Pictures with Santa

Well, we were naughty and kept the boys home from school today so that we would not have to fight the crowds to take a picture with Santa. This is our tradition dating back to December 1996, on mine and Paul's second date!! Of course once we started having kids, we decided not to pass it on to them. Usually we go out and buy nice, new outfits for the boys, but this year we decided to save our money and go with their Sunday clothes. Megan is wearing her blessing gown, that my mom made, with an addition that Paul thought of..gift wrapping ribbon and a bow that he found in the decorating section of Wal-mart. He is so creative! That blessing gown is SOOO beautiful and I am so glad she got another use out of it.

I have more pictures from our fun adventures in getting pics done, but I am needed by my Megan, so I will post them later.

Hardy Halloween

Well, I have waited a long time to post and I am embarrassed to say the least. I have so much news to blog about, most of it depressing, but I am only going to put up Halloween for right now. We decided, for the first time ever, not to take the kids trick-or-treating. Instead we went to our ward party and let them run amok. They had a blast and did not even miss walking around the dark, sidewalk-less streets and knocking on the doors of empty houses. Megan was not enjoying the evening anyway, so the party was about as much fun as I could handle. Our ward did an indoor carnival with candy as the prizes of the contests. Paul and I just sat with Megan and watched our boys run around the cultural hall playing and loading up on goodies. It was a very enjoyable evening. I could not get many pictures at the party, but I did get good ones of my boys.

I really do have the cutest boys EVER!! =)

Jarom chose to be a samurai, but only because he wanted the swords!

Gregory chose to be IRON MAN and Paul had to "install" a real working light on his chest so it would be more authentic.

Joshua wanted a sword too, but he chose to be a knight. Paul made improvements on his sword and shield too. Also, he used a helmet from an old soldier costume we had, spray painted it silver and velcroed the face mask to it! Paul also took Joshua's rubber boots and painted them silver to match everything else. He is so creative; which is great since I am not. =P

Megan was a little bunny. She hated her costume though and would cry when we put the hood on. I could not get any pictures of her on her tummy, she was not cooperating with me AT ALL. This was the only picture of her that did not have a screaming face! Someone at the ward party got a better one, but I don't have a scanner. =(

I really loved all the kids costumes until I saw my friend Susie QT's gorgeous homemade costumes. Maybe one of these days I will learn to sew! Until then, I will just have to keep Wal-mart in business during Halloween. =P

Just Pics.

I just love taking pictures of my Megan. This one is just for you Susie QT! ~This is her first picture with a bow in her hair! I used to think you were cruel to put bows in Queen B's hair every Sunday, but now I have to do it. Paul thinks I am mean, but they are just too cute! =) I am still desperately waiting for some of the beautiful bows that you make for your gals.~ Everywhere I go I am on the look out for the girliest accessories I can find. Who knew I would be this way with three older boys in the house.

She always looks so happy and peaceful in her daddy's arms.



I just love holding her too. My Father-in-law says I am greedy because I am always holding her and not sharing her with him or my MIL. I can't help it, I don't like to put her down!!
My beautiful little lemon drop!!

I've been tagged too....

This picture is of me right after my Bell's Palsy hit and I could only raise one eyebrow.

I hope I am doing this right, it's the fourth picture in the fourth file....right? By the way, thanks a lot for tagging me Tiffany!! Lucky for me, my picture is not as embarrassing as yours, oh wait, its WORSE! You will pay for this, oh yes, you will pay. =P

This is how my Palsy looks as of two weeks ago. I was diagnosed with it almost 12 weeks ago. While it is much improved, I am sad every time I see my smile. Now I just smile with my mouth closed and you can't really even tell. =)

So, now I am supposed to tag someone, but who to torture?? How about Susie, Kandice, and Bethany. Have fun gals, but I really doubt y'all will be as embarrassed as I am. =I

It's OVER!!

I can happily say that my 'child-baring' years are OVER!! Last Thursday I had my tubal ligation. We wanted to make our 4 is enough decision permanat. My body let me know this last time that it can not handle another pregnancy. Between the pain, puking, and Palsy, I say that's enough for me.
I also can happily say that I am an Aunt for the first time on my side of the family!! Hannah Lucille McKinney was born October 7, 2008. She is absolutly beautiful, just like her mom. I am so proud of my Christina and her hubby. I have really enjoyed being an Aunt by marriage, but there is something so awesome and special about your own siblings first child! =)
Well, I have a ton of pictures to post, but I lack the energy right now! I just felt the need to update with a couple of FYI's. =) Oh, and thank you Tiff for the help and advice for my blog page. It is much improved thanks to you.

Hurricane Aftermath

Well, we survived Ike! =) We had to live without power for 4 days, but thankfully we had unseasonably cool weather. Our little family had fun making the most of our time together.

We did not have a generator, but we had two power inverters. We were able to have a couple of lamps and fans at night. Paul was so proud of his little power station.


We did not loose any of our trees, but we had a yard full of branches and leaves! We spent all day Monday raking our yard and our neighbors. It was a family affair; I raked, and my boys loaded the wheel barrow, and Paul put them in a pile. He also used his 'new toy' to cut up big limbs and make a cozy fire.



Paul was dirty and my hands had blisters and we were both exhausted when we were done, but we still had fun. =)
Megan had no clue anything was going on, and she was a calm and happy baby throughout the entire storm and cleanup.

Megan is here!!

Well, our little gal finally joined our eager family. Megan Anne Hardy was born on August 10 @ 2:52pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz. and was only 18 1/2 inches. She has blue eyes (and we think they will stay that way) and very unique hair. We are not exactly sure of the color. There is some blonde, red, and brown in it. We are anxious to see what color it turns.
Here are some other details surrounding Megan's arrival. I went into labor very early Sunday morning. When she came into the world she was not crying, or breathing well on her own. They put her on a pulse/ox. monitor and put her in an oxygen tent for the first 16 hours of her life. I was not allowed to hold or feed her during that time. Even after they took her out of the "bubble" she still had to be hooked up to the monitor.

She still does not cry much but she is healthy and home. She did have to stay until Wednesday, even though I was discharged on Tuesday. Her brothers are really enjoying her being home. Even (especially) Joshua, whom we worried would be jealous, loves his sister.



Amazingly, we all went to church with Megan only a week old. I loved putting her in her first Sunday dress. She is so beautiful!!

Well, I am really loving my baby girl. I was so scared to think about bringing another baby into our family, but I know the Lord has blessed us in a way I never could have imagined. He does know best!!

36 weeks along!

Time is growing short and I am hoping this is the last pic. I have to take of me preggo! =) I get to go to the Doctor today for my follow up from the hospital but I am hoping he will also find I am dialated a little. We shall see. Wish me luck. =)

Bell's Palsey

Well, I have had quite an adventure the last few days. It all started Sunday when I woke up and my tongue was numb. I can be a little bit of a hypocondriac so I let everyone in my family assure me that it was nothing to be concerned with. Well, Monday when I woke up the right-side of my face was numb. Now it was not a matter of me just making something out of nothing, something was really wrong. I called my OB/GYN and he told me to go to the ER. After two+ hours of waiting, one doctor up in the Labor and Delivery unit tells me that he is 99.9% sure I have Bell's Palsey, (facial paralysis) and it was nothing to worry about and it would probably go away after I have Megan. Just to be on the safe side, however, he wanted me to go back down to the ER and have a couple of tests run just to be 100% sure of his prognosis. I spent 6 hours in the ER on a hard bed in a room while they poked and prodded me. I even got a CT scan. Then another doctor tells me he is worried I have a blood clot near my brain or I have had a Brain-Stem stroke, so he wants me to see a neurologist and get an MRI just to be safe. Only one problem, there is no neurologist at the Hospital I was at and I would have to be transfered via ambulance to another hospital 45 minutes away. Oh the fun! By the time I get to the other hospital it is after 7pm and I can not get a MRI until the next morning. Did I think to bring an overnight bag, or even a toothbrush, NO! Luckily Wal-Mart is everywhere, and I have a wonderful hubby willing to be and errand-boy! =) Anyway, I would say "long story short" but I know it is way too late for that; but, according to the MRI, I do have a brain and there is nothing wrong with it, HOORAY!!

So now I get to look funny for the next few weeks, or possibly months. I have facial paralysis on the left-side of my face and I cannot close my left eye or move that side of my mouth. I am going to be brave and post so photos, but please don't laugh. I know it looks comical, but I am still not ready to make jokes yet, give me time.

My hubby kept teasing me in the ER saying "quit winking at me, I know I am sexy!" =P


Being the comidian he thinks he is, Paul says that if I still have this Palsey at Halloween, I can be the Hunchback or Eegore! ;)

I guess it is vanity that makes me self-concious of my appearance right now, but it will be hard for me to go out into public anytime soon. I did not take a pic yet, but I have to sleep with an eye-patch on since my eye won't close. It is quite a comical sight, but I do not think I am brave enough to take that pic. yet. =)

Just an update.

Well, we took the boys a couple of weeks ago to my last ultra-sound. Gregory was bored out of his mind and did not seem to care much, but Jarom and Joshua were fascinated by it all. Jarom even knew what body parts he was looking at. Unfortunately, my doctor is not good at taking pictures with the sonogram machine so I will not be posting any; they are awful!! Even Jarom said that they did not look anything like what he saw on the monitor. =( I think it was a very fun experience for us all. I am still counting down the days until she arrives. At first I was scared at how fast the numbers were declining, but no that the weather is so hot and I am so huge, they are not declining fast enough. =)

Jarom has gotten pretty good at taking pictures! =P

Hair today; gone tomorrow!!

YES, I chopped it all off. I was planning on waiting until right befor Megan was born, but I could not wait. Acutally, Paul's birthday was on June 2nd and he would not let me spend more than $20 on him; that meant our usual steak dinner was out of the question. This was all I could come up with.

He said this was so much better than a steak dinner. This is his favorite length on me. It feels so much better in this 90+ degree heat everyday. =)

Yes, my 2 1/2 year old is already addicted to the cell phone!! =P He likes to "talk" to cousins that live in Houston all day. He will play all alone for a good hour just pretending to talk to everyone he knows. It is adorable. I am just glad he now has his own phone, (it is an old broken one!) I am really excited to report that we will have one more ultra-sound on June 9.

My boys are excited too because they are going to get to come along. Jarom said he wanted to be there when I deliver, but there is NO WAY I am letting my 9 1/2 year old watch me give birth. I don't know and boys his age that would even want to; is something wrong here? Anyway, as a compromise, I told him that he could come to the ultra-sound. We are all excited. =)

Yes, I am a horrible blogger!! SO MUCH has happened since my last blog. We are pregnant with a little girl, we still live with my in-laws, and I am scarred to death to be having another baby! Our little bundle of joy will be arriving sometime in August and her name will Megan Anne Hardy. I had been so sick for the first 21 weeks that getting out of bed was quite a feat. I am now 25 weeks and while my energy level is not back to normal, I am able to keep food down. =) I am excited that the end of school is just a couple of weeks away and I hope I can give my boys a very fun summer. Any tips for cheap entertainment? =) Well, that is all for now, but I do have more to update on.