Amazing Week

We had such a fun week! We had soccer games, rugby games, Adam and Lisa's kids, preschool field trip, Easter egg coloring at Grandma's, Spencer's field trip, Ila's birthday, Jared's birthday and Easter egg hunts and Young Women General broadcast! It was such a fun and crazy week that I don't even know where to start! Landon had his first competition soccer game on Tuesday. After he left for school, I walked in his room and saw his clothes all laying out. I thought it was so cute! He did an awesome job at his game. I forgot the camera! Adam and Lisa went to Hawaii, so their kids were able to come and stay with us. What a blessing! We had so much fun with them. I loved having Ila with me everywhere I go. Who knew that I would like hanging out with a little girl! Spencer and Brigham got along perfectly and Avram was an angel and helped me with whatever I asked. They got to go on my preschool field trip while my other kids were at school. We colored Easter eggs at Grandma's house. Unfortunately, I didn't get any more pictures than this. Jared got his braces off and turned 11. He is such an important part of our family. He is so smart and witty and funny! He keeps Chad and I on our toes and rolling with laughter. He loves to read at night when he goes to bed. He loves video games and likes to go long boarding with Kyle. He helps Spencer at night if he is scared He is sensitive and nice to his friends and those around him that might not have a friend. He has a best friend named Ben that he is trying to share his testimony with. I am so proud of him! We had this sweetest little thing for her birthday. Adam and Lisa had already celebrated her birthday before they left. So, we just made brownies and she opened one present from us. She was an absolute joy to have around! We took her on bike rides and learned she is absolutely terrified of bees. Who knew that I would love a little girl around me! I almost cried when they left yesterday! We had our annual neighborhood Easter egg Hunt and Mark and Monica Richards house. This year we had a brunch afterwards. It was a lot of fun! Kyle has been wanting to play Rugby since last year. We said no last year, but when it came up again we thought we had better let him try it out. It is the most expensive sport we have let him play, so we made him pay for half of it. He has loved the practices and we wondered how he would like the games. I wasn't able to go (because of the million kids here), but Chad went and thought he did good and Kyle had a great time! I have a hard time watching wrestling, because I don't like watching my kids in pain. After seeing these pictures, I hope I don't feel the same way about Rugby! Saturday night was the General Young Women broadcast. We decided to ask if we could watch it in the Cultural Hall, so that we could set up a popcorn buffet and let the girls and their mom's have a treat while they watched. I thought the popcorn bar turned out darling and it seemed like everyone that came loved it! Hooray! I am so thankful for this week. It was busy, but I loved it!

March 17-24

We have had a fun week. The highlight of our week was the our first ever Rain Gutter Reggata for cub scouts. Jared and Landon both had to make boats, which means Chad had to make two boats. Since this was our first time making boats, we really didn't know what to expect. We actually decided not to alter the boats too much. The boys decided how they wanted to paint the boats and we went to work. The actual race was quite fun. The boys actually had to blow their boats down the rain gutter so it was quite fun for them and to watch! One of the cub scouts was sick, so Chad raced his boat a few times. The boys boat wasn't very stable, so it was fun to watch Chad try and get it down the gutter. The first picture is a new picture I have hung in my kitchen. A few weeks ago, my sister in law Cathryn came over and helped my paint my kitchen a lovely blue grey color. I hung some new decorations. I decided to get decorations that reflected my personality. I love desserts and fell in love with this picture. We also had Willow Wise come and stay with us. Willow is our best friends daughter. Sharee is in flight attendant school for Sky West right now. Willow at a Hockey Tournament in Provo that Randall wasn't able to get her to. Chad took her to two games, and I took her to one Saturday morning. It was fun to see her skate so well and Hockey was fun to watch. However, it is not a sport for me. It was FREEZING cold in there! If any of my children decide to play Hockey, I will say No Way, too cold! It was also her sister Skye's birthday. When Randall came to pick up Willow on Saturday, he made showed us their family tradition of a chocolate pancake stack. Only the birthday girl can have it! I love that idea! Chad and I were called into the Stake Presidents office this morning. We were really nervous. I have loved my calling and my first thought was that they were going to release me or call me to something else. Then, of course we contemplated if they would be giving Chad a calling. You know, we went through every scenario accept of course the one they gave us. For the last few weeks I have really been thinking a lot about our little family. We have gotten really busy and rarely sit down to dinner together. We never have family scripture study and rarely have family home evening. Chad and I were talking about it this morning and setting some new goals. When we were called in to the Stake Presidents office, President Walker (the first counselor) asked Chad and I to be part of "test group" if you will. They asked us for the next 8 weeks to focus on Family Home Evening in our home and try to use the new curriculum for our family home evenings. This will mean studying the lessons for the entire week before FHE and try really hard to have a meaningful FHE. I feel like this is an answer to my prayers. We are really going to try to make the other changes as well. We are going to make sure on the day that Chad is home that we have family dinner together. We are going to wake the children up early to study scriptures together and we are going to try our best to have meaningful Family Home Evenings. We have been asked to be part of a panel discussion at our Adult Stake conference session. They have asked one family from each ward to do this. We are excited and feel so blessed!

Eventful Week

This week has been a busy one. On Monday I had a Volleyball game. I suck. I have never been super good at it, but I do enjoy playing. For the last couple of years some friends and I formed a recreation league team just for fun. This year we decided to enter the Orem league. I am totally freaking out. Most of the teams we play against are former college or super good HS players. We are getting our butts kicked. I have decided that I am not a competitive person. It gives me way too much stress and anxiety. Also, I have been having issues with my right foot. From what I have read it is called Plantar Fantiatis. Volleyball has hurt it the worse. When I jump it feels like I am ripping tendons apart and the next day can barely walk. So, I am taking tomorrow off. I love to go and exercise in the morning and also some evenings doing crossfit at the HS. But, after playing volleyball and hurting my foot I am out most of the week. Kyle had several band things that he got to leave school for this week. He also got to go to a percussion festival all day Saturday. He loves doing percussion and band stuff. Although it was really fun for him, he has a A LOT of homework to make up. Saturday was our most exciting day. Chad had to help our car mechanic out. Eric owns a couple of airplanes and needed one of them to get fixed in Arizona. So, he had Chad fly down to Arizona and pick him up. Chad flew with our dentist on the way down (he trades flight lessons for braces for the kids). Jared got invited to go along and had a great time! While he was gone I went to the HS and helped our friends the Moore's out with a weight lifting competition to help earn money for the HS wrestling team. It was actually a lot of fun to watch! I just had to snap a picture of the mullet boy. He was sitting right in front of me helping load weights for the lifters. I can't believe that mullets are coming back in style. I didn't think that would ever happen again. Too funny! I am going to have to pull out Chad's High school pictures to show the kids. He had the best mullet! I had to include that picture of Ellie even though it is not a great one. She was sound asleep...snoring quite loudly!

Hunter Hayes Concert in Albuquerque

We had quite an eventful week! One of Spencer's best friends was baptized. At the baptism I was watching Spencer and his friends talking in the foyer. I can't wait to see a picture like this year 10 more years at the mission farewell. So, we may seem a little obsessed with Hunter Hayes lately. We kinda are! The boys didn't have a chance to go to the concert when he was in Utah, so we decided to take them to Albuquerque. The boys all loved it. It was so fun for them to go back stage and hang out with Hunter and the band. Hunter's drummer Steve gave Kyle his drum sticks he used in during the concert as well as a new set. They also all got t-shirts signed by Hunter! We made some great family memories hanging out together!

Happy 9th Birthday Landon

Happy 9th Birthday to my sweet Landon! Oh how we love Landon! Landon is the goof ball in our family! He makes us laugh and is silly, and says the greatest things. He is also very kind and sensitive. He loves to keep his room clean and organized. In fact, Landon won't sleep under the covers of his bed because he doesn't want to mess it up. He LOVES animals especially dogs and has quite the stuffed animal collection. He says when he grows up that he wants to be a Veterinarian. Landon has great friends including a few girls that were kind enough to come to his party with a bunch of wild boys. This year Landon chose to go to Ruby Tuesdays for his birthday dinner with Grandpa and Grandma. Grandma made him an awesome 5 layer cake! He got an air soft gun, because he really wants to go to some wars with his older brothers and their friends. We scheduled the church for his friend party and played Dodge ball until we were all blue in the face! Landon is such an important part of our family! We love him so much and we are so thankful that we were blessed with such a silly and fun kid!