Your Daily Sarah

Sweet thing in the morning!

Your Daily Mo

Does he love the play dough or the tupperware??

Playing, playing!

Waking up from a nap!

How will they know if they don't read your shirt?

Daddy says, "Sarah, after reading your shirt I know two things about you. 1.) You're a republican. 2.) You love your mommy."

Our week in Albuquerque!

We had such a lovely time catching up with friends and family in Albuquerque last week. Thank you to everyone who took time out to come and visit with us!

Moses was more interested in running up and down the hallway than the fish :)

Thanks for coming with us, Keekee!

I got him to sit still for two seconds for a photo!

Two peas in a pod!

Here is a video of Moses dancing with Auntie Pam! The family should love this one!

The plan.

We wanted beans. Lots of beans. A freezer full.

I'd say we have been successful.

Ready, set, update!

In the midst of all the busyness, we sure have been having a lot of fun around here. We've been so blessed to have friends and family stop in. Our sweet friends, the Taylors, came through this week. We really enjoyed catching up with Aaron and Megan, and Haevyn was such a wonderful helper! Moses loved playing with her and Sarah really enjoyed some snuggle time. You're going to be such a wonderful mama someday, sweet Haevyn!

Auntie Dana stopped by for a visit as well. Moses really loves her - they had a blast. My kiddos are so blessed to have such wonderful people that love them so.

And the little lady has found her hands! It's pretty adorable. Watching her go through all these phases is so different this time around - and she is growing so quickly!

And if anyone out there needs a good belly laugh this morning, this video should do the trick!

Survival of the fittest.. or something.

How in the world am I going to keep a record of these crazy days if they continue to be.. crazy? Anyone?? Even now I should be sleeping because I got up at 5am to assure my garden would be watered and that my family would have clean clothes and dishes to eat off. And then the babies wake up.. and then we go running.. and get the oil changed.. and stop by the grocery store in town so I can finally get some pear juice... and then and then and then. Oh! And I have started the elimination diet which I have decided needs a new name because it sounds like I'm cleaning out my insides (and for those of you who know me, well, you know that story) instead of just trying to manage Sarah's reflux. That darn reflux - it WAS under control until it decided to not be under control anymore. And while our well meaning ped gave her a new rx last week I just couldn't bare the screaming for 3 or 4 weeks until the medicine kicked in. So for now I am eating turkey, pears, sweet potatoes, squash and rice. Yep. That's it. Glory. The good news is that Sarah is a new baby. Much less crying and more sleeping! Yay!

Hopefully I will be back with the cutest video of Moses after our nap! Don't hold your breath, though :)

A word on vaccines.

I can't remember when or how the discussion on the subject of vaccines began in our home. I heard that some vaccines were made using aborted fetal tissue, maybe even monkeys or human organs and that gelatin was used in their production as well. I did some research online, but that is a bit scary so I turned to our pediatrician. She assured me that there was nothing to worry about, she had never heard of any of the above being in vaccines. To assure me, however, she gave me the information that comes with each vaccine - the actual pamphlet that is inside the vaccine when they arrive at her office. In reading them I became concerned that she was wrong so I called the company that manufactures them - in this case Merck. Since so many of you have shown interest on the subject I thought I would "publish my findings" here. I know this is a controversial subject, and I want to say that I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers out there. I just wanted to let everyone know what I had found out and encourage anyone that is interested to call their pediatrician and found what company (or companies) supply their vaccines and get more information.

These are the vaccines that Merck manufactures and that I inquired about. I specifically asked if they were made using animal tissue, aborted fetal tissue, human tissue of any kind, and gelatin. If so, I will say so next to it.

• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• Polio
• MMR - Gelatin and the rubella has aborted human fetal tissue
• Varicella (chicken pox) - Gelatin and aborted human fetal tissue
• Meningococcal
• Pnemococcal
• Hepatitis A - Aborted human fetal tissue

The woman I spoke with was very helpful. She wanted to assure me that the ones made from an aborted baby were FDA approved.. obtained 30 years ago.. approved by some council.. and that these two babies were the only ones they had ever used to make vaccines.

Merck does not manufacture the DTap vaccine, but a company called Sanofi Pasteur does. I have sent an inquiry but am still waiting to hear. This is a vaccine I am particularly interested in since there have been so many whopping cough outbreaks in our area.

So, for all interested parties, there you have it.