School started, kids are busy and life got hectic for a couple of months.  I find it humorous that I keep thinking I'm too busy to blog, or write, or read, or do anything that might be beneficial...I think Satan squeezes those thoughts in and so we find time to do those things that are time wasters but we just don't have time to do anything else....Because "I'm just TOO busy"
 Last night a girl on the volleyball team brought me a little gift.  It meant more to me then I can express .I wasn't in the house when she came by...I wish I had been. It gave me a sense of relief to know that despite our history she is a Great person and will be...some day... a great mother. I truly do love those girls!

This morning my husband and I were trying to pull ourselves out of bed to begin the day. it was about 6:30AM ..and out of the blue He says to me, "I'm so grateful for you" Now...I don't care who you are or what the reason When your husband says that to you with as much feeling and sincerity that mine did, it makes your month. He did explain though. "Satan is attacking women," he said "If he can corrupt the women he's got it made"   You know that is exactly what I needed to hear this morning. because despite everything, there are definitely times when I start to second guess the choices I've made.  I pray good women everywhere can hang on!!

Braden, Caib and Roger all headed to the Temple this morning.  Glad they all went. Aubree, Chance and Oaklee cleaned everything out of the pantry for me and washed it all down. we then reorganised it.  Which lead to sweeping and vacuuming the floors which ended right here by the computer which ended with me sitting down and checking facebook and then Blogging. Glad we cleaned the pantry. =).

This summer has been hectic and unique. We were mostly gone through the month of June and then Roger had his Back fused which ended up with us being home through the month of July but with Dad here things weren't normal. Now August is here and Volleyball will start and then school.  Time marches on. Braden is a Junior, Caib is a Sophmore, Aubree is starting middle school Chance will be in second Grade and Oaklee is in Kindergarten....I suppose some pictures of summer would be fun!

Swimming lessons

She learned to dive.

My little marine Biologist....Loves water and anything sea

Oaklee and her new Kitten

A Pretty scene

Such a wet July. playing in the puddles

Chance discovered Ironman and built himself and Oaklee a costume

just enjoying summer break

July 10th a whole herd of little girls and a birthday party.

Superhero cousins 1,2,3...

JUMP!!

Ramblings on my birthday.

The end of April and first 2.5 weeks in may are pretty busy months for us.  

 April 29th Caibs Birthday.  just as I snapped the picture, Chance, Who's little hand you see in the background, flipped off the light.  It happened twice and I gave up.  So we get a nice dark blurry picture.

 May 7th Dad's Birthday The three little ones planned a nice party for him while the rest of us spent part of the evening at the FFA banquet for Braden and Caib.  We had to be their because both boys had earned  lot's of little awards. Braden was made the sentinel for next year.

May 12th Mothers day.  THAT was a great day.  Braden followed me around making sure I didn't work to much, He even set the table for dinner.  Caib wrote and gave a talk in sacrament meeting about his Mother.  Aubree spent extra time helping me with dinner that Dad was cooking. hmmmm.  Chance did what Chance does best..  "Mom, I LOVVVVE YOU!!! all day. and little Oaklee brought home a nice little M & M game for us to play and then insisted that we had to play it. We all had to pick an M&M from the bag and then ask or answer questions depending on the color. Yellow was "Name three reasons why you love me."  Her first answer......." because it's almost summer!"  Caib loved that one and used it every time he picked yellow.  Luv his sense of humor!!!

May 14th My birthday. And....I am never disappointed This year I got a new rototiller for my garden.  I actually got it a little early and had already used it but First thing this morning (sort of) I went out and tilled my garden again....because I could!!! Don't worry...We aren't late planting. In Loa you don't plant until after Memorial day or you'll have to replant.  It always freezes until then, and then some. =)

And on the 16th of May..Is Aubree's birthday....Poor thing we are usually all caked out by then and the excitement of birthday is rapidly wearing off but, we do endure to the end and throw a fun party for her.  

little bit accident prone!!!

She slipped  and skinned her back on some ruff cement so I took a picture so she could see how bad it was.

Getting better

Hardly noticeable.

Just hanging out

With her new friend.
For some reason this turkey would walk over to where the kids were playing and plop down on the ground by them and watch ....Oaklee figured it must be lonely and befriended it.....Only Oaklee!   love her!

Sounds Like Spring.....

 My oldest son!! LOVE his smile

My second son...Love his subtle attempt to flip off the camera.  No he didn't do that on purpose...But it wouldn't have surprised me.  He HATES to get his picture taken

Just sitting here at the computer with Spring outside blowing in. and I thought, "perhaps I'll blog!!"
So....since I haven't posted pictures of the two oldest this year I thought I'd post these. But....back to spring alright, it is 43 degrees out there but the wind is howling away the grass is still as brown as ever and there is ice still on the ground, but I can feel spring in the air and the light is beautiful!! I really feel like this is the first year in Wayne County that I have actually loved spring....I mean out right joy and excitement because the light is increasing.  Yes, I was raised in a place where the daffodils and tulips pushed their way up through the last bit of snow on the ground and the weather was warmer and enticing, here you have to look for the more subtle signs of  spring and slow down and recognize the hints that nature throws at you, I have to remember that is why it is so windy here.....she has to throw them really hard so people can notice them....It causes some what of a draft.....Ah!!!!!  but I love spring time!!!

gotta share

 My to pool sharks.  There's a story here.... Caib and I were shooting pool while Oaklee waited her turn.  She kept coming in with her que stick and chalking up while she waited.  One time she comes in with her little stick and picks up the chalk yet again and holds it up looks closely at it and instead of chalking her stick she puts the chalk to her nose and twists....Caib couldn't resist he had to join her.

Finally her turn gets here

She and Caib played a round with their green noses...the funny part was on Oaklee's second turn she walks up to the table looks at the  set up and says, "I think I'm just gonna hit this one with my nose."

What a girl!!look at that concentration.

Random pictures of the holidays.

New years day  Braden with his dislocated collar bone

 Fixing fence. Busy hands. The best picture of Caib I've gotten in a long time.

 Trying out my new camera at the Holiday tourney at Wayne.  Warming up for the game.

 Christmas Morning. Caib is checking out his new leather tooling kit.Braden and Caib generally get about the same stuff for Christmas each year.  So when opening presents this year, we usually open in turn youngest to oldest, they were alternating back and forth and laughing about how they were taking turns being surprised.  I love their ability to laugh and enjoy our traditions.

 Chance trying out his new roller skates.  Oaklee got some as well.  They spent a lot of Christmas on their behinds but by Christmas night they were zipping all over the house on the wood floors.

 Oaklee shooting her new Rifle.  She out shot every one of the rest of us. and she even learned how to load her gun all by herself.  Oh all right Caib had to help her a little but she was just sure she hit everything she aimed at. and of course we had no evidence to prove other wise.

 Chance, on the other hand, was learning that the closer you got to the target the easier it was to hit. 

 Aubree is Daddy's girl so she is going to learn to shoot no matter what, with her new 22. 

 And here are the two boys with their new pistols.  We had them wrapped under the tree but the bullets with their stuff from Santa.  They never said a word until Dad finally grabbed the packages for them to open. Then Braden piped up with "I was wondering what the bullets were for."

We had a great Christmas!  

My favourite present this year came from my Father, He taught me, as Roger and I were shopping for Christmas this year, How truly remarkable the man I married is."  Roger's middle initial is S. and I'm starting to believe that it really does stand for Santa.  I Love him for his desire to shower gifts upon his children especially at this time of year, just as our Father desires to shower gifts on us. Sometimes all it takes is just asking and trusting.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!