PACK MEETING BEGINS

We are now one of 'those' families. Every month, we will go to pack meeting to celebrate the accomplishments of the boys who earn awards. I am actually excited for Dawson. He truly loves being a scout and hanging out with the boys.

Ryan Johnson and Dawson

Cooperation task

RED BARN

Many of our friends and family are interested in our progress to complete our chicken coop. Well, the chickens are still growing and the coop (other than a door and the rest of the chicken wire) is up and working very nicely. The kids are still interested in the chickens and also are okay with eating them... So I think that we are still in business.

Here are some pictures that I found on Brandon's phone that document part of 'da coop'.









This was a long exhausting project, as clearly seen by Will Bohney



On a side note, these beautiful, cute, fun, whatever-you'd-like-to-call-them chickens ate our garden. I hope they enjoyed it!!! Next year, we will try to put up a fence around the garden ...

WAY BACK WEDNESDAY - FAITH PRESCHOOL FIELD TRIP

When Faith was in preschool, her class was able to take a field trip to the pumpkin patch. It was so much fun, and I was able to go and take a few pictures.

Miss Wendy talking to the kids




Petting a rooster I think

Zach and Halle feeding the bunnies

Another picture of Zach

Devan

Ethan

Cheese!

Since I always tell this story, I guess that I should write it down for future generations. Melissa, Amber, Karolina, and me all carpooled the kids together. There was a month or so that they were having a debate about who Faith was going to marry, Ethan or Zach. Everyday, it would go like this, "Faith, who are you going to marry, me or Zach?" (Ethan would say.) And everyday, she would say she didn't know. Finally, one time Ethan and Faith were having a play date and he asked her the infamous question. She turned to him and said, "My dad says I don't have to choose because I'm SO hot!" And she flipped her hair and turned around.

Those were the days!!! How I miss them!

BABY NEWS

Baby is set to arrive in March. Congratulations Jason and Laura!!! We are excited for you!

TOO FAST

Do you ever worry that life is going too fast? That if you blink, somehow you will miss it?

That is how I have been feeling lately. This year will be the last year that Faith will participate in the primary program. Am I old enough to have an 11 year old? It will be the first time for Kate in the primary program. Where did the time go? Dawson was baptized and is already a cub scout. He makes macaroni and cheese by himself. When did they get so self-sufficient?

I remember eagerly waiting for Faith to arrive ... to hold this precious baby.

Then, Dawson came along to add to the fun and fairytale we call life. He was so opposite, but so much fun. I remember being able to stay home with him. No particular moments, except that I was there.

And, after much anticipation, we added Kate to our family. She was such a mommy's girl. She loved being held and being the 'baby'. The kids liked it too. I remember wondering who she was going to look like and what type of personality she would have.

I saw this in Kate's backpack from preschool 2 days ago. I am feeling like I need to slow down time. Yet, there are times when life gets so hard that I really want the day to end. I ask myself ... Why am I so emotional about something that is perfectly normal?

But they are just growing so fast.


"It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself." ~Joyce Maynard

JUST PEACHY

Just peachy. Swell.

These are words that Brandon uses on a regular basis. It's part of our vocabulary at our house.

So, when I found this shirt, I just had to get it!

WAY BACK WEDNESDAY - FAITH'S BAPTISM INVITATIONS

I realized after posting Dawson's baptism invitations that I never posted Faith's announcement. So here is it!

DO YOUR BEST!

Dawson is the newest member of our Wolf Den!!! Brandon is the Wolf Den Leader (and I am one of the unspoken assistants.)

Dawson has been so excited to join scouts and we hope that it will be an adventure of a lifetime for him!



Good luck Dawson and always do your best!

SNEAKY LOVE

So I am being pretty sneaky by posting this. You have to promise if you read this post that you don't know anything about this. Seriously!!!

Here are the quilt tops that I put together (with the help of my wonderful, gorgeous, and talented friend Jenny) for each child's gift of love for Christmas. I am putting minkies on the back and then having them machine quilted. Yes, this is going to cost me and arm and a leg, but it's something that I have really wanted to do for my kids! They are all twin sized so they will still be able to cuddle with them when they are bigger too!!!

Kate's pattern (disappearing 9 patch)

Dawson's pattern (a piece of cake)

Faith's pattern (the walk)

Shhhh! Mums the word!

Here is cute Kenna!

2 helpers and part of Kate's quilt.

Faith's quilt before the big change happened.

Fabric on the floor.

GIRLFRIENDS ARE THE BEST!

This weekend, I was able to visit with 2 of the best of best girlfriends. I sure have missed these girlfriends in my life! We took pictures of the girls and then took pictures of us!

Kristy - I met Kristy in High School. We must have had a class together and then she convinced me to do Jr. Miss with her. I relented and ended up spending the rest of High School hanging out with her! College was no different ... I slept over at her house more than I slept at my house. We took so many classes together. I'll never forget "Mr. Graph Lover" and the bags of junk food to try and stay awake. Kodak, Kristy's van, was one of a kind. She'll remember vividly that you never give Zoey 1 towel when she showers, because the hair will be put in higher priority!

Jenny - I had to ask her this weekend how we met. You know when you've known each other so long that you can't quite remember. Jenny's husband worked at Burger King with me. We figured out the Jenny had a class with me (Music), but it was a big class. So one day, Troy walked Jenny to class so that we could meet. Kristy, too, was in that class, and we instantly hit it off. Jenny probably doesn't have as many 'exciting' stories about me as Kristy does, but she was the one to get us into scrapbooking, stamping, among the other things.




Thank you for your friendship!!! Love you girls!

Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things. ~Author Unknown

THEN AND NOW

Here are our girls before Kristy moved to Texas and Jenny moved to Twin Falls.

Zoey, Bekah, and Faith

This weekend, we took pictures of them again... a little more grown up!

Faith being a ham (as usual)




They sure are beautiful!!!

SIMPLOT RUN

I believe it was in April when Anya, Sara, and I decided that we would run the Simplot Run together. Sara and I volunteered at the Joint Jaunt at a watering station, so that we would be able to get a free run for Simplot.

In July, we found out that Sara and her family were moving, so we would not be able to make this run together. But we still wanted to do it.

Then came August and the beginning of September. Motivation to train was low, and I neglected it. So, with 1 practice run on Tuesday, I went to do this one . . .

Grace slept through it all!

Bryleigh did amazing and Anya kicked my butt (no surprises there!)

The only thing that was missing was Sara

On a brief highlight, for a small moment I came in 3rd in the 10K run and Anya came in 1st in the 5K walk. I finished in 29th place out of 49 in my age group - at a time of 37:38 ... breaking it down to 12:06 minute miles. Add in a few hilly parts and the fact that I was not training, I feel like I did pretty good ...

But I stilled missed Sara!