President's Day...

The kids didn't have school on Monday. I usually like to do something "fun" when the kids have a day off. Now that the kids are getting older, they seem to all have an agenda of their own. Kyle went snowboarding with some friends. Jared went on an all day air soft war with some friends and Chad was at work. That left Landon and Spencer and I. So, we decided to go bowling. Landon was little bummed at first, because he really wants to do whatever Kyle and Jared want to do. But, the three of us had a great time! We went bowling and then went to our favorite yogurt place, U Swirl. We had a fun day. I don't have a smart phone (not sure that I want one), and forgot to take my camera. But, I was thankful to spend some time with my two younger kids. I am not sure how I am going to be when my kids are all independent. I absolutely love hanging out with my kids and love to feel needed by them!

Wrestling and Snowmobiling with the Famous

This week was a really fun and special week for our family. As you may know Chad helps coach the High School Wrestling team. He has for the past 7 or so years. He has debated from time to to time if he should stop doing it. He wonders if the small amount of time he gets with the kids makes a difference. He wonders if the time away from our family is worth it! This week made it all worth it! It was wrestling state finals at UVU on Wednesday and Thursday (AKA...Valentines Day). To make a long story short our Awesome Pleasant Grove Vikings won the state Championship. We took 22 kids to the tournament and 7 of them were in the finals. 6 out of the 7 won a state title and the one that didn't win was a winner in my book! He was an academic all-state and he wrestled so awesome! Another wrestler that stood out to me was Bridger Cutler. I love his family and even though his mom doesn't know it, she is one of my idols. He had a tough match and was down 0-11 with only a minute to go. Even though it looked hopeless to him, he didn't give up. Even though he didn't pin his opponent in the end, he still won. He kept head throwing his kid and would almost pin him. He would get two take down points and three near fall points. He was tied at the buzzer and had to go into overtime. He got the kid in one more head throw and got his two points and won the match. He hugged Coach Moore...jumped up on him and wrapped his legs around his waist. We were sitting near his parents when he came and gave them a hug. Let's just say I got very emotional that night as I watched each child win and then go straight to their families for hugs! I was very touched and know why Chad loves working with these kids! They are GOOD kids! Below are some pictures of a fun weekend we had. We feel very blessed to be surrounded by GOOD people! We feel very blessed to have GOOD friends! We feel very blessed to have GOOD sons! This is Hunter Hayes. We are so blessed to know him. He is a country music artist and is said to be the next Taylor Swift of country music. His tour manager is one of our good friends. Dan Wise. In the summer Dan (aka Digger) contacted Chad and said they would be in town and asked Chad to give Hunter a flying lesson for his birthday. So, he did! He also took them on our boat. He didn't take pictures that day. He didn't want to infringe upon Hunter's privacy. Anyway, we went to his concert and Chad hung out with him backstage the whole concert and even walked Hunter onstage. So, when they were passing back through town to go to Idaho, Digger called Chad and asked for another flight lesson and invited us to go snowmobiling with "The band". They had an awesome flight down to Bryce Canyon and we had a blast the next day! So, here is a picture of the boys with Hunter after we went riding! Our boys feel very "Cool". It was good for them to see someone famous is just a regular person just like us. For some reason it is not letting me write directly above or below each picture. So, I will just explain each. The second picture is on of Hunter taking a self portrait of he and his band. I had asked if she wanted me to take the picture and he said no. He posted the picture on Facebook. His picture is way better than what I would have done! The next picture is of Digger, Randall and Chad. We met Randall and his wife Sharee in college and have been dear friends with them ever since. Digger is Randall's little brother and has been a good friend as well. Chad has two brother's that he loves, but he loves these guys just like his brothers! The rest of the pictures are of our family snowmobiling. Kyle and Jared got to ride with one of our guides. They was so stoked! The guide took Jared on a Huge Hill climb and Kyle's guide took him on some pretty wicked turns through the powder. I am so glad Kyle hung on! After snowmobiling we all went out to eat...Well Hunter didn't go. But we piled some of the band in our and went to a little Mexican restaurant. The drummer Steve sat at our table and gave Kyle some awesome attention. He asked Kyle a lot of questions about his drumming and also told Kyle he could ask him anything he wanted. He told Kyle that he was so glad that he had piano lessons, but wished he would have stayed in them longer! Hooray! That is all I needed to hear to LOVE this guy! I am hoping it put a lasting impression on Kyle! It was such an incredible experience! I feel so blessed to have a husband who is so good at making friends and keeping them. I feel so blessed that he loves our family and wants us to share in his fun experiences, because it was supposed to just be a guy thing, but he really wanted us to go! I feel so blessed that I have awesome kids that I can trust to behave themselves around people we don't know! I feel so blessed to have an awesome family!

Un-Eventful but fun week

This last week was a great one. I got through teaching three YW lessons in one day. Well, I gave the same lesson three times to three different wards. It was really interesting how the Spirit was so different in each ward! I just love this calling. Although I have only been in a few months I have grown so close to our President Alissa Fuller! She is such a sweet and amazing person! On Saturday we needed to get the kids out of the house. It was snowing again and we knew they needed to do something fun. We decided to go to Trafalga in Lehi. We played a couple of games of Laser tag and Landon and Spencer climbed the rock wall. I took pictures with Chad's phone, so hopefully I can post them soon. After trafalga we went and got some frozen yogurt. Our favorite yogurt place is called U-Swirl. After all of that excitement Chad and I took the kids to Tim and Julie's and we went with some friends to the boat show. Remind me next year to just let the guys go. Holy, 4 1/2 hours later! It was super long especially when we aren't even in the market for a boat! We hit Pei-wei's on the way home. It was REALLY yummy and fun to be with friends! Chad had to go to work on Sunday for a couple of days. For the last month or so, I have wanted to get my kitchen painted. Chad did half of it and just couldn't get motivated to do the rest. So, I decided the next time he went out of town I would paint it. So, I called my super nice sister in law Cathryn and she and I painted it today! I am so excited about it! It is a pretty dark/grey blue color. I think it looks great with my "New-ish" black granite counter tops with some flex of blue in it! The best part is, is that Chad doesn't know that I did it! He is going to come home to a surprise tomorrow! I can't wait!

Wintery Fun

This has been the LONGEST winter of my life (I wonder if I say that every winter). It has been really hazy and super cold. The temperatures have been down in the single digits and down in the 20's during the day. The air quality is so bad that they aren't allowing the kids to go outside during recess or lunch. It is sad day for me when I look forward to it snowing so that I can see blue skies again. I can pretty much guarantee that if my kids move out of Utah when they are older to somewhere warmer I will follow them. Although I do love our landscape, I do not like the cold. With that said, we try to have fun in the cold anyway. Here are some pictures of the kids sledding in December. We like to go up near the HS football stadium. Pretty small hills, but big enough for some fun and ones that we can climb over and over again. We took our neighbor Carter. They had so much fun coming up with all sorts of crazy ways to go down the hill. Then, one day in January after it had snowed we took the kids to a newly developed piece of land in our neighborhood that only has one house on it. We towed the kids behind the four wheeler. I think more than just the kids had fun!

A new calling for me

I have felt very humbled and overwhelmed since I got my new calling in September. I was called into the Stake Young Women Presidency. I feel overwhelmed for several reasons. I have never had a calling in Young Women. I wasn't active as a youth and therefore don't know very much about the Young Women's program. I have never been to girls camp and haven't ever read anything about personal progress or how to earn a Young Women's medalion. When President Gann called me, he said that I would mainly be an event planner. I would have to plan girls camp every other year. Young Women in Excellence every other year and a few other events. They told us that we wouldn't have to speak in Sacrament meetings. I am thankful that I will have the opportunity to learn more about each of these things! We will each have to speak in two ward sacrament meetings throughout the year. We attend each wards ward conference and we will also be teaching in each ward so that we can get to know the Young Women a little better. Although I am very overwhelmed, I feel very blessed for this opportunity. Our lesson this Sunday is titled, "what I wish I would have known." Any ideas?

Another Attempt at Blogging

I have decided to start blogging again. I think journal writing is so important, but I am just not good at it. I have loved the idea of blogging, so that I can document pictures as well as dates and my thoughts. So, I guess this is my way to re-commit to blogging again. So, I am going to find time each week to blog. Thank you Lisa for inspiring me...yet again!

Kyle made some slippers out of Duct Tape last Sunday afternoon. He cut out some card board for the soles and just started taping. I was pretty impressed. I was trying to help Spencer make a duct tape wallet from a tutorial and he just whipped up the slippers all on his own.

Jared is doing a science fair project with his Friend Bailey Capt. Their project is on things that glow. It is going to be super cute!

Christmas 2012 Pajama's

The loot from Santa! Kyle and Jared got Airsoft Guns. Landon got a Monster Remote control truck. Spencer got a rip rider 360.

Spencer's Loot

Landon's Loot

Kyle and Jared both got Ipod Nano's. I haven't seen them without their earbuds in their ears since Christmas Day!

Landon Turns Eight!

Landon is so excited to turn eight. He is so excited to become a scout and get baptized. He had an extended week long birthday this year. On the Saturday before his birthday he was thrilled to have a birthday party. He invited 5 of his friends over for Donuts and Chocolate milk. We opened presents and then headed over to Lowe's Extreme Air Sports for some major Jumping and Rock Climbing. Chad and I have decided we like to take the kids somewhere other than our house. We got to sit and watch them have a fabulous time. On Sunday, we had family over to celebrate Calvin, Annika, Jace and Landon's bdays. Then on Monday (his actual bday) we took him to his favorite restaurant (Mi Ranchito's) and then went to Grandma Julie's house for cake and icecream. Landon was mostly excited to turn 8 so that he could be baptized. He has been preparing for his special day and was so excited. Tonight before bedtime prayers he said he wished he could be baptized again, because he felt so good inside. Landon is such a special part of our family. He is always the first one to make his bed and is the first one to volunteer to help with Ellie. He keeps us smiling with the funny things he says and does. We love him so much and are so proud of him!

With his friend eating donuts


At Grandma's house blowing out matches, because I forgot some candles


My little blondie eating his creme filled donut


Even though Landon is afraid of heights, he is fearless on the rock wall


Climbing out of the enormous Foam pit


My cousin Rebecca made this incredble BullDog Cake for Landon


Special Baptism Day


Daddy and Landon!


Chad and all his Boys! Think I am gonna have to blow this one up!