Our New Addition

We always knew that one day we would have a Grand Piano. Wayne says it is easier to be more creative and inspired on a grand piano. So now that we have a house that will fit such an instrument, there wasn't anything holding Wayne back.

We had tried quite a few pianos on our last couple of trips up to Calgary. (There is not much to choose from here in Lethbridge). Wayne was the main "test driver". He sampled Yamaha, Boston, Steinway & Sons, Baldwin, and others, but none of them compared to the Hai Lun. This is a Chinese made grand piano with the engineering of Steinway behind it. It is the new 'up and coming' line of grand pianos! The sound was amazing, the tone was great and the touch was the one that Wayne fell in love with.

So a month ago, he ordered one. A 7 ft. 2 in. concert grand piano in black ebony. The dealer here in town gave him a really great deal that he could not refuse. They found one in Kentucky and had it shipped up here to Lethbridge.

On Monday, we finally got it moved into our house after a week or so of tuning down at the music shop.

Our "piano room" has gone from this...

To This...

We have been very blessed that Wayne has a great job that allows us to gain such magificent pieces of art and furniture as this is. I know it will be lovingly played by many hands for numerous years to come.

Deals

When we lived in Utah, I LOVED going shopping with my sister Jade and finding the best deals we could. It varied from $0.47 clothes from Old Navy to a case of bananas for $3.00! The better the deal, the better my day was.

The deals are not near as exciting here in Lethbridge, but once in a while we will get a $0.94 clothing sale...again, it is only once-in-a-blue-moon-while.

I have a friend that is living in Florida. In addition to being an amazing photographer, she is now my coupon hero! If you are interested in how to save a couple of bucks (or in her case...almost $800 to date), you can check out her blog here.

Knowledge is power...and in this case, extra money!

Reflections

The other night, Sawyer woke up crying in his sleep. I usually let him work it out himself, but he didn't seem to want to calm down. So I quietly went into his room and picked him up. He settled right down and snuggled in. As I rocked with him in the darkness of his room, I started to contemplate on how blessed I have been to have the priviledge of holding FIVE sweet, sleeping babies in my arms. Yep, FIVE of them!

This got me thinking about each one of my children and how truly blessed we were to have five HEALTHY babies and to have them here with us still; to watch them learn and grow and mature.

As Sawyer is our last, I thought back on all the months of being sick with morning sickness (that only happened at night). Gaining 35 lbs with each one and not quite loosing it all in between each one. Hearing that first heart beat...five different times. Getting ultrasounds done and being surprised with the announcement of what gender each baby was at birth...NOT at the ultrasound.

This also brought back the scary memory of being told that baby #4 (Cardiff) had a choroid plexus cyst on the right side of his brain, found during a routine ultrasound. I remembered how terrified I was that something would be wrong with him. These particular cysts are often signs of genetic diseases like Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18 (which is always fatal). Again, I was calmed as I remember going to the Temple with Wayne and feeling comforted that I would be able to take care of and raise this baby and that things would be all right.

As soon as he was born, almost before the doctor could say "It's a BOY," I asked, "Is he okay? Does he look all right?" He was...he was perfect just like the others. What a blessing Cardiff is to us. And today, I took him to his first day of pre-school. He was so incredibly excited!

After rocking my last baby back to sleep, I put him back in bed and gave thanks for a home filled with joy, laughter (usually) and the smiling faces of Emmy, Azia, Parker, Cardiff and Sawyer. Oh, how I LOVE them!

First Day of School 2009

FIRST DAY OF

SCHOOL 2009

Wow, when did my children get so old? This year Emmy moved up to Middle School! YIKES! If she is old enough to be in middle school than I must REALLY old! Wayne took Emmy to her first day at Gilbert Paterson Middle School. She is in grade 6 this year. She didn't want him hanging around too long and making a big deal of things, so as soon as she saw her friends, she said to him, "I see some of my wierd friends, you can go now." She has always done so good on her first days...never a tear or any apprehension.

Azia moved up to Mr. Roesler's grade 4 class at Agnes Davidson. Since there is only 1 class of each grade in the English track at the school, she knew almost all of the kids there already. There were some new move-ins and she quickly made some new friends on the first day.

Parker makes the jump to full-day school in grade 1. His teacher is Mrs. Simons and she seems very nice. Like Azia, he too knew most of the kids in his class from Kindergarten. There were some new faces, but he was thrilled to see his school friends again.

So that leaves me at home with my two little guys, Cardiff and Sawyer. I figured Cardiff would soon realize how boring it is hanging out with me all day, every day, so he will soon start in pre-school. Cardiff will be busy with his own school activities 2 afternoons a week. I think this will be really good for him...both socially and verbally. The pre-school he is enroled in has on-site speech assistants and pathologists. I know this will be a huge asset in continuing his progress with articulation. Unlike the other 3 kids, I think his first day will not be as smooth...but I guess we'll see.