A Cruise!

Finally - another cruise is coming our way!! This time we will be heading out with some dear friends - and no kids!! Can't wait!!

Isn't this the most beautiful sight?! The Carnival Glory. I've never been on this ship - so that will be fun!! We are visiting familiar ports - yipee!! The kids get to enjoy 2 weeks with grandparents - yipee!!! I get to enjoy time with Tim - and no cell phone - YIPEEEEEEE! So bring on the fun!

First day of School

I know I should post pics - but I don't have them yet - so you'll have to wait. However, I wanted to document a few things before I forget them!
L and N started school last Wednesday. They enjoyed their first 3 days - but both agreed that it was sort of boring because they didn't have full schedules yet and they were anxious to start classes like art, music (orchestra for N), and more!
Anyway - today is the first official day of school in Davis County. M and K started today and they had mixed emotions! M was up at 6am! By 6:30 she was dressed and had eaten breakfast and was ready to go - unfortunately school doesn't start until 8:30 for her - so she was bummed that she had to wait!
K, however, had to be out the door by 7am so she waddled out of bed around 6 and was ready by 6:45. I'm sure as the days go on it will be harder and harder to get her up - so maybe I should start thinking about a 5:30 wake up call!!
N and L leave with me when I take K because N has to be at school at 7:30 and L at 7:50 - so there just isn't time to go home and get them. It makes for a crazy morning but come 8am they are in school and I'm at work so what's the difference?! Tim takes M at 8:15 on his way to work so with that, they are all out the door on their way!
So, here is a break down of the first day of school!
K -11th grade -  loves her classes. Saw lots of kids that she knows. Thinks her teachers are hilarious. Figures that by day 3 the newness will wear off and it will be boring and homework laden! She is taking History, Seminary, Drivers Ed, Math, English, Chemistry, Video Game Design, and Financial Lit.

M - 7th grade - SO SO happy to be back in school. M thrives on structure and schedules, so summer is very difficult for her. She has locker #1 this year and she thinks that's the neatest thing ever! Her favorite class is Science and she has the same teacher this year that she had last year - yipee! M is looking forward to cooking and sewing in her CTE class and she said that her P.E. teacher is HILARIOUS!

N - 6th grade - such a smart boy and loves school - but doesn't love being at school! N is taking his first year of LATIN! He thinks that's the coolest class! He has been placed in 9th grade math with only 5 other 6th graders. He is taking orchestra again - he'll be playing the cello and he is looking forward to trying out for the 7th grade soccer team (6th graders can tryout and if they're good enough they will make the cut).

L - 1st grade - is happy being "popular". He thinks the world of Hazel and he loves that she is in his class. L is most looking forward to Art class and P.E. In reality - L loves school. He likes to go to class and learn new things - he just hates homework. Today when asked what was the best part of the day, he said "Well, I got a hug from Hazel - it's awesome being popular!". Silly silly boy!

Just a few pics!

This past week I was on the phone with my mom and she was telling me how my grandmother, Alice, keeps all of my letters in chronological order and reads them over and over. It really is a journal, of sorts, of what's going on in my family! As we had this conversation, I remembered that I have a blog - and that it, too, is supposed to be a journal of sorts. So, today I opened it up and was shocked to see how long it had been since I posted ANYTHING. What a slacker I am. My poor posterity won't have a clue what we did because I haven't done a great job on keeping up. So - I decided that I would go through my pics and pull a few of significant moments from the past few months to share. 

 At the end of June, Mykenzi attended Girls Camp for the first time. She LOVED IT!! Her days were full of adventure and spiritual time. Her leaders said that she did a great job and that she only had 2 melt downs, of which she was aware of and gave fair warning to others that she needed a break. Kahlyn said she did well also. The above pic was captured by a leader from our ward. Mykenzi was sitting, all by herself, just reading her scriptures. This pic makes my heart melt. After all, it's what every parent hopes is happening when they aren't there - right?! I just love this sweet angel and am so grateful that she has been entrusted to my care.

 The Chalk Art Festival. It's amazing to me how talented Kahlyn is. She certainly doesn't get it from me. This year she decided to enter the Chalk Art Festival. She said she wanted to draw a sugar skull - all in chalk. So that's exactly what she did. It took her all 3 days to do it - and she got a lot of compliments on it. I loved this piece - especially the eyes. Way to go Kahlyn - you are amazing!!

 Today Kahlyn took an Amtrak train from SLC to Grand Junction to spend the weekend with Grandma Sandy. It's her first adventure of traveling alone - and what an adventure it has been so far! The train was supposed to depart SLC at 3:30 this morning but when Tim and Kahlyn arrived at the train station, they found out that the train was delayed due to a mudslide on the track. So they were told that they should return around 6am. At 6am Tim found out that the train was still delayed and that they should be there at 7am. So, at 7am, Kahlyn and Tim headed to the station again. K boarded the train at 7:30 and sat - and sat - and sat. Finally, at 9am, the train left the station - and her adventure began!! She will arrive in GJ around 3 this afternoon and has already texted me that the ride is gorgeous! I know she'll have a great time!

 In April, Nathan earned his Arrow of Light award. This is the highest award that a boy can receive in Cub Scouts. It is like the Eagle Scout award for the cubs. We are so proud of him and his hard work for this award. Way to go Nathan!!

 Nathan also finished another soccer season - and he did wonderfully! This shot is a free kick - Nathan scored a goal off of this shot too - it was the final goal of the game and it was amazing! He even had another coach come up to him and say "a shot like that can't be taught - it's pure skill". That made Nathan beam from ear to ear - and Danny was right - it is pure skill. Nathan is good at this sport and he loves it. He had a tough try-out week for the 2014-2015 season and when it was all said and done, Nathan was the #1 pick for Davis Futbol Club. They had 2 openings and 44 boys try out. He was thrilled to learn that not only did he make the team, but that he was top choice. He had several coaches looking at him  but the one he wanted to play for is the one that won out and was able to offer Nathan a spot - and that's exactly what Nathan wanted. So now we are in to another season - and Nathan is doing great. The improvement in his ability, speed, and skill level is incredible and we are loving watching him play.

This handsome kid graduated kindergarten and is now moving on to 1st grade!! Lane is getting so big and he is so full of life and joy. I can't imagine our family without him. He is really excited to be starting 1st grade next week - to see his friends - and most importantly "to learn times tables". This boy LOVES math and can't get enough numbers in his life! I am so excited for him and can't wait to see what the new year will bring - for all of us!!

N's first love

Soccer is by far N's first love. He has loved this game from the first time he played at 4 years old! I can't believe how far he's come, how much he knows, and how good he is.

 N has always chosen to wear the #6. Nat Borchers wears #6 and he is N's favorite professional player. He plays defender for Real Salt Lake. I think that since N is a defender (most of the time) and Nat is a defender, and that they share some resemblance of the same name, N just likes him!

 N played his last indoor season game this past weekend. He scored 2 goals and his team won, 8-2. In this sequence of pics, you can see N's 2nd goal and how he ran the goalie down.

 This pic (above) is one of my favorite of the season. It's very very rare for N to show any emotion in soccer games. We usually get a little look and that's the extent - but not today - today we got an "airplane" and I captured it!

A few years ago, Nat Borchers gave N his private email and said to email him any time. So over the years, these two have emailed back and forth about different things. Well, last week, Nat sent N a note and told him that he'd be at a certain location in downtown SLC and that N should stop by. So after N's soccer game we rushed down to see Nat. It was a fantastic visit. Nat recognized N immediately and even commented on how big his feet were getting. N had a poster for Nat to sign, and of course he did and then he gave N an RSL ball and signed that too! He chatted with N about everything from the new jerseys and new coach to how he and his wife are excited to welcome their first baby in June. He really is a classy guy. I don't know any professional athletes that would take so much time for an 11y/o boy. One thing I always want to remember about this meeting is something that Nat told N. They were talking about how N feels like he is "slow" on the field. N has the skills and knowledge - more than any other boy on the field - but he doesn't posses the speed. Nat said "you don't have to be fast to have a good career". I thought that was awesome and I think it meant a lot to N too.

random thoughts

Just a few random thoughts that I want to put down...
1 - winter in Utah this year wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Most of the days we've been in the 40's with rain. We've had snow - but not like we've had in the past - and it's been cold - but not consistently cold like we've experienced before. I'll be grateful when Spring is officially here -but for now, I'm glad that Winter has been tolerable, at least for me!
2 - I hate that my kids have to go to school. Don't get me wrong - I know how important education is, and I love that they are learning - but I HATE getting up and getting kids ready for school. I hate it. If school started at 10ish - that would be better for me - then I could take my time waking up and getting on with the day!
3 - I've been horribly tired lately. I don't know what's wrong with me but I am truly fatigued after even the simplest of tasks. Yesterday I took a 3 hour nap (can you call that a nap?) and then fell asleep for the night just a few hours later - maybe I need some more vitamins!
4 - I love my steam mop - it's the best invention ever....I think I could have a pic-nic on my floor, after I steam mop it, and there would be no germs to worry about - so cool!
5 - I did a Valentine's Day countdown for my kids - I didn't think I'd be so excited for them to open a tin each day - but I am! It's been so fun watching them get excited to see what note I wrote for them and then come give me a hug in appreciation of said note. What a simple thing that has brought so many smiles over the past several days - we'll be doing this again!

Ok - better wash some dishes - and it's Monday, so I get to deep clean 1 room - today it's office! Fun stuff

Ancient Egypt...can we move there?

Today, like every day, I picked L up from school and asked "how was your day?" "What did you learn?". Most of the time the answer is the same - "we did math, reading, recess...it's always the same". Today, however, I got a little different answer - an excited answer...today L told me that they talked about Ancient Egypt and how it was in what is now Africa. L was telling me about the Nile river and how they need the rain to make the river rise so that crops can grow on the banks of the river. He was telling me that the villagers traded food for spices and that they built pyramids. I wish I could convey the excitement that was in his voice. Then he said that the rich kings would be turned to mummies when they died. Ah - so this is what was so fascinating to him - I get it! Then out of nowhere L said "Hey Mom, can we move to Ancient Egypt, rent a house and use Dad's pistols to shoot mummies?" BWAHAHAHA - well, they aren't like "zombies", I don't think -but I can see how a 6 year old mind would think this!!

On another note - during FHE tonight we were talking about the Holy Ghost and when He is received. L answered with a resounding "During BATH-tism" heheheeee

The year of the HORSE

Happy Chinese New year - did you know it's the year of the HORSE? M is terribly excited about this. According to the Chinese Zodiac, M is a horse and therefore this is her year, as it should be. This year will bring about a lot of exciting changes for M.
This year, M will be 12
This year, M will leave Primary and enter Young Women in the church
This year, M will enter Jr. High
This year, M will be considered a pre-teen (yikes)
This year, M can start having sleep-overs if she'd like, or attend them, if she'd like
This year, M gets to have a party for her b-day!
I'm sure there is so much more in store for her - like getting her first bra or having more privileges but I just can't think of it all right now.

So - to celebrate this momentous occasion for M - we will have Chinese food for dinner - which consequently happens to be her all time favorite meal (orange chicken) and we'll end the weekend by watching the BRONCOS (also horses!) whoop up on the SEAHAWKS (or sea-chickens as we like to call them) in Super Bowl 48! I know that the Broncos are going to win - after all, it's the year of the horse!