Aubrey is 6!

Its that time of year again...that time of the year that one of my kids gets older and then by association makes me older. Gee, that seems to be happening a lot. Maybe that is why people have only 2 children...only 2 reminders per year that they are getting older.

I just want to know exactly when it was that Aubrey got so old!

Six is ancient, isn't it?? I mean, I can remember pretty clearly when I was six. And after six is seven and after that fifteen...wait, she already acts like she is fifteen. Anyway, all joking aside Aubrey is now six. It was a rather rushed birthday for her...which isn't any fun really. We had Cub Scouts the night of her birthday and Steve had class that night so the night before we threw together an impromptu party for her. She didn't mind..she got her presents early! She is a sweetheart. I'm not quite sure what this motley crew would be like without her. Happy Birthday Aubrey!

Wow does a computer make a difference!

We have needed a computer for a long time...apparently I didn't even know how long that amount of time has been. We've been shopping around for a couple of weeks now and found a floor model at Best Buy for a great price. You have to understand that I am NOT the one normally to push for a new computer but we bought our laptop 2 years ago when we moved to the ATL and lets just say, 'it has some issues'. (I have to whisper that because it is sitting right next to me and while still holding some of our data hostage, I had better not offend it.) It overheats and will turn off when you are getting to something really good. Like having 12 pictures loaded but not posted. You know something extremely frustrating like that. Always the most convenient times possible.
Anywho, I was getting nervous about all of precious data that my computer houses. I'm kind of a nut when it comes to pictures, 'cause I can't really remember anything about last month or beyond without looking at pictures. So I am really paranoid that something might happen to my binary brain. Steve however just likes the gadgets so I had to be certain that getting a new computer was something I was willing to do before I breathed a word of it to him...'cause as soon as the word 'computer' was out of my mouth he was at Fry's (the man's superstore).
But may I just say that I didn't even realize how slow our old computer was until now. Its like a whole new world has opened up to me. Heck, why do you think I am posting something without a picture, it is just so unlike me.
So allow me to apologize to all of those 'gadget-geeks' out there. None of which actually read my blog, except my husband. "Way to go! I guess technology doesn't stink after all!."

First Day of School, Baby!

It was the first day of school on Monday. Here are the troops...all ready for a day of adventure! They don't look very excited but we wanted to make sure we made it to the bus. So we ran!! Well, we ran mainly out of excitement, we weren't really that late. Little did we know...

Here is our cute little kindergartener waiting for the bus. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the bus...

Here are the kids (notice how sweaty they are- not from the run, just from being outside) this is 30 minutes after the bus was supposed to come. It never did show up and on the first day of school -- AWFUL! We had to drive them. So poor Aubrey did not get to ride the bus on the first day of school. The one thing she has been looking forward to doing since last year. Probably since before that, maybe since she was two. I guess we have to be flexible but I know she was disappointed. Well, I guess she did ride it home that day. I just didn't get a picture of it.

Now here is a picture of me relaxing...with only 2 children to take care of. Mind you its the worst of the group to care for, and without the older kids helping out, its even worse to try and keep my eye on them both. That's why there's no picture of me relaxing :)

Happy School Daze!!

More Utah Picts..

Well, thanks to my friend Shanna for giving me some faith back in Blogger. I decided to post the rest of our Utah trip. We had such a good time I would have a hard time not sharing every piece of it.

WHEELER FARM

Our trip to Wheeler Farm. The kids look so excited to be there, right?! Just wait until they get on the horses!
Okay, she doesn't look all that excited but it is the one thing she wanted to do in Utah, and, as she puts it, her favorite thing to do..ride horses.

This is how you know your kids are growing up....they are too big for the horse!

Like I said...too big for the horse. He looks like a giant sitting on a regular sized horse.

Okay, that is about right, size-wise. He sure liked that.


HERITAGE PARK

This statue is just on entering the park. It was such a nice park. I really wanted the kids to get a feel for the pioneers while we were in Utah. Their ancestors were pioneers and I wanted them to connect with that a little this trip. We needed a little western, pioneer spirit in our day.

Riding the tram around the park.

The mini-train. We rode it like 3 times. It was really fun.
I don't have a lot of pictures of all of the pioneer houses but each picture reminds me of what a great day we had.

BECCA'S BAPTISM

One of their favorite cousins - Becca had her baptism while we were there. And Kudos to Steph, my sister, who drove all the way back to Georgia with me and 5 kids. She is definately a trooper and a great friend. It's one of those things you can only ask a sister to do with you.

The younger troup of cousins. Logan, Hayden, Scott, Matt, Becca, Alex, Lauren, Aubrey and Tyler. Okay we are still missing a few.


LIBERTY PARK

I realized this is the first time my kids had been on a ferris wheel. Notice the boys are messing their pants and Aubrey is having a blast.

Tyler riding the plane.

Now the boys are having fun!

Drying out after some fun in the 7 canyon rivers.

Grandma showing her crazy side.

BOATING AT UTAH LAKE

Kim (my sister-in-law) took this awesome picture of Alex. Isn't he handsome!

My brother Curt letting us out on the tube.

Having a blast!

I never thought Utah Lake would be so beautiful.

OQUIRRH MOUNTAIN TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE

I thought it would be a good opportunity to take the kids and see the inside of a temple. It was beautiful inside and I think the kids were really impressed.

Tylers funny little face. He pulls this one all the time. It cracks me up!


OUR TRIP BACK TO GEORGIA

Our stop in Little America Wyoming. The kids are enjoying an ice cream cone and being out of the car.

Our stop in Independence MO. They have a nice visitors center there. It was a good time for a rest.



When we pulled in the garage Steve had made us little signs that said 'Finish Line' and 'You made it' and 'We missed you' signs. It sure was a warm welcome. We sure love our daddy and love to be home with him.

Summer Fun--upside-down and backwards :)

Alright it has been a long time! I realized that because I forgot how to use this STINKIN' program! I'm in the middle of this post and everything is upside-down and backwards. And there isn't a way to cut and paste so it looks right. It is all screwed up but I'm going to have to post it the way it is. Hope you can make sense of it. Sorry!

Nice intro...but this is our trip to Utah all upside-down and backwards. My first comments are on the bottom. Cute, really cute!

Jakey taking an up-close look of the giant turtle creature.
My favorite shot! The creative mastermind is Matt, my nephew in the sharks mouth. Notice in all of the pictures he is having as much fun as the little kids! He is a hoot!

Steve's favorite shot. I think he takes the same shot everytime we go to the Dino Museum.

Building some kind of mutant.

Afterwards we ate at JCW's burgers -- Yummm!!

One moment of the 50+ hours we spent in the car - a calm moment at least!

We love this picture of Tyler in Kindgom City MO where we stopped for breakfast the first morning. (notice he's still in his jammies...and the cape of course!)

Part of the reason we came--Becky and her new husband Georg had a mini-reception in beautiful Heber City. We missed the reception but came wheeling in just for the picture. Notice Steve and I look so fabulous after 29 hours of driving and hardly any sleep.

My kids had to get a picture in front of the "clam-shell fountain" on Temple Square. They always remember this fountain for some reason. Here they are with Aunt Stephanie, cousins Becca and Scott who we spent a LOT of our time with in Utah.

The Heritage Park mini-train. We had such a GREAT time here! My kids and I had never been and they had all sorts of fun extra activities that day including free popsicles, candy and Native American dancing. It was awesome!!

We're back! Oh, did you not notice we were gone?! Probably not. Did I fall off the face of blogger-world? Well, kinda. You kind of understand, I guess that I have 5 kids and it has been summer. So what is it that you do with 5 kids all summer when your husband has classes everynight? That's a good question! I solved it by packing my family up and going to Utah for several weeks. I figured Steve wasn't really around anyway and he wouldn't miss us. The way it worked out though we finagled it that he drove out to Utah with us and then he flew home to his grinding schedule. KUDOS to him! He really is the hero of this story. Poor guy has to drive across the country with us 28 hours; spend only a few days in Utah seeing everything and everyone and then getting back to his work, school, homework, (repeat, until exhausted) while trying to do his laundry, cooking, and taking care of the dog, cat, fish and hamster. Can one man really do that? (well, one woman can, but a man?!) Well he did. The best part was that he missed us like crazy -- and we missed him too; while we were swimming at the pool, boating at the lake, visiting Heritage Park, Liberty Park and Wheeler Farm, hanging out with family and friends and eating at Cafe Rio.

I'm trying to be like Jesus.

Our little boy is a big boy now! He's 8 and he chose to be baptized. We are so proud of him and he was so excited! It turned out to be a lovely day, eventhough we were sad to be missing our families that live so far away. It would have been nice to share it with them. Hayden has really surprized me with his mature attitude about choosing to follow Jesus. I think he really understands to make that covenant. We are really proud of him!

(did I say that already?)



The baptiser and baptisee...


The Clan -- minus Tyler, he got tired of waiting for all of us to look the same direction.

Here he is talking to his best friend, Hyrum.

Enjoying root beer floats after the baptism.

The closing song we sang is one of my favorite Primary songs. I even typed it in the program. I thought I would share the words:

I'm trying to be like Jesus, I'm following in His way.

I'm trying to love as He did, In all that I do and say.

At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,

But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

'Love one another' as Jesus loves you.

Try to show kindness in all that you do.

Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought

For these are the things Jesus taught."

We have a graduate!

Miss Linda
Miss Jody

Aubrey is a big graduate! Pre-K graduate it is. Aubreys birthday falls 2 days after the school cut-off, so I had a battle with myself at the beginning of the school year (well, at the end of last years school, rather) She was SO ready to go to kindergarten but I couldn't bend the rules to get her in. A preschool in town was recommended to me and I'm really glad we figured out the finances to send her. She made some great friends (and so did mom!), had 2 wonderful teachers and she loved being able to go to school too. She excelled in everthing she did and is thrilled about learning. We are proud of you, Sue-bee-doob!!