Jorgensen Family

Arik updated

2012-01-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

Update on Arik: We got all his tests back and...nothing. His echo on his heart came back great. His CT scan showed that his Spleen is enlarged but that could be from a number of things.

His doctor talked to him today and asked how he was doing. Arik has not had any fevers in the last two days. The doctor said to have Arik check his temperature any time he starts to feel really crappy and monitor it. He also said that Arik's body might finally be fighting off whatever he had. Seen he has had fevers for the past month, the doc said that Arik will probably not feel good for a while still since his body has had to battle the fevers for so long.

If the fevers come back there is other tests that they can run but Arik is hoping he is on the down hill.

Because of the spleen Arik can't do anything extreme,so no skiing :(, basketball, or anything that can cause the spleen to rupture. So now we are just waiting again to see if Arik's body can beat this thing on its own.

We are so grateful for all the prayers and fasts and everything people have done for us. I do not think that it is a coincidence that Arik is starting to feel a little better around the time that everyone found out and really started the prayers and fasts. We will keep everyone updated on what is going on if anything or when anything changes.

Arik

2012-01-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

Okay so Arik got mad yesterday after my post on facebook and our blog. I then deleted everything. After we got into bed last night I explained to him that though he can keep everything bottled inside and be fine, his wife could not and if she had no outlet then she would have a mental breakdown. He was a little more willing to let me post stuff, though he is not happy about it and would rather I not.

So here is a much condensed version of what I posted yesterday. Arik said before we can freak out and really stress we need to hear from the cardiologist and get the results from CT Scan.

For the last 5 weeks Arik has been having high fevers (103/104). He went to the doc and he first thought it was Arik's way of fighting the flu. After a week Arik had blood work done. It came back with a small spike in his liver enzemes. Everything else was good and healthy.
The infectious diease doc asked him to have an Echo done because there is a heart diease that has some of Arik's symptoms. Arik had an Echo done on Friday. The tech circled a dark spot and so we are waiting to hear from the cardialogist to make sure it was nothing.
Arik then had a CT Scan today. We should know something by Friday, hopefully. He just feels like crap all the time. He rarely eats anything and pretty much has been living on Gatorade. Definitely not Arik.

Halloween

2011-11-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

I know that is this is late but here are pictures from Halloween. I have others from the ward trunk or treat but I can't find my camera right now. These were taken by Brandee.

*Of course they are out of order but enjoy.

Bowen and Aiden staying warm while watching their siblings run door to door.

I love this picture of Aiden. Such beautiful blue eyes. He is just so much fun and happy all the time.

Trying not to smile at Aunt Brandee just because she is trying to get him to look at the camera and smile.

All the kids after trick or treating. Brookelyn was batgirl. Kira was supergirl. Aiden was a giraffe. (The same giraffe costume that we bought for Brookelyn.) Brandee's kids: Lukas was batman. MaKynzee was an Irish princess. Bowen was a spider. Brandee made all her kids costumes, I am just not that cool.

The only picture of me. It got cold fast.

Aiden looking at the camera but not smiling.

Bowen just chilling.

I love the attitude of Kira. I also think it is funny that supergirl couldn't (didn't want to) carry her own candy bag so the princess carried it for her. My girlie is a turkey.

This was the first house we went to. When the kids rang the doorbell there was no spider. As they waited this spider dropped from the roof, touching Brookelyn in the back of the head and Kira and Brookelyn screamed and ran down the stairs. Once the first scare was over the girls loved it. They still are talking about that spider. Brandee and I just stood there laughing. It was awesome. We are good friends with this family and the girls have crushes on the boys (they are two of Arik's young men).

The group right before heading out. Here we go!!

We are off heading to the first house.

It was fun. I am glad that Brandee was able to come with me. Arik was out of town at training. Overall it was fun and we are still eating candy.

We are in the process of laying tile in the kitchen and dining room and it is awful. The final outcome better be awesome or this will really stink.

School and updates

2011-09-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

Alright, it has been forever since I last posted. I feel like this is first time I have had to catch my breath and actually spend some time on here to update.

So here are updates about out family:

Arik- working hard and doing everything he can to provide for our family. For about 6 weeks Arik and I only saw each other for about 8 days. It was crazy and he has been trying to make up for it by getting up with Aiden at night. He is also trying to get the young men more involved and has tried to make it to one sporting event or band thing or choir something of every one of the young men so that they know he cares. It amazes me to watch him try to come up with ideas to get the young men involved or to be creative in activities and such. He is an awesome Young Men's President.

Christina- I honestly don't know how in the world I am surviving. I am a full time grad student, teach two classes online, coach volleyball, help teach a co-op preschool with Kira, and am a full time mom. I was stupid for thinking I could do it all. I have realized that I am not super mom. (Disappointing I know). Some nights we have sandwiches and we eat dinner after 7 pm more nights then before 7. On positive notes, I am really liking school. As of right now I am getting better grades then I ever got in Rexburg. I am much more focused (it must be the age). Teaching is going good. I love helping kids learn math and love when that light bulb comes on. What a great feeling. Volleyball is stressful and I am really considering if I want to continue next year but then I like the money (we use it for Christmas). AS for being a mom, well it is the greatest thing. Aiden is full of smiles while his sisters are full of comebacks and "I don't like yous." Life is great. I am grateful for Women's Conference last night. I feel as though Pres. Utidorf (I know I totally spelled that wrong) talked right to me and for me. If you would like to see some of the things I have been doing at school, click on this website that I created. Throughout the semester we will continue to add links. http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/christinajorgensen/502/502.html

Brookelyn- Started 1st grade. (Pictures below) She loves it. She is continuing to read more and more words. Arik and I have to be careful about what papers we leave around the house (especially at Christmas time). She is riding her bike to school as long as the weather keeps up. She didn't ride her bike to school on Friday because it was picture day and "It would mess up our hair mom if we rode our bikes because of our helmets." I had to smile. She started dance again. This time it is a cheer and hop hop class. She loves it. She is a great help with Aiden and Kira and is such a joy. I am already getting into power struggles with her (which I thought didn't start until 12).

Kira-She started Preschool (again pictures below). She is actually attending two preschools. One is with our friend's Lacey Allen's little girl and MaKynzee her cousin (Tuesday Thur Thursday). The other is the co-op one with the kids in her primary class (Monday). The rest of her class meets on Weds also but she is already in the other preschool. I wish I could be strong to say no but I couldn't so we joined the co-op. I only have to teach 12 times out of the year but right now that feels like so much time. Kira is now writing her name. To some that might seem like a little late but she has had a sister that was more than willing to write anything for her. She is pretty excited about it and feels like she is "catching up" to Brookelyn. She started dance this year and loves it. She is in a class with MaKynzee and really likes to go. She loves to play dress up and ride her bikes. She is now into wearing skirts everyday (thanks MaKynzee). She can't wear a skirt while riding a bike (mom's rule) so she goes through two outfits a day. We are working on that one. She feels like she is a personal translator for Aiden. Any time he cries or coos, she lets me know what he is saying. It is really cute. I remember when Kira would follow Brookeyn around all day (okay still does when Brookelyn gets home from school). I can just see Aiden following her around everywhere. She loves to say "I can't" the minute you ask her to do something. But then most of the time she goes and does it. It must a reflex or something. I just can't believe how big she is getting.

Aiden- my dear sweet Aiden. He never talks back to me and then only time he cries is when he is tired or hungry. We think he is getting teeth because he is stuffy and has a little fever and hasn't been sleeping well (also swollen gums) but who knows. He has the bluest eyes and the longest eyelashes. He is starting to get hair and it is looking blonde (gasp!!). It is red in the back but up top it is looking more like Arik's hair. Go figure. Brookelyn is a little concerned but keeps telling us that it will turn red. He can hold his own bottle and even tips it up so that he doesn't suck air. He loves to sit with his sisters in his bumbo while they play. One day he was sitting in his bumbo and Kira was playing in front of him with her dolls and doll house. She had to use the bathroom and left to go. Aiden screamed the second he couldn't see her until she came back out. As soon as she sat back down he was all smiles and even cooing and talking to her. He is the cutest baby ever. He is growing up and entering the really fun stages. What a joy he is.

Now for the pictures you have been waiting for:

Aiden being cute. More cuteness.

Kira and Aiden one morning. Kira just had to have a picture with him. I love the smiles on both their faces.

My sister got the greatest outfit for Aiden. It says Forest Captain. On Arik's birthday it was a little chilly and Arik asked if we could put him in the outfit. It was so cute. Of course I did it. I then had to take pictures.

More of our little "Forest Captain".

So happy!!

Couldn't choose a picture so I added them all. Sorry.

Kira's first day of Preschool. She looks so grown up.

She wanted me to curl her hair "Like Brookelyn". So I did. It was so cute.

Brookelyn's first day of 1st grade. She is looking so grown up.

She looks older than she is. Watch out mom and dad!!

Extra things that have happened.

2011-08-18T21:38:00.001-07:00

Anything you can do I can do better.

I told Brookelyn that if she wanted to ride a bike to school with the kids on our street she had to learn to ride a two wheeler. I was not going to kill my daughter socially by having a 1st grader ride a bike with training wheels to school. So Brookelyn got on a two wheeler and rode it. So Kira comes up and asks me to take off her training wheels. I took them off and Kira was gone. We now are spending all our time on our bikes. We have gone on a family bike ride each night this week. Poor Aiden. I figured out a way to have him ride in the bike trailer and be somewhat comfortable and safe.

So here are pics of them on their bikes. Kira. Both of them.
Brookelyn

Kira getting on. She can even start by herself. It is crazy. They are growing up way too fast.

One other thing that happened while we were gone. Brookelyn lost three teeth. She now talks funny, which in the beginning we had lots of tears over but now she says it is because of her teeth.

One last note. In four days, I am going back to school to get my masters. I must be crazy but here I go.

There are three blogs so make sure you scroll down to read them all.

First ever Coople Reunion

2011-08-18T21:06:00.001-07:00

Here is the reason we got together for four days in Altamont, UT. My great grandma and grandpa Coople. I learned a couple things while we were there. First, I am just 6 or 7 years younger than my dad's youngest cousins. Second, I am the oldest great grandchild and one of the few that really remember them. It was sad when some of my cousins were talking that they were not born or really young when they died. So many great memeroies of them. I am grateful that my parents made the trip to California every year so that I was able to get time with them. Here is my grandparents with their great grandchildren.

Brittany my cousin holding Aiden. We are still working on deholdatizing Aiden. For three weeks any time he made a noisem someone would pick him up. Sometimes it was just the fact that he was awake that people held him. We are slowly getting back to normal. He did sleep better while we were gone then he does now at home. How that worked out I will never know.

One night we had a squaredance caller come. This dance is the pancake polka. It was for the llittle people.

If you notice all the people in my family are wearing the same shirt. At another family reunion years ago my parents had shirts made for all of us. Well this time Brandee and I made them. Okay a store online made them but we designed them. The front says "{Property of the RD Bowen Family". My dad is David Richard. Then there is a stick person for every member of teh family. We are up to 18. 9 girls and 9 boys. They are positioned in little groups for the different families. Then on the back had our names and a soccer number for when we came into the family. My dad is 1, mom 2, me 3, and so on. RJ was number 18 since he joined the family three days earlier. We also had onies made for Bowen and Aiden with the same things. They were so darn cute. My grandma told me that I should of told her we were doing shirts and that we could have had shirts done for the whole family. I told her maybe next time.

Dad, Mom and Garrett each dancing with a little person.

If you look you can see Kira in the background. I was her partner.

Brookelyn dancing with Bryonna.

My grandma. They had each of the Coople children (three girls) talk about different things of Great grandma and grandpa.

Aunt Pauline

Aunt Barbara

The three girls.

One of the few times Aiden was not held. He actually sat there for a long time just watching people dance and walk around.

The whole Coople family. We are missing some but just a few. Maybe 6 or 7. Everyone else made it.

Kira being cute on the way to rock climbing.

Brookelyn, Aiden and Brittany. Brittany is going to make a great mom someday.

Brittany, Bryonna, and Brookelyn. My girls got favorites and then stuck to them the whole time.

Dad and son. I love this pic. Arik was able to make it to the reunion. We had not seen him in three weeks.

Aiden chilling. You know your a redneck when you through a kid and the stroller in teh back of a truck. HEHE. My uncle said that as we stopped and everyone was unloading.

It was a great time. I paintballed for the first time. Arik went pigeion shooting. The girls played thier hearts out. We played many games and stayed up way way too late each night. It was great. At the end, they asked for a volunter to be in charge of the next one. My dad of course spoke up. Then my mom turned to Brandee and I and said find a place. Great. It will be three years when we all get together again.

Thanks to Shannon for putting it all together.

Melanie's wedding

2011-08-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

One of the big things that happened this summer was that my littlest sister got married. Her now husband is a great guy and we are so excited for her and her little family. The wedding was in Gilbert, Arizona. It is a 14 hour drive. Arik was on a fire and unable to make it. Luckily my cousins flew in early for our family reunion (another post) and they came with. Bryonna was just a great help. I don't know what I would have done without her. Also, my dad worked it out so that he could be in Salt Lake right before the wedding so that he could drive with me down in case I needed it. My family helps take such good care of me. I love them all so much. Here are pics from the wedding of course they are not in any order, that would be too time consuming so just enjoy.

Melanie has three kids and so she came up with this idea of a kids' table. It was the cutest thing ever. All Melanie's kids and thier cousins and RJ's (new husband) sister and brother were also at the table. He has a 6 year old sister and a 4 year old brother. They fit right in with Melanie's kids. More at the kids' table. Melanie did cupcakes for the kids after they cut the cake. So adults got cake and the kids got cupcakes.
This is what Aiden did the whole reception and clean up. What a great kid.

These next few pics are the reason I wanted a boy. I just think that little boys in white shirts and ties are the cutest things ever. Now I get to have one and dress him up. :)

After the ceremony some couple saw Aiden all dressed up and thought it was the coolest thing ever. The lady said that she didn't even know that they made white shirts and ties that small. (She is not a member). She asked to take a pic of him too.

He is just so happy. I don't remember the girls smiling this much. He is always happy and has the best smiles.

The girls got these dresses for the wedding. They didn't have sleeves so I got white shirts to go underneath. During the reception RJ's little sister asked Brookelyn why she was wearing a shirt under her dress. Brookelyn said that it was inmodest without a shirt so she wears the shirt so that she can wear the dress. (Proud parent moment). Then later on they were playing and my niece had taken her jacket off her little dress. She asks Brookelyn if she looked cute. Brookelyn said, "You did when you had the jacket on. Now you don't because that dress is not modest." Can you tell what we have been talking about in our house. At least now I know that some things do stay in thier heads and just don't go in one ear and out the other.

Brandee had extra flowers from the wedding so she made these hair clips for the girls. Kira is so cute.

Coming out at the end on the way to the one night honeymoon.

I love this picture. Melanie and dad dancing to "I loved her first" by Heartland. I love that song.

Melanie and RJ dancing to "You and Me" by LifeHouse. RJ is in the Navy.

Love this pic of Mels Bells. Totally love the dress.

The new Service family. Right after they were pronounced husband and wife, Lily run up to RJ and jumped into his arms yelling, "Daddy." If someone hadn't cried yet, they cried then. I ahve never seen my sister so happy. Thank you RJ!!!

My aunt made this for them. I totally love it. In a year and some (RJ will be out on the ocean until Oct) they will all be sealed together. YEAH!!!

Lots of Pictures

2011-07-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

My sister took birthday pictures of my girls. Here they are. Of course we got pictures of Aiden too.

Brookelyn is now 45 inches tall (46%) and 40.5 pounds (26%).

Kira is now 40 inches tall (50%) and 39.5 pounds (75%).

Aiden at 2 months. He is 23 inches long (30%) and 10 pounds 3 ounces (20%). In 2 months he has gained 4 pounds. He is doing great.

6 weeks plus 2 days

2011-06-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast time seems to be going. It has already been 6 weeks since we went home from the hospital. Aiden is such a good baby. He slept from 10:30 pm to 7 am last night. How wonderful!! He is smiling all the time now. Here are some pictures.

Last night he was so tired that after his bath Arik put him on the couch and this is what he did.

The girls are so happy that I can be a regular mom again. I can run and play and finally pick them up. Life is good. Crazy at times but so good.

Update from May

2011-06-09T22:03:00.001-07:00

There is a post for each of the kids. Scroll down to see them all.

A look at Aiden

2011-06-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

First off these pics are out of order, so the first ones are the newest. Aiden has been a joy to have thus far. He is already sleeping through the night and is pretty happy and content. I got his first real smile tonight and it reminded me why I deal with all the whining and complaining and crying (mostly from his sisters). So here are some pictures of the last month. Yep he is already a month old.

Hanging out with dad. So cute!! There are no words.

He sure likes to cuddle with dad!!

Bath time. One gift we got was this bath robe. He is so darn cute!!

Here is his blessing outfit. The blessing was great and we want to thank everyone that made the trip for it. It was nice to see friends and family.

So happy.

Just hanging out.

Our first outing to Kira's soccer game.

Loading up to leave the hospital. He has changed so much already. He is over 8 pounds now.

Here is the little guy with the giant. (Bowen is my nephew)

Our going home outfit. Dad and Kira picked it out. If you go back up he is wearing the same outfit but it fits him much better now.

Having a boy is so much fun. He is just a blessing in our lives and so very fun. I will post more later but Aiden just woke up and is crying for his last feeding of the day before a long night's sleep.

A look at Kira

2011-06-09T21:36:00.001-07:00

I think that Kira has had the hardest time adjusting to having Aiden around. She has been great about the whole thing. She doesn't quite understand why I can pick up Aiden but not her. (Only one more week of that!) She played soccer this spring and this was something that just she did. She did great. She also loves to kiss and hug her brother and really looks out for his head. She loves that Brookelyn is home all the time and she has someone to play with besides mom. She has been a great big helper.

She liked to watch everyone else go after the ball.

Here is one of the times she actually ran after the ball.

What are you looking at?

Don't know what she is doing here?

Go Kira Go!

So darn cute.

A look at Brookelyn

2011-06-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

Over the past month Brookelyn has had some exciting things happen. She graduated kindergarten and performed in her first dance recital. She has been such a great big help to me and her siblings. She loves Aiden to death and wants to hold him as much as she can. Next month she will be six. I just can't believe it. I don't know where her graduation pics are so here are her dance ones.

This is outside of Pocatello High where the recital was.

Her is action. Yep, she wants to be a cheerleader. What am I going to do???

Being the great big sister she is.

Introducing Aiden Carl Jorgensen

2011-05-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever I actually had contractions and was dilated. Monday night I had contractions about every 10-15 minutes. (My doctor had told me to come in if they got 3-5 minutes apart.) Around 1 am they were coming every 3-5 minutes. I woke up my sister and she came to be with the kids. We got the hospital and they tried giving me some meds to stop the contractions. That worked for about 30 minutes but then the contractions came stronger and faster. They then decided to take me. Since they didn't want to me to go into full blown out labor. We were in shock when they told us it was a boy. It still is interesting and hard to believe. Here are pictures for you to enjoy.

Surprise

2011-05-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

I actaully went into labor this morning about 1 am. Aiden Carl Jorgensen was born at 5:37 am. He weighed 6 lbs and 6 oz, 21 inches long. Yep we have a little boy and we are so excited. I will post pictures later.

Ah, freak out!!

2011-04-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I realized that I only had two and a half weeks left before this little person was going to be joining our family. I have known that it was coming but it jsut hit me how soon that was. So I wanted to get the clothes out and wash them. Since we have never found out what we are having, I have quite a bit of netrual colors (for a boy) and probably just a few extra pinks and purples. Most of which came from people when Kira was born. (I am not complaining, my favorite outfit ever came from our home teacher and his wife while in Logan.) Anyways, back to freaking out. All our totes of clothes are in the gargage. I went out with Arik to tell him which ones we needed and I could not find the 0-3 month tote. All other sizes were out there. I really started to freak out. Our baby would not have any clothes and we really didn't want to go out and buy tons of clothes. It bothered me all weekend and poor Arik had to deal with me complaining and really freaking out. Finally he brought in the 3-6 and 6-9 totes and said just look to see if maybe there are some in here. Low and behold, half of the clothes in the 6-9 tote were the 0-3 month stuff and there was 0-9 month stuff in the 3-6 tote. I sure feel a lot better.

I washed everything and separated the netrual colors and the "girly" stuff or to put it in Arik's words, "The clothes my boy won't be caught dead in." We really do have a lot of netrual clothes so we are set. If it is a boy we will have problems after 3 months.

We have the baby's room pretty much ready. This is the first time we can actually decorate and paint the baby's room. I picked out a nice light green for the room and Arik is going to paint this weekend. I am taking the girls to pick out stickers to put on the walls, so that they can feel apart of it.

I just can't believe how fast this has gone. I think that time has gone faster will each pregnancy. The girls are so excited and ready for thier own baby in the house. They have been great with helping me and I am afraid that once the baby comes they won't help as much. Right now they say, "Mom can't bend over. or Her tummy is in the way." They really do a lot and I might miss that. At least I can use the whole having a baby for 6 weeks or so.

After what happened with Brookelyn and then Kira I thought that Arik was okay with everything but the other night he rolled over in bed and looked at me and said, "What if I lose you this time?" I wanted to cry. I thought that since Kira's delivery was so nice that he wouldn't worry as much. Boy was I wrong. I smiled at him and told him, "Sorry but you are stuck with me forever and I don't just mean after death. I plan on living a long time on earth and you will just have to deal with me." I am grateful for the priesthood and knowing that we both can receive blessings before we go in and have this baby. I think that is the only way we have come out of the other two. This time will be no different. It is a joy to have the knowledge we do.

Who does she like?

2011-04-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Last night our dog, Penny, ran away. There were a couple of spots that it looked like she had dug out. Arik went searching for her and I called for her, but no luck.

The girls got up this morning and I told them that Penny had run away. They got dressed, put on thier shoes, coats and went into the back yard. They called for Penny and she appeared. She was in the neighbors yard. The same ones that Arik had looked over the fence and called for her, and I had called for her also.

She didn't want us but she came back for the girls. She really does love them.

We only have 23 days left. So scary and exciting and stressful all at the same time. Arik had a great time on his trip to Moab.

That is it right now for us. There has not been anything fun or exciting to write about. So wait 3 weeks and there will be tons for us to share.

Arik is pretty sure we are having a girl but he has given up hope that he can get a boy.

At least I didn't yell

2011-03-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

So I went downstairs today to just check on the kids and make sure that everything was alright. My niece tells me that Kira cut her hair. I look at Kira and can't see anything. Then I look closer and notice that her pigtails are way too short. Yep, she had cut her pigtails. I was so sad. Kira's beautiful curls, gone. So I ask her to show me where. Kira takes me to the bathroom and shows me all the hair in the trash can. At least she cleaned up after herself. Kira starts crying and I asked why she is crying. She tells me that I am mad at her. I just hug her and tell her that she can't cut her hair we need to go get it cut somewhere.

Inside I wanted to yell and scream and get all mad but I didn't. Point for my self control. So here are the pictures of before and after. Brookelyn decided that she wanted her hair cut too but she waited until we were at teh salon to get it cut.

This picture looks like the mug shots of celebrities caught doing bad stuff. But she is not happy and I was not happy. Now it is a funny picture. You really can't tell that the pigtails have been cut too much.
This is the finished product. It does look cute but all her prefect curls are gone. This was the back of her hair. It looks all yucky but look how long it is. This is the finished look. So short!!Brookelyn wanted her hair cut too. Here is the front. She told the lady she wanted it at her chin, when the lady made the first cut Brookelyn freaked out a little bit, then she looked at me and said, "It's okay mom. It will grow back, it is just hair."The back of Brookelyn's head. Though it is short, it really does look cute on her.

A side note. Arik got called out on a fire. I know, it is March and there is snow. The fire is in Colorado. They left today and don't know when they will get back. They could be gone up to 2 whole weeks. (Right up until his backpacking trip.)

So much

2011-03-03T20:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know where February went. We spent most of the month with one or more of us sick. Some how Arik avoided it all so it was just us girls but we haven't been that sick in a very long time.

I was able to go to Texas and spend a week with my family. My cousin got married in San Antonio and Brandee and I were able to go. Tyrel, my cousin, is three weeks older than Brandee and the three of us were unseparable. The next closest cousin is almost three years younger. So it was just the three of us for a long time. It was great to be there and finally see him get married. He married a great girl and I am so happy for them. It was also good to see my family. It had been 4 months since the last we saw them.

I went to the doctor this week and we set my c-section. The day is May 4th. A little less then 9 weeks. I can't believe how fast it is going. We are hoping for a boy but Arik has given up all hope and thinks that he will have a girl. My dad says since the baby is coming in May it will be a boy. See all the boys in my family (brother, dad, grandpa, great grandpa) were all born in may. We are hoping he is right.

I lost a lot of weight this month from being sick and so I didn't gain anything. The doctor said if I don't gain some this next time we will have to check on the baby. I am hoping that all will be well. I have gained a total of 16 pounds in 31 weeks. I am not sure if that is good or bad. I also have reached the stage where the baby has outgrown the room and my stomach now moves at will. It is weird and kind of freaks me out when I caught it with the corner of my eye or when it wakes me up in the middle of the night because my stomach jerks. It is so much fun.

In a few short weeks we will be welcoming Jorie Annette or Carl David (and we are going to call him David) to our family. Kira is getting excited and Brookelyn is morking off days. She is so ready to be a little mother.

Valentine's early

2011-01-31T10:41:00.000-08:00

The girls have been asking to go to Gma and Gpa's since Christmas and so we called them up and they wanted the girls for the weekend. Score for us. So Gma and Gpa and Aunt Marti came and got them Friday and we picked them up on Sunday after church.

Friday night Arik and I got invited to see a improv group at the college. It was funny and good. There were two guys from Saints and Soliders and one of those guys was also in RM and The Best Two Years. It was great. Then Arik took me to dinner.

Saturday morning I had a Stake RS conference and then afterwards we went shopping for a carseat and pack 'n play. We spent hours looking at stuff and just being together. We again went to dinner and then came home and watched a movie. It was so much fun to just spend time with each other. Arik will be gone for Valentine's Day so we decided that this weekend was our Valentine's.

I love my husband so much and am grateful that I have forever with him. Even after almost 7 years we love being together and doing stuff together.

Sunday was so peaceful and wonderful without having to get the girls ready and keep an eye on them during Sacrament. It was just a great weekend.

100 days left

2011-01-26T12:10:00.001-08:00

I only have 100 days left in this pregnancy. It seems to be going by a lot faster than the other two. Other being constantly tired I am doing well. I did get some winter depression which I never got before but I am doing better now. I realized that this will only last a little longer. I look forward to this fall and winter when Brandee and I can play soccer and bball together. Right now I can't really do anything. Arik got a season pass for the ski resort through work and he goes often. Next year I can go with him. I really just have felt trapped inside my own house with no way out. (Brandee don't freak out, I am okay now).

Arik has taken good care of me and a lot of my problem is that I have been sick most of January. I finally, today, got my house clean and back to order. There are many things to look froward to in the coming months and a lot to do. (Okay not really but still.)

We have come up with names for the baby. If it is a girl it will be Jorie Annette (named for three of her aunts) and if it is a boy it will probably be David Carl. We are still unsure about the boy name. We had a name picked out but everyone around us has been naming thier boys that name and so we are moving away from it. If we do go with David Carl we will call him Dave so there is no confusion with his grandpa. But who knows. Since we have a definite girl name it probably will be a boy.

We are doing good. Brookelyn is moving right along with her reading and can now read books to me. I can't believe how big my girls are getting. I love them so very much.

Finally a post

2011-01-14T19:26:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I have not posted in forever. I check every else's blog but feel like I really don't have much to blog about so I don't. I have been horrible at taking pictures so we really don't have many but here is an update on what we have done.

Christmas 2010

This year for Christmas we went to Arik's parents house. All the family was home. On this side of the family there are only 4 cousins so they had lots of fun playing. Macey the youngest is just over a year and really started to walk around the house. It is fun to see them at that stage. She just wanted to chance after the other three. Santa was really good to us this year which we are thankful for. It was fun to hang out with family and to enjoy it. This year Arik added to his Itunes the Phiness and Ferb Christmas album. It had many fun songs on it and teh girls just loved it. It was one of the big hits of the Christmas season. We really worked with the girls on the true meaning of Christmas and hoped that it got into thier little heads.

New Years 2010

We were able to go down to Logan and be with our friends from school there. All 5 of our families got together and it was the first time we were all together since Feb 2008. There were tons of kids running around and all the adults had just as much fun as the kids did. It was a blast adn we look forward to the Lloyds moving to Boise so that we can see them more often. It was fun to see how much we have changed and to see our numbers getting bigger and bigger which will just get bigger this year with at least two additions coming this summer. It was so much fun and we hope to do it again as soon as we can. The boys were planning a backpacking trip for this spring or early summer so I am sure that will be a blast.

I asked Arik what his top five things were from this year and then I told him mine. Nice to know that they were pretty much the same. So here are the top five things that happened to our family this year.

1. We were able to get pregnant. After trying for over a year it was nice to finally get there. We are excited for the new little one and the girls are just as excited. (More Brookelyn then Kira)
2. Arik graduated. Arik finally totally, offically graduated with his masters in May. It was wonderful and I am so proud of him for enduring to the end when I might have given up.
3. We were able to move closer to Arik's work so that we could see him more. This was an experience that we never would like to go through again but we learned a lot and we are together.
4. Brookelyn started school. Brookelyn has entered into the public school system and is a kindergartener. She is doing so well. We are so proud of her.
5. We learned that we can live off of one income. It is nice to know that we don't have to have two incomes to live and we can handle just one. I do teach online but I only get paid at the end of a semester and we don't have to have the income to live. It is just a little bonus and we don't have to pay for babysitting.

2010 was a interesting year for us but we enjoyed it. Life has been mostly good to us and for that we are so grateful.

One of the biggest things that have already happened this year is that Kira moved to Primary. we no longer have any nursery kids. It is really weird for us becuase for the past 3 and a half years we have had one or two kids in nursery. Now there is none. Two weeks ago I got called to the Primary as a Valiant 9 teacher. The kids were hard to handle and I had three different people tell me good luck with this class. It will be a challenge and different because exluding two months while in Montpelier I have always been in Relief Society.

There are many exciting things that are happening this year in our family and we look forward to all of it.

We're having a...

2010-12-21T09:11:00.000-08:00

Baby!!! Did you really think we would find out what we were having? HEHE!! We got to see the baby yesterday and Brookelyn loved every minute of it. She was so excited to point out the head and fingers, arms, legs, feet, toes, and so on. She was in love in an instance but we knew that already. She told us that she has been waiting a long time for this baby. Who can argue with a 5 year old? Kira liked it in the beginning and then got bored. She really isn't into the baby as much as Brookelyn but maybe when the baby comes. It could also be that she thought we were going to the doctor to get the baby out, not just see it on a screen. We are excited. We are measuring a week early but I don't know if that will change much. So it is either the last week in April or the first week in May but the doctor will pick the day in the next couple of months. (For those of you that don't know, I have c-sections so the doctor picks a day well in advance and then we go with it.) We are so excited and scared all at once! But isn't that what being a parent is all about?

I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus

2010-12-16T11:08:00.001-08:00

So, I have never really thought about this song until recently. Here is a conversation I had with Kira.

K: Mom, you kissed Santa.
M: I have not.
K: Dad told us you did.
M: I haven't.

A couple days later we were eating dinner and Arik starts singing, I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus. Kira looks over at me and raises her eyebrows and smiles saying, "See told you, you kissed Santa. Dad told us."

I then understood. I tried to tell her it was just a song but she doesn't believe me.

Yesterday we were driving home from the post office and this conversation happened.

K: Mom, you are married to dad.
M: Yes.
K: You are not married to Santa. You should not kiss him. You should only kiss dad.
M: I have not kissed Santa and I only kiss your dad.
K: No, dad told us and mom you are NOT married to Santa so stop kissing him.
At this point I roll my eyes and tell her Okay I will not kiss Santa anymore.

She watches me like a hawk and Arik thinks if we go see Santa Kira is going to make sure that I don't kiss him. Arik is getting a kick out of this but I am a little sad that my 3 year old thinks I am having an affair with Santa.

Arik was proud of Kira for talking to me about it and putting me in my place. Glad he is happy!!

Christmas Pics 2010

2010-12-11T15:50:00.001-08:00

My sister, Brandee, took our family pics this year. We had fun and Brandee did an awesome job. Thanks sis! Hope you all enjoy.

Catch Up

2010-12-06T11:37:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been a while since I have last posted. I don't really even think I can say I have been too busy, just not a lot to blog about I guess.

THANKSGIVING
This year for Thanksgiving we were at our house and my whole family came. There were 17 of us (8 being kids 5 and under). Brandee blessed her baby boy the Sunday before Thansgiving so that gave us a full week of playing with family. It was a blast. I have been trying to catch up on sleep ever since. We got to meet my sister, Melanie's fiance, Rj. They are getting married next September because he is in the Navy and his ship is leaving in Jan for 6 months. Also, my brother came and spent the week before everyone got there with us, family in Salt Lake, and friends in Rexburg. Right before he left he sent in his mission papers. Then a day or so before Thanksgiving he comes up the stairs and reads a letter he had printed off his email. It told him that he was going to the Jacksonville Florida Spanish Speaking mission and that he would be leaving DEC 29th!! It was a little over a month a way. Everyone around the table just stared at him for a moment and then we exploded with claps and cheers and hugs. It was awesome. I am so proud of all the things my brother has done over this past year to get him to this point. I am so excited to have a brother out on a mission!!!!!

THE GIRLS
The girls are doing great. Each week we talk about how big the baby is getting. They are excited. A while ago we asked them what they wanted a brother or sister. Brookelyn said brother because she alread had a sister and Kira wanted a sister so that she could be like Brookelyn (who has a little sister). Anyways, Arik told them that if we had another girl then he was going to move out. So when people have been asking Brookelyn if she wants a brother or sister she has told them that if she has a sister her dad will leave her. (saying it with tears.) She has been so scared that her dad will leave her if it is a girl that she has been crying when people say, "What if you have a sister?" It got really bad and I was starting to fear for the safety of our new little one just in case it is a girl. I told Arik he had to sit down and talk to Brookelyn. He did and things are better now. She stills wants a brother but now her reasons have numbers. Like then dad won't be the only boy and we already have 3 girls, do we really need another one? Brookelyn also got her first report card! She is doing amazing. She is at or above level in everything and her teacher wrote on her card, that is well liked in the class and a pleasure to have. She always wrote that Brookelyn has mastered everything required of her so far. YEP PROUD PARENT!!!!

BABY UPDATE
I am getting a belly and have to remind myself that I am much farther along with this one then I was with the other two. At Christmas with the other two I was still throwing up everything I eat so I am looking forward to Christmas Eve dinner with excitement instead of dread. I also am uncomfortable and am starting to wear maternity stuff. Thankfully my sister just pasted all her stuuf to me. See by the time I really needed maternity stuff with the other two I was just wearing Arik's shorts and shirts. Since I can wear his pants then it caused a problem. So Brandee saved me and I am a little sad that I can no longer fit in my clothes. I know, I know, it is a good thing but this is the one thing I really struggle with while pregnant. I am not weird about my weight or anything it is the fact that people can look at me and know that I am pregnant. I know it is weird but for some reason it is one thing that really bothers me while pregnant.

We go to the doctor on the 20th to have our ultrasound. NO we are NOT finding out what we are having. We have been surprised with the first two and see no reason to change it now. We are taking the girls with us and they are excited to see the baby. I am excited that we are going before Christmas so that we can show pics while with family.

Other than that we are getting ready for Christmas. We will decorate the tree this afternoon when Brookelyn gets home from school (I will take pics and post them). I have all my Christmas shopping done and wrapped. I am just relaxing and enjoying this time of year because it always seems to fly!!!

So excited and the dentist (not related)

2010-11-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

So Harry Potter is coming out next week. I found this background on my friend's blog and loved it so I added to mine. I am going to the midnight showing with my sister, sister-in-law, and brother. Marti, Brandee, and I started going to the midnight showing of the Twilight movies and then decided to do the Harry Potter movies. It is something fun that I can do with these girls. Others come and go with us but the three of us have been the consistent ones and the movies and the outings with them are some of the best times for me. So I thank them.

We all finally went to the dentist. We have had dental insurance for two years and final went. (Sorry Robyn I know your shaking your head reading this :)) Anyways, Arik went in the morning with Brookelyn and then I went in the afternoon with Kira. DO NOT go to the dentist while pregnant. It was so painful and the nurse felt so bad that she told me to come back in two weeks and she would finish once my gums healed a little bit. I am one of those girls that gets pregnancy gin. I don't know how to spell it but the infection on your gums.
Kira was looked at while I was getting looked at and Brookelyn went with her. The nurse (or whatever they are called) told me that they would do as much as possible but that little ones usually don't let them do a lot. Well, not Kira. With Brookelyn there she did everything, the xrays and the cleaning, the whole package. The dentist then told me that he wanted to use them as poster patients. Not just for 5 and 3 year olds but adults also. They never cried or whined and did everything that was asked of them. Yep, I was so proud to be their mom. They are so cute and good.

I will post Halloween pics soon. I know it is almost Thanksgiving.

Cool things happening

2010-10-25T14:57:00.001-07:00

There are some cool things that have been happening around here.

First, we are happy to announce the newest addition to our family. Coming May 6, 2011. I have not kept a secert about us being pregnant ever and this time we made it through a whole trimester (okay a little earlier for family like last week or the week before.) I have been sick and way over emotional but Arik has been awesome and the girls are really excited. They kept the secert for 2 weeks which was great!!

Second, this past weekend I got to go to Rexburg for BYUI's lit conference. I was able to meet Brandon Mull (author of the Fablehaven books). I talked to him, shook his hand and everything. Then at lunch this guy sat across from me and my friend. We looked at his name tag and it was Brandon Dorman (the illustrator for the Fablehaven books and many other books). We ate lunch with him talking about callings, his kids and my kids and everything. It was so cool and totally awesome. Both guys are so down to earth and great! It was a very cool experience. Not very often do you get to meet a #1 Times Best selling author or illustrator.

Last Night

2010-10-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Last night I was not feeling very good. There is a bug going through the schools and I work with middle school kids who have all been sick lately, so no surprise I got sick. I went to bed early telling the girls if they needed anything in the middle of the night to call for their dad. Arik smiled because NEVER have they called for dad before.

So I was sleeping and all of the sudden I hear, "DAD!!" "DAD!!" mixed in with some crying. I laugh and hit Arik. "They are calling for you." I told him. He rolls over and says, "I am going to yell at them." I laugh again and tell him I will get them. I start down the stairs and here Brookelyn yell, "Dad come quick, NOW!" I go a little faster and hear Kira crying. I just think that Kira fell out of bed but then Brookelyn tells me, "She just threw up." She had leaned over her new bed and threw up on the ground. I grab her and take her upstairs to clean her up. She asks if she can take a bath and if I were covered in gross stuff, I would take a bath too. So I turn on the water and Kira strips down.

At this point, Arik walks into the bathroom and asks what happened. I explain and he says, "What can I do?" I tell him to give Kira her bath while I clean up her floor. I decided if I give him the easy part then he will keep helping. By the way, I have the GREATEST husband in the world. I go back downstairs to clean up the mess. It smelled gross so I tell Brookelyn she can sleep upstairs on the couch. No mother would let thier child sleep in that, right? So she grabs her stuff and goes upstairs. I clean up the floor and am heading upstairs when Brookelyn tells dad her stomach hurts and she runs into the bathroom and throws up in the toliet. This is one of the great things about Brookelyn. Ever since she was two she has thrown up in the bathroom which is so very nice for me. Arik helps her and finishs with Kira while I get Brookelyn's bed ready. We then pump up an air matress for Kira and she sleeps next to her sister. They didn't want to be separated.

We all get back in bed. Kira tells me she wants water. I tell her to get it herself and she tells me, "But I am sick, mom." So I get up get her and Brookelyn a drink and go back to bed. An hour later Kira throws up again. I cralwed back into bed, tired and still not feeling well myself. Arik rolls over and says, "Can I help?" I start crying and say, "Thank you so much for helping earlier. You are the greatest." He says, "Yeah, whatever." and goes back to sleep. He really is great. What would I do without him.

The girls are feeling better everything is just coming out the other end now which is okay since they have made it to the bathroom all day. I think it only lasts 24 hours so we are on the mend. But, what a night!

Kindergarten and Preschool

2010-09-24T10:18:00.001-07:00

First, let me explain something. At registration we were told that there might not be room for Brookelyn at the school we live TWO BLOCKS from. So later that week they call me and say she will be going to a school about 10 to 15 minutes away. They let me know that school starts at 8:20 and the bus will pick Brookelyn up at 7:12 to be transferred to a different bus at a different school. I was a little upset. First, she would have to be on the bus for over an hour and then they expect a first time bus rider to get off at a school and then get on another bus. I decided that I would take her to school everyday. (Just one of the many blessings from being a stay at home mom this year.)

Brookelyn is excited because she does get to ride the bus home. (only twenty mins.) She thinks it is cool. She goes to school all day every other day (Tues and Thurs) and then alternates Mondays. (Yep lets totally mess up all the 5 year olds.) Brookelyn has to ask me everyday if she has school or not.

Here is a picture of her first day. She got a Hannah Montana Backpack with a lunch bag to go with it. After school the first day she told me that it was so awesome to eat lunch in the lunchroom. :)

We signed Kira up for preschool because this is the second year that she has watched her sissy go to school and she wanted to also. She got a Tinkerbell backpack and when I dropped her off the first day she started to cry and I asked her what was wrong. She said, “You forgot to pack my lunch like Brookelyn now I can’t eat.” I then explained that she doesn’t eat lunch at school and that day I took her out with it was over. She is too cute. I love her faces when I take pics so there are a couple.

This last picture is of Brookelyn. She told me she wanted to get dressed and then she came up looking like this. It was so cute.

Brookelyn wanted to take a picture of Kira so I had her go pick her up and get her picture. Kira was not interested in the picture but she still is a cutie.

We are liking school and there is an hour on certain Mondays that I am completely child free!!

Much needed update

2010-09-24T10:01:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know I have not blogged in a month and there has been a lot that has been happening with us I have been so busy and really haven’t had time to blog so here is a little update on us.

Life is busy. I am coaching volleyball at a middle school and also coaching both Brookelyn and Kira’s soccer teams. That keeps us busy all week long and on Saturday for a couple of hours.

My online teaching job started and that has been interesting. I am also babysitting my sister’s kids when she is at work. Then my neighbor’s babysitter kind of quit on her so I am now watching her kids twice a week also. Crazy I know!!

School started (that is in another post)! Here are some random pictures from the past month.

Brookleyn took this one all by herself.

The girls were extra tired from everyone coming over and walking them up in the mornings. Here they are in my bed getting some extra zzzzs.

I much prefer having Brookelyn home because everyone seems to get into less trouble when she is around but there are days that she has school. This is what I found one day after getting out of the shower.

Notice the knee highs on Kira with my dress shoes. It was cute and she had my sunglasses too. MaKynzee just had my flip flops on but they both looked cute.

WHAT HAPPENED????

2010-08-27T20:33:00.000-07:00

Brookelyn comes walking into my bedroom this morning and tells me she lost her tooth. I am thinking oh no did she swallow it? She then holds out her hand and shows me..
Look how small it is.

She then shows me her mouth. There is no blood at all. I believe when my teeth fell out there was blood. I knew her bottom two teeth were loose but I can't believe she lost it.

Another shot. Sorry it is blurry, I am not the greatest at taking pics.

I started getting teary eyed. My baby is going to kindergaten losing her teeth. What is next? I can't believe how time flies. Just so you know, she has not lost any top teeth she just has a gap between the front two.

There are a lot of posts, please scroll down to see them all.

Total Craziness

2010-08-27T20:06:00.000-07:00

My mom and sister, Melanie, came to visit for a few days from Texas. It was so much fun having all the cousins together and seeing my sister and mom. I am so grateful that they made the 26 hour drive to come out and see us. It has been the higlight of my summer. One day we went to a water park to play. It is the same one I posted about before.

Here are Alex, Kira, MaKynzee and Lily waiting to get in. The adults are fighting over you paid. I won!!
Melanie (Mel or Mels Bells), Brandee (Brand or Brooker) and me. In the past few years my sister, Melanie and I have fought and being mad at each other more than I think we were nice to each other. Being in the same house or room caused a lot of contention. Most was my fault and I am truly sorry. Melanie and I started really talking again a couple months ago and this trip was awesome. I talked and laughed and shared so much with her. I have my sister back and I love her so very very much. I am grateful that she came out and could forgive me for the pride and foolishness.

Kira being sassy.

Some kid pooped in the kiddie pool so we had to wait awhile to have it cleaned. The girls decided to dance to the music. Here is Brookelyn dancing.

Lily and Brookelyn dancing away. I wish I could just dance in front of tons of people and not care what they thought. The joys of childhood.

My mom dropped a treadmill on her foot (not while visiting us) and it was gross. Here is a pic. YOu can't really tell but it was bad.

Alex and Ivy enjoying the water.

Kira being... Kira.

All seven (soon to be eight. Brandee is due with a boy in Nov.) Back row:Kira, MaKynzee, Lukas, Brookelyn. Middle: Alex, and Lily (the twins) and Ivy is on Lily's lap. The older they get the better they play with one another.

They have a lazy river and we enjoyed it. I'm in back and then Melanie w/Ivy, Mom, and Alex

Us coming towards Brandee.

Lily enjoying the water.

After the picture with Kira going down the slide, Brookelyn was brave and went down the slide so that she could have a picture to.

All in all is was a blast having them here. Time went too quickly and I am grateful for the many events this year that keep bringing us together. (Arik's graduation, this trip, and the baby in Nov.) I lov my family so much and they mean the world to me. I am grateful for them and the tights bonds that we share. We are just the coolest ever!!!!

Crestwood 5 reunion

2010-08-27T19:24:00.000-07:00

Okay this needs a little background so that you all understand what really is going on here. Arik's roommates married my roommates. Arik and his roommates lived in Crestwood 5, hence the Crestwood five reunion. We were all friends for a good 2 years before any of us got married. We have done many things together. We all made the trip to California for Phil and Tabitha's wedding 6+ years ago. They were the last ones to get married. We all have kids at the same time and everything. We counted and there are 12 kids (and one due in Nov.). It has been a long time since we have all got together at the same time. We all went to different grad schools and Phil and Tabs moved to S. Carolina three years ago. Tabitha was in town for her sister's wedding and we by some miracle had a couple of hours free on the same day she did. We got together at Blackfoot lake and enjoyed catching up. Four of the five of us now live in Pocatello and Idaho Falls (two at each) so we can get together more often. But Phil and Tabs live so blasted far away.

The five of us ladies. Brandee, Katie, Me, Alicia, Tabitha

All the kids found a fish and caught it. It was the hit of the day.

Us just hanging out and catching up.

Kira being silly.

Lukas and Braden digging in the sand.

Lukas got really cold in the water and had to come warm up in the sun.

My mom and sister (with her 3 kids) came to visit the same time Tabs was here so they tagged along. This is Alex and Ivy. The water was a little cold for them since they are used to nice Texas warm water.

Cameron making a sand angel.

Tanner was quite the gentleman and pulled many of the girls around. As you can see, MaKynzee was really enjoying it.

Cory eating goldfish and dirt.

The three "babies", McCall (1), Callie (6 mons.), and Cory (soon to be 1).

I loved Cory's faces. He really enjoyed that sand.

Kira throwing rocks in the water to make a big splash.

Lily (niece from Texas) and Brookelyn. These two girls were completely inseparable the whole time they were here.

Ivy being a sass.

Lukas was brave enough to touch the ball. Just like on Finding Nemo when "He touched the butt." Everyone screamed and freaked out then cheered. What a brave boy he is.

It was a blast and we are planning a trip for all of us in a couple of years. It was wonderful and I sure love those ladies. I love that we all still travel to brithdays, blessings, everything. They are some of the greatest friends I have ever had.

A not so cool fair

2010-08-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor down the street, Ann has girls Brookelyn and Kira's age. Needless to say, either her kids are at my house or my kids are at her house. (We live 4 houses apart on the same side of the road.) Friday she calls me and tells me that my girls were at her house and wanted to know if we wanted to go to the fair with them. She couldn't fit everyone in her car. (She has 4 kids). SO I said sure and we went. I was very disappointed. The Caribou County fair is much better then this one and it is even smaller. Both Ann and I talked about different things they could try to make it better but the kids enjoyed themselves. One thing that was there was gaint blow up castle and slide. Highland High School Bandwas having a fundraiser and you could drop your kids off for a little bit and then pick them back up. They were also having a yard sale just a few streets away, so Ann and I dropped off the kids and let them play and we went to the yard sale. I got 10 peices of clothing (name brand stuff) for a total of $5.00. It was awesome!!! They are in great shape and from stores that I don't even dare walk into. Here are some pics from the Fair. The kids had fun and that is what matters right?

Sam, Brookelyn, and Kira petting the horse. Kira was excited to see a horse more her size.

Grandpa J would be so proud. Brookelyn riding the tractor.

Kira riding Grandpa J's tractor. She said she was going to feed cows.

Playing one of the games that they had. Kira trying to make it.

Brookleyn also had to try. Whatever one does the other always has to follow.

Sam, Brookelyn, and Lizze trying to get a horse to come to them.

Rachel, Brookelyn, Lizze and Sam petting the horses. The horses really liked the attention.

They had a little petting zoo thing (I guess that is what they called it). George got a little up close and personal with the goats. It was funny to watch his face.

Brookelyn and Kira petting the goats.

Rachel was the first to pet them and from this face you would think she was doing something she wasn't suppose to.

Kira just being so darn cute.

Brookleyn posing for the camera. While we weer there a chicken laid an egg. It was very interesting and kids got a kick out of it.

George chilling out.

Kira, Sam, and Brookleyn making sure they look at all the chickens, rabbits, and roosters.

Brookelyn and Sam looking at the biggest geniune pig I have ever seen. G FORCE!! :)

Kira, Brookelyn and Lizze waiting for the firemen to throw candy. Brookelyn let them know that her dad also fought fires and his truck did not look anything like thiers. (I then explained that her dad was a forest fire fighter.)

All in all a fun day!

Fun in the water

2010-08-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

So the Rexburg bunch got together today at the Ross Water Park in Pocatello (minus Tufts and Hewitts but 4 out of 6 isn't bad). Alicia has been talking about taking the kids and so today we did. I got the worst sunburn but it is because most of my body never sees the sun and then when it does it soaks it away from everyone else. :) Here are some pics. It is the prelude to next week with the Tufts which we are excited for.

Kira, MaKynzee, and Brookelyn on the wheel. They had one area just for kids. The water didn't get deeper than maybe a foot. They had a blast. Kira enjoying the slide.
Brookelyn just swimming along. She does a good job keeping those ears out of the water. I love her.

Three of teh four moms (Brandee is taking the pic). Me, Alicia, and Katie. I can't believe how far we have come from those days in the dorms.

Kira really loves the water and it is a good thing too.

It was so much fun. Thanks to Hemmings and Hursts making the small trip up. It was so much fun. I love getting together with these ladies. We have experienced so much together. It is great to still be close and do things together.

Arik in Action

2010-08-10T20:38:00.001-07:00

Here is Arik working hard. He is the one on the right. His friend is on the left. They busted their butts to stop this fire from crossing over into a subdivision of homes. What a great job!! This picture was taken by the Idaho State Journal.

Information overload

2010-08-09T09:41:00.001-07:00

There is a ton of information in the next few posts. Please scroll down and look through them all.

Happy Birthday Kira (Aug 1)

2010-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little girl is three. She is getting so big. She is now potty trained and is starting preschool. Kira loves to do whatever Brookelyn is doing. She wants to be just like her. Kira is indestructable. Nothing seems to bother her. She gets picked on a lot because she is the youngest (when all the cousins get together) and sometimes she is the third wheel, but she never complains. She falls off her bike and gets right back up. She loves cats and Penny (our doggie). She is getting so smart. She can count to 20 and say her ABC's. I love her so much. She really is her daddy's little girl. (That's good since she is named after him.) (Kira is Arik backwards just in case you didn't know.) She is thinning out and isn't my chucky little baby anymore. She is getting more gorwn up everyday. She is so wonderful. Happy birthday Kira. Mom and dad love you so very much!!!

Kira's party

2010-08-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

This was the first year that Kira got a birthday party. Arik got called on a fire the night before and still feels bad about missing it. Oh well, that's what we get for having summer babies. We had a water party. Kira is a water bug and just loves being in it. Here are the pictures from it. Thanks to all who came (you had to drive far since we had no friends here yet.)

Waiting for everyone to get here. Look at me, I'm three.

Aren't I cute?

Watching the cupcake with candles coming towards her.

Good blowing.

Can I eat it yet?

Presents time. Thank you for all the gifts. They are getting played with lots and are all over the house. :)

Thank you again. It was great. Happy birthday Kira!!!

Our New House

2010-08-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

We moved into our new house two weeks ago yesterday. What an adventure. It took the movers 4.5 hours to pack our whole house, 2 hours to load it all up, and 2 hours to unload the boxes and place them into the rooms we told them to and set up the beds. It would have taken me more than that time just to pack. So here is our new house. (The pics aren't that great but you can always come visit and get a tour.)

Arik now only has a 10 min. commute instead of the hour commute he had for the past 7 months. We get to see him in daylight hours!!

This is the girls' room in the basement. It is the biggest room but can hold both beds (which we are getting ready to go to bunkbeds) and all thier toys. Here is the girls' closet. Yep, they have a walk in closet. Here is the guest bedroom downstairs next to the girls' room. That brown thing in the corner is a huge TAZ that we are holding for my brother til he gets off his mission.

The downstairs bathroom. It doesn't have a tub or shower yet but we will get to it slowly. The girls still have us help them so we are not too worried yet.

One side of the family room downstairs. We have a pellet stove. That door is the laundry room.

The other half of our family room.

The laundry room. Sorry the pic is the wrong way. We had to get a new dryer because ours was gas and this house has no gas. (HEHE)

Our kitchen. I love love love it! The pantry is behind the white door. It is huge and really nice.

The dining roomish. It is not really its own room but it is nice not to have the kitchen table in the family room anymore. (We are going to be painting the red walls blue. To lighten things up.)

Our living room.

The other side of the living room (it is not really big, I just couldn't get it all in one picture. I finally got my piano that we have had since we got married.)

The upstairs bathroom, or main bath. We have so many bathrooms I don't even know what to do. It is nice when we have four kids over and they all have to go at the same time. It has a linen closet behind the door. It is huge and so nice.

This is an extra bedroom. We hope to someday use it as a nursrey but until then or maybe forever this is a mini den.

The master bedroom. It has a bathroom and a walk in closet. It is really really nice!!!

The walk in closet. All of our clothes fit!!

The master bathroom.

That is it. It is really nice and we are enjoying it. Only four houses down lives a family with girls the same ages as Brookelyn and Kira. They are nice and we have already had fun playing with them. The elementary school is two blocks away. It is very comfortable. This is where we are suppose to be.

Harris Family reunion 2010

2010-07-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

Every fourth of July weekend Arik's mom's side of the family gets together for a reunion. Arik is one of the youngest cousins so it is a lot different then Bowen reunions where I am the oldest. We had lots of fun. Arik's cousin JD and his wife, Tamara, have kids Brookelyn and Kira's age so the girls had people to play with and Sam was there also. (Sam is Brookelyn and Kira's cousin.) We had a lot of fun and we camped out in Mom and Dad's backyard in a tent. Here are the pictures from the fun time!! (The pics are in reverse order, maybe someday I will learn.)

Brookelyn with her sparkler.
Kira with her Sparkler. Tyler and Reagan (second cousins)

Kira having fun. She loves fire just like her daddy. She is her daddy's girlie.

Reagan. Her and Brookelyn were joined at the hip.

Anji with Macey, and Gail. (Anji and Gail are Arik's sisters.)

The Mouser Family! We sure love them.

Family at the reunion. (Unlce Lynn, JD, Tamara, Aunt Anne)

Everyone enjoying the weather and the company.

Everyone at the reunion. The four sitting are the Harris siblings. (Mom, Joan, Lynn, Anne from left to right)

Reagan. She told me to take this pic because it would be so cute.

Kira and Reagan. They all loved this tree.

Kira. I just love this girlie.

Two peas in a pod. Brookelyn and Reagan. At the reunion, Mom gave everyone a hat and we each got to decorate it ourselves.

Brookelyn being Brookelyn

The hottie chilling.

Kira and Tyler hanging out with Arik.

Reagan. This is too cute.

Brookelyn wanting her pic taken.

Getting in those zzzz's.

Playing Bingo. What fun!! (L:R Tamara, Liz, Toby, Gail, Mom)

Gail, mom, Anne, Wade

Rob, JD, Lynn

Having more fun!!!

Sharon and Joan

Kira having fun with dad and Tyler.

We had a lot of fun and enjoyed seeing everyone. We love family!!

The party that wasn't

2010-07-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

For Brookelyn's birthday we went to Red Robin in Idaho Falls. She loved to be sang to and then handed her ice cream to Kira, who was more than willing to eat it for her. We decided not to have a party for Brookelyn becuase we are so up in the air with house stuff and everything so we got together with our friends, the Hemmings and the Hursts, at the Hemming's new house there in Idaho Falls. We had cupcakes and Brookelyn got to open the couple of presents she got. (All the pics are out of order but enjoy!) I really can't believe that my little girl is really 5. Not only that but on Sunday she went up and bore her testimony all by herself. No help no nothing and it was an amazing testimony. I was in tears!! She is growing up way to fast!!!

Here are all her presents! Thanks to the Bagshaws and the Hemmings for the presents!! Brookelyn was happy about her dress up clothes!

Kira got Brookelyn some dress up shoes so that they could both have something to wear on their feet. Tanner and Brookelyn were both pretty excited about the shoes.

Art easel thing with crafts from Aunt Brandee and Uncle Spencer.

Kira watching her sister open her presents. Her turn is next!

Opening Aunt Brandee's present.

Cameron Hurst enjoying his cupcake. (Thanks Katie for making them.)

All of us together.

Brookelyn blowing out her candles.

We love you Mo!!

Brookelyn, she looks so grown up!

We love you Brookelyn!!!

House Update

2010-07-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

We have finally finished doing all the things that needed to be done to the house before Relocation would take over. The worst was the tank in the backyard underground that we had to dig out. We dug down 13 feet until we hit lava rock. The pic shows what it looked like. Everything is now done and we are waiting for the letter (hopefully in the mail) that says we are soil clean. They already called and told us but we need the letter. Once that is here we can move. Hopefully we can close next week sometime. Please keep your fingers crossed!!

Happy Birthday Brookelyn!!

2010-07-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile but today is all about Brookelyn!!

Today my little girl is FIVE!!! I can't believe how big she is and how quickly time flies. She will start kindergarten this year and already knows so much. She is a great big sister and is so willing to help. She loves to be in charge and mothers all her little cousins and friends' siblings. I am so grateful for the chance to be her mom and to have her be part of my family. She really is a mini me and that scares me very much!!! She already has a firm testimony and loves to make sure that everyone is following the rules or she tells on them. (Such a help at times and other times we could probably do without it.) She is no longer my little girl but a little lady. I love her so very much!!!!

I think that she looks all grown up in this outfit!!

While we were in Boise a couple of weeks ago Brookelyn got her first ever haircut. I know five years!! She had such pretty curls I was afraid she would lose them and then her hair got so long that it came to a point in the back and just didn't look cute anymore. I took her in (I would never cut her hair) and she didn't cry or anything. She sat there and let the lady cut her hair. 6+ inches were cut off and here is what it looks like. She let me blow dry and then curl her hair today. So nice of her.

Happy Birthday Brookelyn! Your mom and dad love you very much!!!!!

You have got to be kidding ME!!!!

2010-05-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

Kira and I stayed home from church today. Kira had a little cold that we didn't want to give all the kids and I am trying to get over this thing that attacked me last weekend. I hopefully am on the end of it. Anyways, Arik and Brookelyn went to church. They walk in the door after church and Arik says, "I am disappointed with the Saints in Soda Springs." "What happened," I asked. I look at Brookelyn and she looks like she has been crying. "Someone stole Brookelyn's backpack." In the backpack was her coloring pencils (some really nice twist ones) and her notebook where she draws all her pictures. Arik had hung it up where you hang coats after Sacrament (just like we have done every Sunday for the past two years). After church when they went to get it, it was gone. They searched the whole church. After about 30 minutes, Arik says, "Maybe someone really needed it and took it but come on!" I told Brookelyn that since it wasn't her fault that they are missing we will get her new ones. Funny thought, this morning when she put her backpack on to go to church I thought, "At least I don't need to buy her a backpack for school in the fall." Little did I know!!

It's Over!

2010-05-28T18:27:00.001-07:00

The school year is over. Last year was my first ever year teaching and the kids just graduated from 8th grade. I am going to really miss them very much. I really got attached to some of them.

Not only is the school year over but I am no longer teaching in the classroom. I applied to many jobs this spring and got 4 calls back. I did not get three of the four and the fourth was an online teaching job. So, I will be staying home, watching my sister's kids, and subing, all while teaching online. It is a HUGE leap of faith but this is what heavenly Father wants me to be doing right now. I little scary to lose the money but this is where I am suppose to be.

We did find a house in Pocatello and are dealing with TWO relocation companies so hopefully we will be able to move around the 16th of June!! Cross your fingers.

Life is good. Kira is potty trained and Brookelyn graduated from Preschool (pics will come soon). Arik is really tired of driving back and forth so we are hoping that things really start moving!!!

Master Arik

2010-05-17T19:40:00.001-07:00

My amazing husband survived four years of udder madness and finally graduated and recieved his masters. I a m so proud of him. My parents flew in for the commencement and Rob and Lil came too. Arik family also were able to make it. Graduation was on Friday and we had a party on Saturday. Lee and Becca and family were able to make it down for the party. Lee and rob pretty much were Arik's life lines throughout this whole process. They constantly encouraged him and helped out whenever possible. Having Graduate graduation on Friday was great! The whole thing, the commencement and hooding took only 2 hours and then we were done. We didn't have to go back the next day or anything. There were only 562 Grads to hood and it went fast. I am so very proud of Arik. The following are pics from the great day. I don't know why part of it is undeerlined and some is not. These pictures are out of order but enjoy.

Here is the sign that Mom J and Marti made for the Party. Arik's sister,Anji, also got her masters and has been waiting for Arik so that they could celebrate together. Here is all of my family. Taking pictures are so much fun.
My parents that it was great being "True Aggies" with BYU clothes on.

Arik will all the kids. Libby is behind Kira so you can't quite see her.

I just thought this picture was so cute. Brookelyn is laughing but trying to tell Kira to put her shirt down. Kira has this thing with her belly.

All the dads walking, and carrying the kids. They are great.

Arik on the "A". He is so silly and I love him.

Arik with his family. Anji and her little family were not able to make it on Friday but they came to party Saturday.

Brookelyn was so proud of her dad. She kept telling me that he won because they gave him this rectangle thing. (She saw it from the big screen in the Spectrum.)

Arik getting hooded.

One problem we have with not ever seeing my family is that when we get together no one evers sleeps much. Dad trying to catch a little sleep.
Arik's family waiting for him to go.

Arik walking in.

May 1, 2004

2010-05-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

Arik and I have been married for six years. Yesterday Arik took me to look at houses and then to the Idaho Falls Temple to do sealings and then we walked around the mall window shopping. I was able to get a skirt and Arik got me a couple of books. He then took me to Olive Garden for dinner. It was great just spending time with him. I can't believe it has already been six years. I am so grateful to be married to my best friend and to have him help me grow as I try and overcome all my weaknesses. I love you sweetie!!!

Things we have accomplished in six years:
1. Finally graduating with a masters.
2. Getting out of diapers and pull ups (YEAH!!!)
3. Starting to raise two beautiful girls
4. Putting our first house on the market
5. Arik figured out why wild animals eat their young
6. Enjoying life and rolling with the punches!!

NO MORE...

2010-04-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Mistress. For the last four years Arik has had a mistress. She has taken up all his time and energy. I am not jealous or mad. At least I get him for an eternity. This morning Arik got her binded and finished all the hoops and loose ends that needed to be done. HE IS NOW A FREE MAN!!!!

For those of you that don't know, we have called Arik's thesis his mistress ever since a lady in our ward in Logan told my sister that Arik said he was gone doing research but really he was having an affair. Anyone that really knows Arik would just laugh (which Brandee did) so it became our joke and that is what we called it.

Monday night we went for a walk and then came home. I was giving the girls a bath and Arik was walking around looking lost. I asked him what was up and he said that he didn't know what to do with himself. He was not used to actually having free time to do whatever. He is free now to spend more time with us (though he tried very hard to always make time for us before), the time spent now is free of thinking of the thesis and what he should be doing. It is so very nice and what a relief off his shoulders.

Next Friday Arik will graduate and I am so very proud of him. I love him so much and am grateful for the opportunity to watch him grow and learn from this and the joy he has felt from finishing what he started!!!! WAY TO GO ARIK!!!

I am ...

2010-04-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

so stressed out. I have my Praxis test Saturday that will help with certifying in PE. I also had an interview with an online school and will hear by Friday if I got it or not. I also have to create a PE portfolio for my mentor, who will determine if I certify or not. We are also still trying to find a house, the last one didn't go through. Arik is finishing all the little things and WILL BE GRADUATING on MAY 7th!!! I am so proud of him. So much has happened and this will finally come together.

Life is fun but so stressful and crazy at the moment.

Take a breathe. Okay I am ready for this week. NOT!!!

And the Winner is...

2010-04-06T12:43:00.000-07:00

This year, as in all past years, we fill out brackets for March Madness. We have friends and family fill them out and then see who has bragging rights for the next year. This year the winner is Melanie(my sister). The following is a list of where everyone ranked.

Melanie Bowen 710
Mandy Walser 700
Me 690
Mo Hemming 630
Phil Tufts 630
Dad 620
Rob Severinsen610
Arik 610
Alicia Hemming610
Mom 490
Garrett Bowen 460

Congrats to Melanie, you can brag like dad did last year. Now we have to wait until football season and start fantasy football again!!!!

Finally..a picture post (could be long)

2010-04-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I finally got my camera back from my sister so I finally have pictures to update. This weekend was my Spring Break. (Yep I got a whole two days off!) Brandee and her family came down to celebrate Easter and just get out of the house. All it did was snow, snow, snow and it is snowing right now. I have no idea how my track kids can get on the track before thier first meet (which is on Thursday). Here all the long needed pictures (not in time order but you get what you get).

The kids Easter morning waiting for all the parents to get up and get the cameras. They are sitting on our new bed. It is a nice big comfy bed. Back to Easter. I think one cousin woke up all the others.

The Easter bunny left this book and markers for Brookelyn. She loves to draw and write and she has not let it leave her side. That is all the pics I have of Easter because my camera died. The girls got these really cute Easter dresses that I will try get a picture of on Sunday. For MaKynzee's brithday we took her to see Disney On Ice down in Salt Lake. The night before, Lukas was jumping off the stairs onto our bean bags and landed and hurt his foot. You could touch it and everything but he would not walk on it so we called our friends the Severinsens to watch Luke. (We were not going to carry him around Salt Lake the whole time.) (Come to find out he broke it.) I called our neighbor and asks if Albree (Brookelyn's friend) could come with us instead. These pics are out of order. We didn't get home until 11 that night. Here are the kids on the way home:
Brookelyn, Albree, Lukas

Here are all the girls outside of the Arena. It was a fun girls' night out.

Brookelyn, Albree, Kira, MaKynzee

Disney on Ice was very cool. They had Tinkerbell.

The Lion King

The Little Mermaid

And Cars.

It was a lot of fun and the girls all enjoyed it. Kira has a fear of heights so it took her a minute to get used to being up so high. But other than that they had fun.

They all were so intent on what was going on. Brandee took pictures and they hardly noticed.

Brookelyn has been trying to help around the house and one day while I was vacumming she decided she wanted to help. (If only this would last).

It takes my girls some time in the morning to wake up. "The Pit" as Arik calls it. This is how I found them one morning.

Some other updates. I got an interview with an online school and will do that on the 16th. I am so happy about that. Then we made an offer on a house. We like it and there are some things we can do to it. So cross your fingers. We are in the waiting game again. We only have to wait 17 days before the buyout (which could take up to 45 days). We will probably move by June 1st. School ends the 27th of May so that would work great.

All in all life is good. I am grateful for the reason for the season. I am grateful that the Savior would sacrifice himself for me so that I can return to my Heavenly Father someday. I love being a member of the Church and having the knowledge I have. Conference was wonderful. The topic this time seemed to be families and parents raising their children but that could have just been for me. Enjoy your Spring (if the snow would ever stop!!)

Updates

2010-03-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

I realized that it has been almost a month since I posted last. Nothing really big has happened so I haven't felt that anything important or blog worthy. (Excluding Disney on Ice which I will blog about later. It has a good story with it. :))

Arik
Arik is working hard and is putting the finishing touches on his paper and will hopefully graduate in May. He got to burn yesterday and our house now smells like fire. (which I actually like).

Brookelyn
Brookelyn has taken to reading and is flying through her books. She is doing awesome and loves to read to mom and dad.

Kira
Our little monster. She is has really hit the terrible twos and threes. Brookelyn never really went through this stage and we decided it was because Kira was born so she focused more on being a big sister. Since Kira doesn't have anyone to be a big sister to she is a monster. She is still very cute (too cute) and is grwoing so fast. She is talking in paragraphs now and really loves to do anything and everything Brookelyn does.

Me
I started track and am busy with that. I have also applied to six or seven different places trying to find something closer to Pocatello. I feel bad keeping my school hanging in the balance while I try to decide and find out what I am doing.

House hunting was put on hold for a month and now we are renewed and ready to try again. We are going to look at some houses on Thursday. Hopefully we will find something.

For those of you that know Arik, you know he doesn't make quick decisions. He takes his time and really thinks things through. A couple of weekends ago we were driving around just looking at neighborhoods and we saw a furniture store going out of business. Arik stopped and we went in. We found a bed for more than 50% off what it was selling for online and Arik bought it. I couldn't believe it. We now have a king size bed and a queen for our visitors. No more sleeping on the floor or on a airbed. The only problem now is that we don't want to get out of bed in the morning.

Life is busy and crazy but I love it and wouldn't change anything. There are only 8 weeks of school left. (we only have one more day this week, our spring break is a Thursday to Tuesday). The kids are in the hard, difficult, rough stage where they just don't care and don't want to do anything anymore. Hopefully we can all make it out of this alive. :)

Slump

2010-03-04T14:04:00.001-08:00

So yesterday I had a student make the comment that I was happier this week then usual. I thought about it for a minute and realized that I was not the only one to know that I was in a slump or bad mood. First, my morning classes have been pretty good this week but mostly I needed a new direction.

I was in a slump. I feel fat (because I am). No one has even looked at our house. We can't find the house we want. We are having no luck at all getting pregnant. I am searching for a job in Pocatello and am having no luck. The list could go on but these are my top.

I wanted out. I hated feeling like that. So, Arik and I bought a workout thing and it is coming. We will start that as soon as it comes. I have applied to two online schools and am checking everyday the school websites for updating jobs. I realized that I have no control over the rest so I decided there was only thing I could do... Turn it over to the Lord.

First, Arik took me to the temple where I was able to have a good vent. I love going there and the peace it brings me. Then instead of listing all the things I wanted, I asked for peace and help with the things I could control. The rest I turn over to the Lord. It is not an easy process. Every morning I feel like have to turn it over again. There are many tears each morning and then each night thanking Heavenly Father for the wonderful day and the blessings I recieved and the things I have.

It is not an easy thing and it is something I have to do every day. Heavenly Father knows that I sometimes lose sight of the important or what really matters and then things happen to make me "come home." I love and need to be in control and with this I can't. I am grateful that I have the knowledge I have and that I know that I am a daughter of God. He loves me and will help me along. I am never alone.

So, I am taking it a day at a time. Not stressing over having a baby (I heard that it does not help at all), not stressing about the house. We are still suppose to be in Soda and the perfect house will come and we will find it. Each day I turn everything over and He walks beside me helping me along the way.

To my friends and family having trouble with having a baby:
I want you to know that I do not take lightly what you are going through. I don't know how hard it must be for you. You are probably rolling your eyes at this thinking,
Why is she mad she already has two?" I know that. I also am aware every day and month of you. My prayers are for you. I have put your names on the Prayer rolls at the temple. You give me strength and I love you all. You are much stronger than I am. I hope that all of you will have your dreams come true. So please, do not get offended.

Olympics

2010-03-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

What an Olympics!! It was so much fun to watch and Arik and I hardly got anything done. I am proud to be an American and am happy for all those that did well. The Olympics were full of everything: heart break, upsets, amazing, even death.

We did an Olympics unit in my English classes. They wrote papers on the history of the Games, an event at the Games, and a person that participated in the event they chose that was competing at the games. They would come to class excited to tell me what they watched or how the person they chose was doing. They also started to really like the Olympics.

One thing I am grateful about is being a citizen of the United States of America. When someone does not do well, we do not threaten thier lives. The poor coach from the Netherlands (who told his skater to move into the wrong lane) will be placed in Witness protection when he gets back because of the death threats on his life.

The Korean girl who skated perfectly but was told that if she didn't win gold not to come home.

Or even the Russian olympic committee who are under pressure and people are up in arms to have them fired because the atheletes didn't do well.

Think back to four years ago when Bode Miller had his collapse. No one threatened his life and no coaches were questioned. We put the blame on the man and told him to try and prove himself again before we could trust him. No death threats, no don't come home. We are happy with what happens. Disappointed a little but always know that there is more four years from now.

The USA did wonderful this year. More medals than ever before by any country. We should be proud to be American and proud of what our Olympians accomplished. WAY TO GO USA!!!!

I loved watching the Olympics with Brookelyn. Each time someone raced or competed, she asked, "Is that a USA guy?" If I said yes she would cheer for them. If I said no, she would say tell me when a USA guy races and then would leave the room. She decided that she wants to be in the Olympics she we asked her to chose a sport and we would support her. "Not sledding," she said, "it is too fast and scary."

Lukas loved the arieals and watching guys do cirlces in the air as he put it. It was great to see them get excited about the Olympics.

Now back to the old routine of life!!!! (Okay not old but not like the Olympics!!)

What do you when...

2010-02-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

Your thesis is done and you are done with corrections waiting for an email to come back? You have time with your family. Now Arik has always made time for us, but that thesis was always there hanging over his head. The weekend before Valentine's Day we decided that Saturday would be a family day. WE headed over to the movie theatre (here during the Winter there are free Matinees of kids movies), when we got there they were already full so we stopped by Red Box picked up G-force and headed home. We popped popcorn and made Pink lemonade and watched the movie together. We then got all our snow stuff on and went to the church behind our house. They have a nice little hill and we went sledding, made snow angels (Brookelyn's favorite), and made a big snowman. Afterwards we went over to Arik's parents' house and fed cows. [Arik's dad had surgery on his ankle and can't leave the house for 6 weeks.] It was my first experience feeding cows and second go at driving a tractor. The girls rode on the back with Arik and helped him dump the hay. It was a great day together.

Arik and Kira sledding together.

At the end of the run. Too cute!!This is what Brookelyn did. She went down the hill once and decided she didn't like it. Then Brookleyn decided she wanted to make snow angels. Brookelyn was in charge. She wanted a snowman so we made one. Arik and I got a little carried away. This is to give you an idea how big the bottom ball was. Here is the finished product. Arik is 6 ft tall.

For Valentine's Day:

We went house hunting with the girls and then Arik took all three of his girls to Red Robin in Idaho Falls. We were able to stop by and visit our friends the Hursts and finally meet their new addition, Cory. (even though he is already three/four months old.)

It has been a great couple of weekends. Now it is the Olympics for the next two weeks!!! YEAH!!

Brandee and her kids came down to watch the Olympics. Her TV died. Here are a couple of pics of the days that they were here. She watched the kids Thursday while I was at school. I have the kids today while she is at work. We will drop the kids off on the way to Boise for the weekend.

Kira looked so funny and cute, Brandee just had to take some pictures.

What a face!!!

Blogging moment

2010-02-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

Last night I took the girls to Arctic Circle for dinner. Arik was in Logan working. When we got there a little boy ran up to Brookelyn, "Look it is Brookelyn. Hi Brookelyn. Dad, this is Brookelyn. Hi Brookelyn. Brookelyn is in my class at school. Brookelyn sit by us. Hi Brookelyn." It made me smile. The boy was so so happy to see Brookelyn and Brookelyn playe dit cool. "Hi, name of boy (brain fart)." Then she sat down. When the boy and his dad left it started all over again. "Bye Brookelyn. See ya at school, Brookelyn. Dad that is Brookelyn. Bye, Bye, Bye." He then popped around the corner for one last, "Bye, Brookelyn." I asked Brookelyn who he was. "He is a boy in my preschool class, mom." Then she dropped it. Later that night when Arik got home I told him about the boy so happy to see Brookelyn. Arik asked Brookelyn, "So who is he?" She said, "Just a LITTLE boy dad." Arik looked at her and said, "What are you?" She replied, "I am a big girl and he is just a little boy."

Arik and I about rolled off the couches laughing so hard. Brookelyn is already causing problems. After laughing Arik told me that it was a blogging moment. I about fell over. He always makes fun of me for blogging and then he says that. It was great.

Brookelyn is already breaking boys hearts. Watch out world, here she comes!!!

Moms... What did you give up?

2010-02-04T13:15:00.000-08:00

This week I got a bladder infection. I have had a few over the past two and a half years. It was never to the point of visiting a doctor until now. He asked me how often they happened and I said, "I never got one until after Kira was born." He smiled and said, "THe things mothers give up for thier children."

That got me thinking. I would rather have bladder infections then not have Kira. No question.
So moms out there, what have you given up?

With Brookelyn, I have a spot under my scar where I have no feeling. I am numb to anything. It is weird to feel a finger going across and then all of the sudden stop and then start again on the other side.

With Kira the infections.

I am not asking for lack of sleep, no me time, and stuff like that. What have you given up other than that?

Good thing it is all worth it. Otherwise things might be difficult. It also helped me deal with this a little better.

A day late

2010-02-02T14:56:00.000-08:00

This should have been posted yesterday but I didn't get to it.

Six years ago today, my sweetheart asked me to marry him. My life has been complete with him in it. I love him so very much and I am grateful to have him in my life.

It's Offical

2010-01-28T14:36:00.001-08:00

Our house is really on the market. If you want to see pics here is the link.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/Soda-Springs_ID_83276_1115555021

It is so weird and cool at the same time. I can't believe we really are moving.

House Hunting

2010-01-23T20:25:00.000-08:00

There are three posts so please scroll down and read them all.

This past weekend we finished our house, put it on the market, and went house hunting. Only those of you who have seen our house can truly appreciate all that Arik, his dad, my dad, and Garrett have done. The downstairs bedroom is amazing and no longer scary. The bathroom looks great and it is so clean. The kitchen is completely different. We put new doors in from the garage to the kitchen and from the kitchen to the backyard. A Brother from our ward came and painted everything. He did a great job. Our house looks great and no longer feels like our house. It really is time to move.

It is now on the market and I am constantly cleaning up so that everything looks good when I go to bed.

We went house hunting in Pocatello and found nothing. Two were promising but at the very end of what we want to pay so we will keep looking. Next weekend we are going again.

Tomorrow I head to Boise for three days to grade state math tests. So exciting. I also get to see our new niece Macey. I am excited for that!!!

Life is crazy and as long as I have Arik keeping me straight, All is well!!

Christmas Lights

2010-01-23T20:00:00.001-08:00

When I first went to BYUI, we started going to the lights at Christmastime. When I met Arik that is where we got together. We went every year for 5 years and then stopped for a couple. This year I was determined. We were able to arrange meeting up with our friends the Severinsens and then the Allreds. We were able to meet Steve's new wife, Melissa, and loved her. She compliments Steve very well. I am happy for them.

Here is Lil and Libby. The pic of the whole Severinsen family was too blurry (sorry guys). Brookelyn, Libby and Rob. Brookelyn loves Libby and wanted to be with her wherever she went.
The Bagshaw family. Brandee and her family didn't bail on us like the rest of our family did.

Our family. I love them so much. We also had a teaching moment. Brookelyn asked why we got married in the temple. I told her it was so that we could be a family together forever no matter what happened to us. She looked at me and said, "Thank you mom, I love you and want to be with you forever." Instant tears. Then she said, "Someday I will get married in the temple too." Smiles and tears.

Steve and his wife, Melissa.

Kira and Arik. The namesake catching a ride around Temple Square.

Better Late then Never Christimas 2009

2010-01-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

Okay these pics are out of order and for some reason it is not letting me put them in order so sorry. I know that these are exetremely late but life has been so crazy and flying by that I can not believe that we only have one week left of January. So here it is. Christmas 2009. We had Christmas in Lehi with my grandparents and my parents, sister (Melanie), her three kids, and Garrett (brother) came up from Texas. Brandee (sister) and her family were there also. There are 15 of us. Seven 4 and younger. It was a mad house and Grandma and Grandpa were awesome about everything. Many late night games and total fun. All in all a great BOWEN party/Christmas.

Brookelyn with her big present from Santa. At our house Santa leaves one big present and then little presents. Brookelyn was so excited that Santa left her a note!!

Every time that Brookelyn opened a present she said, "It is my favorite. I am so happy I got this." No matter what it was. She made a big deal about every present making mom and dad and all those that got her something feel so speical and successful.
Kira always walks away with dad's tools and he can't find them. So this year, Kira got her own tools and workbench. Santa did well, but four of the tools made lots of noise and drives me crazy. What was Santa thinking??

Another picture of Brookelyn's note from Santa. She wanted to make sure we got a pic of it.

When one person wakes up we wake everyone up. Considering my girls were the only ones woken up they seemed happy. Here they are waiting to go out and see what Santa left.

So happy in the morning, must be her daddy's girl.

Each Christmas Eve we do the Nativity play, like about everyone else. All the children get to do it. Usually my Aunt Lisa and Aunt Julie do everything. They decided this year to pass the torch to Brandee and I. So nice of them to do that!! :) So here is the cast.

Kira was one of the Wisemen and did such a good job. I was proud of her and Brookelyn.

Brookelyn was a shepard and loved carrying the sheep with her.

Brookelyn and Lily followed Kayla around everywhere. Lily wanted Brookelyn to be her best friend. Brookelyn kept telling her that she was her cousin so she couldn't be her best friend. Lots of tears over that. Drama at age 4. Watch out world.

Christmas was great. my husband was wonderful to me as always. I was grateful for the time I got to spend with my family as I don't get to see most of them very much. I love them so much. ALL of them.

Weird, huh?

2010-01-11T14:29:00.000-08:00

Most of you know that we are in the process of putting on house on the market so that we can move to Pocatello. People are slowly starting to find out here and most keep asking why are you moving? They wonder why I would want to leave my job (which really is very nice) and we have a great babysitter. Arik can commute they say. I am getting a little frustrated with them. I love to spend time with Arik and we do a lot of things together. Arik is one of those cool, amazing dads that actually like being a part of his children's lifes and wants to see them and be around them. Last week Arik got home at 7 pm or later. The girls go to bed at 8. He hardly saw them. Brookelyn would ask me, "Do I get to see dad today at all?" It broke my little heart. So when people ask why are we moving the answer is.. "I love to see my husband and do things with him. If we move I will be able to do that. If we don't we will never get to see him and he will miss all the fun things like soccer and school plays." Weird isn't that I actually like to spend time with my husband and that he likes to spend time with us.

I know that some people don't have a choice and they have to have those schedules, but we have a choice and we chose to move so that we can see each other. Weird, huh?

Jesus wants me for a ...

2010-01-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

CTR 4! That's right. Brookelyn is no longer a sunbeam but is now a CTR 4. Kira was the only kid in nursery til November so our ward has no new sunbeams. I just can't believe how big she is gotten. She is the best big sister and so helpful to me.

As soon as I have time to get on the computer we will upload pictures. My computer is slower than slow and Arik is busy working away on his.

Arik started his new job yesterday and already hates the commute. We will be putting the house up for sale around Martin Luther King day. Then it is a waiting game. Gratefully for us if no one wants to buy our house then the government will buy it from us. So if not sooner, we will be moving to Pocatello the end of April or beginning of May. Then I will be commuting for the last month of school. But I will be home from work before Arik even gets off.

Things are going well for us. Crazy busy and no time to even think but we can't complain too much. We have a great family and really enjoy spending time together. It is wonderful. This weekend we took the girls to see Alvin and the Chimpmucks the squeal. Kira was head banging to the songs and the couple behind us couldn't help but laugh about it. It really was funny.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year's. This year is full of new things for us and we look forward to it. As Arik once put it, "At least now when I move or have to do something new or hard my best friend is there with me through it all." I am grateful for Arik and that he really is my best friend now. I love him and am grateful for eternity.

O Christmas Tree, O Christsmas Tree

2009-12-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

This year Arik and Dad J took the girls and I to get a tree. Thanks you them for dragging us along. I wish I would have had the camera with me but I couldn't find the charger and the battery was completely dead. So no pics. Brookelyn walked up the steep hill all by herself. Arik packed Kira in the backpack. Brookelyn and I had many laughs as we tried (with no success) to get up the hill. Each step we took we slid down the hill a couple of feet. We finally said a prayer and got up the hill. When we reached the top and Arik we said another prayer thanking Heavenly Father for helping us get to the top. What a great learning experience!! On the way down the mountain the girls and I slid on our bottoms while Arik and Dad dragged the trees down. The girls had a blast. Kira just took off, if she ran into a tree she just rolled over and kept going. We were all laughing and giggling. What a great family day!!! So here is our tree. It wa s 12 feet tall but then Arik cut it so it would fit in our house. The girls were so proud of it. They are really into Christmas this year. It is awesome!! It makes this time of year fun and not as stressful seeing their delight and enjoyment with everything. They waited patiently as Arik and I (okay mostly Arik) hung the lights and the tinsel and then the girls went at it. They had so much fun!!Our finished project. The girls are so proud of it. The lights are on as soon as they get up in the morning and we turn them off after they go to bed.

Welcome tree to our family for a few short weeks. Thank you for the joy you have brought to our girls and the feeling of Christmas you have brought to our house.

Your how old?

2009-12-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I met a new lady in the ward. It was after church and I was getting coats on the girls. The lady asked how old Brookelyn was. I said, "4 in a half." Brookelyn looked up at me and yelled (for everyone to hear), " I am not 4 in a half until after Christmas. I am still just 4." The lady looked at me and I said, "I'm sorry, I stand corrected." Everyone around us just laughed.

The last four years...

2009-12-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

On Monday Arik defended his thesis. This is where a group of THREE people decide if the last FOUR years of Arik's life was worth it or a waste of time. After three hours of prentations (which Arik did awesome on, a question period(Arik had a hard time with this, and a commitee crueling session) Arik PASSED!! He did it!!! The last four years were for something after all.

He still needs to revise a few things and jump through the hoops the grad department has but that is easy compared to what he did do.

I am so proud of my husband and all the work he put into it. I love you sweetie!!!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-30T15:38:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving we went to Boise and spent it with Arik's sister, Anji, and her family. She is having a baby within the next few weeks and can't travel so we all traveled to her. It was a lot of fun and I was able to get all my Christmas shopping done and only went over budget by 50 dollars. GO ME!!!

This Thanksgiving I really sat down and thought of things that I am truly grateful for. (these are in no specific order)

A husband who loves me unconditionally, who is my best friend and who I can share everything and anything with. He loves me on my good days and even more on my bad. He is my eternal companion and I get to share all of life's challenges with him. (Which makes them so much easier to bear.)
Two beautiful girls. As hard as we are trying to have another and the difficulties I am having this time, I am grateful that I have even two. (For those of you struggling with your first please don't think me insenitive. I understand your struggles and I am in NO WAY making light of how hard and difficult it is for you right now.) I love them to death. Brookelyn is such a joy. She is like my little best friend. We tell each other secrets and talk about "girl stuff". She thinks she is 15 and is so much fun. Kira is my brute. What would I do without her? She puts up with a lit being the smaller and littlier one. She gets left out of stuff and trys to grin and bear it. She has such a positive outlook. (Don't get me wrong she can cry and gets upset with the best of them, but she is a little more laid back which is good with a sister like Brookelyn.)
My family. This includes both Arik's and mine. Arik's family (all of them) have completely accepted me and taken me in. My family because no matter how far away they are we try and do little things to keep together. GO FANTASY FOOTBALL!!
Brandee, I know she is part of my family but still. I never understood the big differences in ages in a family until I moved away and realized that I am really only truly connnected with her. I love Melanie and Garrett to death and I know I am horrible at showing them that. Brandee lives somewhat close to me and even closer when we move. We have been through almost everything together. I am grateful for a sister that was only 18 months younger than me and can only hope that Brookelyn and Kira can be like us.
My job. I love my job so very much. I love to teach and am grateful for the opportunnity to interact with these kids every day. We have fun and I love them.
Coaching. Once I left high school and after college I realized that my talents for sports was not going to get me very far in life. People just can't use those talents. So I am grateful to coach and be able to use the talents I have in helping young people grow not only in sports but in so many other things as well.
My religion. There are not words to express the gratitude I have for parents who taught me the gospel, for Arik's parents for teaching him. For all the primary leaders, Sunday School teachers, Young Women leaders and the bishops and others that have taught me the things I know. I am grateful for personal revelation that allows me the chance to talk one on one with my Father and to have Him talk back. I love knowing why I am here, where I am going and what my purpose here on earth is. I love knowing that I can make mistakes and through repentance be made clean again. I love knowing that there is NOTHING that the Savior does not understand. He truly knows what I am going through, what I will go through and how to get through all the crap when it feels like there is no way out. I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and try everyday to live up to that.
I am grateful for the little things that we forget about sometimes to be grateful for:food, water, shelter, clothing, tv, internet, phones, cars. (All the worldly things that we need or want or whatever)
Arik's job that really supports us. For all his work that allows us the things that we have.
Schooling. I am grateful for parents that pushed thier daughters to get an education. I am grateful for that education and the knowledge I have recieved from it. I also grateful that I can use my education to better my family and others around me.

Family Pics 2009

2009-11-24T14:43:00.001-08:00

Here are some of our family pics this year. I decided we should dress up. I know I know! I thought they turned out really cute. Brookelyn did everything the lady asked and Kira screamed a lot of the time. It could have been the time we took them or just because she is really hitting and enjoying those terrible twos. I hope you enjoy. I actually really like this one of the two of us.

Kira took her brithday pictures in this chair and remembered it. She loves to sit in it.

The lady tried to get both girls in this pic but Kira would have none of it so Brookelyn did it all by herself.

I like this one. I actually catch them at home like this once in a while. I can't wait til Brookelyn can read and she can read to Kira.

My girlies. I love them so much. I am grateful that I have them in my life and would not trade them for anything, not even a boy. I am grateful that Heavenly Father entrused me with these two beautiful, bright, intelligent girls.

This was Arik's favorite.

Team Jacob

2009-11-22T18:34:00.001-08:00

Thursday night a group of us went to see New Moon at the midnight showing. This movie was better then the last movie. For those of you that have read the books I have always been Team Jacob but after watching the movie I don't know how anyone can not be Team Jacob. It was a good movie. Of course it is not as good as the books but what movie ever is!!

Life has been crazy busy. Arik has been running around finishing his paper and getting ready for his defense. Basketball has been going good. My girls' team is still undefeated. We have four more games after Thanksgiving. We have a great chance of winning all four. We have already beat three of the four teams.

Brookelyn has been great. The primary program was last week and she did great. She had her part memorized and didn't need help from her teacher. I was so proud. Afterwards, I told her that she did great. She said, "Mom, you did great watching me." She makes me smile.

Kira has been a handful. She is so much fun. Right now she busts out singing Can You Feel the Love Tonight. She sings it all day, during Sacrament and during any quiet moment she can. When we pray we say Sure Love Ya afterwards. Kira has taken it upon herself to say it after any prayer, Opening prayer at church, after the bread and water prayers, and the closing prayer, and after blessings on the food. It is cute but I wish she wouldn't yell it at church when everyone is trying to be reverent.

We have decided to move to Pocatello. It means that our family gets to see each other more and stuff. I will have to commute until the end of the school year, then I will try to find a job in Pokey teaching. Pray that we will be able to sell our house fast and that everything will work out. Life is great and all these new things are so much fun. As Arik once said, at least now when I have to move I get to move with my best friend and will never be alone.

Favorite Time of the Year

2009-11-07T23:47:00.000-08:00

This is Arik's favorite time of the year. Better yet, holiday of the year. Arik loves Thanksgiving. He refuses to listen to Christmas music or put Christmas decorations up until after Thanksgiving. He loves the fact that he can eat all day long and not have to feel bad about it. In my family we always decorated for Christmas on Brandee's bday (my sister) so I am used to waiting. I love watching the leaves change colors and to see all the vivid colors there really are out there.

In less then two weeks I will be watching New Moon with my sister, sister-in-law, and a group of girls. We have tickets for the midnight showing. It makes it a lot easier for babysitting, though I know Arik would watch the girls if I asked him to anytime. This is one movie he is happy to send me off with a group of girls to watch and leave him at home. I love him so much!!

We started off the basketball season winning the first two games this past week. We won 26-13 and 23-8. In the second game all the girls scored and in both games everyone has had equal playing time. I don't know if that will last all season but it is starting off good. I have a totally different group of girls this year, not quite as focused as last year's team but they are getting better every day.

The first tri of school ends on Thursday. Holy Cow we are already a 1/3 done with school. Is time going super fast for anyone else? The girls are growing exponentally and I seem to blink and miss something else.

When we went to the doctor this past week Brookelyn was 36 inches tall and 34 pounds. Kira was 33.5 inches tall and 32 pounds. We will have twinners here in a little bit. (I mean Kira catching Brookelyn, not actually twins. :))

Arik is crazy busy wrapping up the thesis but he will be done and ready to go on Dec 7. I am so proud of him for accomplishing this and finishing it through not matter how frustrated he got. (Those of you who have helped him through this know what I mean.)

Halloween and State

2009-11-03T19:02:00.000-08:00

This year for Halloween I was at state for Volleyball. Our high school team made it and it was all the way in Couere A'lene (it is ten hours away in a Charter Bus.) Our girls ended up taking 3rd place. They did awesome and our only losses were to the 1st and 2nd place teams. State in Idaho is much didffernt then State in Colorado and so much more intense and exciting. While I was at State Brandee my great sister took my girls. She dressed them up for Halloween and took them to the ward party. Brookelyn then got sick and then Kira got sick. (Sorry Brandee I didn't want to get your family sick.) Yesterday I took the girls to the doctor and they do not have the Pig Flu (as Arik calls it.) They are just sick. A viral thing that they just had to deal with. They are feeling much better and I get to go to work again tomorrow. Arik and I gratefully did not get sick. (Knock on wood.)
Here are some pics from Brandee's ward party. Thanks Brandee for taking the girls.

Brookelyn bowling. Arik just loves Kira's face in this one.
Brookelyn wanted to be Cinderella. So she was.

For one last year we just had Kira be what Brookelyn was at that age. I think that next year Kira will not be okay with just anything anymore. She poses so cute.

Arik stuck candy outside the door telling everyone we were sick and just take a couple pieces of candy. Someone stole all the candy and my bowl. Not cool!

We are doing much better now. I have my first basketball game tomorrow. I am a little nervous and stuff.

One last bit of information. Arik got a new job. It is in Pocatello. We are just deciding if we want to move there or stay here and have him commute or have me commute for a couple of years. If I work for one more year we will have the van payed off. We also like our house but if we can't sell it the government will pay it for us. They will also pay for the move and it is a total full time job now. There is no chance of a 8 week lay off like before. He is the AFMO fire. Whatever that means, I am not sure but it is a step up. Also Arik is defending his thesis on DECEMBER 7th.
After four years of work we are final finishing it all. He is working his behind off but will be done in a MONTH!!!

Happy Halloween to everyone!!

The Teacher Wins...Holy emotions

2009-10-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

Okay today for P.E. we played basketball, that is a sport I can handle. A little group of us (three boys and myself) played 21. I hit 3 after 3 and made all my free throws and WON!!! That is right. I might be 12 or 13 years older then them but I totally took them. They couldn't believe it. They complained that most of my points came from free throws and I told them that that just shows how important they really are.

So thanks to my dad for spending part of every Christmas break for 4 years making me shoot 500 free throws. Also thanks to my dad for letting me steal his routine when shooting free throws. Shooting free throws really wins games!!!!!!!!

Okay this needs a preface. I was a week late on that monthly thing. Then I woke up around 4 in the morning yesterday morning to use the bathroom and was bleeding. I cried a little (yes we would like to have another one but things just don't work out the way we want them to) and I was in a lot of pain. A lot more than usual for that thingy. Anyways, I came to school and during my first hour a student would not work. I asked him to start doing something. He told me he was and held up a little bike. (It was one of those that you have to glue and put together yourself). I told him to put it away and get to work. 5 minutes later again I asked him to start working, he told me he was and held up a bottle of super glue. I told him to put all that stuff away and to work on English. I then told him if I saw those things again I would take them away. He stood up looked right at me and said, "Oh, no you didn't." With the attitude and hand and head shake and everything. I lost it. I was so mad. (Remember what happened earlier that morning. Hormones were crazy.) I yelled at him and told him to get out of my class and I walked down to the office. By the time I was at the office I was in tears and I told them what had happened. Now it seems silly that I got so mad and cried but it was a bad start to a bad morning. How dare he talk to me like that?

Anyways, things are going better and I am starting to feel better now!! Too bad I care so much for these kids otherwise why would I put up with stuff like this all the time. Isn't teaching great???

It's about time

2009-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

I know. It has been a while since I posted anything at all. And the only reason why most of you look at this is for all the cute pics of my girlies. I do have some and will add them soon. Our computer died and I can't scan pictures right now so birthday pictures that we got from Sears are still waiting to be added. I do have some other pics that I will add when I am on my computer again.
Here is an update.

Christina:
Life has been crazy. Starting my day at 5:30 AM reminds me so much of Seminary. I miss Seminary but I do not miss getting up that early. Volleyball will be over in a week and a half so then I can sleep in another hour or so. My team started great and then has slowly fallen apart. We are 3-4. (But given that last year they never won a game. We are doing okay. Also they have a rookie coach who keeps learning new stuff all the time.) Two weeks from today bball starts. It is not quite as demanding as volleyball. I am looking forward to the season. I will be coaching the 7th grade team again. I don't get to move up with my 8th graders but it is fro the best of the program so as much as I am sad over it I am okay. At least I still get to coach. We just hit the mid term of the 1st trimester and have parent/teacher conferences this week. I am really not looking forward to them but it will be nice to get a better glimpse of what these kids live with and deal with at home.

Arik:
Arik has finally been home for a weekend. Now that snow has fallen (yep SNOW) he has really slowed down. He keeps waiting to hear from his professor at USU so that he can finish up loose ends and finally graduate. He has been awesome cooking meals and taking care of the girls. He supports me 100% in my coaching and that really makes all the difference. He has applied to a job in Pocatello and another here is Soda.

Brookelyn:
Is getting way too smart. She now knows her address and phone number. She is learning to write numbers now and likes to correct mom all the time. She has the red headed attitude and temper and we are learning to adjust to it. She is a big helper most of the time and loves to help Kira. She knows she is smart and uses that a lot. She loves preschool and always tells me everything she did that day. (I just love coming home and having her give me a play by play.) She also learned to whisper in ears so she loves to tell me secrets that she doesn't want Kira to know.

Kira:
She has learned the phrases: Leave me alone, Go away, and Never, ever, ever. These are moms least favorite words and has a hard time with them. She is getting to the point when she knows she goes wet and poop. We are starting to work on making it to the bathroom and to the potty. Maybe by Christmas (that would be nice). She is growing all the time. I jsut pulled out the winter clothes and she is wearing all of Brookelyn's old clothes. I can't believe how big she is and how fast time has flown. she can count to ten and knows about 7 letters of the ABC's.

My Broncos are undefeated so far this year!!! Much to my surprise. Also, BYU is coming back a little bit. Too bad they blew one game. Now we can only hope they keep winning and beating these other teams. The Rockies made it to the playoffs this year without haiving to win 22 games in a row and didn't even need a play in game to go either.

Life is great and conference came just when I really needed it. It was nice to get uplifted a little and to hear words of counsel and support from our prophet and leaders.

Saving Madeline

2009-09-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

As a public defender, Caitlin McLoughlin dreams of someday locking the bad guys in prison instead of defending them. But prosecuting jobs are scarce, and Caitlin’s future seems bleak. When her current client is about to walk away from a brutal crime, she risks her career to make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else. But how far is she is willing to go— especially when she needs her job so she can continue caring for her mentally disabled sister? Then Caitlin meets Parker Hathaway, charged with kidnapping a four- year- old child. Just another criminal, just another job, Caitlin thinks. But when she learns the real story, she realizes that she must put everything on the line to defend her client and save the little girl before it’s too late. Saving Madeline is the story of a man determined to protect a child he loves, and the woman who dared to trust him.

I read an advanced review pdf copy of this book. I have always been a big fan of Rachel Ann Nunes and this book is no different. This book is also different from many of her other writings and asks many thought provoking questions. It takes you inside of the legal system and gives you a better understanding and closer look at how things happen and what it trying to be done to protect children and people from all the evils that are attacking our world today.

It was a book that I had a hard time putting down and afterwards kept my mind going and considering things I have not thought of before. It took me to a world inside our own world, that for me really doesn't exist in my little bubble, and got me to ask myself, what could I be doing? I really enjoyed this book. Whether you have never read Rachel's books before or if you are a long time fan, all will enjoy this latest book by her, Saving Madeline.

Rachel is also doing a drawing for this book. Everyone that comments on this post will be entered in a drawing for a copy of this book. So please post your comments and I hope you win!!!

You can read sample chapters at Rachel Nunes' site

Where to buy and general info:
Amazon.com
CedarFort.com
DeseretBook.com
Shadow Mountain Softcover Tradeback $17.95
Romance, 321 pages.
First printing in September 2009
ISBN 13-978-160461-049-3
Book also includes a discussion guide.

Do you remember...

2009-09-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

I am sure we all do. I was on a little island in Washington, near Seattle. We were shut off from everything. No one could go off or come on the island. We didn't know everything that was going on, just that something terrible had happened. (Thanks mom for the call or we would have been clueless all day.)

I do not have school on fridays so on Thusday we talked a little about Sept 11th. I realized that these seventh graders were 4 or barely 5 when it happened. They do not care and they have no real love for thier country. I wanted to scream at them that they should respect the flag, the country and the president. Now I do not agree with a lot of what the president of the US is about and what he does BUT he is the President and we should respect him. My students feel like they can talk so badly about and disrespect him greatly. In my class I heard them using words that I never say describing our president. I finally told them that I didn't care what color, or party, or sex our president was, as the president they should be respected. I told them that in my classroom I would not allow or put up with them talking about the president that way. It makes me sad to see what thier parents must be saying and doing at home for these 12 and 13 year olds to have such strong opinions.

I am grateful for a mom and dad that taught me to love my country and to respect the flag, the president and the men and women who fight every day so that I can say and do what I want and live freely. If only some parents would do the same.

So, I am asking you all to teach your children how lucky they are to live here and to have the freedoms we do. We may not like certain things about our government and how things are run but that should never deter us from remember how we got the freedoms we do and how lucky we are.

I am proud to be an American. I can not thank in words those that have sacrificed thier lives and thier time to keeping me free. I thank those who are the families of the military men and women that go out. They deserve just as much for what they do at home while thier loved ones are fighting for all of us. THANK YOU!!!!!! Thank you for everything a million times over. Don't forget that there is still a great majority that are grateful for you and what you stand for. Don't let the negative cause you to forget those that truly care and are truly grateful!!!

Are you ready for some football?!!?!?!?!

2009-09-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is the greatest time of the year again, football season. What a way to start. GO BYU!! That game was awesome. Our defense was amazing holding their star QB to 10-14 for 96 yards and 1 TD. True he got hurt and couldn't come back but they were great!!! Some respect for the MWC!! (Rob did you cheer for the Cougars). My parents went to the game and told me all about it. So much fun!! They bought the family matching BYU shirts just for this game. When my mom handed Arik his shirt the conversation went the follwing:
Mom: Arik, I know you hate BYU but would you for one game wear this shirt.
Arik: Which game?
Mom: The first of the season and then you don't have to wear it again.
Arik: Who are they playing?
Mom: Oklahoma.
Arik: (long pause, deep breath) If there was a team I hate worse then the Cougars it would be the Sooners. Okay I will.

Saturday we headed to some friends house to watch the game. Arik wore his UTAH shirt under the BYU shirt so that he could have the correct team close to his heart and the minute the game ended, the blue shirt was off. Thanks sweetie for wearing the shirt for 3 whole hours. Arik wouldn't let me get a pic of it.

Also, this week the NFL starts. My Broncos are going to get thier bums beat hard this year so I am ready to take all the crap from everyone (Rob). Also, our fantasy football has started again and I am ready to take down ROB!!! (Anyone see a theme, Rob). It is a fun time of year. All the upsets, all the excitement and all the cheering. just wonderful!!!

Also, Arik didn't want me to mention it but we got a new van. Okay it is not new. We got a 2005 Pontiac Montana (which Brookelyn calls the Hanna Montana van). Sorry no pics. And just so everyone does not have to ask us. NO we are not pregnant. We found this van for a great deal and decided to go for it. We wish we needed the van but for right now we are settling for being grateful that we were able to get one.

Bring on all the trash talking and all the hype. I am ready for some football!!!!!

Birthday, first day, and stuff in between

2009-09-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

September 1st was Arik and Gail's bday. (Just for those of you that don't know, Arik has a twin.) Marti and I planned this for them:

That night we had a party at Mom and Dad J's house. Gail came home from Boise. We went to dinner at El Toro (the only "real" restaurant in Soda). We sang and then had Arik and Gail blow out the candle, Brookleyn actually did it all herself and Kira wanted a try so this is the second verison.

Marti and the girls made this cake while the rest of us were at school/work.

Marti's birthday was on the 29th. The crown was the one from Brookelyn's party.

Gail was so very happy to get a pic with the crown.

Arik being a great sport. How can you turn down two little girls begging him to wear the crown.

Brookelyn holding her crown waiting for the ice cream and cake.
Kira waiting for cake and ice cream.

Arik and I debated for quite awhile about weather or not to put Brookelyn in preschool. After a long debate we decided it was probably the best thing for her. She really wanted to go too. That helped make the deicision. So here she is ready to go. Since I had to be at school an hour before she went to school, here she is.
I love this picture.

One morning I went in to the girls and this is what I found.
Brookelyn then wanted a picture of herself because I can't just do something for one and not hte other.

On wednesday I had my first volleyball game. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. We won!!!! I felt so good. Last year the girls only won one game and they were not very confident. This helped them. We play again on Wednesday and I am nervous again but at least the first game is over.

School is going good. I am crazy busy and having three different classes is insane but I think things are going good. Getting up at 5:30 am for practice is not fun but well worth it in the end.

Happy Anniversary to Brandee and Spencer and Katie and Steve. They each just celebrated thier 6th!!

Also, congrats to Mo and Alicia for having a baby girl!!!

There should be a law...

2009-08-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

There should be a law that states a mom and a dad CAN NOT get sick at the same time. Luckily for us, our girls can watch themselves. Arik and I have both been sick for over a week and it finally wore us done to nothing. We attended the doc and I have strep while Arik has a nasty chest cold that has moved into his sinuses. (This was how he started before his Mono went full blown.) Today Arik and I have slept many many many more hours than we have been awake.

Our girls are wonderful. They played by themselves, they ate whatever Brookelyn could reach and they did not fight as much today as usual.

I have now been on meds for 24 hours and can somewhat shallow without crying in pain. Arik's cough is getting farther and farther apart, he has lost his voice though. Life is great.

We will survive! We will survive!! WE will survive!!!!

What would you do?

2009-08-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Brookelyn and I had a conversation today that went like this.

Brookelyn: Mom why do you have two girls and no boys?

Mom (me): Because that is what Heavenly Father sent me.

Brookelyn: Mom, why does Aunt Brandee have a boy and a girl?

Mom: Because that Heavenly Father wanted to her to have a boy and a girl.

Brookelyn: I want a boy in our family.

Mom: So do I.

Brookelyn: I don't understand why we don't have any boys and and Aunt Brandee does.

Mom: Neither do I.

So what would you say? I don't have the answer for her. Any help in case this comes up again, which it will. I have already had a couple different talks like this abotu how she wants a brother and why don't we have one when most everyone else she knows has one. HELP ME!!!!

Kids say the darnest... he is the greatest ever

2009-08-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

Side note: I have still not gone through all my pics yet but that will be soon.

Yesterday the girls had thier 4th and 2nd brithday check ups.

Brookelyn is:

39 1/2 inches tall

34 pounds

Kira is:

33 1/2 inches tall

30 pounds

The doctor told me that Brookelyn could get her school shots this year instead of waiting for next year. I said go for it. (she is starting preschool). I leaned over and told Brookelyn that she will be getting a couple of shots. A minute or two later Brookelyn said in a crying voice, "I don't want to be shot. I don't want to die. I want to live!!!" I busted up laughing and the doctor had tears in his eyes from laughing. I told her, "medicine shots, not gun shots. They are so you don't get sick and so you can go to school." she felt better after that.

Kira went first getting her shot. I told the nurse who was giving the shot that Kira has never cried getting shots before. The nurse gave Kira the shot and Kira... laughed. The nurse said it was the first time ever that a kid laughed when getting a shot. (It must be all the fat on those thunder thighs.)

Arik and I have not seen each other in 5 weeks and this weekend my cousin is getting married in Salt Lake. We were going to leave the kids with grandma and grandpa and then have a date night on our way down to Salt Lake. Enjoy a day together and then come back late tomorrow night. Two kid free nights!!!!!

That was the plan. A couple of fires decided to pop up yesterday and so Arik is on call in case they need him so no trip to Salt Lake with me and no date night. Arik felt so bad that on his lunch today he brought me...

Now I am not usually a flowers girl but they made me feel special and hopefully before school starts we can have a night just us. M husband is the greatest and I am so very lucky to have him. I love you sweetheart!!

We're home

2009-08-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. Another post without pictures but I promise you that I will have them soon. We got home Tuesday. Yesterday I was in Pocatello getting food (which we really badly needed) and the girls had their birthday pictures taken. They were awesome (the girls and the pics). The girls never cried and did exactly what the lady asked of them. They took turns and really made it go fast. (Much better than last year!!)

As soon as I have some time I will post pics. I found out yesterday that this year I am full time at school. Most of you probably didn't know but last year I was only part time. This year I am teaching 7th grade English, 8th grade math and 8th grade PE. (those poor 8th graders that thought they got rid of me last year) School starts on the 17th with volleyball tryouts on the 14th and 15th. I have to move into my new room, look over my new books, go to Salt Lake for my cousin's wedding (this wedding), and then go back to Salt Lake on the 12th to see my brother off on his mission. I still picture him as a little 11 year old. All before school starts.

Well, I am off. I have a house to clean, stuff to do and a trip to Logan.

So long...Yet so much fun

2009-07-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

I am still here in Texas. I promise I will post pics when I get home to my own computer. We have had so much fun here. Mom and dad have taken us everywhere. We have enjoyed the family. It is way too hot to ever what to live here and we miss Arik so so so very much. While here, my brother took out his endowments. It is one of the coolest things I have done here. Then one day, mom, Brandee and I went to the temple. Another day, we did family sealings. And one day, Garrett and I drove to Houston to go to the temple and then made it back to San Antonio and went to the temple and did baptisms for the dead with my cousins, Jacob and Ryan (who just turned 12 a couple months ago), this was thier first time in the temple.

It has been awesome!! On Wednesday we head to California for 6 days. My great grandma turns 100!! We are going to party. I have many pics and I will update all that when we get home.

My hubby, I get to see you a week from Tuesday!!! Love you.

Finally made it

2009-07-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

We left our home Friday morning at 11:30 am. We got to the Salt Lake Airport at 2:15 pm. Our flight was supposed to leave at 4:30 pm. Arik got a special pass so that he could go through security and sit with us until we left. (What a blessing!) As we walked passed the big board that tells departure times I noticed that ours now read 5:00 pm. 30 minutes late not bad. Then at 5 they told us that Denver had a ground stoppage meaning no one was flying into or out of Denver. (That is where our layover was.) They said we were going to try again at 5:30 pm. At 5:45 pm they told us that we were for sure leaving at 6:30 but that all connecting flights had been cancelled. (Great!) So, I went and waited in line to change my plans and was then told that my connecting flight was still okay and that all others were cancelled. Our flight didn't leave until 7:10 and our flight to San Antonio left at 8:20 so we would have to run to our gate and pray that they would wait for us. We finally took off. As we landed in Denver the pilot told (the 16 of us flying to SA) that the plane we wanted would be at the exact gate that we landed at. I was so grateful. We boarded and landed in SA at 12:30 in the morning (11:30 time in Idaho). We are having fun so far and love it.

Craziness...the time has finally come

2009-07-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, there has been so much happening and I can't keep up with it all. After a crazy month that seemed to fly. Where did June go? Yesterday, we were able to spend a great few hours with our friends from North Carolina. Thanks, Tufts for making the time to see us before we take off on our trip to see family. We had a lot of fun with them and hope that someday soon they will live closer to us again.

On March 9, I bought tickets to Texas for...TODAY!!!! We are so excited. Brookelyn has been talking about it for months and now we finally get to go. In a couple of hours we will head to Salt Lake and then wait two hours and then fly with a layover in denver to Texas. At 9:30 our time we will see my parents. A whole month of hot hot hot!!!!!

I will update with fun pics and stuff throughout my trip. We are SO EXCITED!!!!!!

4 is the new 20

2009-07-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

On the 1st my oldest turned 4!!! Holy Cow where does the time go? I love her to death and am so grateful that she is part of our family. We just would not be the same without her. She thinks she is twenty and not four.

So what can this four year old do:

1. Can count to 20

2. Knows all her letters

3. Can write her own name

4. can pray all by herself.

5. Is trying to teach herself to read.

On Saturday we had a birthday party for her. All her friends were invited, near and far. We had a princess party. We played many games and had tons of fun. We had a castle pinata. To hit it the kids rode in a wheel barrow decorated as a horse (thanks Brandee) and then Arik pushed them towards the "castle". They each got a hit and then the candy went flying. They also playd musical chairs (listening to Disney music) and kiss the frog. (pics below) Here is the kiss the frog. Again thanks Brandee. She is so talented and much more creative than me. Thanks for helping. The kids were blindfolded and were each given a set of lips and then tried to find the frogs lips. It was funny and some of the kids got pretty close.

Here they all are standing in line for the game. They were awesome.

My two girlies watching tv together. Right in the middle of all the fighting and yelling, they are the greatest friends. I sure love them.

Happy (belated) Brithday Brookelyn! We love you so much and are so proud of you.

And then there were 5

2009-06-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

First off I want to say Happy Father's day to my dad and father-in-law!! I love my dad so very much. We have a very special relationship and I am so grateful for it. I am grateful for never wondering if he will chose us kids or something else, we came first. I love you dad!!!

So we have finally added a new addition to our family. Penny joined our family at 9:00 AM Saturday morning. She is a chocolate lab/border collie mix. Eight weeks old. She is really Arik's dog. Much like "the wand choses the wizard" this puppy chose Arik. She really gets excited to see him. This has a disclaimer: This is my own way of teaching my children, I do not care how others teach thier children, this was just the easiest way for me to teach mine.

I decided when I had Brookelyn that I would just dress my girls modestly from the very beginning. I couldn't decided when was a good time to final draw the line and teach them modesty. I have a really hard time during the summer months finding dresses with sleeves. I was in Costco the other day and find new dresses with sleeves. Here is Kira wearing hers.

Here is brookelyn wearing her dress. She played the Wii with dad before church. (We are always waiting on me. But I get three girls ready. Three hairs and three showers (all in one) takes time.)

This morning when I asked Brookelyn what she wanted me to do with her hair, she said blow dry it and curl it like you, mom. Most it not all of you know that my girls have perfectly curly hair without even trying. So I did what she asked and it was so different seeing her with straight hair. Here is a pic before I curled the ends.
Here is the finished product. She looked so different. More grown up I think. She never complained and stood on a stool for the 20 minutes it took to dry and curl her hair.

T minus 11 days until we are in Texas. We are so excited and rushing around trying to get stuff done.

Spring cleaning... in June

2009-06-18T09:38:00.001-07:00

So, here I am finally having time to Spring clean my house. The thing that really got me motivated is that the young women in our ward are having a huge yard/bake sale to earn money for girl's camp. So, I figured, if I cleaned I would have stuff to give them. I completely rearranged my bedroom. Brookelyn's room and Kira's room finally have stuff hanging on the walls (I know a whole year later) and I rearranged our front room a little bit. I took pictures because I know that it will not look like this for very long (hopefully at least 15 days then it will be good for a month unless Arik is a pig (which I know he is not)).

Another thing I did was try and decorate my house a little bit (shocking, I know). So here are some pics.

This is the bathroom wall. I finally hung my candle holder up. The nice thing is that the candles are green to go with the paint.

For my birthday, I was given some money so I went and bought a book case that could hold all my books. I know that I will have to move hte pictures from the top shelf someday (once I get another book) but for now it is nice).
I decorated Brookelyn's room and gave her my old bookcase. She wanted to make sure I got enough pics of her room (so there are three). She is counting down the days until we are in Texas.

Yes, that is a High School Musical 3 poster on the left side. She told me where is wanted everything hung.

Her new bookcase (to her) and all her books and stuff on it.

I was told that I had to have a picture of Kira's room too. So here it is. The pink board has all the B's on it from Pres. Hinckley. It is so clean!! I also exchanged all the clothes so she now is whering 3T stuff.

A year and a half ago we got big family pictures done with my dad's side of the family. It was for my grandparent's 50th. I finally got picture frames for them and hung them up (okay Arik hung them). This is one of the walls in our front room. I love that all the family pics are in cherry wood frames and that the picture of Christ and the Proclamation are in gold making them the focal point.Here is a pic of my front room. I rearranged the couches. It will only stay this clean for so long. In the corner where the Princess chair is, is where my piano will go when I get it from my in laws.

It has been raining a ton here. Much more than usual. It doesn't help when you want fires! One of the great things about the rain is the rainbows that come with it. This is what I saaw out of front door. You saw the whole thing, I couldn't get a pic of it all because it was still raining.

So here are the real reasons you all look at this blog. Here is Kira. The outfit she is wearing is 4 top and 4T bottoms. She is just getting too big too fast.

Here is Brookelyn. That is her smile. This is her "High School Musical" shirt. It actually has nothing to do with it but that is what she calls it. It really fits her.

Where has June gone???

2009-06-15T15:34:00.000-07:00

So I am sitting here and taking a breath, when it hit me. June is already half over. Where has it gone? My life seemed to get busier once school ended. I was teaching a GED class which ended today. (Thank goodness). One of the young women in our ward and in my Sunday school class has been watching the girls in the mornings. They totally love her.

The first weekend in June a group of us ladies went to Time Out for Women in Pokey. We sent all our kids and husbands to my house and let the boys watch them and we had a girls' weekend. WE attended Friday night's session and then went out to dinner. Saturday we went to the Time Out again and Saturday night my husband took me to the temple and we went out to dinner.

Last week was the craziest week ever. I was asked to help with the high school basketball camp and then I was asked to help with the high school volleyball camp. This next year I will be the high school "C" team coach. I will also be coaching basketball at the middle school and track as well. On top of the camps and teaching GED I had an Enrichment. I am the Enrichment leader and, of course, had to be there and plan it and everything. (This is the like the fourth time I have been enrichment leader. I really need to learn this so that I can move on.)

So last week my great sister watched my kids. Between my stuff and Arik's crazy life we saw each other no earlier then 10:30 pm all week. (Hence Brandee watching my kids. Thanks so much Brandee it really did help).

I then offered to take Brandee's kids home with me on Thursday, knowing that Brandee worked on Friday and it would save money not having to pay a babysitter, so I had four kids and Brandee's van. (We are trying to save to get a new vechile in Feb/March, after we get our tax refund back. No we are not expecting we just know that my car won't last a lot longer.)

Friday we went to Rexburg and spent the night at our friends, the Hemmings' house. Saturday we threw Alicia a baby shower. (She is having her first girl. HEY!!) Brandee met up with us in Rexburg on Saturday and she threw an awesome party. It was so much fun. The games were fun and everyone seemed to have a good time.

Saturday night when we got home we went to the drive in and saw Monsters vs Aliens. (Kids are free so it was a cheap family night activity. Probably the only one we will get all summer). Brookelyn liked it and Kira had a hard time sitting still. But she did pretty well.

Sunday was my birthday. I am getting old. WE had some friends from Montpelier and our backyard neighbors over and Arik made dutch oven potatoes and chicken. We had fun.

I have this week and next to get my house in order before we head to Texas for a month. We are so excited. My brother got his mission call, Jacksonville, Florida Spanish speaking, and he is taking out his endowments while we are done there. Poor Arik will stay in Idaho and work, July is usually busy with fire but with all the rain we are getting who knows if there will be any fires this year.

This weekend there is a baby shower in Logan and the following weekend we are having a birthday party for Brookelyn. My little girl will be four on July 1. Then we are off to Texas. When I get back I have one week before Volleyball tryouts and then school starts on Aug 17th.

The girls are growing so fast. Brookelyn just hit a growth spurt and Kira is trying to make up the distance of two years as fast as she can. We have started the potty training experience with Kira (she is much more willing to sit on potty then Brookelyn was, and she won't use the potty chair she wants to be just like Brookelyn.) We have gotten rid of diapers and are now using pull ups.

The last thing is that I am going full time next year at school. They just don't know exactly what I will be teaching. They don't even know if I will be half at the middle school and half at the high school. So, that should be interesting.

My summer is already gone and I think it just started. Sorry for the long time in between posts. Life has been crazy. But I do love it.

Spiritual Guidance

2009-05-30T22:43:00.000-07:00

I have tried to listen to the spirit when it whispers things to me. When I don't listen I am always hitting myself up side the head wishing I had. When I did, great joy came. So Friday morning the girls and I are messing around, playing, tickling, enjoying the time together. I notice something on the back of Kira's head. At first I thought it was a scab and just when I go to pick it off. This giant feeling (very strong) tells me not to and to ask Arik about it when he gets home from work. So we are at our friend's house last night and I ask Arik what it is. He looks and this is what he finds:

It was a tick. Our friends had the necessary tools needed to remove it. We think we got the head and everything. The sucker was trying to dig fast when it felt us coming. He also wasn't bloating which is a really good sign. So we have to watch Kira for 6 weeks for signs of anything.

I feel bad that I didn't find it in the two other baths Kira had this week and I am grateful for the spirit for telling me to stop. What if I had tried to pick it off and the head stayed in her head or all the other bad things that could happen did happen. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have to get inticings from the spirit. WE check her a couple times a day and are keeping a very close eye on her.

Good news! School is over. I did it! I survived my first year of teaching and absolutely loved it. Now I get 2 and a 1/2 months off before it starts all over again. Life is flying by. In a month Brookleyn will be 4. She gets to start preschool in August also, which she is excited for.

Camping Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

This last weekend for Memorial Day weekend, we went camping with our friends from Logan. We really had a blast. Brookelyn's friend, Andrew (who she has known since she can remember) and Brookelyn were attached at the hip. Everywhere one was there was the other. They are just too cute together. Andrews's mom, Becca and I have arranged a marriage for 2025 for the two of them. HEHEHE!!!

Here are Brookelyn and Andrew being silly for the camera.

I was trying to get a picture of Brookelyn but Andrew wanted to be in it too.

Here is Kira. She was like the odd man out for a couple of days. Everyone had someone to play with but her. She just followed everyone around and tried to keep up. She is too dang cute.
We ate smores one night and Kira dug right in and loved it. Brookelyn liked cooking the marshmallows but didn't eat them. (so much like her mom.)

Brookelyn cooking smores.

Everyone enjoying the one night it didn't rain and cooking marshmallows.

Kira on the swings. She says, "Push!"

Brookelyn and Andrew were on this swing like thing. I could not get a good pic of the two of them on it.

Okay, this is not my child and sorry Rob and Lil for posting this but she is too cute. We wanted to dye her hair red and curl it and take her home with us. We love her. This is libby she is crawling everywhere and very much a oldest child (only child for the moment but they will have more some day come on she is only 8 months old.)

Thank you to the Severinsens, Crookstons, and Childs for getting together with us and playing all weekend long. Arik got to go mountain biking twice and we just got to spend time with friends. It was really nice. Thanks for everything guys.

School is over!!! I did it. I made it through my first year of school and loved it. I am in the right profession and it is really nice to know that.

Picture perfect

2009-05-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

First off, for Mother's Day/Father's Day/my birthday/Arik's birthday we got these:

It was the first time ever we bought a gaming unit when it was new and the "thing". We love it. The girls can play and enjoy it and we can see how fat we really are.

Do you ever have one of the moments when you think, "This is exactly how I always pictured it?" Well, I got two of those days recently. We have finally been having nice weather and the girls finally have been able to get outside.

Here is my little studette riding around on her bike.

Here is Kira saying cheese. She is too cute. Kira watching her sister. Dad was mowing the lawn and she was trying to stay away from it.

We pulled out the hose and turned on the sprinkler. This is Brookelyn posing.

This is for Jamie and Levi. Kira is wearing a swim suit that Jamie and Levi bought for Brookelyn a couple years ago. They knew it was a little big but too cute that they got it. Well, here is Kira wearing a size 4 swim suit. It wasn't even big it was just right.

Kira enjoying the water.

In the beginning this was a close as they would get.

Then they got this close.

FOR MOM

My mom bought the girls dresses while we were in Mexico last summer. It is now warm enough that they can wear them again. Last year they were big and now they fit... Well, look for yourself.

Brookelyn (she got the sunglasses on Friday and they have been her constant companion ever sense.)

First, Kira didn't want a pic taken.
But then mom made her.

Life is great. I have 5 more days of school. It is so much fun. I really enjoy life right now.

GO NUGGETS!!!!!

Congrats to Brookelyn!!

2009-05-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Brookelyn and Lukas' banquet for soccer. They got pizza and lemonade and then the coach passed out awards, pictures and trophies. I am so excited. My mom and dad had all our trophies displayed above the fireplace and now I want to get a shelf and start my own for my girls. It is so exciting for me!!!

Here are the kids eating dinner. From left to right: Lukas, MaKynzee, Brookelyn, and Kira. They were so good sitting and eating while all the other parents kept trying to herd their kids to the table. What examples. (It must be from perfect parenting. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!)Here is Brookelyn recieving her stuff. What award did she get...I don't know if you can read it but she got the award for Natural Ability. Brookelyn would do everything her coach asked without needing help and a demonstration. (Games were a different story but we will work on that for next year.)
Here is her pic and the team on the bottom. It is just too cute. I am so proud of her for playing this season and trying it out. I love my girlies so much. I am grateful for them and the chance I have (or honor I have) to b their mom and to raise them. We have so much fun and I look forward to all the fun times that are yet to come.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

I have the greatest husband ever. Arik cooked and cleaned and really made the day nice. I was even able to take a nap. We went to his parents house and Arik made us all dinner. Grilled chicken and dutch oven potatoes. (They are my favorite) For dessert he made Peach cobbler in the dutch oven. TOO GOOD!!! He really is wonderful.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my mother the greatest woman in the world. The example of what I want to be as a mother, friend, sister, everything.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to my mother-in-law. She is the second greatest woman I know. She raised Arik for goodness sake and he turned out as one of the best men I know (coming in second to my dad but fathers day is next month more on that later). I have a great relationship with her and have always felt comfortable enough to just call her mom.

Here are some pics from our fun in Pokey last week. MaKynzee loves her uncle Arik and decided to do his hair. As you can tell Arik loved that. Here is Kira just hanging out with dad.

Happy Mothers Day to all those that are Mothers, Grandmothers, Great Grandmother, Aunt, Sisters, and Soon to be mothers, and those that want to be mothers!!!