PAPA

One Proud Mama.....

2012-01-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Carter made me one proud mama last night! It made me feel like maybe Mike and I are doing at least some things right! Hooray!
So, here's how it went......
Mike is in the Young Men's Presidency and all those lucky boys get to go to a hockey game in the valley on Saturday. Mike was able to get an extra ticket and wanted to take Carter for a little one on one time. He didn't know that Carter's piano recital was on the same day:( Bummer! I told Mike to ask him anyway. They don't get to spend enough time together so I was totally willing to let the piano recital take the back burner. Probably a bad mom move, but oh well! Mike made it pretty important and official and took Carter all by himself to talk. He told him that he knew his piano recital was Saturday but if he wanted to go to the hockey game, he could miss it. Mike said that immediately Carter told him that he would "really like to go to the hockey game, because it would be so fun, but I promised my piano teacher I would be there and I can't break my promise." (insert Mike hiding his tears here!) Oh my word I love this boy! It's fabulous to see the young little man he's growing into! He did get a little sad when Mike asked him if he would be alright if Gage went instead, but it was just for a second because Mike promised they would do an all Carter all day day next week!

Halloween! A little late and a little lame:/

2011-12-08T14:26:00.001-08:00

This year for Halloween I made the boys pick from costumes we already had at home. I'm not a super big fan of spending lots of money on something they will wear for just a few hours and probably stain. This was Gavins choice of wardrobe for the Fall Carnival. Such a cute Buzz Lightyear! In this picture he was telling Carter to push the button to see if it made him fly. The night of the ward party he decided he would rather be a lady bug. So, I let him. I know some may say that's a horrible thing to let your boy wear a ladybug costume, but this kid rocked it. We just won't leave any photographic evidence of it for later.

My pictures are very LAME!!!!! I didn't have time to take more than these at the Fall Carnival and forgot to take any pictures at the trunk or treat. So, lame as they are. Here they are!

Aren't these boys fantastic looking? Put a shaved ice in front of them and they are happy campers. Gavin didn't even care about playing any of the games! Junk food is the way to this boys heart!

{FaMiLy PiCtUrEs}

2011-11-20T17:01:00.001-08:00

We haven't had family pictures taken for almost two years and so I decided it was high time we change that! Our sweet friend Karah from Karahlynn Photography took them for us. I think she did a fabulous job:) I can't wait to get them up on our wall! These are just a few of my favorites.......

I think we make a pretty cute family!

The Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-15T09:56:00.001-08:00

Gavers found a new favorite spot in the truck on our way to the Corn Maze for scouts. We were parked at the bank though. I guess I should make that clear!

The Corn Maze was really fun, but !wow! It was confusing! If we wouldn't have had all of our boys we would have gotten lost more than just the 10 times that we did!

The Pumpkin Patch is always a lot of fun! We always get some really great pumpkins to put on our front porch. These boys were pretty good helpers.

We had to get some goofy pictures.........

Gotta love those fake smiles! They were hilarious:)

And then we sat in the cute little barrel train. They really wished it would take them for a ride, but maybe next time. Katlyn and Mike also went to the Haunted Maze with a bunch of Katlyn's friends. Not for me!!!! I'm a chicken! All in all we had a blast at the Willis Farm this year!

General Conference October 2011

2011-11-14T07:26:00.001-08:00

Mike and I have decided to make General Conference a tradition for our kids when they turn *8* years old. Katlyn was a little late getting there but Carter was right on time! We packed up Peanut Butter and one extra cute young gal, (Melany) and off we went!

We had to stop in Kanab and take a picture with the fake police officer. This guy has been here for a super long time. The neighbor across the street was getting quite a kick out of these two.

We made a little stop at Zion National Park and stretched our legs a little. I wish we had had more time to be there. It is an absolutely beautiful place!

Carter was loving this area. We just sat and enjoyed the water for a while.

Katlyn and Melany were so jealous of this guy. They sat forever waiting for a squirrel to get brave enough to sit on THEIR lap. It never quite happened dangit!

What would a trip near water be without Mike trying to throw everyone in? I stayed a very safe distance away!

Zions was beautiful. The leaves weren't changing as much as we had hoped they would be but it was well worth the trip.

On to Lehi we went to stay with our friends The McCalls. We love to visit them, and conference was a great excuse to be able to make the trip.

We all had an amazing time the day we went to the Conference Center. I feel awful because we were split from the boys most of the day and so I have no pictures of Carter! He says he had a great time though. He loved the Church History Museum, and the Beehive House.

I took the girls into the Tabernacle while the boys were in the Conference Center. I absolutely love that building! They thought it was pretty neat too.

A very nice man offered to take our picture outside before we went into our session of Conference. We had a nice walk around the building. It is beautiful.

The girls had the chance to see the opposers of the church too while we were walking. Their reactions were exactly the same. They just didn't understand why someone would want to say horrible things like that about the church. They said it made them sad. It made me sad too. I hope that it strengthened them. I hope that they will always be strong and valiant! They are beautiful!

And here they are! They could not believe how big it was. And the people! There were so many! We actually had some really great seats! We were right dead center and as close as you can get without being someone super important. We got our tickets from my brother in law whose a bishop in Arkansas (it's next to impossible to get tickets in Snowflake!) and I guess they get good seats there! Thanks John!

The feeling in the Conference Center is one that I wish I could feel all day every day. It builds my testimony just being there. The talks were all so great and uplifting. In a world so negative it's always refreshing to hear all the positive things that are happening and to know that we can all be just as happy as we want to be. We just have to do what's right!

I love seeing the Prophet! I want all of my children to have the chance to see that President Monson is not just a picture on the wall or in a magazine or a man on the TV. I want them to see him and have that sweet feeling of knowing that he really is the Prophet! It was so sweet to see Katlyn and Melany's faces when he walked into the room.

Carter said that he enjoyed conference, although he was a little tired and might have fallen asleep just for a minute.....:) He got to sit by a little girl who was experiencing her first time at Conference too. Mike said he was a little shy! I pray that Carter also had a spiritual experience of his own while we were there. He is such a good boy and always wants to do what's right. I hope that we can keep giving him opportunities like this to carry with him for the rest of his life. He is truly an amazing person.

Conference was a total success!

Tin Foil Dinners for FHE!

2011-10-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

We hadn't done tin foil dinners for quite a while and so we decided to give it a try for FHE. Mike got home from work and I gave him the job of gathering everything from outside and I took care of the food and all the inside stuff. Once we had it all in, off we went! We had a good time exploring and hanging out together. Even though Mike forgot to bring a flashlight or a lantern or anything that would give us a little light when it got dark, we still we had fun. Until Mike told the kids that the coyotes were coming to get them and it was all over. They all piled up in the truck and were ready to go home. Even Gage! I love that our kids still enjoy doing things like this as a family. I hope it will last a bit longer!

Hauling wood....{ kind of the easy way.}

2011-10-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Love this picture of these boys being real men! They all thre love to help their dad with whatever he's doing.

We kind of took the easy way out this year though. We bought our wood from my uncle and all we have to do is go to Alpine and cut it and split it. It's still in the woods though and it's still work so I'm going to count it.

Nana and Papa are ridiculously awesome and can still work me plum to death. They are amazing!

While Dad is working.....

2011-10-27T21:35:00.000-07:00

Mike has trainings in the valley a couple of times a year and I love to go with him and just relax while he works. This summer though we had not spent much time as a family so we decided to take the kids along with us for some together time. I thought the kids and I could just hang out at the pool while Dad was working..... then we got a call from Grandpa John asking if we wanted to go to Canyon Lake with he and Grandma Debbie to try out his boat he just fixed up. There was a slight pause on my end because if you are a Papa and have been on any lake anywhere with John you know that something usually goes wrong. It's really not his fault either. I think he just has super bad luck.

Like the time we all went to Lake Powell on the 4th of July and decided it would be a great idea to go into town to watch the fireworks. Grandpa John said no worries he had a "spotlight" to find our way back to camp. So, off we went. The fireworks were amazing and we were all in great moods heading back out on the lake. About 3 hours later we still had not found our campsite and Grandpa's "spotlight" was actually a flashlight. We couldn't see a dang thing and had no idea where we were. The Papa father and his kids were all arguing about who's grand idea it had been and how the heck we were going to find our way back before we ran out of gas when we hit a rock and busted the prop. That made our night so much more fun! Anyway, in the end we did finally find our campsite just before dawn and we were all super cranky!

So you can imagine my hesitancy to go to the lake on a boat with John. But I thought what the heck! Why no?! We met up with them at the lake and a few of them went in the boat. I thought I might never see my kids again. Seriously! Can you see that boat in the picture? I was afraid the nose of it was going to come flying out of the water at any minute and they were going to be toast! But they weren't and the boat did great and so did Grandpa! We can chalk this lake trip down as a success!!!! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the afternoon of fun!

The boys LOVED the boat. They think we need one now.

Katlyn loved it too. She didn't love having to take turns though.

We always take the kids to Bass Pro Shop while we are down. They love it. It's free so we dig that too!

The lake did Gavers in. Mike had to take him back the next day to see the fish.

These guys are pretty easy to entertain!

All in all it was a great trip!

How the heck did THAT happen?

2011-10-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

We had a little incident this summer with Gavers and his bellybutton. I still have no idea how it happened or what he did but he came running down the stairs screaming and holding his belly.....

This is what I saw when he let go. WHAT THE HECK RIGHT? How does something like this happen? I have no idea. Gavin has had a hernia there since he was born so it worried me a little that he had done some damage on the inside too. So, we went for a visit to Dr. Bailey.

She checked his belly and said his hernia was just fine. It had actually healed up nicely. So, how did the bellybutton "fall out?" She doesn't really know either. It was super swollen for a while, but now it just looks like a deflated little balloon. Dr. Bailey says he's right as he should be, just a goofy belly button. His dad thinks we may have to do a little cosmetic touch up when he gets older so he can find himself a wife though.

Watch my cool trick!

2011-10-26T22:25:00.000-07:00

I HAD TO PUT THESE IN HERE BECAUSE THIS IS CLASSIC GAVIN. HE THINKS HE'S QUITE THE LITTLE DARE DEVIL, AND HE WANTS PICTURES TAKEN OF EVERY DEATH DEFYING ACT THAT HE PERFORMS.

I'M NOT SURE THIS ONE WORKED OUT QUITE LIKE HE HAD PLANNED IT, BUT WE ALL CLAPPED ANYWAY AND HE SURE WAS PROUD OF HIMSELF.

On rainy days......

2011-10-26T22:20:00.000-07:00

On rainy days, our dad comes out to play.

& we just love getting tossed like rag dolls. It's so much fun that we just keep coming back for more.

And then we race to the tree across the green and back to see who can get struck by lightning first. It's every kids dream to have a dad like ours on a rainy day!

It's Great to be 8!

2011-10-26T16:57:00.000-07:00

Carter was baptized on August 6, 2011 at the Main Street Chapel in Snowflake, AZ. It was one of the best days! I'm so proud of him and his decision to take this step in his life. He has grown up so much and takes his baptismal covenants very serious. I'm so grateful to have his sweet spirit in our family!

Here's our little family. I compared this picture with Katlyn's baptism picture and they are all so grown up! Gavin was just barely on his way here when she was baptized.

Dad always has to have a goofy picture in the mix.

These are all the wonderful men that came to support Carter. It was so great to have them all there. We missed the ones that could not come, but we are all spread out pretty far now! Carter is a lucky boy!

This is Carter and his friend Michael. They were both baptized that day. They are amazing!

Here's the whole gang! My camera was on it's last leg so we did the best that we could. We had quite the group there. I'm so thankful for both sides of our family and the effort that they make to support us in all we do. We are very blessed.

I am so thankful for Carter and the amazing spirit that he brings to our home. I know he was sent here to earth to do some very important things!!!! I feel very blessed to be his mother. He has taught me so much in the short 8 years that we have known each other. His spirit is much older than mine, I just know. He is honest without question. He is kind to anyone and everyone. He is happy. He is loving without hesitation. He is so forgiving! I wish I could be more like him!

Carter, we all love you so much and are so proud of you!!!!!!

Carter is 8!

2011-10-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Carter turned the BIG 8 this year! It's hard to believe but it's true!

We had a super fun water party with all of his friends.

THE BOYS WERE PRETTY COMPETATIVE!!!! BIG SURPRISE RIGHT?!

These two are hilarious! Love these two boys!

Look at the concentration......

Katlyn was so sweet & set up a mivie outside for a brother

sister party. The boys thought it was pretty cool! PRESENTS!

It's great to have such good friends!

24th of July Rodeo

2011-10-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

This was our kids first year going to the Rodeo. They thought it was pretty cool. Gavin loved watching the horses.

These boys loved the bull riding. Go figure!

Katlyn loved the drill team. Our friend Kelly Hatch puts it together and it's really amazing! It makes me teary eyed every time. I know I'm a total bawl baby! After the rodeo they turn off all the lights and let off the fire works. I think it will be a new Papa family tradition.

Cousin Camp 2011

2011-10-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Cousin Camp had a new member this year! Gavin was invited for his first experience. He loved it!

Gage waits and waits every summer for Cousin Camp week. This year they learned how to be knights. That's right down his alley!

Carter is just laid back and ready for anything as you can see.

Katlyn is not a lover of being away from home and so this is a super hard thing for her to do every year. I'm really proud that she has done it for so many years. She's been a good example to her brothers. This was her last Cousin Camp. She will be going to Girls Camp next summer! I can't believe it!

Here's the whole group. We were missing Rocko, Charly, and Maverik this year. They live so far away now it's hard for them to make it. We missed them!

Because of the fire, this year Cousin Camp was at Grandma and Grandpa's house. They are very brave!!!!!

Here's Gavin being knighted. He took it all very seriously. I was super proud of him.

The kids always do a little program. Aren't they all cute?

Grandma also always rents the pool out for us to go swimming. Gavers thought it wad a tad too cold for him.

See that arm getting ready to splash his sister. I'm sure there was a dunk fest after that. They really do love each other, sometimes....

Gavin had his first time off the diving board! He was so brave! It helped that Uncle Logan was right there to catch him though.

These two girls are always glad to have each other at cousin camp.

He's like a fish!

She definitely inherited her fathers genes of bravery because I'm a total wimp and would never attempt this! All three of my older kids did the high dive. I'm glad they are more like their dad!

This last one is of Gage explaining his shield that he made. They each made one and colored things that they loved on them.

So, all in all it was a great Cousin Camp success!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

4th of July 2011

2011-10-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

We had lots of fun going to Eagar for the 4th of July! Papa always has a huge project going on at his house so the boys had a blast!

The parade is always on our list of things to do. It was fun to see everyone come together after the fire.

Cousins are always super fun to hang out with. We love the 4th of July!

Katly is 11 now

2011-10-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

I can't hardly believe it, but she's 11 now! Look at all these girls! I swear they all changed into the most beautiful young ladies over the summer. It was so fun to have them all over! Katlyn really loves zebra and turquoise and so our sweet friend Traci made her the cutest cake. The girls pigged out on food and Grandpa George and Grandma Colleen were sweet enough to bring their projector for the girls to watch Lemonade Mouth outside on the trampoline. I think it was a pretty big success.

It's fun having an 11 year old around our house. We have the best babysitter ever. It's fun to listen to her talk about the boys she thinks are cute. She's learning how to do her hair and all that fun stuff. She is learning to cook. She loves to rent movies that she is allowed to watch with Mike and I. It's really cute to see how excited she gets. She is brave enough to go into the store all by herself and buy a few things for me. I love it! It really is fun having her grow up!

It's Been 11 Whole Years Now!

2011-10-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

In June Mike and I celebrated our 11th Anniversary! WOW!!!! That seems like quite a long time to put up with one person doesn't it? I'm talking about me putting up with him. I'm an angel and he knows it! Really, I am. Sometimes..... At least once in a while..... Ok, he pretty much puts up with me and just grins and bears it most of the time, but I get better as we go along.

This year we went to Scottsdale and did pretty much nothing but eat and sit by the pool. It was the best little break. A little bit of alone time for us is just about all either of us wanted. Life just seems to get crazier and busier every year. There are so many things we are all involved in that we rarely get to spend a full day together, much less three!

So, in 11 years we have had 4 children. We have moved only 5 times. I thought that was pretty good. Built 2 homes, and barely kept from killing each other in the process. Mike has had 2 jobs. We have had 7 different vehicles. (I have still never had a "family wagon.") 1 quad, which I made Mike get rid of when he broke his collar bone. We have only been brave enough to have 1 pet. A tortoise, which I lost in the yard. We never found poor Peanut alive.

We have had a grand total of 875 arguments! Ya, I keep track. I have to keep a tally of how many I win and he loses! Doesn't everybody do that?

Seriously though, we do like eachother a lot. I love him and I'm pretty sure he still loves me. Sometimes it will depend on the day you ask him though. We love hanging out together. He's pretty shy so we don't do the hang out in a group thing too often. I'm working on him though. We both love movies. We both hate scary movies. The last one we saw he closed his eyes more than I did! We both love taking vacations. We both like basketball. He kicks my toosh. He was a wrestler and he still kicks my toosh. We get in bed every night and visit about the day. I think that's important. We both love his job. It makes him happy, so it makes me happy. We laugh a lot. Usually at all the "blond" things I do. I think I was born with the wrong color of hair. He's pretty paient with me.

He loves to have his feet and head rubbed, and I don't like people to touch my feet or my head. I love to read and he hasn't read a book in years. He loves his truck and I want a mini van. He likes to just take a break when he's mad and I like to get it all out. I love winter and he really doesn't. I like to run, and I am trying to get him to love it. He loves to wrestle and it's just not my thing. He doesn't care though. I have no choice in the matter. I like to throw my dirty clothes in the hamper. He likes to throw his right next to it.

So, for us it works. Lots of differences and lots of things that are the same, but in the end I still wouldn't trade him in. He's pretty much what keeps me going, keeps me happy and keeps me in line. I think we go pretty good together.

The Wallow Fire

2011-10-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

This summer our Nana and Papa's worst nightmare came true.

The Wallow Fire started in June. I still remember Mike coming home from work and telling me a fire had started near Alpine and I did have a bit of fear, but thought there was no way it would ever get close to my parents. None of the summer fires ever had so they never would right? At least we hoped they never would.

This summer was different. Within a few days of the fire starting things were completely out of control and my parents were told they needed to pack their things and leave their home. Mike and I drove up to help them get their things together and I was totally unprepared for what I saw. It was horrible and gut wrenching. The sun colored the smoke red and orange. The smoke was so thick you could hardly see in some places. It felt like the end of the world. Very ominous and dark.

We worked quickly to get the pictures and most important things out of the house before they came to say it was time for us to go. My dad being the stubborn man that he is said he was going to stay and do what he could to save his home. I was so mad at him and at the same time couldn't blame him. He was in danger of losing everything he had worked his whole life to build. What a horrible feeling that would be. So, we drove away and left him there. Mom went to Eagar to stay with Lisa. Little did they know that a few days later they would be leaving again as the fire ragged closer and closer to Eagar too.

Over the next few days the fire got worse and worse. All we could do was watch the news and follow as closely as we could. We were able to talk to my dad every once in a while to make sure that he was safe. He was busy taking generators from one persons house in his ward to the next, trying to keep their refrigerators and freezers going for them. He worked his tail off!!!!

The fire did come extremely close to their home. In the back of their house you can see the charred trees withing a half mile of them. In the front of their house, it's just across the highway. They were very blessed that they were kept out of harms way. The mountains are still beautiful, but will never be the same in our lifetime. It makes me so sad to think that my children will never be able to enjoy it the way that we did. About 6 years ago our little family all carved our names in a tree about 5 miles from Nana and Papa's house. It's gone now. We will make new memories though! We will always love going to Alpine and enjoying doing absolutely nothing but relaxing and spending time as a family.

Gavers

2011-10-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

Gavin is the highlight of our house most days. He can make any of us smile at any moment. I don't know what we would do without him. He always has this sweet grin on his face and is ready to take a fabulous picture at any moment. He always has to approve them though!
These are just a few of my favorite ones from this last summer. I had to laugh when looking through the pictures I realized he's asleep in a lot of them! He's even sweeter when he's asleep!

I dare you!

2011-10-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

Gage is a brave little guy! His dad dared him to cut his hair into a mohawk and Gage agreed. This did not surprise me at all!

What did surprise me was that the braveness wore off really fast! Like the next morning fast. We had a play date at the park every week with our ward and he threw a hat on to go. I didn't think much of it. He likes to wear hats. I did notice later that day that maybe he wasn't as cool with it as he claimed. We decided to go swimming and he wanted to wear his hat in the pool.

Gage: Mom, can I just wear my hat in the pool?

Me: Ummmm..... sorry bud but you can't. Are you embarrassed about your hair?

Gage: Maybe a little.

Crazy kid!

See ya later first grade!

2011-10-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

This was Carter's last day of first grade. He did awesome!!!!!! Mrs. Morris was his teacher and she was just the perfect teacher for him. He learned boat loads of stuff and was happy to do it too!

A little bit of Katlyn

2011-10-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

Katlyn is turning into quite the young lady! She's changing so quickly I have a hard time with it sometimes! On Prom night Mike took Katlyn and her friend Melany out for a little date. They had a blast. He's way more fun than I am!

Here's her outfit for track and field day. Super cute! She and a few of her classmates made the shirts so they could match.

Just a few of Tot's friends. Aren't they so dang cute? She did so great in 5th grade!

She made the Superintendants list every quarter! That's not easy when you have the super tough Mrs. Mortensen!!!!!! She did great though! And she loved her teacher!

Happy Birthday to Gage

2011-10-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

Gage turned the ripe old age of 6! he had 3, yes 3 parties!

The first in Pima with Grandma & Grandpa Rocha. Next a party at Nana & Papa's house and then a friend party at home. Can you say spoiled?!

Gage loves dinosaurs!

We had lots of friends and cousins. Gage said it was the best birthday ever so whew..... we are still doing good.

Gage isgrowing so fast I really can't believe it!

2011-10-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is how we practice the piano at our house. What about you?

Disneyland 2011

2011-10-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

The Papa family spent spring break in California this year. I have to say that I was super opposed to this plan until we actually got there. I have never been a lover of Disneyland. It is way too expensive and hectic and crowded and did I say expensive? That was my main reason for never going. I just couldn't justify spending all that $$$$$$, so...... we had never gone.

That all changed one day when Mike called from work and said he had just bought tickets to Disneyland from a guy in Canada and for ridiculously cheap! I reluctantly agreed to go and then he made all the plans from there. He just promised to not spend all the tiny bit of money we had!!!!!!!

I was right in my belief of it being hectic, and crowded and a tad expensive, but we had a total blast! I can't wait to go back!

We did spend one day at the beach. It was COLD!!!!! Gavers braved the waves with everyone but his mom!

I LOVE this picture. Those bug eyes just fit him don't they? When the bugs ran under his seat he jumped up and said, "What the heck was that?!"

cheesy little grin!

This was before she got brave and froze her tooshie in the water.

This is them acting like their dad......

We waited in this line for so long Gav got tired of waiting and fell asleep. Can you tell Mike is happy to be waiting and waiting?

Love Gages face in this one.

These two were hilarious at the beach. They got brave and went down to the water and were chasing the waves out. I yelled for them to come back closer to me and like good little boys they ignored me completely. Two seconds later a wave came and knocked them both over. I couldn't help but laugh when they both came back up screaming. It was great!

Carter was visiting the potty in this picture. He wasn't a fan of the ferris wheel anyway. He hates heights and we forced him to go on it. BAD IDEA! Poor thing was shaking and trying so hard not to cry the whole time!

Very first ride we went on.

It's a small world wasn't as AMAZING as I remembered, but the kids loved it! It stinks to grow up!

Carter was too shy to meet Mickey Mouse but the others were running right on up there!

Again, Carter too busy to take a picture with mom.

This was the highlight of Gavers trip! He was so excited to meet Winnie the Pooh. He just ran right up and hugged him!

Aren't they cute?

He posed like this all by himself. It was adorable!

Gavs and I stuck together while the others rode the big rides. I was totally cool with that!

Goofs!

We're so excited!!!!!

And here's Tigger! I love this picture!

My mom has this exact picture of me when I was about Gavins age and I'm screamin' my head off. I'm glad Gavers is my baby! Sorry mom!

We rode the tea cups many times.

This was our first day. 8:00a.m. We didn't leave until 1 the next morning! We definately got it all in!

Tots, open your eyes!!!!

We all loved Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Mike remembers it being his favorite when he was little.

The Lego store was awesome! We watched the real Jedi training in Disneyland and Carter and Gage just about got axed by this guy! It scared them both half to death. Mike and I were laughing hysterically! We aren't very good parents!

All in all it was an absolute success! Gavers was the best two year old to take to Disneyland and the other kids were awesome too! We made lots of memories! Next time I won't have Gavers for an excuse not to go on the super scary rides! Crap!

2011-10-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

Christmas 2010

way too many presents!

This was his favorite by far.

Opening the pj's on Christmas Eve. We love this tradition!

Mike made this awesome Lego desk for Carter.

Goofy pj picture

Katlyn got lots of smell good stuff.

I L-O-V-E, love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year. Not just because of all the presents and the hoopla stuff. I just love being with my family. I love that we can be together with nobody and nothing bothering us for one full day! I love sharing with them the real meaning of Christmas and them being old enough to understand. (They do still love the presents of coarse!) I love the smells and the baking and the fires and hot chocolate. I love the feeling of excitement! I love the Christmas movies and traditions and the kindness people show to one another. I love the feeling of knowing that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He will always love me. I love that we can all celebrate His birth on this day. I pray that I will be able to instill in my children the reason in celebrating this season. I pray that they will teach their children. That we will never let the worldly things overshadow the important things. This is why I L-O-V-E, love Christmas!

-Were too cool for that-

2011-10-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

Katlyn and Treagon took choir last year and we were so proud of them! They did a fabulous job. This is their last concert when they were both reconsidering the singing thing... We told them to put their arms around each other and this is what they gave us. I guess they are too cool for that now......

2011-10-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

These are just a few random pictures from the month of October 2010 that I wanted to make sure that I posted. Nothing is in order on this one....... I'm not sure what happened here. I can't get the darn picture to turn the right way so go ahead and get a little crick in you neck and give it a good look. Gage was obsessed with cowboys last year. He loved the boots and the hats and the guns and all that went along with it. So, naturally that is what he wanted to be for Halloween. Thankfully we have some cowboys for cousins:)

These adorable little boys convinced their softy dad to buy these HIDEOUS hats for them. They weren't cheap either! The things he'll do for these kiddos to make them smile like that......

This was a first for me. My first actual, real, legitimate run! I was unbelievably nervous and just about wanted to say "Just kidding, running is not my thing!" But, I didn't and I'm so glad about that decision now. This race was an absolute blast to run. The company I was with wasn't too shabby either! It was the beginning of me realizing that running can be fun, and that I'm old now so I'm going to become super chubbs if I don't get out there and exercise! It seriously stinks to get old. Remember the days in high school when we could eat whatever we wanted to because it never went straight to our rears? Why didn't I enjoy those days more?

First of all..... notice the cowboy hat. I told you he was obsessed. This was a wood hauling adventure Mike and I had with the two little boys while the others were at school. Mike bought a little chain saw for the kids to have fun with and Gage was so excited to try it out. He loved it. He's a real man! We also found a SuPeR De DuPeR lArGe TARANTULA!!!!! I still get chills thinking about it:/ Hauling wood is something we all enjoy doing as a family. It's so nice to get out in the forest and just spend that time with the 5 people that mean the most to me. All- by- ourselves.

I have the best memories of my dad and I hauling wood together when I was growing up. It was kind of our thing. I was the youngest of five girls and he really tried to help me love the hunting, fishing, wood cutting kind of things. The only one I caught onto was the wood cutting one. The others were a little bit too slow pace for me. We had adventures! Like the time we hauled a HUGE pickup load of wood and headed home, only to slit a tire on a broken tree branch. No big deal right? It wouldn't have been had the spare tire not have been under the load of wood! So that day we loaded twice, and my dad swore a few more times than that!

This was Carters costume last year. He was obsessed with Transformers! Optimus Prime was his fav and he wore this costume just about every day for a good solid month after Halloween.

Gavin was a cowboy too, but I can't find my pictures of him! He was a doll so I will keep searching. Katlyn was a tad too cool to dress up. I hate when they get older!

We are going to play some SERIOUS catch up!

2011-10-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

It has been a SERIOUS little break I have taken from blogging. It hasn't been a break I have loved taking either. Life has just been entirely crazy for us. I have felt completely overwhelmed and truthfully just plain worn out for the past little while. I feel I haven't had time for the things that should be a little higher on my list than I put them. Blogging is one of those. Not for the purpose of other people reading and looking at all the events that have happened in our lives, but for the sole reason that I want my children to have these memories and thoughts in a book to cherish one day. I'm horrible at journaling...... In fact the last time I wrote in my journal Katlyn was one month old!!!!! So, this I gotta do better at. It's going to take me a while, but here it goes............

I'm still here. I promise!!!!!!

2011-04-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

I know I know every time it feels I say that! We are really still here though. We have had some major problems with computers AND cameras in the last few months but now they all seem to be resolved and so I have a TON of catching up to do for my blog. One day, I hope my kids will love me for this! We have had a few birthdays and Christmas and a small trip to document. I have lots of pics but I'm lame and I'm not sure how to upload them on this new computer so I have to wait for Mike to get home. I will get it done tonight though! Life is very good for all of us. The kids seem to be growing by leaps and bounds and I love and hate it at the same time. We are happy (almost all the time;)) and we are excited for the spring and summer months! Mike is working hard as usual. He is 2 years into his apprenticeship and doing amazing! We are so proud of him! It seems sometimes that all he does is work and that is not much fun for him I know, but he does it without complaining. What a guy! I'm looking forward to the time when he can come home at a decent hour! I am doing the usual too. Being the chauffeur. Cooking the meals. Cleaning the house. Cleaning up the messes. That sounds so horrible! And some days it really is, but most days I don't mind at all. I always get good breaks going to volleyball and having a few fun nights here and there with friends. Mike practically shoves me out the door and says it makes me so much nicer when I go so I shouldn't feel guilty right? Tots is doing amazing at school! She has been on the superintendents list every quarter this year and has not missed a day of school all year! She just got done playing basketball and did FABULOUS, even making a game winning shot! She's growing into a beautiful young lady and that sure makes her dad nervous, but he hides it well! We are completely proud of this girl! Carter is also doing SO good in school! He is a smart little cookie, and shows it in all his work! He is going to play baseball this year and can't wait to get started. Carter still loves playing with his Lego's and makes some pretty amazing things! (I have a few pictures I will share!) Gage is chomping at the bit to go to kindergarten. He can't hardly wait for August to come. He lost his first tooth and now feels like he's a big guy like Carter. He is going to play t-ball this year and is so excited about that. Gavers is growing like crazy! He is now the big 2 and thinks he rules this roost! He really and truly thinks he's 5 already. Just ask him. He LOVES to ride his bike and play with his cars. He is our comedian and we love that. He makes each of us smile each and every day. He was meant for us! So, that's just a bit of our goings on. The rest will come tonight!

WOW! It's been a long time!

2010-11-10T08:31:00.000-08:00

All I can say is that our life has been super crazy for the last few months. I kind of felt like we were spinning out of control there for a while, but we are back to our comfortable, normal again.

The three older kids have been playing soccer the last few months and have all loved it. It's fun to watch them play but busy, busy getting everyone to practice and games.

I coached Gage's team this year and that was fun for me to get to spend that time with him. Sometimes I know he feels like he gets lost in the shuffle. Mike jokes and says he has too much testosterone running through his body. I have to agree sometimes. He's all boy! No kisses, hugs, loves...... nothing! Every once in a while he will surprise me and give me a super good bear hug and I cherish those because they do not come often. He is his daddy's clone.

Carter had a lot of fun playing this year. He is not our most aggressive child, but he gets out there and does his best! He's growing into an amazing boy. Smart as a whip and kind as ever! (Most of the time! Sometimes, "Gage makes him be mean!")

Gavin is doing amazing. He just potty trained himself last week. I LOVE IT! He talking up a storm and right now his favorites are, "But why mom why?" and "k mom k?" All day long:) I can't believe he is already almost two. It has gone by entirely too fast for this mother!

Katlyn did great at soccer this year. She had a fun team with a few friends and her cousin to play with. She says she wants to play volleyball when she gets older but soccer may win out in the end. She is an aggressive little thing. I think she might get a little of that from me....... She is much sweeter than I ever was though. I LOVE this girl to pieces and am having a hard time with the fact that she is becoming a young lady!

So, I have made myself feel too busy to sit down for a few minutes and put my thoughts down for my children to read later and that makes me a little ashamed of myself. I loved President Uchdorf's talk in conference and have thought a lot about how I spend my time in life. Do I put my Heavenly Father first? Not always. Do I put my husband and children after that? Not always. Am I spending my time doing too many of the things that really don't matter? I'm afraid so.
It is hard to balance things in the world that we live in, but I know that I can do better. I want my family to know that I love my Father in Heaven. I want them to know that as long as they follow Him they will be just fine. I want them to KNOW that. I want them to feel love the most when they are at home. Home is where they should want to be. Where they will feel safe and comfortable. Where they can be themselves. I want my husband to feel like I have time for him, and just him. I don't want him to fee like he has to compete for a time slot. Lately, I'm sure that's how he has felt.
So, we are done with overscheduling. Done with always having somewhere to go and something to do. It's time for our family to be at home together, and for that to be important again. Now, I will have something to blog about again.......:)

Roosavelt

2010-09-07T13:41:00.000-07:00

Tyler and Melinda were kind enough to invite us to go to Roosavelt with them for the day. Mike got this grand idea to get this old, old, old (you get the picture) boat from his dad that his dad traded for a car without a motor. (That tells you how much it was worth!) Mike wanted to try it out on the water and see if it would work. It was a perfect opportunity for him because Tyler would be there to tow him in if he broke down.
That would have all been fine and good if he had even gotten away from the dock.......... The boat would start but would die as soon as he put it in gear to go. Except once...... when he forgot to take the boat out of gear. He was in the back of the boat holding the charges to the battery ( I know it sounds crazy but if you knew Mike it wouldn't surprise you) and Katlyn was in the front turning the key to start it. So, he held the charges, she turned the key and due to the fact that he forgot to take the boat out of gear it shot off across the water. Not slowly I might add. Kate's face was priceless and Mike's reaction time was pretty good. We were just lucky we were the only boats at the dock!
Needless to say we parked the old boat and enjoyed the rest of the day on Tyler and Melinda's boat.
Thanks for the fun guys! We had a blast! I didn't get many pictures......

1st Day of Preschool!

2010-09-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Gage was so sad not to be able to go to kindergarten this year, but he was super happy to go to his 1st day of preschool! He's got an amazing teacher and the cutest kids in his class. He is learning a ton and is a much happier boy now!

1st Day of School

2010-08-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

He's a big 1st Grader now. I'm having a hard time thinking of him being gone all day long. I hope it gets easier! This little boy is a shining star! We sure love him!

She is unbelievably going into 5th Grade. I am feeling so old and so sad that she is growing up so fast. She got contacts and it made her look at least a year older! She's beautiful and we love her too!

Gage is going to preschool next week so I will make sure to put a picture of him on here too! He's so excited!

Happy Birthday again...... @ Grandma & Grandpa's House.

2010-08-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Mike took the boys to Pima and so they could attend Brock's Baptism on Carter's Birthday. It was not very fun for me. I wanted to have him here, but Katlyn had her final swim meet and so we had to let the boys go...........
Grandma and Grandpa did an awesome job making him feel like his day was very special! Thanks you guys!
Love you Carter! Can't believe you are 7 already!

Swim Team 2010

2010-08-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

Katlyn decided to do swim team this year and even though it was super grueling she did an awesome job. We are so proud of her. By the end of the season she had beaten most of her times by at least 25 seconds. We can't wait for next year!

Doesn't she look dang cute? I wish I could be like her........

24th Celebration

2010-07-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

Pretty pathetic that these are the only two pictures that I have of the 24th. It was a pretty crazy weekend. Mike had to do fire training and so I was solo with the kids. We did have fun though. When Mike got home Friday night we went with John and Debbie, Brett and Angela and Kylie and Andrew to dinner. It was slow, but delicious! Then, Mike and I stopped by our 10 year reunion for a bit. I really didn't know many people but it was still fun. Crazy how much we actually all still look the same! After that we had the pleasure of chaperoning the youth dance. It was so funny to see how the kids interact now. Nobody was dancing! They were all just standing around in their groups! It took them a good 2 hours to warm up to each other. We had a fun time just watching them all. Saturday we did the parade and the craft fair. It was humid as all get out, but the kids still had fun. Carter and Gage bought these bad boys with their money they had saved. They LOVE them. Well worth the $7.50!

Mike and I decided to try out the rodeo Sat. night when he got home, and we loved it! I can't believe we have never gone! We will for sure be taking our kids next year. The fire works were great too. It made for a great Pioneer Days!

2010-07-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

They were all pretty good at waiting for their turn on the zipline.

Everyone getting their fill of the pinata.

This boy is all boy and has no fear. He just took off and never looked back!

And this boy had a little infatuation with Katlyn. She was loving it too!

Gage taking a turn trying to bust it open and get some candy!

It was a good time and very relaxing! Thanks John and Debbie!

Family Reunion~ Heber 2010

2010-07-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

For the reunion this year John and Debbie rented a cabin in Heber for us all to hang out in. It was really fun to hang out with everyone. The kids loved the zip line. Carter had to conquer his fear of heights, but once he did there was no stopping him!

Here's Gavin taking a whack at the pinata!

We all hung out on the porch a lot eating snow cones, cotton candy and otter pops. Who needs more than that?

All the kids with Grandma and Grandpa. Katlyn is the oldest and there are 18 kids so we have A LOT of little ones.

Katlyn spent a lot of time on the zip line too.

Ride 'em Cowboy!

2010-07-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Mike's friend Milo has a few minature horses at his house and one unexpectedly had a baby a few weeks ago! I don't know how I missed taking a picture of the baby but it was so dang cute! No joke that thing barely came up to Gavin's waist!

These two were loving riding. Next time Milo says he will hook up his cart and let them do that. He's such a nice guy! I think we need one of these~

Cousin Camp 2010

2010-07-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

Ohana was the theme and Grandma and Grandpa did a fabulous job! The kids learned so much as usual and had a blast too. Katlyn always gets a little homesick, but she is getting better each time. We are grateful to George and Colleen for taking the time to do this for our kids! Here are all the kids and the event planners. Don't they look awesome?

I love Carter's smile in this one.

The boys doing the Hakka. It was awesome! They did a great job!

Katlyn doing her dance with the girls. I didn't get a picture of them all but they were all too pretty!

Here's a picture of the banner for the year with Katlyn doing the zipline in there too. This swingset it also awesome! Really it's much better in real life. The kids will stay out there all day long once it isn't so dang hot!

4th of July

2010-07-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I spaced taking any pictures but this on the 4th. It was a pretty crazy weekend, but we had a good time. The parade was the best. The food was awesome, and the company wasn't that bad either.

To InFiNiTy AnD bEyOnD....

2010-07-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

This was jsut too cute to pass up blogging.

Happy 10 to Katlyn!

2010-07-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

On June 19th Miss Katlyn turned 10! I can't believe it! She had some friends come and go swimming with her and then we had chocolate covered strawberries and ice cream. Her favorites!
I can't believe that in two years she will be in Young Women's! She is growing up so fast and turning into an amazing young lady! Mike decided that we should sleep on the trampoline to celebrate. We took the T.V. outside and watched Little Rascals.

This was not Gavin's idea of fun. It was a long night for me.

Mike never knew what was happening. This was him about 10min. after we got outside!

Happy Birthday Katlyn! We love you more than you will ever know!

Swim Lessons

2010-07-29T11:42:00.000-07:00

This is how Gavin spent the days. Always with a sucker to make him happy!

Gage was a little hesitant at first but after a few minutes he was in heaven.

This one is just a regular fish! He loves being in the water. His dad taught him how to do a front flip off the edge in the deep end this year. He thinks that's pretty dang cool.

Katlyn is on the swim team this year, and her last meet is this saturday so I will be sure to get pics of it!

SRP Picnic 2010

2010-07-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

SRP puts on a family picnic every year and we have always had other things we had to be to until this year. We realized that we have seriously been missing out! It's like a kids dream and it's all free! They had bouncers and basketball and a rock wall and all the free hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, soda and bbq you could eat. Gavin loved every single second of it. The cotton candy was his favorite.

Here's Katlyn on the rock wall. She and Nicki took their fair share of turns on this one. In between climbs they were looking for cute boys. They say they didn't find many in St. Johns. We will see what they say about that when they are in High School.

These girls are pretty dang cute!

10 years seems like 10 days!

2010-07-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

On June 3rd Mike and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary by going camping alone for 3 days. I know, a little unusual but you improvise on your dream vacation when you don't have endless $! It was the perfect way to relax from 10 years of go go go! Mike will probably want to shoot me if he ever sees this picture but this is him to a T! He's a goof and a blast to be around. We laughed more than we have in quite a while. We took the 4wheeler out to try to find some elk and he decided to play a trick on me and acted like it died. It was pitch black outside and I am such a chicken of the forest at night! Don't laugh! You never know what's out there! He laughed a little too hard so I punched him in the gut!

This was our campsite. Nobody at all around us. I think we found the perfect spot! We are going to keep it our little secret! We were able to literally do nothing the whole time. Mike took a 3 hour nap every day and I read my book for those 3 hours. It was funny because Mike would wake up every once in a while and say, "You aren't mad at me for sleeping so long are you?" Normally at home I would be waking his rear up after an hour and a half telling him to come help take care of all the kids he created! I wasn't mad at all! I was loving reading my book without him saying, "I am home for the day and all you are going to do is read your book?" Or the classic, "Turn you dang spotlight off and rub my head so I can go to sleep!"

I married a real man! With his little tiny chain saw! We did dutchoven and it was heaven! I love camping. Sometimes I secretly wish we could just live in the woods like that and stay far away from the rest of the world.

3 days wasn't long enough but we had to get home back to real life. Thanks to Colleen who came and watched the kiddos for us!

10 years seems like so long when you say it, but is has gone by so fast it's unreal! I can't say that I regret a moment of it. Even the hard parts. That's what makes us the people we are right? We have definately become eachothers best friend and don't really care what anybody else thinks. We have a blast when we are together. Mike loves to be a smarty pants and I am catching on really well now. I am a clean freak and he has learned to deal with some parts of that and has succeeded at breaking some of my OCD habits. For example, the guy very rarely puts his clothes in the hamper. He throws them on the floor by his side of the bed. I have tried and tried to train him to put them away but he insists that I need to lighten up. So, there they sit and I just have to breathe and walk away!

We have an understanding at night when we get in bed that if I will rub his head, he won't get mad at me for turning on the lamp and reading. After 10 years we have it down to a science.

I hate when he spends money and he says not one word when I do. Makes me feel like crap!

He's pretty much almost the perfect guy. Who's really perfect anyway? I love that he loves our kids and makes a point to spend time with them and be down at their level when he does. I love that he works incredibly hard in order to provide for us. We have been married since he was 17 and not once has he not provided for our family completely on his own. That is something to be proud of! He loves our country. He is honest and kind. He will do pretty much anything for anyone. He loves the gospel. Is he perfect at it? No, but neither am I so we learn together. His family comes first. ALWAYS! He teaches our kids to be good, honest people in a world where those two things are becoming rare. He loves me and tells me so every day. He is ALWAYS complimenting me on how I look and lets just be honest, what he sees isn't that great! He makes sure that our kids know that he loves and respects me. He's just a good guy! I can't wait to see what the next 10 years brings!

A Boy's Dream.....

2010-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

My parents neighbors bought this tractor to help to build their house and they let Mike take the two little boys for a ride. They both had a blast and cried for another ride.

School's Out For Summer!

2010-07-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Next year it's off to 5th Grade! I can't believe it! They grow up way too fast!

Next year it's off to 1st grade! Can I send him away all day! I'm such a chicken!

I might have called her a nerd!

2010-07-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

Gosh she's beautiful! This little lady is quite the "nerd." I might have called her one in school! She loves it though and so do we! She was on the Superintendent's list all four quarters this year! That means straight A's all year long!

Mike and I were such proud parents sitting in the crowd watching her get all her awards! She is doing so good in school! I hope that she will always strive to do her best and make her education important in her life! I can't wait to see what the next few years bring!

Track and Field Day

2010-07-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

I adore this picture! Track and Field Day was quite the success this year. All the kids had a blast. Even in the heat!

These shirts are awesome. They have each classmates handprint and their name on the front and the teachers handprints on the back. Such a perfect way to remember everyone!

Here are a few more friends. They are all such good little guys!

Katlyn also had a track and field day, but I was in charge of the food so I didn't get a chance to take any pictures of her and her friends. She did awesome though! It's so fun to have her at this stage. She is so responsible and Mike and I have a lot of fun hanging out with her.

Carter's Graduation

2010-07-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

These are two of the best ladies I know! They are just amazing! Carter did so great this year and is ready to head to 1st grade. He learned so much and had an amazing time in this classroom. They spent so much time of their own making this year special for all of the kids. I don't know if you could find better teachers.... He was a lucky boy!

Here are a few of Carter's friends from his class. They are all silly little boys! Carter has good friends!

This is Carter getting his diploma. The lighting in the cafeteria is not that great so you have to look super close to see him!

Isn't he so sweet and handsome standing there so still and quiet with his arms folded? It always makes me tear up a little to see how old and responsible he's getting.

Mother's Day Luau 2010

2010-07-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

Here's the handsome boy himself. I don't know a soul that doesn't just love this guy. We had such a fun night together. We almost froze our tooshies but we had a blast. I can't believe he is going to start 1st grade in a few days! I don't like it! I wish they could all just stay this age forever!

It's a very looked forward to event for all these cute little kids and their moms. All the kindergarten classes perform dances and songs and do the limbo for their moms. They also make the most fabulous mothers day book. They all have the best teachers!

These boys and their toy.

2010-07-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

If you ask Gage or Carter what the name of our truck is they will both proudly say "Smokey." If you ask Gage how much horse power the truck has he won't waste a second to tell you "five hundred and twenty."(he does this in the most redneck way he can.) He can also tell you that it has a turbo that makes it "soooooo powerful we beat everyone in a race." When they want Mike to blow smoke at someone they all yell "roll the coal dad!"
Needless to say this truck is a major part of our family and the boys love to work on it with Mike. I don't know what they will all do if we ever get rid of it. It's really fun to watch them help Mike when he's out in the garage with it. Carter enjoys it, but Gage LOVES it. He is going to be just like his dad. A total redneck!

ya.... he stole it.

2010-07-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

Katlyn had to do a big project this year about something in Arizona that means a lot to her. She decided to do the Andrew Locy Rogers cabin. She and Mike worked and worked to make a cabin that looked just like the original. It really turned out perfect, and I totally spaced getting a picture of it. When they finished the cabin they decided that they needed the tree that used to be in front of the cabin. At Christmastime Andrew would sit in front of the cabin dressed like santa and give presents to all the kids. The tree is now in Mike's dad's house here in Snowflake. Very cool!
So, anyway we looked and looked on our little street but none of the trees would do so we took a little saw and went for a little drive. Finally, we found a tree that was not on main street and waited for the coast to be clear, Mike jumped out of the car and sawed away. It gave him a little too much pleasure I think! But....... it was the perfect tree!

It's a wrap..........

2010-07-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

T-ball was a lot of fun this year for the boys. They loved being on the same team. It was a long, pretty dang cold season but they are looking forward to next year.

These pics were actually from the beginning of the season and I forgot to post them. Cute!

They both take it VERY seriously. Sometimes.........

Tball and a Tub

2010-04-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Carter and Gage started Tball. Their team is called THUNDER! We are definately not a baseball family but they are having a blast! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture........ (Don't You?)

Here's the boys and Braedyn. They all got on the same team. The boys are very proud of their hats and shirts. It's going to be a fun season. I just hope we get to have one game without the wind.

I had to throw this picture in. I told Gage to go take a bath this morning and when i came to check on him this is what I found. Gavin can't resist the tub. It calls his name whether it has water or not.

Gage is the BIG 5!

2010-04-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Gage is now a whopping 5 years old! I cannot believe how time has flown by. He doesn't even look like a little guy anymore. He decided that he wanted a dinosaur/animal birthday so we put a little family party together. Poor guy had to wait until 8:30 for cake and presents because dad had to work and mom had a volleyball game, but he was super patient. We planned to play at the park with friends for a while but the weather turned winter again so we postponed until next week. He's ok with that. Now he gets to have two little parties!

We made an ice cream cake with m&m's and sea creatures on top. It was delicious thanks to all of Gage's help making it.

Kind of a silly pose but that's Gage for ya! Isn't he a handsome guy?

We decided to get Gage a bike because his is a little on the small side for him now. It's Hot Wheels and he thinks it's fabulous, except for the training wheels. He made sure we took those right off because he's too big for them!

This is how he ended his day. Katlyn read him his new book Library Mouse and he was out like a light. He said it was the best birthday ever! He's pretty easy to please.

These are just a few things I want to remember about Gage........

-He loves his family and is very protective of us all.

-He is obsessed with making machine gun noises with his mouth lately. (Drives me crazy!)

-He got to do flouride for the first time on his birthday and he thought he was so big! I love it!

-He has a bit of a temper! We are working on that, but sometimes you just have to giggle at him.

-He is a total boy! Loves cars, dinosaurs, tball, getting stronger, bikes, racing (but only if he wins), his pet whale "splasher", going for rides in his dad's truck and "smoking" people, watching smoke videos with his dad, and he loves to read books. His favorite book right now is "What Color is your Underwear" and his favorite movie is Chronicles of Narnia.

We sure love you Gage and are so glad that you are a part of our family. Life wouldn't be as wild and fun without you. You are a great little brother and a fabulous big brother. You are growing up WAY to fast!

2010-04-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

What a CUTIE! Am I right?

A short Saturday African Safari

2010-04-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I am finally catching up on my posts, so if you care enough to read them all I will leave you to it! We spent our Saturday up in Alpine with Nana & Papa. Doughnuts and chocolate milk are the only way to go when you are in a hurry! Two years ago my parents went to Africa and so my dad could go on a hunt. FINALLY, two years later he got all of his mounts back. He needed a little help hanging them up so we were happy to assist.

This is his Eland. It's 1 of the 8 animals that he shot. HUGE! Gage loved it. Katlyn was a little scared and Carter was more interested in riding his bike.

I don't know if he knew how close he was to it. We did finally get him to pet it though.

So, now they are all hanging in Papa's entryway and he's happier than a fart in a space suit and itching to go again!

Kindergarten Flag Ceremony

2010-04-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

I LOVE going to Carter's programs at school. His teachers work so hard to make them fun and special for the kids. This was his flag ceremony. It was super cute! Hearing all those little kids say the Pledge of Allegiance was adorable! I can't believe school is almost over!!!!!!

Easter in Alpine

2010-04-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

2o kids+9 adults= complete chaos at times!

It was a little early for Carter but he loved the legos that he got.

Katlyn has gotten a little upset the last few times that she hasn't been given the fun "boy stuff" like her brothers so she got a gun too!

Total happiness!

My sister Lisa got her kids little chicks that someone had dyed. So stinkin' cute and Gavers couldn't get enough of them. Our kids are dying to get some now.

Easter and Conference were really fun. We enjoyed listening to the speakers and the music. There's nothing better than hearing the apostles speak and tell us what we need to be doing in order to make our families and ourselves stronger. I know my parents throw a party when we all leave but we are so thankful to them for letting us hang out with them.

2010-04-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

We spent the first few days of spring break with Brandy and her kids. We were out in the middle of nowhere, but the kids still had a blast!

I have a picture of Gavin riding but it's at night and so you can't see a dang thing! So a picture of him driving the golf cart will have to do!

After we wore Brandy out we went to Grandma Debbie and Grandpa John's house for a few days. I forgot the charger for the camera so I have no pics of our days there! We were able to go to the Easter Pageant with Mike's sister Laura and her family and Andrew. Brandy and her boys came too. It was such a good night as usual and we all loved it. Gage and Gavers didn't make it through but that just made things a little quieter. We picked up some Pete's (Mike's favorite) and enjoyed a little picnic before the pageant started. I think we should make it a tradition. We were also able to spend some time with John and Jill and their kiddos and Gian and Brooklyn. It was packed with cousins and fun. On our last day there we went to a carnival to raise money for the scouts in John and Debbie's ward, and the kids tuckered themselves out. The weather was perfect! We didn't want to come home to the wind but what must be must be........!

2010-04-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

We went to the Arizona Science Center and let the kids check it all out. It was pretty cool and they all had a lot of fun. Carter tested his fear of falling...... (His usual I'm really trying hard not to smile face.)

Testing to see if they could pull their skinny selves up.

Katlyn kicking the rock walls booty!

Making electricity.

Carter taking his turn climbing the wall. He did awesome until he got about halfway up and realized how high he was and decided he had better come on down. He's not very into the heights thing. He was so polite and said to the helper, "Can I ask you a question?" She answered "yes" and he told her, "Can I come down now?" Polite as always!

2010-04-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss. Love, Carter

Gavin Gavin... who can find Gavin?

2010-04-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

These pics are out of order, but it was a little game of hide and seek with Gavin and I. I was cleaning and realized he hadn't been to visit me for a while and so I went looking for him. It took me a few minutes to realize he had crawled up on the bed and gone to sleep!

Oh to catch a Leprechaun!

2010-04-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

Carter made a Leprechaun Trap for school in March in hopes of catching a little guy! I think he and Mike did a pretty good job of it too! Cute!

Sneak a peek into our Casa.

2010-02-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

Mike has become a fan of the Killers and so we dance & sing. A LOT!

We've had a few problems with Carter's bike. One tire was just a total pain in the rear and kept going flat. Sooooo, I went to town and Mike got to work on a solution and when I got back, tada.....!!!!! Introducing our new "Frankenstein Bike." It consists of 1 of Carter's wheels on Katlyn's old bike. (Which had bigger wheels as you can see.) The handlebars also came from Carter's bike. This baby even has 1 pink pedal and 1 green and the best white spray paint job Mike offers. I say it's an accident waiting to happen but the rest of the fam says it's perfect. I guess we shall see.

Sunday nights are for this..........

and this........

and Holy Crap this too..........

Complete Ramdomness

2010-02-23T08:12:00.000-08:00

Lately we have been up to absolutely nothing fantastic at all but I have captured a few moments that I want to remember forever and always........ SPY KID.....

Finally a haircut, and oh how handsome he is!

He just wants to be like dad. I love it!

This doesn't happen enough so it makes my day when it does.

Pink Floyd shirt and a smile to light up the room.

his daddy is so proud! Mom is too!

This one's for you Dad!

2010-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

We were all ready for the snowstorm. We had food, wood, flashlights just in case and good movies to watch. I was a little nervous to brave it on my own with the kids but we had fun. I forget that Snowflake is NEVER like where I grew up when it snows, and RV is not that far away! We just don't get near enough here! I LOVE the snow! Plus, we seriously need the moisture. We got a snow day on Friday and we didn't waste any time getting outside to make a snowman. Gavin was really into being out there I promise. He just kept getting mad because he couldn't go more than a few steps without face planting!

Right here he's saying, "Mom stop taking a stinkin' picture and come get me." There was a piercing scream that went along with it.

Snowball competition....... I don't like to be the judge so who do you think won?

And here's the fabulous snowman. Nothing fancy. Nothing humongous. Not the most handsome but we were pretty proud of ourselves. We had a good day. We miss you Mike! It just isn't the same without you here. WE ALL LOVE YOU!!!

1 MoRe ToOtH & iT sTiNkS!!!

2010-01-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

It's rough being a 13 month old an getting a new tooth. I have had a fever for 3 days. I'm REALLY whinny & I'm pretty sure I'm about to send my mommy over the edge! I don't like to sleep & so I am so tired that I cry big alligator tears like this..... Teeth Stink!

So sad......

2010-01-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

Gage went to stay with his Grandma & Grandpa for a few days all by himself. When Gage left, Carter got a little teary eyed but said that nothing was wrong. (I think he was trying to be tough because there were so many people around.) He let it all go when we got into the car though. "I'm going to miss Gage. Who am I going to play with?" Talk about melting my heart! This was Sunday. Monday, Carter was cleaning up his room and he came and asked how to spell "miss, only not the m." I told him and didn't think too much more about it until I went in their room later and I found this taped to their bunkbeds....... And there went my heart again! Poor thing doesn't like not having his ornery little brother here. When we tucked him in bed last night he told us he was going to be scared sleeping in the room without Gage....... I knew there was a reason we had them so close together. I hope they stay best friends forever!

2010-01-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

This is what happened when we used the ready made hamburger patties from wal-mart. Dang near burnt the house down & Mike has one less eye brow! Greasy things!

My Little Gage Boy!

2010-01-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes being a kid gets a little sticky! I love this picture!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T20:39:00.000-08:00

It wasn't a huge Christmas. It wasn't as white as we would have liked. But we were pretty dang happy with the way it turned out! Play-Doh galore because it is a favorite at our house.

Carter thought he was the luckiest kid in the world because he got his very own ds. His sister was happy too because now he can quit begging to play hers and Gage is happy because now Carters vsmile pocket is fair game for him. Perfect all around!

Gage is loving his Hot Wheels race track. His dad had as much fun as he did with it.

This little boy was just so excited that everyone else was excited. This is how he looked all morning and he had no idea why! He got a few presents too, but he could have cared less.

Katlyn got a guitar, which she loves and now can't wait to learn how to play. Her dad has done a few concerts in the last few days singing love songs to me and I love it, but he should definitely not quit his day job! I also made each of the kids a blanket. This is Katlyn's. I was pretty proud of myself because I am not a sewer at all, but with a little help from my mom and Melinda they turned out perfect. Now I have to make one for Mike though because he keeps stealing theirs! I hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas! I love the season and am so thankful for the reason that we celebrate it. I love my Savior and so grateful for his life and the amazing blessings that it brings to all of us.

Christmas Eve in Alpine

2009-12-27T20:21:00.000-08:00

I love my mom's house during Christmas. We have had the same stockings for as long as I can remember. My mom made them out of Levi's and they have our names on them. We started out with 7 and now we have 32 of them! I couldn't get them all in the picture, but you get the gist of it. Every year growing up on Christmas morning my Granny would make sourdough biscuits for everyone in her family and their kids and their families. We would all open our presents and then head out to her house to eat. I would be willing to bet that every year at least 150 people passed through her house on Christmas day. It was a wonderful tradition that I know none of us will forget. She was such an amazing Granny! Now, my mom makes biscuits and waffles every Christmas morning for her family and we LOVE it too. There is just something about tradition that makes a house a home.

The big storm that brought us about an inch or 2 of snow brought them about 18inches of it. It made for a good day of sledding down the driveway. Here's Carter all bundled up and ready for the freezing temps.

Gage was right there with him red cheeks and all. It's was COLD! On our way home there was a spot where our truck read -14degrees.

And here's Katerbug. She was privileged to be the only girl there that day but she was right there with them.

Family Christmas Party

2009-12-27T20:13:00.000-08:00

We had the family Christmas party at our house this year and it was a housefull but I we all had fun together.

Here's the kids table where a lot of giggling was going on. Thanks John & Debbie, it was fun!

Carters Christmas Program

2009-12-27T19:59:00.000-08:00

Carters program was amazing this year. He has such a good teacher and is learning so much. He even had a speaking part, which was..."Another thing that we learned is that everyone is unique." He nailed it! They also sang a few songs. His class sang "I'm Something Special" It was perfect and he still sings it for us when we need a smile.

His teacher, her mom and his teacher's aide made each of the students in his class one of these hats. We are so lucky to have people like them teaching our little guy!

I love this picture....... I'm crying right now! He is so grown up and I love him so much. He is our tender hearted sweet little boy, yet he is learning to think for himself and becoming so independent. I know that one day he will do amazing things!

A year in review****

2009-12-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

Gavin turned the big 1 this month, and we were so busy that we did not get to have a proper little party until a few days after his birthday but he loved every minute of it. All of the Papa/Curt sides of the family came for a Christmas party and so we celebrated Gavin and Grandpa John's Birthdays. He was such a lucky duck that he got another little party yesterday when Grandma Colleen and Grandpa George came for a visit and brought him his very own cake!
This little boy has been such a blessing in our home for the last year. I have NO idea what we would do without him. He melts every one of our hearts on a daily basis and helps us to remember to enjoy the simple things in life. I actually got a little sad during Christmas this year because it was soooo busy and go go go. I would stop and remember last year and how we were all home together with this brand new little boy. We spent two whole weeks together as a family with no interruptions and it was fabulous! By far the best Christmas that we have ever had. I wish we could rewind back to that time again. I hope that every day throughout his life he knows how much I love him. He is my baby. I love you Gavers!
(I put a TON of pictures on here so if you get Gaverd out I am sorry in advance!!!!!)

2009-12-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

2009-12-27T19:11:00.000-08:00

2009-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

2009-12-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

2009-12-27T18:35:00.000-08:00

2009-12-27T17:51:00.000-08:00

It wasn't me mom!

2009-12-27T17:42:00.000-08:00

We go through toilet paper like mad in our house and this is the reason why right here! He is always grabbing and running, grabbing and running. The result is this. A huge strand of tp drug all the way through the house. He thinks it's funny. I beg to differ. In this picture it got stuck to the bottom of his foot and he couldn't get it off. He also has a fascination with the toilet and the water inside. We have caught him a few times playin' in the big boys' pee, because for some reason they don't EVER flush! He also thinks this is funny and I again beg to differ. NASTY! When you come to our house, the new rule is SHUT THE BATHROOM DOOR!

And we are walking......

2009-12-27T17:23:00.000-08:00

Gavin started walking at the beginning of November. He hasn't stopped since then. It's hard work for him to keep up with his sister and brothers. We had a gate up the stairs for about a week and then decided to heck with it and he learned to go up and down the stairs in a few days too. Now, I just have to monitor his Lego intake. They are his favorite things to put in his mouth when he escapes up to the playroom. He has also become quite the roamer at church. I can't keep him in primary because he makes too much noise and wants to walk all over the place disrupting the kids and when I take him out into the halls he runs away from me.... He has made a friend in the hall though. A girl, and today they were giving each other big hugs and kisses. Quite the ladies man already! Crap!

I know this is a lot, but I just LOVE them!!!!!

2009-11-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

A few more.....

2009-11-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

Give me your opinion on which you all think I should put for my big/center picture in my house?

Family Pictures

2009-11-09T17:58:00.000-08:00

I'm just a little bit excited that we FINALLY got our family pictures taken!!!! The last time we did this, Gage was not even a year old yet, so it has been a very long time!!!!! These are just a few of them. I LOVE the way the turned out! Thanks Barb!

I am so knock kneed it is sad!!!! Mike always asks me why my feet are so far apart but my knees are so close together!!!! Other than that I adore this picture!

Can you say Grandpa John Jr.?******

2009-11-05T17:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween.....Just a little late!

2009-11-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

Gavin was not so sure if this was his dad or not. Mike would talk in his normal voice and Gavin would get a little more comfortable, but as soon as he put on his nacho voice this is the look he got! Scrappy is not a Nacho lover!

Here's the Mystery Inc. Gang minus Daphne and Fred (Mike and I) We did not get a pic with us. Kind of a crazy day! Carter made us proud with his Shaggy do. Katlyn was perfect for smarty Velma. Gage was lovin' the Scooby Doo, and Gavers rounded it out with Scrappy! They were adorable!

We had a fun Halloween with almost all of my family here at our house this year. We had a mom's craft day and the kids played. Mike and Papa were the entertainers for the kids and did a great job! We did let them have a time out to go to Show Low and hang out for a while though. It was fun girls! We need to do it again SOON!!!!

Family Night & Fire Light.....

2009-10-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

We built our first fire on Monday night. The kids loved it and it was nice and warm all night long. I was a little nervous that Gavin was going to burn his little hands, but he can't reach the door. Thanks heavens!!!!! When we lived in our first house Carter was about 18 mos. old and Mike had started a fire and left for work while I was grocery shopping with the kids. When I came home I just set Carter in the door and went to get the groceries out of the truck and a few seconds later he started screaming. He had burned the whole paw of his hand on the glass. It was AWEFUL!!!!! Glad we won't have to do that this winter!

I always have to put a picture of Gavin and his delicious smile in the mix!

We have the BEST hometeachers that brought us yummy brownies WITH icing, and a game called "Don't Eat Jack." I played it growing up but we played with skittles and it was called "Don't Eat Pete." We had a ball. The kids loved their dads goober way of sucking the candy corns off the page.

Katlyn also gave a really good lesson out of the friend about a family that wanted to go to the temple and be sealed, but they lived in Honduras and the closest temple was in Guatemala, a two day bus ride away. Their family grew corn and so they sold tortillas to raise money to go. They were blessed to raise enough money in just a couple of months, but they were also worried about taking all of their money on the bus because robbers often stopped the buses and took everyones belongings. They had faith that Heavenly Father would protect them and went. He did protect them and they were so grateful for the blessings of the temple.

After the story I asked if it was hard for us to go to the temple and Gage said, "No, I go by it every day on our walk." Carter said, "I can see it every day when I'm up in the playroom." These two sentences hit me SO hard. We are RIGHT by the temple of the Lord and we don't have to sacrifice anything but a little of our time to go there. Our children see it every day and are reminded of it's blessings. We don't have to travel for days and we don't have to worry about robbers. We are so blessed and spoiled. I am guilty as ever of not going as often as I should. Do I have as much faith as this family did? I don't think so, but I hope that one day I will.

For your entertainment......

2009-10-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Shopping at Grandma's house.

Smarty Pants, Smarty Pants******

2009-10-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

Katlyn is officially the Smarty Pants in this Papa household. On Friday she was given a certificate for being on the Superintendent's List. That means that she has a 95% or higher in all of her classes. I am going to brag a little and say that she is SuPeR smart. School just comes easy for this girl. She has never had a B yet, but we are sure to make her aware that it IS ok if she does get one someday. (I don't want to put pressure on her.) She is fantastic, and we are so proud of her. Her dad is her biggest fan. He makes her feel so good all the time about how well she does and encourages her to do her best. (I do too, but she thinks her dad is a little cooler than me!) Way to go Katlyn! We love you tons! Keep it up!

Jack-O

2009-10-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Every year the kids get to go to the Pumpkin Patch at school. Carter decided to carve his this year. He named him Jack-O. Very fitting I think.

Gage decided that he could help too. Or at least give him opinion on how they should make his face look.

Yuck!!!! Carving pumpkins grosses me out so Mike was flying solo on this one. He and Katlyn decided we needed one for each member of our family, so they went to the Patch and got a few more to make a family of Jack-O-Lanterns. I LOVE this time of year when the leaves change and it gets a little cooler. Bring on Halloween!

2009-10-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

Gage had a little accident last Thursday night at the football game. He and Carter were playing up on a wall and he fell right on his head! It really knocked him for a loop. He was pretty dazed and confused for a second, but after we brought him home he seemed o.k.. Then I put him in the bath and he threw up. I kinda freaked out and called our home teacher who is a paramedic and he calmed me down. Thanks Brian!!!! After a couple more hours he was totally himself again. It's a good thing he inherited that big Papa noggin!

Gage oh Gage!.....

2009-10-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

This morning at breakfast Mike asked Carter to say the prayer and Gage quietly said, "I'm going to bow my head, but I'm not going to close my eyes because I want to see the t.v." This child is always such a goof!

Goings on in our neck of the woods...

2009-10-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

The Fire Truck came to story time this week and Gage couldn't believe his eyes! This was by far one of the best days of his life. He had a permanent smile the whole time. He even got to get up in the truck and touch a real firefighter with all his gear on. Braedyn, Jacob, Sadie and Bryson were all there too. "That was totally awesome!" Classic Gage!

Cute little bugs! I think Gage is a little jealous of Gavin because he's kind of mean to him a majority of the time, but today he was a super big brother and Gavin was loving it.

A little squishy on this lawn mower ride, but they were all four happy to be there!

Katlyn got to go to a Mystery Dinner for Achievement Days this week, and they all got to dress up. We put this little get-up together and I think she looks perfect. Mike had the idea to use the wig at the last minute and it was perfect! Katlyn loves Achievement Days and has an amazing leader that puts so much into making sure the girls have fun and some super memories, and still teaches them about the gospel.

We have been crazy busy. I have made a decision to cut way down though. I found that the last few months I wasn't really enjoying my days. I couldn't wait until bedtime every night and so I could just STOP. My poor baby was never on a good nap schedule. My four year old reverted to acting about two. My older two were always grouchy because they weren't getting enough sleep and had to listen to their mom be grouchy all the time. Not to mention Mike has been at work or out of town for almost a month straight. One night I had to be at a dinner and Mike had class so Katlyn was here by herself with the boys for almost 4 hours. I kept getting texts from her saying that Gavin was crying and when was I coming home. I could just imagine my poor baby so hungry and tired, waiting for his mom to get done doing things for other people and so she could comfort him, and I just kind of snapped! Why was I making sure that everything except my family was taken care of? I came home to find my baby and his brothers asleep because they have such a sweet sister. She was so sad and frustrated. A nine year old does not deserve to have deal with all that. I should be here. So, I am cutting down. I am going to be here with them. I'm going to learn to say no sometimes and put them first. When you get too overloaded you end up taking your frustrations out on the ones that you love. I don't want that for my family........