THANKFUL.......JUST A LITTLE LATE.

What am I Thankful for even though Thanksgiving is past............

 

 An Indian

Sisters 

 (Foffy was in charge of setting the table)

Parents

(dad was really into the carving and wouldn't look at me)

Rolls

(the only thing he would eat)

The Wii

(and cousins of course)

Nieces and nephews

(and matching outfits)

Trips to the sand dunes in snow gear.

(Ike asked MANY times if someone got his dump truck)

Frost on the windows in the morning that allows you to write your name.

(and four boys this close together and not killing each other)

Smiles!

(in warm pj's)

My Family.

TOUCHED BY THE TEMPLE.

 We live 5 minuets from the temple, how sad is it that this is the first time my kids have touched it?  Better late than never.  As we pulled up Jack said he had never been this close to the temple before, it made me realize how much we take it for granted.  It is such a beautiful place to be.

As we were walking away Ike asked Brandon when we could come back and touch it again, so Brandon told him he could anytime.  Ike ran back.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

These are all backwards but I'm tired and only want to give you a peek. Halloween gets more busy every year. But this year was great, I got all the kids ready and pictures taken BEFORE we went to the neighborhood party (while Brandon had a nap). This picture is of Ike at our friends house. They have a hurst and this year they even found a coffin to go in the back. It is usually parked out front but it was raining so they moved it into the garage. They bought the coffin on KSL.com, only slightly used!
This is of all of them. Jack was a MacDaddy, but was mistaken for a pimp a few times, next year we will have to get something safer! Aydan was a ninja, and on his second set of swords. Ike was a cowboy who had to park his horse at home because of the rain, and Sam was a pumpkin.

Sammy!
Ike with his horse.
Home carving the pumpkins.
The boys all walked in tonight saying this was the best Halloween so far. I have to agree. Happy Halloween!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRIS!

Happy 3? Birthday!!! I won't tell cause once your past 29 one shouldn't.

Memories from the last 3? years.......

.....wrote in my journal in the year 87'--played with Kristen today cause my friends were all gone. It was lots of fun. Can't believe we had such a good time, never knew sisters could be fun.

.....sometime while living with my grandma Neeley-- driving around Logan listening to the 'Friends' song. I can't even remember what it says only that we both could relate really well. I will also always remember sharing a room there. She always makes things feel comfy.

.....most of the summer of 98'--water skiing at Willard Bay with Bill and anyone else who would go.

.....most of 98'--double dating. One that comes to mind because it's Halloween. Went to the Haunted House in Salt Lake and Brandon abandoned me. I had to hold on to Bill. Brandon though it was funny, I didn't talk to him the rest of the way home. There was also a BAD trip to Lake Powell I remember but want to forget.

.....there are COUNTLESS shopping trips, NUMBERLESS car rides, and LONG nights talking that make me love you and miss the old days, and can't wait for the next girls trip.

I hope you had a good birthday. Love you lots.

I HATE computers sometimes!!!!! I spent an hour yesterday going through my old photos looking for all the cute pictures of me and Kris, found some and went to scan them on to my computer only to find out the printer wasn't set up right. So, found the printer setup disc and downloaded everything on to the computer right and STILL the scanner will not work. Fooled around for another hour only to decide it wasn't going to work. So........ these will have to do even without me or her husband in the pictures. Haha that is my OTHER brother-in-law Kurt that she is holding hands with.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Words that come to mind.....loving, respectful, caring, a little impatient, crazy, early riser (lunch by 7am)((Brandon)), adventurous, ALWAYS on the go, great example, dedicated, a great dad and grandpa.

I hope you had a great birthday. Thanks for all you do.

HAPPY # 4 IKIE!

It's Ikies number 4 already! He has been confused because we have had a family birthday party and a friend birthday party, and they sang to him at church last Sunday, so this morning when I told him he was finally four he gave me a weird look, like 'mom what are you talking about, I've been four for awhile, and whens my next party?'.

Four things Ike can't live without....

1. Mr. Bear, a stuffed bear my aunt gave him when he was born. Sleeps with it every night.

2. His nightly routine. Pj's, stories, prayers, drink, kiss, in that order.

3. The words... what, why, how come, why, when, why... You think, well that's how every kid is, well ask anyone that knows him and they will tell you Ike NEEDS to know all, and asks questions nonstop.

4. His brothers. He loves them and maybe Sam a little to much. He comes within 2 feet of Sam and Sam lets you know it. He calls them 'brothers' , it's pretty cute.

We love you Ike. Happy 4!

This face is the face he gives me when he did something he wasn't supposed to. How could you get mad at this face?

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY SAM

I'm a few days late. He's one and it went by so fast!

Just some things about Sam: he loves to smile, is inquisitive, loves to push trucks around on the floor, his favorite toy is an empty water bottle, he's a picky eater, the great ending to a family of all boys. We love you Sam. Happy 1st birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!

11 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT JACK.

1. He is an insomniac. Can stay up forever and still be the first one awake and never needs a nap.

2. He has bigger feet than me.

3. He will try any food. And loves most of what he tries.

4. His best friend if Griff.

5. He can't watch scary movies, or he has to sleep on someones floor.

6. His favorite color is orange, always has been.

7. He is a great oldest brother, for all the good reasons and the bad.

8. He has driven Brandon's truck multiple times, not

on any public roads though.

9. He is crazy, but safe, on his 4-wheeler.

10. His hair grows faster than anyone else's.

11. We love him, we love him, we love him!!!!

Happy Birthday Jack.

FLY-BY-JULY!

July has flown by and since I do this more for myself than for anyone else I'm blogging about our 4th, it feels like it was just yesterday.

Brandon and the boys getting ready to watch the fireworks.

If you'll remember last year Ikie watched all the fireworks from the inside of the truck, this year he retreated to the back of my truck bed. He did venture out toward the end and ended up liking them.

We put Baby-Blue in the cruise-in this year.

Klair and I did our 4th annual Neighborhood fireworks BBQ (of weaner roast, as I like to call it).

Ike loved the sparklers.
Brandon was the designated sparkler starter, not by choice of course.

Ayder.

Jack and Griff. This picture wasn't really for the forth as much as for remembrance of their first fist fight. The details are a little vague, both standing up for their little brothers as I take it. This is proof that having boys is great. They made up within minutes and went on to have a fun night together. In fact I didn't even know they had a fight until later.

baseball, Baseball. BASEBALL

It feels like baseball has been my life for the last 2 months. Tonight was the last game. Jacks team didn't do so well during the season and was ranked last for the tournament. They made it to the final game, winning 2 great games, and lost by one point in the last inning. His best friend ran in to win the game for the Yankees. So it was bittersweet cause we love Griff. Aydan finished a week ago, he loved baseball and has decided its better than soccer. Hopefully that's him speaking for himself and not Jack's voice in his head.

Aydans team. Go RIVERCATS!

He was a little bummed cause they didn't make it to the final game in the tournament.

Jack up to bat. This was a hit that went clear back to the fence. I think they call it a triple with 1 RBI. Look at me and my good self with all my knowledge!

Sliding home.

His great coach. Go RED SOCKS!

I'm tired and going to bed.

FAMILY ADVENTURE!

The last week of June we packed up the trailer and headed to San Francisco. Our first stop was a ghost town just across the California border. A mining town called Bodie (Bow-dee) not (Bow-die). Brandon and Jack where giving me a hard time about how I was saying it, all along I was right and they were wrong. I love it when I'm right!

Brandon and the boys in front of the mine.

Me and the boys on the main road. At one point 10,000 people lived here. They said at least one person a day died here, mostly from violence. Looking around I decided it was because there was a bar in every public building, even the post office. Pretty cool place, we were disappointed we didn't see any ghosts though.

Jack and Aydan where they belong most days! We visited Alcatraz. You can tell I was chasing Ike while we where here because we don't have very many pictures. The boys were excited to go here cause they watched Ghost Adventures on the Disney Channel, and found out that Alcatraz was the most haunted place in America. They were also disappointed to find no ghosts here either.

Brandon took Jack and Aydan to an Oakland A's game. They lost in the last inning when the Red's hit 4 home runs in a row. They still had a good time.

After San Fran we drove up the coast to see my sister (Kristen and Bill). We meet them at the redwood forest, a little place called the Trees of Mysteries.

This picture is as good as you can get with 4 boys. I've learned to accept it.

After spending a day at their house relaxing and doing laundry we got up EARLY and headed up the Rouge river on jet boats. It was tons of fun and so beautiful. I had to put it out of my head that we were probably inches away from river monsters. They said a guy had just caught a 9 FOOT Sturgeon. It creeps me out.

Ike and Gavin became VERY close cousins. Within a day they had been comfortable enough to strip naked and play on the jump house. It was funny the first time and maybe the second. I don't think the babysitters thought it was funny though. Yes I said babysitters, Kristen knew I'd need a break and got some girls to come watch ALL the kids so we could go to dinner. THANK YOU KRISTEN!

Bill taking Ayd for a ride on a river by their house.

After our 3 day stay at Kristen and Bills we drove north to McMinville Oregon to see the Spruce Goose. A huge airplane the government and Howard Hugh's built. It got off the ground only once and then has spent the rest of it's existence indoors.

Jack in front of the beast.

Holy Cow! There's alot of us! We had a great time. The boys where excellent travelers. I've decided I could be one of those crazy people who sell their house and travel around in their RV. Who would have guessed?