Happenings at Home

Scrooged...

2012-01-27T06:20:00.000-07:00

For our Girlie Christmas play this year, we went to see a Christmas Carol at Hale Center Theatre. We had front row seats and the play was incredible. The man who played Scrooge has been playing the part for over 25 years! It was my first time at Hale Center Theatre, and it was awesome! Can't wait to go back!

Hoops

2012-01-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Jake really wanted to play basketball this year, and Kyle didn't. So, we signed Jake up. He's really enjoyed it and is definitely getting better with each game. He even made his first basket. I got it on video - but it's short at the beginning. It was definitely Jake that made the shot!

Haley turns FIVE!

2012-01-25T06:03:00.006-07:00

I still can't believe my baby is five! How time flies! She is such a good kid - most of the time. She throws her fit, and definitely takes her place in the family as the youngest - but she's a good kid most of the time! She takes Ballet, loves going to Kids on the Move at the gym, loves her mommy the most, and loves Kristin. She loves the boys too, but Kristin is definitely her favorite! This year, Cherice asked if I wanted to do her and Makenna's birthday together at Build-a-Bear. So, we did it a few weeks before Haley's birthday. I let her invite a few friends, and she chose Carly, Nora, and Allison (Kristin was already a shoe-in). She really wanted Annie, Lucas, Tate, and Matias to come, but we told her they would be there in spirit. We picked up the girls and headed to the mall. I had a friend of mine make cupcakes, and off we went. It was so great not to have any responsibilities other than making sure the girls were all there. The girls Haley invited were great girls, and just went with the flow. On Haley's real birthday, we invited family over for cake and ice cream. I made my famous bundt cakes and had a great time! Haley of course - loved any and all attention that she got!

Jake and scouts...

2012-01-21T04:57:00.000-07:00

Jake loves scouts. Every part of it. Skits, pack meeting, applause. He's a crazy man. Here is doing a skit and playing minute to win it.

The Worst Pain...EVER...

2012-01-20T04:46:00.000-07:00

I know this is gross, but I have to document it. I got an ingrown toenail - and it got infected. It hurt so bad. I had to get into the doctor, but for some reason, nobody could fit me in. I kept calling around until I found a doctor who would get me in. I went in, and he did a little 'procedure'. I am telling you now, it was the worst pain of my whole life. WAY worse than giving birth. They had to give me a numbing shot directly into the infected part of my toe. I SCREAMED in the doctors office. Afterwards, I was feeling good, but the doc had sent me home with a perscription. I thought - I'm probably good with motrin. Boy, was I wrong. Within 30 minutes, the numbing shots had worn off, and I was IN PAIN! I have never taken the maximum narcotic prescription AS WELL AS the maximum motrin dose, but I did for about a week. I couldn't work out for a week. It was crazy! I NEVER want an ingrown toenail ever ever ever again.

First Snow

2012-01-19T03:29:00.001-07:00

Our first snow this year happened in November. Little did we know, that it would be the last snow until the middle of January! I'm glad we took advantage and took the kids sledding. They had begged to go, and they all did great. Haley even went down the hill by herself, and hauled her sled up all by herself. That's my kind of sledding! As an adult, it's fun to watch my kids be so excited in the snow, even though the novelty has definitely worn off for me. I like to watch snow fall inside of a clean house, but that's my only joy of snow.

Six People | Twelve Times

2012-01-18T03:33:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot to post this! Yes, I am still trying to catch up blogging, and should have my six people | twelve times posts caught up. This is our family on the Oregon Coast. I think Oregon means a lot to me, because it feels like the place where our family began. Our family is also huge fans of beaches. Any kind. We could stay here for days and be happy. Hmmm...that may need to happen next year!

Jake turns 9!!!

2012-01-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Jake is 9! He's always been a pretty laid back kid. This past year, we have noticed that he is a worrier and stresses out - a lot. Drives me crazy. He gets good grades, is very well behaved in class, but I tell you the kid is Jekyl&Hyde. I actually worry about what to do with him. I am contemplating taking him to a therapist. Any thoughts? This year, Jake has started with a speech therapist at school. He has always had speech issues, and we had him tested in preschool, but he wasn't bad enough to qualify for help. One of the reasons I chose to take him to the charter school this year, was because I wanted to get him help with his speech. His teacher had also started noticing that he was writing his words the way he was sounding them out. Now, he is working with a therapist once a week. Hopefully it will continue going well. I am grateful for the help he is getting. I do love Jake. When he is all alone with me, going to the store, or just hanging out, he is the most loveable greatest kid around. He's a ton of fun to be around. He wanted a skateboard for his birthday along with a skateboard cake! My friend, Natalie, made it. It's awesome, huh? He got a skateboard so we went as a family to classic skating and let him 'try' riding it around. He did okay, but it's hard, and he has a hard time not giving up. I took the skateboard around the loop a few times, and except for falling on my butt once, was the best skateboarder 'out of our family'. I am so grateful Jake is in our family! Hope he had a super special day!

2011 Family Photos

2012-01-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

This year we went to Las Vegas' dry lakebeds for our family photos. Erin, one of my besties, took our photos. I took her families photos as well! After all the clothes picking, and details, every single one of my kids fell asleep on the way there. Haley wouldn't crack a smile for the first 40 minutes. Ah - it is what it is. Here are my favorites!

Halloween

2012-01-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

The kids had a blast this year. Kristin was a leprechaun - made by Grammy, Kyle a vampire, Haley a witch, and Jake a monster. We went up to Copperton early to see Grandma Great and took advantage of trick or treating around her neighborhood. We then headed home so the kids could trick or treat in our neighborhood. This is the first year they have been able to do so. We trick or treated over to the Glasseys, and once there, they decided they just wanted to stay and scare people. So, they did. We were blessed with an unusually warm Halloween, (no complaints here) and the night was spectacular.

Flag Football

2012-01-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

The boys both played flag football this year. They LOVE it. Jake had a super great coach, and Kyle had a coach who started out the year by sending an email that said, "If your kid is going to win the superbowl, then you may want to find another team." Needless to say his coach didn't teach him anything, but Kyle is the type of kid who is just happy to play. He did well, caught a few passes, and scored a few times. Jake's coach loved every second. Taught them a ton of information. Jake is more timid on the playing field. He did great, and enjoyed it! Kyle's sad because after this season, he is too old for flag, but he has no desire to play tackle. I guess we will see what happens next year with him.

Oregon...or bust!

2012-01-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

This fall, our family had the chance to go back to Oregon. Well, we made it happen. Troy really wanted to go to the BYU football game vs. OSU and I had a few photoshoots. So, we decided to make a weekend out of it. We left on a Wednesday night and stayed in Boise. We woke up the next day and made our way to Portland. We stopped at Multnomah Falls on the way into town for a photo op. It has been so long since we have been there. Still gorgeous! We then drove into Aloha to stay with friends, the Gonzalez Family. We ran a few errands (tax free) and met up with them at THE Papa's Pizza. Definitely not a food favorite, but the kids LOVED playing there. It was really fun. The next morning we got up early, packed a sack lunch, and drove to the Oregon Coast. It's not a trip to the coast if you don't make it to the Tillamook Cheese factory! We stopped at a beach near Cannon Beach for our lunch. We ate quick, and the kids took off their shoes, and headed for the water. It was a sunny day in October, and I wished I had shorts on! At one point, a child said, "Who knew we could have so much fun at a cold beach?" We stayed about an hour, then headed inland to meet Sarah and kids at the Pumpkin Patch we frequented when we lived there. It was still fun (pretty sure more expensive though)! We told the kids they could pick any pumpkin as long as they could carry it. I think we ended up saying at least 20 feet. It was fun for them to play on the hay bales with old friends! We then went back to Papa's pizza - this time with the Nielsen's. The adults did NOT want to eat the food, so after the kids played for awhile - we put Kyle in charge of all the kids, and we went to PF Changs. Yum! My kind of dinner! It was fun catching up. The next day, Troy left early for the football game, and I headed to do more photoshoots. I LOVE my Oregon clients! Cassandra picked me up when I was finished, and we took all our girls to lunch and then to a makeup store where we put makeup on them! Their choice of everything! That night, Sarah came by and we visited and chatted until Troy got home from the game. We decided to drive through the night and make our way home. It was a super fun weekend! I love little family trips. Oregon was such a great place for us to raise our little kids. It was the place I had babies, was pregnant, and had toddlers to entertain. The friends I had their taught me so much and I will always remember them. As Troy and I drove around, we missed that time our kids were so little, but we also knew that we are where we are supposed to be. It was a great feeling to have. We know we will always remain close to friends, but we made the right decision for our family, at a time when we really didn't know what would be the better choice! We will definitely have to make Oregon a destination for more family get-aways!

The Kids Annual Photos...

2012-01-12T00:55:00.000-07:00

This year, I took Troy's side of the family's pictures on one day. I was too busy to spread them out, so everyone showed up, and I clicked away. I decided to put my kids in the clothes I had gotten for our family photos - to 'Try' them out. I LOVE these photos of them!

BYU FOOTBALL

2012-01-11T04:57:00.000-07:00

Every fall BYU football is a big part of our life! I really enjoyed games this year because they were on Friday nights. It helped me still do my photoshoots, Kyle able to play soccer games, and didn't take up our entire Saturday. I hope they do this every year. Because of the conference changes, the first game was the BYU v UTAH game. The boys wanted to cut their hair in true BYU fan fashion and have their faces painted. They look sweet! Unfortunately, the game was awful. BYU lost horribly. We got 4 tickets this year, and my grandma got 2. We used her extra 2 tickets a few times during the year - this meant the girls got to attend a few games and the boys got to invite friends, even Troy invited a friend. We went to a game on my birthday, which I didn't love so much. I loved having a car full of kids - and it was great. Haley and Makenna went to a game together and had a blast. They decided that BYU could only have won since they were cheering. I also learned the rules more and actually enjoyed it - only a little teeny tiny bit. I was definitely ready for the season to be over - but we had fun while it lasted! Can't wait for next year! (really, I can)

Soccer

2012-01-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

Kyle started soccer again. He has taken a few years off, but a few of his friends were on the team, and he was anxious to try it again. I'm glad he did. He hustles and is a pretty good player. He loves his coach and team members. I love soccer - but especially for what great exercise it is for him! Haley is dying to play - so maybe we will sign her up next year! I love the photo of the boys posing for the camera when they should be paying attention to the coach...sorry Jeff.

3rd Annual Girls Trip

2012-01-09T04:47:00.000-07:00

This year for our Girls Trip, we went to Vegas to see the Lion King. I had a photoshoot in Vegas, and we decided to plan our girls trip around it. The Lion King was incredible! Kristin loved every second. Haley got a little bit bored, and kept asking when halftime was. After the show, we walked from our show (the girls preference) Luxor to the M&M Store. I HATE walking down the strip - especially with my kids. The girls thought the lights were neat, and loved the M&M store! I think we may do New York next year...love the time spent with my mom and my girls!

Backyard

2012-01-08T09:39:00.002-07:00

This year we have really enjoyed our backyard! The fruit trees we planted 4 years ago, have finally started bearing fruit. And it's super yummy! The kids love playing in the backyard, and I am so excited to be able to have a wonderful garden. Now, don't get me wrong. I do not have a green thumb - unless you count weeds. I am also pretty busy, and I hate yardwork and pulling weeds. I got to friends yards who have absolutely beautiful yards - but it's just beyond me to do it...kinda like sewing. I do love eating the tomatoes. You can never have enough tomatoes - especially when they're straight from the garden! I LOVED the pear tree too! The kids ate them, and I think next year I may try bottling some. I know,'gasp' heard round the world! I actually made applesauce with the apples from our tree. I kept the perfect ones to just eat - but the rest I turned into applesauce. Straight apples. No sugar, completely organic (cause we don't know how to spray our trees). So wonderful! Truly feel blessed to have what we have!

Girly day O' fun

2012-01-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

When the boys started back to school, Kristin was off-track! I had felt bad that she had missed some fun activities while the boys were off for the summer, so she invited her cousin, Madi, and Haley invited cousin Makenna, and we made a day o' fun. We went to Boondocks and did the bumper boats. We went to Planet Play for pizza and games and mini-golf. When we got home, we took Haley to preschool, and I took the girls up to the local reservoir for them to play. I'm telling you - it was a fun-filled absolutely EXHAUSTING day! The girls definitely had a good time!

BACK TO SCHOOL!

2012-01-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

The boys go to a charter school that is on a traditional schedule, not year round. Kyle started in the 6th grade in Junior High, and Jake's in 3rd grade at the Elementary School. The boys wear uniforms to school. This has not been an issue for them. This year all 4 of my kids are at different schools, and I am in 4 different carpools! This will keep me on my toes, I am sure. Haley is in her 3rd year of preschool with Miss Jen. She absolutely loves it there! I love it too, although I will enjoy it when she can go to Kindergarten and I don't have to pay for her school anymore! Excuse the photos, I had just dropped my camera - and am working on getting a replacement.

The funeral...

2012-01-05T07:17:00.000-07:00

Some images I want to have in my blurb book of the funeral...just a background...Craig was able to plan out his funeral, and requested we all wear jeans and Yankee shirts to the viewing. It was great...except for the odd person who shall not be named who wore a Lou Gehrig shirt...not exactly kosher...but, you would be AMAZED at the tacky things people do and say at a viewing...just saying...

All my brothers were able to make it to town for the funeral. It was great having everyone there. As hard and awful of a situation it was - it was nice to be with family...extended, immediate, and remember the life of a wonderful man!

A great man...

2012-01-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning, August 20, 2011, I was standing on a street corner, helping direct a little ward triathlon. Jake was with me. I was taking photos of a few of the things I saw while waiting for racers. It was here that I got a call that my uncle had passed.

My uncle, Craig Peterson, died of Lou Gehrig's Disease. It took 8 months after diagnosis for this awful disease to take his life. Those 8 months of watching him suffer, were horrible. I loved my uncle and was honored to take his family photos before he died. While the location is primitive, it was where he wanted the photo taken. Craig was a great man. After his death I learned of trials he had gone through during his life that made me respect him more for all he has endured. Things I remember about him: Japanese rice candy (where you eat the paper), John Wayne movies, stories...about everyone and everything, always laughing at something or someone, loved his kids and did anything for them, what a great dad he was. I also remember a time when he rescued me. When I first moved away from home, I was really homesick. I was having a hard time leaving with my grandparents, who weren't used to modern teenagers. My uncle gave me a blessing and treated me like one of his own. Whenever I would walk in a room he was in, he would say, "Well, Hello, Jenny, Jenny!" He always acted very interested in the lives of me and my brothers. Since we lived out of state from the rest of the cousins - not many people cared about what was happening in our lives...out of sight, out of mind. Craig always cared. Craig had my grandpa's hands. That's probably the thing I remember most. Seeing Craig's hands always reminded me of my grandpa. Craig was a great Yankee's fan and BYU fan. I sat with him the very last BYU football game he attended. He made sure to buy each of my boys a cougar tail(donut). I am so happy he is not suffering anymore. Watching him waste away was awful. I know he is in heaven - watching over his children and praying that they do what they need to do in order to return to him. I am grateful for his example in my life and for the opportunity I got to be his only niece. I love you, Uncle Craigy.

Michael Craig Peterson "Papa" COPPERTON-Our beloved husband and father passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, August 20, 2011 from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Born, October 10, 1955 in Salt Lake City, Utah to James W. and Dorothy Peterson. Craig had a wonderful childhood growing up in Copperton, where he graduated from Bingham High School. He was very active in school and sports. He served a two year mission in Japan where he gained a love for their people and culture. Craig married his sweetheart, Cyndi on August 22, 1978 in the Salt Lake Temple. He graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelors Degree and received a Masters Degree in Elementary School Administration from BYU. Craig taught 4th Grade for five years before working at Domino's Pizza as an area supervisor for 14 years. He then returned to teaching and taught 4th and 6th grade for 13 years at Jordan Hills Elementary where he loved the students and the faculty. Craig was an incredibly dedicated father and Papa who loved his children and grandchildren more than anything and supported them in all of their endeavors. He loved coaching them in Little League and softball. He instilled in them a love of baseball and the New York Yankees. Craig never complained and always put the needs of others above his own. He was an amazing man who touched many lives and he will be greatly missed. Craig is survived by: wife, Cyndi, children, Katie (Jakson) Holyoak, James (Marisol) Peterson, Erin Peterson, Kara (Brian) Higley, grandchildren, McCall, Madi, Maya, Alison and Craig, mother, Dorothy Peterson, Brother Kent (Mary) Peterson, sister, LeAnne (Mike) Heagren, and nieces and nephews he dearly loved. He is preceded in death by his father, James W. Peterson. Friends may call at the Sunset Ridge 5th Ward, 8834 Duck Ridge Road, West Jordan, Friday, August 26, 2011 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. or Saturday from 10:00-10:45 a.m. Funeral services will be held, Saturday, August 27, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the same location. Interment, Wasatch Lawn Cemetery 13001 South 3600 West Riverton, UT. Condolences may be sent at www.wheelermortuary.com

Classic...is, well...classic.

2012-01-04T20:51:00.005-07:00

During one of the parades we attended this year - we were given free passes to Classic Waterslides. I used to go there when I was a little girl. It's definitely classic. We met up with the Braithwaites, and the kids had a great time, especially since Canyon School District was already back in school! I loved how the kids could go down by themselves, and they let the kids play - even though standing on stacks of mats isn't exactly safe. It was super fun, and I wished I would have taken the kids earlier in the summer - although, if it was busier, I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much!

And one of my favorite reasons for taking the kids swimming in the summer......asleep by the time we get home!

Doughnut Falls

2011-12-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

While Mike and Maria were in town, they wanted to go on a hike. We wanted to go somewhere that the kids could hike without too much help and someplace close. Doughnut Falls up Big Cottonwood Canyon is the perfect spot. It was gorgeous up there. Quiet, serene...well, until our kids got up there! They had a blast. Playing in the water, looking for caterpillars, and looking at flowers. It is always nice to be able to take a short 30 minute ride and be in the mountains.

Harding Hideout...with friends!

2011-12-22T08:56:00.001-07:00

We took our friends out to the Harding Hideout again this year. The kids love being able to bring their friends. We had a good time. There were frogs, lots of them - so much, in fact, that we had to tell the kids they couldn't touch them anymore. I hope they were playing dead, and not really dead. Ooops. They always have fun on the slide, swing, and in the water. Its really important for me that my kids have great friends. I think so many of the choices you make as a teenager are determined a lot by your friends. I am so happy of the friends my kids have chosen and who they love to spend their time with. We had a good day together, and everyone left a bit early, which gave us time to sit and talk to my grandma and grandpa. Definitely a good day!

IM Flash summer party

2011-12-21T20:46:00.004-07:00

Troy works at IM Flash Technologies. Every summer, they have a huge catered BBQ and carnival as well as an open house to learn about what he does at his job. The party is for friends and family of the employees. I think this year we requested 30-40 tickets. We have lots of family and friends! It was really fun. We all ate and then Troy took us through his work. They were making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. They also froze a red rose with it and allowed Jake to smash it and we watched it shatter into a million pieces. It was awesome! The kids - especially Kinlee, were super excited to try a clean suit on. Whenever Troy has to go into the fab - he has to wear the following gear. I am so grateful for Troy's job and his company. It has been a huge blessing for us to decide to make the switch from Intel. Troy says that the company as a whole is not as good as Intel, but that there is much more room for growth, promotions, and raises in this company. It's now been 5 years, and we are very grateful. Until next year, friends and family...and if you didn't get an invite, and want one - let us know!

Lucas comes to visit.

2011-12-10T19:58:00.017-07:00

Mike and his family came to visit this summer. The kids were so excited to play with Lucas, and meet their new cousin, Matias. We spent a day at Papa & Grammy's playing in the hot tub, on the slip and slide, and Maria and I spent an hour filling up water balloons that lasted no more than 5 minutes. The kids had fun just playing. It was so fun. In these photos - you can see Michael, being what we like to call - Uncle Howard. Ask anyone - way worse than Uncle Buck! We also went to Wheeler Farm to see the animals. It was so hot we had to get popsicles. We even managed smores and fireworks and the highlight - glow sticks. Pretty sure Lucas ate more sugar this 2 days than he has his whole life! Before they left - we tried to get a photo of all the grandkids for my mom. As you can see - nobody wantd to cooperate! We had so much fun while they were here. We wish they could move here!

Random summer events...

2011-10-28T14:10:00.003-06:00

Daxton and Jake were dressing up for the neighbor girls. Not sure why - but glad I caught it on camera! The two goof balls!

Troy and I found a Tepanyaki gift card and even though we knew it would be horribly expensive - we decided to take our kids to eat at Tepanyaki. First, I wanted to try an experiment. I told the kids we were going somewhere really nice for dinner, and they all needed to go get their very best clothes on. Well - unfortunately - this is what they came up with. Silly kids. This is the reason my kids have to get an 'okay' on outfits before they leave the house in the morning!

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-10-25T16:31:00.003-06:00

Who doesn't love a great deal? Well - I may take the cake when it comes to finding deals. I really don't go searching - but I have a few friends (who shall remain nameless) who call me 'random'. I know of all sorts of random deals - and my family usually enjoys in the benefits/downfalls of these deals. This day, happened to be a free adult value meal if you dressed like a cow. Seriously? 6 free Value Meals at Chick-fil-a and all we had to do was wear white shirts and add black spots? SOLD - except for it was free. They had bounce houses and contests in the parking lot, and we saw friends and family there. We sat outside on a hot July night, and enjoyed just being together - and our free food. I had a Chick-fil-a worker snap my photo from my phone. Go ahead - enter it into the awkward family photos!

Spudman Olympic Triathlon

2011-08-25T05:09:00.000-06:00

This was my second year doing the Burley, Idaho Spudman - which is an olympic triathlon. This year was so much different. I wasn't worried or stressed at all. I have been consistently working out for the past year - and thought my body would for sure be ready. I didn't really 'train' for this triathlon - which I regret. I did a few bike rides, and ran a bit - but I didn't swim at all. I just took for granted my body being prepared to run this race. I talked my dad and Troy into running it with me this year. It was both of their first triathlons. Troy thought he was going to drown in the water - and my dad is looking into a road bike - instead of his bike - that made him take a lot longer on the ride than it should have. My goal was to beat my time last year - and I did it - by 12 minutes! I actually beat my time in every category - by a few minutes. The bike route was backwards from what it was last year - and was so hard for me - I chalk that up to my non-training. I should have gone on more bike rides! Even with it being so hard - I beat last years time by a minute or so! The race was not as spread out as last year - and on the bike, I was really worried - with the hordes of bikers - that I was going to wreck. I didn't, which was a relief! The run was hard for me again - but it was my stupid shin splints! I could barely walk when I got off the bike - and if you've ever had shin splints - they hurt so bad! Sometimes I don't think people believe me - but they totally do! To make myself run - I would sprint between telephones - it worked, and I made it to the finish line 12 minutes sooner than I did last year! I am so proud of that! I am proud of Troy and my dad for doing this also! It is a big accomplishment. I don't think I want to do it next year. The cost to do it adds up - and I am happy to just work out around home...we will see who can urge me to do it again! We will see...

Haley's summer...

2011-08-24T05:05:00.001-06:00

Well, she's a spitfire. She found some roller skates in the garage that we meant to give her for Christmas but my hiding spot was too good for even me - so when Haley found them - it was a super find. She would wear these things to bed if she could! She has been enjoying summer. Some of her favorite things this summer are green popcicles, playing at Grammy's, falling asleep wherever she is (literally), and roller skating. We sure love this girl! Oh yeah...notice her knee pads. They are Ninja Turtle knee pads that she found in the dress up box. She won't skate without them!

Kristin Starts Second Grade!

2011-08-23T04:58:00.001-06:00

Kristin started the second grade on July 26. She was so excited to go back to school - even though her summer was only 3 weeks long! She is continuing in the Chinese Immersion program - and she continues to love every second! This school year - all of my kids will be at different schools. Kyle - Jr. High, Jake - a charter elementary, Kristin - Foothills Elementary, and Haley - preschool. Let's hope I've gotten all of my carpools figured out! With the track Kristin is on - she will go to school for 3 weeks, and then be off track for the next 3 - so even though she starts school - she will still have a little bit longer summer.

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-08-22T04:55:00.000-06:00

Here we are. In the Great Outdoors. Hiking and eating cherries are the perfect combination. A short hike so we didn't get too tired or too sweaty - but a perfect way to escape the July heat.

Doughnut Falls

2011-08-18T18:42:00.013-06:00

Ever since our 7 mile hike in Goblin Valley - the kids have been dying to go hiking again. We decided to head up to the mountains after church on Sunday. We went to Doughnut Falls. It was a short, easy hike - perfect for a Sunday afternoon. We didn't let the kids get wet - the water was flowing a little too swiftly - but we all had fun. It's amazing what a little 20 minute drive can get you! The views were gorgeous as were the wildflowers! If Troy and I would have gotten a Sunday afternoon nap and THEN went hiking - it would have been perfect.

Kyle turns 11!

2011-08-12T04:49:00.003-06:00

I still can't believe I have an 11 year old. Time has flown - that is for sure! For months - Kyle has been begging to take him to see Harry Potter 7.2. We have a rule in our house - that you have to read the books before you can see the movies. It has been a great rule, and I highly suggest it. I am currently reading Jake book 2, and hopefully he will be able to start reading it on his own this year. He is itching to see the movies. So, I asked Kyle if he wanted to go see Harry Potter on opening night - at midnight - in lieu of a birthday party. It was what he had been dreaming of. So - we took the other kids to sleep over at my parents, and did the mad, crazy, opening night of Harry Potter festivities. Apparently, the theatre we were at was the second largest party in the world for Harry Potter. It was sure interesting to see EVERYONE dressed up as characters from the book. Kyle went as Harry, and Troy and I went as muggles. I thought Kyle would fall asleep - but he was wide awake and making random comments throughout the movie along with the rest of the theatre! (Troy and I were a bit embarrassed - but it was his party - so we tried not to care!) Kenny, Cherice, and Daxton came along as well. We all enjoyed the movie! On Kyle's actual birthday, we were going to go on a hike as a family - but Troy heard about Lehi's Foam Days and decided to go there instead. Fireman came to a park and sprayed foam (for putting out fires) all over the grass. There were also booths for food, and big blow up waterslides and stuff. It was all free, and that was a big bonus! Once the kids were in the foam, we had no clue where they were. We had designated a meeting spot which was a good idea. After they were done in the foam, they had a firetruck spraying the kids from an extended ladder. The kids thought this day was the coolest day ever. We ended Kyle's birthday with fireworks and a BBQ at my parents house. Enjoy the photos!

Kristin Performs...

2011-08-11T16:33:00.008-06:00

Kristin had the opportunity to perform for 3 Chinese Governors at the Utah State Capitol Building. They did a performance in Chinese for these Governors. A member of the legislature met with the families after the performance to let us know how much he appreciated us being there. Apparently - in China - there are 8 Governors. This was the first time in Chinese History that 3 of them have left all at once and coming together to the US is another first. Also - Utah exports millions of dollars of things to China and they are trying to better trade relations. It was so fun to see Kristin perform and speak Chinese. She really loves it. It was almost more fun watching the Chinese guests (and there were a whole lot of them) sing along with the kids, and cheer and clap. Even if I don't understand her - they do - and that was cool. A few things about Kristin...she is UBER shy. She isn't demanding - and is a go with the flow kind of girl. She was so excited for this performance - she wanted everyone she knew to come watch her. Which - for her to verbally request - shows just how much it meant to her. Thanks to Papa and Grammy for coming - we know it wasn't fun and enjoyable and how anybody wants to spend their Saturday - but it meant the world to Kristin. I forgot my camera - so all of these photos came from my phone or from someone else - but I'm glad I have them. We are so proud of Kristin and so excited for all the things she has yet to learn! After her performance, we took her to lunch at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

Swimming Hole

2011-08-09T09:02:00.000-06:00

We have been going to outdoor pools too - with our friends. The kids have loved every second of it, and I have loved trying to keep my Hawaiian tan. It's fun going with friends in which all of the kids get along - completely. I am so grateful for good friends with good kids!

The Rec Center

2011-08-08T08:47:00.001-06:00

In April, the JL Sorensen Rec Center was built in Herriman, fairly close to our house. They have an incredible pool, and I frequent the workout room. We go there weekly to swim. The greatest part about this pool, is that the kids always find friends when we go. Kids from their class, church, or the neighborhood are always there - which makes it fun for them! We even run into cousins quite frequently! I took my camera and thought I should at least document the time we spend there! (except me working out of course - that would not be a fun thing to document) First photo first...Kristin doing a headstand!

Kyle goes to Football Camp

2011-08-07T08:02:00.000-06:00

Kyle went to a football camp put on by former BYU players. It is just a one day camp - but Kyle loved every second. So did Troy. Here is what Kyle had to say about it: "Today I went to BYU football camp it was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo fun!!!!!!! I learned so much from that experience. my coaches were Ben Cridle, Makay Jacobson, Dustin Gabrel, and Jason Sedon was my 7 on 7 coach. I learned to put my hands in front of my chest to block the db's hands." Whatever that all means...he loved it, that's all that matters!

Jake goes to Cub Camp

2011-08-06T07:57:00.000-06:00

This was Jake's first year at Cub Scout Camp. He loved it and came home completely filthy! Here is what he had to say about it: "At scout camp I did 4 pull ups. It was fun. I shot a BB gun, tied knots, and found gold. I went on a hike too. I hung out with my friend Daniel and the rest of my troop." Thanks to Steven who went to camp and took pictures!

Fourth of July

2011-08-05T07:50:00.000-06:00

We had our traditional Fourth of July this year. It started off with races up at the park. It was fun, as usual! Everybody ran in the races and won money! Troy made Haley do the father/daughter sack race and for some reason - she screamed and cried forever, which is why she is so happy in the family picture. She wanted to just sit and watch! They always have a special needs race, which Kinlee LOVED this year. I always enjoy spending the morning of the 4th with family and also a few friends who came up this year! Can't wait until next year!

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-08-04T07:45:00.004-06:00

The fourth of July is one of our favorite holidays. We LOVE Copperton Park Races for the whole family in the morning - chilling in the afternoon - and fireworks at night. Here we are on my mom's lawn doing fireworks. This is by far the kids favorite thing to do. Uncle David even let them light their own! I think it's funny that Haley has a 2 hour old smore in her hand. I don't know if she ever finishes it - but she will carry it around for hours!

Harry Potter

2011-08-02T14:05:00.002-06:00

A photographer friend of mine, Kris Doman, is trying to start up a Costume Photography section of her business, and was looking for a boy to dress as Harry Potter for a photo shoot. Jake immediately came to mind. It was incredible how once he had the cloak, the scar, the tie, and the wand how instantly he transformed. It was amazing. She got some amazing photos of Dumbledore's Army - and I was there to help her haul some things, but I managed to snap a few of my own photos. Here is our little 'Potter'! Oh - if you want to see Kris' photos, go HERE.

Here are a few with the kid that played Ron. Since the boys were dressed up - they really acted as if they were BFF's - even though they have never met!

Myton

2011-08-01T09:34:00.000-06:00

This is flat-iron. It signifies being close to Grandma and Grandpa's. For as long as I can remember, we watch for it on our way out. We only have about a 7 minute drive after the first person spots it! We went out to Myton for a reunion of JUST our family...meaning my aunt and uncles and cousins. No extended/extended family...(you have to understand my family to know what this means). It's fun for me to get to talk to my cousins and their spouses, and have it be a smaller affair. The kids get along great, and it's awesome company. This year, BJ's cell phone fell out of his pocket when he was on the swing...it fell right into the water. So - the rest of the afternoon, everyone searched for the phone, and we even drained the pond. He eventually found it, and was happy to be able to turn it into his insurance for a new one! We went on the Harding Hauler, saw pigs, and just hung out. It was a fantastic day. I missed my brothers and my cousins who weren't there. Maybe next year...

2nd Annual KidsK

2011-07-28T18:39:00.016-06:00

Wow. Once again - life took over and I am behind on blogging. We will start back in June - with the Second Annual KidsK. The kids were so excited to be doing this again. They run 3 laps around Monarch Meadows Park - which is a little bit over a mile. Just before the kids started the run, Steven had them all doing stretches. I had a to snap a butt shot to pay him back for the butt shot he took of me at Goblin Valley.

Afterwards, they do a relay - where they have a team of 3 and each person runs one lap around and they pass a baton. This year the relay was a super close call - with Daniel and Kyle racing against one another. Kyle ended up just passing Daniel at the end - but I was amazed at how both of those two did NOT give up! Heidi passed out awards, and there were treats for the kids. Jake won first place in his age group, and Haley won first place in hers (she was the only one her age who finished). Heidi is planning another KidsK at the end of the summer to see how they progress. The kids beg to practice for the next one!

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-07-04T17:30:00.005-06:00

(I can't believe I forgot to blog this - he did it right before we left for Hawaii - so it must have slipped my mind) Kyle had to do a report on a famous American - and he chose Martin Luther King, Jr. Part of the report is that he had to dress up as him and prepare a minute long speech about his subject - and they did a was museum at school. Where he had to repeat by memory the facts over and over. Well - here is my little MLK, Jr.

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-06-13T06:31:00.000-06:00

We love traveling together. I always thought that you can tell what kind of parents people are by how they deal with road trips with their kids. I don't know why - but you know who the 'head' of the house is during a road trip. Is it the kids? Is it the youngest? Is it the parents? My kids have been doing long road trips since they've been born. Of course, we all get antsy, but for the most part - my kids do great! They don't get candy at every place we stop. They take turns picking movies - the most irritating person is usually Haley - cause she just won't stop chattering, and she's not a TV watcher. She just chit chats for 10 hours. We travel to California frequently - since my 3 brothers live there. What isn't to love about California? Our kids love the beach, pool, hot tub, everything - but I really think that what they love most is just hanging out with the family. It's funny how there is no fighting at the beach. Everyone is just so happy to play! Troy and the kids automatically just jump right into California's cool ocean. I only get in up to my knees. I am not a cold water girl. My dream one day, is to stay in a condo/hotel RIGHT on the beach - and just play and read books there all day long. That would be heaven, for all of us! I better start planning it!

BRACES...off!

2011-06-12T06:19:00.000-06:00

Jake got his braces off a few weeks ago! He was so excited. Jake is the kid who had every problem with the braces. Brackets breaking, wires coming off, everything. We actually went in the day we got home from Hawaii for him to get his braces off, but a bracket had fallen off, and his teeth were crooked, he had to wait another 10 weeks to get them off. On Halloween night, I had to text the ortho cause he broke something off with candy. So, we are all (I'm sure the orthodontist more than anything) glad they are off! It's funny, cause Troy and I think he has this huge mouth now. Hopefully he will grow into it!

More of San Diego...

2011-06-11T05:51:00.001-06:00

The next day, we sort of bummed around San Diego. We went to Mission Bay and the little amusement park - Belmont Park. We let all the kids go on one ride, and Kristin talked Grammy into buying Cotton Candy. I'm pretty sure it was Lucas' first time with the stuff - and he loved it!

They had a wave pool next to the ocean that we were trying to peek into to see the practicing surfers. This is probably my favorite photo from the whole trip - and of course, I took it on my phone.

We went to see where Jason lived and oohed and aahed over the view. I guess that's what a master's degree gets you! That, and 4 roommates.
Jason took us to lunch at a pizza place. Hmmmm...what can I say about this pizza place? It was New York Style pizza. It was pretty good. It was an interesting restaurant. If my brothers would like to give their review, they will have to leave a comment. While we were waiting for the pizza, I HAD to snap this photo of Jason with all his nieces and nephews...ughh...once again, on my dumb phone. It kind of blew out the faces a bit. We also hung around the hotel room and swam quite a bit. My kids would have been happy to be in the pool all day!
The last night we were there, we got Spiderman cupcakes for Lucas. They were a HUGE hit!

We said goodbye, and drove the 10 hours it took to get home. We can't wait to see them again in August!

San Diego Zoo

2011-06-10T06:08:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, we went to the San Diego Zoo.
Our kids have never been there. They have these new double decker buses, that were fun to ride in, but they traveled the paths people walked, and I feel that they ruined the zoo! It must be a new ploy for more money, or for all the lazy people who can't just walk through a zoo. From the top of the double-decker bus, Kristin noticed face painting. She has saved birthday money and begged and this is what she wanted to spend her money on (Thank you Grandpa Korth and Grandma Great - this is what she spent her money on). Naturally, Haley had to have one too. While we were walking around, the oddest things walked by us. A dog and a cheetah on leashes. Some new program they have at the zoo - I can't remember the exact purpose of it.

After walking for awhile, the kids all were ready to go. We were as far from the exit as was possible, and we thought we should stop by and see the Panda Bears (30 minute wait) and then to see the gorillas. Well, Kristin had a meltdown - threw an enormous fit, and ruined her face paint. We carried on, and talked them into the gorillas - with a little bribery of popcorn and soda while we waited for the Panda's. It turned out to be a good thing we did - my kids most memorable moment of the whole trip happened while watching the gorillas - and it's disgusting, but I must document it! A gorilla, came and sat on a log, his back to the crowd. He proceeded to poop into his own hand. It was disgusting. I wish I would have gotten it on video - the people in the crowd's comments were priceless. The photo I got is afterwards...you will notice the 'item' in the gorilla's hand...gross...I know... On the way out, Jake got his hands on the map and was leading us out of the park. He took his job very seriously. Even after Kristin threw an enormous fit that day, on the way home from our vacation, my mom asked Kristin what her favorite part of the trip was. She said, The zoo. Ughhhh...girls!

The Beach...

2011-06-09T05:56:00.000-06:00

The majority of our trip was a little chilly - for San Diego standards, so we planned ahead and hit the beach on the warmest day. Naturally, my kids didn't fill the chill as they got all the way in the water, off of Coronado. I was in love with Coronado. It is my new dream place to live. Lucas got some new sand toys, and we came prepared to play! My sweet sister-in-law, Maria, was due in less than a month and was such a trooper the whole time we were there! I hope she laid down and rested the whole next week after we left! Can't wait to meet my new niece or nephew in August!

Gotta love when your uncles bury you in the sand. Okay, I totally did not notice the man in the back when I took this photo of Kristin. It's priceless...by far, my favorite photo of the day!

Lucas turns two!!!

2011-06-08T17:53:00.001-06:00

After we saw graduation, we headed down to San Diego to see Mike, Maria, and Lucas. David and Jason joined us. Lucas was going to turn two in a few days, and we wanted to go to an ice cream parlor. We found the best one we could on Coronado - so we ice creamed it up before hitting the beach! Happy Birthday, Lucas!

(Many more posts on our San Diego trip coming up...)

Jason gets his Master's Degree!

2011-06-07T05:23:00.001-06:00

We went down to California to see Jason graduate...again! This time with his Master's Degree in Educational Psychology. He graduated from Cal State Long Beach (Go Beach!). It was a gorgeous day for an outside graduation! We are proud of you, Uncle Jason!

Goblin Valley

2011-06-06T07:57:00.032-06:00

We were invited to go to Goblin Valley with some friends. It ended up being 5 families and about 32 people who went. It has been pouring rain non-stop lately. We packed up our car with all of our camping gear (yes, I know - CAMPING!) in the rain, and headed down south to Goblin Valley on a Thursday - not planning on returning until Sunday. The more south we went, the sunnier it was. Until we actually got to Goblin Valley. It was raining there...and Troy and I put up our tent in the rain. The rain stopped soon after we put up our tent - but it was a muddy mess! We soon realized, there would be NO point in trying to keep the kids clean. It was also really cold. We could see our breath! I wondered why we were doing this, and how we were going to survive the weekend with it being rainy, muddy and cold! But...we did, and naturally, we all had a great time - especially the kids. There is something to be said about camping with your friends. Everyone was happy! I wish I could describe the scenery better, but we were camped up next to some steep cliffs/rocks that the kids loved to play on. I was really worried someone was going to die, but the other parents assured me it was fine - and just not to watch. I'm still not sure that's a great parenting tactic - but I just didn't know how to keep the kids off! They played, and climbed, and slid down in the mud, and I am pretty sure they were in heaven. It rained during that first night, but then was clear skies the rest of the weekend. Friday morning, while we were waiting for some more friends to arrive, we hiked on the mountains right above our campsite. It was slippery mud and a bit scary. At one point, my shoe stuck in the mud and my whole foot came out. It was fun - and hopefully good exercise. We ate lunch and then went into the Goblins. It was amazing! There was a little valley just filled with different sizes and shapes of 'goblins'. We played a game called - Judge. It is a form of hide and go seek/follow the leader, which was really fun. The kids wanted to stay and play all day. After a few hours, and feeling sunburned, we headed back to camp to get dinner ready. We filled up on dinner, and Troy and I cleaned up the kids as best as we could. There were showers at our campsite that were awesome. It's the only way to camp if you don't have a trailer. Saturday morning we went to hike in some slot canyons. We got probably a mile in, and they were so filled with water, we couldn't go further. Some of the group decided to get wet and go for it - so we sat around and waited. There were some Chinese students from BYU that tried to talk to Kristin, but being her shy self, she completely ignored them. She totally frustrates me with her shyness! The kids had fun hiking through the narrows, and it was really incredible to see how the water has washed away the walls of the canyons.

After the hike, we headed about 30 minutes to the nearest town to let the kids have a little nap and we got lunch and ice for the coolers while we were there.
When we got back, the kids wanted to go back to the Goblins for more "Judge". I made everyone take their family picture up high on a goblin. When it was our turn, I was too scared (I don't like heights) to walk out to the 'picture spot' so I crawled. Thank you Steven, for getting a but shot for me - I'm sure everyone appreciates it. I am showing some of the same family photo, just so you can see the scenery. It really is amazing how beautiful and diverse in scenery the state of Utah is!

That night we had a fire and did smores. Some of our friends brought HUGE marshmallows! Once it got dark, the older kids were dying to go back to the Goblins for nightgames. I opted to stay back with the girls, while Troy took the boys - with flashlights in hand. Apparently it was scary and dangerous. Glad I didn't go to witness the madness. We were talking to some friends last night about the trip, and commenting how we are still shocked that nobody got hurt - other than a few knee scrapes. I am very grateful nobody got hurt! Sunday morning, we had to get up and pack up - but our friend was dying to do a hike in Horseshoe Canyon in Canyonlands National Park - about 30 miles from where we were. It ended up being 32 miles on a dirt road. It was graded pretty good, but we were a little leary. We made it to the trailhead on the road - grateful our new car wasn't stuck - at least so far. This hike is called the Great Gallery. Here is some information I found online about it: "Horseshoe Canyon contains one of the finest displays of prehistoric Indian rock art in the United States. The famous Great Gallery, largest of several Horseshoe Canyon sites, is 200 feet long, 15 feet high, and contains dozens of fascinating red, brown, and white pictographs. The barrier canyon style paintings are at least 2,000 years old, and possibly as old as 8,000 years. The work was done by the Archaic People who lived in the area before the arrival of the Anasazi and Fremont Indian cultures. Archaeologists have struggled to interpret the strange figures that are depicted on the Great Gallery. In addition to many smaller figures, the huge panel contains about twenty life size human shapes, all of which have a strange mummy-like appearance. They lack arms or legs, and often have huge insect-like eyes and skull-shaped heads. Most interesting of all is the figures known as the "Great Ghost and Attendants". This seven-foot-high painting stands out among the others because of its size and its alien appearance." The hike is 7.5 miles roundtrip and we were told to plan on 5-6 hours to complete it. We figured we would hike until we - or the kids - were done, and then turn around. Even though - the end of the hike is where you get to see The Holy Ghost pictograph mentioned previously. But, once we got started, we decided we should just finish it. Well, you start at the top of a canyon, hike 1.5 miles down, and then go another 2.25 miles along a river bottom. And then turn around and head back. So, the hiking wasn't hard - except for the very end, after we had been hiking for more than 4 hours and had to go straight up. We went all 7.5 miles. It took us 5 hours. On the way to the Holy Ghost we stopped, played with frogs, took our time, and it took us 3 hours to get to the halfway point. On the way back, we booked it, and made it back up to the top of the canyon in 2 hours. It really was amazing to see this art on rock walls, and marvel how on earth it hasn't gotten washed away. The kids did so good! Haley complained a few times, and thanks to a few of the teenage boys who carried them a few hundred feet up the canyon at the end - they did really good. 5 hours of hiking - I was very impressed! I still can't believe our family did that! I am still so proud of them! I am hoping to do more hiking with my family this summer! Here are the photos from the hike. Thanks to my friend Jen, for the photos. I didn't want to haul my heavy camera for 5 hours, so I didn't. I used my phone and her camera.

After the hike, we chose to drive about 45 more miles on the dirt road that would take us into Green River(the city, not the actual river). It was eventful, and I wasn't sure we were ever going to make it! It felt like it just took so long. It was faster to get home that way, just a long way on a dirt road in a mini-van! We ended up getting home at about 10pm on Sunday night. We definitely made every minute count, and I am so glad we did. I will probably never do that hike again, but I am so glad we did the whole thing. I am grateful for good friends with great kids that will grow up with my kids. We decided next year we are going to hit up Moab. Can't wait!

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-06-05T10:27:00.000-06:00

This photo was taken after the whole family ran the 5K for Craig. Troy and Kyle ran together, Jake ran with me, and my mom pushed the girls in the stroller. We are really trying to be an active family. As of late, I have really been thinking about health and exercise and how important it is for me to teach my children to be healthy. Biking, running, hiking, tennis...I really want my kids to grow up active. Troy and I work out together with a trainer twice a week. As well as doing that, I go to the gym 6 days a week. Haley goes with me and does the daycare's program there called, "Kids on the move". Instead of being babysat, they do little exercise classes, stationary bikes, sports, and Haley even came home and showed me her push ups and sit ups. I love it. Every morning, Haley knows that we are going to the gym. It's just what is normal to her, and I love it. I have realized in a world that seems to be so sedentary, that I don't want my family to be that way. I want us to be healthy and active. Troy and I are running the Spudman Triathlon this year. It will be Troy's first triathlon - and my second. The kids are getting ready to run their second KidsK next week. The kids beg daily to go on bike rides, and I am so grateful for their willingness to be active. Kristin got a tennis racket for her birthday and has asked David (her uncle) to teach her to play. I look forward to the day when I can play tennis with my kids! I have been really debating about shutting off all cable. Has anyone done this? What have you thought? Anyways...I encourage anybody who may still read my blog - get out. Exercise. Set a goal. Work together as a family. It won't be easy. It still isn't easy for me. It's worth it. I was SO PROUD of Kyle and Jake after this 5k. The did so well!

ALS Sucks.

2011-06-04T10:10:00.000-06:00

In January, my uncle Craig, was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. ALS is a motor neuron disease where usually a limb begins to weaken, and becomes paralyzed because the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord begin to die. Which means that the brains ability to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. There is no known cure for ALS. It is awful. Awful isn't even an adequate enough word to describe it. There isn't a word that is sufficient, I am sure. What started out as his foot and then leg not working 6 months ago, has now turned into almost complete paralization from the neck down. He is able to control a wheelchair with his fingers and move an arm a little, but not much. When I say paralization, I just mean muscles from the neck down don't work. He still has and feels a lot of pain. I love my uncle Craig. I would do anything for him. He is my dad's brother and is truly one of the nicest men you will ever meet. My heart breaks for his family, and for my dad - who has been one of the best help to my uncle. A few weeks ago, we had a fundraiser 5K to raise money for my uncle. He was a school teacher and can no longer work. This disease is very costly - from making the bathroom wheelchair accessible, to medicine, to hospital visits, to machines and wheelchairs, and just paying the mortgage, it has taken it's toll! If you would like to donate, you can donate at any Jordan Credit Union for the Craig Peterson Care Fund. Or - send some $$$ my way and I will make sure it gets where it needs to go! Anyway, back to the 5K. Craig has taught at this school for 13 years, and so many past students showed up. It was incredible how many people showed up. The students made him this poster, and the second it was unrolled, I started bawling. Here are some of my favorite photos of that day...

Kristin Turns SEVEN!

2011-06-03T05:20:00.000-06:00

Kristin turned seven in May. She has been looking forward to her birthday for so long! We took her friends to the Discovery Gateway downtown to play and then out to eat. The girls had a great time - even breaking into some friend song they learned for the first grade program during one of these photos. Kristin was in heaven, and was so excited to play with all of her friends. She got some new outfits and a tennis racket, and her favorite gift - an iTouch from Papa and Grammy. Papa and Grammy came down to the Gateway to bring her a card and her present. She was so funny. She opened that card, and intently read and read and read it - before looking in the envelope to see her iTouch. Kristin is such a sweet girl - most of the time. She also has this grouchy streak that I sure hope is normal for most girls. Kristin is so quiet. She is like her dad. Shy. It drives me crazy. She is learning Chinese, and won't even speak it at home because she is so shy about it. A lot of her aunts and uncles say they rarely hear her speak. Kristin doesn't like cake or frosting, so she opted for donuts. I hope you had a wonderful day! I can't believe my girl who tried to come out hands first is already SEVEN!

Jake the Nerd

2011-06-02T04:50:00.000-06:00

Jake had to dress up like a nerd for school. He came into our room bright and early to show us what he had picked, and we told him he looked good. He really did. His idea of a 'nerd' is just a cute looking kid. Troy and I both thought it was hilarious. He enjoyed his day at school as a nerd.

Preschool...

2011-06-01T04:48:00.000-06:00

Haley loves school! She knows all of her letters, and sits around all day and asks me to spell things for her! She gets 'homework' one day a week, and loves every second. I wonder how long that will last? She may go into withdrawals over summer break. Here she is drawing all of her letters on a dry erase board.

Staples...

2011-05-31T16:30:00.006-06:00

Man! I just can't be consistent with this blog! Life happens, I guess. If it didn't, I wouldn't have anything to blog!

While Troy and I were in Hawaii, Kyle was in an accident and had to get a few (5) staples in the back of his head. Apparently, he was out at the Farms, and they were throwing a tennis ball to Link...my dad's old dog, and now is the cherished pet of my grandma. This dog is crazy. I guess when somebody threw the ball, Kyle was standing between the ball and the dog and the dog just plowed into the back of his legs sending him flying in the air, and just our luck - he came down head first into a rock. He called us from the hospital and thought it was pretty cool - although I'm sure he was scared during it all. Luckily, my friend has staple removers (the medical kind) and offered to remove his staples. Naturally - anything to prevent a doctor bill - I'm all for trying! It was super quick and super easy. Here are the photos of the staples in his head, and then once they were taken out!

Meet Tate...

2011-04-26T17:09:00.000-06:00

My newest nephew! I got to be there when he was born! He is such a chunk but such a cutie! This is Allisun and Beau's new little boy.

Home again, home again...

2011-04-25T16:48:00.008-06:00

Sigh...why am I grouchy when I come home from vacation? Maybe the fact that it's freezing and supposed to snow tonight? We got off the plane, and then were completely out of control busy every second for the next 3 days. I guess spring break and Easter will do that to you. Life is back to normal...I realized that as my alarm was going off at 5:20 this morning. Ughhh...well, like I said, our weekend was crazy. We had a new niece born and I got to take photos of the birth. It was amazing. We had a birthday party for Kinlee (niece) at a pool, where Kyle discovered poo in pool by stepping in it. We did Easter Egg hunts, Easter dinner's, church, Rio! at the movies, my hair done, and 2 sleepovers. PHEW! I didn't have time to buy the girls Easter dresses, but I had picked up some dresses for them in Hawaii and they did just fine! Troy dyed eggs with the kids while I recuperated from the crazy few days. They were so excited for the face stickers for their eggs - well, the girls were. The boys were just too excited to eat their eggs.

Hawaii - Day Eight

2011-04-25T14:58:00.000-06:00

Today was our last full day on vacation. We planned on enjoying every single second. We spent our morning on Hapuna Beach. We got an umbrella and some floating rafts that we used as boogie boards. We spent 4 wonderful hours, laughing, reading, and just enjoying the island. We spent our morning at the beach, got a smoothie for the ride home, and ate lunch. We relaxed and then got ready to go to the temple. The temple was small and completely gorgeous. The grounds, the people, the experience. The Kona Temple is such a blessing to the people of the Big Island. We met so many people that worked so hard for a temple. One of the men - Brother Alip - had his story featured here. Talked to Troy for about 30 minutes, and was very welcoming. He has such a great testimony and I am grateful I had the opportunity to be able to meet him and speak with him. We finished the night off at one of our favorite restaurants - Outback. Sigh...our last night was bittersweet. Anxious to get home to our kids, sad to leave and have life get back to normal.

Hawaii - Day Nine

2011-04-25T05:54:00.000-06:00

Today is our last day. We had to check out at 10:00am but our flight didn't leave until 8:40pm. We had one final day. We drove to the other side of the island again to visit our favorite spots, and to view a few more things we hadn't seen yet. We took our time and enjoyed the ride. I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with Troy. Not as a mom and dad, but just as sweethearts. Relaxing and enjoying the time we had to spend together just chilling out. I am so grateful for family that did a great job watching the kids - with the only problem is Kyle getting 5 staples in his head.

Hawaii - Day Seven

2011-04-23T22:45:00.014-06:00

I was really excited for today. We had signed up earlier in the week to do a 9:00 am zipline tour. I won't lie - it was pretty pricey, but totally worth every dime! We had local Hawaiian guys, Javid and Tim, as our guides and instructors and they made the whole experience incredible. We rode a 6 wheeled vehicle about 30 minutes up to the top of the mountain, under the canopy of trees, to get started. On the way up, we saw a fire department helicopter (we had noticed it parked at the firehouse earlier that week), and ambulance, and I was getting worried. I was thinking - I have 4 kids at home, what am I doing? Well, it turned out the 8:00 tour driver tipped his vehicle. A lady hurt her wrist - and because of the location, they called in the helicopter. They said it was the first time this had ever happened, and that the driver was a rookie. Well, we kept on, and got to the top of the hill. It was absolutely gorgeous. Ziplining was incredible. I loved every single second. We had fun filming ourselves, doing tricks, and graduating from using the starter/stopper blocks to running and jumping off a cliff. I am so grateful for the chance we had to do this. I would do it again in a heartbeat! Here are some photos and video.

Hawaii - Day Six

2011-04-21T22:00:00.000-06:00

Today we woke up and decided to go to a local church for Sacrament Meeting. Everytime somebody stood for a talk, they shouted "Aloha" and the congregation shouted back. It was awesome. We decided to take a drive afterwards along the northern coast while listening to conference. We missed Saturday sessions...It was gorgeous, and it got us anxious for our ziplining tour scheduled there for the next day. The views we had were amazing. This photo is looking south towards Kona. We got lunch and then made our way back to our condo to change. We decided to try a new beach - Spencer Park - which we were VERY disappointed with after visiting Hapuna. The weather turned bad and started raining. We decided to make dinner at home and get ready to watch our favorite show - The Amazing Race!

Hawaii - Day Five

2011-04-20T22:00:00.000-06:00

Today, we decided to hang out again - this time at the beach, instead of the pool. We decided to go to Hapuna Beach. Apparently this beach was ranked #1 in the Nation for the best beach. We kind of giggled, and thought - yeah right. Then we got there. This beach, seriously, was amazing. The water was crystal clear. The sand was fine, and soft on your feet - above and below the water. The surf wasn't rough, but fun enough to go boogie boarding. Our only gripe was that we went on a Saturday, and we didn't bring an umbrella. I am against getting burned. We stayed and played for a bit - and read - and then decided to come back during the week - after buying chairs and an umbrella.

Hawaii - Day Four

2011-04-19T22:00:00.000-06:00

Today was the best day ever! We just chilled by one of the three pools here at our resort and played some tennis. We read lots of books, and enjoyed the sun and relaxation! I looked up from my chair - and this is what I saw...heaven...

Hawaii - Day Three

2011-04-18T22:03:00.000-06:00

Once again, we woke up early. We were anxious to get to Volcano National Park, and decided to head over for the day. It is a 1.5 hour drive from our hotel across the saddle road again. It was a gorgeous day, no clouds, so I was okay with it. We got to Volcano Park, and decided to go on a hike. We came prepared with shoes, backpacks, and water. The hike we went on, went along the top of a crater, and then down walking on the now cooled, lava lake in the bottom, and back up. The hike was over a 4 mile hike, and took us a little over 2 hours. This hike was on the crater that erupted in 1959 and 1960. It was kind of crazy. The first part of the hike was through gorgeous rain forests. It went down and then we walked - about a mile - across the cooled lava. It was crazy. We wondered how long they let it cool before making a hike safe for the public? We made our way back up onto the crater, and took another detour to a lava tube. We walked through it. It was amazing. Volcanoes truly are an amazing phenomenon. While at Volcano National Park, we learned that due to the eruption that happened last month (in March) there was no longer any flowing lava on the island. That determined our decision NOT to do a helicopter tour. If we couldn't see lava - it couldn't beat the helicopter tour we took on Kauai a few years ago. The weather turned rainy and really foggy, so we decided to head home, this time to the south of the island. We found an awesome black sand beach complete with sunbathing turtles! I loved every second of it. We then made it to the Southern Most Point of the United States for sunset. It was so crazy how the trees were totally blown to the side making them grow that way. It was incredible to see! We were so tired after traveling so much for 2 days, that we couldn't WAIT for a relaxing vacation day!

Hawaii - Day Two

2011-04-17T21:35:00.020-06:00

We woke up bright and early...5:30 early. With the 4 hour time difference, it was inevitable. We decided to go out and explore the island. We had our fabulous - would totally recommend - this book. We used it on Kauai as well as the Big Island. I have them if anyone would like to borrow them. Troy and I are staying on the Kona side - where most of the resorts are. It is VERY ugly. Well, it is. It is covered with lava fields. I looked up the Ironman triathlon route - and it's horrible! It's ugly, hot, and boring! They should have planned it on the other side of the island - the Hilo side. Anyways, off we went exploring. We decided to go to other side of the island, and drive down the highway - stopping at the spots our book recommends. We drove up and over volcanoes, and it was farmland. We laughed how if anyone asked us where we were and the only thing we had to go off of was what we saw out the window, we would guess Idaho. As we got to the East Coast of Hawaii - we sighed a big breath of relief. THIS was the Hawaii we remembered in Kauai. It was gorgeous. We stopped at waterfalls along the way, yummy smoothie stands - where they ONLY use fruit - no ice or water, beaches with gorgeous views and crazy waves. It was wonderful! We drove home that night on the Saddle road - which goes between the 2 big volcanoes here. It was foggy, and like a roller coaster. I didn't like it so much. After driving on it the next day in the sun, it was great. Here are some of my photos. I went a little crazy taking photos at a Botanical Garden...gorgeous, unique flowers - EVERYWHERE! Oh yeah - I got a pillow from our condo, and have used it to sit on. I can see out the windows now! WAHOO! I also stuck in a few photos of what happens when I ask other people to take our picture...my camera is just too intimidating! Good thing I know how to use the timer!

Hawaii - Day One

2011-04-15T00:07:00.001-06:00

We got up at 4 this morning to get to the airport. As we were waiting for our flight, Troy overheard them ask for people to take a 'bump' - and they would compensate you with a $400 flight credit. We ho-hummed, cause, we didn't want to delay our vacation. We decided to go talk to them, to get details. The man at the counter was very busy - took our tickets, and told us to step aside. He boarded the plane he was working on. The kiosk behind him said it was heading to Denver. He called us over the loud speaker, we walked up, he handed us our 'new tickets and $800 flight credits' then he told us to get on this plane - which we thought was headed to Denver! I was stammering, wondering when we were going to get to Hawaii, etc. when I realized the flight he wanted us to get on was headed to LAX. As we did as we were told, we realized that instead of going through San Francisco as we thought, they booked us through LAX, and we landed 7 minutes after the original flight, with $800 in vouchers. SUHWEET! It was a great start to a fabulous vacation! We landed and got our rental car - a mustang convertible. I told Troy - this is the only time you will ever drive a mustang - so enjoy it! I actually hate it. I need a booster seat or a phone book. Not exaggerating. The seats are down so low, I can't see out the front window! It's really frustrating! We came to our fabulous accomadations - The Hilton Bay Club at Waikiloa Village. Our room is fantastic. I love it! So much! It's a small apartment. We stopped at Costco and spent $121 on food for the week. Can't beat that! There is a 4 hour time difference for us, and we were hungry, but decided to get a shaved ice to hold us. That is my FAVORITE part of Hawaii. We found a 'Scandinavian Shaved Ice'. We decided to share one, so we ordered the large. The girl behind the counter was hesitant, and kept asking us if we were sure. Duh...we are sharing it...Well...I was just taking pics of the little shop, and then I see it...our large shaved ice. It seriously needed to be held with 2 hands. It was outrageous. It only cost $7.75 - cheapest thing in Hawaii so far. Gas is $4.60 per gallon. Geesh! Everyone was staring - one guy offered to take photos of us - and even brought me this scandinavian hat. Unfortunately - I am now 'shaved ice out'. I told Troy I don't think I could have another one the whole trip. Sad, really.

Piano Recital

2011-04-14T00:02:00.000-06:00

Kristin started playing the piano last September. She had her first recital a few weeks ago! She did very well! She played "The Woodpecker Song". She had it memorized, and was very excited to play for everyone! The night before the recital, she even played it at the Ward Talent Show! She wasn't scared or nervous! We are so proud of her. We love it when she plays the piano for us! I am so grateful for her wonderful piano teacher!

Pinewood Derby

2011-04-12T23:39:00.007-06:00

A few weeks ago, we had the Pinewood Derby. It was Jake's first one. He was so excited! The problem was, we just don't own the tools in order to carve out a car. Troy tried all he could do with what we had, and finally - I told him to stop. I went and purchased 2 wooden pinewood derby cars (the day before the race)that were already carved. BEST MONEY I HAVE EVER SPENT! With most things - we just have our kids participate for fun. We don't expect our kids to win - and we make sure they know that it's just for fun. For some reason, we always seem to do well on the pinewood derby, no matter how little effort we put in. Maybe that's key? Kyle came in second place over all, and Jake came in second place out of is Wolf Den. It was a success.

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-04-02T15:39:00.003-06:00

A few days late, but the photos were taken in March...

Sunday afternoons. We love them around here. We come home from church, eat a yummy dinner, and then chill. Most often on my bed, or the couch, or wherever. The girls always want to stay in their dresses, but the boys are the first ones to be in pajama pants! Some of our favorite times with our family happen while hanging out on our bed. Wrestling, talking, laughing, crying...it all takes place here. Now - I didn't have my fabulous friend to take my photos, so these were all with a timer, but it's us again...just being us...

St. Patty's Day...

2011-03-25T06:11:00.000-06:00

Well, the schools thought it would be a great idea to get my kids all kinds of excited about St. Patrick's Day. Kristin wanted to be the best dressed to win a prize, Jake wanted to make a leprechaun trap, Haley had to take the snack in to preschool that day, and Kyle just wanted to pinch people. So, I bought a $3 necklace for Kristin at Walmart, and found a green polkadot pettiskirt that I have had for awhile in my closet, and stuck in some cute braids with green ribbon. Good luck winning that contest, I thought. The kids remembered that we still had face paint from Halloween, so they begged to paint a shamrock on their cheeks. I did my best with fat little face painting crayons and drew the line when Jake wanted a leprechaun on his cheek. For Haley, I made shamrock shaped rice krispie treats, and rainbow cupcakes. They turned out so cute! And they were super yummy! I will probably never make rainbow cupcakes again. They took forever, and when I was halfway finished, flashbacks of Valentine's Day came back to me, and I wondered why on earth I even tried this! But - Haley was super excited - and Kristin even won best dressed in her class!(The prize was a laffy taffy...if I would have known that I would have bought her 10 not to have to deal with it all) Good times in the Korth household.

Losing one...

2011-03-24T06:07:00.000-06:00

Kristin finally did it! Her first grade year is coming to an end and she FINALLY lost her very first tooth! She is so funny, I knew it was loose, but she hasn't spoken to me about it, or had me check it. We were in the car one evening headed to be there when my dad got set apart as a member of his bishopric (I know, that in itself is crazy, right?) and she said, "MOM! My tooth came out!" And she just held her hand out. I told her to squeeze her hand tight so she wouldn't lose it. It didn't even bleed...it had probably just been hanging on for awhile. She was so excited that the Tooth Fairy came and left a dollar, and Troy and I were so excited that the Tooth Fairy did not forget. Here she is - in her toothless glory. I guess the one next to it is pretty loose, but she won't let me near it!

Overheard...again...

2011-03-18T12:03:00.004-06:00

Troy was fixing Haley lunch. He made Haley one sandwich and made himself 2 sandwiches.
Haley: Wow. You get all those?
Troy: Yeah, cause I'm a fatty.
Haley: Your head's fat but your bellies not.

Ah...we'll just go ahead and call Troy 'Fathead' from now on.

Overheard...

2011-03-18T09:18:00.002-06:00

Haley was arguing with Troy one morning, and somehow they were debating on whether Troy was smart or not. So, this is how I remember it going down...

Troy: I'm smart.
Haley: Oh yeah...what's 2 plus 2?
Troy: 4
Haley: Hmmmm... What's 9 plus 9?
Troy: 18
Haley(walking away and telling Makenna-her cousin): Wow. He is smart.

Troy and I both just cracked up. I'm now happy to say that puts me in the smart category!

Like his mom...

2011-03-09T17:29:00.006-07:00

Kyle got glasses today. He has had a hard time seeing some numbers, so we took him in for an eye appointment, and he is just like me. Bad eyes (well, I don't have bad eyes anymore). Kyle picked out his glasses (too long of a story, but go to Walmart for glasses! You will thank me - I promise. Even if your insurance isn't covered there...it saved me over $170! Just on one pair of glasses!) He has been so excited to get his glasses. I am glad that he takes things with stride, and he could really care less about what anyone thinks. He's still a cute kid! Now - for bets on how long it will take him to break or lose them....hmmm...

Family Outing

2011-03-08T05:18:00.002-07:00

We went to a BYU Men's Volleyball game one night on a date with Kenny and Cherice. We noticed that your whole family could go for $15 so we decided to take both our families to the next game. It was great. The kids had a blast, and it was enjoyable for everyone...well, Kinlee had a hard time adjusting to the crowd. The kids favorite thing is Cosmo. Why, I have no idea! Jake was pestering Cosmo, and if you watch the video below, you will find out just what Cosmo did to Jake. (He left Cosmo alone afterwards!) It was a fun night, and I think we are going to go back in a few weeks. BYU has a few home games left.

no This video below of Daxton is hilarious. If you know Daxton, you know it's his dream in life to become a mascot. Seriously. One day in the car, I was asking my boys if they wanted to play soccer, or baseball, and Daxton told me how nice I was that I let them pick what they want to do. He preceded to tell me how awful his parents are and how they "MAKE me play sports, and all I want to be is a mascot!". So...Daxton...here's to one day being a mascot!

Haley's Fieldtrip

2011-03-07T04:58:00.000-07:00

Haley went on a fieldtrip to the South Jordan Fire Station. I had a photoshoot, so I sent Haley with her friend, with promises I would meet her there. When I got there, the fireman had pulled the ladder truck out, and had put the ladder up as high as it would go, and a fireman was climbing to the top. I found Haley watching him go so high up in the air! It was so high! They got to walk through a firetruck and were even given fireman hats! Haley loves preschool so much and was so excited to visit the fire station.

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-02-28T08:47:00.001-07:00

It's us. AGAIN! We were lucky to get to visit Las Vegas last weekend, where we have a fantastic photographer (thank you, Erin)! We had plans of going to some dry lake beds, but with the rain, they were no longer dry. We opted for this closer, easier, kids cooperate much better location. We also decided to wear mustaches. Why? Oh, I don't know. We're just goofy like that. We are a family of six. We are not perfect. Our house will not be spotless if you drop by. I am okay with that. I am trying to get to the point where I am happy just being real. No false pretenses. I think that in just embracing my unperfectness, we will all be happier. I have many closets and drawers that are despicable. I am slowly trying to clean them out one by one. I fear that by the time my list is done, I will just have to start over. Why is that? Am I just prone to clutter? Back to our unperfectness...we yell a bit, our kids don't get straight a's, they work for every spelling word they get correctly, we all cry over homework on a weekly basis. Seriously. Homework is a blogpost all by itself. Who are we? What kind of people are we? Normal? Hopefully? What is normal? Troy and I have been married for over 13 years. That's not really normal nowadays, is it? We have 4 kids. That is kind of 'over the limit' for today, isn't it? Our house isn't huge. I am happy and grateful for our home, and try not to covet anyone else's home. I don't iron our clothes unless I HAVE to. I hang every shirt up, and the only thing that goes in dressers are pants/shorts/socks/undies. My boys love to wrestle. I hate it. They, apparently, do not. So maybe we are normal, and maybe we are not. But we sure have a good time together.

Valentine's Day!

2011-02-25T08:22:00.002-07:00

Oh...Valentine's Day. My husband hates Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day has always been my favortie holiday. Until I got married and realized the fantasy of Valentine's Day just doesn't exist. Troy hates any holiday that demands you to buy gifts and turns every holiday into a commercialized event. I see his point of view, but I also think that if he did a few things a year that showed his love and appreciation(and he does), I wouldn't feel like I deserved something on Valentine's Day. Honestly, I don't want flowers - they just die, and we are headed to Hawaii in April, so I don't think he needs to spend money, but a nice note or email, would have been nice. I have decided that it is my job as a mom to teach my boys how to treat girls on Valentine's Day. So, I bought each of the girls a bouquet of flowers and hid them in the garage. When Troy got home, I told him to write the girls a note, leave the note and flowers on the front porch, and rind the doorbell and run. He did and the girls were so excited. He waited and did it a little late, so they were a bit tired, but the next day they have been so excited about their flowers that are now in a vase on the kitchen table. And as for me...you do what you gotta do. My girls were excited and won't know until they're older and read this, that this is what happened, and will probably continue happening each year. This year, I decided to focus on the kids. Make it a fun day for them. I was going to do a huge breakfast, but Troy ended up having to go into work early, so I thought we could do breakfast for dinner. The kids love that, and so that is what we did. We had heart shaped pancakes, strawberry milk, hashbrowns, bacon (I never buy bacon - ever), and scrambled eggs. I also made chocolate covered strawberries and heart shaped chocolate cups with strawberry mousse. I am telling you - it took me about 5 hours and by the time I was done my feet ached! Next year I'm opting for the heart shaped pizza! We had a candle lit dinner and enjoyed eating our breakfast for dinner! This year I volunteered to go to all of my kids classrooms for their Valentine's Parties. They were all super great, and it was easy for me to do! Hope everyone had a fabulous Valentine's Day!

Little Chinese Girls

2011-02-24T08:06:00.003-07:00

Jay brought my girls these dresses from China. They love them and beg to wear them all the time. They wore them to church a few weeks ago. Complete with chopsticks in their hair. Kristin had one bun, and it was easy to cross two chopsticks. Haley had 2 buns (she argued for 2) and I told her I couldn't put chopsticks in her two buns. She begged, and what could I do? It's a classic chopstick hairstyle. So grateful for Jay for these gorgeous dresses!

Basketball Season

2011-02-21T08:57:00.001-07:00

Jake played his second year of basketball this year. He loved it. It took a few games for him to really get agressive, but he turned out to be a great defender! He was on a team with 2 of his friends, Daniel and Ryan. The best part of the games is always giving high-fives and the snack! They don't keep score in Jake's age group but he did great and scored 1 basket!

Strep Face

2011-02-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

Last week, Haley got a cold. I didn't think anything of it. She just had a runny nose. No sore throat, no fever, nothing. The only thing a little weird was she had these dots on her nose and face. I talked to Cherice about it and she told me that Kinlee had just gotten that with a cold. Well, Thursday night, Jake had a fever and sore throat. I barely got him into the doctor and he had strep. He was actually so excited about it. Jake is the only one of my kids with tonsils in his throat. Jake also never gets sick. I think he loved the attention of taking him to the doctor, getting medicine, the whole bit. Kinda funny, really. When I got home from taking him to the doctor, Haley had a fever. Naturally - I had just gone to the doctor, and now they were closed. I gave her motrin and sent her to bed. The next morning, she woke up with dots everywhere! Her face was red, swollen, and there were dots everywhere! I debated taking her to the ER but decided to wait a few hours for the doctors office to open. When we got there, the doc told me that this was bad. She too, had strep. But it had settled in her nose, not her throat, which caused sores to go all over her face. She has horrible sores in her nose and all over her face. Her nose would literally bleed just from being so runny. We put baby oil on it to try to protect the skin, but nothing helped. Since it was so bad, she had to get 2 shots of antibiotics in her legs and an oral antibiotic for 10 days! She about died with the shots and wouldn't walk for the rest of the day. She also didn't dare to pull her pants down to go to the bathroom. She was really being ridiculous. Apparently the shots were really thick and very painful. A week later, the scabs have fallen off, but the skin is still really tender and pink. The doctor told me she will have a full recovery and I really hope so! The kids have been saying that Haley has 'strep face' instead of strep throat. It's really funny. Haley also calls the sores on her face her 'dots'.

Cheerleaders...

2011-02-17T13:49:00.009-07:00

I heard about a little Cheer camp for the girls put on by Herriman High School Cheerleaders. They went to a day long camp, and then the next Friday, they performed at half time during the Boys Varsity Basketball Game. The girls were so excited, especially Kristin. Friday afternoon, they both got their hair cut and Becca styled it just for their debut at the basketball game! Alexandra, their cousin, did the cheer camp to. All brothers were there to cheer them on! Before their perfomance, I was sitting at the half court line, the girls sat across from me, and I was waiting for them to run out and do their cheer. I was watching Haley, and I could tell she was starting to cry. The older girls were so nice, and tried to calm her down. When it was time, they both ran out! It was so exciting for them, especially Kristin. This is like one of her dreams come true! Go Herriman Mustangs!

Buggy Program

2011-02-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

The second grade put on a 'Buggy Play' at school. All the kids had a speaking part and there was lots of singing! Jake's part was: We believe that every month of May should be a National Buggy Holiday!
It was a short, 30 minute program - the best kind - and Jake did really good!

Jake is a good kid. He struggles in reading, but otherwise does great in school. I am not worried about his reading, I know that at one point, it will just click with him. I spoke with Jake's teacher, Mrs. Craven, the other day. She told me what a great student Jake is. One day, during the middle of lunch, due to weather the school changed outside recess to an inside day. Jake's teacher was making copies, and didn't hear the announcement. When she realized it, she was worried to think that all of her kids were running wild in her classroom. She hurried to the classroom to find her whole class playing 'Heads up 7 up'. She asked who had gotten it started and organized it, and the class told her that Jake did it. I am so happy to know that he is a leader and he will do what he knows he is supposed to. I am so proud of him! I hope he continues to do well in school!

Outtakes

2011-02-14T08:25:00.005-07:00

Here are some of the other photos we got of our family in our BYU gear. I blew up the first photo and it's up on the shelf. LOVE IT!

California or Bust!

2011-02-12T12:51:00.010-07:00

I just created a blog book for 2010 and was so sad at how much I slacked last year, so I am DETERMINED to be better! Starting in 2011! Here goes...

We got a new 2011 Honda Odyssey a few days before Christmas. Our 2001 Honda Odyssey's transmission was starting to die. I won't lie...I have been wanting a new car for years. I have been drivingor the old van since Kyle was 5 months old! I was hoping our van would last until we got back from Hawaii in April - but that didn't happen. So - we got a new one. Why mess with something that has been so great for us for 10 years and 1 month? It has all the bells and whistles, and we are in love with it. We promptly planned a road trip - to where else - California. For a few reasons:
1. To visit my brothers
2. My parents had been there a few days before us and had taken my brothers and a friend to Disneyland and had purchased 2 day passes that they only used for 1 day and they desperately needed 5 people to use the other day. (We just bought an extra ticket)
3. David has a friend from China (can't spell her name, sorry - Jarene, we called her Jay) and we really wanted Kristin to meet her and speak with her in Chinese
4. We wanted to visit our friends, The Fonnesbeck's in Las Vegas for the kids to play and to start off our six people twelve times project.
5. I had quick commercial photo shoot in Las Vegas

We were able to go to the beach for about 20 minutes. It was a gorgeous day and 80 degrees and wished we could have spent more time there.
Can you believe she can sleep like this? The booster is totally moved from where it's supposed to be!

Horrible photo, I know, but this was Haleys first time she could ride on Soarin'. She was terrified!

Disneyland was really fun for us this year! Haley has finally hit the mark where she can ride almost every ride. She went on Tower of Terror, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Matterhorn, and Soarin' over California. It was fun for our whole family to be on a ride together with nobody sitting off with a small kid! We had so much fun. The weather was amazing! I wished I would have packed shorts! Who knew...January? We saw the new World of Color which is naturally - out of this world. It lasted about 30-40 minutes and the boys were awestruck the entire time (the girls couldn't stay awake late enough for it to even start!). It was a super fun day in Disneyland!

Chinese

2011-02-09T20:21:00.003-07:00

Here is Kristin and her friend Karsen singing a song they learned for the Chinese New Year. Kristin gets very shy and doesn't like to sing in front of us, so I was so excited when I conned her into singing for this video! I have no clue what she is singing. By the time Kristin is in 8th grade, she will have passed the AP Chinese test. In High School, she will learn another language, and by the time she graduates high school, she will be more marketable than any returned missionary. That is what we have been told. At the rate she has gone in less than a school year, I am no longer surprised by those promises. This is truly amazing.

Six People | Twelve Times

2011-01-24T19:26:00.002-07:00

This is my new project for the year. Other people have done this - it's definitely not my idea - but I am in love with it. To document my family with a photo for every month. It is not going to be posey posey, I am sure my hair will not be done, and our clothes won't perfectly coordinate. It will be us being us.

This photo speaks volumes about my family. We are avid BYU fans. It's true. You can see our whole family at football games. We are all there about 2 hours early and do not leave until the boys have given 'high fives' to the entire football team. There are also basketball games, soccer games, and my favorite - volleyball! It took awhile to grow on me - the insaneness of it all. Although, it didn't take me long to realize that doing this is something that our whole family does together. The 45 minute car ride to Provo, game time, half time, and the ride home. We do this six Saturday's in the fall for football. What family can say they spend that much time together? My hope and wish is that my kids will continue to enjoy this time spent with their parents and siblings - time spent traveling will be time spent talking about life, answering questions, and getting to know my children - more than they will want me to know at certain times in their lives. Letting them invite friends, so we can get to know who they hang out with, and what kind of kids they are. What I didn't expect was to actually care about the games, the teams, and the wins and losses.

Onto the details of the photo...Kyle is pestering Kristin...she has a look on her face that screams, "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Jake is being a goofball and trying to get attention. I am giving Jake an exasperated look. Haley is clinging to my leg - never wanting me away from her side. Troy is looking down at Jake, about to tell him to be careful how he treats his mother. This is us. Our family. We are not perfect, nor do we claim to be. But I couldn't be more proud, or love the people in this photo more than I do right now...and as a final note...GO COUGARS!

Jake gets baptised!

2010-12-29T15:39:00.009-07:00

Along with turning 8, Jake was able to be baptised a member of our church. It is a fun and exciting moment in our family when a child turns 8. First of all, I make them a video slideshow of ALL (let's get real, some) of the photos of them from birth to age 8. This year, because I was crazy busy, Allisun helped me organize the order of the slideshow. I put a few finishing touches and some music, and there you have it, Jakes life summed up into 18 minutes. He LOVES it. I LOVE it. I play it on the TV while we had family over for a big brunch (this allows everyone to watch Jake, but does NOT allow TV watching). Second, family shows up for some food. I made a yummy breakfast, and thanks to friends and family who baked cinnamon rolls, casseroles, and chocolate milk! Later that day, we took in a BYU basketball game at Energy Solutions Arena, and saw the lights at temple square. It was a fun filled LONG day! (I also had a photo shoot this day as well.) Jake is the best kid. Really. He has his moments, but I know that it is because he needs/wants attention. I wish I could convey to him, that I would give him MORE attention if he would stop the pestering...too bad it doesn't work that way. Jake is a sweet kid. He is a big hugger, and likes to spend time with his family. Here are his baptism photos! Enjoy!

Jake turns 8!

2010-12-27T07:16:00.005-07:00

Now that my busy season is over, it's time to get back to blogging! Jake turned 8! On November 13 - but I still want to document it. He wanted to have a 'movie' party which was kind of a joke, cause the kids did NOT want to watch movies. Jake was so excited for this party! I had a friend make an awesome cake - we decorated the house a bit, had a table for movie treats, and the kids all came! He got 3 footballs, which he loved, and his favorite gift was a pack of gum - go figure. Here are a few of my favorite photos from his big day.

Jake is a pretty good kid. He loves to pester, but I know it's just to get attention. He is a great student, and has no behavior problems at school. THANK HEAVENS! I took him on a trip to Oregon with me (more on that later) and he was so great! It was really fun to have one on one time with him. I just can't believe he's already 8!

Something is seriously wrong...

2010-11-27T22:21:00.002-07:00

BYU lost against Utah today. NOW...normally - I would say...big deal. It's just a game, blah, blah, blah. I am truly upset at the outcome. For a few weeks, I have been telling everyone that I think it's going to be a good game - a close game, and that BYU can hold their own. (We have season tickets and I've been to most of the home games.) The first game when BYU had 2 quarterbacks - Heaps was my favorite and I was rooting for him. People have laughed in my face (because let's be honest, what on EARTH do I know about football?). But, I have to say, I am so disappointed they lost. I am so irritated with the refs. Why on EARTH do they have automatic review if they can't even get that right? What on earth is wrong with me? What is happening? What did Troy do to me? Well, I will walk away knowing BYU was definitely the better team today - regardless of the score - and look forward to next year. Seriously? Did I really just say that? Oy...

{No BYU haters OR UTE lovers are allowed to post comments about the game - or I will delete them. This post is strictly to document my feelings for the day. Keep your comments to facebook...I am trying REALLY hard to not read or comment on facebook anymore about the game...}

Busy...Busy...Busy...

2010-11-27T19:45:00.010-07:00

It's always this time of year that my blog gets put on the back-burner...I thought I would update and show you a few of my favorite photos from Halloween...it was a 'spooktacular' year for us in the costume department, and super cheap. My kids had a blast, and I have tons of candy to put in school lunches (as a snack only - of course).

As you can see - the boys were hilarious. We went to the school to watch the parade, and EVERYONE was in awe of my boys...asking if I would REALLY shave their heads? As if hair is some sacred thing...The boys actually tied in a costume contest at a yogurt shop in town. The only thing I regret is Kristin probably felt like a 'middle child'. Nobody paid attention to her costume - even though it is an ACTUAL cheerleader costume I purchased at the BYU Sports Kick-off. It is used and has been worn by cheerleaders (yeah, don't ask my how I feel that it fits my 6 year old). Anyways - like always, she was a good sport. We had a great Halloween...that's all that counts, right?

Happy Day...

2010-10-12T20:07:00.004-06:00

I picked up my new jeans last night. I bought them at the Buckle. I love that store because they hem FOR FREE...and it looks good. The jeans are a bit pricey - for this pair they cost $75 - but it's worth every penny. My last pair lasted me 2 years.

The other happy moment is that Troy and I booked a condo for our Hawaii trip we are planning this spring. I am SO excited. Now that it's booked - there is NO going back. That makes me super happy!

Kyle played great in his flag football game tonight. Caught a sweet pass and pulled some flags.

Fed my kids 60 cent hamburgers/corn dogs at Artic Circle. Not my best 'mom' moment - but when you're sick - that's heaven.

I went to bed feeling pretty sick last night - and felt even worse this morning. So I was really sad I couldn't wake up and put my new jeans on. I cancelled my morning plans, and stayed in bed. Troy came home for lunch and instructed Haley to 'please put mom down for a nap'. She did and we both slept for 3 hours. HEAVEN. I hope I am perfectly better by Friday. I am headed to Portland and have 11 photo shoots scheduled! I am willing my body to get better! Luckily - I just have YW tomorrow, so I'm hoping I can sleep again all day tomorrow.

Even though I'm sick...it's been a happy day.

Utah State Fair

2010-10-03T23:29:00.008-06:00

Our family went to the Utah State Fair a few weeks ago. We met Brad, Missy and Abby there(my cousin and his family). Missy is the creator of: So You Think You're Crafty. She took some photos of me and I took some photos of them! I edited my photos and watermarked them with my logo even though she took them, just to protect the pictures, but it's obvious, I did NOT take them.

Here's my favorite one I got of their cute little family... It was great being able to hang out for a few hours! We must do it again sometime...let's not wait for the fair!

Headed to Portland...

2010-09-26T09:13:00.002-06:00

I am headed to Portland...to see some very important people and to do some mini-shoots! I will only be there for a little over 24 hours, so sessions will go by fast. Let me know if you want a spot!

Family times...

2010-09-09T14:40:00.015-06:00

A few weeks ago - all of my brothers came to town. That is kind of a big deal. We usually are only ALL together once - MAYBE twice - a year. We did so many things. Hiking...biking...swimming...BBQ's...and of course...TENNIS. I only took my camera on the hike. Which was dumb - cause that was probably the most difficult thing to haul my 40lb camerabag around doing. Anyways...here are the photos. We are missing Jason - he didn't fly in until later this night. A few things about this lake...it is about 2.5 miles round trip. It is a pretty steep and rocky climb. The kids did surprisingly well...I made them all carry a little backpack with their own water. Haley just went on shoulders a few times.

WE MADE IT! What do you do at the top of a hike except throw rocks in the lake and take a group picture?

We had a super fun weekend...this year we get to have everyone back for Christmas...can't wait!

KidsK

2010-09-07T16:17:00.013-06:00

Two days after my triathlon, my friend decided she would do a KidsK. The kids basically ran around this park 3 times - which equaled just a little over a mile. After the run, the kids then did a relay. 3 kids to a team, each running once around the park, then exchanging a bandana...I really wanted my kids to do something like this - especially since they had just seen me finish my triathlon. Before we left we talked about how some things are hard - but that you should never give up. They didn't get up, and finished the race. The shocking part was that Haley ran a mile in 15 min. 32 seconds. She beat many a 9 year old! She had her sandals on and just kept running. I was so proud of her. The other kids her age stopped running after the first lap. It was a HUGE success. I want to orchestrate a bike/run race for the kids. Maybe in the spring. Parents helped out, brought fruit and popcicles. Thanks to Heidi for organizing this...here are some photos from the event...poor kids, it was literally 97 degrees at 7:30 pm when they raced...even more reason to be proud!On your marks...get set...GO!
I loved this photo...they were stretching before the race!

Everytime they would finish a lap, a parent would put a sticker on their bib number. That way we could keep track of how many times each kid had gone around.

Look at that girl...I am so proud of her! I still am so amazed at what she has accomplished. I will have to start taking her running with me!

Nice red face....
The handoff! Kyle's relay team got first place, and Jake and Kristin's team got second.

Until next year...