Thanksgiving

 Oh yest!  This happened today.  I have been waiting for months to take this picture. Only Asher wasn't very happy about it.  He didn't like the glasses on  his face, he didn't want his binki out of his mouth. Oh, the fickle little guy.

 The rest of the photo shoot was a complete loss. I did get some great ones of Sarah and Ash together though when she was trying to calm him down.

 Oh my goodness!  Sarah and I stayed home while everyone else when on adventures, but I don't mind.  I got to sit and rock this guy most of the day.

 Josh took the kids out shooting at the Glitter Gulch.  So much fun! Can't wait to go out there. Tyson was in heaven.

 A little tannerite preparation!

 Look, another crystal!  He's such a funny kid.

Love her!  Love that she can hang with the boys.

Me and the people I love the most!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Ducks

Geck-a-thon

 JD competed in a mini-triathlon this morning at his school. I am so proud of him!

 They swam 300 meters.  Swimming was the hardest event for him.

 The biking part was probably his favorite. They biked from Sandhollow to Lava Ridge, 4 miles.

 I love this picture!  We live in such a beautiful place and it was so fun to see him in out in his element.

 This was when he put on the speed coming in on the first lap. They had to run 2 miles.

 Here he is coming in, just before crossing the finish line.  He finished in 49 mins and 30 seconds.

 Piper went along and cheered him on with me. I am so, so proud of him.  I told him not to worry about winning the turkey just to enjoy the experience and do his best.

Awwww!  My July boys! Tanner, Mathew and JD!  Hard to believe that JD is the youngest of all 3 of them, although Tanner is only a few hours older! All three of them did great! I love seeing these cute boys grow up and am excited to see all the good they do.

Extraordinary life

This is just a journal entry. It's been awhile since I have written down any of the crazy thoughts in my head. So tonight is the night I remedy that.

A few weeks ago, during a YW lesson, Jean said that she had once read a book and there was a quote that had stuck with her. In essence it went like this, "The way in which you pay back your parents for all they have done for you, is to live an extraordinary life."  I've been thinking about that quote a lot lately.

Extraordinary.  That's a big word. I don't know that I can say that I have lead an extraordinary life. I have yet to cure a disease, or to travel the world. I have never invented anything of value and I have never in my life, ever had enough money.

Not that any of those things are important to me. Although, I wish I had the smarts to cure cancer. Oh, how I wish that. My life is fairly simple. I'm a bit of homebody so traveling the world is out of the question, not necessarily because I am a homebody, but because I have never had enough money.  Funny how everything connects, right?

So what in my life is extraordinary? I've been pondering that question. How can I make my life extraordinary?  I've come to the conclusion, that there is nothing that I can or need to do to make it happen.  It is happening!!!  While to some it may not seem extraordinary to some, I do believe my life will be remembered as extraordinary by the every day life that I lived.

My life consists of being a wife to an great guy!  I love him, a lot. He's my best-friend. We love to be outdoors together and love to spend time together. I'm a mom to 3 beautiful and AMAZING children. They are the best parts of Josh and I. They are individuals and they are so unique. Each of them is talented and in their own way. I'm so blessed to be their mom.

Due to divine intervention, I gained an older daughter about five years ago. I get to be her 2nd mother. It's an amazing gift. One of these days I will write that story down. Gods fingerprints are all over that story. He took a tragedy and turned it into something beautiful that I get to be a part of it.

I've been blessed to stay home with my kids and be their mother for the last 8-years!  That's amazing when you look at the world around us. I've been able to be available to them for every little need. It's been amazing. It's been hard, so hard at times, but what an amazing experience.

I have been a small business owner and a preschool teacher. I help people eat great food, which is so important to me and I shape little lives. I love the preschool kids. You never know how much good you can do in the lives of little kids until you allow yourself to fall in love with them.

I have volunteered a lot in my life. I've been a PTO mom and it was and is an amazing ride. Some of my best-friends came to me out of all those years of service.  I love making a difference in the lives of the kids at our school.  I can't go into the school without being mauled by hugs and giving out tons of high fives. It's the greatest feeling!

I've been blessed to work with the youth in the church for many years, both in the Young Womens program and also in the cub-scout program. The youth in the church are awesome. They keep me young. I've learned that these callings aren't just temporary, but lifetime callings. Some of my favorite relationships have come from the youth I have served. There is nothing quite like it. These relationships don't end when the calling ends, they continue and I have loved watching them grow up and become extraordinary adults!

 So is my life extraordinary?  I don't know. Some would say no, but others may say yes. Me, I'm leaning towards yes. It's the everyday moments in my life that make it so.

Snow

Tyson sat at this window all night and just watched the snow come down. For us desert dwellers, snow is a magical sight.

The next morning dawned clear and very cold.  That called for some snow time. Thank heavens Grandma Ruth had a closet full of snow suits.

What could be funner than belly flopping onto a trampoline covered in snow?

Poor Tyson, he's the one that all the kids gang up on.

Oh good, he's using a cooler lid to deflect snowflakes.  The night before he was using a wire rake and accidentally hit Piper in the face. It wasn't his best night.  He hates to be in trouble and he was in trouble.

Hahaha!  Look at how big Jd's suit was!  I could have squeezed in there with him.  I told the kids they should do a Carhart commercial.

1 week old

 My kiddo's finally had the chance to meet Asher. We stopped in to check on the Kartchners on our way home from Marysvale. Tyson is not usually to big on babies, but he was the first to hold Ash and was super excited to see him.

 Oh Ash, you have not idea the mauling that awaits you with this little girl!  Once your big enough to pack around, I am quite certain she will never leave you alone.

 I love this picture. I think he's saying, "Tomorrow we ride!" He doesn't like to have his hands wrapped up.

 JD held him the longest. He loves babies. He's super excited to have Ash here. He's convinced the only nieces and nephews he will get will come from Sarah & Talon.

 Giving JD the stink eye. Got to keep an idea on that Uncle JD.

 All that visiting wore him out.  Gosh, I love him!

 What do you do when your brother puts a skinny box on  his head?

You wedge it on tighter and watch him walk into walls, not being able to get it off. It was so funny to watch.  Tyson got a kick out of it too :).

Miller Leigh

Welcome to the world Miller!! I'm an auntie again!  Miller was born on November 14th, 7 lbs. 8 oz and 20 and 1/2 inches long. Isn't she darling?

Swings

Ummm, yeah, so moms like me may be the reason that you no long see swings on playgrounds. I'm the mom who yells, "Get higher before you jump out and wait for me to get the camera!"  Yeah, I am not a safety bubble mom.  I will just let the pictures speak for themselves.

The Girls

This picture is full of trouble!  Oh my, my!!!

Cousins and Best Friends

 Hold the phone!  Where did the last 12 years go?  It seems like just yesterday I was bringing home this beautiful, dark eyed, cone headed (it was so bad)  baby boy! It's hard to believe it was that long ago.  That cone headed baby has come so far!  Look at that handsome mug!

Just seven days after that baby was born, this squishy little noddle baby was born. JD was 2 weeks early, Brannigan was a week late!  Having the boys so close together has been such a blessing!

 I am so grateful for these cute boys.  Geez, we need to stretch Brannigan or something! I'm hoping one day he'll catch up.

 Not only are they cousins, but they are the best of friends. As different as 2 boys could be, in every way, but you would never know.  They get along fabulously and will forever have a friend in each other.

 They are going to be amazing young men. I can't wait to see all the good that these two will do.

And let's hope there isn't a lot of trouble between now and the good.  Although, have you met their dads? There's bound to be a little :).