~Memorial Day Weekend~

The first weekend after school is out, and it poured!  Saturday afternoon we decided to get out of the crappy weather and head down to the sun in St George.  Most of the Ropelato's had gone down to Jerry and Darindas for the Memorial Day Weekend, so we decided to pack up and join them.  We spent the weekend riding 4 wheelers, going into Zions, and exploring the new Harry Potter addition to the house.  It was really nice to get out of the cold, wet weather and into the sun.

Garrett spent most of the time sleeping.

The kids enjoyed climbing on the rocks at Zions.

On one of the 4 wheeler rides, a bird flew into the grill of the 4 wheeler Hunter was driving. I'm not sure what he thought, but he did like showing the bird to us.

We had a fun weekend, it was really nice to get away.

~School's Out!~

I can't believe the school year's already over.  It went by way too fast! The kids LOVED going to their new school.  They made lots of new friends and were sad to say goodbye to their teachers.

This is Hunter with his teacher, Mrs. Wehr.  Hunter loved the 3rd grade.  He loved playing sports out at recess with all the boys.  He really got into football and basketball cards this year, and couldn't wait to trade them with the other boys out at recess.  Hunter had fun participating in the class plays, loved learning multiplication and cursive handwriting, and will especially miss the trade days (this is when he'd buy a lot of new sports cards from his other classmates).  I asked Hunter what he'll remember about Mrs. Wehr.  He said that she is really nice, really cool, and really funny.  She always made Hunter feel so good about himself.  He loved having her as a teacher!

Mckell with her teacher, Mrs. Wadman.  Mckell loved having Mrs. Wadman for a teacher.  Infact, she was dreading summer vacation for the fact that she'd not see her teacher everyday.  Mrs. Wadman was such a cute teacher, and really went above and beyond the call of duty.  She was constantly taking pictures of the kids with art projects, on field trips, and at the many different fun activities they did throughout the year.  She would send the parents a slideshow of the pictures and then at the end of the year she made a memory book for each of the kids with pictures of them throughout the year.  This is something I know Mckell will always cherish.  Mckell loved learning math, sign language, playing with her friends at recess, and doing art. She said that she will always remember something funny Mrs. Wadman would say.  Mrs. Wadman would say, "I've got good news!  I just save a lot on my car insurance and . . . . everyone brought back their library books."  Mckell thought that was so funny :)  We are lucky that our kids got such great teachers! I think this is why my kids like school so much.

Mckell on the last day of school.

Mckell with her class.  These are some of the many pictures Mrs. Wadman took of the kids throughout the year.

~Chopper 5~

The kids' school had a special visit from Chopper 5 (the local news' helicopter) and Nadine Wimmer for their Read Today Program.  All the kids in the school met out by the baseball field to watch the helicopter come in.  They were given books and had the opportunity to be on the evening news.  The kids came home from school sooo excited to see if they would be on TV.  Here are some pictures of Mckell with Nadine Wimmer and Chopper 5.

This is such a fun thing to get the kids excited about reading.

~Hunter's Piano Recidal~

I was sooo sad that I missed Hunter's piano recidal.  However, I think being at the hospital with Garrett was a good excuse :).  Hunter played Forest Drums and 500 year old Melody by Faber for his 2 pieces.  He did really well.  He did mess up in one spot, but no one knew it, except maybe his piano teacher.  He didn't stop he just kept on going and then repeated the part that he messed up on, and no one had a clue :)  That's my boy!

Hunter is such a good piano player.  He does complain at times about practicing, and keeps telling me that as soon as summer hits, he is done taking piano.  But I know he doesn't really mean it.  He does enjoy playing the piano, even if he will not admit it.  I have found that if I don't nag at him to practice, he will, on his own, go over to the piano and play all his songs.  He even enjoys teaching Mckell how to play some of his pieces.  He is such a good piano player, and I love listening to him play.

Hunter at the recidal with the some of the other students and their teacher, Ellen Haddock.

~There's No Place Like Home~

After being in the hospital 4 days, it sure is good to be back home again.  Lexi and Dave came to pick me and Garrett up from the hospital while Hunter and Mckell were at school.  Over the past several years I have made several candy bar posters for friends for many reasons.  From baptisms, making class office, to birthdays.  Everytime I make a poster, my kids let me know that I have never made them a poster and that it is not fair.  So I decided to surprise all of them with a candybar poster congratulating them on their new baby brother. They thought it was GREAT!!!

Lexi had her candy bars taken off of her poster before we even got a chance to read it to her. :) She would have been just as happy if I'd handed her the candy bars without the poster.

The kids LOVE their little brother.  It is a fight between them all of who gets to hold Garrett first, and for how long.  We have had many fights, many tears, and one frustrated mother. lol.  Even though I could do without the fighting and crying, "I want to hold the baby", I'm glad that they love their little brother so much.

Lexi had fallen asleep while holding Garrett one evening.

The kids want to be near him every minute.  He is not starved for attention :).

We are all a little tired.  Well, a lot tired, lol.  But that is what having a newborn baby in the house does to you right?  Even though I'm exhausted, I wouldn't change it for the world. I love the sweet newborn smell, the cute little fingers and toes, and getting to snuggle with him while he sleeps.  He is so precious!

~Garrett Dale Ropelato~

Garrett's first photoshoot.  He is 2 days old in these pictures.

Cute little toes!

This is my favorite picture.  He is such a cute little guy!

~Baby #4 Here we Come!~

May 4th was the big day!  I was scheduled for a c-section to welcome baby #4 to our family. Our family couldn't wait to meet our new little guy!

This is me, the morning I delivered Garrett. 9 months pregnant.

The kids were there to see me before I went into the OR.

Mckell was so worried about me.  I think she could sense my nervousness.  She got a little teary eyed as they were preparing to take me back.  Out in the waiting room, she asked my mom if they could say a prayer for me that everything would go ok.  She is my little sweetheart!  Her prayers were answered because everything went GREAT!

Dave all suited up.

The kids watching the nurses clean Garrett up.

So we'd like you to meet the newest member of our family.  Garrett Dale Ropelato.  Garrett was born at 12:30 in the afternoon.  He weighed 6 lbs 4 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.  He had lots of dark hair, and is a spitting image of Hunter.  (Hunter thinks that is Great!)  One thing that stood out about Garrett was how big his hands and feet were.  For being such a tiny guy, he sure did have big hands and feet.

The kids had been fighting for days about who would be the first to hold Garrett.  Since Mckell had called it first, she was the first out of the kids to get to hold her new little brother.  She was in heaven!

We absolutely LOVE our new little guy!!!