This is SOOOO my day....

I found this in the Sunday comics:





I just have to add that I did not pose these pictures at all, all poses where the ideas of the boys....I just asked them if I could take their pictures for Halloween!

So Proud...

I cannot say enough about how much I love my kids and my wonderful husband...they amaze me every day. Abby informed me that I yell too much, so I have been trying really hard to overcome my weakness. I have found that the more I focus on the positive and stop stressing (and as Bry reminds me often...being so serious) that my answer is closer to the soft side. So I thought I would share what makes me so proud about my family...

Abby is my tender hearted miracle. She also is developing her soccer talent with success. Since the weather has been holding out on the nice side the final soccer games were moved from UEA weekend (Who asked the parents opinion on this????) to this weekend. As such we had already planned to go to BOO at the Zoo, but could make it work for the game and the zoo...only to have her come home all excited about the Halloween party one of her classmates is having on Saturday. So I told her that we could go to the zoo early with our friends and go to the party or go to her game and then the zoo, but not all three (Not to mention the BYU football tickets we were offered....Thanks Doyl, hopefully there will be a next time for the invite;).) She thought for a minute and said..."My soccer team needs me...I'll go to my game and then the zoo." Way to keep your commitments!!!



Abby also amazes me how she is so quick to forgive and love others. She is also doing very well in school. I'm proud of her for trying even when she just wants to quit as soon as she makes a mistake. I'm excited for her and her piano lessons. She practices without complaining or being reminded, even though she really just wants to learn to play the violin, but we feel she needs to learn the piano first. She is also a great singer and loves to sing frequently.

She is so very brave...recall the Lake Powell jump in July! And she is not afraid to do her own thing...such as on crazy hair day for soccer.





Caleb is Mr. Funny Boy. I love that he has his dad's sense of humor! The other day we were driving home from the store when Caleb randomly says, "Mom, go faster" "Why Caleb, are you in a hurry?" "No Mom, I want to see what those tickets look like!" "But Caleb, if I get a ticket we won't be able to eat for a week." Long pause..."oh, go slow". Then his little buddy pipes up...I know what tickets look like and We got to eat for the week!
He has so much faith...he came into my room one morning and talked about the book we had read about the boy who wanted to ride his bike and prayed and Heavenly Father helped him. That afternoon he playing with his friend and they decided to ride bikes. So Caleb gets his (which Bryan has taken the training wheels off) and ride/walks his bike. I asked him if he wanted some help. "No Mom, but I should have said a prayer. Heavenly Father will help me." That night he prayed that Heavenly Father would help him ride his bike. The next day he did go a short distance all by himself...and would have done great if he had not got nervous and started to lose his balance and then scraped his leg on the pedal. Oh how I hope always has such faith and remembers that Heavenly Father will help us!


He also is having success with his soccer skills. Last year all he would do was stand by his coach. So we were not sure about this year, but right off he actually ran with the crowd! We were so excited for movement. He then got to where he would kick the ball even. Soon he was playing strong for the first half, but would eventually follow the pack. But on the Oct 4 game he played strong and even scored a goal! Yeah Caleb!! (of course I failed to get a picture of it, seems how my lovely camera is a few moments slow...and I was expecting him to just follow the crowd, but yet again he took me by surprise!)


Caleb also loves learning and reading. He has already started reading the Bob books and gets excited at night when he reads rather than Mom :) He is enjoying preschool too. This month's fieldtrip was to the pumpkin patch. Each student created a pumpkin of their favorite Disney character for the theme: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes Thanks to my awesome husband who took over the project so that I could go to the cannery!



I don't have lots of pics with Bryan in, but I still love him lots and lots and appreciate how hard he works for us! I love how he makes me laugh and keeps me sane. He has amazing talents that have made our home and yard comfortable and beautiful.




I also have to add how proud I am of our garden this year. Despite the fact that we had an amazing and busy summer, thus our garden was severely neglected. Nevertheless I still was able to can 35 quarts/pints of tomatoes and thanks to Dory, 31 quarts of peaches! I also would have had some beets and green beans if I had not gotten sick. Anyway, We had a good harvest, despite our efforts! (To be honest, my tomatoe plants were so large and out of control that I'm afraid to think how much I would have gotten off them had I stayed on top of my garden!)

I've Been Tagged!!

I've been tagged!

Here are the rules...

1. Post the rules on your blog:
2. Answer the six "8" items
3. Let each person know they have been tagged
by leaving a comment on their website.

8 Favorite TV shows:
I really don't watch TV....but if I did in no particular order...
1. Channel 5 News
2. Funniest Home Videos
3. Hidden Potential
4. Extreme Makeover (I may watch it too much, since Caleb told me "Mom, tell those workers guys to come tear down our house... I need a new Batman room.")
5. Curious George
6. Sid the Science Kid
7. The Stagers
8. American Idol
9. Nightly News
10. HGTV

8 Things I did Yesterday:
1. Aerobics
2. Sorted and washed laundry
3. Taught FHE on Money and Savings
4. Made savings and spending jars with my Kids
5. Listened to Abby read
6. Read The Little House in the Big Woods to Abby and Caleb at Bedtime
7. Paid bills
8. Laughed with Bryan, Abby, and Caleb while enjoying OREO ice cream :)

8 Things I look forward to:
1. Being caught up on my blog!!!
2. Going to Frighmares Saturday
3. Seeing Savior of the World in December
4. Making snowmen and forts with my kids
5. Carving pumpkins
6. Reading to and with my kids
7. Bryan coming home at night
8. Hugs and Kisses from Bryan, Abby, and Caleb

8 Favorite Restaurants:
1. Bajios
2. The Roof
3. Sampan
4. The Pie
5. Costa Vida
6. Chili's
7. Tepanyaki
8. Olive Garden

8 Things on my Wish List:
1. A real choice for President, and the elections to be over
2. A get away with Bryan
3. To be young forever
4. A maid
5. Endless patience
6. World peace
7. To cherish and enjoy each moment
8. $1,000,000.00

8 People I tag:
1. Caty Bug
2. Tiffany
3. Jen B
4. Miriam
5. Sara
6. Karen
7. Reina
8. Laura W

Our Whirl-wind Summer....There's No Place Like Home: Kansas

No matter how much fun we have, or where we go, there truly is no place like "home". We all look forward to hanging out in the pool, shooting Grandpa's guns, horse-back riding, catching up with cousins, seeing old films and slideshows, riding on the tractor, catching fireflies,...just being with Grandma and Grandpa, it all makes our annual trip to Kansas a family favorite. I love for my kids to see the "farm" side of life, the slow pace, surrounded by nothing but farms and fields and peace and quiet! It was great as well to gather with the Bacon Family, seeing cousins that we haven't seen in years...thanks everyone for making the trek back to Moran! No matter what, we always find our way back home...


Hope you enjoy the slideshows!

Kansas Trip 1

Kansas Trip 2

First Day of 2nd Grade

With such a fun filled, action packed summer, before we could even blink it was August 21 and the First Day of School...

Excitement fills the air.....

Abby was not overly excited or nervous to start school. She was really more of a mindset that that's what you do, so that's where I'll go. The night before she lay in bed and we talked about what I remembered from second grade and having my favorite teacher, Mrs. Hess. She asked lots of questions, then drifted off to sleep.

Once in her class Abby was pleasantly surprised to find many of her friends from 1st Grade still in her class and a handful of girls from the neighborhood.

Abby with Mrs. Dunlavey and at her desk.

As fun as school was, what happened after school is the story to tell...

We had gone to play at a friend's house. The kids had taken to playing a sliding game on the treadmill. I had just realized what they were doing and was processing the "I don't think this is a good idea" vs. "Oh we do it all the time" views in my head (Yes, if I would have just listened to the prompting in my head and my mother intuition....) when Abby started screaming. She had slid down the treadmill, keeping her hands above her head to be "safe", but as she hit the ground she put her hands down to catch herself and her pinkie got caught in the belt! I tried to calm her, while examining the damage and knew instantly it was serious. All of the skin was pushed back, but there was no blood! Just white...my limited first aid knowledge knew that white means a burn. I called my pediatrician, who agreed with me and told me to take her to the ER. So off we went...once in the ER they gave her Tylenol with codeine and ibuprofen! This pretty much knocked her out! After having her finger x-rayed and examined, she did have a friction burn but fortunately nothing was broken or fractured or filed away and her muscle did not seem to be torn away from the finger. There was one spot that they thought she might need a skin graft, but everything looked as good as could be hoped for. I have pictures on my phone, but have not been successful in downloading them to my computer, so the night after picture will have to do...


So a whole lot of tears and pain and $$$$$ later, once again we learn... LISTEN TO THE STILL SMALL VOICE, listen, listen....

We Did It!!!!

OK, so I am giving up on catching up on summer before I share what else is happening with our family....otherwise it will probably be Christmas before I get to the first day of school or anything else!

Our crazy event over the summer was we finally ditched the mini-van club!!! Call us crazy, in this lovely economy and sky rocketing gas price era we are in, but after 18months of researching SUVs and test driving and researching and test driving and talking with dealers and then thinking we should just keep our van, it is paid for, but we really want something that can pull a camping trailer and maybe even a boat.... What to do, what to do? While on our trip to Washington we realized that we really did want to trade in the van and spend the money so that we could have a family get away and a reason to escape with just our family and friends. Camping and boating is a great way to leave the world behind. So we came home and put our van on KSL, just to see what would happen. Well, it SOLD! in 5 days! So, suddenly we found ourselves as a one car family. So the research and test driving and research and test driving continued...to the point the kids refused to go to "one more" dealership and we could probably tell you anything you want to know about any SUV! Our first thought was to purchase the GMC Acadia (for a year we test drove and thought about and test drove and watched prices...we know the "GM Guy" really well), but when we were finally ready to buy they did not have any 2008 with the options that we wanted and they were not making anymore 08 models so we'd have to wait for the 09 model....so back to research and test driving...when we discovered the new 2009 Honda Pilot pulls 4500 lbs and seemed to be a perfect fit for what our family wanted and needed...so we ordered one...then because of production issues the dealer could not guarantee he would have it until October!!! (Being a one car family for the summer when the kids and I can ride bikes and walk places is doable, but OCT??? carpool does not work so well without a "car"!) So back to research and test driving...and in the end we found our "buggy" as we call it and WE LOVE IT!


The "Buggy", 2008 Toyota Sequoia

Confessions....

So I am a little behind on my blog and here is why.....

BREAKING DAWN

Abby took this picture because she was trying to get my attention and I was not giving it and so she picked up the camera.....:)

What more can I say?!? I am hooked and can't wait for the movie!!!!

The Olympics ......GO USA!!!!

We could not get enough...swimming, gymnastics,basketball, volleyball, track & field....all of it. It was fun to see the kids get so excited over the various sports, even act them out and play their own versions! Now what are we going to watch at night that is clean?

Way to go Phelps, Johnson, Liukin, volleyball, basketball....all of the athletes!

While we are mentioning confessions, I just have to share this.... Caleb comes running into the house, "Mom, Mom!!! My nail grew short!" You see he has been trying very hard to quit biting his nails, a very bad habit he unfortunately picked up from me. He has done very well to keep his nails out of his mouth, but not today...but of course he didn't bite it, it just grew short!

So, hopefully there will be no more distractions and I can get up-to-date ;)

Our Whirl-wind Summer....Lake Powell:The trip of a LIFE TIME

So...what do you do when an old friend invites you to come to Lake Powell for the 4th of July weekend to stay on his houseboat....but you have been training to run the 4th of July 5k with your friend and your close-enough-to-be-family friend is blessing his first son and you are leaving for a trip 6:00 a.m. on July 8?


You say, oh that would be fun, but I can't bail this weekend. So he says, I'll fly you down AND bring the helicopter...

So what do you do.....?

You GO!!!!!!!!!

And you have the trip of a lifetime!!! (Thank you Brandie for not killing me, or even seriously injuring me...I promise the next 5k I am there! And Matt and Ashley for knowing we really do love you!)

This is the houseboat....

or should we say floating mansion!!!! It is 78' long and 20 ft' wide. 4 floors, 5 bedrooms, 5 1/2 bathrooms...a garage. This is the biggest houseboat on Lake Powell! It came into the marina in 8 sections and was built on the lake. Afterwards the rangers said no more! Now boats can not be any longer than 75 feet. If Jer were ever to take the boat off of Lake Powell he could never bring it back!


Here are the toys that stay with the boat... 2 boats and 2 jet skis.

In addition...did you notice the sweet Nordic pictured with the houseboat? It has a 500 horsepower turbo engine and glides over the water so fast that our cheeks were plastered to our ears!

As promised....here is the helicopter!

We left Salt Lake from Airport II...

This picture says it all....

we were beyond excited!

Caleb and Abby happily waiting for take off.

Bryan sat up with the pilot!


We flew to Paige, AZ. Arriving 45 minutes later!

(Definately beats the 6 hour drive :)

Views from the air.....

Once in AZ we went to the boat and stayed there that night.





The next morning we played around in the water...beating the heat!








This is the only time Caleb was fully in the water! He loved the sandy shore, riding in the boats and on the jet ski, but was fine to never be in the water! Abby, however, LIVED in the water. She must have been a fish once upon a time.....

Caleb and Bryan taking in the

beauty of Lake Powell

while we were moving

to our little cove.

Bryan learned a bit about boating and even drove the boat to our anchoring spot ....Caleb loved helping dad, especially honking the horn!













Abby rode in the Nordic boat... they went so fast that they would stop and jump in the water to keep cool and to wait for the houseboat to catch up! As fun as it was, 2 hours was a much longer ride than any of us expected! By the time we anchored they were all ready to get out.






Once we arrived at our little cove to anchor it was time to dig, and dig, and dig, and dig....for a very big boat has very BIG anchors.







Despite all of the digging the kids could not get enough of it and were often found digging and playing in the very soft red sand....

Getting a little help from John.


The Sand Castle
More sand and digging fun....















A view of the sand mountain and rock behind where we anchored.

Try as I might to get Caleb to jump in, he was happy as can be just splashing around. I think all the water was just a bit overwhelming to him. Nonetheless, he was happy as could be.... Who needs to get in anymore than this?

ABBY, of course!

Abby could not wait to jump in and swim...jump in and swim was her moto.

In fact she even took to the idea of jumping off the houseboat.......

from the 2ND Floor no less!!!! Go Abby! (Thanks Barb for the picture :) ).

Mom joined in the fun, jumping from the very top of the houseboat!?! (Abby would have if we would have let her! She begged and begged.)

It was a bit higher looking down from the top.... but the thrill of the fall was worth it :) !

The only thing better than jumping from a boat was to drive a boat.






No matter what you were doing
Lake Powell was a blast.








The highlight, if you really could pick a highlight from all of the adventure and amazment, was the Helicopter ride.

To quote Abby, "I LOVED IT!"

Pictures say a thousand words....

It was a trip of a lifetime...a weekend at Lake Powell like no other!
We were spoiled, for most people can only dream of a trip like this. Fortunately for us...we will live this trip over and over in our dreams. A Million Thank Yous, Jeremy and Sharla!




Caleb was doing all he could to stay awake on the trip home....Abby started dreaming almost from take off!!