Phillips Family

Hayden Diving

2010-11-03T11:34:00.001-07:00

Hayden has been diving at Williams Field high school. He has done great all season and we went to his invitational on Saturday. He qualified for State... GO HAYDEN!

Dawson's Flag Football

2010-11-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

Dawson's been playing flag football with 3 of his friends from school. Here are some pictures. Dawson's the one on the ground in one of the pictures.

Jesse James and Kat Von D

2010-11-03T11:27:00.001-07:00

Dustin and I went to a Halloween party in Friday night dressed as Jesse James and Kat Von D. When we came out of our room Hayden was so shocked he looked like he saw a ghost. He couldn't believe how much Dustin looked like Jesse James.

Halloween Mercado

2010-11-03T11:21:00.001-07:00

Friday started the Halloween wirlwind. The kids had mercado at school and had to dress up for school.

While we were in Colorado...

2010-11-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

While we were in Colorado for Fall Break... our electricity went out. When we got home, before I even unlocked the front door, I could smell a dead body. We went inside and started trying to hunt down the smell. The kids came home and someone mentioned the freezer. We went in the garage and there was blood and fat all under the freezer. It was the worst smell ever. We waited until the next morning and had to clean it out and then take the freezer to the dump. It took a week for the smell to go away.

Putting up Halloween Decorations

2010-11-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of us putting up Halloween decorations.

San Diego - Sunday

2010-11-03T11:05:00.000-07:00

Our last day we went back to old town and walked around the Mercado. We also went to SeaPort Village and sat in the shade. California had a heat wave and I think it was warmer in San Diego than in AZ.

San Diego- Padres Game

2010-11-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

We also went to a Padres game while we were in San Diego.

San Diego- Teegan's 1st time at the beach

2010-11-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Teegan's first time at the beach. He liked the water even though it was cold and he had all the sand on his hands and got it in his mouth and all over.

San Diego- Mormon Batallion

2010-11-03T10:53:00.001-07:00

We also went to old town and ate an awesome mexican restaurant. We then walked to the Mormon batallion exhibit that was just recently redone. Here are some pictures of Teegan panning for gold and pumping water.

San Diego- BOARDWALK

2010-11-03T10:49:00.003-07:00

Teegan loved walking and running down the boardwalk. I took some of the cutest pictures of him when he found a rope he could swing on.

San Diego for my birthday-Joe's Crabshack

2010-11-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

We went to San Diego for my birthday. It was great! We stayed on the boardwalk and we had lots of fun. These pictures are from Joe's crabshack and the Catamaran.

more pics of teegan's birthday

2010-11-03T10:36:00.001-07:00

Teegan's Birthday party

2010-11-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

Argg! We were all pirates at Teegan's birthday party! We had treasure box favors, a treasure hunt to pinatas at the park and swimming with a pirate ship. We had lots of fun pirates come and have fun with us! Here are the pictures.

August 9th was Teegan's 1st Birthday!

2010-11-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

Teegy turned 1 on August 9th. We made him a cake to eat. He did not like it and ended up crying from the cake on his hands and the loud clapping.

Back to Utah- McKay Reunion

2010-10-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

We braved it and drove all the way back to Utah to go to the Mckay Family Reunion. I have fond memories growing up riding horses and playing in the barn at the Rock House. The Rock House has been in our family for generations and it is next to David O. Mckay's home. The reunion is in Hunstsville UT, a small town that is pretty much inhabited by family members. Chad(mom's cousin) and Wendy own the rock house now. They had 8 boys and 2 girls. They are a fun family and our kids made friends with their kids easily. The kids slept anywhere from balconies to lofts and us adults all had a nice room and beds to sleep in. Thanks to the Mckays and kids for letting us take over. When we got there, they were swimming and i had to show the kids the huge tree swing. Friday night is the bonfire with food and a short program. We played volleyball and the kids did the zipline. Falling asleep with the windows open was nice and I could hear Dawson and Brigham talking about their schools. On Saturday we got up for breakfast and fun at Quinn and Shirley's. We also did a scavenger hunt that lead around Huntsville to the Cemetary, Summer house, and the pasture. Each destination we learned more about our family history. This was great although we were in a hurry. We didn't win : ( After that we all went to get ready to go to Barry's property for lunch and the water slide. The kids had a lot of fun at the water slide even though the water is pretty cold when it comes out of those big irragation pipes. We had to start home about 4 and the kids did not want to leave. They were all begging to come back next year. I am glad that we decided to drive all the way back to Utah for that day and half experience.We only have a few pics from swimming but I don't have pics from when I was little and I will never forget it.

Colorado

2010-10-18T17:49:00.001-07:00

We do not have any pictures from Colorado. We got family pictures taken... they turned out so cute. The kids had fun hanging out and playing frisbee golf at the park. We also went swimming and played at the clubhouse.

Utah- Timpanogas Hike

2010-10-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

Dustin woke up early and took all the kids that wanted to go on the hike at Timpanogas mountain. There is a cave to go through with a tour guide and everything. I, being pregnant, opted to stay home.

Utah- Picnic

2010-10-18T17:26:00.000-07:00

We had a picnic at a cool camping ground at Mount Timpanogas (I think). The kids had fun exploring the woods and eating and talking.

Utah- Bowling

2010-10-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

The family also went bowling together while we were in Utah. It was great fun... Grandpa and Grandma rented out a bowling ally and we had a movie going while we bowled. We had pizza and drinks and the kids played more video games. The kids never want to leave each other. Stella was doting on Teegan the whole time we were there. I love the way she says his name.

more pics of boondocks

2010-10-18T17:12:00.001-07:00

Utah- Boondocks

2010-10-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

I have to break the Utah part of our trip up because there are a lot of pictures. The first full day we were there we went to a place called boondocks with cousins, which is similar to Fiddlesticks here. The kids did go-carts, bumper boats, lazer tag, video games and goofy golf. It was lots of fun. Thanks Grandpa and Grandma.

More pics of Lake Powell

2010-10-18T16:58:00.001-07:00

More pics of Lake Powell

2010-10-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

First part of vacation -Lake Powell

2010-10-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Our road-trip vacation started out with renting a house boat for 3 days on Lake Powell. It was rather interesting packing what a family of 10 needed for 3 days out on the water, getting it all onto the boat and all off. Quite an adventure... I think I will vote for San Diego next time. We docked the boat and also got a ski boat so the kids could ride tubes. Me and Maddy did funny tricks on the tube that we have on our video camera. The kids also played in the sand (which is super fine and soft). They made a castle with rivers and also a droopy tower. On the last day, we went cliff jumping. We are the little black dots in the picture. You had to walk up a 1 foot wide ledge that went up and dropped out below you. I swore it was going to break off when I was on it. The kids had fun and Dustin and I were ready to get off of the boat!

Fourth of July

2010-10-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

We went to the Diamondbacks game the weekend of 4th of July. They always do fireworks on Fridays. We had fun. Dad and Mom came and joined us from their seats and dad sat in the next section over (he was just across the isle from us) All be danged... his section won some Purex all in one washer and dryer sheets. My mom is very allergic so he pawned them off on us. It was fun and loud... Teegan's first fireworks!

Old stuff... Backyard party and Dad playing Kaplinko

2010-10-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

I watched Tara's kids for her anniversary and Teegan and I crashed a family birthday party at James' and Joleen's house. That same day, Tara decided we should go to the dbacks game because my dad was chosen to play a game like plinko to win a prize. Here are some pictures of both (Tara, I need to email you the pictures of your kids at the party)

We know the sex of our baby!

2010-10-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

For anyone who doens't know, we are having a baby due March 16th. I haven't blogged in a while but have lots to catch up on. We went for the ultrasound today. Mason, Hayden, Teegan, Dustin, Tara and Mom were there (and of course me). Here are some pictures! This is our last baby no matter what. I wanted a girl... lower right picture shows.......

ITS A BOY! Teegan is going to have a playmate!

Teegan learned how to clap

2010-06-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

It seems that Teegan is learning something new everyday. Yesterday he finally learned how to clap with his hands open. He is so cute! Here are 2 videos.

Video of Teegan walking- kind of : )

2010-06-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Teegan has a walking toy and I decided to show him how to walk with it. I showed him once and he caught on. I thought it was so cute that I had to take a video. It won't be long before he is walking without it.

Update: DUSTIN'S WEIGHT LOSS

2010-06-14T09:38:00.001-07:00

Dustin came home from golfing in Palm Springs yesterday and I could tell that he had lost weight. I asked him if he had weighed himself and he said he didn't have a scale. He got on the scale and in one week he has lost................. 8 lbs. GOOD JOB HONEY, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Mason started working!

2010-06-09T08:42:00.001-07:00

Mason started working this week at University of Phoenix. He is doing some data entry for the finance department. It is a great job for him because it is just during the summer and he can have time off during our vacation. People would always joke to me that our kids were destined to work at UOP...

Myah got rid of the training wheels!

2010-06-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

When Brady and Colby got bikes for their birthday, I had Dustin take Myah's training wheels off. She has been asking for a while but we never got around to it. Here are some pictures of her learning how to ride her bike with no training wheels.

Teegy in the bath!

2010-06-09T08:35:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of Teegy in the bath! Every child has to have a bath picture and I think he is so cute when he is all wet!

May 21st Brady and Colby turned 9!

2010-06-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

It has been a while but on May 21st Brady and Colby turned 9! We had to cancel their birthday party because Colby was sick but here are some pictures of their birthday breakfast and eating their cake instead of going to the b-day party. Grandma and Grandpa were here from Utah to be in on the fun. They got big bikes for their birthday and have been riding them almost everyday!

Visitors in Colorado!

2010-06-09T08:15:00.001-07:00

The week before Memorial Day, my parents and brother and I went up to Colorado. They are big fans of the DBacks and want to visit as many stadiums as they can. Us buying a place in Colorado gave them the perfect excuse to see the DBACKS play the Rockies. It was also Teegan's first baseball game. DBACKS lost but it was still fun. The stadium has awesome views of the skyline. The only down side was that on the way up there and when my parents and brother came back there were plane delays because of massive wind and tornado warnings. We got there finally at midnight and when they left, they had sat in the airport for half a day and finally got out on the last plane of the night. I hope that had fun and it was fun showing them our other place.

Dustin's on a diet!

2010-06-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Dustin started a 6 week diet on Monday June 7th! He wants to be in shape for our Lake Powell vacation! Here are some before pictures and we will see how he looks at the end of the 6 weeks.

Maddy and Dawson dive

2010-06-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Maddy and Dawson are on the Dive team this summer. They have been riding their bikes to Williams Field everyday at 630 am. They had their first dive meet on Saturday and they did awesome. They each got 3 dives. Maddy took 1st place in her age group and Dawson took 3rd place. Most of the parents can't believe this is their first time trying dive.

What our kids will do for a dollar...

2010-06-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

Our kids like to come up with creative ways to make money... not ways that are helpful but rather ways that will make me and Dustin laugh. This week, I dared Maddy to take a spicy hot cheeto and lick it and then stick it in her nose for one minute. She said "will you give me a dollar?" I bought the cheetos (I am addicted to) and in front of all the kids reminded her. Then, they wanted in on it. Hayden did it first and he said it burned and hurt worse once he took it out. Maddy did it and wanted to leave it in for an hour for 2 dollars. She lasted 10 minutes, she was trying to eat her grilled cheese. Mason did it, and I think Dawson. The little kids ate them but not for money. Here are some pics.

Brady, Colby and Myah's swim lessons

2010-06-09T07:46:00.001-07:00

Brady, Myah and Colby are doing swim lessons too. They are learning to do backstroke and freestyle and how to breath to the side. All three of them are doing very well. Here are some pictures from their first lesson.

Teegan's First swim and swim lessons

2010-06-09T07:35:00.001-07:00

The water finally got warm enough to take Teegan in the water on May 20th. We had to get him ready for his swim lessons. In swim lessons we have been working on blowing bubbles (more like me blowing bubbles and him licking the water). He can monkey climb on the wall great and he jumps in when I say 1,2,3! Here are some pictures.

Teeth

2010-05-14T16:52:00.001-07:00

Here is a picture of Maddy with her braces for those of you who have not seen her yet. It took me a while to get the shot, I know, but hope you like it.

Also, I noticed as of yesterday that Teegy has his 2 bottom teeth now. Staying true to Teegan style, he never even made a peep. This is the best picture I can get of his teeth so you will have to see it in person I guess.

Hayden's Backflip- and today.

2010-05-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

So here we are Saturday May 8th, 2010. Here is an update on what we have been doing... Mason mowed the lawn and will be making his first dollar from University of Phoenix in a few weeks. Hayden has been working on perfecting his backflip. The video says it all! Maddy has been cleaning her room all day and is still working on it. She wants to go to Joann's to buy material to sew all of her own dance clothes. Dawson won his game today- barely. It was a nail biter and Dawson was trying out some new acrobatic shots unsuccessfully! Brady and Colby cleaned out their closet and played BBall. They lost their game by a buzzer shot of a 3 foot blonde kid. Myah cleaned out her closet and played wii "littlest pet shops" until she dropped. Teegan napped all day pretty much but he is saying "all done" when I say it to him. Teegan is working on his game daily with Hayden and Dawson... I wonder who I can get to go pro. Grandma number 2 and Toby came by today and brought me a mother's day card. I went to see "Back-up plan" last night with my sisters and mom. It was really funny but most of our laughing was about a guy that insisted on sitting next me and was being obnoxious the whole movie. Dustin's been traveling and is back in town for the next 2 weeks. Interesting huh?

Dawson got his Arrow of Light

2010-05-06T13:05:00.000-07:00

Dawson got his arrow of light completed just before his birthday. He needed a lot of stuff done and worked for hours everyday right up to his birthday to get it completed. We love Dawson because he brings such a peace into our family. He did receive a really cool arrow that the leaders buy for everyone that finishes their arrow of light. Good job Daws! Here is a video and pic.

Maddy- before braces

2010-05-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, some of you that have seen Maddy know that got braces recently. I wanted to show a before and after. She had to wear an expander for 3 weeks to get her top teeth big enough so she didn't have a cross bite anymore. Here is the picture before she got her braces on and I will post a picture of her with her braces tomorrow.

Mason's first date- Mormon prom

2010-05-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

Mason went on his first date on April 24th. He went to the Mormon prom. Seminary puts it on because the real prom is for Juniors and Seniors and because as Mason says "People grind on each other." If you don't know what that means, ask Mason. Here are some pictures of him and his date and the group that he went with.

OUR GARDEN IS UP AND RUNNING

2010-05-05T11:30:00.001-07:00

I am now the ward canning specialist. I know you are probably thinking that is a little weird since I know nothing about it. I am excited for this calling though because with our big family, I want to be ready in case an emergency happens. I have been feeding our kids some food storage stuff taht we bought at Costco and some was good and some was disgusting. They all said they would eat it if they were starving though. Along with self-reliance and the Martha Stuart show that I watch everyday, I decided that I wanted to start a garden. I told Dustin I was going to buy a box and plant a garden 2 weeks ago and I was bent on doing it that Saturday. He just rolled his eyes and kept telling me it is harder than I thought and I can't buy a box online. When I woke up at 6 on Saturday and was ready to go... he said "Since I can tell you are not letting up on this garden idea, let me build the box custom so it can go where I want it to go." Later that day, him and Hayden were building away and then me and Maddy mixed soil. We ran out of time to plant the seeds so I had to do that on Monday. We kept having to leave to go to basketball games. Here are some pictures. PS. I am so excited that the Spinach, Tomatoes, and Basil are sprouting.

Teegan's First Haircut

2010-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

Teegan got his haircut last week. I could not stand it any longer and he kept itching his ears because it was growing over them. We saved some of his hair and here are some pictures of the event.

Mason made NHS

2010-05-05T11:23:00.001-07:00

Mason works very hard to keep his grades up to his father's high standards. He keeps straight A's and also juggles many extracurricular activities such as swim, tennis, student counsel and service clubs. He also recieved his Eagle Scout Award and has held many leadership positions in church. Because of this, Mason was selected to be part of National Honor Society. Here is a picture of his induction ceremony.

Tennis - Mason

2010-05-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

Some of you may not know, Mason tried out Tennis this year at Williams Field High School. He did well and ended up going to state after someone got hurt and the alternate got suspended. Here are some pictures.

Spring Basketball

2010-05-05T11:17:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Saturdays around here are quite busy. This spring, Hayden, Dawson, Brady and Colby have been playing basketball. Here are some pictures of Dawson, Brady and Colby playing.

Twins Pinewood derby

2010-03-03T17:55:00.001-08:00

Here are the pictures of the twins at their first Pinewood Derby. Colby got 2nd place but we are silently not in agreement : )

Teegan's 6 month photos

2010-03-03T11:10:00.001-08:00

If you would like to see Teegan's 6 mont pictures... go to the link below, click on portraits, then proofing and type in utahjazz as the password.

http://www.robkphoto.net/

Our 2nd Anniversary

2010-03-03T10:56:00.001-08:00

Our 2nd Anniversary was this last weekend and Dustin had to be in San Diego for work during the week so i flew up and met him and we stayed the weekend. There was a small interuption when Dustin had to fly back here Friday night for the twins' first pinewood derby and flew back Saturday midday. While he was gone, he treated me to a massage and facial. I love my husband so much because he is so thoughtful towards me and the kids. We took some pictures at the beach because the tide was so high because if the earthquake in Chile. We actually stayed at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, a PGA golf course (Dustin is in love). I have some pictures but they are not on the card so I have to figure out how to download them : ) and i have some of the pinewood derby taken from Dustin's phone.

more of Myah

2010-03-03T10:53:00.000-08:00

Our family would not be complete without our little Peanut!

Myah's birthday and Dr. Seuss Day

2010-03-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Myah's 7th birthday. She love Tinkerbell so that is all we saw. We had home-made pancakes (courtesy of Dustin), opened presents (I made her a tink pillowcase as she has been asking for, tink shirt, some dry erase markers and a tink backpack and purse) and took a picture for pajama/dr seuss day for Brady, Colby, and Myah. We love Myah because she brings such an unexpected element to our family. She would love to be an only child and loves to have all of the attention and talk about as much as she can with me or Dustin. She told me yesterday she loves dance and she smiled really big and the teacher told her "Good smiling." She is excited for her Bounce-u party on Friday.

Dawson playing basketball

2010-02-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of Dawson playing basketball.

Hayden Playing basketball

2010-02-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Hayden playing basketball today. The other one in the picture is Brett Butler. They have been having a pretty good season... I think 5-2. Next week is the last game but he is going to play in the Spring also and then no more wham. He is going to try out for the High school team next year.

Brady and Colby at Chinese Cultural Center

2010-02-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, we went to Chinese Cultural Center on a field trip before the Chinese New Year. Here are some pictures... We had a lot of fun. We went to the Market and bought seaweed to try. I remember having it when I was little and liked it. The boys did not like it but Myah did. I did not like it much as an adult : )

Mason driving

2010-02-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a video for all of you to see what I am going through with Mason's driving. He does pretty good but is a little slow and overcorrects. He needs more practice driving Goldie : ) This was him driving to get the kids from school yesterday.

Currently...

2010-02-15T20:08:00.001-08:00

Here is what we have going on currently... Dustin is traveling like a banchie, I am trying to keep up with Teegan and school, Mason just turned 16, got his permit and is learning how to drive because HE FINISHED HIS EAGLE, Hayden is playing basketball and getting signed up for High school and finishing last touches on his Eagle scout, Maddy is dancing and getting ready for junior high and became a Young Woman, Dawson is playing basketball and recieved his Arrow of Light, Colby and Brady are playing basketball and enjoying scouts, Myah is dancing, Teegan is scooching and almost crawling, getting his teeth. We are in the middle of buying a place in Colorado and should close on March 10th. I just bought a camera this weekend so updated pictures are coming soon!

more of what we haven't put on the blog yet

2010-02-15T20:04:00.001-08:00

Teegan's blessing in November Maddy's dance picture from last year

Myah at Halloween 2009

What we have been up to...

2010-02-15T20:00:00.001-08:00

Halloween 2009

Dawson playing football

Okay so our camera has been broken so here are some of what we have been up to...

Teegan's 6 month report

2010-02-07T18:38:00.001-08:00

Teegan is going to be 6 months old in 2 days. Time has flown and he has grown up so much. He is now sitting and can almost crawl. I have also started feeding him a little bit of baby food. Here are some pictures.

Why we haven't updated our blog...

2010-02-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Sorry to all people who care that we have not been updating our blog. Our camera has been dead and full of pictures that we couldn't download because we can't find the cord. We also have a full video camera that we don't have the correct software for so we couldn't get anything off of that either. All the things that we have been up to are soon to come....

Teegan's first snow

2010-02-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Today Dustin, Teegan and me woke up to our first snow in Colorado. We took some pictures of Teegan as the snow was falling. He kept looking at the snow flakes falling but we got some cute pictures.

Teegan Rolling Over

2010-01-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

On Sunday December 20th, we were all in the kitchen eating lunch and Teegan was laying on the floor. We looked over and someone said, "He's rolling over!" We all looked and sure enough he rolled over for the first time on his own. He hasn't stopped yet and I never realized how far a baby can go just by rolling. The next day we got him on video. He is growing up so fast! He is talking a lot... he is trying to crawl even though he doesn't quite balance on his hands yet so he just bounces his butt up and down. I have added rice to his milk so he is getting a little chunky compared to what he was. He still has a way to go but he is so happy. He loves his brothers and sisters playing with him. As I am typing this, he is playing in his bounce-a-bout and he just started bouncing on his feet for the first time. It is so fun to see him grow and discover new things. We love Teegan.

TWILIGHT FANS!

2009-10-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

NEW MOON will be opening in midnight November 19th. However, I have special tickets for a 7 oclock showing as a fundraiser for Mason's swimming team. The tickets are 20 dollars and it is at Chandler Harkins. Call me at 480-225-7576 or email me at swild4u@yahoo.com ASAP if you would like tickets! GO BLACKHAWKS!

Starting school

2009-10-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

I will be starting school again on Tuesday October 27th. I only have a few classes to finish my bachelors. Dustin really wants me to get it over with and so do I. I think I should plan a trip for myself as a motivation to get it done... yeah... that sounds good.

Question for the readers...

2009-10-20T14:39:00.001-07:00

I have a question for you all... any suggestions are welcome. Dustin's x-in-laws have been very rude and mean during the whole divorce. They have never apologized but as of late have just started being nice (more to me than Dustin but at least not rude to him at every chance they get). They keep saying they have a present for Teegan and Dustin says he is going to send it back to them. I kind of agree that they owe him an apology... should I accept the gift knowing that he is going to mail it back... should I tell them not to give me the gift... what do you think is best?

Dawson's first football game

2009-10-20T14:35:00.001-07:00

Dawson is playing football again. He loves to tackle people and "put the hurtin' on" among other funny phrases! He loves to come home from practice and tell us who he mutilated and how many scratches he gets on his helmet. The problem is that he keeps messing up players on his own team. Their first game was on Saturday and Dawson is playing defense. He did well and they one by 1 touchdown (I think). We had a heat spell and it was over 100 that day when it has been in the 70s and 80s. Teegan was not used to that and the other kids weren't having too much fun either. GOOD JOB DAWSON!

Teegan's 2 month dr apt

2009-10-20T14:29:00.001-07:00

So, Teegan is not happy today. He had to get his vaccinations and I can tell his little legs are hurting him. He has been sleeping and whimpering all day. I have some pictures that I will post later. He is so cute but I have a feeling it won't be a cute scene tonight. Also, Teegan has a problem with his neck muscles where he always wants to keep his head one way. Dr said it is not too bad because he doesn't have a mishapen head but told me if it doesn't get better with some exercises than he will have to go to physical therapy. He is only 10 lbs 10 oz so the dr wants him back for a weight check in 2 weeks. I guess I am supposed to feed him until he spits up because that was all he was doing when I fed him more. He also had a little problem with his little Teegan (if you know what I mean). Some skin had grown together and since I haven't seen too many infants wee wees, I didn't know. The doctor had to pull some skin apart... ouch! Well, we are going to Black Eyed pees and U2 tonight so good luck babysitter (mom)!

Sealing

2009-10-20T14:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you that don't know... Dustin, me and Teegan will be getting sealed on December 5th in the San Diego temple. It has been our goal since we started dating to get married in the temple so this is long awaited. We have learned that the Lord works on his own timetable and that sometimes papers getting lost by your stake president can be a blessing in disguise. : ) Anyone who read my previous post about our letters... we found out that normally these letters are not signed personally by the First Presidency but ours were. We feel so blessed to have Teegan and to have each other and that our 7 other kids will be there to witness this special day. They will be able to be there and if we would have been married in the temple before they would not have been able to. Anyone who wants to take a trip to San Diego is more than welcome.

Hayden had flu (swine?)

2009-10-20T14:19:00.001-07:00

Hayden is now back to his old self. For those of you that didn't hear, Hayden was down with a bad bought of the flu, possibly the swine flu. We took him to the hospital when he couldn't hold anything down and his fever was over 105. After they gave him fluids and some other fun stuff... his fever was back down to 99. They checked him for the swine flu which did not look fun (they stick a metal stick with cotton on the end up your nose to a very uncomfortable spot and leave it for 2 minutes. They said it was negative but they think the results are not accurate since he was showing all the signs. We stuck him in Myah's room and he pretty much didn't see anyone for a few days. Luckily the kids were on fall break so he only missed 2 days of school. We are glad he is healthy and I think he is glad he can play with Teegan again. I will have to load the video of "Hayden's role over training". He holds Teegan's pacifier in front of him to try to get him to role over... it's pretty funny.

Teegan's baby blessing

2009-10-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Teegan is being blessed this Sunday October 25th at 10 am and our building is between Warner and Ray on Recker. All are invited to attend as well as a luncheon following at our home.

Teegan updates...

2009-09-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Teegan has been growing by leaps and bounds. He is very curious and has had a lot of firsts lately so I want to write them down before I forget. Two Thursdays ago (Sept. 17th) we were in Utah at Dustin's parents house and he laughed for the first time. He has been smiling for a while and he is a very happy baby but laughed for the first time when Larry, Shari and I were laughing. Yesterday, he got in trouble for the first time... after much staring and plotting he figured out how to get his thumb in his mouth. We are in for trouble because now he keeps pushing his binky out to put his thumb in. The funny part is that he hasn't figured out that he has to wrap his other fingers into a fist so he pokes himself in the eye while sucking on his thumb. He can do it with the left hand easily but he keeps staring at the right hand but it just doesn't want to work. I think he is going to be left handed. Also, I was holding him yesterday while talking to Hayden and every time I looked at hayden and not Teegan, he would laugh to get to me to look at him. It was so cute, he did it about 10 times. Other things to know about Teegan... he loves the shower, loves the car, he is now out of newborn diapers, he has a mullet, he is too long for most of his 3 month clothes, he slept 7 hours the other night and sleeps through nights pretty good, and he is growing fast and learning every day. He is 7 weeks and 2 days and we have had so much fun having him in our family so far.

Today

2009-09-15T13:48:00.000-07:00

Today, Hayden is sick... he threw up and has a sore throat and headache. He was on the couch groaning when I woke up this morning. We went to the doctor and he said it is probably viral. I reall yhope Teegan and I don't get sick because we are flying to Utah on Thursday so he can meet his other grandparents for the first time. Dustin is in Vegas right now for work so I have the kids. Hayden's b-ball team has lost all of its games so far but 2 out of the 3 were by 2 points or less. Mason is doing good in swimming... and improving. I got my wedding ring sized so I can wear it again... : ) I killed a scorpion last night when I got up to go to the bathroom... surprised it didn't sting me and Dawson killed one in the pantry yesterday. Teegan was 9 lbs 7 oz at the doctor and the dr said that he may have a little reflux so I should feed him more often but less... I feel like I am feeding him all the time... Maddy and Myah are dancing away and we are trying to decide if we should let Maddy do a solo. She needs to show us a little more responsibility with school work. Twins are just hanging out doing homework most of the time and Dawson is going to be starting football anytime. We will keep you all posted on more to come...

News we have been waiting for...

2009-09-15T13:13:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, Dustin told me to come in our room... I put him off for a second because I had to put a cup under the skillet so the bacon grease didn't get on the counter. When I came in the room he handed me a letter. I noticed his eyes were a little red. I saw the letter was from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and he had one that was open. I knew why he was crying. I opened it and it said that my cancellation from Eric was affective the date of the letter and we needed to get living ordinance recommends so that we can go to the temple and be sealed. It was hand signed by the first presidency of the church. I kinda skimmed through it and pretended to read but I already knew what it said because Dustin was full on crying by this point. I teared up but I guess I wasn't that emotional because it wasn't too much of a surprise. I have been ready for this since December of last year when we started everything (no, I am not bitter, well, not that bitter). We wanted to get sealed in San Diego on vacation but figured out that wasn't going to happen. I just saw the Snowflake temple on Melody's blog... sounds fun... who knows. We will have Teegan sealed to us on that same day. With Teegan being born and other things going on around me, I reflected on my testimony the other day. We have this family in our ward where the mom was baptized years ago from the catholic church and the whole family comes but the dad has never "bit the bullet" and "taken the plunge" of baptism. He is actually my photographer... anyways. On fast Sunday they announced that he was going to be confirmed and there was a gasp (Dustin told me). He hadn't told anyone including his kids or wife. Only the bishop and the friend baptising him knew that he was getting baptised but he told his wife to show up for an interview and she had the best surprise of her life. He said that he wanted to baptize their oldest daughter and that is what made him finally do it. Missy said that it reminded her of my own family. I just thought that it is so simple to be a kid because you don't know what you don't know. When you are an adult you are aware when you don't know something. When you are made aware or giving experiences that prove the church is true... how amazing... then as easy as that you can let something so small make you forget. As adults, we think we know more but really we realize that we know less and faith comes into play. Our stake president always says that he doesn't know everything about the church and nobody ever will because it is our Father that is leading it, not us. You just have to have faith in the things that you know you don't know and take pride in what you do know though experiences and hold onto that...

Scorpions

2009-09-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we have a scorpion problem. We have seen them for months and got sprayed for them but I finally got stung the week that we brought Teegan home and Mason got stung the other night when we were at the Poison/Def Leppard concert. It stinks... your foot burns and then tingles like it is asleep for 2 days. I live my life now looking for scorpions before I walk around.

Mason's swim meet

2009-09-02T17:08:00.001-07:00

Mason had his first swim meet of the year yesterday. He beat all of his old times and one time he beat by 5 seconds from last year. It is probably because of the 3 and a half hour practices everyday. The coach is obsessed with making the team better which is good but a little much. Mason is also in all honors classes and in student counsel. Dustin and I are very proud of him and all the responsibility that he is taking on to prepare for college.

Update on Teegan's weight

2009-09-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

We went to the dr again on Monday and Teegan's weight was up to 8 lbs 4 oz so he gained 12 oz in 7 days which is good. I was glad to hear that but he has to eat every 2 hours on the dot. Teegan has his newborn pictures on Friday of this week. He is so cute to me...

Back to life...

2009-08-25T11:39:00.000-07:00

So now that school is back in session... it's back to life as I know it - busy. Here is some of what our family is up to. Maddy and Myah are both in dance. Dawson will be starting football. Hayden is playing basketball for the middle school and Mason is swimming for the high school. The twins are the only ones not doing something. Dustin is (happily) back to work and got to take a private jet to a meeting yesterday. He is getting pumped for the Def Leppord, Poisen, Trick Pony concert this weekend. Our little one is on a pretty good schedule and only really fusses when he has to go number 2 or needs burped. Oh, and he is a big boy now because his embilical cord fell off on Saturday night. We went to the dr yesterday and Teegan only weighs 7 lbs 10 oz. so the dr wants to see him back in week. He is eating more these last couple days so I am sure he is gonna plump up before we know it. I just got the rubella shot today and 2 worts frozen off (none of which felt very good). ok, I gotta go eat some lunch so I can feed the little guy and get out of here by 1240 to take the 4 youngest to the doctor for their well visits. And that's what's going on in our neck of the woods...

My house

2009-08-20T15:36:00.001-07:00

So, some of you may know that I have a house from before I was married to Dustin and I have been trying to sell it for a year. I just went in and signed the papers at the title company today and it is supposed to close tomorrow. THEN, I WILL BE FREE ONCE AND FOR ALLLLLLLLLLL! I really did love this house.When I bought it, it had teal carpet everywhere which did not go with my stuff. I tiled the main living areas and made it my own. I had fun decorating it and enjoying the patio with misters and the hot tub. It is a great floorplan for such a small place and I am sad to see it go but the girl who is buying it is very excited and I am sure that she sees the potential in it that I did.

Cutest picture of Teegan so far!

2009-08-20T15:35:00.001-07:00

I think this is the cutest picture of Teegan and it actually looks like him

Getting to know Teegan

2009-08-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

Here are some things that we have learned about Teegan...
He is a good breastfeeder
He has very smelly farts
He likes to suck on his arm in the same spot (gave himself a blood blister)
He seems to attract kids (oh, wait, we just have a lot of kids around)
He doesn't like his diaper changed
He Loves to sleep on Mommy (trying to break him of that)
He loves riding and being in the carseat
He is in good health according to Pediatrician
He barely fits in newborn clothes because he is so long
He hasn't figured out the pacifier yet because he likes his hand more
He is pretty gassy

More to come as we get to know him...

LABOR OF LOVE

2009-08-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I wanted to journal everything that I can remember about giving birth to Teegan before I forget. You can read this if you want but there will be some graphic moments. I was scheduled to go in at 10 pm on Saturday Aug 8th to get induced which I was not looking forward to because I knew there would be too much time to think. They called me on Saturday morning and asked if I could come in then. I was excited and thought the timing was better. We were saying that it would be our 8th kid on the 8th day of the 8th month. I immediatly got in the shower and what did Dustin do - finished cleaning the garage. Everyone who knows Dustin knows this is typical. On the way, Dustin made me commit to the name Teegan. When he was ready we went over to the hospital and got there at about 11:30 a.m. My first nurse was great. She was older and her name was Pam. She didn't really do anything to me until I had been there a couple hours and they put in needle for an IV and put in a little strip that had hormones on it and explained that they leave that in for 12 hours and then try something else if that doesn't jump start labor. She tried to tell me to keep an open mind about getting an epidural even though I said I was not getting one because of the risks and she said there are no risks - uh huh! My contractions were not painful but they were 5 minutes apart. I was dialated to a 3. At 7, I got a new nurse and saw the doctor once and she just basically said hi. I was walking around to try to get contractions to come on stronger. It didn't work. I asked my nurse to check me at 9 pm and she acted like I was psycho for wanted to know my progress. Keep in mind nobody had checked me since I was admitted. I wanted to get the ball rolling. At 3 am, after the strip had been in for 12 hours, they took it out and started giving me a pill. The pill is given in 4 doses every 4 hours. At 8 am, Dr. Giali (which I really like) came in and said they would start my group strep penicilin and then in 2 hours we could break my water. Well, after 3 hours, I decided I was patient enough and asked for the dr. This is when we were told there was an emergency c-section at the other hospital and the dr. needed to go to that and that I would have to wait. At this point, they started pitocin. They kept sending in random nurses to up my medication but nobody was checking me which didn't make any sense. After being at the hospital for a day with nobody doing anything, my mom, Dustin and I were pretty mad that I was always getting the short end of the stick. The 3 older kids kept texting us asking us about the baby. They sent in a nurse to deal with my concerns and she assured us that as soon as the dr got there we would break my water. At 4:30, the dr. broke my water and pretty much immediatly the hard contractions came. I was dialated to a 3.5 at that point (I think). I dealt with contractions for a while and then my sisters said that I could probably get nubaine if I wanted it. I told them to tell the nurse that I wanted it. (In the room was my Mom, Dustin, Tara, Melody, Toby and my Dad) This dr. prefers a different drug but they gave it to me and the room started spinning. In between contractions I was out of it. I would start to dream and say something and then stop because I realized I would sound crazy. All I remember is the nurse checked me and said I was at an 8. Sometime soon after that they could see the head and I started to push. I pushed for about 5 contractions, so maybe 15 minutes. I had a lot of encouragement and I was pushing my hardest. I was ready to be done after a day and a half in the hospital. Dustin and my mom were holding my legs and when I pushed the little guy out, my labia ripped because the cord was wrapped around his neck twice and his arm so he came out with his hand on his cheek. This grossed out Dustin because I saw some blood squirt and a little got on his shirt. The placenta wasn't coming out but I was still kind of out of it and looking at my little boy. The dr finally pulled it out and I was bleeding a lot. They opened me up to see if there was an internal tear and then sowed me up. Then, I swear the worst part was the nurse pushing very hard on my stomach and blood clots coming out. They were worried that my uterus was not gonna contract and just keep bleeding. They put an inducing pill up my butt to get it to contract and then gave me a shot in my leg. Meanwhile, the nurse kept pushing on my stomach. Teegan was getting cleaned up and my sisters were recording and taking pictures. I was so out of it but I knew that Teegan was cute and safe. Labor is definetly do-able without an epidural and I would do it again if I didn't already have 8 kids for the price of one.

Teegan McKay Phillips

2009-08-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Teegan McKay Phillips

August 9, 2009

8:19 p.m.

7 lbs. 5 oz

20.5 inches long

link to maternity photos

2009-08-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

www.motosuperstition.photoreflect.com
then, click on my name and then type in password: maternity

Maternity pics

2009-08-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

One benefit of going over due is that I did get Maternity pics taken on Tuesday. It was fun and I think they turned out really good. I think it will be fun one day for the baby to see what he looked like before he was born and that we are so happy and excited for him to come. I still can't believe that I have a full grown baby inside of me. I have a link to the pictures that you can view online, I will post it next.

Dr appt yesterday

2009-08-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

So, we still have no baby but I am a little closer after my Dr. appt yesterday. My mom went with me so we could try to convince them to induce me. First, I had an ultrasound. The baby was being so cute. He was trying to suck his tongue and sticking his tongue out. I have pictures but I will post them later because my scanner is giving me issues. The tech then said that the baby is about 8 lbs 8 oz give or take. Not what I wanted to hear but it gave me a reason to argue to get it out of me now. So then, we met with the doctor (not my actual dr) and she is very by the book and tries to put you off. We started telling her our concerns about the size and the fact that I have 7 kids going to school on Monday. She said she will have me come in for an ultrasound on Friday incase something more comes up and we can rush me or they would call me with an appt to be induced. I hoodwinked the nurse to get me in asap and she called me later and said that my appt to be induced is on Saturday at 10 pm. My brother's birthday is on Sunday so they may share a b-day. I am hoping I will have it before then but I am still at a 2 and not really feeling any contractionst that I will classify as hurting. We will see but I feel better at least having an appt at the hospital on Saturday. So, that's the update...

No, there is still no baby!

2009-08-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Golden Coral for dinner. Dustin says that he loves Golden coral because it reminds him of his high school days. It was a bad idea but the kids like it because it is unlimited dessert. All the kids ate a little bit of macoroni and cheese and Hayden ate 2 tini peices of pizza. We decided we are never going there again because it smells, there are trashy people and we could make mac and cheese at home for $1. So anyways, the kids have been begging us to do earth hour. We did it a while ago and you basically turn all the lights off in your house and go to the park for an hour. It has been too hot to do it but we finally got the pool clean so we decided to do it last night after dinner. The kids always have a lot of fun playing basketball and then we played freeze tag and red rover, red rover. We wore our swimsuits and then we ran home into the backyard and jumped in the pool and played sharks and minos. Then, the kids made me jump on the tramp. It didn't feel like it did anything to help the baby come out. So, needless to say, there is still no baby. Everyone is calling and texting but I have no exciting news. I am just trying to enjoy these days and I keep telling the kids to do the same. I will post again when I have any new info.

Still No Baby

2009-07-30T16:11:00.001-07:00

I did not have the kids today so I decided I would walk around as much as possible. I got a text from Maddy asking if I had the baby yet at 745, which is very early for Maddy and she said she didn't really sleep. I think she is more excited than me. I got up at 7:30 (earlier than normal) and ate breakfast and then had a lot of energy so I did some laundry and cleaned up a lot of little things that I would normally ignore. My mom says that a day before she gave birth she always got a burst of energy : ) I put food in the crock pot then I was off. I went to the bank. Then, I went to Hobby Lobby where I got a red frame so I could put a family picture in the baby room. I also got baby cookie cutters to give the kids something to do and any visitors can have them when the baby comes. I also got a brag book which is flat and goes in my purse with pictures. I keep thinking that I wish I had pictures of the kids in my purse. Then, I went to the furniture superstore. There was nothing big enough for our family there. Then, I went to the library. I figured that I could use some books while I am in the hospital. I didn't even make it up one isle and I had 3 books. I sat and read a nonfiction book about marrying a guy with kids. I count my blessings that I have great step-kids (I hate calling them that) but we still have a lot of teenage years to go : ) I printed out a bunch of pictures for my purse. I have been walking around all day and I do not have any painful contractions. I just feel like I am on my period. Hopefully something exciting will happen soon.

Dr appointment - Reader beware of girly details

2009-07-29T13:51:00.000-07:00

So... I went to the doctor this morning. First, I had to do a non stress test to check the baby's movement and heartbeat and contractions. I am having contractions but none that really hurt yet. Everything looked fine with the non-stress test I suppose. Then, my doctor checked me and she said I am really soft and dialated to a 2 on the outside of my cervix but more like a 4 on the inside because she could move her fingers all around and stretch it out. She then asked if I wanted her to rough up my membranes and of course my answer was yes since she said we won't talk about inducing until next week : ( So she roughed me up and she said she wouldn't be surprised if I have in the next couple days. I also asked her if there is more of a high likelihood that I have a quick labor and she said yes because I am dialating from the inside out and that it doesn't take much for the outside to open up. I am now going to start walking around as much as possible to have it within the next day- that is my goal. Maddy says she thinks she is gonna faint because the baby will be here so soon. Maddy heard me telling my sister all these details and, although I am sure she doesn't really know what it all means, she is so excited that the baby will be here soon. Myah has been watching a baby story on tv with me and she realized that having a baby hurts. She said " I wish I was a boy. Boys don't have babies, do they?" She said, "The baby comes out of your butt?" I am sure that these kids are learning a lot more than they need to about babies but it will be interesting to see what they learn after the baby is born.

Mason's Eagle Scout Project

2009-07-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Mason did his Eagle scout project this last Saturday. He chose to paint a few of the Montessori School buildings for upkeep. Mason prepared his whole project and carried it out in 3 weeks. He has also been taking an online summer school class that takes hours a day. We are very proud of him. He did a great job delegating and running the project. He is now eagerly awaiting the day that he can get his permit. He still has one more merit badge to get until he can get his permit but something tells me that he is pretty motivated. Hayden has all of his merit badges and just needs to do an eagle project. We have great Scout leaders in our ward!

Baby's room

2009-07-28T13:17:00.001-07:00

Here are 2 pictures of the baby's room. Dustin worked so hard on it and it turned out so cute (Pictures just can't do it justice)! Dustin is always so willing to do anything for me and he goes above and beyond to make me happy and does it with a smile. We are going for the "industrial" theme. Dustin put the corregated metal up and then put a metal strip on the top and changed out all of the plugs. The boys put the crib together a long time ago. Now we just need a baby to put in the room : ) I have another doctor appointment tomorrow so I will keep you posted.

Missy and Me

2009-07-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

Me and Missy went to As You Wish and painted some pottery this last Saturday. She painted a monkey for her baby room and I painted a cookie jar. It was fun bit both of us were complaining of being uncomfortable in the chairs. To make it up to ourselves, we went to Cold Stone Creamery : )
Meet my friend Missy. Otherwise known as Missy Sue and Gritza. Don't ask. We grew up together because our Mom's knew each other at church and she was born 6 months after me. Good ole 9th ward with the Bentley's, Ridings, Untalascos, Wrights, Bluths and many others. Me and Missy were in kindergarten together and even had matching outfits. Our favorite memory is when I cut her hair and mine and when our moms got home from Vegas, they beat us half to dealth. (Missy, send me a pic of that if you have it) Then, she moved away (from Mesa to Gilbert) and we went to different schools but still saw each other on holidays and such. So throughout High school we were never really in the same click but we did swim together and I worked for her parents in the office in their garage and taught CPR with Missy. We have never been the type of friends that have to hang out with each other everyday to stay close but we were always there for each other. Four years ago Missy got married to Nolan (high school sweetheart). A year and a half ago I got married to Dustin and Missy had been trying to get pregnant but had some complications. I found out I was pregnant in November of last year and then in February or March Missy told me she was pregnant after quitting "trying". I am so excited for Missy and Nolan. I am even more selfishly excited that we are both pregnant. We both wanted girls and we are both getting boys. I am excited to see our kids grow up together just like we did and be best of friends. I love Missy and she is a great friend and will be for all time.

2009-07-21T13:41:00.001-07:00

Dr appt today

2009-07-21T13:38:00.001-07:00

So, I went to the doctor today. I am a little more than 1 cm dialated and still about 50% efaced. I am kind of bumbed that I am not making more progress of at least having some hurtful contractions or something. I am going to be 39 weeks on Thursday and this week would be such a better week to have the baby than next week. We are pretty much ready and the kids keep asking when the baby is gonna come and we just have to explain that it is up to the baby. So no real updated news to speak of other than I am still pregnant.

Top 10 reasons that this baby needs to come out today!

2009-07-21T13:26:00.001-07:00

10. Dustin is in fear that the baby is going to come in the middle of a big meeting that he has next week

9. I seriously think the baby bruised my rib 2 weeks ago when he kicked me

8. As of a week ago, I developed stretch marks

7. I can't wait to wear my wedding ring again

6. My Dr. is only on call at the hospital tomorrow and then not again until July 31st

5. I can't see my feet, amongst other things

4. The kids will hopefully stop poking my stomach once it comes

3. Dustin needs an excuse for time off

2. His baby room is all ready for him

1. I wish I could get in the pool, but it is just too hot outside to even walk out to the pool

San Diego

2009-07-14T10:58:00.003-07:00

Sea World

Here are a few pictures of us in San Diego this year.