank you for letting me be your mommy. I love you Rori Ana!!

Whats been going on...

Just thought I would post all the fun stuff that has been happening around here.
The kids are all doing so great, getting bigger and smarter by the moment. Its a little scary because they know now how to get away with certain things or how to distract mommy or get each other in trouble. Things like that. They seem to know how to make a lot work to their advantage.
Jameson still amazes me everyday with some cute little saying or the advise he gives me, it always seems to make sense at the time and he really calms me down. He teaches me so much about everything!
Chanel is a doll, she cracks me up with how sneaky she is and the little stories she comes up with or the way she sees things. She too is so smart, she does not talk very well but if you take the time to understand what she is trying to tell you it usually it worth it! She will be starting school this year and she is very excited!! Everyday she tells me " when I tuwn free I will go to stool tay?! " She knows her birthday is soon and she cant wait.
Rori Ana is going to be walking soon, I haven't decided if that's a good thing or a bad thing? I want her to so she has a little more independence when this next baby comes but then again maybe I don't... That will just be more messes, trouble, distance and all that fun stuff for her to make. But still it is always a very exciting mile stone in their little lives. She is such a sweet old spirit, she is so kind and loving. I have never had a baby that will just cuddle with me for hours on end. She is very well behaved and has the funniest little personality that shows through more each day. She is also learning how to get what she wants from her older siblings and how to put them in their place! She is quite the little pincher, kicker, slapper and biter!! Kind of scary because she is so sweet one minute and the next your running for your life!! This next baby will have to be pretty tough to make it in this family.
The pregnancy is going great. I couldn't have asked for an easier pregnancy! I am just now starting to get asked if I am pregnant so I have stayed pretty small this time around. I don't think I am any smaller than I was with the others, its just that there are so many other women around me that are due around the same time so I find that people are comparing us. I don't mind being a little small, I will have plenty enough weeks of being enormous and completely uncomfortable! Just these past few weeks have I started to notice that I am unable to do things as easy as when I am my normal size. It has definitely taken its toll on me chasing my other babies around all day, I just hope I can handle it all okay when our next little girl joins in on the fun!!
Rory is doing wonderful! We haven't been more in love with each other than we are now. He is the most wonderful husband and father, I couldn't say enough about him. I am so lucky to have married my best friend, he knows everything I have ever done, every thought in my mind (even when I don't say it out loud! Kind of scary) and he never judges me or puts me down for anything. He truly does except every part of who I am, as do I with him! We have had our downs in life (and there have been a few in the past 11 years that we have know each other) but it always makes us stronger and hold on tighter. He is working so hard with his business and it is paying off! So far this terrible economy hasn't done too much damage on our living. He always pulls us out of whatever comes his way, and that is a lot to be pulling with 3 soon to be 4 kids and one very spoiled brat of a wife!! He is a good man and always willing to help others and can fix ANYTHING!!!!!
And lastly our puppies... I know you all probably think I am crazy to even put them in this post but they too are important parts of our family! Tweeder is skinnier, faster and weirder than ever! I love that dog and so does Jameson. Its almost freaky the way James and Tweeder are together. If one or the other gets into trouble they both take it so hard, same if they get hurt. When ever James is gone for too long Tweeder gets depressed and will run around like he is lost. They are best buddies!
Jazmine (our Great Dane) turned 10 on the 11th!!! That is almost completely unheard of in the Great Dane world! If I remember right the oldest one was 13? I will have to google that one though. She looks a little old and tired but she still has a lot of life in her. She has been with me since I was 14 years old and has seen it all. She was there for all my little teenage heart breaks, crushes, loves etc. She was there through marriages, kids, moving from one house to the next, not to mention the countless animals I have brought home and expected her to love!!! She has been here through thick and thin, I love her and will probably really lose it when I lose her. She really is the BEST dog ever!
Do G (Dojee) is such a STINKER!!! I love him too much too. He has fit right in and is the cutest thing I have yet to lay my eyes on. I am so happy I didn't listen to the smart logical side of me that was say no way to getting him. I'm glad I listened to the care free, risk taker side that said really whats one more??! He is a blast and is completely spoiled to the core. Rory has ever really enjoyed having him!! He carries him like a baby and kisses on him just like I do. And the kids love having another pup to play with, as does Do G. I just went to the vet with Tweeder and Do G to get their micro chips put in and Do G didn't even notice the humongous needle going into his neck because the vet had given him a treat. Tweeder on the other hand screamed his bloody head off for about 20 min!!!! They are all so much fun!
So in a nut shell that is our life for now. Uneventful but full of blessings. We are all happy, healthy and growing together! Every day I try to "count my blessings" but how do you when your really are so blessed? All I can do is thank the good Lord.

Spoiled ROTTEN!!

Rory has really spoiled me this year! He has made my birthday so perfect! It started yesterday when he took me shopping at the new Nordstrom Rack (LOVED IT!!!) I was wishing so bad that I was my normal size so I could go nutz! But I found a few things that are going to be great to wear this summer, anything to make me a little more comfortable is wonderful!! Then we were off to my next favorite store... COSTCO! I bought new plants and some big pots etc. Then we went tree shopping. It was all so fun! I know that sounds like a not so fun day to some but, to me... it was my kind of perfect day! Today he is taking me to the Sego Lily spa to get some massages, soaks etc.

CANT WAIT!!!

This will be me at noon today!!!



Then were off to the vet to take our dogs to get micro chipped and right after is Jameson's baseball game! Jameson told me this morning that for my birthday he will do whatever I ask him to do without fighting with me. Now that is a great gift! As good as you can get when your only 5. Chanel of course told me she would be nice and maybe after she was done with lunch she will listen??! Little stinker! At least she will be nice. Tonight for dinner we will be going to the new Harley Davidson store/restaurant in Timpanogos! I have never been so this should be fun!


My favorite gift so far is still my little Do G!! He has been a blast! He listens so well (when he wants to) and he always whispers sweet little snores in my ear which make my day! I have love him to death and he knows it. He takes full advantage! He is quite the little turd but, a cute turd!

Thank you honey for spoiling me so much and making my birthday special!!!! Thanks to my kids for telling me I'm getting old and they will maybe listen today! And thank you to everyone else who has wished me a happy birthday!! Oh! And thanks mom for having me 24 years ago today!! I know it wasn't an easy delivery or very much fun raising me with all the hell Ive given you over the years! Be happy Rory has to deal with me now...

Happy Easter!

Sorry we are so late on posting our Easter. Things have been crazy (as usual). I know I have mentioned on here how great my neighbors are, but... I have to say it again. I REALLY DO HAVE THE MOST AWESOME NEIGHBORS EVER!! We are all very close, a lot like family or some kind of happy little compound here in our circle. We all watch out for each others kids, dogs, toys etc... Everyday here is so fun! The kids play for hours on end and the dogs run themselves ragged and with very few fights in between which I think is great considering we have 6 dogs and 30 kids!! The moms sit around and talk, vent, tell stories, complain and exchange ideas or advise and we too have very few tiffs. So for Easter we decided it would be fun to do our own little Easter egg hunt. I know were kind of stuck up that way, but only the circle kids were invited! VIP ONLY! Anyway, it was a hit! Not everyone was able to show up because of prior plans, but for the most part we were all here! It was so fun! We did the hunt and then had an RC Willey style lunch with hot dogs, chips and lemonade! We must have ended up with well over 500 eggs in our backyard and so far we have only found 1 left over!

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Easter!!

I have done it again...

OK..... I have written and rewritten this over and over again trying to come up with some logical reason, a good excuse, a believable story, a reasonable explanation or something that will get me off the hook. But, the truth is... I have a very strong addiction. One so strong that there really is no way for me to explain myself, you will just have to see it to understand it. With this addiction I have certain triggers and on Friday someone/something hit one of my triggers. With out me even batting an eye, I ran out not thinking exactly what I was about to do. You see it is my birthday soon and I told Rory (in a very immature bratty kind of way) "This is what I want and I am not going to try to explain myself or fight it anymore.... Its my birthday and you HAVE to get it for me". He looked at me and I could see in his eye that he knew my mind was made up and there was no reason for him to fight me on it, he would just be wasting his breath. He just rolled his eyes and got in the car and said "lets go get it then..." On our way there I told myself maybe I will be able to control myself... No.... no.. Uh uh. I knew what I was doing and I didn't care, it was an impulse buy and one of my weak moments but still I didn't care. I wanted it........

So I got it. I have an addiction to dogs and I relapsed. There... I said it. Its done, and I dont feel bad either! As a matter of fact. I LOVE IT!!!!!! He is everything I wanted and more!! And I have a feeling I'm not the only one that is a little addicted. Rory has gone above and beyond for this baby! He took him in the shower with him yesterday and made sure he used baby soap so it didn't burn the puppies eyes, then he FILED his nails so they weren't so sharp. He carries him down the stairs (because the puppy is scared) he has taught him a few new commands. He went to the store and bought treats and all new toys, he even lets the pup sleep in bed with us!!!

I know... A face only a mother could love but, I do. He is so precious!

He fits right in! Only one little problem... We haven't decided on a name! So far we have been calling him Do G (pronounced doejee). We have thrown around a few names but nothing is set in stone. So if you have any suggestions, please feel free! He is a French Bulldog so something french would be cute, as long as it isn't too.... you know.

ADMIT IT!! YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAY NO EITHER!!!!

To Fart or Not To Fart??!!

So... Rory has always taught our kids to be proud of their farts. The bigger, longer, louder and stinkier the better. I know he only does this because he knows how much I hate farting and how disgusted I get. Rory farts more than anyone I have EVER met in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE!! I grew up with all boys and still I have yet to meet anyone who can keep up with good ol' stinky Leroy! They are the most brutal farts EVER!! There have been times where he will fart in another room or even on a whole different floor of our house and he will fart so loud and long that I thought he just asked me a question or something and I will answer with "What did you say?!" or " Did you call me?!" and he will just laugh. Well, Rory has created quite the little army of farters. Now my kids think it is so cool when they fart! We will be out in public and Chanel will yell out at the top of her lungs "Mommy I just parted!!!" or James will fart when were in line at the store, embarrassing things like this happen on a daily basis for me thanks to Rory! Rory will even fart in an isle at the store and I always feel so sorry for the poor innocent people walking just about 5 ft. behind us. Then just to make it worse Rory will yell out, just loud enough " Honey, did you just fart?!" and so I end up looking like the pig! Long story short, last night after about 100 continuous farts from the kids and having to hear " I farted!!" over and over Rory told the kids that they couldn't do that to mom anymore. He said every time they fart they will have to give me a quarter! I am up to about $10 from each child right now, and they just aren't getting it! I don't blame them, they have been brought up believing that they should LOVE their farts!! Rory has raised some really stinky monsters! And now he thinks he can just flip a switch and they will be more polite farters? No. Not happening. Now the kids are farting and running!! And I'm talking like every 3 minutes!! What do I do? How do I teach them that they really should be more polite about their gas? I told them to go to the potty or just to their room and fart in their own air. I was very serious and explained that other people don't like their farts as much as they do. But I am losing miserably. Now they just fart and smile or run away. I guess that's better than yelling out " I FARTED!!" but really!! This is all Rory's fault!! He did this!! HE NEEDS TO FIX IT!!! UUGHHH!!

Just some fun pictures...

She looks just like Daddy here!!

Here... Let me get that for you!

It was too cold for baby

And Jazmine...

Not James!

Or Chanel!

OH Boy!! Or Girl??!!!

Rory and I went to the doctor last week for our 20 week ultra sound. It was all very exciting, even though we have been through this 4 times now!




The excitement never goes away, it is always such a relief to hear that your baby looks and sounds good and there are no problems or health issues. Not to mention you finally get just a little peek at the little person living and growing inside of you!






...Side profile of face

Here we are counting fingers and toes. On the Royce side of the family you sometimes get a few extras!!

SOoooooOO. With our last pregnancy we didn't find out what we were having. With Jameson I did because I felt like I needed to be prepared and have everything ready. And with Chanel we did because we wanted a little girl so bad. So once we had 1 boy and 1 girl we decided it would be fun to have a little surprise! It was the most wonderful experience!! When the time came it was so overwhelming and exciting, all the anticipation of not knowing was crazy! When our little Rori Ana arrived (a whole month early!) and they yelled it was a girl I just about lost it! So we had decided we would wait to find out with this one too.... Until about a week before the ultrasound. Rory kept saying he just needed to know if we were going to have a boy. I think he just couldn't stand it because this is our LAST one. We went back and forth all week, then right as we were finishing up with the ultrasound he yelled " I HAVE TO KNOW??!!!" So after poking and prodding for a couple of minutes... there it was... Very clearly, the nurse didn't even have to tell us, we knew what we saw, we have seen it before....

GIRL!!!

It got very quiet for a moment. I saw Rory looking around, I think to make sure he would cause too much damage as he FAINTED! Okay, he never actually fainted but just about. We said thank you and just walked out without saying a word to each other. Finally we both just got the giggles so bad! I think we were both going through the same things in our head at the same time... The clothes, make up, BOYS, WEDDINGS ETC... All of our girls will at some point be in high school all at the same time. They will all be going through puberty, PMS, the mood swings, ALL OF IT! AT THE SAME TIME!!! I was so 100% positive this was a boy! The pregnancy was exactly, almost to a T the same as Jameson's. I didn't get sick, I held the baby the same, I even broke out in the same part of my face! The dreams. EVERYTHING! I had names picked out. I had outfits bought. I would have put the farm on it that this was a boy!!!!! But its not, we are indeed having another baby GIRL! I am in NO way disappointed or anything like that, I am more just terrified!? I have been raised with all boys my whole life. I know how to deal with them. I am not so good with the attitudes and the whining and the emotional roller coasters of girls. Plus... I don't share very well. I cant take it when other girls wear my clothes or uses my make up or hair things. Not to mention how to handle the fighting over boys and their clothes or silly stupid little things like that?? Our house is already Pinkified! Everywhere you look there are pink crowns, pink clothes, pink jewelry, pink dolls, PINK PINK PINK!! So now we just need to buckle our seat belts and get ready for this crazy journey we are about to endure. Im sure we will have some bad times and some awful fights, but they wont compare to seeing them all grow up together. 3 girls within 3 years from each other. I'm sure they will rely on each other for support and comfort and who knows what else?? I never had a sister but I have seen the way sisters need each other, the way they love each other and are so close. I always wanted that and now I have it. I will have 3 very best friends! To shop with and play with. The endless tea parties and the wonderful relationships I have to look forward to with my girls! I am already loving being a mom of my 2 girls, so the more the merrier!!! Plus seeing Rory with all his little princesses is the most amazing thing EVER! The way he holds them and talks to them. The way he is always so gentle and protective over his baby girls is amazing. He looks at them so differently and loves them in such a daddy, daughter way. He always stands over them and guides them in a way that only a father can. He is the most wonderful husband and father and I know that my girls are in good strong hands with him. He will raise our 3 beautiful girls to be good loving people and when the time comes and they get married they will know what to look for in a man! We were all laying in our bed the other night, James was at his Daddy Justin's so it was just Rory and the girls. I looked over at him and said who would have ever thought you would be laying in bed with 3, soon to be 4 beautiful women all laying all over you and kissing you and loving you so much?! I'm sure its not the dream he had in mind but I think he liked it better! So world get ready... HERE COMES THE ROYCE SISTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

And last BUT NEVER the least Brady Edwards...

I want to send a special post out to Brady Edwards. I will miss you too BRADY!! You have been such a joy to have in the circle and I know that if it weren't for you Julie would not be the wonderful person she is today. You are super funny and not too bad to look at!!! I know Rory enjoys having "Man talk" with you and the other men in the circle. He tells me a lot about them. Not to mention you have provided the neighborhood with the most AWESOME SPECIALIZED bikes b! Because of you, we are all ridin' in style. Thank you for your contribution to the circle, we would not be the same without you!