Jonah, Ellie and Mason
Jessica, now in kindergarten. She started school a week after the older kids.
Ellie---starting 2nd grade.
Jonah---flying into 4th grade.
Mason---starting 4th grade.Sunday, September 20, 2009
First day of school
Jonah, Ellie and Mason Jessica, now in kindergarten. She started school a week after the older kids. Ellie---starting 2nd grade. Jonah---flying into 4th grade. Mason---starting 4th grade.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Quick up date
Busy, Busy, Busy all of the time. Sometimes hard work, sometimes fun. Always on the go: Sailing with friends at Jordanelle, Father and sons camping trip for the boys, a Yard sale for the kids to earn money and to help clean out the house. Steph's family visiting in August, sooo much chaotic fun. We love cousins. The kids have done a couple of 5K races with Jeff, Steph does the one mile with Jessica. Pony rides on labor day, dinners in the canyon, swimming and water fun, bubbles and side walk paint.
The kids are all in school, the boys in 4th grade, they are learning to study hard and get used to new teachers, Ellie in 2nd grade whips through her homework and spelling tests, loves her friends; Jessica started Kindergarten in the AM, she loves everything about it, especially the 20 - 30 minute recap she gives me of school each day. (She talked to me about Obama's speach yesterday for at least 15 minutes.)
Jeff still job hunting; going stir crazy, wanting to be working. Helping around the house, frequent bike rides, helping at the kids school and with cub scouts.
Steph working, working, then playing with kids and hubby. I spent 6 hours helping the PTA pres. with a school fundraiser today. (Jeff spent 5 hours helping with bike safety training at the school today too. I think we have most of our volunteer hours in for the year.
House is off the market for now. We'll try again next spring.
In the meantime, I love the beautiful weather, I love a morning without children and enjoy when the children come home. I love cleaning out corners of the house after the yard sale.
Life is good, life is busy, life is fun.
(Pictures to follow)
The kids are all in school, the boys in 4th grade, they are learning to study hard and get used to new teachers, Ellie in 2nd grade whips through her homework and spelling tests, loves her friends; Jessica started Kindergarten in the AM, she loves everything about it, especially the 20 - 30 minute recap she gives me of school each day. (She talked to me about Obama's speach yesterday for at least 15 minutes.)
Jeff still job hunting; going stir crazy, wanting to be working. Helping around the house, frequent bike rides, helping at the kids school and with cub scouts.
Steph working, working, then playing with kids and hubby. I spent 6 hours helping the PTA pres. with a school fundraiser today. (Jeff spent 5 hours helping with bike safety training at the school today too. I think we have most of our volunteer hours in for the year.
House is off the market for now. We'll try again next spring.
In the meantime, I love the beautiful weather, I love a morning without children and enjoy when the children come home. I love cleaning out corners of the house after the yard sale.
Life is good, life is busy, life is fun.
(Pictures to follow)
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Boys Birthday Party
Jeff as a Secret Agent, Shiloh, the dog, as his assistant, Jonah and Mason
The Mystery Birthday cupcakes
The spread of snacks.
The boys wanted a murder mystery for their birthday party. Due to busy schedules, we held their party in May, a month after their birthday. This was one of the first parties that Jeff took charge, I loved it!!!
Jeff dressed as a secret agent and all of the kids coming to the party were secret agents in training. Our neighbor, who is a detective, had some crime scene tape Jeff used around the whole front yard. Many of the guests were friends from the kids school who I had met before but their parents had never met us. Those parents sat in front of our house for up to 10 minutes unsure if they should let their child out of the car. Jeff stood on the front porch, not moving with Shiloh at his side. As some of the neighbor kids came in, the leary parents then let their child out of the car to come up to the house. Jeff took each child as they came, one at a time, gave them a secret bag with special equipment, handcuffs, magnifying glass etc. (purchased at the dollar store). Each bag had a secret agent name on it and the child got a corresponding name tag ie. Agent Smart, Detective Scooby, Agent Blart, Detective McGruff, Agent Flatulent (that was Jeff's idea), Inspector Gadget etc.
Jeff had Shiloh sniff each present the child brought and then taught the child a secret knock. The child in turn had to do the secret knock in which Jonah and Mason would answer the door and let them in. It was so funny, the kids were talking at the end of the party how scared they were of Jeff and how they were nervous they would mess up the secret knock. (Every time a kid came, Jeff changed the knock.)
The kids came in and trained in three things: Fingerprinting, where they all did their own finger prints. Target practice, they shot dart guns at targets drawn on our sliding glass door. Lastly the physical test was an obstacle coarse in the backyard they were timed on.
After those activities the kids stopped to have snacks. While the kids were snacking and laughing I let out a blood curdling scream. I held up an envelope with red bloody fingerprints on it. That was the first clue of the murder mystery. There were 10 clues, the kids had to figure out the rhyme and find the next clue. They loved it. I loved that the kids were old enough to read and logically think of each clue. All I had to do was sit back and watch them. Our dog Jenna ended up being the victim and Ellie was the murder. It's a kids party, we couldn't make it too gory.
Then came presents and cupcakes. The boys played and had such a great time. This was one of the funnest parties I have done. I think it was due to the age and ability of the kids. It is nice to have two kids done in one party too.
The Mystery Birthday cupcakes
The spread of snacks.
The boys wanted a murder mystery for their birthday party. Due to busy schedules, we held their party in May, a month after their birthday. This was one of the first parties that Jeff took charge, I loved it!!!
Jeff dressed as a secret agent and all of the kids coming to the party were secret agents in training. Our neighbor, who is a detective, had some crime scene tape Jeff used around the whole front yard. Many of the guests were friends from the kids school who I had met before but their parents had never met us. Those parents sat in front of our house for up to 10 minutes unsure if they should let their child out of the car. Jeff stood on the front porch, not moving with Shiloh at his side. As some of the neighbor kids came in, the leary parents then let their child out of the car to come up to the house. Jeff took each child as they came, one at a time, gave them a secret bag with special equipment, handcuffs, magnifying glass etc. (purchased at the dollar store). Each bag had a secret agent name on it and the child got a corresponding name tag ie. Agent Smart, Detective Scooby, Agent Blart, Detective McGruff, Agent Flatulent (that was Jeff's idea), Inspector Gadget etc.
Jeff had Shiloh sniff each present the child brought and then taught the child a secret knock. The child in turn had to do the secret knock in which Jonah and Mason would answer the door and let them in. It was so funny, the kids were talking at the end of the party how scared they were of Jeff and how they were nervous they would mess up the secret knock. (Every time a kid came, Jeff changed the knock.)
The kids came in and trained in three things: Fingerprinting, where they all did their own finger prints. Target practice, they shot dart guns at targets drawn on our sliding glass door. Lastly the physical test was an obstacle coarse in the backyard they were timed on.
After those activities the kids stopped to have snacks. While the kids were snacking and laughing I let out a blood curdling scream. I held up an envelope with red bloody fingerprints on it. That was the first clue of the murder mystery. There were 10 clues, the kids had to figure out the rhyme and find the next clue. They loved it. I loved that the kids were old enough to read and logically think of each clue. All I had to do was sit back and watch them. Our dog Jenna ended up being the victim and Ellie was the murder. It's a kids party, we couldn't make it too gory.
Then came presents and cupcakes. The boys played and had such a great time. This was one of the funnest parties I have done. I think it was due to the age and ability of the kids. It is nice to have two kids done in one party too.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
One year older and wiser too...
My birthday was this monday, 7/13. I had worked 6 days straight the previous week and I turned down many shifts so I could have my birthday off, I needed the break.
Jessica woke me at 7:45 with breakfast in bed, a bowl of cereal, yogurt and a bottle of water. She tried to wake the other kids to help but she ended up fixing the cereal all by herself. About 45 minutes later, Jeff came home from his morning at the gym and served me breakfast in bed also, fajita omelet, hash browns, pancakes, fruit and juice. (He came up with this genius idea last year and stops by a restaurant, buys the breakfast, puts in on plates from home and serves it in bed. Genius right??) Everyone grabbed a fork and there was plenty of food to fill us all.
I went for a morning massage, compliments of my mother's day gift certificates. The massage was wonderful, I finally felt full relief in my hip and leg from a pinched nerve I've been dealing with for 2 weeks.
I came home, opened presents, cute clothes, Mama Mia DVD, lotion and gummy bears. Jeff made a cake, we ordered pizza and took it all up to his grandma's and went swimming. We were there for 4 hours, swimming, eating, enjoying the sunshine and the lazy afternoon. Below are pictures of swimming, the kids and the dogs. So much fun!!!!
So many dogs and children. Two of these dogs are Jeff's cousin and grandma's.
Jessica resting on the deck.
Jeff had fun getting the dogs to jump off the diving board.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Obon Festival
Our wonderful neighbors have invited us to go to the Buddhist Obon Festival the last couple of years. This year they invited our girls to dance in the festival with them. We have really enjoyed celebrating in the festivals, good food, fun, good food, and we enjoy the decorations and being part of a cultural event. The festival this year was Saturday July 11th.
Jessica and Ellie with the cute little neighbor twins Josh and Max.
Ellie, Jessica, Josh and Max getting ready to start dancing.
Ellie dancing. Isn't she cute dressed in her Japanese clothing??
Jessica, so cute in her Kimono, getting ready to dance.
Jessica and Ellie with the cute little neighbor twins Josh and Max.
Ellie, Jessica, Josh and Max getting ready to start dancing.
Ellie dancing. Isn't she cute dressed in her Japanese clothing??
Jessica, so cute in her Kimono, getting ready to dance.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Catching up
I am trying to do a little back blogging to get caught up, so check the back dated blogs. I don't like them out of order and since I can change the date to keep them in order you may miss some former posts.
Father's Day
I've been blessed in my life to have many wonderful men in my life from the time I was little. I know everyone isn't that lucky. I have a great dad and wonderful brothers. I have grandfather's whose example was always visible. I have had wonderful bishops, seminary teachers, mission president, missionary's in the mission field etc. I am grateful to all of them for setting such a great example of manhood. This also helped me to know what kind of man I wanted to marry. Jeff is such a fabulous companion for me and a wonderful Dad to the kids.
We had a fun father's day despite my horrible case of strep throat the day before. Jeff needed new bike tires so that was his main gift from Mason and me. Ellie got Jeff tickets to the movie "Up". Jessica wanted to get Jeff Honey roasted peanuts because those are some of his favorite. Jonah gave him a box cliff bars for bike rides. The kids made a candy gram card for Jeff, they were thrilled, it was the first time the kids had seen a candy gram. It went like this:
Dear Dad,
We sure SKOR'D with you as our dad. You are MOUNDS above the rest when you TAKE 5 and play baseball with us or play WATCHAMACALLIT games. you stick with through life's TWIX and turns, through crunch times and even when we are BUTTERFINGER'S or AIRHEADS.
Everyday is REESES with you whether we are at a SYMPHONY or on 5TH AVE spending 100 GRAND. You are KISSABLE and we know you love KITKAT.
Love always your JUNIOR MINTS
We made baked french toast with apple syrup and sausage on strawberries ont he side for father's day breakfast. I stayed home from church and rested since I was still contagious with Strep. That evening Jeff's family came over for dinner. It was a really nice day and I was grateful to be recovering form strep and not Swine flu.
We had a fun father's day despite my horrible case of strep throat the day before. Jeff needed new bike tires so that was his main gift from Mason and me. Ellie got Jeff tickets to the movie "Up". Jessica wanted to get Jeff Honey roasted peanuts because those are some of his favorite. Jonah gave him a box cliff bars for bike rides. The kids made a candy gram card for Jeff, they were thrilled, it was the first time the kids had seen a candy gram. It went like this:
Dear Dad,
We sure SKOR'D with you as our dad. You are MOUNDS above the rest when you TAKE 5 and play baseball with us or play WATCHAMACALLIT games. you stick with through life's TWIX and turns, through crunch times and even when we are BUTTERFINGER'S or AIRHEADS.
Everyday is REESES with you whether we are at a SYMPHONY or on 5TH AVE spending 100 GRAND. You are KISSABLE and we know you love KITKAT.
Love always your JUNIOR MINTS
We made baked french toast with apple syrup and sausage on strawberries ont he side for father's day breakfast. I stayed home from church and rested since I was still contagious with Strep. That evening Jeff's family came over for dinner. It was a really nice day and I was grateful to be recovering form strep and not Swine flu.
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