Don't you just love when you totally surprise the kids. I found this Risk computer game on Christmas Eve and it turned out to be a big hit with Dakota. He played a dozen times throughout the day. =0) gotta love it!


The other boys got new DS games and this is about all I heard from them for the rest of the day. =0)

I have decided that Christmas is like Thanksgiving, you have weeks and weeks of preparations, and shopping and hard work, and then it is all over in a matter of minutes??? Whats up with that?

Is this not the cutest face you have ever seen??? This is our 2nd grandson Kale. He just turned one in August and he is adorable.

Family Pic 2008. I can't believe we were able to get the whole family together finally.

It's that time of year...

Dakota and the Jazz Band played at Maceys on Saturday. They did an awesome job. Dakota got to play the drums for one song and then he played the cowbell (my favorite) and the jingle bells for another song.


Hunter had 2 concerts this week, one on Wednesday and one on Friday. He is in the beginner band this year and plays the sax. I have to say that this is the best beginner band I have ever heard play. =0)

Happy Birthday to my sweet husband. Here are some pictures of Dave doing his favorite things. I just thought I would list a few things about him that I love:

1. He takes such good care of me. I have been amazed at how he just took care of everything, including me, after I had surgery. He is awesome.

2. He is the hardest working person that I know. He would do anything to make sure that our family was taken care of.

3. He is so handsome. He takes a lot of time and hard work to make sure that he stays in shape. (Pretty good for such an old guy. hehe)

4. He lets me have free reign on painting and decorating the house in any way that I want. Even when I have to paint the walls red and he just doesn't know how it will look. He just lets me do it anyway.

5. And, I have to mention that he makes the best chocolate shakes EVER!!! =0)

A family function just wouldn't be complete without my boys doing something a little crazy. Yeah, I think I would have paid them money had they accomplished actually eating the pumpkin guts. =0) We had so much fun with our annual tradition of carving pumpkins. This year the boys came up with some really cool ideas. Logan did Frankenstein, Hunter did Jaws, and Dakota did Jack Skelington. And they all came up with the ideas on their own!! I guess they don't need Mom anymore *snif snif* Logan thought it would be fun to get out the ice cream cones and filling it up with the pumpkin guts???? And then pretended to eat it. ewwww

TAGGED: 4th picture from 4th folder

So this is a picture of Dakota at our family campout last summer. We found this awesome spot up Lake Fork and as soon as we all set up our sites, they all went down to make a dam. They had tons of fun and then later that night we went down to oooh and aaaah over their accomplishments, and we saw a little fish had taken up residence in the little pool they had created. It was tons of fun!!!

Ok, so now I tag:
1. Jen
2. Katie
3. Nikki
4. Ronda
5. Brandee

Shaving My Legs

Ok, so whoever said that having your husband shave your legs was an intimate event - They are soooo wrong. I finally broke down and had Dave shave my legs since I can't bend over and do it myself and I was freaking out the whole time!!! It was seriously SCARY!!!! I don't suggest anyone try it, unless you absolutely have to???? Just a thought for ya all. =0)

Just thought I would share this with everyone... I have been wanting to do something with this cute picture of Logan and Grandpa Coey forever and I found this cute poem that I thought would be perfect (even though they are riding a bike and not walking) =0) Logan and Grandpa are best buds and they used to go for bike rides all the time. A neighbor lady took this picture of them and then gave us the pictures.

Much Thanks!!!

No picture this time, but a big huge thanks out to all my friends who fed my family while I have been down & out. I am hoping that after all of my hard work and attempts at beauty, that these same friends will go on a major shopping spree to help me buy new clothes. =0) ???? Any takers?????
xoxoxoxo

School Pictures

I guess it wasn't a requirement to smile this year??? Aren't they just so handsome! I can't believe my boys are getting so big.

There just are no words????

Wow!!! What mom wouldn't be proud of this!!! I mean really????

Dave had a military conference last weekend and this year they invited the families to come and have some fun. We stayed at a hotel at Jordanelle - we went on an hour long horseback ride, did some shopping in Park City and of course swam in the pool.

c'mon Mom.... we just want to go swimming!!!

BRACES!!!

Before braces.....
After.... ok am I the meanest Mom in the whole world???? Hunter had his birthday off from school because they started a day early, so I figured that would be the perfect time to get his braces so he wouldn't miss any school. So the poor thing got braces first thing in the morning and then he couldn't eat any birthday cake because his mouth hurt too bad. I am evil... I know.

First Day of School

Logans 1st day of 2nd grade! Wow it is amazing how fast they grow up. He was so excited to go back to school. He is now the only one of the boys in Elementary.
Hunters first day of 7th grade!!! The 7th graders actually went a day early so they could learn their way around without all the big mean 8th & 9th graders to bug them. =0) He was so excited that when my alarm went off at 7:00, I went in to wake him up, only to find him in the front room - dressed, breakfast done and his lunch packed!!! He was so ready to go!!! The 7th graders got to take the real first day of school off, which made Hunter very happy since it was his birthday. I told him that I planned it that way =0) (shhh... don't tell him) He is also excited to be in band this year and is going to learn to play the saxaphone.
Holy cow I have a High Schooler... ok well he is officially in High School, he just still is located physically at the Jr. High... but 9th grade!!!! WOW I am sooo old! Dakota made the Jazz Band this year and gets to also go to seminary.

Camp Koholowo 2008. We had so much fun at Girls Camp - this year was an Olympic theme. Each ward had a country that they represented and we were Germany. We had to learn the Young Womens theme in German and also I am a Child of God in German. Boy that was a tough one. It was a lot of fun, but it sure was nice to come home and take a bath and sleep in my own bed.

Dave ran the Speedy Spaniard again this year. This was the 4th year in a row that he has ran the 10k.... I wish I was in that good of shape. Logan wants to run it next year. =0)

Susan's sister let us come and ride horses on Sunday. The kids had a great time! Abdou and Yassine had a good time riding "American" horses for the first time. This was really the first time for Hunter and Logan to ride by themselves as well. And they forced me to ride by myself... I was quite terrified. I didn't add that picture since it was a nice "back-side" shot and I know you all would like to be spared. hehe

4th of July Family BBQ up at the cement pond. What a big family we have!!! And this isn't everyone!!!

We have been so busy with so many activities they have planned for us. Here we are at the 4th of July parade in Provo. We were so glad that it wasn't too hot - since most of our activities have been outside. Later we were able to participate in the program at the Stadium of Fire and then got to watch the Blue Man Group perform and watch the awesome fireworks.

We are hosting 2 boys from Morocco for 2 weeks and are having so much fun!!! Dakota and Logan taught them all about airsoft guns and they had a fun time until they both shot each other and then decided it would be more fun to just shoot at cans. =0)

It seemed like summer would never get here and it is already the end of June now, but we finally got the pool set up. The boys have so much fun in the pool. This year we got some fun floaties to play with. Doesn't that just look nice and cool!!! Yeah, mom still wants a hot tub. hehe

Congrats Trevor on Graduating from High School! We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished. Great Job!!!

I was having some fun with my digital scrapbooking program and this is what I created and thought I would share with you all. And if you all come to my next scrapbooking crop, I can show you how to make your own. =0)

So, I had a thought, as the kids have all been playing in our backyard a lot... Our neighborhood is really in for it in about 5 years... don't ya think??? hehe

On May 24th Travis & Shantal got married. It was a very nice ceremony and reception. It was held at the Officers Club at Camp Williams. Logan and Jaden shared their first dance.. and uh, they loved it??? =0)

On mothers day we took a drive up Spanish Fork canyon and found this spot just off the road with a nice hike and some fun rocks to climb on. We sure love Utah. =0)