Jeremy and I took the family to Utah for a weeklong vacation with family. We started at the newly traditional meeting spot in St. George to watch Jed run the marathon and celebrate my 31st birthday.
Just like last year Ashlyn was homesick and really needed her rest. Luckily this year we had dad to 'watch' over her! I think she got upset because we said we were going to grandma's house which to us means Utah, but she literally wanted to go straight to grandma's house and had a fit about staying in the condo's. Plus Jeremy and I were so excited for the girls to show off their awseome swimming skills, but alas they have been spoiled and these pools were 'too cold'
Once again we had an amazing view from our condo. Too bad the second story was such a struggle for me being so pregnant...all those stairs!
On our last day there mom and dad came with us to Snow Canyon for a little hiking. We found a short one where we could see the names of pioneers who had written them on the rock with wagon axel grease. Its a good thing it was shosrt because we thought we were on the wrong trail once and turned back...plus my mom and i were slow since she was still recovering from kneew surgery and I was hugely pregnant.
On our way out we went to the cinder cones and got a few rocks for Ellia to take to show and tell at TK. We got two that were similar in size, one was pyroclastic rock and one was basalt. Jeremy taught us about how pyroclastic rocks got shot up and out and weigh much less than basalt which flowed out in lava.
We found the perfect Ashlyn size hole already dug out for us.
We went to dinner at Pat and Morris's afterward and stayed the night in Midway. Early the next morning Jeremy took the girls and went with my dad, Travis and Gunner into the Uintahs for a day of fishing.
It got pretty cold so they built a fire to warm up around.
The next day my mom and I took the girls to Gardener Village for the Halloween festivities. The witches were the same as last year just in different places and again, I was hugely pregnant so I wasn't as enthusiastic as last year, but this time Ellia was super excited to see them all. Since I wasn't really in the mood for shopping I decided we should use the time to ride the ponies. At first Ashlyn was brave and showed Ellia how to sit on the biggest pony, but by the time it was our turn and there was a smaller pony she wanted nothing to do with it. Ellia went alone and when she got back I decided to try one more time with Ashlyn so we didn't have to bother with a refund. She threw a fit again but this time she said it was because she wanted the OTHER horse. She eventually went and really liked it.
Coincidentallhy we saw Keysha there! It was a lot of fun catching up with her even if I was HUGELY pregnant! We also got some candy which I ended up sitting in once we were in the car. We stayed in Provo that night and took the girls to pumpkin land the next day in Vineyard.
Ashlyn is at that stage where she just loves having her picture taken...yeah right.
Ashlyn was a little more photogenic when we got to these cutouts...and Gage really enjoyed being in them.
We had some time to kill in Midway so we took a drive up Snake Creek to see some fall colors...not the best at this time but still the best we'd seen for a few years!
Back in Cali it was time for Jeremy's knee surgery.
We spent a very busy Saturday while Jeremy was recovering ( I think subconsciously I am really trying to have this baby). First we went to Dust Bowl Days, then Boo at the Zoo and finally the fall carnival at Ellia's school.
This is Boo at the Zoo. There were little carnival games set up everywhere that you could play for free, and we got to bears eat their lunch out of pumpkins...after a long wait in the sun.
We got up kindof early to make it to Dust Bowl Days. This is where the 'oakies' lived while they worked on farms during the great depression. It was its own little community with a 'hall' pictured below, and post office and other things. Our tour guide had actually grown up there and told us stories of what it was like. Behind Ellia is a stage, they held dances and church in this building amomg other things.
Inside the post office...our tour guide.
We rode a school bus up the road from the 'fair' part to the living area. The girls really wanted to wear the seat belts. It was their first time in a big yellow bus!
I was actually pretty surprised at how interested Ellia was in all the memorabilia. She especially like the 'house' car and the water pump.
This is also where Grapes of Wrath was filmed...here's a shot of the entrance they used.
and last but not least for the day was Olive Drive fall carnival.
Ellia was in sr our annual trip to Banducci pumpkin patch this year so I babysat for Kellie and DiAshlyn loved playing big sister...we-ll see how long that lasts in a few months. However, she did NOT love getting her picture taken.
Once again it bring on the smiles...this time we got some with Charley,
friends, Austin was alsos there but missed the picture.
Our first costume celebration was the Ward Trunk or Treat at the almond farms again this year. Ashlyn chose to be Tiana from Princess and the Frog and Ellia chose to be Belle.
On Monday October 29th I went to the Dr for a checkup. She explained to me that she didn't think I'd make it through the week but at 37.5 weeks pregnant ing miserable I wasn't very hopeful. Around 1:00 I was relaying this information to my mom and complaining that I hadn't even started having contractions. We talked for about half an hour and by the end of the conversation I said non-enthusiastically "oh, I think I felt one." Well, they kept coming and although they weren't painful they were regular. Around 4:00 I called Jeremy and suggested he come home. By the time we got things situated (picked up Ashlyn from preschool and got the kids to the Dibbles...AND borrowed their camera since we forgot ours) the contractions were very regular, somewhat painful and lasting longer than a minute every five minutes. We got to the hospital at 6:30 and there was no room, but not to worry, the contractions were mostly gone. They got me into a room anyway but didn't admit me. My Dr. came and I had to tell her how the contractions were now pretty much non-existant. She decided I should stay though...but still they didn't admit me. Around 9:00 I started having serious contractions again, but manageable as I referred to the nurse. 5 to 15 minutes later I was in MAJOR labor and ready for an epideral...fortunately they had started an IV but again, STILL not admitted. It took awhile to get the anesthesiologist in there and I got about 30 minutes of somewhat relief, but as I was waiting to be completely numb I started commenting to the nurse that it wasn't taking effect everywhere..I still had a pocket that was pretty painful. She said to give it time to set in and maybe rotate a bit. Well I started to get really uncomfortable and feelshe checked me and rushed to call the Dr. After my longest pushing of any kid (nearly an hour) Qunicy Jean Gillespie was born at 12:07 (but technically not named until later!) She weighed 7 lb 14 oz and was 19 inches long and though well, didn't cry some time. I was more exhausted after her than Ellia or Ashlyn, and my ac labors are cut in half each time. From 16 hours (total hospital time before birth) to 4 hours to 2 hours. YIKES for numer 4! Oh, and once I was cuddling her safely in my arms they admitted me to the hospital!
The girls meet Quincy. They were so excited and smiley!
They stayed at the hospital for several hours and Jeremy had to go with Quincy for some check ups because she had a small heart murmer. By the time he got back I was SO ready for another break!
Happy Halloween! I had to miss Ellia's school parade but Kellie did a good job getting Ellia ready and Jeremy made it there to take pictures.
I got home that afternoon and the Biglers came over to celebrate Halloween. The kids went trick or treating and I walked up and down the road as much as I could to enjoy them before going to relax at home. After trick or treating cookies and we all had dinner.
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