I am Thankful!

It’s Thanksgiving time! I just wanted to post a little blog to reflect how blessing I am feeling. I have a hard time expressing my emotions a lot (I pretty much keep to myself) but I feel so grateful and lucky that I have such a wonderful life. I could list everything I am thankful for (Like Jenn – you’re amazing) but I don’t know how I’d stop. So for the sake of making a long blog short I will keep my list in my heart. I just wanted to take a moment to express how thankful I am for my family. Heavenly Father has blessed me more than I possible deserve with the family I have. My husband is wonderful – I don’t always show it but he’s my best friend. And I have been giving the greatest blessing of all by having my baby boy Austin in my life. My little trio is my life. I have never been happier!
I also wanted to say how thankful I am for in-laws – they have been so amazing ever since Austin was born (and before). I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them. They have helped me out more than they know. I am in debt to Aaron’s parents (that’s more true than anyone will know) They have helped out Aaron and I from day one of our marriage. They have always been there. We really enjoy our Sundays with them. They have been so understanding and willing to take Austin when I have a photo session and Aaron is still at work. And it makes me feel so blessed to see how much they love Austin and want to be involved in his life. (Even Mindee and her family who is far away) And of course my little sister-in-law, Danee…we are starting to get close and I love it – she’s the little sister I never had!

And how could I know be thankful for my one and only real sister, Cyndee. I am greatful for her more than she will ever know. I look up to her. She has taken on so much the past few years (and has been supported so little) and I admire her greatly. I don’t know how she did it. Her and her family are always willing to let me crash at their house when I am in town for photo shots.

I am also thankful for my other siblings and their families – they make the Brendle family fast Sundays fun. I also want to say I am thankful for my parents for raising me and helping me get where I am today. They raised me in the gospel and helped me gain the base of my testimony. They did so much for me while I was growing up.

My Photography – I am so thankful for that. It has been a blessing to me.

Last but not least my father in heaven. He is amazing. He has blessed my life more than I could possibly write. And my savior, I could not be where I am today if it wasn’t for him.

Well so much for not making a long post….

Anyways I am thankful for all of you out there for being a part our little Trios’ life. Your friendships and support mean so much to us. We are all blessed to have you a part of our lives.

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey plump

May your potatoes and gravy

Have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize,

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

~Author Unknown

Happy Thanksgiving1

Love – The McLaughlan Trio

Howdy Partner

I know I have posted the funny pictures from Austin's 9 month portrait session but I wanted to throw in a few good ones and his collage (I know it's the header but I'll be changing the header in a couple of weeks so I want it on here in a post).

If you want to see some more I have a few more posted on my photography blog:
http://mysticmemories.blogspot.com/

So here are some more portraits:

My Photogenic Boy

I hear all the time that my little boy is a ham. This is true he does love to give his cheesy little smile all the time. And he is so easy to photograph (He's been raised in front of a camera, what do you expect). People only see one side of my perfect photogenic son. I thought it was about time I showed the other side! :)

Now you have seen both sides of Austin.

Ok so that's not the whole truth - He really does like to have his picture taken but for his 9 month portraits we started him off on the rocking horse and I think that scared him a little. Than his dad kept bugging him by putting straw in his mouth (it was funny though, he kept giving funny faces). And that's the facts. Oh and we had to throw Gizmo in there for fun!

I hope you enjoy my ham as much as I do!

Foto Fun

I wanted to post something fun since my last post was a downer. So I decided to post there pictures from photo booth from the last week. You most likely won't be able to see them very well. But the first is Aaron, Austin, and me at the mall and the second is Danee and Austin at the movie theatre. I love photo booths - even though the quality is low and over priced! :)

A "dog-gone" close scare

Sunday our little family woke up to a big scare....

Aaron went out to feed the dogs and he started yelling for me. I ran outside to see what was up. Missy our black lab was laying on the ground. She kept trying to stand but she couldn't. Of course we knew right away something was wrong. Aaron called vet that was on call and told him what was going on. He said she must have an upset stomach and to just give her Pepto-Bismol and she should be fine. So Aaron went out and gave her some. I took out a towel and wrapped her up and held her. Her eyes were fixed, you could see all the whites around her iris and she was so stiff. After a moment she threw up (it was all green, I thought it would be pink from the medicine). I moved her and kept rubbing her. After about 30 minutes she seemed to do better, she was even chewing on a bone. So I told Aaron to give her some food - I knew she was hungry. Aaron sat out some food and she stood up and took two steps and collapsed and started to shake. This scared me so much, I told Aaron to call the vet back and tell him we are bringing her in.
So Aaron put her in the back of the truck to go to the vet. It was so sad her head was poking out of the bed of the truck and she gave me the saddest look. I was afraid I wasn't going to see her again. After the vet checked her out Aaron called me and told me she had been poisoned. (My mother-in-law thinks it might be one of our neighbors - I'd like to think no one would do that) So we don't know how she got poisoned. They gave her an injection and said they needed to keep her over night. This was the first type Kelso had been without Missy longer than an hour - ever since we had them. Kelso cried the rest of the day and all night!!! I don't know what we'd do if one of them pass away, the other would probably die of sadness. Anyways to make the story shorter, Missy is doing just fine now, Kelso is happy and we still don't know how she got poisoned. It's a good thing we took her in or she wouldn't be here.

I know I've posted these pictures before but I love them so much I had to post them again!


Even though we've been having problems with our dogs, they are good dogs and have wonderful personalities (even though I say they are little, "insert a four letter word beggining with S" (I get mad sometimes at them) I love them and I never want anything bad to happen to them. I just wish we could provide them with a better living situation. But I know they are in a way better situation that they were (I feel like we saved them from some pretty bad living conditions).

Where did We go?

As you have all noticed I haven't been posting at all the past few weeks...life has been busy and we have all been sick, but that hasn't slowed us down at all. If you've been missing the McLaughlan Trio here are a few post to fill ya in. And as you can tell by the time I pulled an all nighter editing photos tonight so I can get caught up on my work...so I decided to take a break and blog. Here is what has been going on........

Christmas Already?

That's right I went from Halloween straight to Christmas!!!!! I figure if I am going to be gone for most of December I wanted to put my decorations out early so I can actually enjoy them this year....we didn't even get them out last year. So you can call me crazy but don't call me a scrooge!!!

Austin watching daddy put up our tree.

Mommy's little elf - don't ask about the outfit - it's a McLaughlan joke! :)

I know, I know - Austin needs a sock.

Goodbye Elder McLaughlan

Last week we had the chance to go to Salt Lake Airport to see Jordan off to Portugal. And we were all shocked when we saw him. While at the MTC Jordan lost 42 lbs!! He looked like a little boy in his dads suit. Man if that's what happens when you go to the MTC, "I hope they call me on a mission!" :) He looked so good, it reminded me of when Aaron came home from his mission. It was so nice to see Jordan, I can't believe he's been out for 2 months already! Before you know it we will be back at that airport picking him up! Anyways here are some pics:

The McLaughlan Family

Jordan & Jan

Jordan, Austin, & Aaron

Jordan & Raymond - two good lookin guys! :)

HA HA HA - I had to throw this in there, makes me laugh!

We'd be in trouble if it was up to him! :) just jokin' Dan!

When Jan heard how long the flight was for the missionaries,

her motherly instincts kicked in and she made sack lunches

for all of the missionaries on the flight.

Jordan showing us how many loops he has changed in his belt.

I don't think Jan was to happy to see how big his suit looked on him.

Jordan wrote us in the MTC and told us he had gained weight -

He wanted to surprise everyone, and we were shocked!!!

Here is KarLee with Austin when we were waiting for Jordan.

We Love you Jordan, Good Luck!

Portugal is lucky, they are getting a great missionary!

Austin is 9 Months

My little baby had his 9 month check up on Monday....he's not so little anymore.

Austin now weighs 20lbs. 9 oz. and is 29 3/4 inches long. And the doctor said he is right on track.
I haven't taken a lot of pictures this past month (well of Austin I should say).

So here is a list of new things Austin learned to do this past month.

-He now waves and says, "Ba-Ba" (which is Bye-Bye)
-He babbles all the time saying "Da-Da" and "Mab-Mab" (Not clear enough to be mom yet)
-He walks in his walker
-He is a little money, he likes to do what you do, "monkey see monkey do" Aaron like to do different things and make different noises to do how much Austin will follow. I swear he is a little sponge.

Here are some pictures I did get of some new things:

Austin's First Passport Photo

Oh my goodness he will hate me for this photo. He wasn't happy when we were doing his passport photo - but we needed it right away so we could get it in the mail so this is what we got out of him. And people say my kid is always smiling in portraits. :)

Austin's First Haircut

He was ok at first but soon it was panic....

He was not happy

Yay - he doesn't have an old man combover! :)

Thanks Grandma Jan for the wonderful haircut!

Austin tries to help Mom

So I was washing some pots in the sink and I turned around and this is what I found.

He loves to climb on EVERYTHING! And he just decided to climb up on the dishwasher and play with his bottles. I was really cute, he gave me that look...it just melts my heart.

Austin's First time getting Sick

Austin has been such a healthy baby and he had never been sick until a few weeks ago.

He had been whinny for a while and finally it was to the point where I knew he wasn't himself.

I took him in and they found that he had an ear infection in his left ear.

So they put him on Amoxicillin. He was on if for about a week and than he broke out really bad in a rash all over his face and body. I was really worried so I took him back in and they switched medicine and when he went back in for his checkup he was cleared.

don't know if you can tell but his face is covered in red dots.

I felt so bad for my baby.

I guess my little baby is turning into a little boy. I guess it's time for another baby.....j/k I've got my hands full for the moment! :)

Mommy loves you Austin!!!