Well, we are in Monterey, California, and settling in. We found out the end of June that we are expecting baby number 5 the end of February!! We had our first appointment the end of September and heard a nice, healthy heartbeat. The girls were very excited to hear the heartbeat. They were just a little disappointed that there was only one heartbeat in there. (They were really hoping for twins.)
We left Virginia the end of July and started a month long trek to California. Our first stop along the way was to visit Chris's mom and stepdad in Powder Springs, GA. We enjoyed hanging out with Grammie and Grampy Long, Grammy Jean, Aunt Norene, Uncle Phil, and Bella. We also loved the visit from Tim, Ashley, and Landis while we there. Grammy and Grammie took us all to a tea party at the Seven Springs Tea Room. We went to Stone Mountain and watched the laser show one night as well as got to see some funny movies at the theater.
After our fun time in Georgia, we headed to North Texas for some fun with Ammie's side of the family. Our first part of the Texas trip was spent with all her sibblings in Lewisville. Amanda and her family came down from Provo and Tim came out from Atlanta with his kids, so we had all eight kids together for the first time in ten years! Needless to say, we took family pictures while everyone was there. It was an adventure to get all fifteen grandkids to cooperate with the fourteen adults to take a few pictures. We got some cute pictures in the end. We also got to take a day for the adults to go to the temple. It was a really neat experience as all four sisters sat with their mom in the temple.
After we visited Ammie's mom, we were blessed to spend a few days with her dad and stepmom before we headed to the next state on our trek. The girls enjoyed seeing the cows in Grandma Anna and Grandpa Matteson's back yard. (They were technically in the next yard.) They also got their first refresher in the joys of Texas stickers. They spent a few minutes picking them out of shoes and skin the first day. Ammie and Anna got a day of shopping and relaxing in Bridgeport while Chris, Larry and the girls hung out around Chico. It passed too quickly, but we are glad for the time we were able to spend there.
Our next stop was Provo, Utah. We took the chance to stop at four corners (per the girls' repeated requests) and stand in four states at once. When we got to Amanda and Brandon's the girls were so thankful not to be in the van anymore. They took swim lessons the week we were there. It was good to see all the previous instruction finally click together and their confidence in the water to improve. We even had the chance to see Bubba jump in the pool by herself without crying. We got to see Grandma Allen while we were there, too. The kids all loved running free in her backyard and her supply of ice cream and cookies, too! When we finally had to leave Utah, we actually had a house waiting for us in Monterey.
We were so thankful to make it to Monterey. All four girls were sick during the car ride from Provo to Monterey. We even had to stop three hours from Monterey overnight so they could get some real rest. As soon as they saw our house, they were excited. There is a big tree in the front yard they can climb. They all spent the first week in the tree. And the neighborhood kids were all so welcoming that the girls could hardly decide who to play with first! Our next door neighbors were easily to first choice. Each house soon became "home" to both families' kids. And when they turned out to be in our ward, we had a good laugh.
The unpacking goes slow now that we have all the essentials out and things are picking up with schooling the girls and the the various doctor's appointments we are needing. The girls are all excited to start piano lessons in a week. We went and got their books and they have been looking them over repeatedly. Elizabeth turns 12 this month and graduates from Primary to Young Women. She is looking forward to all the fun the Beehives have told her is coming. Delia will turn 9 at the end of the month and can hardly wait to see what is in store for her when she is 9. Carolynn is happily plugging away at all the activities and fun she can be a part of. And Matteson (Bubba) can be seen talking to anyone who will listen about anything she can think of. She loves all her new friends and is glad to be told to go play each afternoon.
Chris is six weeks into his Spanish DLI course. He is learning a lot and loves to share it with all of us. The girls are doing their Rosetta Stone in order to try and keep up with him. Ammie is doing all she can to finish Halloween costumes while balancing the other needs of the family/house. She is halfway through her pregnancy and can hard wait until she has a new baby to hold!
Life is never dull for us. We are so very blessed by Heavenly Father with so much in our lives. We look forward to all the fun we will have here before we leave for Georgia in the spring.
