What a fun Summer

At least here is the email that I sent to the twins. I am going to get on here and blog about the month of July with pictures....sometime.

Hello! It has been a fun few weeks. First the 24th in Snowflake. It was more commercialized but was still fun. The rodeo and fireworks were awesome! Then the 24th in SJ last weekend. That was always fun. Of course I didn't want to miss anything so I drug the kiddos all over the place and they were good. I think Kaden about got heat stroke at the rodeo though and so finally I left. It was all tons of fun though. Sad that it ended. But now...it is the Heap Reunion and man you don't realize all that Mom did to get us ready for things like that doing the laundry from last week trying to pack the pop up (borrowing that from a friend) and get everything ready is a few day thing! But still lots of fun! So well go up Thursday and then Dallas will go to work and meet us again Friday night. I don't think that Jas and Shanda will go and Julie went with the Nielsens to a resort in Scottsdale (FUN) but I still think that a lot of our first cousins will be there and so I am really excited. Then Sunday one of Dallas nephews is getting the priesthood in Payson so we will go there. Then the next weekend camping, the next is the Whiting Homestead and then a few a week then we are supposed to be headed to California and then Cord is coming home. What the world, what the snowser, how is time flying so dang fast. Crew will be going to kindergarten but Syd still has until next year and I cant tell you how glad I am that she has one more year with me! Yipee. I will be a sad lady when my kids are in school but happy too.

Just a quick note. We went to the family dance because I was sure that my kids would like it and of course I was right. But Kenday really needed to go to bed so about 1.5 hours into it she feel asleep and it was time to go. Well about that time I looked down to see a sad little Syd. I asked what was wrong and she said that she wanted to dance with a real boy. Yeah she said that. I asked cade lunt, and lincoln proctors boy, and a few more but they were all to shy this year. I leaned down to tell her it was a no go this year when Tara Crosby's little boy walked up and asked her to dance. And let me tell you they were better then most 12 year olds out there. PRETTY much AWESOMENESS! They did the two step and a twirl, two step and a twirl. Seriously they were good. The dance got over and he asked her one more time! It was too cute. On no! What are we getting into at 4 years old! She came back over to us beaming. Couldn't be happier and she said...Mom I am bad at that. I said why, she said, "because I always loose his finger on the turn." Wicked awesome right! I was laughing!

Now a story on Kenday. She is my terrible twoer...for sure. Last week I went into the bathroom and she had dumped the powder Clorox (a full bottle) all over the tub, counter, toilet and floor. She was trying to help me clean. So I had her help clean, the last five minutes I sent her out. She tiptoed back in while I was finishing grabbed the last bit of Clorox and combined it with my new 5 lbs of rice and another 5 lb of oats. Sweetness. This time I just sent her outside (she was trying to help but out she went). I look out the kitchen window she has taken off all her clothes and is covered from head to toe in mud and is painting her play house with it!

Well that was the most terrible things in one day but today she did take moms diamond necklace (she knows not to touch) and stuffed it full of chewed gum (it has all the little diamonds). It only took me 1/2 hour to clean it all out, then I realized she had it all over her neck and hair! She is crazy fun!

Kaden you cant ask for a better baby. He is pretty patient. He is cute, and he still does look like TY! We went to the temple yesterday so it was his first time to be babysat and he did really well, thank goodness I had a bottle for him though!

Well those are the happenings! Thanks for taking the time to read and I really hope to hear from you. Have a great week! All my love!

Jaymi

Back in Action

Rats. So much has happened I am not blogging "journaling" about it or taking pictures but I do want to recap. We went to the lake in May. It was a lot of fun, I got to go up early with Dad and Julie and I ALWAYS love to be with them. Julie is my best friend and my Dad, well what can I say he is my best Dad. Jules got some good pictures here are just a few that I got! We had lots of fun, but the very most fun was just hanging out and playing games. One night we stayed up in into the wee hours talking with Butch and Julie. All day one day we played games, it was nice to be with family.



Then in June just a few weeks ago. We got to go to the Whiting homestead and stay in the cabin. I didn't even get 1 picture there but this time I have to say we had way to much fun playing adult games....because we didn't have to do much kid watching! The play on their own and with each other. They play in the sand, in the woods, in the little playground area, on the porch and just get DIRTY while we played some mean games of bowling ball crochet (that was fun, Dallas was really dirty, and it was fun to watch Julie and him play it out). We played a mean game of wiffle ball (Butch has some moves), and some horseshoe games that I couldn't throw my way. It was a nice time. Now if we can just get the Davis' together once in awhile!

The girls went from this room (taking one of their "rests" throughout the day). To this room. Our "Landlords" cleaned out this bedroom and now they always want to sleep in there. (CANT GET THE PICTURES TO UPLOAD WILL DO LATER)

And I have to say Sydney is growing into the such a good girl and helper. She listens, she helps, she is kind, she is loving. I tell Kenady to clean up her mess and Syd jumps up and says, "Sometime she helps me so I help her", and cleans it all. Kenady punches Syd in the face (I think) and I come over and say oh no, looks like Kenady has to go inside, Sydney lovingly says, "Sometimes I hit her and so she hits me", looks at my face and says, "what I think I mean is nothing happened here, everything is OK, come on Kenady we'd better get to the mud." She didn't want Kenady in trouble. She is a really good girl trying to do what is right!

Kenady well what can I say, terrible two's anyone. I clean more now then I ever have and it is usually me and her cleaning her messes! But she is spunky, fun, and a little Phoebeish (off of Friends). We love her!

If I could only imagine

Tonight. All my kids are in bed. Dallas is asleep on the couch. I took some time to write to my missionary brothers. Then I posted. I read blogs. I read about loss. I remorse.

When my Mom died. I was okay. When we planned the funeral, I was okay. When we had the service, I was kind of okay. When I have gone to her grave, I am okay. For her birthday and Mother's day, I was okay. I think there are a few reasons. Heavenly Father knew how emotional I would be with pregnancy hormones and I had a protective sheet around me (I really think that). I knew that Kaden was with my Mom. I knew that my Mom needed some rest, she needed a break and this place, this Paradise where she now resides, is unthinkable. And my Mom deserves it! She is with Grandma S., Grandpa W., Nan, Aunt Pam, Uncle Steve. Their reunion was sweet. I could feel it.

Now it's been almost five months, five months without a Mom. If I could only imagine. It is harder for me now then it was then. It seems to get harder every day. I can't see her but I know that she can see me. I think I am writing this because I want her to know how much I love her. That days turn to weeks into months and it doesn't change that I miss her. I want her to know that I am grateful she is there, I know she can help all of our family more there then she could have here, and I still miss her. I want her to know that she is an unyielding and welding link in our family. She is the reason we had family trips, and we will continue to have those family trips in memory of her, we will carry those traditions on, and we will still miss you (we know you are close). We will serve others & take out time to have spiritual thoughts, in memory of you, because of you. We will listen, we will have sympathy for others who are struggling, and we will still miss you.

I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father, I am so thankful for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and realize that I can't comprehend the anguish they felt. and I can rejoice in the plan of Happiness. I will see my mom again because of Them. If I could only imagine!

Things you should know...about me, us. Right now

I have to tell you. I have not been able to go to church because of the newborn thing, but today I got to go to all three hours and I can just feel a difference. I can literally feel it. The way I act towards my kids, my outlook on life. It is amazing how much difference it can make. When I feel how huge the difference is it makes me want to be and do so much better, so I am starting a new goal tomorrow and just trying to do everything right and not waste time on things like t.v. There is just way to much to do :) heheee.

Do you ever worry about the future? I know crazy question, especially now but really how is it for you? Do you prepare for the end or just keep going, go to college, get a car, save up for food storage and the family vacation, or should we be buying a milk cow? It is just so crazy. I go to class and here all about the end, and how it is going to get worse and then to have hope and I get nervous! But I know I just need to have faith and do what I am told, which totally means...work on food storage! yikes :) I can do it I can do it I can do it!

We just bought a new car. Nothing to fancy, Dallas has been looking for 6 months for something that fit our new family a little better but we had to have cheap, cheap, cheap. So we finally found it and it was way cheaper then everything else. It is a navigator. It is pretty pimp'n, I think. :) but in a humble way. But I am glad to have another car that is not the gas hog truck and we should keep this for a long, long, time. Well see! Dallas you are the man, pure awesomeness right there! He is good at everything he does even picking out cars! Who knew that was a talent someone could posses.

Not to much else is new. Kaden keeps me busy. He doesn't like to sleep very much during the day so he is with me quite a lot. In a lot of ways that is good. It means that I have less time to do other things and more time to be with the kids. Because of my vinyl sometimes they just get to run wild so it is nice to spend some one-on-one time with them.. I have really had the feeling, well of course its more then a feeling, we all know that as parents we are responsible for teaching our children but I feel like I might have neglected some of my teaching so I am trying to find every opportunity I can to teach my kiddos about the gospel and life and how to be a responsible citizen. I hope I am doing my best!

Dallas gets a little bit of golf in here and there and I know he really enjoys that break. his mind works to fast and to long, I think he just needs a break to relax. The kids are hilarious as always. Sydney is growing into a big helpful girl. She is nice and wants to be loved. I am really impressed with her lately. And Kenady she is now the ball of fire. She is kinda like a phoebe off of Friends. She is happy and funny and determined.

One month old

Weeks following Kaden's birth.

So far three has not been so bad. EXCEPT, Syd was sick the day I went into the hospital, we came home and Kenners was deathly sick, she didn't even try to see the baby. She slept, laid, threw up, and slept some more. Lots of sickness. Don't worry, it only took K four days to get over it and then I got the Flu, four more days of yuck! It stinks to be sick and worry about a brand new baby, but he stayed safe and sick free!

Julie came over to help out, she even took my sick kids to give me a break, THANKS SO MUCH!



Grandma and Grandpa came over, we see them quite a bit and the kids always love it!















Syd and Kenners love the baby and are great helpers (Syd helps, Kenady tried and usually ends up sitting on him, smashing him, something like that...she sure loves him).

And they spent a lot of time with their Dad, thanks Dallas.























Kaden had his first bath, he loved the water.

and Kenady insisted on giving her dog to him, he really seemed to like it! :) What a nice girl.

Kaden Calvin Davis

This could be long, and we don't have a lot of pictures. What kind of parents are we? O.K. ready! I went into my 36 week apnt expecting nothing, NOTHING! and I leave at a 4, 75% effaced, and station -1, whatever that means. They told me that I would go fast, so fast that if I felt contractions 5 min apart, even if they didn't hurt go to the hospital. They said if I felt pressure for more then 30 min, go to the hospital, just go! Well okay. So I went shopping and I felt contractions every 3-5 min the whole hour and pressure, yeah it was there. I called Dallas and he said to come to his office and sit for awhile and see what happens. So that I did.

While sitting they went from 5 to 7 min apart. The last 30 min I was trying to see about the other two girls so I was on my feet a lot and the contractions were every 3 so to the hospital we went. They checked me in the nurse said, wow looks like you won't be going anywhere. They were trying to stop me and there I sat for 5 hours until they finally sent me home. NOTHING!

Well we got AFLAC insurance with this baby in hope we would get some money back. But I had to go until April 21st to get that money. That was three more weeks. Shucks, could I make it that long!

The next week I went into my appointment and I was at a 5 and 85% effaced still -1. Then the next week still at a 5 and 85% effaced. Every time they said you aren't going to last more then a few days. What the world.

Finally April 15, tax day, I woke up from a dream and I was giving my belly away because it hurt. Well when I woke up it still hurt, I sat there for 15 more min and told Dallas today is the day. I hopped in the shower, dropped the girls off at a Friends and to the hospital we went. I got all checked in and guess what, I was at a 5 and 85% effaced. Are you kidding me. The last time I am listening to those Doctors. I should have waited, not gone right in :)! They told me they couldn't admit me until there was a change and they would check me in two hours (2 hours I could have him by then). I was hurting but I tried to be brave. The pains got consistently worse (of course) the contractions were every three minutes apart and I didn't get much relief between them. I couldn't talk to Dallas and I didn't want anyone to talk to me. The nurse told me to get up and walk around and again, are you kidding. I tried threw up all over the place, ran to the bathroom to try to make it an easier clean up, leaned over between a contraction and the nurse went crazy! She thought I was trying to have Kaden in the bathroom! I just needed some relief. After all that she decided to check me before the two hour time frame. Lo and behold I was at a 6....wait once more are you kidding barely a 6 with all this! So she started the paperwork to admit me. I really wanted an epidural, she said as soon as she did the i.v. she would call. After an eternity (10 min) I was all set. She checked me again. I was at an 8, she called Dr. Connolley and requested the epidural. Dr. Connelly told the nurse, not to be so dramatic but he was coming over and 5 min later he was there. He said, "if you feel like you need to push, let me know." I said I do. So he checked and I was @ a 10! No epidural for me. 5 minutes and 1 push later Kaden Calvin Davis was born. He weighed 8 lb and 21 inches long. He was born at 9:31 a.m.

Easter

We had a lot of fun this Easter. It was great to be in a new house, which we love, love, love. Especially me. It is an old adobe house, the kitchen is orange and yellow and it is perfect. Lots of space for the kids to play and room for all our hobbies! I am so glad our neighbor let us rent!

The Friday before Easter their was a big Easter egg hunt at the golf course. Syd and Kenners were so excited. They could hardly wait. We rushed up as fast as we could. Their were gazillions of eggs everywhere. Their little eyes lit up! The gun shot and off they went. With Syd's help and prodding her and Kenners got lots of eggs. Then it was off to "fish" for some candy. We sat down to watch other people fish and Syd asked if she could have an egg. She opened the first one with a sour look on her face, she could harldy touch the egg and she said "Mom, something is wrong." She then began to open another egg. Same thing happened. "Ewe, mom these are all the same. This time she tried to put it in her mouth and she said, "squishy, yuck"!

She opened every single egg and realized that there was no candy in these eggs. They were ALL boiled. I don't know who took the time, that was LOTS of work!

Kenady on the other hand LOVED the eggs. She did not eat them but she thought they were great bouncy balls! Funny kids!


Saturday was a lot of fun. I suppose I was pregnant enough and people were nice enough to come here. It was a cold day. But still fun. We had my Dad, Shanda and Jas, Robbie and Calvin and the kids. We did a B-B-Que, then an Easter egg hunt and some talking. Our plumbing broke under the sink so that put the party to a halt but it was lots of fun. I kinda liked hosting!

And last was Easter Sunday. The kids wanted to leave something for the Easter Bunny so we stuck a carrot out on a plate. That morning the Bunny had hidden their baskets, they loved finding them but I think they were most amazed at the silly rabbit, who only ate half the carrot! (They got so much from their grandparents the day before, they didn't need anything).

Finally don't they look cute. This year we didn't get Easter dresses for them, we just worked with what we had...but they did get hair bows, does that count :) Happy Easter!

Twins Missionary Letters for the week - Update

Things here are still going ok. We are always busy with something and I really am not liking that to much right now. I suppose it is good to be busy though, but I think it makes me or Dallas grouchy at times! Its a lot of work to start up your own business and takes a lot of money too! Okay Debbie downer (that's me). It is nice to have Dallas home more so that's a good thing right!

I work at the gym once a week and Shanda takes the kids, then on Friday I take her kids and she goes to class. Now you know me, the ever sensitive mom (rats, I know). For some reason Sydney is petrified of babysitters and she doesn't want anything to do with them or them with her. She would rather come and sit with me in a chair for two hours then go with one. Well she had to be babysat by Shanda once....and Sydney yelled at her, then she was babysat by a younger girl at our house. When we left Sydney went running into her room and so the girl followed her to comfort her. Well good ol Syd yelled, "Get out, get out of my room now!" I don't need no babysitter." Well she got into some serious trouble. But that is about how babysitting has gone for the last while.

Well last night I thought it would be a good idea to prepare her for going to Shanda's. NOT A GREAT IDEA. She talked about it all night. She went to sleep talking about it, she woke up in the middle of the night...talking about it, she woke up at 5:30 this morning talking about it and finally I let her hop into bed at 7:00a.m. I thought she felt really warm and she pulls the Mom I am sick card (without me saying anything). Well she did feel warm, I was sick Sunday and Kenady has been sick Monday and Tuesday, maybe she really was sick. But I didn't want her to get her way again.

So I said, "Well A. Shanda has a lot of fun things planned, Kenady gets to go over, you don't have to but sick girls have to stay in there beds all day so they can get better. I have to go to work but Ill get a babysitter to come and check on you".

She wasn't happy about the babysitter at her house but she was fine to lay on her bed for the next two hours. Finally she called to me as I walked past and said. "Mom I got an idea, this babysitter who is coming by, how about if she doesn't come into my room, she doesn't talk to me, she just knocks on the wall and I knock back to let her know that I am ok!"

Are you serious my four year old just asked me that! But I said I would think about it. I went in to take her temperature and it was a whopping 98 degrees. Again are you kidding me! So I told her well Syd it looks like you are all better. I need to call the babysitter back and tell her you get to go to A. Shanda's. She was quite worried about going back to A. Shanda's but...she was happy to be out of her room. Finally two minutes before we leave she comes in and whimpers, "Mom, I might be ok at Shanda's today." and that was that. I dropped her off and she had a great time. I only hope next week will be the same! Crazy girl! So that is Sydney in a nut shell, still the same, keeps me on my toes (I am not very good at toe balancing) and a lot of fun!

Kenady is so easy going, she doesn't have quite as many far fetched tales. She enjoys a good Curious George movie (Dallas got that for her for Valentines day), she is totally potty trained, she amazingly did it all by herself. It was awesome. Even naps and nights. She has quite the bladder :)

She loves to talk, in fact, while Sydney or Dallas talk to me she says, " Mom, I need to talk, mom can you heeeeaaaarrr meeee, Mom listen." I tell her hold on a second and she puts her hands behind her back and sways. Sometimes she remembers to tell me something, sometimes not but she loves to talk. She also likes to push limits. I say Kenners sit right here and point and she has to sit 2 inches farther away and say, "right here Mom, right here is okay...right?" She does that quite a lot.

I am sorta like a, what would you say, a whale. I still have two more months but most people say you are due any day right! Some of the time I just smile and say yes. Okay I am exaggerating but I have had people say that!

Overall things are going well. I miss Mom a lot but I couldn't be happy for her, to be in such a great place, looking out for us. Everything I read says that she is able to watch out for us and help us out so much more there then she could here, with us. She helped us out a lot here, so I can only imagine. Sometimes I think I want to call Mom to ask her this, and it makes me sad, I went to a funeral last week and I didn't realize how hard that would be. It really wasn't to bad until the end when they all walked out, I had a hard time with that. But overall I do okay. I hope Dad is okay. I know this has to be quite a struggle for him. They were always together and I hope that throughout his day he finds little pieces of comfort, he sure is great. Well I love you. You are awesome. Let us know how things are going and know how much we love you!

Disneyland

We planned to go to Disneyland months and months ago with Jas, Shanda and their family. So just a few weeks ago we were off. It was a really nice break, the kids loved it, and I always like family time. We left. Saturday, stayed the night in the valley with Josh and Kristin (I got a much needed Costa Vida sweet pork salad). Then Sunday morning I talked Jas into going a little later and we left the Valley at 7:00a.m. We got to Disneyland around 1:00 and played the day away.
(Pirates of the Caribbean was our favorite ride. Kenady had to warm up to it but we went at least twice a day)

Monday was quite the day. We got there and Dallas realized (a first for him, it is ALWAYS me, I had to laugh, he can't get quite as mad at me anymore) that he left the tickets at home. We decided to go and see if Disneyland could do anything for us. So I waited in line at guest services for over an hour. Jas and Shanda were SUCH good sports, they should have gone in but they stayed and waited for us the whole time. When I got to the front they said there was nothing they could do, but then wallaaa. Out comes a little old lady who is amazingly computer savvy. She breaks into the old Disneyland accounts and prints out our old tickets. We all stayed together that day and Jas and Shanda showed us the ropes. By days end I was grouchy so we went before the park ended.

(Kenday loved toon town. The houses were awesome)

(Sydney in time out, remember I got grouchy ) Tuesday we decided to split up, Crew weren't to excited about waiting in line to see the Princess'. We played all day, met up for the Pixar parade and then went to Fantasmic (something like that) to finish off the night. Can I tell you that Fantasmic was one of the coolest things I have EVER seen. I can't wait to go back just to see it. They play it at night before the park closes. Most of it has to do with the movie Fantasia, but the mix in a lot of the other Disney movies. They use water, a projector, dragons, the Disney Characters, it was just AMAZING and I smile thinking about it! Go see it! (We waited for about 1.5 hours to see the princess') (They were pretty good friends, it was fun to watch them)
(Waiting for the parade to start)

Hello everyone. I am sorry that I have not been great about commenting back on your blog but I want you to know how much I appreciate you and your kind words, and thoughts, and prayers. It really means a lot to us! Also thanks so much for those of you who helped for the funeral and during that first week, and those that came to the funeral. It really made it easier to have so many people we love there and to see so many people who loved our Mom. She sure is an amazing lady. I miss her a lot, but I know it was her time to help out on the other side, and I couldn't think of someone more qualified to be there! I know she is looking out for us!

Nanette Stradling Whiting (4/20/54 - 1/19/09)

Nanette Stradling Whiting (Jaymi’s Mother) of St. Johns, Arizona passed away on Monday the 19th of January 2009. . She was born to Larry and Peggy Stradling, April 20, 1954, in St. Johns, Arizona. She married Edwin Marion Whiting in 1976.
Nannette was an involved member in her community and local church organizations. She touched the lives of many through her positive encouragement, sweet smile and laughter. Nanette was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and loved to share her sweet humble testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ, to all those who would listen. She was very involved in investigating her ancestry as she felt this knowledge was essential to understanding the wonderful gift that she had been given to be in such a blessed land during such a wonderful time. She is the wonderful mother of five beautiful children who through her efforts and wonderful example have become successful and honorable individuals in their lives.

Nanette is survived by her father Larry Stradling, her husband Edwin Whiting and five children: Jason Whiting, of Snowflake, AZ; Jaymi Whiting Davis, of Snowflake, AZ; Julie Whiting Nielson, of St. Johns, AZ; and Cord and Tyson Whiting, currently serving missions for the LDS church in Tennessee and Montana respectively. She is also survived by her 3 siblings and 5 grandchildren.
A viewing will be held at 6 p.m. Friday the 23rd at Burnham’s Mortuary in St. Johns, AZ. A memorial ceremony will be held in her honor on Saturday the 24th of January at 11:00 AM at the LDS stake center in St. Johns, AZ.

We will miss you for a short time Nanette and look forward to seeing your sweet smile when we meet again.