Megan 2012 update

Our beautiful Megan is now a teenager at 13 and just started the 8th grade. She is growing up too fast and becoming quite the beautiful, caring, and sweet sister. She is such a helper at home which mom is grateful for.  She is very social and has many friends.  She fits in everywhere she is and is a good example to everyone.  She likes to Facebook, and text and spend time with her friends.  She still has no interest in makeup but for the first time this year has gotten more into what she looks like.  Every now and then she will do her hair cute, but no makeup!
 She played on the softball and basketball teams at school and learned a lot and did very well for her first competitive sports teams.  She is a natural.  We all enjoyed going to her games and cheering her on.  She started babysitting and enjoys earning and saving her money.  She loves music and enjoyed planning and putting on the talent show at the family reunion this summer.

 Megan has a tender heart and is a pleaser.  She makes us proud!  She does well in school and stays out of any trouble and away from boys so far which we are glad.  She spent her birthday money this summer and chose to fly to Utah to spend time with her aunt Heidi and Aunt Mary and families.  She helped Mary a ton with her new baby and family.  She also enjoyed YW girls camp and especially the family reunion.

We often rely on meg to babysit so mom and dad can go on date night which she is happy to do.  She is so responsible and trustworthy which is awesome. She is sensitive and recognizes when mom and dad need a break and often cleans the house to surprise us. We are blessed to have our only daughter be so amazing and we look forward to many more fun years ahead! Hopefully as good as the past years have been... and no trouble teenage years pleeeease!

Austin 2012 update

Austin has grown up so much this past year. He is now taller than his mother and just started jr high in the 7th grade at age 12. This was a special birthday this year as he received the priesthood. This was a neat experience and we enjoyed the company of his grandpa Christensen, grandpa  Harmon(grumpy), great grandpa Papa Harmon, great grandpa Papa Kanaga, and uncle Chad. We all squeezed into the bishops office for this awesome experience. 

Austin is growing taller and trying to figure out life of a pre teen! The joys that come with growing up! Not sure mom is ready for this. He started jr high and tested into advanced math, science, and literature. He is one smart young man. He stills enjoys reading and goes through many many books each month. He also joined the swim team this summer and enjoyed learning the different strokes and how difficult real swimming really is! He and his dad along with his primary class boys got to go on an amazing adventure as they hiked the grand canyon down and up in one day. It was around 22 miles and extremely difficult. They both stuck it out and survived! What an accomplishment it was.

We look forward to Austin serving a mission and setting a good example to his younger brothers as he already has so far.  We are anxious to see what career path he chooses as he is far more intellegent that his mom and dad ever were at that age! Gotta love our smartee pants!

Rylan update

Rylan is 9 (10 in Dec.) and in the 4th grade. He loves to be with his friend Ti. He loves sports and is especially good at basketball. He played on a few teams and always did very well!  He still loves to ride his quad and now the new razor at the dunes. He enjoyed basketball camp this summer and often got bored when just hanging out at home.  Rylan is my easy going sweet kid who talks so quiet we most often can't hear him.  Don't get me wrong, he can yell and be loud like a normal boy, but is usually soft spoken.  He is in Bears in scouts and loves loves loves to build stuff. He can make anything from just about nothing.  He takes things apart and finds ways to put them back together. He is constantly getting into dads tool box (which does not please his dad) and I will find a pile of some sort of creation somewhere in the house. He hasn't learned to clean up his mess because he is too excited to see how his creation works. Some day he will learn if he puts the tools back, dad won't notice he borrowed them! He is a very gifted artist and loves to draw his favorite things.

Rylan loves Legos and building lots of creative things.  He enjoyed our trip to Legoland and enjoyed seeing all the big things built out of Legos but is definitely a roller coaster fan and would prefer a theme park with more exciting rides. So I guess magic mountain is next!

He isn't the tallest 4 th grader but I'm sure his growth spurt will happen soon.  He is outweighed by his younger brother by 20 lbs but he knows how to hold his own next to his bigger brothers.  We are so lucky to have Rylan as a part of our family and can't wait to see what he grows up to be!

Carson update!

Carson is now 7 and just started the 2nd grade. He has had some struggles these past few years figuring out how his little body works, but is continually learning and growing and making great improvements! He is in a special class through Gilbert Public Schools called COPE since his birthday  in Feb 2012 where he moved from our home school. It is a small class with only 8 kids k-3rd grade which allows the extra help with kids who struggle with emotional and behavioral needs. He has done really well and has quickly begun the inclusion into a regular classroom for parts of his day.  He enjoys school except for reading which he struggles with. He is really good at math and is quick with his numbers. He is happy and enjoys school (which is such an improvement from last year)

Carson loves to swim and play with his best friend Cole. He enjoys watching Netflix on the iPad and loves anything war or cooking related. He has watched every episode of cake boss, and likes war documentaries. He loves guns and tanks and likes to see how they were made.
He has a funny sense of humor and likes to make people laugh.

He has a special bond with his dad and loves to spend time with him. When asked how is day went he doesn't respond to mom much but when dad gets home, he's happy to share everything. Mom doesn't think this is very fair! He is up early (like his dad) and can often be found in his bed in the evening when he gets to tired to keep going!

This year for his birthday he and Rylan got a surprise trip to CA where mom and dad took them to Legoland and the beach. Carson especially loved the beach and could have spent hours upon hours playing in the sand and water. It gave him a sense of calmness. We love making those fun memories!

This summer he swam on the swim team, played with friends, enjoyed visiting Grandmas, and the family reunion in the mountains. This kid is all boy and loves to be outside.

It's Time to Start Blogging Again!

I decided I needed to start blogging again.  Too much of life is passing by and this is the best way to journal.  It is impossible to catch up on all thats been going on so I will post on each of us and whats going on with us now!

Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We are all healthy and happy (most of the time)! This year we hosted Christmas Eve with the Harmon clan. We had our traditional steak sandwiches and enjoyed our busy house! Christmas day we enjoyed opening our gifts with our own family and Aaron. This year Santa had a surprise on the tree! After all the gifts were opened the kids noticed the clues in the tree. Each of us had a treasure hunt for the last gift. They had a blast searching for each clue that took them to their final gift! So much fun. Even mom and dad had a clue that Aaron had made. It was so creative and fun! We will enjoy a weekend away while he babysits one last time before heading to Germany. Also we enjoyed watching as each kid opened the gift they got each other. They use their own money they have earned to buy each other gifts. This is moms favorite part of the day. They are so excited to watch the sibling open their gift. It has made for some sweet memories on Christmas Day.
We enjoyed Grandma Lorie and Grandpa Paul's visit Christmas day

Aaron busy helping carson open each of his presents and play with them!

Dad and Rylan spent hours putting together his lego Star Wars ship

Megan and Austin found a clue and reading the next one of the treasure hunt

Helping Carson read his clues!

And he found his gift . . .

which was a soft air gun

In search of more clues! Santa was creative!

Rylan found his gift which is just what he wanted! A skateboard

Megan opening her gift from Carson

So thrilled to get gifts from each other! Carson was especially excited to watch the kids open what he bought and wrapped for them. (even if it was just a slinky)

Megan being beautiful! She got a camera this year so maybe she can start her own blog and post pictures!

Austin got a nook for Christmas! I hope he enjoys it!

The boys each got a nerf gun.

To Megan, love Santa

To Austin, Love Santa

To Rylan, Love Santa

To Carson love Santa

Christmas Eve cousins gift exchange.

My only kid that will sit on santa lap!

Waffles with strawberry and whip cream Christmas breakfast!

What we passed out to friends and neighbors!

Thanksgiving 2010

This year we hosted my family for Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful dinner and dessert. We had the Harmons, Crocketts, Aaron, Mom and Don, and Dad and Lorie!
pecan, coconut cream, & pumpkin on my plate. We did have apple too

Carson at his school feast!