Syd's 7th grade year

Syd's first day of middle school. Yes I did make her stand outside the car so I could take her picture. How embarrassing I know! It was a hard day for me.

Syd started with only one friend and she had to move half way through the year. After getting through a few rough weeks started to make new friends. She had a cute group to hang out with .

Aunt Mabel spent a few weeks in the fall with us. She came out from Knoxville to visit. Syd loved having her here with,

The highlight of this year for Syd was the school play. I had no idea what we were in for when she signed up. It was quite a commitment from the kids but well worth it. After months of practicing they all pulled off an amazing show of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

My favorite part of the 7th grade year was watching her grow and learn to love the violin. She made so much progress and really committed to practicing. I am so proud of her can't wait to see where she goes from here!

Owen's 4th grade year

First day of 4th grade

Ms Lily

Ensign Elementary

Owen loves scouts. He has accomplished quite a bit throughout the year. Ken is the Webelos leader so they have been working together. They built these tool boxes, key holders, broom holder, terrariums and have been able to go on many adventures with the troop.

Owen found a new love this year. BASEBALL! It is all he wants to do. It started in the fall. He was brand new to the sport and very unsure of himself and the game in general. I remember his first hit was more like a golf swing. He barely ticked the ball not more that a foot or two in front on him. The coach just yelled RUN, RUN and that's what he did. He played a lot of outfield in the fall. At practice he told the coach he wanted to pitch. When he told me this I didn't think there was anyway he would pitch being brand new to the team. But sure enough he pitched one inning and did a pretty good job!

 

Fast forward to spring ball. A totally different kid. He was in love! He has come a long way from that initial golf swing. The Rattlers went undefeated until the last game! Go Snakes!

 

 

Owen's a very patient older brother. He lets Jack "play" Legos with him. He is also is teaching him to wrestle.

Owen and I had the opportunity to work on a science fair project this year. He choose to find out which gum keeps its flavor the longest. He had fun getting volunteers to help chew gum and keep track of flavor times.

 

I try to call home to say good night when I work night shifts. I get to talk the kiddos and find how the evening went. One of my favorite times of day is tucking them in at night so this is my way of tucking them in from work. When it's Owens turn to talk he doesn't have much to say. usually because he is distracted with the show he is watching, but he closes the conversation with "kisses in your heart!" I love this kid!

I'm back!

It's ok to take 3 yrs off right? Not too much can happen over a three yr period. It only seems like my kids are growing up faster and faster each year. It's too over whelming to start and sum up all that's happened so I will take it slowly. Post by post.

 

So since we last talked we added a new member to our family. This little man joined us in September of 2011. He is pretty much the center of everything. Syd takes care of him as if he were her own, Owen finally got the brother he has always wanted. Ken LOVES a baby and Jack has been no exception. For me? He keeps me company while everyone else is gone during the day!

Snow Canyon

While we were in St George we went to Snow Canyon. My kids were a little confused because it was more like the beach.

Family Pics

So I have these amazing friends in St George that took our pictures while we were down there this past week.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Lava Hot Springs

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Introducing...

Lydia Esther

She is so beautiful. She has her own little look about her. A mix of her brothers and sister. I was lucky enough to be there when she entered the world. Each of Kirstie's kids births fit them. Henry took a long time getting here. He had to think about it and decide when the time was right. He really made his mom work. Then there was Lucy. Spunky and silly yet a worrier. She wasn't going to wait for anyone. I can just imagine her inside Kirstie worrying about how she was going to get herself out there. She knew she was going to have to do it somehow so she just closed her eyes and went for it! Then there was Frank. He just kind of took his time. Didn't take as long as Henry, yet he was not in for all the work Lucy went through. He was just swimming around enjoying himself in all the fluid he has produced. The doctor said he dad never seen so much! It splashed. Maybe this gave Kirstie some padding from all his punches, "do this lady know how to punch?"

If all this is true, little Lydia is in for quite a life. She came into the world a lot like her big sister. Kirstie is just made to have babies. I have not seen or heard of too many babies come out without pushing. Lydia came out not breathing. She took a while to even give us a little grunt. When she did make a cry it was just a little cry to let us know she was trying but just couldn't breath on her own. The nurse took her away from her mom before she could even see her. No one could go with her. She was all on her own with swarms of strange voices, sounds, bright lights and tubes all around her. She still wasn't breathing on her own so they called for back up. We weren't sure of she was going to be life-flighted or go by ground but she was going to NICU. The calls were being made for an open bed at any NICU in the valley. Primary Childrens had a bed and would take her. The transport team arrived at the hospital and they were going put her on a ventilator so she could make the trip. Well as little Lydia heard all this she decided this wasn't what she wanted. So she started breathing on her own. She faked everyone out. No transport. No breathing machines. No hospital stay. She was fine. So I'm not sure what all this means, but I think she might be a pretty amazing little girl!

I love you sweetie!

papa goes to school

Syd's class is studying South America so papa went to tell about Argentina!
Sydni wan in heaven helping pass out the papers papa brought for the kids. They got to do a word search, a map and a fill in the blank. They had a chance to try on a "poncho" he brought back. The kids loved the money he brought for them to look at. They couldn't believe how much he had. They were a little confused when they found out they couldn't buy much with it. Papa gave everyone a coin to take home.

Valley of Fire

Cory and Melanie and their family went to Valley of Fire with us. It was wonderful to get away from the snow and feel the SUN! We had such a great time.

Here are the kidos. I love the color in the pictures.

Cory took us on a couple of hikes. He told the kids if they didn't whine the whole hike he would give them a dollar. Ya know, it worked. Owen and Dani were in front the whole time. We had to tell them a few times to slow down.

The camp sites were great. There was plenty of room for tents and the tables were covered so you can get out of the sun. (but who would want to do that?)

This was the entertainment for the trip. The boys found a cup and they collected rocks to throw at it. The one who knocked it down won.

Guess who.....

Guess who came over for a visit?

Time....

I was at work last night and we were talking about how fast time goes by. What is it that catches us every once in a while and makes us stop and think about this? The past few months so many things have happened in my life. A lot of changes. Some my choice and some not. Some that effect my day to day life and some that make me stop and reflect on what is important.

Maybe it's because I don't want my kids to get any older. It's hard enough that I no longer have babies, toddlers or preschoolers around. But then I look at my kids and love the ages they are now.

Maybe it's loosing an uncle and realizing once again how quickly life can change and what a miracle the plan of salvation is.

Maybe its starting a new job and worrying about leaving my family. Will my kids be ok? Will they remember my working or will they remember me being home with them?

Maybe it is becoming a nurse and realizing that time goes by no matter what you do. The five years it took me would have gone by either way.

Maybe it is having a birthday and turning "thirty-something". I remember my parents at this age.

Maybe it is the anticipation of becoming an aunt, again!!

I just want to look back at my life no matter how long or short and think wow that was great. What makes you think........Time, where does it go?

I made it.....

This blurry picture is of me being pinned at my nursing graduation. I graduated on Friday from SLCC's nursing program. It has been a long road for my family and I could not have done it without them. I decided to go back to school just before Owen turned one. I took a year to do the prerequisites and then waited two years to start the nursing program. During those two years I did general classes and did take one summer off. Needless to say my kids don't know much different than me going to school. During this time we have moved from the home we became a family in.....

and started a new adventure........ nursing school and slowly remodling a new home.

Well we made it through this part of our lives. It was such a growing experience for me. I learned more than I thought possible and made some new friends. I just keep telling Ken that I've spent two years cramming as much information as possible into my head and then recalling it for test after test after test. Then they give you a little pin and say, "OK, go keep people alive."

I'm not sure I'm ready for this but here goes!

Thanks to everyone who helped me get here. Everyone who took my kids for me while I studied took tests and went to clinicals, I couldn't have done it without you.

kids temporary bedroom

So here are a few before and after pictures. There are still many finishing touches but it is a huge step for our family to be sleeping in our new rooms after 2 1/2 years! The kids will be in here until we finish the attic (hopefully sooner than later) then it will be an office.

how was your halloween?

We dipped apples......(do you want to try)

We carved pumpkins.......

We had a fun day. These pictures were taken on Halloween. Who's heard of 70 degree temps on Halloween?

(These kids don't know what Halloween in Salt Lake really is....... Wearing parkas under your costumes or freezing your hands off carrying your candy around the neighborhood)