Family Pics

We finally got family pictures done, savanna's 3rd year picture done Gracie's 2nd year picture done, and josh's 6 month picture, eventhough they aren't quite those exact ages, but who'll know later.....just me! They turned out so awesome(I think) and thanks to Amy who did them! It's hard getting kiddos to look at the camera and smile. Gracie wouldn't hold still for anything and josh kept giving the "You're weird" look! hahaha love it!

I'm bad at this I know!

It's been a gazillion years......so probably no one will read this, but I figured it was time to give updates. The kiddos are growing up! I'm out of the overwhelming phase, okay, maybe not at times, but for the most part, I do have a system down. I appreciate everyone's words of encouragement! It helps that Josh is crawling and into everything, especially the dog water....yum! He is eight months old tomorrow! He is so sweet, except when he wants his mama, there is no getting anything done! He loves to play our little piano and will dance(no joke). He loves to crawl and has been for a little over two months. it's more of an army crawl! Cracks me up how determined he is to not be left behind. He loves food! Especially ours and is not happy if we are holding out on him. I will hear the girls screaming and find josh on top of them trying to get the sippy cups with the hugest grin on the face. He is so stinkin' cute. He says mama and dada and is into shaking his head no......which makes it fun to ask him lots of questions during this time. He loves his sisters and will giggle at them and even stop crying if they come to his rescue. He loves to stand and pull himself up.....I"m in trouble. He has the cutest one tooth grin I could ever ask for and brings so much joy to my life.

Gracie turned 2 in August and is a talker. My favorite is when she is mad or hurt and is bawling trying to tattle on who or tell you why she is sobbing. I can't help but smile 'cuz you can't understand anything. She is my major tease.....and is into telling me "no". She will run in the other direction when you ask her to do something else. Savanna and her are two peas in a pod. They love eachother so much. SHe will copy what savanna does, but also sticks ulp for herself if she's not interested. She is into "Eggo" or also known as "Diego Go". She has the funnest most goofiest sense of humor, but man she can give you the best crusties. She is very strong willed but I love that about her, even if we butt heads at times. She is so good at sharing with her older sister and younger brother.

Savanna is so grown up. I feel finally that potty training is sinking in. I finally stopped taking her to the potty and so she has learned herself to listen to her body and so far so good. She loves preschool and dance. Both Gracie and Savanna are in preschool and dance. They look so cute in their preschool outfits!

I am teaching preschool.......yes, that is what I said, that is not a typo. I am using my moms' stuff(thanks mom) and was going to do it with my girls, but now I'm doing it with my girls, my sisters two older kiddos, and two friends kids. It has been so fun! My girls have loved it! Why not save a little money and still let them have the experience of a lifetime. Mo is in his last year of his masters! Can I hear a "halelujah".......but then we move on to the PH.D. programs. We will start applying only to jump back into school work when he finishes his masters. Nows the time to do it while we are in school mode and kids are young! I'm so proud of him. He loves teaching and loves his masters.

Well, the best news for last,.......my mom is coming home for a little while to get some medical stuff done and out of the way. It would be cheaper to have her come here than Germany so we benefit! I am so excited! I haven't seen her for 15 months or more! She gets to hold her grand kids. I am so giddy!

It's been a long time...

Hey everybody, it has been quite awhile since i have gotten on and done a blog entry and forever since I have checked others. I'm sorry I have missed so much, but man, I have had to go in survival mode for quite awhile. Having three kids now three and under has taken a major toll on me emotionally and physically. Now, I don't mean to sound ungrateful, because I am not, I am so thankful for these wonderful children, they have changed my life for the better, but it sure has thrown me through a loop! Here's some updates:

Mo and I just shared our 4th wedding anniversary together! It feels like a lot longer than that...maybe it's cuz we have three kids............then I remember, oh yeah, we really are that crazy.... but who better to be crazy with! I love this man! He is my everything! He and I are doing P90X.........which has been really funny and really hard, but it was something we wanted to do together, so those of you who are familiar with Tony Horton(the trainer)..........all I can say is "Bring It". We want to make a T-shirt that says, I survived P90X with 3 kids 3 and under! We just got approved and have started breaking ground on building a casita in front of our home! My father-n-law(G'pa Dennis) is coming to live with us and we are thrilled! Our front yard looks like chaos right now, so I have to keep telling myself that it will get better! THe girls look at it as an opportunity to play with dirt! Mo is finishing up his summer semester..............yay! that means only one more year left of the masters and on to the phd! Well, we are moving forward and looking at options for PhD so we'll see where it takes us!

The little big guy is doing awesome, though, I don't think he got the memo that he is the third child! He loves loves loves loves loves loves(did I mention loves) to be held and spends a lot of time screaming 'til I do. When he is happy, he is so stinkin' cute! He has the cutest giggle and loves to roll over. He knows he accomplished something when he rolls over 'cuz he'll get this huge grin.....I'll tell him good job and he'll get all shy and turn his head and smile away from me. He loves to talk and be talked to. He'll stare forever at you and he loves us to sing to him. He isn't sleeping through the whole night yet, but we have narrowed it down to once a night(most nights) so this is a blessing! I am so stinkin' tired, so it's a dang good thing he knows how to melt my heart, or this would be a lot harder!
This little girl is my fireball. We are experiencing the terrible twos before the actual date of her turning two. I have had to explain to her what we can and can't bite, hit and kick a number of times. She is very stubborn,but so cuddly and loving. She loves to snuggle(or "nuggle" as she would say). She loves to swing in our backyard, and look at bugs, which ends up usually her grabbing the bugs and squishing them to death. She loves swimming and being outside. She knows all her letters and most of the sounds, shapes colors, and numbers to 10. She tries to keep up with her sister. She will speak in sentences and it blows me away at what she does understand. She has a beautiful giggle that brings so much joy! she loves her little bro. as well! She is my big helper with putting away wipes and throwing away trash and picking up toys(though we do get distracted and like to play with the toys that are being put away, so it is the thought that counts right?!).

This little girl turned 3! Boy has she grown up! She is loads of fun! She has a very sensitive heart! If she sees me cry, she will cry with me so as you can imagine, I try to hold my emotions in check, which is hard to do sometimes when I feel overwhelmed. She loves to sing and will make up her own songs. She is into asking mom, "What's that" to everything, even if she knows what it is. She is doing better with the whole potty training thing as we took a few downward spirals since baby bro. came and she decided she wanted to be the baby! She loves her baby bro. and is so sweet with him. She loves learning to brush her own teeth, get dressed and pick up toys all by herself. she experienced the dentist for the first time and did excellent with no cavities. She loves friends, especially little sis., but since she is her sister, they have to fight as well! But, she is always concerned about her younger sister....has to make sure she gets what she has gotten. She is learning to use her words instead of melt downs and tantrums. She loves to color. She has a fetish for shoes, and we find her with cowboy boots on asleep at night. she has a tutu and will come and tell me she is a dancing princess.

Busy Bees!

Sorry it has been a long time, but I really haven't had much time to do so, so hopefully I can catch up on everyone's blogs soon. We have been so busy! This past week MO had spring break, which means he'd still have to go in, but since students are gone he can use vacation time if he wants. We blessed Joshua last sunday, and planned on G'pa Dennis coming out for the week,but due to getting really sick, he couldn't come! Mo decided to take the time off anyway and man I'm so glad he did. We had a fun filled week, and we took turns letting the other sleep in! We surely missed our Grandpa Dennis and hope he gets better to come and see us soon! Here's what we did!

here's a pic. from little J.D.'s(Joshua Dennis) blessing day! We had a little luncheon and get together after church! It was a beautiful blessing and he was good the entire time! Not to mention the best food ever after!(Thanks grandpa Dennis...we missed you)

We love to go and feed the ducks, so we went on a walk to feed the ducks. It was fun for the girls and joshua just snoozed the whole time. Gracie enjoyed the bread as much as the ducks!


yep, it was time! We decided to put Gracie in a big girl bed, so we took the bunkbed apart for now 'til we feel they are old enough to understand some rules with the bunkbeds and have more balance! so funny, she loves it loves the freedom! WE found her on the floor the first night!
There has been lots of playing time with daddy as well..............this is Dr. Savanna! She is our new doctor!



We went to toddler time at the library then off to the water park! Savanna got to wear her new swim suit and is more of my cautious not into getting way wet. Gracie is my no fear girl and was seriously enjoying getting soaked! Cracks me up at the difference in them! I just love these girls!

I got to finally finish joshua's room! it took me about two weeks to finish! I love it! It turned out really cute! I love the cute construction border! Now we just have to put all the furniture back in order and move the crib over and we'll be set! now if i could just get the little guy to sleep through the night! ANy suggestions?

I am in love with this little guy..........course he's grown so much that I don't know if he's my little guy anymore! He weighs around 12 lbs now! He's not even two months yet! What can I say, he loves to eat! He is a sweetie and actually went 6 hours once last week for me at night(I needed it)! He looks like a Fry! Cracks me up! He is very loving, loves to snuggle and makes the cutest snorts when he gets mad! He has smiled for his daddy but not me! whatever! :)

Two weeks?!!!!!!

Well, we have survived two weeks of an almost 3 year old(3months baby!), an 1 1/2 year old and a newborn. First off, thank you for all of your love and support and comments! I can honestly tell you it has had it's crazy moments, where all are crying,but I have come to terms that all I can do is do my best, give my best and deal with one at a time. It has been wonderful! THe hardest thing I've had to deal with is how my relationship has changed with my girls! I'm very close to my girls........and I could feel that it had changed when we brought this little guy home! I have spent moments bawling about this change........but have come to terms that it does change.........I have to give a lot to a newborn,but doesn't mean I cannot have an amazing relationship with my girls........since then, I've done the best I can not to freak out when they have break downs, or get short with them 'cuz I"m sleep deprived and expect them to be perfect, and take moments to show them I love them and find moments to plaly with them. I feel that these three are going to be close! THe girls love their new bro.! He knows their voices and will quiet down when they are around. Savanna loves to hold him and is the first to his side when he starts to cry! The other night she was holding him, and kept looking down at him smiling, saying, "I know Joshua, I know"....then said, "I lub you so much"....she then looked up at me and said, "sanna feels sooooo special". Gracie loves him too......sometimes a little too much so I have to intervene so he doesn't get hurt, but she is so precious to him, she is as gentle as she can be with him. She'll cry when we move him or she cannot get to him. I have mixed emotions of him being two weeks old! It's going too fast! I already can see some more meat on those tiny thighs! It's sad that it is going so fast, but I'm also excited for sleeping longer than two hour chunks at a time, and all the fun things that come with him growing up.......I cannot wait for the first real smile and for him to giggle and say momma. I'm just so grateful for these blessings! So, I can't figure out who he looks more like. Some have said he has his own look..........what do you think?
this is Joshua

this is Savanna

this is Gracie

I'm in love!

Well, it happened! Our Joshua Dennis McDuffie arrived on Monday, Feb. 2nd, 2009! I started having contractions, intense, Sunday night, but they were like 25 min. apart, so I didn't think anything of it(meaning, not trying to get my hopes up)......so we went to bed and i woke up around 2-2:30 with contractions that went from 20 to 15 to 5 to under 2 min. apart and they were intense! I've never had them this intense before like this! Just to be sure, we stayed at home for an hour then headed to the hospital at 4-4:30 am. They admitted me right away 'cuz I was almost a five........then 45 min. later a 7........with how fast I was going I figured I'd just keep going natural........hahahahaha! My doctor broke my water at an 8 and the contractions were so intense, but I figured I was too late to get that glorious epidural! But, I was at an 8 for two hours...his head was turned a certain way so he wasn't hitting the cervix to help dilate.......so they decided to put me on the pit.! Yeah, let's just say, I couldn't handle the pain anymore, so got that epidural, just in time to take the edge off the pain! I now look up to those that do it o-natural! He cam at 9:17 am. He was 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 20 in. long! He is so beautiful! He has a little bit of hair! I knew I'd love him, but never knew it would feel like this! It was such a neat feeling when I saw him for the first time. He had no problem screaming, which both of our girls had to be taken from me to be suctioned out a couple of times! He is so precious and knows his sisters voices. They love him, and savanna is already mommy's big helper. Gracie loves him, but is kinda funny. She acts a little more defiant and seems a little mad at me......since she is a momma's girl to the 'T'........but we'll get through it! I was nervous to do this alone without my mom! \Yoou know it has been hard, and no one, no one can take the place of a mommy........it has been such a neat growing experience for me and my family! The ward has reached out and taken me under their wings. I can't tellyou how many ladies have come and taken the gals, so I could rest.....or those that have made meals so we aren't always eaating cereal 'cuz of how sick and especially how much pain I've been in this last like 5 weeks! They have loved us and have showed us that true happiness is found through serving others, even when you have your own problems! It has brought me closer to my sisters and brothers as we have had to lean on each other. I am truly blessed! THanks to all who have reached out to us and others!

Around the House

Here are some fun things we've been up to at our house: Like learning that two spoons are better than one! Too bad it has taken me so long to figure this out!

We definitely like to eat cereal in the food pantry.....somehow it always taste better, especially when you are sneaky about it! Gracie is our expert!

Savanna loves to be a cowgirl......she will come up to me and say, "Mommy, I'm a cowgirl"....then with major concern, look at me and say, "oh! I need a hat"

We have a shoe fettish.......I find shoes all over the house by the end of the day! They walk better in my shoes than I!

Anybody watch PBS? Savanna's favorite show to watch is Super Why! This is her mask(don't worry I'm wearing one too) and will run around saying, "To the rescue"!

Our favorite outing lately has been taking the babies for walks in their strollers!

Don't they make cute mommies! Just prepping to give all the loves to their brother(yes I'm still cooking........dang it!

WE love to dress up.........the other night, we had a sleep over with our cousins and all dressed up as pirates and went to Pirate Island Pizza........I'm not sure if the looks of bewilderment were for the outfits, or it looked like we had four kids so so young and that I was prego again! It was funny!

Oh, what a cutie!

I was actually asked if this was our son's real hair! If you are wondering, it is a wig!

The sleep over party coming to the part of sleeping..........j/k! There was not a whole lot of sleeping let me tell you!

WE love to help bake! WE are waiting for cookies! yummy!

Aren't those the cutest puckered up lips you've ever seen?!

WE love to go to church.......nursery is our middle name that day! wahoo!

This one tries to sneak in to nursery and is not a happy camper when she doesn't get to stay........don't worry gracie, two and a half more weeks(who's counting right?) and you will get to play with those precious toys!

Did I mention we love to smile! yes..........course not for the camera! well, that's all for now...hopefully soon we will be able to show our little guy! I would not complain one bit if he was ready as we spoke!