The big question....

YES! Baby Izzy IV is due (now say this blissfully like Jane Powell in "7Brides for 7Bros") "...in the spring." Literally, the baby will probably come around Mar. 21. We're so excited. Hy is old enough to understand and can't decide between brother or sister. Riley says "Hi Baby" to my belly every morning and other times likes to push my belly and say "I'm squishing Baby" very mischievously. I think a sibling will be an adjustment for Miss Riley. Evan KNOWS its a boy. And after talking to my friends about delivery and epidurals lately, I'm starting to wonder "what have we done?"

So the following are the pictures I decided not to put up.

• The positive pregnancy test. Who wants to see that?


• My children. I haven't done very well at keeping them clean lately.


• My house. See above.


• Me. See above again.

And my oh-so-creative idea on Facebook back-fired. Here's my explanation: On FB they were doing a breast cancer awareness that you put "I'm (so many) weeks and craving (food...according to your birthday)". So, to be funny, I put: "I'm eleven weeks and craving nothing" to announce that I was prego. Anyway, some people got it, some didn't and someone that couldn't have children was really perturbed about all people who had posted it.

But anyway, baby is doing well, mommy is getting better, and we're all happy to be welcoming another addition to the Israelsen family!

The PUDDLE

After all of the rain we had in Enterprise, it left a humong-O puddle at Marv's. We went over to play. Hy says he saw a "big" fish. Riley didn't want to get out of the water. Talk about cheap entertainment. If it wasn't -7*F outside (not really, it just felt like it) we would have stayed out there longer.

Who is that boy's mother?

Yes, he jacket was upside down AND inside out.

In my defense, I had sent him out earlier properly dressed and he came in for a second and then headed back out on his own.

The 'Inja Party

So for the first time in his life (besides the Humphries) Hy was invited to a birthday party... with a "cool" kid. On the invite was a ninja and I swear it said "Ninja Party". So I asked the b-day boy's mom if we were supposed to dress up. I thought she said "yes." I am deaf.

We borrowed Austin Humphries' ninja costume and Hy became a new man as soon as he put it on. His moves were more impressive than Napoleon Dynamite's on the dance floor.

Anyway, we got to the party, and I notice Leslie's sons weren't dressed up. And as I was leaving, a few more kids showed up, dressed in normal clothes. When I got back, I read the invite again and there was nothing about it being a ninja party, just a ninja on the card.

I blame it totally on prego brain.

I was worried about Hy being the nerd that was the only one dressed as a ninja. When Leslie dropped him off, she said that Daxon got in his costume too, so I guess Hy was hip and his mother didn't ruin him for life. Thank goodness!

Love you, Grandpa

Evan's Grandpa Floyd died this week. I've been reading a lot of the blogs, facebook posts, etc about this amazing man and realizing how little I really knew him, but at the same time I felt as though he's always been MY grandpa. That and he always made me feel like I was definitely the FAVORITE in-law. But as I read the other tributes to him, I found out that everyone else thought they were the favorite. I guess he just made me think I was his "special girl" like all of his "special girls".

I lost my Grandpa Spencer last October and both of these deaths have been similar to me. It's hard to explain but I almost feel comfort that they are on the other side...both for me and for them. Both of these grandpas were in poor health and weren't feeling good in their old age. Their deaths gave their spirit an escape from their frail, aging bodies. They were both men of amazing faith and testimony of Christ. One served in some of the highest "positions" in the church and the other was in the background but both served the Lord with all of their talents. It reaffirmed to me that position in the church doesn't matter, but serving the Lord with your might does.

For me, my comfort comes in knowing that Jeb has one more "Grandpa" on his side. As Evan and I watch Hyrum, anyone with the phrase "Grandpa" in front of his name is a super-hero. Hyrum's favorite people, without a doubt are "Poppa Bernie" and "Poppa Jeff". And that's how Evan was. He idolized his Grandpa Floyd. He would rather go milk cows with grandpa than play with cousins. So I can't help but imagine that Jeb's greatest heroes are also his 'grandpas' and he just got to meet another one.

I loved Grandpa and will miss him. I couldn't believe that when I told a neighbor here in Enterprise that we were going to Evan's grandpa's funeral, she knew who he was. And the only time he really left the milk barn (as Evan put it) was to serve at the temple and go to church (and of course serve in the mid-west on a mission). His influence has reached Southern Utah and Malta, ID in just two examples. Solid. That's what he was and what I hope to be.

Reasons why we HAD to go to Malta.

Can we say spoiled? I don't think mom let very many of her own children drive the lawnmower. Hyrum was in heaven. "It was fun!" Poppa's new "Deere". I wanted a ride in it as well. Hyrum was telling me he didn't want me to come so I explained I was just going for a little ride. We were almost to the truck when Hy said "Mom, when are you going to get out?" He wanted Poppa and the combine to himself.

Other reasons (that I don't have pics of): to see the cousins Elliott and Logan (and Uncle JC and Aunt Sara), to try on Neener's clothes, to see Aunt Janelle and Uncle Rick (even though it was way too short), to see Rick's new truck, to color in Princess coloring books, and finally, to visit Ben & Ann, Olivia & Kylie, so we could bring home another puppy for Daddy. What a trip!

Fun with Poppa & Grandma

We were sooooo excited that over Labor Day, Poppa and Grandma Israelsen came to visit us. We went fishing and Grandma caught a crawdad and the crawdad caught Poppa's finger while he was "playing" with it.
They got the grand tour of the dairy and got to watch Hy & Ri ride Jasper .
Then we took them to the Iron County fair...not quite what we had hoped for, but we had fun just spending time with them.
Here are the WAY COOL bumper boats.

And the tractor show was pretty good as well :)

Love you Grandma & Poppa! Come again soon :)