Mom & Me

Brittany asked for a really sweet thing for her birthday this year.....she wanted to spend a day with me. She called it our "Mommy & Me Day!" We made plans, with Brittany planning everything, and spent a whole afternoon together. It was so fun. We started out at Costco so we could walk around and eat the samples. That is one of Brittany's favorite things to do. She's very easy to entertain so we walked around the entire store and she was definitely in a happy place when we were finished. After Costco, it was off to the mall. She wanted me to try on swimming suits because I need a new one so we did that for a while, not as fun as it used to be, but she was so patient and she was my runner. We found one that we both liked and they didn't have my size so it was a bust, but so nice to just take some time and not have to rush anywhere or take anyone potty. :) That's usually our mall experience. We then went school shopping for her because she had some money she had saved up and I chipped in and we got some really cute things for her.

We hung out at the mall until it closed and then hit The Cheesecake Factory. She bought me dinner, which was so sweet and I didn't expect that but she insisted. We got to sit right by the water and we just talked......such a nice evening and it was nice to catch up and find out what's going on in that pretty little head of her's. She wanted to go to the movie and the last Harry Potter showing was at 10:30 so we went. I was pretty tired but we got a Coke and headed in. I think we got home at 1:45 am but it was definitely time well spent. I love that she wanted that day with me and what a sweet, special daughter I have. She has always been very thoughtful and sweet to those around her and I'm so glad that includes her mom. It was such a fun day and I hope this is now a tradition. Bailey has asked for her "Mommy & Me Day" for her birthday and we haven't made it out yet, but she's next. I'm so grateful to have such sweet kids and that Heavenly Father trusted me enough to be their mom. I sometimes don't feel worthy of them but I'm so glad they're mine. They make me want to be a better mother and a better person. I don't know what I'd do without them and I'm quite fond of their dad too. What a fun, special day to remind me of all of my blessings! Thanks, Brittany! I'm so proud of you and I love you very much! I enjoyed every minute of my day with you and can't wait for next year!

San Diego

We had the opportunity to go to San Diego at the end of the summer. The Broadheads were going to be there for a week and invited us to come down and hang out with them. It's pretty sad how close we are to the beach and how very few times we've actually taken the kids and gone. It seems like life takes over so often but as HOT as it gets here in the summer, we need to take advantage how close we are and how beautiful it is at the beach. The weather wasn't what I was hoping for, but we definitely made the best of it. The kids didn't care at all.....they had a wonderful time and we had so much fun with the Broadheads. What a great family and Avery loved hanging out with all the kids, but especially Ty. The kids collected all sorts of shells, Avery dug around in the sand, the kids and Cody went out on the boogie board and we just hung out!! It was wonderful. The Broadheads fixed us a wonderful dinner and we had smores out in their firepit. It was a much-needed break for us and we're definitely going to do some planning for next summer.

We stayed in a really cool hotel in downtown San Diego. It was a Marriott (thanks Dean & Dayna) and it was converted from an old bank. One of the guys who worked there, took us on a tour and showed us the vault in the basement, told us about the shooting gallery because it was open in the 1930's when all of the bank robberies were happening around the country so the tellers had to be prepared to defend themselves and the bank. The kids had a great time and we opted for a late checkout and had room service so we could enjoy our mini-vacation. We spent another day at the beach and then went over to watch a surfing competition on the simulators and went on a few rides and had a great time. Thanks for taking such good care of us, Broadheads. It was so fun hanging out with you.....hope we can do it again next year! :)

First Day of School

Well, here I am again trying to catch up. I was sitting in Sunday School today and they were talking about the importance of journals. Right now, this is my journal and I'm not doing very good about keeping up with our life. There have been so many fun and exciting things going on and I'm letting them slip by without writing them down. I'm going to do better....I say that a lot but I guess with baby steps, I'll keep trying and hopefully be able to keep up so I have a journal to pass on to my family.

The first day of school came so quickly. I wasn't ready for them to go back to school this year. I love to have the kids home and they're so much help that I was thinking of home schooling....just kidding, but I can see why people do it. This picture is actually of Brit's 2nd day of school because her mother didn't get the camera out in time as she was running out the door on the first day. They were all very excited and it's been such a good year so far.....my favorite picture is of Avery. She really misses the kids, especially because her buddy Carson went to kindergarten this year. That picture kind of summed up how I felt too.

Brittany
I guess I should really start by filling in the blanks from last year. I meant to blog about it but never did....sorry, Brit. She had an awards assembly at the end of the year and she had some really remarkable awards. She got a perfect attendance award, she was given a couple of character awards during the year and was given an overall character award that has comments from 3 of her teachers on the back which really means a lot. She had some really great teachers and they were behind her all the way last year. That makes a huge difference and I'm so grateful that she had so many good people around her. She had a perfect 4.0 for the year and was the given one of the awards for Student of the Year. She had such a wonderful year and it was so fun to see how much she's grown and to see all of her accomplishments. We're so proud. This year she's doing just as well. She's part of the Yearbook staff and she's in the school play that will put on the production next week. We're looking forward to another great year!

Bailey
She had a great year last year but is doing really well this year. She's a busy girl....right now she is playing flag football, she is part of the Robotics team and just made the Odyssey of the Mind Team. She is on the student council and absolutely loves her teacher. She pushes the students pretty hard and Bailey comes home every day and sits down and does her homework....so much better than last year when I had to remind her several times to get back to work. She loves school and has some really cute friends. I just went to Pathfinder with her last week for a 3 day overnight Outdoor Science & Education Camp up by Idyllwild and had so much fun. That will be another post, but so fun to spend time with her and what a sweet, fun girl. We know there's more to come.

Carson
Carson started Kindergarten.....I had a little bit of withdrawal because I do miss him. He's been my buddy for a long time and Avery really misses him. It's taken a little adjustment, but he absolutely LOVES it!! He looks forward to school every day and wants to eat school lunch, which the girls never liked, and he wants to ride the bus, which sounds better and better every day but he has adapted so well. He loves his teacher and they love him. It has been a fun year so far and he is always asking me to come in and help. I helped for the Halloween Carnival and had a great time. These kids are so cute and I have absolutely loved watching Carson get into his groove. He'd doing so well and he is constantly sounding out words and telling us what letters things start with. I'm loving it!

Avery
She is my buddy and she anxiously waits until everyone gets home!! I think she is wishing I did home-school. :)


I love these kids!! Time seems to be speeding up and I feel like we're going to blink and they're going to be gone....college, missions, married; I know my parents said the same thing and I can see how it can happen. Life is moving too fast and there's nothing I can do to slow it down. I have our screen saver set to scroll through all of our pictures on the computer. I just sit and watch them and wonder where the years have gone....I love looking at pictures when they were younger with their chubby cheeks and sweet smiles and how they used to let me put bows in their hair and dress them the same....all great memories and I know that if I keep up this "journal" that I can remember all of these special moments and appreciate this family that I have in the years to come! Thanks for the wonderful school year so far.....great things to come!!