Vanessa's blog

Happy Birthday Makayla

2011-03-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well our little girl is not so little anymore. Miss Makayla turned 8 yesterday (sigh). She is truly becoming a wonderful young lady. She has such a fun personality and is full of spunk. For her birthday this year she wanted an American Girl Doll. As you can tell from the look on her face, she got just what she wanted. She is at such a fun stage where she isn't quite into the sassy older kid phase, but not quite a little girl anymore. Other than the fact that she wakes up like a bear in the morning she is a joy to be around, very helpful, and kind to here brothers and sister. We love you Makayla.

Update...Finally

2011-03-15T13:09:00.000-07:00

So just a quick catch up... we started the year off with a bang. No really, the ladder slid out from under Mitch while he was taking down the Christmas lights and he fell from the roof and broke his foot. This kind of put a damper on our skiing season. We have still had our fun up on the mountain, just not as much as we could have. Here are a few picks from this season.

His foot has healed up nicely and now we are ready for spring. Over the past few months we've been having a great time. Hanna had a soccer tournament down in St. George over President's Day weekend. Her team played great and had alot of fun.

Mitch celebrated a birthday on Feb. 21st. We spent the day skiing and cupcakes for dessert. I think he had a pretty good birthday.

Update!!!

2011-01-14T16:01:00.001-08:00

Yeah I know it is long over due... coming soon. I promise!

We interrupt this blog to bring you SOCCER SEASON

2010-04-23T18:55:00.000-07:00

Up here in Utah soccer is in the spring instead of summer. Our lives have become absolutely insanely crazy busy. I can't complain because we love soccer, but let me complain for just a minute. All four kids are playing this year by there choice and I can not believe how busy we are. We have 8 games and 5 practices a week. That more than doubles our normal after school and weekend activities. We only have about four weeks left and after that I no I will miss it, but I might just be crazy (or crazier) by then. Ok enough complaining. The kids all love it. Hanna is playing goalie this year for the first time and is doing quite well. The others kind of rotate positions. Dallin has scored a few goals and Ty and Meeka are working on it. Mitch is coaching Tyler's team again this year and helping a little with the others. When the weather is nice we really enjoy watching the games, but rain, snow and wind are not so much fun. So if I don't blog for a while or answer the phone or door, you know why. Here's to a successful and busy soccer season. Go team! Oh I mean TEAMS!!

Hanna's Birthday

2010-04-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

Little miss Hanna Banana turned 9 a few weeks ago. I can not believe how grown up she is getting. She is as tall as her big brother and easily a strong a he is. On the rare occasion that she actually lets me fix her hair for her I have to have her sit down on a step stool to see the top of her head. I have no doubt that she will pass me up. Hanna's loves right now are soccer, gymnastics, reading and friends. She is a very self motivated person and rarely has to be reminded to do anything. She is also a busy, busy, busy girl. Competitive soccer keeps her busy almost ever night of the week. She is very cheerful and easy to get along with. Hanna is also wonderful with the kids and LOVES babies and younger children. Can't wait until she is old enough to babysit. We love having Hanna in our family. We celebrated this year with a joint party with cousin Abbie and lots of family. A friend party will follow when we find time. Any party suggestions for 9 year old girls?

Spring Break

2010-04-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

Spring Break came and went in a flash. We stayed home this year and just hung out. We worked in the yard, watched movies, went swimming, played with friends, soccer soccer and more soccer, played at first dam, celebrated birthdays and had lots of family over. It was a nice little teaser as to what the summer will be like. We didn't get nearly as much "spring cleaning" done as I wanted to, but it sure was relaxing. Summer get here quick.

Catch Up

2010-04-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it has been a few weeks since I have had time to sit down and blog. Just a quick catch up on what we have been up to. Easter/Conference weekend was wonderful. We had a great time watching conference and celebrating Easter. The kids participated in a few egg hunts (in the snow) and we had a yummy Easter dinner with the family. The kids also decorated eggs and really enjoyed there Easter baskets. (This might be the last year they get them) All in all it was a great weekend with lots of fun memories.

Flashback Friday

2010-04-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter Weekend. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Easter.

Easter 2006

Easter 2010

My how we've grown.

April Fools

2010-04-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

Seriously..... Ugh! I think that most of you are in the same boat that we are. Woke up this morning to a few inches of snow. Good joke mother nature. The bummer thing is that our ski resort closes at the end of March so we cant even enjoy it. Maybe on Saturday we will go sledding instead of hunting for eggs. Mr. sun PLEASE come out and melt it away so we can warm up.

Saturday Spotlight

2010-03-27T14:53:00.001-07:00

Dang... I keep forgetting to post a flashback Friday, so today it is Spotlight Saturday. This little guy has been so much fun lately. He is so not a little boy anymore. In just a few short months he will be turning 5. Can you believe it. I have to say that I am a little bit sad about this. His big thing lately has been to turn the music on and dance. He has his own version of "break dancing" that is absolutely hilarious. He will even spin around on the ground. I will get a video of it soon and post it. He is such a funny little kid. I love having him as my buddy. In August he will start school and not be around quite so much. Enjoy it while you can.

Ice Skating

2010-03-23T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hanna's class took a field trip to the ice skating rink last week and Dallin and I tagged along. Hanna hasn't ice skated in a few years, but picked it back up pretty quick. It was fun to watch her and her friends out there goofing off. It took me back to my middle school days when we would go ice skating with our friends on Friday nights and hang out. Oh, and Dallin was an angel as always, can't you tell.

Makaylas 7

2010-03-21T13:05:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Makayla. Last week sweet little Makayla turned 7. We celebrated with a family party on her birthday and then a friend party later in the week. This year all of the kids get to have friend parties. Makayla was so sweet this year and didn't want to leave anyone out so we invited all of the girls in her class as well as a few from the neighborhood. It was wild and crazy and we had a blast.

Makayla has always been my little tender heart. She is so kind to others and is always the first one to snuggle up beside you. Although I can tell that she is growing up, I still see the sweet sensitive little girl that she is. She is about to loose her third tooth, start soccer and have a dance performance. She loves all of these things and gymnastics. Here is a little birthday interview with her.
What is your favorite food? Fruit
What is your favorite movie? Pocahontas
What is your favorite thing to do at school? recess
What is your favorite activity? art projects
What do you like to do at home? Play with birthday presents
What do you want to be when you grow up? A Dancer
What's your favorite song? Any Taylor Swift songs
What candy do you like? M&Ms
What are you scared of? Thunder and lightning
What's your favorite book? Little Red Ridinghood
What do like about having sisters and brothers? I get to play with Hanna
What do you like learning about at church? Songs
Where do you like to go in the car? On family trips
What do you like to do outside? Climb trees
What makes you sad? When Hanna won't play with me
What makes you happy? When I get to play with my friends
Who is your best friend? Shaylee
What do you like best about your teacher at school? That we get long recesses
What toys do you enjoy playing with? New barbies
What do you like about yourself? That I am a good dancer
What do you want to say about turning 7? That I got a lot of toys for my birthday

Happy birthday Makayla. We Love You.

Disney on Ice

2010-03-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to see Disney on Ice. We had a group of 18 people that met up for the show. What a fun night. The kids all really enjoyed it (including Tyler who complained about having to go). We had great seats and the show was pretty cool. AND it was Aunt Wendy's Birthday. Fun times.

Road Rash

2010-03-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

Dallin was out riding his bike for the second time this year and managed to take quite to fall on his face. The results: a chipped tooth and major road rash. Poor guy. The scratches healed up in about a week and a quick trip to the dentist fixed his tooth right up.

More Skiing

2010-03-11T14:27:00.000-08:00

I finally remembered to take my camera with me last weekend while we were skiing. I tried to get a few pic of the kids but the only problems is that all of them (except one little sweet girl) ski faster than I do. We really have had a great time this year up on the mountain. The season is quickly drawing to an end. The kids have all improved a great deal this year and continue to amaze me. Their favorite things to do are to go through the terrain parks and try to do the jumps, or to veer off the runs into the trees and wined there way out.

Flashback Friday

2010-03-05T14:07:00.000-08:00

These two cute girls have birthdays next weekend. Should be fun.
Makayla, Mexico summer 2007 and Wendy and Nico Easter 2007

He did what?

2010-03-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

So we had an awesome weekend which included a womens conference for me and a ski day for Mitch and the four kids. Everything worked out great and then to top it all off we headed south yesterday after church to go spend some time with more family. Mitch, my aunt and cousin all had birthdays last week that we celebrated. It is always a good time when the Youngs are involved. We ended up having three of my siblings and there families, my mom, grandma, aunt and uncle and three cousins with there families all there. Since their snow is all melted, the kids played outside and had a ball. We even did a pinata for the kids. After several attempts of whacking it and minor repairs, it finally exploded and low and behold look what came out.

My little brother hid the ring in the pinata and then when it came out, retrieved it and got down on one knee and proposed in front of the whole family. She said yes and we couldn't be happier. Congrats Mitchell and Michelle. We wish you the best.

Skiing

2010-02-27T13:32:00.000-08:00

A few days ago Mitch and I were able to go skiing for the day by ourselves. What a great day. It is so much fun to take the kids up and go as a family, but oh how nice it is to just be able to take off and ski and not worry about who is where and doing what. We were even able to do a little bit of exploring. It was a snowy day, but probably one of the best ski day we've had. I only wish that we could do it more often. (just the two of us on a week day I mean) This year we got season passes for the family to the local ski resort. I think that we have been up about a dozen times and plan to go up several more before the snow is gone. The kids have all turned out to be quite the little skiers. Even Dallin (4 1/2) can keep up with the older kids. No more bunny hill for us. We have even ventured on to some intermediate runs. It is so nice to have something that we can do together outside in the winter.

Flashback Friday

2010-02-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

I am dreaming of some place warm....

Fiji summer 2009

Hardware Ranch

2010-02-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month I went with Makayla and her class to Hardware Ranch. What a great field trip. All of my kids have done it, but this was the first time that I was able to go. (I am getting a lot more freedom with only one preschooler at home) Hardware Ranch is a wildlife management area that is not to far from us. Makayla's class was able to visit the visitors center, play games and go on a sleigh ride out to where they feed the elk. I think that they said there were about 300 elk there that day. Her class is absolutely adorable and they had so much fun. Other than the bus ride that almost made me sick, I would love to go out there again. Fun place to visit.

Presidents Cup

2010-02-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

For Valentines/Presidents Day weekend we headed down to St. George for Hanna's Presidents Cup soccer tournament. What a nice break from the cold. We had a great time. Her team won 2 games and lost 1. They almost made it to the semi-finals. Hanna had some sweet goals. We were actually able to wear short sleeves, play outside without being bundled up and swim outside. It's always fun to sneak away for the weekend and just play. I see many more trips like this in our future.

Someone is getting older

2010-02-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday Mitch. Mitch turned 32 on Sunday. We celebrated with family and had a great time. Having your birthday on a Sunday with 9:00 church kind of puts a damper on the activities for the day. We enjoyed a fun evening out on Friday and then a party on Sunday. Mitch is planning a trip to Uganda this summer so his gifts centered around that including a camera, TOMS, money to put towards the trip and most importantly my sister gave him a haircut. It was well overdue. Mitch did say that this was the last birthday that he is going to celebrate so I guess he will be 32 forever. Happy Birthday honey, we love you.

I'm Back!

2010-02-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

After a long break from blogging I have returned. A few highlights of the past oh seven or so months

* Mitch and I took a trip to Fiji in June.

* I turned the big 30 in August

* In September Tyler turned 10. My how he has grow up. He had a great birthday with lots of family

* We had a wonderful holiday season with friends and family

* We have been loving the snow and going skiing

* Ty just finished an exciting basketball season

A few things that we are looking forward to are:

* Birthdays... Mitch-tomorrow, Makayla in March, Hanna in April

* Warm weather... Spring please come soon

* Soccer season starting for the kids

I am going to try really hard to up date my blog weekly, so check back soon.

Happy Birthday D-Man

2009-06-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

It makes you feel really old when your youngest of four turns four. Where has the time gone? I can't believe my baby is four. Dallin is pretty much the spotlight of our family most of the the time. He is at an adorable stage where everything he does is funny (or maybe it is just because he is the youngest). He has become such a big boy. He tags along with all of the other kids and is able to keep up most of the time. He is very sweet and is still very attached to his thumb and blanket. Not a day goes by when he doesn't make us smile. We love you Dally-Boo. Happy Birthday.

Summer Dayz

2009-06-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

We love summer! Here is what we've been up to.

Playing at the pool and swimming lessons.

The other day we rode our bikes to the pool and got caught in a down poor on the way home. Won't be doing that again on a day there is a chance of rain.

A trip to the aquarium with Wendy and Nico

Petting the stingrays.

Lots of playing at the park and hanging out with friends and family.

Not nearly enough of these!!

Baseball times three. Yep, instant replay of soccer, three practices and six games a week. Love it.

I think that Dallin took this picture. We just cut here hair to her chin. I'll post a pic later.(maybe in a month or two) So cute!

Makayla's Dance

2009-06-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Makayla's dance recital was a huge hit. They performed a cute little number to a song called Pineapple Princess. How cute is she? They really did a great job and had a lot of fun. Good job Meek.

End of Year Fun

2009-06-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

The kids finished out the school year with a bang. Tyler had a couple of fun field trips, Makayla had a kindergarten program and a teddy bear picnic, Dallin had a preschool graduation, and Hanna had a field day. It is no wonder I don't have time to update my blog regularly. Next year we will have a 4th grader, 3rd grader, 1st grader and a pre-k. I will actually have three mornings a week with no kiddos home. What will I do with myself.

Spring Soccer

2009-06-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

We just can't get enough soccer in this family. The oldest three all played city league spring soccer again. We averaged six games and three practices a week. The weather was not the best this year, but all of the kids showed improvement. Even our shy little Meeka made a few goals. Hanna enjoyed it so much that she just joined a state competitive team. Mitch was able to coach Ty's team again and they had a great time.

Father Son Campout

2009-06-18T13:48:00.000-07:00

Here are the boys after a restful night of camping. Tyler also took about a 2 hour nap. Father and sons camp out, what else can I say.

Hanna's Baptisim

2009-06-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday May 2nd Hanna Lynn was baptised. It was such a special experience. Hanna worked really hard to prepare her self and had a wonderful day. Hanna has a very strong spirit and is a great example to her brothers and sister. We are very grateful to all of our friends and family who were able to join us and help make it a special day for Hanna. Thank You.

Tavaci

2009-06-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

At the end of April, Hanna and Makayla performed in a Tavaci concert. It was probably one of the best ones that I have been to. The girls did great and a real treat was that we had family in town for Hanna's baptism that were able to come and watch it with us. They both had so much fun this year that they want to do it again next year.

Happy Birthday Hanna!

2009-04-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hanna just celebrated her 8th Birthday. Since Hanna will be getting baptized next month we took her out and had a girls day at the mall. We took her to buy her baptism dress, got her ears pierced and had yummy treats. She loved it. Since her birthday was on Easter we celebrated the two together with one big dinner and pie instead of cake for dessert. Then on Monday aunt Jessie came over and fixed her hair and took her out to take some pictures in her new dress. Beautiful!! Hanna is such a sweet girl. She loves school, sports, gymnastics, singing and everything else that is active. She is very helpful and always the first to say thank you. She does have her sassy side, but for the most part is rarely causes trouble. She is a very determined little girl. If there is something that she wants to do she won't stop trying until she has mastered it. She is a joy to have around and I don't know what we would do without her. We love you Hanna-Banana.

Spring Break, Easter and a Birthday!

2009-04-23T12:25:00.000-07:00

Can I just say busy, busy, busy. This year we had spring break, Easter and Hanna's birthday all in the same week. As far as spring break goes we didn't do too much. It was pretty chill just hanging out and spending time outside and working on projects. Easter was a lot of fun. We decorated eggs, went to three egg hunts and celebrated on Sunday with a big family dinner. Hanna's b-day fell on Easter this year so we also did a family party for her. This happens to be her 8th birthday which was kind of special to have it on Easter. Here are some pics of the egg hunts, decorating eggs and Easter Sunday.

Happy Birthday Makayla

2009-03-18T10:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Makayla!! Meeka turned 6 on Saturday. We went skiing with some friends for her birthday. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun. We all met up for lunch and to celebrate Makayla's big day. Other than falling down a few times, I think she had a wonderful day. Makayla is our little sweetheart. She is very kind and loving. She always has a smile on her face and loves to help out. I am so grateful for her and blessed to be her mother. We love you Makayla, our big 6 year old.

He did it again!

2009-03-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

Tyler had the district spelling bee last we and sure enough he did it again, 2nd place. This spelling bee was for 4th-8th graders. Tyler is only in 3rd grade, but was allowed to participate. He was amazing. He was given a list of about 500 words to study before hand. Once they were down to the last three students they started pulling words from a list that the students had never seen. Tyler did great. the first place winner was a 7th grader who also won last year. I have no doubt that by 7th grade Tyler will be winning them also. Great job Tyler. I am going to have him start proof reading for me from now on.

Our Family Update

2009-03-04T10:33:00.001-08:00

Well it seems like forever since I have talked to some of you so I thought that I would fill you in on the latest (nothing to exciting). Things have been going great for us up here. Mitch is working hard at school and is already getting ready to kick off his soccer season this summer. He just finished helping out with basketball at the high school and is currently teaching a night class one night a week. I have been busy with young women's, the kids, PTA, and everything else. Tyler is really having fun 3rd grade and as always can't get his hands on enough books to read (any suggestions). He is playing piano and enjoying scouts. Hanna is really into gymnastics right now and can't wait for the weather to warm up so that she can go out and practice on the trampoline again. She is also playing the piano and singing in a performance group called Tavaci. Makayla is about to turn 6 and doing really well in kindergarten. She is also enjoying gymnastics, dance and Tavaci with her sister. She was just the star of the week at school and it was fun to go in and tell her class all about her interests and talents. Dallin is a busy little boy who has decided to act like a 5 year old. He wants to do everything that the big kids can do (including talking back and yelling). Today he was cutting out a picture that he colored and about a half and hour later I realized that there was a slit across the front of his shirt. I asked him about it and he said that it was an accident (I don't know about that). We are so excited about spring coming and the warm weather that follows. We hope to get up to the mountain a few more times for skiing. Makayla wants to go skiing for her b-day which makes for an easy party so we'll see. We have some fun activities coming up and special days. We will be sure to let you know all about them (about a month late :-).

Basketballs and Spelling Bees

2009-03-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

Tyler just finished his first season of basketball. Lets just say that he started out knowing nothing about basketball and ended with even making a few steals and taking a few shots. He loved playing. He greatly improved throughout the season. Towards the end he really stared to get into the game and play more aggressive. His team only lost one game the whole season. Now it is on to soccer as soon as the snow melts.

Another activity that Tyler recently participated in was his school spelling bee. It was for 3rd - 5th graders and the top two get to go on to the district level spelling bee which is 3rd - 8th graders. Well guess what? Tyler came in second place. He just continues to amaze me with how incredibly smart he is. He just kept going up the the microphone and spelling the words correctly and before we knew it, it was down to a 5th grader and Tyler. He did a great job. He was a little nervous at first, but after the first few rounds he looked like he was having fun. The district spelling bee is next week and we will let you know how it goes. Congrats and good luck Ty.

Ahhhh.....

2009-03-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

I love it when my kids are all getting along. Nothing like being lazy on a Sunday morning. Ahhhh....

Happy Birthday

2009-03-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Mitch celebrated his 31st birthday last week. My how time flies. We celebrated all weekend long. The girls had Friday off of school so we surprised him with lunch and balloons at his classroom. Then we went out to dinner as a family to celebrate and on his actual birthday Mitch and I were able to go skiing with some friends for the day. What a blast. Skiing without the kids is so much more relaxing. We had a great day and were even surprised with cake at the bottom of one of the lifts. Thanks Lisa. After skiing we came home to more surprises. My wonderful sister and mother watched the kids for the day and made adorable penguin cupcakes for dessert. I am so grateful to have Mitch in my life. He is an amazing husband and father, and he even does the dishes. I love you Mitch, Happy Birthday!! Hope it was a good one.

Pinewood Derby

2009-02-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

Tyler just participated in his second pinewood derby. We learned a lot from last year and Tyler was able to make some improvements this year. He won about half of his races this time. Tyler named his car the Arctic Freeze. And painted it white with icicles on the side. Always an adventure.

Skiing

2009-02-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

We decided that this would be the year that we would get all of the kids skiing on there own. Well, Dallin may have to wait until next year. However, Makayla has really picked it up. She can almost keep up with Tyler and Hanna. It has been so fun to go up together as a family and ski for the day. I just have to try to keep up with the kids now.

Sledding

2009-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

We have had a blast this winter outdoors in the snow. Sledding is always a fun family activity. Evern our little dare devil Dallin loves it. Tyler got a new sled for Christmas that just flies down the hill. Maybe if we get some new snow soon we will be able to go again.

Christmas Time

2009-02-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

This pretty much sums up December for us. We had a wonderful month and a great Christmas.

December Update

2009-01-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

December was a very fun and busy month for us. Here are a few of our events. There is more to come when I have more time. Better late than never.

Gingerbread Houses

2009-01-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

One of our Christmas traditions is to decorate gingerbread houses. We always make enough so that the kids can invite a friend over to decorate one too. This year Tyler and Hanna were to impatient to wait for a friend and decided to do them by themselves. And as soon as I snapped the pictures the first question was, "Can we eat them now?" Dallin got a head start on his and just ate it while he decorated it. They turned out really cute and yummy.

Tavaci Performance

2009-01-17T15:33:00.000-08:00

December was full of one activity after another. Hanna is now singing with a Tavaci group. They put on a cute little Christmas performance. It was actually quit entertaining and Hanna had so much fun that Makayla signed up in January. Busy, Busy, Busy.

Piano Recital

2009-01-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

Tyler and Hanna also had a piano recital the same night as Makayla's dance recital, but we were able to see them both. Tyler and Hanna both played two songs. One by themselves and a duet with their teacher. Tyler has been playing for 2 years and Hanna for 1 year. They were both so nervous but did a great job. Good job Ty and Han. We love you.

Makayla's Dance Recital

2009-01-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

Makayla had her first dance recital in December. It was absolutely adorable. The girls were all so cute. She had a lot of fun and then we went out for ice cream after. Makayla is going to be quite the little dancer if she sticks to it.

Let the count begin.

2008-11-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

Last night was our first trip to the ER for stitches. Dallin fell into the bricks around our fireplace and split his forehead open. Nothing major, two hours at the ER and 5 stitches later he was good as new. I'm sure that this is the first of many visits and stitches. Tyler is nine and until now we have not had any broken bones or stitches (knock on wood). We have had one trip to the ER for a dislocated elbow, but that is it. I am just glad that it happened before we left town. Mitch and I leave tonight for a weekend getaway. My sis is watching all four of the kids for the weekend. Good luck Jess and Nate.

Family Pictures

2008-11-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

My little sister has started doing photography. We went over to campus with her the other day and took some pictures. Not too bad. You will probably be seeing these again on our Christmas cards. Oh yeah, and she can take your pictures too.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

This year we had Harry Potter, a cowgirl, a hula girl and Buzz Lightyear. It was the best weather on Halloween that we have seen in years. It was actually warm enough to trick-or-treat without jackets. All of the kids had Halloween parties at school and then we unleashed them on the neighborhood for the night. After trick-or-treating we drove around to a few friends houses to visit them. What a great year. Next year Dallin wants to be a giraffe and the girls want to be cheerleaders. Tyler is a last minute kind of guy. We see what they end up being after a year has pasted. Happy Halloween.

Soccer

2008-11-12T12:10:00.000-08:00

So it has been a while since is posted last. This is just one of the reasons why. Mitch coached the girls varsity soccer team for one of the high schools here in town. He was pretty much M I A for the last two months. They had a great year and did really well. They were first in there region and made it to the semi-finals in the state tournament. Needless to say now our kids are all huge soccer fans. I think that they like hanging out with the soccer girls more that actually watching the game, but that's OK. We even scored a few babysitters. We enjoyed watching as many of the games that we could. The season was great, but we are glad to have Mitch back. Soccer started around the time that school started along with all of the kids activities. So with Mitch being so busy with soccer that meant that i was so busy with everything else. Now things have mellowed out and I actually have some free time on my hands to update my blog.

Happy Birthday Tyler

2008-11-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

Tyler turned nine a few months ago. I can't believe that we have a nine year old. He had a great birthday. He opted not to have a friend birthday party so that he could get a really cool mountain bike. We had a fun family party together. Tyler is our little genius. He is incredibly smart and talented. He is currently taking piano lessons, wrestling and participating in cub scouts. He is always full of energy and keeps us on our toes. Some of his favorites are reading, riding his bike, playing sports, and video games. We love you Tyler and are so glad that you are in our family.

Scouts

2008-08-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

The zucchini boat races are probably one of Ty's favorite scout activities. This month at pack meeting Tyler was awarded his wolf and arrow points. It was also the the annual zucchini boat race. The kids each carved there own boat out of zucchini and then race them down to canal. Some float and some flip over, but it is always a good time. Congratulations Ty!

Makayla Starts Kindergarten

2008-08-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

Makayla had a her first day of kindergarten this week. At first she just wanted to ride her bike to school with Hanna. I talked her into letting me join her on her first day. Once we got there she was a little shy and nervous, but had a great day. I think this will be great for her. Dallin misses her already. So do I.

School Days

2008-08-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

Back to school. Tyler and Hanna started back to school this week. Makayla will start next week and Dallin will start preschool the first week in September. All in all, everything went well. Tyler started at a new school which he was a little nervous about. I think that this year will be really good for him. Hanna has the same teacher that Tyler had last year that we really liked. She has a few friends in class with her and seems to be enjoying it. Makayla will start Kindergarten next week. We went in today and spent some one on one time with her teacher. Makayla is by far my shyest child. She has the same teacher that Hanna had which is good because it helps her feel a little bit more comfortable. I think that after the first week she will really warm up and have fun. Wow!! it is already quieter around here. Can you imagine what it will be like with all four of them in school? Bitter sweet.

Family Fun Triathlon

2008-08-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the kids participated in a family fun triathlon. Hanna was the swimmer for our team, Tyler did the biking, and Makayla and Dallin ran. The distances were all different based on their age. The kids had so much fun that next year they might enter individually. At the end all of the participants were given medals and t-shirts. What a great way to end the summer.

Family Reunion

2008-08-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

Mitch's Family reunion was up in Utah this year. Most of his family was able to attend. We had a great time getting reaquainted with aunts, uncles and cousins. The kids really enjoyed the water. It was really hot, but the kyacks and waterballoons sure helped to cool things down.

Happy 24th of July

2008-08-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

For the 24th of July the kids got to ride on a float with all of the kids from our neighborhood. They threw lots of candy and had fun. It is a tradition every year and then we enjoy the festivities at the park and watch fireworks that night. This year Mitch wasn't here, but his parents and brother's family joined us. We had a great time.

Summer Vacation

2008-08-11T21:34:00.000-07:00

On our way down to Mexico we stopped and stayed in Arizona for a few days. We spent some time in Flagstaff, Phoenix and Sedona. It was great to see old friends and family and spend some time at the creek. We had fun miniature golfing, playing at the park, spending time with friends, seeing uncle Grant, shopping, getting wet at Red Rock Crossing, and watching the movie on the square. All of the fun things that we miss about Arizona. The only down fall was that the AC in our Suburban went out. Nothing that a quick trip to the mechanic can't fix. Did you notice the pout face on Makayla when she is at the creek. That is because she fell in the water and lost not one, but both of her flip flops. Thank goodness there was a little bit of a dam built up down the creek and dad was able to save the day and rescue them.

Mexico July 2008

2008-08-11T21:13:00.001-07:00

We had a blast in Mexico this year. For the past three years we have taken the kids down to Rocky Point, Mexico for a week. It just gets easier and easier. We spent the whole week either at the beach, pool, game room, beach, eating, aquarium, or the beach. We really did have a wonderful trip. We brought home lots of sea shells and sand. The kids are already asking when we get to go to Mexico again. The weather was warm which made the water just perfect. Tyler got an ear infection a few days into the trip which slowed him down a little bit, but other that that it was go, go, go. We can't wait until next time.

Happy 4th of July

2008-07-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July. We hope that everyone had a great holiday. We went swimming and hung out for the day and then watched fireworks. Yeah!! Oh and we made our own shirts this year, can you tell?

Swimming

2008-07-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hangin' by the pool.

BFFs

Mitch and Dallin on the water slide.

Hanna on the water slide.

Makyala on the water slide.

Tyler on the water slide.

Swimming, Swimming and More Swimming!! This is what we have been doing all summer. At least three times a week. We started the summer out with lessons and have not gotten out of the pool since then. Our kids are at such great ages, no diaper or naps to worry about. They are totally good with going to the pool and staying for 5 hours. The oldest three are little fishes in the the water. Dallin took a couple of spills in the pool last year and is still very cautious. They love the water slides, diving boards and just goofing around. We are all going to have great tans by the time summer is over.

Water Skiing

2008-07-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Last week we went out with some friends water skiing. We went to a reservoir that is not far from here and had a blast. The oldest three all tried to water ski. Hanna got up, Tyler was really close and Makayla well maybe next year. Tyler also loved the knee board. Mitch and I were able to get a little ski time in as well. Thanks Mark and Hailey, you guys rock.

Baseball

2008-07-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

What would summer time be without a little baseball. Tyler, Hanna, and Makayla all played this year and had a great time. Next year Tyler will move up to the minor leagues. The field is only about a mile from our house so we were able to ride our bikes most of the time. Great job kids.

Happy Birthday Dallin

2008-07-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd Birthday Dallin!! Our baby turned three in June. I can't believe what a big boy he is. He has been such a wonderful addition to our family. He is full of adventure and spirit. He keeps us laughing all day long. For his birthday we built a sandbox in the backyard. Every little boy needs a sandbox. The kids have had a lot of fun playing in it. We love you Dallin.

Baby Birds

2008-05-21T12:38:00.001-07:00

Dallin's bedroom is on the front of the house and just out side his window is a big tree. Every time that he wakes up he always says that he hears the birds talking. It is spring time and there are a lot of birds around, but low and behold there is a nest in his tree. And not only a nest, but also eggs and a baby bird. Every night and morning when Dallin wakes up he has to check on the birds out the window. It is so sweet.

Ready for Kindergarten

2008-05-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

Makayla just finished up with preschool and now is ready for Kindergarten. Her preschool was wonderful. She was really nervous to start preschool at the beginning of the year, but now she is sad that it is over. During preschool she was also able to do a different activity each day as part of school. On Mondays they would end school with an hour gymnastics, on Wednesday swimming and on Friday dance lessons. It was such a great opportunity to try fun activities as well a learn at preschool. I cant believe that she is old enough to go to school. She still seems like my little girl. The pictures are from her end of the year dance recital and her last day at gymnastics when they were alowed free reign of the gym.

Soccer, Soccer and More Soccer

2008-05-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

This year we have three kids playing soccer. That means between 3 to 6 games a week. (busy, busy, busy) The kids have really had a lot of fun playing this year. They have each excelled in there own way. This week is the end of soccer and then we will be moving on to baseball this summer. Mitch has been coaching Ty's team this year. As soon as the kids are done Mitch will move on to coaching girls varsity soccer at one of the high schools here in town.

Hanna's Opera

2008-05-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

This year Hanna's class was able to perform a children's opera. It turned out really cute. Only two classes in her school do them. The opera is written and sung by the kids. They also painted the scenery and made costumes (with the help of parents). There opera was about the scary people (werewolves, vampires and mummys) inviting pegasus and dolphins to the mummy's birthday party. Hanna played a Pegasus and did a great job. They did three performances for the students, parents and public. What a great opportunity. Hanna would practice singing over and over and over again at home getting ready for it. It was a lot of fun.

Hanna's Party

2008-05-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hanna's birthday always falls during spring break so we had to wait until the next week to do her party. She wanted a Hawaiian themed party this year. The girls played pin the flower on the hula girl, limbo, and busted the pinata. They also decorated flip-flops and ate fruit kabobs and cupcakes with tropical umbrellas in them. They had a great time. Happy Birthday Han.

Happy Birthday Hanna

2008-05-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

Happy 7th birthday Hanna. I can't believe it, we have an 8 1/2 year old and now a 7 year old. Hanna started her birthday with a trip to the salon with Aunt Jessy. Jess cut her hair and fixed it in a beautiful up-do. Then she put on makeup and painted her fingernails. After she was done we met up with her best friend Lily and had lunch with her and her mom. After lunch we spent some time with the family and had a family party for her that night. Hanna asked for cheesecake this year. (last year it was banana splits) Hanna is so fun to have around. She is always happy and willing to help out. She loves her brothers and sisters and is a good friend. She is very smart and an awsome athlete. We love you Hanna. Happy Birthday!!!

Free Money

2008-05-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

I just got this off a friends blog.

Revolution Money Exchange is a new online service similar to PayPal. To help spread the word they are giving $25 to anyone who creates a new account before May 15, 2008. I just did it and it was easy and fast.

Just click the green button on the right side of my blog. After you sign up, they will transfer $25 to your account. Then, you can link your bank account to transfer the money there.

Once you are a member, you can refer your spouse. They will get $25 and you will get an extra $10 for the referral.

Quick and easy $60!!

San Francisco

2008-05-01T18:45:00.001-07:00

Mitch and I went to San Francisco for spring break. We sent the kids to stay with family and enjoyed a weekend away.

Meeka's Birthday Party

2008-05-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

Makayla and her best friend Shaylee both have March birthdays so we decided to do a combined party and invite girls from our neighborhood. And what a better way to celebrate than with a pajama party. We had all of the girls wear there pj's, played musical pillows and ate yummy smiley face pancakes. It was so much fun and so little work. Thanks Dorie and Nate for all of the help. Another birthday party success. Now Hanna's birthday is just around the corner.

Science Fair

2008-05-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to participate in the science fair at Ty and Hanna's school. Since there school is only K-2nd grade they encourage the children to enter as a family so that everyone can help. We found an idea on the internet and the kids actually did most of the project by themselves. They had a fun time. We ended up with sooo much popcorn and our house smelled like popcorn for a few days. It was a great learning experience for them. Next year Tyler will be going to a different school and we will get to do two projects.

Happy Easter

2008-05-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

These pics are also way over due. We had a wonderful Easter this year. The kids decorated eggs, enjoyed all kinds of goodies in there baskets and we had Easter dinner at our house this year. It was very low-key and enjoyable. It just kind of snuck up on us this year. It is so fun to watch the kids and all of there excitement. Oh yeah, and don't ever expect to get four kids looking in the same direction (with cute expressions) all at the same time. I thought that this would get easier as they got older because they can listen and follow directions. Ha Ha! For mother's day I have asked for a portrait of the four kids in church clothes with smiles. OK not even smiles, just no grimaces or cheese faces. We'll see how it goes.

Skiing

2008-05-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

OK so this was way back in March, but I thought that I would just share a few pics of the kids skiing. We had a great time this year. Hanna and Ty are quite the little skiers. Makayla had absolutely no interest in even trying this year, but next year we hope to get her and Dallin up there and make it a whole family event. There are tons of great ski resorts around and with such a great winter how could we not take advantage of it. Fun times.

Happy Birthday Makayla

2008-03-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Makayla's first birthday

My little girl is 5 years old. I can't believe it. I still remember her first birthday. Time goes by sooooooo fast. Now she is all grown up and ready for kindergarten. Makayla is such a sweet little girl. She is the peacemaker in our family. She gets along well with everyone and is always willing to help out. She still loves to snuggle and sneaks into her sisters room almost every night so that she doesn't have to sleep alone. She is very tenderhearted and enjoys spending time with her friends. She loves preschool and is looking forward to being one of the big kids now. We love you Makayla.

Makayla's fifth birthday

For her birthday we had a fun little family party with aunts, uncles, grandmas, and cousins. She got to spend the day with aunt Jess getting pampered at the salon and then on the day after her birthday we went to see Disney Princess Wishes on Ice. She had a great time. Happy Birthday Meeka.

Special Friend's Day

2008-03-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Hanna's class just celebrated Special Friend's Day. Grandma Barbara was able to join Hanna at school for some fun activities. Then Hanna escorted her down to the lunch room for a gourmet meal of ham and cheese. Thanks Mom.

Viva Las Vegas

2008-03-20T11:12:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Wendy! Not only did my husband turn thirty, but my sister did also. So I decided for her birthday to surprise her and take her to Vegas for the Weekend. It was so awesome. The surprise totally worked and we had a wonderful trip. We were able to shop, see family, sleep in, see a Cirque du Soleil show, visit all of the touristy spots and enjoy the warm weather. What a much need relaxing vacation. Happy Birthday Sis.

The Big 30!

2008-03-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mitch!! OK so I am about a month behind with this post, but I just wanted tell Mitch Happy Birthday. He is the big 30 now. For his birthday we are going to take a trip this spring to California and see Bruce Springsteen (one of Mitch's all time favorites). I am so grateful to be married to him. He is the best husband and father ever. We always have such a fun time together. Here's to you Mitch. Happy 30th:-)

Our New Cousin

2008-03-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last month I got to go out to Pennsylvania to spend some time with my sister and her new baby. The kids are so excited to have a new cousin (even if they don't get to see him often). Baby Korbin was born on Feb. 13th. Mitch and other family members took care of things here so that I could go and help Heidi out for a week. It was a fun trip. Congratulations Heidi. He is adorable.

Makayla

2008-01-29T13:23:00.000-08:00

OK so every day about 1:00 when Dallin takes his nap Makayla starts whining about having nothing to do. We usually have friends over or do some sort of activity together since it is just the two of us. We have been passing around pink-eye so I decided that we probably shouldn't play with friends today. I suggested several things to do all of which were turned down. Then I suggested painting nails (always a favorite). She agreed, but here's the catch, she gets to paint her own. I have to say that she did a pretty good job. You can't tell very well from the pics but they are pink with sparkles and flowers. And yes, nail polish cleans up very nicely off of tile.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-01-29T13:04:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe online the other day and decided to give it a try. We loved it. Super fast and easy and it was delicious. A bit spicy, but you'll love it.

Chicken Tortilla soup

Ingredients
2 cans Corn- drained
2 cans Rotel tomatoes
2 cans Chili Beans
6 cups Chicken Broth
2 14oz Cans chicken
1t Cumin
Large handful chopped cilantro

Preparation
Throw everything into a pot, heat thoroughly.
Serve in bowls with corn chips and shredded cheese if desired.

Cook's Notes
The chili beans are not ordinary kidney beans. They are flavored, and if possible use Ranch Style Beans.

*I prefer fresh chicken over canned chicken so I would say to cook and cube or shred about three chicken breasts. This makes a huge pot. I would say about 8 servings.
Enjoy:-)

Pine Wood Derby

2008-01-29T12:52:00.000-08:00

Tyler had his first pinewood derby this past week. He had a lot of fun making the car and he even won a few of the races. The paint job he did all by himself. I traced around the flames with a black marker, but we were very impressed with his artistic ability. He received an award for most realistic paint job. We all had a great time. Good job Ty!

2008-01-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

So now that we have lots and lots of snow up here we are getting all geared up for some snow skiing. Dallin found these boots the other night that are Tylers and tried to put them on. They come up to his knees so he can't walk very well and as soon as he stood up they start sliding out sideways on the tile. He was totally stuck. He couldn't sit down or pull his legs back in. He didn't think that it was very funny, but we sure did. I think that he will be staying away from the ski boots for a while.

Sledding

2008-01-10T21:46:00.001-08:00

Christmas day we took the kids sledding. This year they all love it!!! Last year Dallin wasn't to sure, but this year he was flying down the hill (all by himself). They are all able to climb back up the hill which is a huge help. Tyler took some pictures with his digital camera that he got for Christmas so I will have to put some of his pics on here too.

Dallin, Dallin, Dallin

2008-01-10T21:29:00.000-08:00

The other day Dallin woke up from his nap and came out of his room looking like this. He said that he was ready to go to Grandma's house. It was snowing outside, so at least he got the boots and umbrella right. Grandma live two doors down and across the street. The older kids go to Grandmas house regularly. Dallin isn't quite old enough, but he sure thinks he is. He actually went to the door and opened it and told us goodbye. I better make sure that I keep that door locked. It was very amusing.

Christmas Morning

2008-01-10T21:21:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas this year. Nice and mellow. We made sure that we had lots of time to spend with our family and enjoy the holiday. We got to see Grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins and spend time with friends. We can't wait until next year.

2008-01-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

Gingerbread houses

2008-01-01T16:06:00.001-08:00

One of our holiday traditions is to make gingerbread houses. This year the kids each invited a friend over and they all got to decorate their own gingerbread house. It was a lot of fun. Hanna piled on too much candy and her house fell in, but we rebuilt it and she got to eat half of it in the process. Yummy!!

Ty's Piano Recital

2008-01-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

Tyler had a piano recital this past month. He did wonderful. It is fun to see how much he has learned.

Tyler began by introducing himself and the songs that he was playing. He was so nervous.

He played one song solo and then performed a duet with his teacher. It sounded so good. We are very proud of how well he is playing. He will even practice on his own without being asked. Who knows, maybe this will be his thing.

2007-12-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

Here are our mischievous little elves. Merry Christmas!!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1265024271

First Snow of the Year

2007-11-27T13:05:00.000-08:00

So just last week the kids were playing and put on their snow hats and gloves and asked when it was going to snow. Dallin wore his hat for the entire day(including potty time).

Yeah!!! It is snowing. I am so excited to see fluffy white stuff again. I can guarantee that there will be some snowball tossing when the kids get out of school today. We love the snow!!! Can't wait for more.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T12:46:00.001-08:00

For Thanksgiving this year we decided to go to my Dad's house. For the past few years we have done Thanksgiving at our house so it was kind of fun to do something different this year. We had a good time. The only thing about not making dinner ourselves is no leftovers. Bummer! Happy Thanksgiving.

Saturday Afternoon

2007-11-07T16:24:00.001-08:00

Saturday afternoon we went up the canyon for a nice little outing. It was fun to take a stroll along the river. On our way home we saw Grandma out raking leaves and decided to join in the fun. She has about a dozen very large cottonwood trees which make piles and piles of leaves.

Happy Halloween

2007-11-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

This year for halloween we had an elephant, Scooby-Doo, a pumpkin and a black cat (Oh yeah, and a clown). Welcome to our circus.

I think that we live in the best neighborhood ever for trick or treating. We took the kids out for a while and had a great time. I wonder what they will be next year....

Getting Ready For Halloween

2007-11-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

The kids had alot of fun getting ready for Halloween.

They helped decorate and carved some really cool pumpkins.

Leaves,leaves, leaves

2007-11-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

We love our big beautiful trees in the summer, BUT....

the leaves are falling,

and falling,

and falling some more. (well maybe with a little help)

Good thing I have such good helpers.