Jenna & Truman

These pictures are actually from a few weeks ago and I forgot to post them. Jenna loves Truman! She is always giving him treats and food he shouldn't have, he is actually getting a little fat again thanks to her. She loves to get wet doggy kisses and would spend all day playing with him if she could. When she is upset with me and Rylee and Mike aren't home she cries for Truman and finds him for a hug to comfort her. I think he loves her just as much! Today she said "Truman stop barking like a girl" I asked her what barking like a girl sounds like and I wish you could have heard her! She "barked" in a higher pitch and a little quieter than she normally does. Hillarious!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!

Brandon bowling with Eliza, Rylee, & Kaienta
Brandon with Cole, Kaienta, & Noah
Brandon's Tree!

Today is my brother, Brandon's, Birthday! I have been thinking about him a lot today and the past few days. I miss him a lot. Somedays I still think about calling him to tell him about something and it takes a minute or two to register that I can't do that anymore. The other day I was telling a friend of mine about this tree. A few summers ago Ann (B's wife) and I planted 6 quaking aspens in this spot in our front yard. It was like 100 degrees outside and soooo miserable digging holes and trying to get these trees in. Brandon came over and helped us plant the last tree. Well, all the trees died except that one. So now we refer to it as Brandon's tree. I took this picture of it today. The last few days have been really nice and warm and we knew we were suppose to get a snow storm today and we sure did. We woke up to about 6 inches of snow in our yard, it was beautiful! I know if B was here he would be planning a moonlight snowshoe trip tonight with Lane. Maybe he sent the snow for us today as his birthday gift to us. We love and miss you Brandon!!!

YUM!

Jenna & I were running around this morning and she kept asking for ice cream. I told her if she ate her lunch she could have some. I left the ice cream out to soften a bit before I tried to scoop it out. I left the kitchen for 2 seconds and came back and found her like this. On the floor with the ice cream, the ice cream scoop, and a bowl eating directly from the scoop. I am not quite sure what the bowl was for!

Same Old with a few nice extras!

Well, it has been almost 2 weeks since my last post, ooops! Life has pretty much just been the same old stuff. Mike has been working, the kids have been going to school, Rylee has gymnastics, I have piano lessons, cooking, cleaning, etc.....
A few things stand out as a little extra something...
First, LOST started again after almost 3 months off. YEAH!!!! I am so addicted to this show. And I have Mike hooked as well, so we get to watch together!
Second, my washer died a few weeks ago. I ordered a new washer (front loader!) & dryer and after 2 weeks it was finally delivered! Who thought I would enjoy doing laundry so much!
Another plus was Valentine's Day. We don't usually do anything special and most of the time Mike forgets, but this year he came home with flowers, balloons, and a card! We had pink mashed potatoes for dinner and just hung out at home with the fam. It was nice! (and LOST was on that night)
I can't think of much else that was out of the ordinary the last couple weeks.

This Friday is my brother, Brandon's birthday. He would be 34! We are making plans to celebrate with siblings, cousins, and friends. I think about him a lot but have been even more lately with his bday approaching.
The boys 8th birthday is fast approaching as well. I have that to plan and their baptism. Mom & Dad, and Sara & Nate with their kids will all be in town so it will be great! Sara is graduating from Utah State, after finishing classes online. WAY TO GO SARA!!!!! Speaking of college, I am going back to school. I am meeting this week with an academic advisor at SLCC to see what generals I have left and then I am going to do prereqs for nursing school. Then I am hoping to get into a coop. program with SLCC and IHC where I can work for IHC and they will pay for my school. It is exciting, but scary!
Well, that is our life right now. I will hopefully be posting more regularly.

Sick & Tired

An hour ago I walked into our bedroom and found this... Mike hasn't been feeling well, stuffed up and a headache so he was passed out on the bed. Jenna laid down on my clean towels that I was going to fold (that will have to wait til she is awake I guess) and crashed! I guess playing with her playgroup this morning and then lunch at Carl's Jr with friends and playing outside with big brothers (yes, it is finally nice enough weather here that they can play outside some) wears her out!

Celebrating!!!

Yesterday the kids had Parent Teacher Conferences. All three of their teachers raved about them. They all said they love having them in their class, they are all doing well, they would take them home with them in a second, etc,etc,etc... I love all their teachers this year and the kids love them too which I really believe makes a huge difference. We are lucky to have a school so close, great teachers, a good principal, and neat specialists. I took the kids to ColdStone for ice cream after to celebrate!

Rylee is 10!!!

Ry and her friends at the Ute Gymnastics Meet
Rylee on her first birthday!
Rylee minutes after arriving!

Yesterday was Rylee's 10th birthday! I can't believe she is 10, time has flown by in so many ways. She was due on my birthday (Jan.23) and my dad wanted her to come on his birthday (Feb.1), but she decided to have her own birthday and arrived on Feb.2 at 6:12 p.m. after 12 hours of labor and over an hour of pushing. She weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces at birth and now at 10 years old she is only 60 pounds. She was a really good baby: she started sleeping through the night by 6 weeks, she was always happy and smiling, she would sleep anytime and anywhere, she was very social, etc. She is still a great kid: still sleeps anytime and anywhere (pretty much), she is still very social, she is an awesome friend, she helps me around the house, she is a great big sister, she is fun to be around, she is smart, she is tender hearted, she is a good example to those around her (including her dad & mom), etc...I could keep going, but you all know how great she is!!! We are so blessed to have her in our life and our family.

Her birthday also marks the day we moved into our home, her first birthday actually. So we have been here for 9 years, I can't believe that either! We love where we live and know this is where we are suppose to be.

On Rylee's 4th birthday her cousin, Kaienta, arrived! The 2 of them share a birthday and a middle name (Marie). They have always been close, a kind of special kinship you could say. They have been lucky enough to celebrate together most years, but now Kaienta lives in Spain. We miss Kaienta and talk of her often, but she was especially in our hearts yesterday. Happy Birthday Kaienta! We love you and miss you!

For Rylee's birthday party we took her and 7 of her friends to dinner at The Spaghetti Factory and to the Ute Gymnastics Meet. It was a lot of fun! A little crazy as you can imagine with 8 nine and ten year old girls, but a great time! Mike even came with us and said it wasn't too bad.

I keep wondering what the next 10 years will bring for Rylee. I can't help but worry as she faces new challenges and the crazy world we live in. I hope she will stay strong and continue to make wise choices that will make her happy. I hope I can be the mom she needs, that I am up to the challenges as a parent.

Happy Birthday Rylee! We love you!