First Day of School

Darrin, the SENIOR!!

The Franklin NE Firebirds!

Ryan, 6th Grade

Logan 3rd Grade

Trevor, Kindergarten

Kaela, 5th Grade

This year the first day of school brought a lot of mixed emotions. I really enjoyed having the kids home during the summer and just being lazy! We had fun days at the pool, a few trips to Show Low, fun at the beach over 4th of July, and really no place to be and nothing to do. As my kids get older I realize I have less and less time with them so I really tried to enjoy being with them. I do love me a clean house though so the first day back I scrubbed away, and it actually stayed clean all week! With school, brings football practice so now we are back to our crazy, hectic life! Oh well it was fun while it lasted. This year my oldest is a Senior (how the heck did that happen!) Trevor started all day Kindergarten and my baby girl is in preschool 3 days a week. That leaves me HOME ALONE!! Most moms look forward to this event, I have been dreading it. I have never in 17 1/2 years had my days to myself. I really don't know what to do with myself. As much as the kids make me crazy at times, I love having them around and I'm just not ready to have them all gone!



Logan's Baptism Day


Logan turned 8 and was baptized on July 16th by his Dad. We had a lot of family and friends come to celebrate this special day with him. We are so proud of Logan and his choice to be baptized!

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Just before school started we celebrated Ryan's 12th birthday. He is so excited to be 12 and to join the Young Men at church. It is hard to believe that he is 12 already, I am having a hard time with my kids growing up! Ryan is so fun to have around! He is kind and compassionate, patient, quiet and very inquisitive. He loves football and is learning to be more agressive, that doesn't come naturally to him. He is very respectful and tries his best at all he does. We love him and are so happy he is a part of our forever family! Happy Birthday Ryan!!

Life's a Beach!

We made a spontaneous trip to southern CA this last weekend for some fun in the sun and to celebrate July 4th. After checking into our hotel we surprised the kids with a day at Knotts Berry Farm, we didn't tell them until they figured it out when we got there! We had a fun day enjoying the roller coasters and the other rides. We thought we lost Logan for a little bit which was really scary but it ended up that he was waiting by the exit for the older kids to get off the ride but they didn't know that and thought he had gone looking for us. After our moment of panic was over we ended up having a really good time and enjoying the cooler weather! The next day we headed up to our favorite beach, Salt Creek Beach and spent the entire day playing in the ocean and sand! Our experience has helped us learn not to take so much with us so the big hike up the hill at the end of the day isn't so bad! The kids had a great time boogie boarding and digging in the sand, even Lyndi & Trevor loved the waves this time. We had to keep our eye on Trevor constantly because he would run down the beach chasing the waves and forget where we were! After a full day at the beach we headed back to the hotel to clean up so we could brave the crowds and walk down to the pier to watch the fireworks. We were able to find great seats on the grass and enjoyed an awesome show. It was so nice to spend time together as a family, and escape the AZ heat! I think we are going to have to make this an annual tradition!

Back to back birthdays

When it comes to family planning I'd say I did pretty good at spacing my kids birthdays throughout the year. I was lucky enough to be able to plan those kind of things. We celebrate a birthday every other month beginning with Kaela at the end of February and end with Trevor at the end of November. Our only hang up is April where we celebrate Lyndi on the 7th and Kyle on the 14th (Happy Birthday Kyle!). I wish they weren't so close together, I liked my orderly plan! I actually did plan that one well too. Lyndi wasn't supposed to be born for 4 more weeks in early May but thankfully fate intervened and she made it here alive and well. October is tricky too since we celebrate Darrin, Randy and then mine! This year seems to be another one where we celebrate a bunch of milestones. Darrin will turn 18, don't even get me started on that! Ryan turns 12 and becomes a deacon and Logan will turn 8 and be baptized this year, so exciting for us. It is scary to think that in just 3 years we will have a house full of teenagers! Fun times are definitely ahead!

Happy Birthday Kyle!

Our Bubba is 14 today! That is just so weird. I don't know why but it just doesn't seem like all that long ago. I can remember everything about the day he was born, he was a planned induction so I remember how nervous I was as we drove to the hospital and then waiting all day for him to arrive. He was absolutely the easiest baby. He was just so easy going, nothing ever upset him. As long as he had his bottle he was good. That is probably what made him earn his nickname because he was such a chub, weighing in at 24 lbs. at his 6 month check up. He was a big boy but oh so happy! It was so much fun being a mom to 2 little boys and Darrin was so excited to have a little brother. Now he is all grown up and loving life. I appreciate and admire all the goals that he has for himself, he doesn't want to wait for anything and is ready to get out there now! I hope that he will just take time to be a kid and enjoy the fun he is having with his friends. Happy birthday Kyle, we love you and are so proud of you!

Happy Birthday Lyndi!

For the past couple of months Lyndi has known that her birthday was coming. When she saw toys advertised on TV she would say "oh mommy, I want that for my birthday!" and almost everyday she would ask if we were going to Chuck E. Cheese's today because I told her we would go for her birthday. The big day is finally here and she is so excited. She woke up to the kitchen decorated with balloons and streamers and the first thing she said was "oh, I forgot it's my birthday!" Every time she walks in the room it's like she remembers all over again that it's her birthday. I can hardly believe that she is 3 years old today. I remember the day we found out that we were having a girl, most definitely one of the happiest days of my life! Her middle name is Joy because I remember Randy saying how full of joy he was after finding out that she was ours. She fills our home and our lives with that joy and I feel so blessed that she is my little girl! Happy Birthday Lou Lou, we love you!

A Special Day for Special Kids

Today was the annul event, A Special Day for Special Kids held at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad park in Scottsdale. I braved the crowds by myself and took the 4 younger kids out for a day of fun. The event was free and we enjoyed lunch, milkshakes, sodas and ice cream. I think the kids thought they had died and gone to heaven! It was alot of fun watching them enjoy all the carnival style game, pony rides, petting zoo and especially the train. They must have had fun becuase they are already asking if we can go next year!

Our White Christmas

A few days after Christmas I happened to be upstairs in my bedroom when I noticed it was getting windy outside. After looking closer I noticed little white flakes floating around. Could it be? I ran out to the loft where the kids were on the computers and looked out toward the front of the house just to confirm my suspicions then shouted "it's snowing!!!" We all ran downstairs and out the front door to witness the magic of snow! We couldn't believe it, my kids have never seen snow actually falling from the sky. None of us were prepared for how cold it was! Some of the kids were still in there pj's, most were barefoot and all of us were freezing! Just as we were headed inside it started coming down really hard, it stuck to the kids sweatshirts and their hair, and even the ground for a minute. The whole time I just stood their laughing and enjoying the moment of pure amazement with my kids! I hope this was a day that they will never forget.

Christmas Ham

Lyndi decided to get in on the "talent show" we informally have before opening up our family Christmas gifts. Her cousins did a cheer so she thought she should too. Then Gramma got her to sing "Twinkle little star". This little girl surprises me every day, she is quickly outgrowing her shyness and loves to be the center of attention. Where did that come from? I feel so lucky to have been blessed with such a sweet angel!