what's new

well since my last post a million hours ago we have had quite a bit happen.  it is hard to look back and remember everything and if i was really on top of things then i would jot them down on this blog as they happen, but i'm not on the ball with anything.  so i'll just give some highlights!

in january i took on another role for myself - full-time student!  i must be crazy, but this time around i have decided to see it through to the end and finally get my degree.  i will be getting my speech therapy degree from utah state and should complete this in a few years.  they have a online/distance learning bachelors program that they offer through the brigham city and kaysville sites so i will be able to do this from home or pretty close to it.  i can't wait.  this semester was tough as i tried to juggle family, work, and homework, but i made it through and finally finished all my finals last week.  it was a successful semester and i must say that i am a little proud of myself.

chase turned 4 on april 8 and he has become quite a little farm boy.  he wanted overalls and work gloves for his birthday and he was so excited to wear these to work on the farm with his dad the last couple of weekends. he is so smart and his personality is hilarious.  he loves preschool at teacher andrea's and he can't wait to play soccer this next fall.

nadya was picked to participate on the competition team at her dance studio.  she is so excited and has been waiting to do this for quite some time.  it will require quite a bit more dedication, but she can hardly contain her excitement and wishes that the summer would come sooner so that she can start the classes.  her recital is coming up for this year and she has really improved so much with her dancing. 

hannah has been participating on the track team for wahlquist and had her first track meet on friday.  she beat her goal time by 11 seconds in the 800 m run.  she has really enjoyed doing this and finding her own thing to participate in.  she has really missed dance, but hasn't been wanting to go back to it so luckily track has worked out to be her thing.  she also was named an 8th grade officer for next year!  she was so excited to find out that she had made it and can't wait to get started planning things and having a rockin year with everyone.  she loves school and dreads the weekends when she is away from her friends. 

christian is also starting baseball in a few weeks and although this isn't his favorite sport, he knows that football is just around the corner and so he is preparing for that with his own workouts at home.  he likes to help brent with his team at school and feels like he is just as big as they are and sometimes i am afraid that they won't remember that he is only 7.  in september he will be baptized and he is really excited to be able to go to scouts.

i have a ton of pictures to post, but wanted to get some of these things down before they all left my empty head! 

long awaited update

well it's about time for an update i think!!! so much has happened since the last time i posted, which was in may! so i'll do a quick rundown of our happenings and post a few pics and then start fresh for the new year. so when everyone last checked in on the blanch bunch nadya had just turned 9 and we were awaiting brent's official graduation.  he had just finished his first year of teaching and coaching wrestling and he was so excited to finally hold that piece of paper in his hand.  we were all so proud of him. 

the kids finished school and we prepared for a huge event in hannah's life---her first girls camp!!  needless to say i was a wreck but she was so excited.  she wasn't officially 12 yet, but since she was going to be entering the wild world of junior high then she was able to go!  her first experience was so fun, crazy, spiritual, and wild that she can't wait to go back next year and not be a 1st year beehive and get initiated again. 

we then celebrated mya's first birthday.  i cannot believe how fast that first year went.  she is such a funny kiddo.  she has everyone wrapped around her little finger and melts us all with her infectious smile and giggle.  she is a complete ham and loves all the attention!

we then packed up everyone, including grandma and grandpa hancock, and headed off to the magic kingdom!!!  we spent a couple of days in disneyland and also at the beach in corona del mar!!!  it was so much fun to see the kids reactions to all the characters and ride all the rides!  the week went by too fast and they keep asking when we can go back.  i took so many pics that there is no way to even pick which ones i like the best, but here are a few from disneyland and the beach...

after we came home we celebrated hannah's 12th birthday and then spent a relaxing summer just chillin' and swimmin' and waiting for school to start.  hannah then went off to 7th grade at wahlquist, nadya started 4th grade, christian started 1st grade, chase started preschool, and mya hung out with mommy at home.  just before school started brent was named head football coach at mt. ogden junior high and also athletic director for the school.  so he has had quite a busy year with football, wrestling, and his many other duties.  he loves being involved with all the sports and the kids.  nadya started dance again and christian has been wrestling.  hannah will be starting piano soon and is very busy with all her friends, texting, young womens, texting, school activities, texting, texting, texting, and will be starting track soon.  so she is a typical teenager!!!!  during the weekend of my birthday (the big 34) we met up with jared and his family, who live in arizona, in kanab and hiked a little in the grand canyon and swam and just hung out.   

halloween and thanksgiving were spent with family and friends and soon enough christmas was at our door.  the kids have had a good break from school, but some of them (hannah) can't wait to go back.  so now that is a little bit of an update of our happenings through the last six months or so.  thanks for hanging in and reading this entire thing. 

we have been so blessed this last year and look forward to another year of good health, happiness, and craziness that surround our family!!!

9 years old!

yesterday nadya turned 9 years old. i can't believe how fast that time has gone. she is just finishing her 3rd grade school year in miss nopper's class and she has done so well. she is so smart and does so well with everything that comes her way. she is also looking forward to performing in her dance recital this weekend. she has been dancing for 6 years now and is so good! we love you nadya and love your sweet smile that greets us every morning and your crazy sense of humor.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADYBUG!

new family pics

we just had some new adorable pics taken of our family in the field behind our house. the grass is coming up so green and it just makes the pics so fun. my cousin ashlee took them and she did awesome!!! so if you are looking at getting some good pics done give her a call, she was great (and very patient with my five rowdy kids!) thanks ashlee we couldn't be happier. the only problem i have with them is that it is too hard to choose what ones i like the most. this is just a few of the many!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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graduation day!

so i know that back in jan or so i posted that brent had finished school and was working as a teacher at mt ogden junior high and that was true. he finished the teaching program in dec and had secured his position at the school, but he had one physics class to finish and so he decided that he wanted to walk after he finished that class since he would be completely done. so on friday april 22 at 10:30 a.m. brent became a weber state university graduate!!!! i cannot tell you how proud i was as i watched him walk through with the other graduates. the kids all got to skip school and come, my parents were there, brent's parents and his aunt verla, and also brian and his wife dawn came down from montana to be there for him. i won't say that i was very composed during this ceremony, but it has been a long, long road and so many of our family members have helped us get through his college career. i am so grateful for our families and all their support for us. we love you and couldn't have done it without you! we took some fun pics outside afterwards since the weather was cooperating that day and then we all went to maple gardens for lunch afterwards! it was such a nice day and brent said he finally felt finished even though he has been blessed to be able to teach this last year. what a blessing it has been for our family to have this job at this time. many prayers were answered last summer when this came along and i can't tell you how grateful i was!!!!




what a good lookin' guy!!!



brent, his parents, and brian



brent and my parents



the whole gang!

following the crowd

brent and i have decided to make our family blog private. i would love to have people continue to read about our adventures and i hope some people out there do, but if you would like to continue following us, please just leave a comment or send me an email and i would love to add you to our list. thanks for understanding. i just feel the need lately to hide us a little more from prying eyes out there. i will probably do this in about a week so feel free to leave a message and let me know. thanks!!!

birthday marathon

april starts our family off on a birthday marathon. april, may, june, july, august, september, and november all have one family member's birthday. this month chase gets to start us off. today my cutest little man turns 3!!!! he is such a good boy, full of energy, spunk, and loves anything remotely related to dirt, tractors, toy story, trains, and tools. he loves to be outside helping his dad and is getting to be a professional at getting into mischief. hence, the pic of him covered in flour standing on the counter!! we love you chase, happy birthday!!!!!