Look Who's 14!

How does this happen?

I have a 14 year old. I sure find all these upcoming birthdays bitter sweet!

Hunter loves saltine crackers. At Costco, I saw this huge box and couldn't resist!

New clothes, a jacket, a water back pack for all our hiking adventures, xbox game, goggles, hot cheeto's and Dr. Pepper. What else could a kid ask for?

For dinner, he had his favorite, Green Chille Burro's.  

and for dessert, another ice cream roll cake! 

Happy Birthday to this young man! As any teenager he loves all electronics. But he also loves his rip stick and rides it most weeks to both church on Sunday mornings and also to mutual. He plays his cello really well! He's learning how to play the guitar and also the Piano. He loves music. This kid plays by ear. He'll hear a catchy tune on the radio and then go ping it out on the piano. I love him! He likes to read and be in the kitchen. He will quite often make brownies, homemade ice cream, popcorn, fruit smoothies, or eggs! I think he may have a slight sweet tooth! This kid gets straight A's and very rarely has to study for them. School and learning new things just come easily to him. I can't wait to see how far this young man will take himself in life!

Happy Birthday! 

Brayden's Accident

Tuesday Brayden had a little accident on his way to school!

My neighbor has recently received her Notary license and stamp. She accepted her 1st Notary job and knowing that I didn't work on Tuesday asked if I could go with her that morning to shadow her, just be there if she had any questions. We were meeting the couple and Lin's Grocery Store here in town at 8 am. My 2 older kids would already be at school. Knowing we would be done in about 30 minutes, I told Brayden that at 8:30 he could ride his bike with a neighbor friend to school. I asked Emily to stay home with Kylie and that when I got back she could then ride her bike to school or I would drive her. 

The Notary job for my neighbor went great! The wife was about 15 min late so by the time we were done it was 8:45 am. As usual my phone had been on silent during "work". Walking out to my van I saw that I had 2 missed phone calls. One from a number I didn't recognize and one from the "kids cell". I called the kids cell back thinking it was probably Emily wondering if I was on my way home yet. To my disbelief a strange, deep male voice answered the phone. Immediately, I asked, "Who is This?" I was trying NOT to panic. But seriously, who the heck was at my house, with my girls, answering our cell phone?? This voice proceeds to tell me who they are which I totally missed as I was trying to tame my inner panic! This person proceeds to tell me that they had witnessed Brayden crash his bike on the way to school. This kind stranger had stopped the car, asked Brayden for his mom's number so that I could be called and tell me what had happened. I of course didn't answer my phone. Brayden then tells this stranger that his mom is at work in St. George. This kind stranger loaded his bike and my little man and drove him to the school so that the nurses could help him. I still couldn't fathom why this person had our cell phone and where were my girls??? My phone started to beep as another call was coming in and I realized that I hadn't called the kids cell but in fact called the unknown number that had called me earlier. Oops!

I drove right to the school. Brayden was pretty banged up. His nose and knee was still bleeding, he had blood down his shirt. He wanted to come home. So I brought my little man home and doctored him up. 

Emily made it to school although a bit late! Before she had even got there the word was out that Brayden had been hit by a car! What??? One story was that it was a hit and run, another that he rode his bike into the street and got hit. What was even crazier was the story about where his mom was, I was in St. George shopping with girl friends, I was working in St. George and I was out for a run! Wow!!! After a few more texts I finally took it to social media. Wanted to make sure everyone knew that Brayden was NOT hit by a car, it was NOT a hit and Run and I was NOT out shopping with girl friends. It's amazing how quickly an incident turns into a story and keeps going...... Although it made for an interesting day I am so, so, so gratetfull that my handsome little guy was NOT hit by a car! He thinks he ran over a rock, lost control for a moment and ran into the fence!

Cake Auction

This year the Young Women in our ward is having a cake auction. This is how they will earn money to go to Girls Camp. Madelyn searched and searched trying to find something unique and different. Being our Ward is made up of many, many older couples when she saw this idea on Pinterest she knew it was what she wanted to do. 

Good Job!

Spring Break 2017

Oh how I love Spring Break! This year our break happened early it seemed, in March! Although I'm glad it's here I hope the rest of the school year doesn't drag on by!!!! 

Last year was my first year working for H&R Block and spring break came and went and I had to work it. This year I was better prepared and planned for it!

On Monday I worked all day so the kids got to play xbox, watch netflix, play on the ipad and computer. It was an all out be on electronic as much as you'd like kind of day... cause Mom's gone all day!

Tuesday's I have off. So I planned a hiking trip with 4 other Momma's. 

We packed a little picnic for our lunch.  

We love this hike because of all the water! 

It was still really cold. Crazy kids couldn't stay out of it. 

With only 5 Mom's and 20+ kids we only went so far as the rope! No way were any of us ready to tackle helping all the little's hang onto the rope to get to the other side. If one of them let go I did NOT want to have to jump into the water to get them!!

So pretty here. 

Hunter squeezing himself up and through small wholes in the rock. 

Brayden, admitting the water was pretty cold. 

These 2 girls use to live on the same street. Now that we've moved they don't get to play together as often as they would like. So fun to be together again. 

So nice to spend the majority of the day enjoying the great outdoors, mingling with old friends, making new friends and just being with my kids. 

Wednesday is my long day, I go in after lunch so I took the kids to the park for lunch.   

Our neighbor came with us. Madelyn helping little Ava who just turned 2 up the ladder. 

Kylie loves going to her :favorite" park. Her favorite thing to do is to be given an under-dog! 

 Brayden loves the slide! Running up it, running down it and jumping off it. He is so quick when he plays tag with his friends. 

Miss Emily just loves being in the sun!

  

Thursday, I don't have to work until 3 I met up with some other momma's at the Washington County Rec Center. For $5 a piece everyone can do whatever they want. Our first stop was the rock climbing wall since everyone was dry! Brayden loves this!!

Kylie waiting patiently to get to the pool. She's too short to do the rock climbing wall. 

It's Swim time...

Emily with her friend Rachel.

Kylie going down the kiddie slide. 

Emily and Kylie. 

Hunter and Madelyn spent most of their time playing basketball with the other teenagers. Brayden spent most of his time with his friends going down the big kid slide and hang'n in the lazy river. I got to sit in a chair, snap pictures of my youngest and talk with the other mom's. Another great day spending it with friends.  

On Friday, I had to work again but just in the afternoon. We spent the morning cleaning the house and then before I left for work all the kids had been invited to a few different friends houses. I dropped them all off and then left for work. I think we had a successful Spring Break even though this momma had to work a bit. I certainly did try!

Valentines 2017

It's Valentines Day!

The kids love, love, love the tradition of waking up to a red table cloth covered in candy! This year I did all chocolate!

I even made everyone's lunches for them today. Heart shaped sandwiches! 

Had to have heart shaped pancakes too!  

We've been working on our Valentines boxes for a few days now. 

Brayden made Pikachu from Poke Mon. 

Emily made a locker. 

Kylie made a unicorn. 

Hunter had eaten and gone by the time I pulled the camera out. Kory was installing out of town so it was just us. I had to work for H&R Block this Valentines Day. Instead of getting off at 6 I didn't get home until almost 8. Longest day ever!!!!! I had plans on making homemade heart shaped pizzas but being the time that it was I stopped by Papa Murphy's on my way home and bought one of their pre-made pizzas so all I had to do was bake it. Totally lame......I know. I seriously don't know how full time working mom's do it! 

Lake Powell

We love our yearly mini vacation to Lake Powell every single year! We try to go twice during the summer with our friends but we knew we weren't going to make the 2nd trip so tried to make this one extra special. 

I love Lake Powell. I love the sun, the sand, the warm days yet cool nights, dutch oven dinners, fires on the beach and ALL the friends we have that come. There are so many kids that all of my kiddo's have a friend their age to hang out with. We really love and look forward to our Lake Powell trips. 

Emily and Kylie lived on the kayaks this time. 

 Every year there are 6+ families that attend. Every family has 5+ kids but the kids Hunters age are always girls! One of these trips he's going to enjoy that part of this yearly adventure! Once again we let him invite one of his friends. This year it was Branson. These 2 slept on the beach or in the back of the truck. They just hung out and ran around together.

Brayden loved the kayaks too this year. 

He would take it out, circle the boyas and then come back to the shore again. He loved it!

Little sleepy head. Love my baby girl!

We invited our neighbors to come with us. Bekah and Kylie and Emily and Ava. 

We had such beautiful weather and very little wind this week.

We along with another family rented 2 ski jets for 2 days. Ended up costing us about $100 a day. It was so worth the money. They were rarely beached. They were usually out pulling kids on the blow up toys.  

Teenage Girls!

Madelyn's the one of the far left. 

 When we needed a break from the sun, the kids would play games or read their books in the trailer.

Lake Powell has very little, usually NO reception for phones. So during the week we are there you see everyone's kids interacting with one another along with their parents. It's awesome!   

Till next year.....

Peace out!

She's 5!

And just like that, in just a blink of an eye she turns 5.

My baby is 5!

Instead of pancakes she requested crepes from her Dad.

Of course we had to have real whip cream to top it off! 

Kylie's birthday fell on Memorial Weekend this year. Our family was crazy busy and I ran out of time to make a fun cake. My Brother Matt wanted to get together for a family bbq that day so we brought purple cupcakes to share.  

Kylie was thrilled with her favorite color of cupcakes. I sure love this little girl of mine. 

To be honest, I'm not looking forward to when school starts. She is going to be in half day kindergarten all week long. What am I going to do without her????

Happy Birthday Love Bug!!

Preschool Graduation

My baby graduated from Preschool. I can't believe this is MY baby!

Kylie is my girl, she loves being home with mom. She's my little helper. She helps me fold clothes and put them a way. She clears the table and helps load the dishwasher. She loves washing dishes. She likes to sweep and have me hold the dust pan for her! She loves to make cookies and help me get dinner ready I love snuggling on the couch and reading stories to her. We paint our nails in fun colors and enjoy each others company. We are quite the team and oh how I miss her when she's gone during the day. But this mom needed to start cutting the apron strings. Cause' this little one did not like being away from Mom. It took Kylie a few drop offs to preschool without tears but she did it! After the first 2 weeks being a way from Mom for 2.5 hrs a day 2 times a week she decided she liked preschool and it was o.k to go. 

This is Miss Lori. We really love this woman who was patient and kind and taught Kylie everything she needed to know to start Kindergarten.   

Preschool Graduation was held outside at the park. The kids sang songs, recited the alphabet and showed us what they had learned all year long. 

Such a cutie, singing to me! 

When her name was called she walked "down the isle" and was given her Preschool memory book. It is full of pictures of Kylie at different school functions, drawings and writings that Kylie made, and projects she did.  

Why do they have to grow up?

I love her baby face! I can't believe she's almost 5. 

My favorite picture of the evening.

Kylie and her dad! 

You did good tonight beautiful!

So glad preschool was success for you! 

Sure love you!