Catching Up

It has been quite some time since i've posted and feel like i need to catch up.  Life is always busy here in our home, there is always something going on, always good stuff!  I was called into the primary presidency and I love it, it's been so fun.  I pretty much am the chauffer, taxi driver of the family getting the kids to where they need to go.   Chris is busy with work, he is working at the temple on tuesday nights and teaching scouts on friday's.  He still enjoys his cactus farm and growing them as well.  Sydney is at Hamilton HS and is doing well.  She would much rather be at Perry HS with her friends but she is doing just fine.  She enjoys her seminary class with her friends and can feel a difference when she steps back into the HS.  She is in the Miamaid presidency as the secretary and is doing a good job.  Well yes we've gotten to this point in her life where she likes boys and by that I mean one boy in particular.  His name is Dallon Varney and he is a very nice boy and has a good family.  I don't mind them hanging out together as long as they are never alone, but I can say i'm not looking forward to her turning 16, yikes!  She tried out for the HHS girls soccer team and made it...yeah!!  She was so sick that week but she made it because she is very good and is fast!  She is loving soccer especially the away games when they get to travel.  Sydney is very good and I appreciate her and love her so much.  Zach spent the fall playing football on the Vipers team, he wasn't quite sure at first but he absolutely loved it.  He became quite good and made several touchdowns and tackles.  It was a loooong season, lots of practices and games but it was very fun to watch.  He is quite talented and is good at sports.  Zach is in 5th grade and is doing good, he really likes his teacher Mrs. Wong and his classmates.  He just finished up boy scouts and will be earning his arrow of light and his webelos badge, yeah!  He continues with piano and enjoys playing the trumpet at school.    Kyle is doing great, this fall he played baseball for CNLL and had a great time, he's a good ball player and is looking forward to playing on Chris's team in the spring.  Kyle is in 2nd grade and is doing good, he loves math the most but he doesn't like to read.... He turned 8 on Nov 8th and we went bowling for his party.  He was baptized on Nov 21, 2009 with Porter.  We decided that it would be fun to baptize the boys together, it was a great weekend.  THe girls all went to New Moon and then the baptism was on saturday and we had a big bbq at the park afterwards and just talked and enjoyed each others company.  What a great day that was.   I'm so proud of Kyle.  Keith and Pat, Jessie and Glenn came from Utah as well.  All my family from here came, it was a very nice day.  Kyle just started playing on a basketball team with his friends and he really likes it.  He is all about the friends and can't wait to finish his homework to be outside with them.  Chloe is our busy 4 year old.  She is in preschool 2 days a week and really likes it.  She loves to play and be with her friends Maya and Thea.  She is quite bossy for a 4 year old but loves to play with friends and be outside.   She enjoys singing and dancing and coloring/drawing.  Well its Christmas time and it's been fun buying for others and getting into the holiday spirit.  I ran my first 10k on thanksgiving day called the turkey trot.  It was so fun I wasn't sure at the end  if I was going to make it but I did and I was so proud of myself.  It's been hard to run lately because it's been so cold and dark outside.  I'm training for the Relay Del Sol in February though so I've got to keep going.  We are going to Utah for Christmas and I"m not that excited it's alot of work to get it all together, get the presents up there and make it happen.  I'd like to stop traveling past this year it's just too much.  I'll update again soon. I just took Sydney to meet her ride for school and there was ice on my windshield!! It's cold here on the desert floor.

Catching up

It's early on September 24th and I'm up because I get Sydney up everyday for school...for some reason that's not right but if I don't I'm afraid she wont get up for school.  So here I am at 5am everyday awake.  I actually love this time as I can do some quiet things, think without noise and go running after i drop her off.  I'm reflecting this morning on how truly blessed me and my family are.  The Lord has blessed our family so much and I'm so grateful for that.  Updates on the family now... Chris is busy with work, scouts, temple on tuesdays.  Sydney is doing well at school, she says she doesn't like Hamilton but i think it's okay, she just misses her friends and the boy she likes.  She is at a point in life where she likes boys and there is one in particular and I think she is pretty serious about him.    His grandparents are in our ward and his brother is on Zach's football team and she sees him at church dances, but i get nervous I remember how much i liked boys at this age and i hope she always chooses the right.  Sydney is a good girl, she is a good student and is loving seminary (yeah).  She is playing soccer for Santan  and on their first game she got the only 2 goals, and then she got another one last game as well!  She has done very well and we are so proud.  Zach is in football and boy oh boy is that team intense.  There has been so much drama from family disputes to coach arguments that it's sad to see how involved, maybe too involved some parents can be, they get very intense and like to yell at the kids and talk to them nonstop about what they could do better.....what ever happened to just playing football for fun and learning the game?  He is doing good in school and is learning the trumpet he likes to practice and he is doing well on the piano as well, Zach has so much potential.  Kyle is doing great, he is such a fun loving little boy who loves to play and have fun.  He is doing good at school we are working on his reading and writing but he excels at math!  He is playing the piano because he wanted to start and we don't quit although he'd like to sometimes.  He will be 8 this year and I'm so excited for him to be baptized in november!  Chloe is great she is attending preschool two days a week at Shirley's Sure Start Preschool, she is enjoying it alot.  She loves to pretend play and loves to smile and sing and dance, Chloe definitely knows how to brighten a room and make us all laugh and smile.  I got a new calling I am the 1st counselor in the primary and I'm loving it.  It has been fun and challenging so it's been good for me.  I'm busy working for John (redoing all the files), working for Couponsense when there is a 3 coupon insert I collate 400 coupons, it takes anywhere between 10-12 hours, and calling and making appointments for Best Team Builders.  It's busy work but manageable, I don't mind making the extra money.  I am so happy and love my life, my family is my greatest joy and I'm trying to enjoy every moment and tell  my kids how much I love them as often as I can.  

Zach's funny thought 8-09-09

Zach can be very witty sometimes and yesterday (sunday) he wanted to make brownies about 8pm....of course I said no because it was too late and to entice me he said he'll make with with a "cup of love", I thought that was cute from my 10 year old.  Then I told him he needs to go to bed, he asked my why and I said "because you need your rest to grow big and strong or do you want to be little your whole life?"  Then he said yes I want to be little and i'll be on the show little people in a big world"!  It's a show on the TLC channel.  It was just cute.  Today was a non eventful day, I tidied up the house, vacuumed the upstairs, dusted downstairs, paid a bill, made rice krispie treats with Chloe and helped her in her workbook.  Kids had homework and then Zach and Chris went to football practice. 

Update 8/7/09

I write with a heavy heart today as this past week has been very upsetting.  Last weekend Sydney adn i went to a baby shower for Josie Mckinnon it was so fun to see her get all of her gifts and be excited for her new arrival.  Then we saw the McKinnon family on sunday again as we went to the blessing of Cory and Ashley's baby  and then had breakfast with them.  On monday Josie was in a car accident and her baby passed away due to trauma and no brain activity.  They are devastated.... I have been so sad for them.  We went to the funeral last night and Josie just looked blank, only sorrow in her beautiful eyes.  Shane was holding it together and I was able to see beautiful Kalani with her dark hair and cute cheeks.  I hope so much that they feel the peace of the Lord right now as they struggle to face each day.  The real killer is that Christy Hatch had her baby the day she passed away and Tyler and Nikki had their baby yesterday.  It's very bitter sweet for that family and they are constantly in my prayers.  

I feel so guilty sometimes because i have 4 beautiful children and I can take them for granted or not spend enough time with them and then trauma like this happens and some don't have children or get to raise their child in this life.  It makes me want to do and be better.    The kids are back in school and doing well.  Sydney is adjusting to high school and Uncle Merle is her photo teacher, yeah.  Zach and Kyle both have wonderful teachers and so far so good.  ZAch has started football and it's very time consuming and very tiring for him, i have a feeling that this will be his last time playing football.    I was just called at the primary 1st counselor and i'm very excited and yet nervous about it.  I want to do a great job .  Chloe just told me that she didn't want to eat a banana because "they have polka dots on them", I don't blame her I can only eat bananas to a certain point and then they are too mushy.  She is so fun and I'm trying to enjoy every moment with her as she is my last child at home.  It makes me so sad that each day is closer to them being gone from me.    Kyle has been working so hard this week on his spelling words i hope he does well on his test.    This weekend Hayley and I are taking Sydney and 2 friends to the Arizona Grand resort for some girl time for her birthday party.  It should be lots of fun. I'll post again soon.

Update 8/7/09

Update 8/7/09

Update 7/27/09

Well it's been a while since i've written but it's been a good summer.  We had a busy June with grandma camp, girls camp, and movies.  Then we went to UTah except for Chris and Zach because Zach made the All Star team (yeah).  It was fun to go by myself, I surprised myself with how good i did.  I will post the info about the trip from the blog.  School started today Sydney is a freshman at Hamilton High School, Zach is in 5th grade with Mrs. Wong and Kyle is in 2nd Grade with Ms. Shaheen.  THey were very excited as was I to have a break from all the fighting.  I will miss them as they are very good kids and we had a fun summer together.    Chris is working at the temple on tuesdays from 3-9 and he enjoys that.  Zach is starting tackle football next week and I'm not thrilled about that the practices are not close and the games are even farther..... not excited but I hope he does well.  Sydney will be 14 this weekend, my baby is getting so big.  She is such a beautiful girl inside and out and I love her so much.

Here are my posts from the other blog about the summer:

Congratulations Zach on a great Season, his very last game was awesome as he hit a home run over the fence and brought 2 guys in and then was named the MVP!!  We love you and are so proud of you!

Our Trip to Utah

This year it turned out that our family vacation was just a partial family vacation.  Zach needed to stay here in Arizona to practice and play with the Chandler All Star team so he and Chris stayed here.  What a great time he had! Especially at his last game, he hit a home run (his first one over the fence) and helped bring in 2 other boys, then he was named the MVP.  We couldn't be more proud of him!     So Sydney, Me, Chloe and Kyle ventured up to Utah on our own as I needed to take Sydney to EFY in Provo.  We left on June 25th and Stayed in Cedar City and arrived in Pleasant Grove on the 26th.  We did many fun things like go to cousin Shelbie's baptism, swim at the Lindon pool a few times, hiked the G, got rained out at Raging Waters, saw lots of movies like Ice Age, Up and The Proposal not to mention all the one's we got from Redbox.  I was able to see my friend Laura and her 2 girls for an afternoon, we also went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house which was very beautiful.  Sydney was able to see her cousins from Oregon, they stayed in a cabin up Provo Canyon and had a great time.  Sydney said EFY was amazing and had a wonderful time and made lots of new friends. We will definitely do that again. Chris and Zach surprised us and drove up to spend the 4th of July with the family and we were also able to go to the Stadium of Fire in Provo.  That was soooo fun!! My brother in law got an email that said all police, fire and military could get in for free so we secured out tickets but didn't get to the gate in time and we thought that we wouldn't be able to get in, but after some searching and talking we got our tickets and we had such a great time.  Glenn Beck was the host and Shedaisy performed and then the Jonas Brothers came out and it was so much fun to see the kids dancing and laughing and having a great time.  The fireworks were so amazing and I've not quite seen a show like that before.  Unfortunately Chris's grandfather passed away while we were up there so we ended up staying until the funeral and Chris flew up the night before and drove back with the kids and I.    It was a great vacation but we were definitely glad to come home and get back to normal.  Here are pictures of our trip.

I'll write again soon.