SO MUCH WONDERFUL

Life with Skittles is AWESOME!

Just hanging out with my grandson!

He's so kissable!

Mom is exhausted... Karmel is protective... And Skittles is cuddley...

Practically Perfect

It made my heart happy to see daddy reading to his son!

I LOVE this photo!

And life with Starburst is also AWESOME!

I'm getting loves from all of my Bettenhausen kiddos!

Nothing better than holding two....!

Our Stake Conference was EPIC!  We loved sharing the moments with the Bettenhausen kiddos... and we love our new stake presidency.

Red Robin after the Saturday session...

And Cody colored the activities to keep himself entertained!

Raisin needed some extra loves!

And Jelly Bean colored pictures for his mom and baby brother!

Our new stake presidency!

I don't know President Johnson, but President Bednar and President Call are awesome, good men!

Music Recitals ROCK!  Especially when they are my amazing students!  I'm so proud of ALL of them!

I LOVE these kids!

And some of "MY" amazing kids had other concerts too....

I got to attend one of my student's recitals at the Kentucky Performance Center!

She's amazing!  And I truly love her!

I also got to see another of my students perform in a recorder performance at her school.

She is such a sweetie!  And I love watching her grow!

And Cody is 22!  I have an amazing son!

Cody didn't want a birthday cake.  His mother used to make him cookie cakes.

We all didn't mind, as long as he shared!

For his birthday, Cody wanted to learn how to make sushi.

Scott and he love California Rolls.

So they learned how to make them.

And they were delicious!

Cody ate his rolls like a burrito.

But Scott cut his up.

They are pretty.

Every home needs a beautiful version of Chess...

And a few dragon statues...

And new games are the bomb!

Happy Birthday, Cody!

DOUBLY BLESSED

Starburst Bettenhausen

Amy had her baby!  Starburst was welcomed into the world on Wednesday, May 16th - 10 days after Skittles was born!  He's adorable!  He's healthy!  And after a frightening, life-threatening experience, Amy is doing well too!  Heavenly Father really came through with miracles!  And I get to love double the babies!

My second "grandbaby"!

Skittles and Starburst

Aren't they adorable?!

I love these guys so much!

The Bettenhausens

The whole family is excited to welcome this little bundle of joy!  Jelly Bean and Raisin needed some extra love - to remind them they haven't been replaced.  I don't mind being the one to give loves!

Mommy loves!

Raisin attention!

And we also went to the temple on Thursday!  It was wonderful!  Kiara and Skittles joined us.  They just enjoyed being there while the rest of us went on a session.  And then family pictures!  We are raising Skittles to be a temple loving baby!!!!!

We are very pretty people!

I love my husband!

I love going to the temple with him!

This is next to the temple....

All of us... Here...the Temple!

The Lillywhites

Eternity looks good!

What a wonderful, eternal family!

Life is good!

Sweet Raisin

Blue Tongue even affects my Baby Girl!

Skittles and Starburst

Doubly Blessed

ENTERTAINMENT... WE LOVE IT!

This week we got to spend a lot of time with my sweet, baby girl! Kotten Kandy is super fun to hang around.

"You Will Be Found"

For Christmas she got us tickets to go see Dear Evan Hansen... We drove to Cincinnati, had dinner at Frisch's Big Boy and enjoyed the musical. It was spectacular. The best part?! The set and the music. The set was incredible with all the technology and social media influence. (Since that is a huge part of the plot it really "worked.") And I had to keep reminding myself not to sing along. I really loved it all. We all had a blast! It reminded us all of Europe - being together again!

The view of Cincinnati is awe inspiring!

Yummmm!

"Sincerely [Us]"

Best Christmas present ever!

Then two days later, we (the Three Musketeers, again) went to see the movie Tolkien. It was another wonderful performance. It's unfortunate that it isn't getting more good press, because it was inspiring and well done. Katia even fact checked the movie afterwards, and it is really accurate. J.R.R. Tolkien is a good man! He is someone to look up too.

Tolkien is my fave!

I love spending time with my family. We missed Kiara and Cody... but they decided to stay home with their little boy. And, my grandson, is truly awesome! He's beautiful and "perfect!" (I may be a little biased - but I am a grandma!) Here are a few adorable pics of him:

Skittles

Cody got Kiara matching family shirts for Mother's Day.

I laughed at the shirts... but I really don't like this song... now it's stuck in my head for... forever!

And when I see Scott with Skittles, my heart really is full of so much love! Scott is never more adorable than when he's holding our grandson! I'm so blessed to be married to such a great man! And I'm so blessed to have such a terrific posterity!

Look at the smile!

The best lookin' guys I know!

I'm married to one... and the other one has my genes! 😉

PROMOTIONS

Everyone in our family was promoted Monday at 4:43 AM! I'm now a grandma! Scott is a grandpa! Kiara is a mom! Cody is a dad! And Katia is an Aunt! It's amazing that such a small (7 lbs. 9 oz. and 20 inches) arrival can make such big, and exciting changes in our family! On my blog I'm calling him: Skittles (per request by my daughter)!

It's so wonderful to be a grandmother! Be ready for bragging overload....

We went to the hospital at 9 PM on Sunday night.
At first it was OK to smile between the contractions....

I was ready.  But was not able to sleep at all.

After medication, Kiara was able to get a LITTLE sleep.

She actually did all the work without an epidural!

She was strong... I didn't realize how difficult it would be for me to watch my daughter go through such trauma and hard work. But she was a rock star! Skittles was born after only 9 1/2 hours of labor.  (45 minutes of that was pushing.)

First picture...

Amazing mother!

She admitted it was all worth it!

Yay, dad!

He's a natural with his son!

And was so loving and caring about Kiara during the ordeal!

I was the 3rd to hold him!

Kellie was an AMAZING nurse!

We love her!

Kiara couldn't have done it without her.

Wish we could take her home with us!

First family picture!

Grandpa was so excited to hold his grandson!

He couldn't stop smiling!

And Katia was chomping at the bit to hold him!

Her smile says it all!

She is beyond excited!

She wants to call him Frodo (because his best friend's name is Sam)

or Oblio (because he has a pointed head!)

I really am excited!!!!!

We are excited for our promotion to grandparents!

Amy was promoted too!

She's now an "aunt"!

Aunt Amy DeThortenhausen!

What a beautiful family!

He's adorable!

Isn't he cute?!

Ready to come home!