Why do Mormons Have so Many Babies?

I'm writing this post to answer some questions no one has ever directly asked me, but I know they've wondered. So for those of you too afraid to ask, here's the answer you weren't looking for.

If we have more babies we get a better spot in heaven.

KIDDING! Some people think we actually believe this, and I find it kind of hilarious.

Okay the truth is -- we aren't allowed to use birth control and we all like sex a super lot.

KIDDING again! (And did I just say the "s word" on my blog? Oh my gosh Aaron is going to make me delete this post.)

Mormons and Catholics have actually do have quite a bit in common, but forbidden birth control is not one of them.

So why then? Why do Mormons have so many babies? Well for one - that's a stereotype, and stereotyping is evil. I know plenty of Mormons with 2 or 3 children. Although, yes the majority seem to have at least 4. I mean my husband is 1 of 8. His mom is 1 of 9, and his dad is 1 of 8. So the stereotype definitely got started somewhere.  The truth is I really have no idea why.

But I can tell you what I think. Well I for one want six kids. This desire goes back long before my Mormon days. I don't know why 6 - but I know that's what I've always wanted. Although I won't lie, 4 looks like a better number every day. But I had this thought -- when I'm all old and can't have anymore children I can't imagine the pain of what it would feel like to wish I had had more children while I had the chance. I can't imagine being at that stage in life and thinking "Man I wish we never had those last two. They are so lame!"

And that is my complete reasoning for wanting six kids. I'm afraid I might regret it if I don't. Of course by the time I reach this post-menopausal age I will probably have lost my sanity as well as my ability to have children and maybe I will be wishing I had less children. Who knows?

So for me 6 is a number I have always wanted. And when I pray I feel like that is right.

We also believe that before we existed here on Earth our spirits are eternal and they existed in a premortal life.

Kidding! -- No, actually that one is real. We believe in a premortal existence. And I do believe my children were spirits before I gave those little spirits bodies. And I believe these spirits were designed to be mine. And I do believe there are more little spirits waiting for bodies. Little spirits meant to be part of my family.

I also believe that me and these little spirits of mine will all be spirits together again some day when we are finished with our bodies. I don't believe I was married "until death do we part". I was married "for time and all eternity". Which is like a really long time. And a really long time to hear some spirit child who never got a body complain. Okay, now that part I'm kind of joking about. I mean if I do believe in this premortal life and that spirits existed before, what does happen if there are 6 but I decide for my sanity's sake to stop at 3 or 4? Will those spirits never get a chance to have a body? I don't think so. I think God has a plan for that. I have no clue what -- but I think He has it taken care of so I won't worry.

Aaaaaaaaaaand this is the kind of post that happens when I don't sleep for days. Sorry folks. Also, this is in no way an announcement of any kind. Opie Baby #4 will have to wait a while longer before getting a body. My own body needs a break!

So uhh, did I answer your question?

Oh the age in which we live

Abigail had a toy phone and was playing around with it. Then she looked up and told her friend she was talking to "Siri".

Later her and Olivia were playing restaurant. Abigail ordered some chicken. Olivia informed her, "Sorry Abs, but our computer doesn't have the recipe for chicken. Let me see if I can download it on my phone."

These words would make absolutely no sense 20 years ago. It is crazy how much technology changes so fast these days, and how it's just part of my kids lives. Downloading stuff to a phone?! Seriously these kids don't miss a thing.

Mommy - Son Date Night

I should really start this post by saying how awesome my birthday was. I have the greatest people in my life. Thank you everyone for making my birthday so special. I had a great day that involved the consumption of many delicious meals, lots of loving phone calls and well wishes, and presents, and cards, and just all around a great day.

However, I kept expecting my husband to surprise me. He always does something to surprise me. Like remember that time he got me a camera and actually we were going to Disneyland? Okay that was for Christmas, but still - he set the bar pretty high for himself. So all day I kept getting sad when he didn't randomly walk through the door. Then I finally got over it, realized we're big kids now and he had to work. I made my own fun. 

Fast forward to this morning -- my sweet sister-in-law told me she wanted to babysit for me this morning so I could actually take a shower and get ready for the day. Really Aaron had asked her to babysit so we could go out to breakfast. I thought Aaron had left for work, when really he went to the gas station and got changed into his normal clothes. I prepared myself for a day of flying solo - including packing up the van for the daddy-daughter camp out this weekend. Well you can imagine my surprise when Molly asked me to come downstairs, and Aaron walked back through the door.

Kind of funny story - Molly told me she was going to watch the kids for an hour or so, so I could get ready. Well it doesn't take me an hour to get ready, but I figured, hey she wants to spend an hour playing with my kids, I'll take my time. So instead of getting dressed I checked some blogs. And then she called me and was like "Uhm, sorry I thought I had more time but I actually have to go do something for school." And I was like, oh bummer. So I hurried and got dressed, but she said now she had like a half hour so I figured I still had some time to lounge around. I may or may not have climbed back into bed hoping for a quick 15 minute nap, when Molly called me again. This time she asked me to come downstairs so she could ask me something. Sheesh, I thought. So much for my hour! Why is she rushing me to get ready? I thought this hour was my birthday present! Well it all made sense when I found out my husband had been waiting out in the car for me.

So we went to breakfast and some randrom Friday garage sales. It was great. Then he packed up the van and got everything ready for his trip. I took a nap with Olivia. It was a great day. Much better than the day I had been anticipating.

And it was topped off with a great night. Aaron left with the girls around 3. Nathan and I cleaned the basement (somewhat) and facetime chatted with my mom, and my aunt and Nanny. Then we went out for a slice of pizza. Then we came home and put on some PJ's and snuggled and watched some TV. He was not a big fan of How I Met Your Mother. He figured out how to turn the TV off. So I put him to bed... and watched 2 - okay 4 - okay possibly 5, maybe even 6 episodes of HIMYM... Think he'll sleep in tomorrow?? Let's cross our fingers.

He ate an entire slice of pizza. He is a piggie.
And I love his shoes. They actually stayed on his feet the entire night!

Playing Ketchup...Catch up, whatever.

Hello Lauren's blog, this is Aaron. I decided to hack in and write up a guest post while Lauren naps because we have been up to a lot of fairly fun things, but not a lot has gotten to the good ole bliggity blog.  I would put a comment here about how I know everyone is dying to know what is up with our family, if anyone has said something funny or eaten anything they really shouldn't have, but I won't, because I have pictures, and I think people enjoy pictures over reading anytime. So why am I still writing, you ask?  Good question...

A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to get some tickets to the Diamondbacks game from a friend who had some extras, and so we decided we would go with the whole gang.  I have grown up loving the Diamondbacks, and Olivia and Abigail have both been to games, but this was Nate's first.  He seemed somewhat excited by all the noise, but was a tad nervous that the home team would get a "W"

Will they win???

I told you I like the ORIGINAL team colors!

Lauren wanted to get Nate to show his Dback spirit, but the only thing he showed was how quickly he can go from being happy to full on screaming...

Aside from the need to torture our children with oversized head gear, it was a good night.  Kids acted well, lasted until the 6th inning, lots of treats, and the Dbacks won!  Also, the roof opened up, which was lots of fun to watch. I have a video of it, but can't get it to load. I guess you dodged a bullet there (maybe).

  

We then decided that it'd been over a month since we shoved our whole family in a car and driven for at least 4 hours to go on a whirlwind weekend trip, and that meant it was time to go to Rocky Point!  In all seriousness, we went over General Conference weekend with my family to their place in Mexico.   It is a fairly large house on a beach outside of the town.  My kids loved being so close to the beach!

Note the old school playpen to keep Nate from munching on too many shells

Although, during low tide, I think I had to take like, 100 steps to get to the water...talk about roughing it, sheesh.

See? See how far away it is now?!?

But in all honesty, low tide was the best.  The waves almost entirely disappear, and the sea floor is so flat, you can go out forever and not have it too deep.  It led to some mighty expeditions by my brave explorers, wh to get pics:

And I am about 20 steps into the water at this point

 

"Look Dad, a SHE SHELL!! I think a clam live in this him she shell"                                     

                      As well as some relaxing while surrounded by gentle waters

                           

                           

While I kept trying to take pictures of the schools of fish that would swim all around...can you see them?

                            

NO? What do you mean no!  Oh well, just know it left me itching for fishing.  Of course we had to go hit up the night life

My kids did so great! They were up wayy past bed time and they just were fantastic, whether walking by the store fronts

Or rocking out with their aunts and uncles, dancing to La Bamba and twirling so fast I couldn't get an not blurry picture

Bed Time? We don't need no stinkin Bed Time!

Rocking with aunt Rachel

Will you slow down so I can get a picture?!?

Notice the rest of her is still moving so much its blurry, but at least she held her head still!

Much thanks to all my family, especially my brothers and sisters and their willingness to be such a help with the kids at the beach/ocean so that Lauren and I could do a little relaxing as well!

Well that just about wraps up this...BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

I guess I better maximize my time here on the blog, and besides, I have some more pictures! Everyone knows more pictures=more blog post.  One day I came home to find my family had been replaced by characters from Peter Pan

From Left to Right: Peter, Lost Boy, Wendy

And Tinkerbell, don't forget her! Or the rope, that becomes important...

 Unfortunately, that really only left one character for me to become, and so I discovered I was Captain Hook!

See, told you the rope would get into this.

It was all fun and games, until Tinkerbell decided she needed to use her magic to make me disappear, which happened to involve a filthy slimy stuffed duck that had been sitting in a dog's water bowl all day, me, and my poor work clothes.

Hell hath no fury like a Tinkerbell with a soggy duck...or something like that

Sure, she looks all cute and innocent, but there's a faint gleam of malice in that baby face

Last but not least, 2 days ago a minor miracle happened.  All 3 children took long, late naps.  So we decided we would all go to the high school football game.  Liv and Abbi were very excited to go see their aunt in the band, as well as watch the "baseball" game.  We even told Olivia we would stay for "both" games since she napped (side note: Olivia thinks that at all sporting events 2 games happen, since she wants to stay until the end of the game but we usually have to duck out at half time or midway through, so we...uh, well...lie and tell her there are 2 games and the first one is over.  Don't judge).

Making faces at Nate so he will stay happy

Really?  Zone Read Triple Option?  That's so last week coach...

So happy to watch the "second game"

Well, if you read this far you deserve something for your time.  But I am out of pictures, so you are free to go.

Sorry!

Sorry I've been so grumpy on this here ol' blog lately. Looking at my last few posts and I look like quite a miserable person.

I'm really not.

That said....

Nathan has gotten 4 teeth in the past couple of days.

Abigail has had some weird tummy issues going on.

And I think Olivia is going through some kind of growth spurt because even though she's getting the same amount of sleep she has been so tired and grumpy by like 4 every day.

And apparently my practically brand new cell phone somehow got wet and they won't replace. The little battery strip thing isn't even red, but they opened it up and it's oxidized inside or something and so they said it must have gotten wet. I was SO upset. It's a long boring story really.

But in happy news...

It's October (I won't mention the fact that it's still 100 degrees here). October is the best month ever. My birthday, Halloween, and then the rest of the holidays quickly follow. Today we are going to put up some decorations and make homemade applesauce. That should lift my spirits.

Next blog post will have a funny story - I promise.