Wow it has been a long time since I have been on this thing. Four kids has really taken a toll on me in more ways than one. I find that I don’t have a lot of time to do things on the computer like I used to plus when I do get some down time it is usually spent taking a nap or reading which leads to few and far between posts. So for those who haven’t seen our sweet little Abram I decided to post some pictures of us having fun with him this past fast few months of his life. He sure is a great kid and we are glad to have him as a member of our family.

Marriah meeting Abram for the first time. She still adores him.

Everyone in their costumes. Classic Halloween- bat, cat, witch , skeleton

Elizza playing dolls with Abram.

The day Aunt April left for the MTC. We miss you Ape.

Playing school. Elizza just had to hold Abram, he's a good sport.

Blessing day. Abram in his Elvis tux, he was so cute.

Playing wii with the boys. They all have the same look on their faces

Chillin' (They really do have the same look don't they)

Shaving like Daddy

Our little Abram- all smiles.

Abram is such a delight. He really is all smiles. Just like his doctor says, four months is a really great age. They can make you happy no matter what kind of day you are having.  So true.  We love you buddy.

Well its my little Elizza’s birthday today. I cannot believe she is 3 years old already. I remember the day she was born. I remember loving the idea of  having a daughter I could dress in pink and do I ever. Pink is the only color she gets correct 100% of the time.  But to quote the movie Steel Magnolias where Shelby says, ”Pink is my signature color“ and its Elizza’s too. I am so glad she joined our family. Although she is always being teased by a ruthless older brother she still is so quick with her love for him and others. She is beautiful inside and out. She is so sweet with her little sister and can’t wait to be the one to help mom take care of the new baby when he decides to join the family. I love her and am so thankful to Heavenly Father for making her ours.

Isn't she beautiful!?!

Due to uncertainty of life in these late stages of pregnancy we decided to have her party early. She got lots of great things to spoil her with including dolls, clothes, a flashlight, a pottery bowl and cup and a learning game. Thanks to such wonderful family.  My sister, April made her one amazing Tinkerbell cake. Elizza is heavily into Tinkerbell lately so this cake was a huge deal for Elizza and she  still talks about it.  Thanks again Ape, you rock!

Cheesin' it out by the Tinkerbell cake

An up close look.

We had a wonderful time and get to continue the festivities today on her birthday. I would like to say Happy Birthday to my sweet little Lizza-bean. I am so grateful to be your mother.

I thought I would blog about something that has been on my mind of late-pregnancy. I love it! I have always loved being pregnant. I love finally having an excuse to have a tummy. I love feeling life move within me that sometimes is so intense it causes my whole body to move, not in pain, but out of the shear power of the kicks and movements that someone so small can make.  I love grabbing Tyler’s or my children’s hands and putting it to my tummy to allow them to see there really is a baby in my belly (and not just a lot of food like Jacob thinks)  and watching their eyes light up in surprise and excitement. Or taking them to the doctor with me to hear the heart beat and then hear them tell others about it. I love having interesting cravings and giving into them. Everything about pregnancy to me is fun even the aches and pains I joke and whine about because they too act as a source of what may be to come when I am old and can’t move as well ( good reminder of getting and staying fit and active). Anyhow, I guess what I am saying is its all good…until the last few weeks. The fear that creeps into one’s mind that anytime you are completely responsible for a human life and the needs of another person, forget the fact that you have somehow kept three other people alive, it still is there. The constant nagging every time you go to bed or wake up that this might be the day and you aren’t sure if everything is done and ready for the next week or two that it may take you to get back into the swing of things. Sitting there with bags packed wondering if the kids will be okay for the next couple of days especially when they cannot come to the hospital due to new restrictions of anyone under 18 and their germs (as if those over 18 suddenly are no threat and germ less). I am lucky though, I get to experience these things. I get to feel the range of all these emotions. How blessed I am to be a mother and how blessed I am to have a loving husband who supports me through all of this and through the power of the priesthood can provide comfort I need in those fearful times. Lucky to be able to be the first to hold our new baby in my arms and smell that new baby smell, to have them look at me as if to say- Oh you are the one I have been listening to and attached to for the past few months. Oh, what blessings! What a great life I lead. I guess I felt compelled to write these things as a reminder to myself of how good I really do have it. 

Jacob's birth day

Elizza's birth day

Marriah's birth day

See you soon Abram.

Jake holding up his picture that he wrote Kindergarten on.

For a while I have been dreading this day. I tried to seem excited for his and others sake but deep down I knew this was going to be one hard but memorable day for me. Jake was so excited for so long until this week when it became a reality that he wasn’t going to be here every day all day with me in his regular routine. He was fine as long as we didn’t mention school. Wednesday we went to Back to School Night where he got to see his classroom and desk and meet his teacher, Mrs. Rasmussen, who ironically enough I went to school with. She is about 9 inches taller than Jacob- seriously.  I really wish I had gotten a picture of her with him but if I get a chance then I will post it later.  After that things were a little better for him, but for me its a different story. This morning he got ready and I cried while he ate breakfast, cried while he brushed his teeth, cried as he stepped on the bus and cried when I hugged him as I left him at school.

Jake waving bye as he hops on the bus.

 I let him ride the bus with the big kids then met him at school where I could make sure he got to his class okay. Call me clingy but I just do what I know since my mom did that for each of us kids on our first day of Kindergarten. On my way out of the school, some of my dry-eyed neighbors, who were also there with their Kindergarteners, were kind of teasing me which I was a good sport about. However, the bad thing was the school counselor must have thought I was some sort of emotional basket case because she caught me on my way out and spent 15 minutes counseling me on what I should say to Jake when he gets home and a bunch of other things. I must have looked like a train wreck because no one could stop looking at me as they passed by to leave. Elizza came with me for support and if it hadn’t been for her pulling on my arm begging me to go I think I would still be there, lying on that counselor’s couch digging  through my emotions. 

 I  know things will be different here at home the 2- 3 days a week he goes all day but I think it will be good for me to spend somewhat one-on-one time with my girls before the baby comes. Life goes on, I just wish it didn’t go so fast.

Jake waving as he sits at his desk. Elizza in lower right.

Jake gets to sit by Riley, his girlfriend from church. Elizza on right.

On Saturday, we had the opportunity to spend the morning in the temple witnessing my sister, April recieve her endownments and was anxiously awaiting a day of fun with family members we don’t get the opportunity to see very often.  Our day’s activities were getting off to a start with golfing for the guys and watch making for the girls followed by some splash park fun for the kids and then to return home and have a hot dog and s’more roast and outdoor movie. I had been looking forward to this for a while and as the beads came out I was figuring out in my mind what I really wanted my new watchband to look like when suddenly along comes Elizza wanting to hang out with mom. In my mind Elizza is my “no worries” kid. She is usually pretty timid about things that I never had to worry about her getting hurt too often so I thought ” no problem she will be content  just to sit and watch”. Boy was I wrong, I hadn’t even picked out the first of my beads when I look over to see a bead sticking out of her right nostril. Immediately, I pushed it out and asked her if there were anymore. Well having the tenderheart that she does she got scared that I was quizzing her and started to cry. So grabbing her, I saw way up high in the left nostril she had shoved a bead and it looked stuck, nothing I did worked. Luckily the guys had not left for their tee time and so Tyler came in. Per my parent’s instructions he blew air in her mouth to see if that would dislodge it. Blowing her nose wasn’t working and so out came the vacuum with a nozzle my parents must have bought for this specific purpose-after all they did have eight kids with hard heads. No amount of vacuuming was bringing it out either.  So off we went to Redi-care where we sat for over and hour and  paid our $40 co-pay only to get a retarded nurse practitioner that confirmed there was a bead there and wouldn’t do anything else for us.  He did suggest us waiting until Monday and getting into a Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor  to have it surgically removed but I feared that in the night the swelling would go down and she would get it caught in her throat and choke to death.   Off we went to Madison Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room where if they couldn’t get it out, they could contact our ENT and he would have to come and surgically remove it that night. It was another hour wait before they brought us back to the room. Surprisingly enough, the doctor came in shortly after we got settled. He didn’t stay long but sent a nurse in with some Afrin nasal spray to help bring the swelling down and some Lidocaine to numb her up.  Another hour and a half of our lives went by just sitting waiting for someone to come in,  after that I got up and went to the nurse’s desk and reminded them we were still there. Within 5 minutes the doctor was in the room and the bead was out. Thank heaven no surgery.  Elizza is okay and promises never to stick anything up her nose again. Lets just hope the other children learn from her mistake, if not they sent the Afrin home with us. So if you ever wonder why Elizza’s reception won’t be as fancy as the others we will have the $5000 bead sitting by the cake as a reminder.

Jacob re-enacting the doctor removing the bead from Elizza's nose.

Crazy that something so small could cost so much.

We are so blessed that Tyler works for a company that brings us out to Boise and pays for everything so we can have a free vacation.  This year, besides providing us with a way out there, they provided us with tickets to Roaring Springs, dinner, tickets to Wahooz ( an arcade place), and a nice hotel. Roaring Springs is such a fun place for those who haven’t gone. Jake and Ty loved the water slides while I love the Endless River. Elizza, timid little Elizza, actually loves the wave pool that the rest of the kids are afraid of and Marriah is happiest in the the regular pool falling off the edge into my arms.

Tyler enjoying the wave pool

Cute little Marriah getting ready to fall into the pool.

Elizza showing her cute grin

Jake loving the endless pool

Afterward we went to Wahooz where they have an arcade, bumper boats and go-carts and a playland. However due to the age restrictions Jake was the only one of our kids that was able to ride the go-carts, bumper boats, and play laser tag with his dad. They could have played laser tag all night…and they did. The girls and I ( or more particularly Elizza) played the arcade games. We all enjoyed ourselves so much and would love to go back.

Ty and Jake riding the go carts together.

The girls had most fun running around

While we were in Boise we got wind that Bigfoot was in town. For those of you who don’t have Monster truck obsessed sons like I do, Bigfoot is the first monster truck  ever. They were doing a promotional show for Commercial Tire outside their store so we went and since it  was free it was for me. This being my first Monster truck experience, I really was surprised at how big  and loud these trucks are, but I guess being right across the street from the crushing it will feel that way and although I probably won’t be going to any monster truck shows with Jake and Ty anytime soon, I actually enjoyed myself.  The driver was really nice to Jake and encouraged him to grow up fast so he could join them as a monster truck driver (of course the growing up fast part I didn’t agree with, seems like it is going too fast as it is.)

Picture with Bigfoot and driver

This is really how close we were.

not sure how to turn this

While we were there we decided to stay an extra night and enjoy a few more activities. Before I left we did some research of some places we could take the kids while we were there. One place that seemed interesting was the Discovery Museum. It was a fun place but I think it will be even more fun when our kids are older but they still seemed to enjoy themselves. Tyler loved it though and felt robbed that we didn’t get to spend more time there. Science junkie.

Jake on a bed of nails.

Ty and Marriah making the face talk

Elizza making a giant bubble.

Afterward we saw some people riding on paddle boats and thought that would be fun. However, due to the girls falling asleep in the car and my fear of drowning with fish swimming around me I chose to sit with the girls in the car while the Jacob and Tyler went. Now I am kicking myself for not taking advantage of the moment when it arose. Oh well, next time (right Ty?). Unfortunately I couldn’t find the pictures to illustrate this.

On our ride home the next day, between both Elizza and Marriah throwing up  we stopped at the Twin Falls Temple and walked around. It sure is beautiful as all temples are. The walk was a welcome break from that uncomfortable, smelly car.

It was nice to be home but I wished that the girls hadn’t shared their illness with the rest of the family. I am glad we were able to get away  and enjoy being together.

In May, Jacob finished Preschool at Merryland Preschool. He loved it there and his teacher definitely has the talent to teach, love and nuture children. I really appreciate her and the things she has taught Jacob. Besides teaching the alphabet and their sounds along with colors, numbers and shapes she also taught life lessons and skills. One of  such lessons was repect for our country and the flag. So at the end of the year they had a patriotic program for the parents and handed out “diplomas”. Unfortunately, in my haste to get there on time I remembered the camera but forgot the fresh battery, so this is all I have…

Yankee Doodle Jacob playing his drum.

Per request I thought I would give a little background on how we came up with the name Abram Tim.

He is actually named after an old boyfriend of mine. Just kidding although I did date an Abram, nice kid, but we only went out once. No seriously, that is not how we got the name though. As alot of you know we like to name our kids after members of our family history. So after finding out we were pregnant I like to go on familysearch.org and look at our different options, and let me tell you we have a ton of Williams in the family. Ty and I could never agree on a name so I decided to go to the social security website and wrote down a ton of names and IM-ed them to Ty who wrote back and said he felt something special when he read the name Abram. Of course I did warn him I dated someone by that name and since he didn’t care… it stuck with us. And technically it is a family name since Father Abraham was Abram before the Lord changed his name. (see Genesis 17:5)  So see we did stick with a family name.

Now as for the middle name…. Tim is my dad’s nickname. When he was a kid he would fall over a lot (maybe that is where I get it from) and they would yell “Timber” when he was around; over time it got shortened to Tim.  True story. My mom always called him Tim and so forever I thought that was his real name not Brent so since that is all I have ever known him by- besides dad.  Therefore,Tim is thename our son will be given to be named after one of my heroes-my dear, sweet, amazing, loving father. I only hope that our son will grow up to be a lot like him.

My dad, Brent "Tim" Stout holding Marriah less than an hour old.

We woke up at 7:00 this morning to make it to our early appointment in Idaho Falls. Two months ago they told me to schedule my appointment for this day so I did and even reconfirmed it at last month’s appointment. However, when I showed up this morning they didn’t have me on the schedule as an ultrasound  but rather as a check up and said they were too booked to do it today. I haven’t been too thrilled with this new office as it is and now this was nearly sending me over the edge into a fit. Luckily the doctor came in and promised that I could at least check the gender today but would have to come back in for the rest of the ultrasound in two weeks. Ugh. That at least calmed me enough not to start hollering at everyone that worked there. But I must say they better not send me a bill for their screw up dang it. Okay now that that is out of my system I will share what we were lucky to find out this morning…

Introducing Abram Tim Ashcraft, our son! We are happy. Of course we would have been happy either way so…I guess this evens us up.  Jacob seems to think its cool that he willhave a brother to race monster trucks with. Elizza still doesn’t understand the difference between girls and boys and Marriah…well we will just say I hope she gets over not being the baby anymore.

This week Tyler and I are going in to see what the gender of our baby is. I am so excited! Oh, for those of you that don’t know we are expecting in October. Three in three years I know I have heard all sorts of comments about it. Some I don’t care to repeat. But oh well, even though it was a surprise we love our kids and happily welcome one more. So here’s your chance to guess what you think it will be. Sorry there is no prize, I am just interested in what everyone will say. So go ahead take a guess…boy or girl?