McDonald

Homework Fail

2012-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

Dane had a biography homework assignment. He needed to pick a famous person and make a poster size picture of them. The back ground was to depict something about their life or why they're famous. Dane wanted to do Martin Luther king (well technically he wanted to do Rosa Parks but we steered him towards a male character) You are then supposed to cut the face out of the poster so the 2nd grader can put their face in place of it while reciting the biography. So we chose this top photo of Martin Luther King because he is standing head on and...

We chose this photo above to illustrate the event he was most famous for the "I have a dream" speech.
So after 4 hours of photo shop magic in combing the photos, adding some three dimensional objects, making props Martin Luther King - esq props and practicing the biography speech, what did we have? ....

Hitler, we had Hitler

Arrrgghh

2011-12-01T06:21:00.001-08:00

For the annual Menlo Park Dessert and Dinner auction, raising money for summer girl's camp, the Blue Bayou was born.

A film-themed evening where guests are invited to come as movie-stars in character, and each course of the menu is blockbuster based.

Your kitchen and service crew for this evening? We be a band of swarthy Pirates of the Caribbean. Beyond six courses of gourmet grub, the evening's entertainment included sightings of Tom (ala Risky Business), Katie and a cute LV toting Suri Cruise...Superman with LoisLane, and Charlie's Angels...accompanied by plenty of Yo-Ho anthems, arggghhs and plank walking.

Hazel the Halloween Princess

2011-11-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

Check out the tippy toes

Halloween 2011

2011-10-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

This year Rory and I were silver street performers (we would hold a statue pose and then bust out in our choreographed robotic dance moves with our silver boom box) needless to say, we won the costume contest. Dane was a ninja, Liam a cowboy, Finn a vampire and Hazel was raggedy Anne. Although Halloween isn't officially until tomorrow, I'm posting pictures because we have already been to 6 Halloween events/parties.

This was at the ward trunk or treat, where kids go from car to car getting candy.
I made this and put it on a table in front of our car.

overcooked spaghetti = worms, cauliflower = brains and grapes covered in olive oil = eye balls. So fun!

Silver street performers about to bust into our dance routine

Best ninja ever!

Cowboy Liam

Vampire Finn

Ragedy Anne

When I put her in the middle of the table to take her picture, someone thought she was a doll centerpiece.

Daddy's little girl

Seriously could Hazel's eyes get anymore amazing!!!

My good sport of a darling husband who makes me eternally happy by indulging my shenanigans

My Four Darlings

2011-10-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

Rookie Mistake

2011-10-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

Let's go ahead and talk about this photo. I discovered this little display of creativity after I made the mistake of being upstairs for 8 minutes. First off let's take a look at the red substance on the glass and sliding into the grate (still don't know what it is) I can't imagine it was fun finger painting nothing more than a big blog but I guess I lack imagination. Plus I'm pretty sure the fun of painting a big red blob comes when you watch someone angrily clean it from the other side of the glass. Now let's take a look at the chocolate flavored yogurt. You really have to commend the fork stabbing technique implemented in opening the yogurt. Nothing says yum like little pits of tin foil in your yogurt. I only wish I could have seen the violent stabbing process followed by the action figure yogurt drowning. Now I don't really know how the bat came into play, maybe something like the stickiness offered better grip. Either way, I will not make the rookie mistake of leaving the room again.

Laura Has A Blog!!!!

2011-09-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

My fabulous sister Laura has Finally started a blog! I'm so excited to get updates on her life. She already has some great posts about her beautiful decorating (hard to do in a Harvard dorm) and some posts about her darling children. I love seeing her newest addition, sweet little 3 week old Lilian Juliet. For those of you who know Laura or those who want to check it out at www.kyleandlaurawelch.blogspot.com I'm so glad you joined the blogging world Laura!

Love you

Hazel Lately

2011-09-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

Just try and tell me that this little bum picture is not the cutest thing you have ever seen! This photo was an accident as she was crawling away and I absolutely LOVE it.

This one too, the blurry angelic quality to the photo with the off kilter angle....love it.

Bath time with Auntie Emily, such a sweet and beautiful moment. Sadly Hazel bumped her head in her crib that morning and has this little bruise.

Hazel makes everything new again. I can not possibly type the intensity of love I feel for this darling little child of mine. I only wish she would slow down and grow up very very slowly.

These next three photos are the ones I'm hanging in Hazel's Nursery

I love these sweet boys. Everyone said Hazel would have to be a tough little girl because she had three older brothers. That has not even been close to the case. They are all so ridiculously gentle, interested, kind and sweet to her that it blows my mind. She has really softened our whole family for the better. How lucky I feel to raise these four.

White Trash Themed Dinner Party of yester year

2011-09-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

Looking at old pictures from years ago and came across these gems. We had a white trash themed dinner party. We decorated the house with posters from Walmart of W.W.F and kittens, set the table with NASCAR (sorry for all you die hards out there) and served upscale versions of white trash food. Including gator. Oh what a night and how I miss this crew.

Working with people

2011-09-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

I’ve learned that there are three

types of people to work with.

1. The Deligator

This person is always great to work with because they can take help from others. They pool together everyone’s talents and efforts and usually have a much more rich result. They are willing to let others take on different parts of the project and run with it. Giving then full responsibility for their parts in the project. Of course there is always the risk that someone will flake out but they are relaxed enough to handle this risk.

2. The Control Freak
This person is not willing to give up any decision making power in the project. They will not take the risk that something could go wrong. Although this approach allows less collaboration and synergy it also has it's upsides. When working with a control freak you have the ease of not making decisions and the simplicity of being a worker bee. You take orders and follow instructions, fulfilling the vision of the control freak. A benefit of this is that you get to relax and just enjoy the people you’re working with. You can let the control freak take on all the stress, creativity and decision making themselves.

3. The Fake Deligator/Control Freak in Disguise
This person is the worst kind to work with. They like to think that they can delegate but in reality are unwilling to give up control. They may ask you to do something and only after all the work is done tell you they want it another way. Thus wasting your time and effort making one wish they had just said how they wanted everything from the beginning and saving you the charade that they wanted input. In reality they want to feel very busy and that they can’t rely on anyone else to “get it done” or “Do it right”. They like the idea of collaboration but are only able to implement it in the beginning until they change everything to “their way”. Wasting your time.

I only pray that I can be a #1 or at least #2, I've also been really lucky with the people I've worked with.....but every once in a while..... you get unlucky.

Potty Training Gems

2011-08-16T16:21:00.000-07:00

First off let me announce the successful potty training of Finn! The potty training in a day with a potty party method worked again (thank you Cassie). Along this process there are many new questions about anatomy and conversations regarded it's uses. Combining a new little sister (the first girl in the family)....oh wait I guess I'm a girl...(or am I?)......(aaauuuhhhh I'm a hermaphrodite)... sorry sorry, side tracked by my bazaar sense of humor. Anyway Finn has taken to defining the differences between boys and girls on an alarmingly frequent basis. We went with the slightly unsettling but medically correct words for body parts. One of which Finn says wrong. So every hour or so Finn feels the need to define the difference between every girl and boy in the room/church meeting/grocery store. He proceeds to tell me what every boy has and what every girl has. The funny part of this embarrassing process is that he calls girl parts (going for Phonetic) Ba-jine-ma-s.

One other useful bit of advice that Finn feels the need to impart to every living soul is that "bums are not toys". Always a good tip to keep fresh in your mind. I think I might cross stitch this and hang it in our living room.....maybe I can make it at the next "Bring your own craft girls night", just to let everyone one know that I know what's really important.

Now the photo above this post is another little gem of the process. He built a robot and he started telling me about it. "Notice the large zig zag head" "the down turned arms and green legs". Now take a gander at the lower blue piece on the robot to which Finn described as "the robot's private parts". Nice

Just as soon as I.....

2011-08-14T22:26:00.000-07:00

Lately I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this concept. About living your life with a “just as soon as I…” mentality. We’ve all done it many times before…

Just as soon as soon as I get the laundry done, I’ll play with my children

Just as soon as life slows down, I’ll have a date night with my husband

Just as soon as I get the house decorated/organized/unpacked/clean, then I’ll start inviting people over

And the classic

Just as soon as I loose weight I’ll be so happy/confident….

I once had a church bishop tell me about a couple that he knew. He said they were both in a rigorous medical school program and stopped coming to church. When they were contacted they talked about not being able to fit church into their busy schedules. They said that as soon as they graduated from school they would be coming back to church. Once that day came, they started working their jobs and they had another reason. As you can imagine they had huge student loads. They said that they really needed to work on Sundays to make any headway on their load payments….and then it was a house payment and so on. Although this couple professed their testimonies of living the gospel of Christ and stated that church was a priority they never made it happen. They continued to live the “Just as soon as I….” life style.

I want to stop making choices consciously and subconsciously like this. I don’t want to have another day where I feel so busy and rushed and overwhelmed that before I know it, the day is over and I can’t remember what of worth or meaning I did that day.

My friend Kirsha said something to me the other day in Palo Alto. She said “everyone here is always soooo busy. It’s as if they measure their self worth by how crazy their schedules are. When the reality is, they’re doing it to themselves. I’m not busy, look at me; I can actually give you eye contact and focus on you for more than 20 seconds. It’s just the silly culture that keeps everyone constantly on their phone, scurrying about and essentially ignoring all the people around them that matter most”

My new year’s resolution of 2010 was to spend 10 minutes of focused, uninterrupted quality time everyday with each member of my family. That’s 50 minutes a day. Now that shouldn’t be that hard should it. Well it was. It was shockingly hard to do. I was lucky if I did it more than once a week. How sad it that?

So it is with these thoughts in mind that I will refocus, on the thinks that matter most. No more “just as soon as I....” living

On the weight loss issue, I still need to lose the Hazel baby weight but I refuse to let it stop me from liking my body. Even when I was 115 lbs I remember thinking “I’ll be happy just as soon as my abs are more defined or I tone up my arms…” and so on and so on. If you’re not happy now, you’ll never be. Sure there’s always room for improvement but I don’t want to hold out for happiness and self acceptance. Dangling that carrot in front of myself that always moves an inch more out of the way every time I get close is just a recipe for unhappiness. Ramblings, thoughts, journal entries and silly realizations by Anne

Emily's Baby Shower for Master Deans

2011-08-10T23:46:00.000-07:00

What Baby shower is complete without a custom fascinator hat?

Sisters sisters,,,,there were never such devoted sisters

Custom Seersucker bow ties / hair clips all 50 made by Katianne!

Every great party ends with us re-hashing the details while downing the leftover cake....so fun! I love these ladies!

You know you're moving when...

2011-07-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

You know you're moving when....

Your bedside table is a box of Halloween decorations

You eat yogurt with a knife

You would be willing to trade all your fine china for a pair of scissors

You spend 3 hours getting ready for church and actually get there early (excited/nervous to meet new friends)

It seems like every other object you pull out of a box reminds you of someone you miss and love

Your children have been wearing the same dirty shirts for 3 days

You've been wearing your husband deodorant and smell like old spice

You spend enough time looking for deals on Craig's list to call it a part time job

You're on a first name basis with several Home Depot employees

You spend 600 dollars at Walmart on....hangers .... and I don't know what, but I know I needed it

Hoping to be settled soon

Out in Austin and loving it - Anne

Hazel's New Dream Crib

2011-06-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

Ok so maybe it's not Hazel's dream crib, but she will have many sweet dreams in her mom's favorite crib in the world. My sister's and I have ~~looked at~~ lusted after this crib on Posh Tots for years. It was originally $1400.00 when it first came out. Which is nuts and we would never pay that much for a crib. But then it happened, I found it on Craig's List.... for 800! Oh but wait it gets better I talked the guy down to half that price! The guy we got it from lived in a Huge Bill Gates style mansion and had a few Porsches. He said his wife picked it out and they only used it for a few months. Score! So I'm off to a great start designing my dream nursery for my dreamy little girl Hazel.

The latest and greatest Cookie Recipe Thank to Laura!

2011-06-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods. And at the milk pail in Palo Alto ca

Need a place near here

2011-06-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

My sweet little brother Matthew and his darling wife Julie are moving to this area!!! Sadly we will just miss each other by a few weeks as we head out to Austin. The two of them are looking for a apartment/small house to rent in or near the mountain view area. Please let me know if you hear of anything. Just email me at amac1275gmail.com Thank you sweet friends.

Bentley Williams Blog

2011-05-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

Having grown up with Bentley I can attest to him being a good guy from a good family. I am more than sure that it is some sneaky editing, drama inducing set ups and tricks that make him look bad. I feel sad for Bentley getting caught up in this reality show victimization. I found a cool blog about him. It's called the Bentley Williams apologists and it's here.

The Bachelorette

2011-05-24T01:06:00.000-07:00

Bentley and my family grew up together so it's fun seeing him on TV. We're rooting for ya Ben!

Signed Sealed and Delivered! a video of the house

2011-05-19T14:00:00.001-07:00

Our new House!

2011-05-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

The ink isn't dry yet so Keep your fingers crossed that it all works out But we are in process and it's 99 % sure that this is our new House!!!! I'm so happy, I don't mean to brag but after 7 years of living in EV (Escondido village, campus family housing at Stanford) I just can't help myself. No more rabbit hutch for me. Texas here I come!

I love the swing on the porch

One of my favorite features is that the kitchen faces the family room

for that all of us together great room feel

Bonus room and three bedrooms upstairs plus a guestroom/office downstairs

Right off of a nature preserve that we can see form the balcony

I might need to get rid of the window treatments.....just maybe

The backyard is a virtual wonderland for my boys, it will be hard for

them to leave the courtyard but I think the trees to climb, fire pit

for marshmallows, hammock, pond and lushness plants should help.

A pressure washer, some cushions and a few topiaries will make this fire pit fabulous again

We're going to need to get some coy for the pond, so the boys can go fishing J/K

I've always wanted an all white kitchen filled with light and decorated by colorful fruit and flowers.

Gotta love the bay window breakfast nook!

I really hope it works out, we are overjoyed with the thought of living in this house. It is in the ward we wanted to be in, in the perfect neighborhood where everyone walks to the exemplary elementary school situated inside the housing complex, with a target, grocery stores, mall, home depot, Marshalls, barns and nobles and so on all just 5 minutes away. Oh and did I mention the ward building is across the street from the housing complex, there are 15 Mormon families in the neighborhood and it backs up to a nature preserve. The house in 25 minutes from Rory's work, of course I wish it was a little closer but you just can't get that in Austin for under a million dollars or living next to frat boys. I'm the happiest woman alive

Hazel's Accessory Collection

2011-04-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Click her to view the rest of Hazel's Accessory Collection

Hazel's Post Blessing Photo Shoot

2011-04-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

Although there were several "good" photos for this shot, I feel like this one really captures the whole experience. Me - focusing on getting the right picture. Rory - enduring to the end. Hazel - sleepy and sweet. Finn- giving everyone a reason to hit him. Dane - attempting to use his swollen face (from a fooze ball accident) to try and smile while ignoring Finn's attack. Liam - ready to pull knives out of his pockets and kill someone.

I think it's safe to say that Hazel was born with the McDonald "get me out of here" smirk.

My Testimony

2011-04-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Relief Society (women's organization) at my church asked us to write our testimonies of the gospel of Christ out, so they could be bound together in a book. At first this was a little intimidating. The thought of putting such personal thoughts and experiences out there made me feel quite vulnerable. But then as the women began to share their testimonies things changed. It seemed to catch fire. I felt inspired to share openly my feelings of the gospel of Christ.
So now I'm posting it here. Quickly and quietly written in the wee hours of the night, trying to make the submission deadline while nursing a sleepy new baby. Proudly, here for all the world to see.

My Testimony

When I was a young girl, my mother and I went on a sunset walk together. I distinctly remember that evening because she gave me a precious insight. We lived right off a golf course in Florida and were meandering through trees and over sidewalks. It became darker and darker as the sun set slowly and our eyes adjusted to the progressing darkness of the evening. I’ve heard that dust is the hardest time to see because it has an almost fog like characteristic to the fading light. Trees became silhouettes and shadows disappeared in the fading light. Everything almost became one dimensional as we made our way along the path. The two of us talked about school, friends and church. I asked my mother what it was like not to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of later day saints. What is was like before she was converted in her 20s. She told me in this beautiful way as we walked side by side. “It was like walking in this fading light. I could not tell the difference, I felt like the light was just fine to see the world around me with. I could see my surroundings and where I was going, I could continue in this light indefinitely if things didn’t change. But when the gospel of Christ was taught to me, it was as if a light of noon day sunlight was switched on. For the first time I could see everything clearly. The world made sense in a whole new way and I hadn’t realized how little light I had been getting by on. Now I could see who I was and where I was going, my path was laid before me for miles on end.” I will never forget this description of being converted to the gospel of Christ. Many evenings as the sun fades I am reminded of this insight and hold to the understanding it gave me.

I am grateful that because of the way my parents raised and their great personal testimonies ,I have always been in this light. My life has felt clear, purposeful and guided by the savior’s gospel. At times I have felt a fog or darkness come into view during times of despair or weakness. During these times it is my knowledge of my Heavenly Father’s true plan for us that has led me out of this. I have felt guided by the love of our savior in such personal and direct ways. My greatest experiences have been when I have been a tool in the Lords hands to serve others. My testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ comes from the love I have felt while serving those around me. It has given me insight into the way our Father and his son feel about us.

One of the greatest experiences of serving others came at the age of 17 when I was a counselor at a church girl’s camp. I could feel how much the Lord loved these girls and how much they needed to know it. I felt as if the spirit of the Lord whispered in my ear as I worked at that camp. Many times I would feed distinct impression to talk to a specific girl, notice her efforts or ask her something specific. I could feel how each girl was doing and help in return, I knew what girls needed more comfort, friendship or help. It was an incredible experience being guided to serve those young women and see the change it brought in them and me.

Being a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has afforded me many of these opportunities to serve and many more to be taught. I have benefited from countless teachers and leaders who have served me throughout my life. The Church has an almost revolving door of shared insight, personal experience, service and constant learning. This has lead to my further belief in its teachings and practices. My testimony of our prophet has guided me with his teachings for our modern times. I am blessed with direction that suits the world I live in today. And I’m grateful for a church so structured and organized with such insight.

The gospel of Christ has guided my life in many of my most important choices. In the man I married, the way I’ve raised my children, the people I have surrounded myself with and my life’s most important goals. It is the foundations for everything I strive for and want to become.

I know the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be a true one. One that has brought great happiness, insight and blessings into my life. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Anne McDonald

Hazel Heaven

2011-04-09T00:38:00.000-07:00

I am in heaven, I spend my days dressing up Hazel, doing photo shoots, cuddling her and hanging out with my sweet boys. Dreamy

The Baby Cave

2011-04-08T02:50:00.000-07:00

Two week Recovery Soap Box

Anyone who knows me well knows about my post baby recovery theories. My grandmother was a surgical nurse who worked in labor and delivery for many years. She was adamant about post baby recovery and made sure my sisters and I understood. She gave us insight that I’m very grateful for to this day. I can hear her voice now… “you can spend 2 weeks in bed and actually get better or you can spend 1 week in bed and not be 100% for six months”. I have followed her advise with each of my four babies and found that it is sage indeed. There’s no need to be a hero, you should focus on that little baby and getting the rest you need.

I don’t understand the “pioneer woman” or something I call the martyr mother. I mean really, a large percentage of those pioneer women just died in the process. The martyr mother is another perspective that is beyond me. The concept that only through total sacrifice of ones well being and happiness can you truly show your children and family how much you love them. You’re doing your children a disservice by living a life “for them” in a way that makes you miserable.

Of course I know you can swing too far to the other side very easily and live a life of total self indulgence. I guess it’s all about balance and I could go on for hours about my journey to find the balance. If there is any point I’m trying to make, it’s that if there is a time to really indulge yourself in nursing your wounds, it’s after a baby. The key to nursing those wounds is something I call the baby cave.

There are 10 elements to creating the perfect baby cave. tricks to making your recovery work, especially if you're like me and usually do 20 things at the same time. It can be hard to slow down and even harder to enjoy it. Here’s the list for the perfect baby cave. Start with your bedroom and add these 10 things.

1. Dark or blackout curtains. This is huge, you have to sleep when you can and a sunlight filled room can make this difficult.

2. White noise. Whether it’s a fan or white noise machine this can not only help you and the baby sleep better but it helps drown out the bustling noises of the rest of the house.

3. The perfect bassinet. One that goes beside your bed with a fold down side for easy baby access. The kind that anchor to your bed are the best. My favorite brand is arms reach.

4. Water, water and more water. I had two flats of large Costco bottled water under the bassinet. Nothing makes your mouth feel more like a dessert than nursing.

5.Staying in your PJ’s, the second you get dressed it’s game on. People see you as all better now and their expectations change.

6. Pillows galore, lot’s of clean linens, pj’s, baby clothes and blankets.

7. A TV & DVD player

8. bedside table for chapstick, pacifiers, prescriptions, lanolin, a digital clock within eye sight, pen & paper (to keep track of feedings and medication) a night light, remotes, snacks like apples and granola bars, changing pad, diapers & wipes.

(That's right Battle Star Galactica is the bomb!)

9. Entertainment. A large selection of movies, books, TV series on DVD, a cell phone and a laptop.

10. I also like to have some candy handy, to keep my little ones visiting my baby cave. If you’re extra lucky to have flowers and art from friends and family it's a huge plus.

***of course this only works if you have a helpful angel mother and mother in law and a dear sweet husband who can get some time of, Thank you Rory and moms***

For all my friends who are having babies or will at some point, good luck with your baby caves and if I see you out of bed before two weeks you’re toast!

P.S After your two week recovery lay low for another 4 to six weeks, your baby doesn’t need the germs and you need the time to adjust to the addition. Alright, I’m finally off my mommy soap box

Dad's 60th Surprise Birthday Vacation

2011-04-03T16:44:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at the cabin celebrating Dad's 60th!

We love you Dad

A little love affair

2011-03-22T02:34:00.000-07:00

I have really loved seeing Rory with his little daughter. My experience of having the three boys first was wonderful for me. Seeing your husband's face in your sweet baby boys is so touching. With three mini Rory's first I felt like I could fall in love with them a little bit like I fell in love with Rory. Now Rory finally gets to experience that while he falls head over heel for his little Hazel

Hazel's Birth Story Part 4

2011-03-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

Eye to eye

As with each of my babies the universe stopped. Our eyes met and I knew it would be alright. She looked at me with eyes that belonged to a baby owl. Eyes that seemed to say I’ll take you as you are. It was as if two best friends had finally been reunited after 31 years apart. My heart sang and I could see a lifetime of memories we would make together. It was then time for the nurse to take Hazel for testing and Rory looked at me with a question in mind. “Go with her” I said. Then I would know she was ok and I wouldn’t worry, she was with Rory.

Put together again

At this point the long process of putting me back together began. I felt like I was slipping into sleep, I had never felt so tired in all my life. As I slipped in and out of a sleep like state I could tell everyone was worried. I heard things like “she’s hemorrhaging” and “can’t stop the bleeding” and “blood transfusion”. The feeling in the room was escalating but I had never felt more peaceful, like I was floating away. Then they told me they were going to put some pills under my tough to help the clotting. The problem was, I couldn’t swallow. My mouth had been filling up with foam and my throat muscles didn’t work. I kept trying to swallow but all those muscles were numb and I was too tired to explain this. The rest of the operation was a strange blur. But apparently things worked out.

We’re all here

The next thing I remember is seeing my mom. I was so happy to see her there. At the time I couldn’t stop shaking and I could tell by the look on her face that I didn’t look well. I was told that Hazel was doing just fine and a wave of relief and happiness washed over me. We had made it! The nurses brought warm blankets to try and stop my shaking, but nothing seemed to work. At that moment Rory brought Hazel in and we finally got the time together that we deserved. I was in heaven and suddenly my shaking stopped. All I needed was my baby and it seemed that all was right with the world. I spent the next few hours getting to know my lady baby, starting to nurse her and slowly regaining use of my numb body.

Why the peace?

It was the scariest experience of my life. Why had Rory’s blessing given us such a sense of peace? I asked myself this question in the still quiet hours that first night. The answer hit me like a ton of bricks. It left me so grateful for how things worked out. I realized now how blessed we were for so many reasons. If I hadn’t had a sense of peace I would have just canceled the induction appointment and waited to go into labor naturally. In fact I should have gone into labor early. Finn was almost three weeks early, so one would expect Hazel to come early too. Had I canceled the induction or gone into labor on my own she wouldn’t have made it. I would have stayed at home as long as I could without realizing the distress she was in. If my water had broken on its own, the three minute clock would have started without me even knowing it. We would have shown up to the hospital, bags in hands, expectation in our eyes only to deliver a still born. As these realizations came to me a feeling of gratitude washed over me. The tears began to fall and I gave a long prayer of thanks. I am so grateful for a heavenly father who knows us and watches over us. I have been so blessed and I hope to show my gratitude by being the mother my sweet children deserve. Thank you to all of you who prayed for us, brought us dinner and took care of us. It’s been a long road to recovery but we’re on our way.

Hazel's Birth Story Part 3

2011-03-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

The Surgery

The (so you don’t see your organs on your lap and freak out) curtain went up. The doctor was asking for tools and suddenly I was in a Grays Anatomy episode. Orders were going back and forth and everyone was moving so quickly. It felt like a terrible out of body experience, feeling the tugging and pulling of my numb body as they worked. Then Karen the doctor asked for suction, only to find out that the suction machine didn’t work. She then started yelling for suction and you could feel a shift in the room. The machine was broken and it was a game changer. I’m guessing that they must have worked around not having suction because they stopped talking about it. That or maybe they felt they might have a law suit on their hands. Later after the surgery a nurse was messing with the suction machine and talking about why it might be broken. A few minutes passed and then we heard that the baby was out. I breathed a shallow breath of relief.

Is it really true?

I had to know for sure if it really was a girl. In my heart of hearts I didn’t let myself truly celebrate having a girl yet. I didn’t want to have the chance to be disappointed. Any child is such a blessing, and anyone who knows me knows how I have adored my all boy status. I couldn’t put all my expectation eggs in the girl basket until I knew for sure. So we asked the question and were reassured that yes it was a girl. That last bit of string gave way and my heart floated up like I balloon. I had a daughter, a mini me, a little Anne. Someone to pass all my oober woman characteristics onto. But then we didn’t hear it, the tale tell sign that the baby was ok; the cry.

She’s out & She’s out

It took a full three minutes and we held our breath the whole time. There we were all three of us in this bright operating room holding our breath. I now wonder if it had something to do with the suction machine not working. Then finally we heard the sound we had spent 9 months waiting for, our sweet babies cry. A tiny kitten-like cry. We then learned why they weren’t able to move the cord and perhaps why she was so small. The cord was triple wrapped around her neck and wrapped like a headband in the middle. Her first APGAR score was a 3 and before she was whisked off, I had the gift of meeting her.

Hazel's Birth Story Part 2

2011-03-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

Moving Forward

With the help of our doctor we decided to wait and see if I was able to deliver normally. We both remembered the blessing Rory had given me the night before and it gave us such a sense of peace. At this point they got everything ready for an emergency c-section just in case. Everyone including Rory was in scrubs and cap, I was prepped and everyone held their breath. With each contraction we would all watch the computer screen and pray that her heart rate would come up after the contraction. Her heart rate was supposed to be around 140 and it would drop to the 80’s. Each time we heard her little heart slow down I felt such a pain for all she was going through. Thankfully she managed to recover from an onslaught of strong every 2 min contractions for over 5 hours. As this was going on Karen would try to move the cord – a painful process that didn’t work each time she tried. We kept our fingers crossed and hoped things would work out. But then everything changed.

Panic

The baby’s heart rate dropped down into the 60s and didn’t come up….we all waited and waited for what felt like an eternity. Then I heard the doctor yell “it’s go time”. I had a nurse jump up on the hospital bed, straddle me and reach up trying to help keep the babies head from putting pressure on the cord. You can imagine the logistics of this process. So there I was being raced through the halls (on complete display might I add) while they raced me towards the operating room. Normally they would move a patient to a gurney for this transfer. But they didn’t have time, so I was raced through the halls in the large and clunky hospital bed. Banging walls all the way there. At one point the IV cords coming out of my hand were snagged on something and painfully almost ripped out. We entered the bright operating room and there were about 20 people who where all shouting back and forth. The panic struck me deeply. I suddenly realized how scary this really was. It was no longer a sure thing that my baby and I were going to be ok. My eyes met Rory’s and although he was trying to convey assurance we both were scared. A million thoughts went between us in that one second and that one look. The look that only a married couple who have spent countless nights sharing every secret can have. They moved me to the operating table; this is a frustrating process as you try to help them with your epidural numb legs and huge swollen pregnant body. After they moved me the nurse resumed her attempt to help the baby. The doctors asked her if she could find a heart beat and she paused while trying to find it. It took a minute but she finally found a weak heartbeat. The anesthesiologist (who will always be a man I love) then came into my view. I asked him if I had to be knocked out? This was a great fear of mine. I just didn’t want to fade to black with no knowledge of how my baby was doing. Luckily he was able to crank up the epidural so I remained awake. He later told me that if a regular delivery epidural was a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10, and a planned c-section epidural was a 4, an emergency c-section epidural was a 10. This was because they didn’t have time to do the pin prick “now can you feel this” testing. This extreme numbing seemed to creep up to my throat in a suffocating way. I could only take very shallow short breaths that barely filled my lungs. They gave me an oxygen mask but (in my mind) this just seemed to exacerbate the problem, making me feel more suffocated. I felt like someone was sitting on my chest. I started to panic: Panic that I couldn’t breathe, panic with the fear that the baby wouldn’t make it or she would be somehow damaged in the process, panic that I wouldn’t see my sweet boys again, panic as I thought of them growing up without a mom. I thought of my friend Catie Stubben and her three sweet children growing up without her. I yelled out with tears running down the sides of my face and into my ears. “I want my mom” and I did, I wanted to be a child again myself. A child safe and cared for in her mother’s arms. And then Rory was there, right by my face and I felt better. I hadn’t realized that the panic was making me hyperventilate and Rory was able to calm me down and steady my still shallow breathing.

Hazel's Birth Story Part 1

2011-03-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Back History

Due to large babies in the past and extremely long (over 60 hours) labors, we decided to induce. I was induced with Liam and it was a wonderful experience. 12 hours, two pushes and my pain level never got above a 4. I was partially induced with Dane. They put cervadil in to soften my cervix and accidentally broke my water in the process. This led to 24 hours of fast paced labor. 7 of which I did before the epidural, in addition to the 3 hours at the end that I did without the epidural since in fell out (or rather disconnected from the machine and was dripping the medicine onto the floor). With my last baby, Finn, I went into labor naturally a few weeks early. I labored at home for a day and a half with contractions between 5 to 10 minutes apart. The contractions were not spaced super close so I knew I wasn’t in full blown labor, but it was really exhausting. I then started really keeping track once the contractions got to 4 minutes apart. From that point on it was 36 more hours of labor. So between the 3 boys I feel like I have experienced every kind of labor and delivery, or so I thought.

3 Options

We got to the hospital at 8:30 am. We checked in, were given a room, a gown and an IV to get the pitocin going. This really got my labor going and things were progressing well. Rory and I killed time by reading, texting friends and family and talking about this little girl’s arrival. This time was interrupted by my doctors periodic check, to see how dilated I was. As time went by I was dilated to a 3,4,5,….a few more hours dilated to a 6 now, things were going smoothly. Except for one thing, the baby’s heart rate would really drop with each contraction. Then Karen (my doctor) checked me and said I was a 7, during this exam her eyes got big and she looked worried. She said something to the nurse and several people quickly came into the room. We were told that the cord was across the babies head and blocking the birth canal. The reason this is so dangerous is because as soon as your water breaks, the weight of the baby will be resting on the cord and cut off blood flow and oxygen to the baby. It is also dangerous because each contraction’s compression has a similar effect on the cord and to the baby. This explained why the baby’s heart rate would drop with every contraction. Karen wanted to get a second opinion and left the room for a few minutes. When she returned she told us that things were complicated and at a high risk point. The good news was that because I was doing well and the baby’s heart rate was recovering after the contractions, we had a few options. 1. Just go ahead and have a c-section now. 2. Keep laboring and once I was more dilated try to manually move the cord out of the way and deliver normally. 3. If my water stayed in tact it would help keep pressure off the cord and if I could push her out with the water unbroken in under 3 minutes she would be ok even with the cord in the way. With both regular deliveries though we would need to be on call for a c-section at any moment in case the “variables changed”. So Rory and I had a decision to make.

Vote for your favorite Blessing Gown

2011-03-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to pick a blessing gown for Hazel. So please give me your vote.

Choice #1

Choice # 2

Three big Blessings and lot's of changes

2011-02-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

Our life has changed more in the last few weeks than it has in years. The most exciting change in out little Hazel, the second big and also exciting change is Rory getting his Dream job. We're heading to Austin this July, Were Rory will teach at UT Austin. This school was in our top two pick of locations we wanted to go and we feel so blessed at the chance to go there. The school has been wonderful to us and even sent flowers after Hazel was born. It's so nice to see your husband so happy and appreciated by people he respects so much. Another big and exciting blessing is our dream car. Rory and I have shared a car since we've been married. This car is now too small to hold out big family so we're delighted to have the new one. It is nicer than any car I have ever had and I could practically live in it. No really, it has a built in cooler and everything. I went back and forth on the mini van vs SUV issue and loosing my "cool" factor. But in the end you just can't beat the mom friendly features that make everyday life so much easier. Plus the shinny black color makes it so much cooler.

So it is with much gratitude that we celebrate these changes!

Baby Hazel Darling

University of Texas Austin

Honda Odyssey Touring

Introducing Baby Hazel Rory Alme McDonald

2011-02-24T14:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the family gifts from Hazel to the boys and from the boys to Hazel.

Thank you friends and family for all the beautiful flowers

My mom has been helping us so much, thank you mom you are a life saver and so much fun to have around.

I grew up in french braids. Having my mom around gave me the opportunity to re-live my childhood hairstyle. There is nothing more soothing than having your mom do your hair. Thanks mom, love you

Baby Hazel Rory (for her dad) Alme (the initials of me and my sisters, Anne, Laura, Mary & Emily) arrived Feb 11th and weighed in at 6 lbs 11 oz and she was 20 inches long. She is a darling easy, sleepy little baby and we are overjoyed to have her in our family. Traumatic birth story soon to follow.

Maturnity Photo Shoot - Hazel

2011-02-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

Hazel's Royal Ball Baby Shower

2011-02-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time in a far away land, lived a lovely queen. This queen was lovely because she was happy. She had married her prince charming in the Temple and he treated her with kindness everyday. This king and queen had been blessed with three darling little princes. The princes made their parents hearts sing with their energy, curiosity and sweetness. There was only one thing missing from this royal family. The king and queen and the three little princes very much wanted to have a little princess join their family. So you can imagine how happy they were when the queen told them she was expecting a baby girl. The queen was over the moon with joy. She jumped on her horse and road from castle to castle telling all of her friends the joy she felt.

Soon after making the announcement the queen was home at the palace, resting her swollen feet when she suddenly heard the trumpet sound that announced a royal currier. The queen ran down to receive the message. As she opened the envelope her eyes were greeted by a gilded gold invitation with a large pink silk bow. Written in calligraphy was the invitation of the year. It was a royal ball to be held in honor of the arrival of the new princess. The queen was in a tizzy thinking of what to wear. Finally with the help of some of her helpful ladies in waiting she found the perfect outfit and counted down the day to the ball.

The night finally came and the queen rode a carriage over to the castle Hutchings. She was greeted by the butler and led into the main room.

Everywhere the queen’s eye looked she saw beauty. The flowers were fit for the finest wedding. Everywhere were beautiful arrangements of the perfect ballet pink peonies and garden roses. There was a royal throne of the finest quality and a four tier pink cake sparkling with gold dust and sweet flowers. There seemed to be finishing touches everywhere. Each lovely detail made the queen feel loved.

Then suddenly the royal court of hosts came into the room. There she was surrounded Duchess Mary, Dame Angie, The Benevolent Ana, Countess Andy, Baroness Emily and Lady Kati. The coronation began and they all bowed to the queen as they placed the crown on her head. The ball was ready to begin.

One after another ladies from all other the land came to welcome the little princess. They were each formally announced with their name and title.

Each Lady of the land brought a thoughtful gift for the little princess. Many of the thoughtful guests contributed to a lovely carriage (carseat) for the princess to ride in.

The guest were greeted by dashing young men in tuxedos, top hats and pink bow ties, floating through the crowd while carrying gold trays of the most delicious food anyone had ever tasted.

Champagne flutes filled with sparkling cider and pink pomegranate jewels were placed in every hand. Advice dance cards were tied on every wrist. And the senses where tickled by the taste of the incredible cake and the sound of the traveling minstrel’s solo performance.

The queen was given an original work of art from one her talented ladies, it was of great artistic beauty and adored by the queen.

The queen was overjoyed, she felt so ready for the arrival of her sweet baby and so loved by such incredible women. As the ladies kissed the queens cheek goodbye they gave their good wishes and ended the night. It was a night and a ball to remember.

Thank you Cassie for such great photo's, You're the best!

Cassie's Miss America Party

2011-02-23T01:12:00.000-08:00

Cassie A. has a fabulous miss America party every year to celebrate all the spectacle, glamor and outrageous-ness the the beauty pageant......I mean scholarship fund has to offer. This year was a total blast! With fabulous food, sash making and a talent show (I did a native American rain dance to "make baby come) and many other festivities. So much fun. Cassie how am I going to live without you and your party skills.

Our talent portion, rain dance

The Allred sisters who hailed from the state "yearning for Zions Ranch" did a choreographed mime light show that was amazing

Our Miss America Winner Ana H.

Finn 3rd Liam 5th & Dane 7th Birthdays

2011-02-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

Finn's Third Birthday

Liam's 5th Birthday & Dane's 7th Birthday

Rory 32nd and Anne's 31st Birthdays

2011-02-22T19:14:00.000-08:00

Thank you Mike and Mary for a wonderful Birthday Dinner party. You make us feel so loved.

This Years Christmas Parties

2011-02-22T17:57:00.000-08:00

The Deans Annual Nativity Party

The 16th Annual McDonald Christmas Party

Tom's beloved white elephant gift

Yo Yo magic to stun the masses

The infamous eggnog off

This years winner for the best cheesy Christmas sweater Amy Bankhead

Liam's Preschool Christmas Party

Liam's cute little present that he made us

Christmas Cards 2010

2011-02-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

As you can tell I really love Christmas cards. This years crop of Christmas cards was outstanding. I am always amazed by the beauty and creativity of our friends and family. I love getting them as much as I love sending them. They really are the only "Real" mail you get anymore. So as I take them down it is with a bit of sadness not to see all your smiling faces during my day. Till next year

Christmas Morning

2011-01-10T17:19:00.000-08:00

Let the countdown begin, my mother was kind enough to let us use my childhood advent calendar this year. The boys loved it, it also worked so much better than the candy ones that they just steal and eat in a day.

Finn's Santa gift "a castle and a good guy knight and a bad guy knight and a princess and a dragon"

Liam's Santa gift. He had been eyeing this for months and was so happy when he got it that we couldn't tare him away to open other presents.

Dane's Santa gift. He wanted a real magic set this year.

Little boy Rory

The anticipation was killing them!

Another successful year full of magic, happiness, giving and joy.

This Years Calendar

2011-01-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

Rory and I have done a Christmas calendar every year since we have been dating. Although we have long since moved to Google calendars for practicalities sake I still make one every year. Here's this years.

January

(you have to be as cool as Dane to pull off the pink)

February

(I always do Feb just Rory and I since it's Valentines month)

March

(One of my all time favorite pictures of my photo shoot loving boys)

April

(Easter at the Provost egg hunt, so magical)

May

(Recognize this? It's our Christmas card photo)

June

(I almost used this as our Christmas card photo this year)

July

(Rory's favorite facial expression for photos)

August

(first day of school)

September

(Family vacation at the Hurst's Castle Beach)

October

(Another "concept" Halloween for the McDonald Family)

November

(Picking out a Christmas tree)

December

(I love this shot Thanks to Cassie Allred a great photographer)

I hope all our friends and family have a great 2011,

Happy New Year!

Close your eyes Finn

2010-12-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

This is what Finn does when you ask him to close his eyes. It's as if one ray of sunshine could burn his corneas. Love it!

Madsen cargo bike

2010-11-23T02:07:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I'm in love with these...... and sometimes I think it's like duct tapping a Rubbermaid container to a bike.

My favorite Children's books

2010-11-15T17:18:00.000-08:00

My mother has instilled in me a serious love for children's books. She herself has quite an amazing collection. One that I have been trying to mimic since collage. I am always on the hunt for children's books that inspire. I have found that the best test for a book is reading it to children.

Over the years I have don't a lot of volunteer work with children. Working with the church nursery 3 times in the last 8 years (for anywhere from 6 months to 18), working at Stanford's book fair and volunteering in my sons preschool, kindergarten and first grade classes. During these times I would bring in a stack of 5-10 books from home and read to the children. It kept the books exciting and fresh and I got a chance to really use my collection. I loved "testing" books out to see which ones were the children's favorite. The same books were always requested again and again by all the different age groups. and here is the list.

This book is a serious crowd pleaser and speaks to children's experiences. I remember reading somewhere that the negative answers children get in a day numbers in the hundreds (things like "don't touch that" and "not now") while the positive are in the 20s. The author originally wrote this book when he was a child. When reading it I give very forceful reprimands to David and the children just go crazy.

This books has three short stories about scary things under beds, in attics and in closets. I think there tends to be an almost morbid fascination with all things scary at a young age. When you think about so many of the original children's stories such as the brothers Grimm, they really are quite terrifying. I sometimes wonder if we have done our children a disservice by making everything sunshine and rainbows.

This book is delightful. It's the story of a little pea who is forced to eat the ever dreaded candy for dinner before he can have spinach for dessert. There is a part in the book where the little pea is trying to choke down his candy and says things like "yuck" and "blah". I once saw a friend Anne K. read this and make very exaggerated faces and sounds of being grossed out as the pea ate his candy. It was hilarious and now I read it as she did.

This was a random book I found at a grocery store of all places. It is written quite well and has a good rhythm to it. The part that my children love is a part that talks about babies being kissed by their loved ones. At this part I always kiss my boys as it names the places. Things like "the tops of their heads, their tummy, nose and toes....". They just love this part and I sometimes think they bring me this book when they need a few more kisses than I realized.

This book is wonderful for groups of young children. It has a puppet mouth that you fit your hand into and move to make the animals "read" their parts with. It goes through all the different farm animals and has a little rhyme for each sound that they make. When I read this I have the puppet hand bite or nibble on each childs fingers as the animals say their sound. Such as Cluck (nibble on an excited child's fingers) cluck (do the same thing with the next child). It's pretty fun to read and lends itself to different voices/accents for each animal and a sing song voice.

Cassie Anderson introduced me to this book and I just fell in love. It has the most amazing rhyme and rhythm as you ready it. It's about a family with seven children who all only eat one thing and how they find a solution. Quite wonderful.

I must say that I am bias to this book because of the illustrations. I love the colors so much in this book. I also have a soft spot for any book about sailing because Rory grew up sailing and his father is a wonder at the sport. This book also has a good message.

One of Rory's aunts who we just adore told me about this book and I double dare you to get through it with out crying.

If I had to pick one all time favorite children's book it would be the original peter pan. It is written in a way that every sentence stirs the soul and inspires imagination. It's as enjoyable for adults as it is children. It's not a one time read, considering it's 176 pages. But it is the perfect book to read a few pages from every night over the summer or holidays.

***Now I would love love love it if you would share your treasures with me. Please tell me some of your favorite picks***

Murder Mystery Dinner

2010-11-07T20:03:00.000-08:00

On last Monday we went to the most fabulous murder mystery dinner. Katieanne had it written just for our group. A women in Palo Alto will write you your own special mystery according to the number of guests you have.

We got four cards of information throughout the dinner. I was a snobby magazine publisher and Rory was a booze hound butler. It was a blast. Loved it. IN the end, the ever so angry Lucille (played by host Andy) had killed Hannah to hide her trail of murders.

Finn's Foot

2010-11-07T00:54:00.000-07:00

Last night Finn was coughing and coughing

then he started crying and crying

I go into his room and ask him "what's wrong?"

he says "I want something"

I say "Ok what?"

He just keeps crying and then says "I want my foot"

I take his hand and show him where his foot is, he says "thanks" and goes straight to sleep

Problem solved

My Dad the Sensei

2010-10-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Soooo pretty much my dad is amazing and super hard core. He's the second one in from the left on the top row. Now you see why boyfriends were a little scared of him. Love you dad.

Anne and Dane's trip to Florida

2010-10-19T12:14:00.001-07:00

Although we got off to a rocky start (Dane started throwing up on the gangway and we were kindly "removed" from the flight) it was a fabulous adventure. After missing out flight we were stuck at the airport with Rory back in palo alto and a flight booked for 6:00am the next morning. I called my mom crying feeling like our hopes were dashed and Dane was so disappointed. It was already just a quick weekend trip so having a whole day cut off the adventure was a huge disappointment. My mom and Dad saved the day when they said "let the adventure start now, we'll put you up in a fabulous downtown hotel and you can spend the day eating room service, watching pay per view, and jumping on the bed". This cured everything.

Dane Being pampered before I even got out of bed

Mom, Dane and I at the old Carrolwood park of my childhood

Helping Lauren bustle her dress, one of my favorite moments. She looked so beautiful

Some wedding antics

Dad, Mom, Dane and I went on the ever famous Clearwater pirate ship!

Mom and Dad's Titanic moment

Post corner pizza....soooooooooo Good!

Dad letting Dane drive, the hair gives an accurate depiction of the speed they were going

The roses waiting for me in the guest room, thanks mom and dad you always make me feel so loved. We had the time of our lives!

Thanks to Jan and JP who flew out to take care of Liam and Finn while I was gone and Rory was working. They boys had so much fun and I'm glad we got to spend some time with you when we got back.

Mary's Birthday Brunch

2010-10-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

My very first Girly outfit!

2010-09-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

I went through all the baby stuff and found that I have one white blanket that will work. It's a little crazy that I can have crates and crates of baby supplies and now I'm starting from scratch. A little crazy and a little fantastic. I also realized after talking with my sister Mary, that I need to figure out my baby girl style. I have quite a few well dressed baby girl icons to look to such as Rowan, Eva & Jane among others. So now I'm wondering what is my baby girl style? Am I crew cuts preppy, fancy Nancy frilly, tootoos and rain boots, florals and classics, there is a whole new world out there to discover. But for now I'm starting with a dress, a soft pretty gorgeous pink dress.

We're having a .......

2010-09-24T13:42:00.000-07:00

Dane's power play

2010-08-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

Dane got in trouble at school today. Not such a good idea at the beginning of the year when the teacher is sizing up each kid and possibly labeling them. The children were given the assignment of writing down something they were worried about. Dane told his teacher that he wasn't worried about anything. To this she responded that he could write something that he was only a little worried about. At this point the power struggle ensued. He started saying no to everything she was asking/telling him and she told him he would have to sit out during recess. Something in his mind that is tantamount to death. The "no" struggle continued until she told him that he would have to go talk to the principle. When he said no to this idea also, she said that he could call him instead. The principle and Dane made a deal over the phone that he could go to recess if he would do what the teacher asked and have a better attitude. So after this he finally sat down and wrote what he was worried about. Which was...... "that I have a mean teacher".

It's been Hot Hot Hot!

2010-08-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a dip in the pool on a hot day.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2010-08-14T14:02:00.001-07:00

She would always be described as Skinny

but when it came to her intellect she was anything but mini

At 19 her memory was completely lost

thoughts of her childhood had gotten criss-crossed

She then met the man who would always love her

together they build a life, that anyone would prefer

With her you'll be what you were meant to become

from people to plants she has a green thumb

While homeschooling 6 children, she must have had resilience

but really it was her charm, her work, and her brilliance

She has always said that she had great taste

but the test of time has proved her case

Though your kids weren't the first to endorse

your love has proven us wrong for your horse

Grandmother of ten and one third
Comparing your mom skills would be absurd

Her kitchen renovations are going just fine

when she's all done it will be divine

You have a great figure this much is true

Your health is something you'll always pursue

Through thick and thin you'll always come out on top

trying to help and fix and listen you'll never stop

this year has been hard but you're solid as a rock

You play, you read, you love and you lead.
another year for you to succeed.
Happy, happy birthday our favorite mother indeed.

Summer Fun 2010

2010-08-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

Eclipse Movie Premier (more about that night found here)

Rory and me after a long day in the sun

Matthew Fredrick's to die for smile

Jane Esther's Birthday at the Beach

Finn's post boating sun kissed funny face

Lego Land Adventures

Disney Land

8 Year Anniversary

Beach Day at Hurst Castle

8th Wedding Anniversary

2010-08-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

Rory McDonald you are so much more than I could ever ask for. These last 8 years has been insanely fun, exciting, romantic and crazy. I can't believe we have 3 and a half children and are finally finishing up school. Rory it's all the small things that you do that make me feel so loved by you. It's the way you comfort our children when they are hurt. It's the way you always have me in mind when making plans. It's the way you look at me when we're in a crowded place and it's the way you always have made me feel so loved cared for, understood and appreciated. I could not have asked for a better husband and father. Thank you for 8 great years and I'm looking forward to an eternity together. I love you

This is my favorite picture from that day. Every time I look at it I feel an overwhelming sense that Rory is as happy to be with me as I am with him.

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These pictures were taken by our family friend Ken, who attended our second reception at my parents house. Thanks you Ken

Cute, old baby pictures

2010-07-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

29 days of morning sickness left

2010-07-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

I feel like I'm on one of theses and I can't get off.

Baby Fourth!

2010-07-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Pregnant with Dane

Pregnant with Liam

Pregnant with Finn

We are proud to announce the upcoming arrival of baby McDonald #4 in early Feb. I wont quite make my goal of 4 by 30 but pretty close. I'm not very far along but I tell early for two reasons. 1. I want my friends and family to share in my joy and if it were to come to it, my sadness. 2. I need people to know so I have an excuse for wearing the same outfit for three days in a row, for having vomit in my hair and my general lack of involvement, punctuality, a clean house, cared for children, nice appearance and nice personality. I'm pretty sick as usual but I'll be better in 44 days so I'll see you then. Of course we are just assuming we'll have a boy.

Eva's BirthdayTea Party of The Season

2010-06-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

So I don't have a daughter and all who know me know that I am very Girly. When Liam got the invite to Eva's Birthday tea party (as one of the only boys) I was thrilled with the chance to dress him up. I may have gone a little crazy, but we had a blast!

Happy Father's Day!!!

2010-06-19T21:56:00.001-07:00

Rory,

You make my heart sing when I see you with our three darling boys. The excitement in their eyes every time you come home is incredible! They wait all day to spend that time with you and it always seems to be their favorite time of the day. I just can't believe that Dane was the second baby you ever held. You are such a natural father. The support, kindness, guidance, example and fun that you offer our boys is more than I could have ever hoped for. The careful thought that you put into everything you do with them just amazes me. People often think it must be so hard on you when I go out of town but I always explain how you live for those weekends. You should probably be the stay at home parent. Luckily with your job, we can't keep co-parenting. You continue to amaze me every day. You are such a wonderful father and the ultimate hero to your sons. I love you forever!

Jp,

It is no surprise seeing what a wonderful father Rory is when you know he comes from you. Your love of children and ability to entertain and teach them is remarkable. I'm so glad you have used these talents to teach in the school system and mentor so many of Rory's friends. The thoughtful postcards you send when on a trip are cherished. They help them know how much you love them and what a fun grandpa they have. The songs you wrote for them and performed on the accordion make me and the boys smile to no end. The books you wrote about all their favorite things in Florida are a nighttime classic. The creative effort to spend time with them from a long distance away amazes me. Whenever you are in town all the kids on the courtyard want to play with you over anyone else. Thank you for raising such a remarkable son and being such a kind and loving grandfather.

PGI (Dad),

Thank you for being such a wonderful father to me from the moment I was born and forever. You have always given me such sound advice and always supported my dreams. I feel like I could call you at any moment and say something like "Dad I want to go on an exhibition to Iceland and try to kill a penguin" and you would be all over it. You just have a way of making things happen, no matter what. Growing up I always felt so safe around you because I knew you would always protect me. It probably has something to do with your mad karate skills. So many of my self motivating mantras come from you. "Busy people get things done" "get your act together" and the ever famous "Gillrie's would never...." . You taught me to always put my best effort in no matter how small the task might seem. I'm also so grateful for the testimony that you have so freely shared throughout your life. I remember the time we were at the NADA conventions and you just worked your testimony of the gospel into a casual conversation. I could tell that you weren't just doing it for my benefit but that it was your normal way of sharing the gospel. Thank you for being such a great Dad to me and such a great grandfather to by children. I love you sooo much

Love,

Anne, Dane, Liam and Finn

Father's Day Gift Ideas

2010-06-19T20:49:00.001-07:00

Dad Will Really Like This

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Sunday is Father’s Day, and we dads will be overwhelmed with neckties and wrench sets. We will feign ecstasy, and our loved ones will pretend to believe our protestations of pleasure.
But for a really nifty Father’s Day gift, how about sponsoring a rat? Specifically, an African giant pouched rat, about 30 inches long including tail. These are he-man rats, the kind that send cats fleeing. What’s more, we’re not talking about just any giant rat, but an educated one with the rodent equivalent of a Ph.D.
A Dutch company, Apopo, has trained these giant rats, which have poor sight but excellent noses, to detect landmines in Africa. The rats are too light to set off the mines, but they can explore a suspected minefield and point with their noses to buried mines. After many months of training, a rat can clear as much land in 20 minutes as a human can in two days.
In addition to earning their stripes as mine detectors, the giant rats are also trained in health work: detecting cases of tuberculosis. Possible TB sufferers provide samples of sputum, which are then handed over to the rats to sniff out. This detection process turns out to be much faster than your typical microscope examination. A technician with a microscope in Tanzania can screen about 40 samples a day, while one giant rat can screen the same amount in seven minutes.
What man wouldn’t pass up a necktie for the chance to be associated with an educated, supermacho giant rat? For just $36, you can buy a year’s supply of bananas to feed one of these rats. Or, for a gift more on the risqué side, $100 will buy a “love nest” for a breeding pair of rats.
Both options are at www.globalgiving.com, a site that allows donors to browse aid projects around the world and make a donation on the spot.
Father’s Day tends to be less a celebration of fatherhood than a triumph of commercialism. The National Retail Federation projects that Americans will spend $9.8 billion on Father’s Day this year. To put that in perspective, that’s more than enough to assure a primary education for every child on the planet who is not getting one right now.
In fact, we could send every child to primary school and have enough left over to get each dad a (cheap) necktie. And if we skipped store-bought cards (almost $750 million annually) and offered handmade versions, the savings alone could make a vast difference to great programs that help young American men escape poverty.
Think of the National Fatherhood Initiative, www.fatherhood.org, which works to support dads and keep them engaged in their children’s lives. There’s some evidence that absent fathers create a vicious cycle: boys grow up without positive male role models, get into trouble and then become absentee fathers themselves.
Another group is the Black Star Project, www.blackstarproject.org, which seeks to get families in low-income communities more involved in the educational lives of kids. Or there’s World of Money, www.worldofmoney.org, which coaches kids in poor communities on financial literacy and business skills.
For gadget lovers, how about a donation in dad’s name to the National Urban Technology Center, www.urbantech.org, which helps low-income youths gain computer skills?
Or for those into automotive accessories or tools and appliances (almost $1 billion a year, by the way), why not rev up instead a motorcycle used to bring medical care to people in remote areas? An aid group called Riders for Health, www.riders.org, provides motorcycles and cars to health workers in Africa, along with rigorous training on maintenance and repair. Health workers end up reaching roughly five times as many patients as they would on foot.
And if you give dad a stake in a motorcycle at a clinic in Zambia, you can be pretty sure he won’t crash it.
Wouldn’t most dads feel more honored by a donation to any of these organizations than by a donation to commercialism?
I think so. My hunch is that family members, manipulated by commercial messages, think that they aren’t showing dad enough love if they don’t buy him something expensive. But give us some credit! The friend who suggested this column, Sam Howe Verhovek, noted the huge sums spent on cuff links and Best Buy gift cards and said: “I don’t know about you, but I don’t really need any of the above. A handwritten, ‘Thanks, Dad!’ note from my kids would mean more than anything Hallmark’s poets could come up with.”
That’s the truth. But if you must pull out the credit card, this is my sincere advice: It’s a rare dad who would choose a store-bought card over a homemade card; or for that matter, a necktie over a gigantic, bomb-sniffing rat.

Soooo Happy Father's Day Rory, Dad and Jp. You are now the proud owners of a supermacho giant rat. I know you have dreamt about this moment all your lives, so there you go. We love you.

Tons of love and respect for the fathers you are,

Anne, Dane, Liam and Finn

Winter Fun!

2010-06-13T23:38:00.000-07:00

Miss America Party

Cassie's famous Miss America Party, a fabulous night not to be missed!

A mother daughter song for the talent portion

Cassie sang the song "Sisters, Sisters" with a look alike puppet, The picture does not do the hilarity of the talent justice.

Some Tap from miss Texas

A portrait form Lorien

Mad Men Birthday Party!

The boys even humored us with some V8 drinks

Cirque-De-Soleil

We surprised Ana for her 30th birthday with this, thanks Tom for putting it together.

Park Day Fun

Flower Shop Trip

Outdoor Movie Night at The Hutching's

2010-06-13T19:05:00.000-07:00

Andy and Jared set up a fun outdoor movie night, with a table of fun movie snacks and half their living room furniture moved outside. Thanks for such a great date night!

Maybe not Jared's best photo moment

Post Easter Post

2010-06-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

Probably the coolest girl in the world

2010-06-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

I found this girl through my friend Andy, She could possibly be the funniest person alive. After seeing these photos and reading some of her blog I just had to friend her on facebook. Yes I am the weird creepy person that friend ed someone I don't know. The funny thing is, when I told my fellow American doll loving sister Mary about these fantastic pictures she said "I know exactly who you are talking about, I found her blog and think she is hilarious". So two San Fransisco sisters give her the vote of hilarious approval!

For all my fellow Lost fans

2010-06-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

In the words of kyle the supper fan

"What made Lost a great show, is exactly what caused it to be a bad show."

You have to watch this video!