The Kidd Family

Twilight-Eclipse

2011-04-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

Shirts they made...

Cache, Stormie, Shandler, Kallie, Teighlor,Riley

Shandler, Stormie and Grandma Berni

A couple of years ago a book was published about a family of good vampires that lived in Washington. The book was all the craze, Stormie and I read the series as fast as they came out. Stormie was in love with the main character who is both the villain and the hero. To tell you the truth, they are fantastic books and I couldn't put them down.

Grandma Berni laughed at Stormie and teased her about her love of a book character. We talked her into reading the first book and she was HOOKED!! When the first movie came out Grandma Berni had just had a knee replacement and could not take Stormie to the premiere but when Eclipse came out she was determine to sit with the girls at the theatre and be there when the midnight doors opened. So at 4:00 p.m. we met grandma and set up chairs for the long awaited evening and movie. Shandler hung out for a couple of hours and then we went and picked her up for a softball game, but Stormie and grandma laid claim to their spot and did not move. Soon the pre-ordered tickets and a large group of friends arrived and the party was on. KAT Country even came and they all got their picture in the paper. They ate pizza, blizzards, took pictures and played games all through the evening!!!

When it was time for the doors to open Shandler about had heart failure.... Grandma Berni has bad knees and the crowd of people began to push and run into grandma so Shandler had to get nasty at tell a few people to back off...not to push her grandma!! In the end they did not think the whole waiting outside the movie house was worth it.... the crowd was loud in the movies and crooned every time Jacob or Edward came onto the screen so you could not even hear the movie!!! It was a first and last experience all wrapped into one. Grandma Berni loved the opportunity and was glad to have shared it with the girls but will never do it again. Stormie and Shandler said it was fun but will never stay up that late to miss half of the movie due to screaming girls!!

1st Annual Jay Kidd Family Reunion

2011-03-22T16:27:00.000-07:00

Lydia was dying to fish and caught one!!

Tyson and Katie-Terrel's youngest sonTerrel-Karen-GrandmaKenna-Sydney

Stormie and baby Kate

Hanging out in the sunshine

Rigdon and Treg playing in the river

Auntie Jackie in the tube with Tyler

Are you sure it is safe??

Jared relaxing on the lawn!!

Ricky and grandpa in the shade.

Terrels family...

Kenna shaded up....

Jenni, Jessica and Auntie Jackie
Kelly, Elizabeth and Chloe

In the shade of the tent, Kelly, Jan, Chloe and Elizabeth

Fishing again....

Life guard Stormie on duty!!!

Dan and Chad Chip enjoying a nap in the sun

Sydney and Jenni

Kenna and MaKendrie

Making gumbo for the reunion

Our family is growing so large that it is difficult to get everyone together so the decision was made to host a reunion each year with one of the sons in charge-Kent volunteered us for the first year. This summer we hosted the first Kidd family reunion in our back yard. The weather was not co-operating and it was pretty breezy and just a bit of a chill was in the air but for the most part it was a fun day. We had all six brothers here and most of their families. Grandma and Grandpa bought the meat and Kent cooked it on the BBQ. Ricky made authentic gumbo, the kids fished and played in the river and it turned out to be a fun afternoon.

FINALLY!!!

2011-03-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

During Spring Break I asked Kent to take the kids for an entire day so that I could put my portfolio together. For the last four years I have been taking one class a semester and one class each summer in order to complete my Masters Degree!!! I have done most of the courses on-line in interactive classrooms and I have to admit it has not been easy. I had some tough classes that really challenged me. I could have finished much sooner but did not want to sacrifice my family for a career choice. The good thing is I got the portfolio all put together. There were six sections and each section had to have three examples. I also had to put together a power point presentation which included sections of my portfolio. Kent helped me alot with the power point because Valmont put him through a training on power point presentations. I was scheduled to present my portfolio in April in which I presented the actual hard copy of my portfolio along with the power point. There were several principals from the area there and a professor from the University of Idaho. I volunteered to go first to get it done and out of the way. I needed to clear my stomach, which was turning and full of butterflies. The University takes your portfolio and two copies of your power point for the review committee, along with the review from your presentation to decide whether or not you graduate. I passed!! I now have a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership!!!

Happy 15th Birthday Stormie!!!

2011-03-22T12:12:00.001-07:00

Double Chocolate Cake balls for Stormie's birthday!!

MMMMMMM.....yum!!!

Opening gifts with helpers....

Isn't she beautiful?????

Love this girl and her funny personality!!! Stormie's 15th birthday celebration!!! What a girl. I can not believe she is really 15. those years have gone by so fast!!!! These are a few of the things I love about Stormie.....

* She is the biggest helper, no matter what the situation or who it is, she will jump in to help where ever she is needed

*Stormie is very sweet and thinks of others

*Stormie is a great student and gets really good grades

*Stormie is very kind to her siblings and helps them a lot!!!

*Stormie loves her family and will often come up, out of the blue, to give me hug

*Stormie is committed, once she sets her mind to it, it is done

*Stormie is very responsible

*Stormie has a silly personality and a contagious laugh

*Stormie is cautious of new situations and never jumps in with both feet, she surveys the whole situation first

*Stormie is a hard worker

*Stormie is great at defending her position and standing up for herself

*Stormie is the best daughter anyone could ask for!!

When Charlce comes.....

2011-03-22T12:05:00.001-07:00

When Charlce comes she always has a plan....this year she really wanted to roast marshmallows and make S'mores...however.....during her visit the weather was horrible and building a fire was out of the question. She was sad so we opted for s'mores in the oven, with the condition they all clean up their mess....They had their treat and as you can see enjoyed it and they all pitched in to clean up their mess.

Sayger's Baptism

2011-03-22T10:44:00.001-07:00

Treats to celebrate!!!

Our family....Stormie, Charlce, Kenna, Shandler and Sayger.....four beautiful girls and our handsome son!!

So proud to be this little boys mom and dad!!!

Baptism partner and good friend...Jaden Jenkins

Look at those smiles...what handsome boys!!

Two of my favorite guys!!!!!!

Sayger had to wait until the first part of June for his baptism, June 5th! It was a very busy weekend and we had alot going on, it was also Stormie's birthday so we had one event after another. We had a baseball game, got home just in time to change, get Sayger dressed, grab the treats and head to the church. Jaden Jenkins and Sayger had birthdays close to one another so they shared a baptism day. Each family took a little part in the program. Sayger had asked Chip to speak at his baptism. He spoke about what baptism is and why be believe it is important!! He did a great job and gave a good message to Sayger and Jaden. Sayger's dad baptized him....which has been a blessing for our entire family. Kent baptized me, Kenna,Charlce, Stormie, Shandler and now Sayger. Stormie played the violin while the boys and their dads changed clothes. She played I Am a Child of God and Joseph Smiths First Prayer. Jaden's grandpa talked to the boys about the Holy Ghost and gave a wonderful example of having a best friend. He talked about the Holy Ghost being their best friend and since they were best friends they could help each other make the right choices and keep the Holy Ghost with them. Each of the boys was confirmed and we headed for the kitchen for treats!!!! I was a little apprehensive of sharing a baptism since I always thought it was for each child individually but those two boys have been great friends and it was a very spiritual day with heartfelt messages prepared for those two boys to hear. It was special to see them share this experience together and I really believe it has created a lifelong bond between these two boys!!
Sayger Max Kidd

June 5, 2010

2011-03-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

Stormie played softball for the high school this year. When summer rolled around she really wanted to continue to play for several reasons; to learn more about the game, to key in on some skills and to get better. We signed her up for BABA fast pitch 14 and up. She was pretty timid and told her coach she had played second base. Stormie had to miss the first two games and practices because the high school had made it to state and she could not play on two competitive teams. When she could finally play her coach put her in at second and she did great!!! She gained confidence, learned a few things and made some new friends. Towards the end of the BABA season the pitcher they were using was tired and struggling. Kent was standing by the coach and told her to try Stormie. Stormie said "NO!" but her dad talked her into it and they put her in. She did AWESOME!!!! Her coach was so surprised and said if she had known she would have been working with Stormie the whole time!!! What a confidence builder those few games of pitching were: her entire team rallied around her, patted her on the back and made her feel incredible!!! Their team was eliminated in the playoffs but it didn't hurt her feelings she had a new goal for the summer!!! We called a man from our ward that pitched in a professional softball league and he was thrilled to work with Stormie....he had nothing but great things to say about her and has done wonders for her confidence too. We set up a pitching area with straw bales for her to work on accuracy. We sent her to a pitching clinic at CSI and she did wonderful there too!!! She committed herself to getting better and I am so proud of her and the hard work she has put in....she loves softball!!!

River Rat Salon

2011-03-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

Stormie's turn

Kenna's turn

Ohhhh so pretty.....

Shandler's turn

Sayger's baptism was scheduled for the first part of July so Charlce came for a visit and while she was here we did hair....of course!!!!

Mom's little Scout.....

2011-03-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

Since Sayger is 8 he can go to Scouts!! This was an exciting event at our house!!!

Finding the uniform was another story!!! Kenna said to check the DI she thought she had seen some uniforms there. Of course they had every other color and size except the one I needed. So I went to the Book Store in Burley. Yes they had what we needed but it cost a small fortune to be a scout!! Good thing this is such a good program!!!

Sayger's SPECIAL Birhtday!!!

2011-03-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

Cake Ball Cake at Sayger's request

Look at that handsome little boy!!! Nice tie!

YUM!!!!!

This year is a special birthday, Sayger turns 8!!! What special occasion for our little man. He was so excited for his birthday. He requested a cake ball cake made of chocolate. It turned out so cute and very yummy. We had his cake ball cake with family the day after his friend party.

I find it hard to believe he is already 8. The time has went so quickly. He is a joy and we adore him.... Here are some things I love most about Sayger....

* He is very sweet and thinks of others

*He always has a big smile on his face

*He tells great stories

*He will come up and say "Mom, I forgot to give you something" and give me a big hug and kiss

*He loves to snuggle with me in the mornings and watch cartoons-something I know he will grow out of.

*He make cars sounds, truck noises and sound effects with everything he plays with

* I can put a hat on his head and he is ready to go!!!

*He has a cute laugh that is contagious

*He loves his dad and follows him around everywhere

*He does well in school but it is not his favorite thing to do

*I love that he is our caboose and is all boy!!

* He is still so innocent about things and often has us rolling in laughter.

WE LOVE SAYGER MAX!!!!

Happy Birthday Sayger Max!!!!

2011-03-21T18:18:00.001-07:00

Lincoln, Sayger and Jaden

Hold back your excitement son!!!

Zach, Sayger, Jaden, Lincoln

Layton and Sayger

Celebrating at Party Hardy!!!

Riley and Sayger

Sam and Sayger

This year Sayger turned 8 and he was able to have a friend party. He chose Party Hardy! We spent the afternoon playing on their toys, running around, opening gifts and having cake and ice cream!!! The boys had a great time and Shandler helped me supervise!!! Sayger invited some of his best friends to share the day with him and they ran from one thing to the next!!! Sayger got some fun gifts and enjoyed his friend party!

Rupert Rebels

2011-03-21T15:30:00.001-07:00

Sayger played on a traveling baseball team from Rupert this summer along with BABA. Sometimes we were cutting games very close to be at both. He learned so much from the coaches of his Rebel team. Cody was in my fourth grade class and gave Sayger his mitt that he used when he was little. They had early morning practices and tournaments on the weekends. It was a great experience and we love watching him play. He looks like a little pro in these pictures!!!

BABA Baseball

2011-03-21T14:36:00.000-07:00

Playing Softall-6th Grade Fast Pitch!

2011-03-21T13:55:00.001-07:00

A year after the Declo Rec. Can you believe how much she changed and has grown!!! Crazy!!! She also improved alot in 6th grade ball. She asked if she could play BABA ball so I signed her up. Her coach called and I explained that Shandler had never played this type of softball. She assured me they would work with Shandler but several of these girls had been playing for years together and that it would not be easy for Shandler. I was worried for her. We went to the first practice, I had to run a few errands so I came back to get her around the time practice would be finished. Her coach walked with her to the car and I was thinking this is going to be a sad ride home. Instead she asks if she could work with Shandler, they wanted her to pitch!!! Are you kidding me....she has never played this type of softball, and you want her to pitch????? She did awesome and their team came in 2nd out of 13 teams and she pitched every game!!!! She hit a few girls and had one game where every ball seemed to wing out of control, there was frustration and happiness each game!! We had people coming over and asking who she was, telling us what a fantastic athlete she was and some disgusted that she was pitching like that at her age. I just grinned and often laughed....if they only knew!!! It was a fun summer and her coaches and the sponsor of the team were SO glad to have her!!!

OH MY!!!!!

2011-03-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

While I was looking through all the saved photos we have for Shandler playing softball last year I came across these pictures. Shandler and I just shared several laughs over these pictures. She was in the 5th grade and playing in the Declo Rec. program. Check out the form of this pitcher!! And get a good look at the faces she pulls while batting!! A year of time makes a huge difference and I never really understood how much until I compared these pictures to the next set of her playing BABA in the 6th grade. OH MY!!!

Mothers Day Lunch

2011-03-21T13:01:00.001-07:00

Happy Mothers Day!! We have dinner at my sisters house on Mother's Day. The past couple of years we have been waiting for spring so we have a sandwich brunch with all the fixings and several salad choices. We build hoagie style sandwiches, have our choice of salads and share the day honoring my mom and my grandmother. Both of these ladies are incredible examples in my life and a huge part of my children's lives. My mom has taught me to work hard, keep a clean house, be organized and do what you say you will do. My grandmother has taught me the love of family, the love of nature, birds, gardening, flowers and that the sweet smell of raspberries is one of the greatest pleasures in life. We had a great lunch and a great day together. I love these ladies!!!!

Softball

2010-12-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

This year I MADE Stormie try out for the softball team. She made the team and played as a Freshman...which is the worst!!! She stuck it out and actually learned to love the game!!! We sat through some awful weather to watch her play and I am very proud of her positive attitude and willingness to learn the game!! Great job Storm!!!

2010-12-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

Love these girlies!!

look what I have to be proud of :0)

My good friend Jen hosted a Spa Day at Hands On in Twin. She invited my girls and I to participate in the day while having our hands and feet treated and picking some fun ceramic pieces to paint. We also had some yummy treats that Shandler kept stealing from my plate!! She thought I didn't know!! Hands On has several ceramic pieces to choose from along with hundreds of colors and items to decorate your piece. Shandler chose a hand mirror, Stormie a princess teapot and I chose a vase. We had a fun afternoon together even though the girls weren't thinking it was their idea of a thrill, they did enjoy the day. We giggled alot together and we now have some cool hand painted ceramics at our house!

4-H projects.....

2010-12-23T11:52:00.001-08:00

One of the highlights of spring are these cute little pigs. Each year Kent and the girls pick out the perfect 4-H pigs to rasie for the fair in August. It takes a few months to get them ready and we start around April 15th or so. This is a highlight of the year. When we bring them home they run all around the pen avoiding any type of human contact, but by mid summer they let the kids scratch their backs and run to the fence to see if we may have a treat they can eat. Soon these little piggies begin to eat us out of house and home as they grow for fair week. The girls check on them daily since pigs can not run out of water, they also make sure their is always plenty of food for them to eat which helps them gain weight. We weigh the pigs a couple of times during the
months in order to see their progress and make sure they are gaining weight. Soon they will be ready for the end of the summer highlight...the county fair, where these little piggies head to market!! This is also the social event of the summer and a great way to begin a college savings account!!

Turning 30!!!

2010-12-23T11:31:00.001-08:00

This year Kent's oldest daughter, Kenna, turned 30. I made dinner for her and her family, lasagna is her favorite and we had cake. I made a crock pot chocolate cake but we had to have a cake to put 30 candles on too. Look how 30 candles glow!!!

Sayger's New Toy

2010-12-23T11:24:00.001-08:00

Ray had this go-cart that his kids road on and he and Sayger rebuilt several parts of it. I had taken Sayger over to Auntie Brookes on several occasions and he and ray worked on it ( more Ray than Sayger-he needed several breaks). Once it was up and running, they delivered it to our house and Sayger began his terror of the neighborhood! He has driven that go-cart up and down the road 4000 times and has went through several tanks of gas!!! He is having a blast and is the envy of every little boy in the neighborhood!!! He has learned to skid to a stop, slide the back wheels in a turn and peel out slinging gravel as he goes!

Shandler's Happy Birthday

2010-12-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

For the night of Shandler's actual birthday we went to dinner at the Uppercrust....the highlight of the dinner was of course, the Cheese Hat. Shandler wore it proudly!!! That weekend, when her dad got home, we had a family birthday party with her cake and everything. She blew out the candles, ate the cake and opened her gifts. Happy 12th Birthday Shandler!!!!

Cousins

2010-12-23T10:56:00.001-08:00

While sitting together at the cheer competition a cheerleader from Boise came over to Stormie and wanted to know who she knew in Declo. This young lady said her grandmother lived in Declo so Stormie asked her who her grandma was she replied "Ruth Matthews." Stormie squealed and said "She's my aunt!!" Are you kidding me.... they began to visit and soon found out they were cousins. Stormie went and got Elizabeth and they posed for Kent. I think that was the best part of the entire competition for Stormie, she was thrilled to meet Ellie and find their family connection.

Cheer Competition

2010-12-23T08:56:00.001-08:00

February 2010-Cheer Competition-Boise-These girls did awesome!!! They looked great and performed well!! It was a long, long day!! There were several teams and they each had at least three performances and the numerous divisions!! It was fun to watch our girls!

Cancun....MEXICO!!!

2010-11-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

Performance Dinner

Enjoying a day at the pool!

Kristin!!

Our hotel!!!

The beach!!

The balcony!!

Headed to the poolside!

Welcome dinner

Kenneth and Kim...good friends!

Carol and Kristin

Territory Manager dinner

Rich and Kristin

Kent had an International meeting this year in Cancun, Mexico. It was fabulous!!! We stayed at a beautiful resort, The Moon Palace!! Each day the ladies and I would get up early and head out for an exercise walk on the beach, go to breakfast(all inclusive...the way to go) and get a spot by the pool! January is the greatest time to go to Mexico, the weather was in the mid 80"s every day and it was gorgeous!!! Kent had meetings during the day so us ladies would just lounge by the pool, swim to the bar area, get a drink, swim back and lounge some more. It was wonderful!!!

In the evenings we would get ourselves all dressed up and have dinner, attend social events and one night we even went dancing. It was a great time!!!

2010-11-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

Relaxing in the shade!

My good friend KennethHello, mom, how are the kids?

Kristin, Kim and Kim

Still relaxing by the pool!!!!

The beach at our hotel.......breathe taking!!!

Early morning photos!!! Wow!!!

Finally.... I can spar!!!!

2010-11-04T19:28:00.001-07:00

High YA!!!Go Sayger!

Sayger finally made the belt that would allow him to participate in sparing!! He was so nervous and pleaded with us not to make him try it. His dad helped him gear up and the sparing began. They have to wear all the protective equipment because they really use their training! Sayger did great!!! Once he got into it, he really took it serious and started using his moves!! It was cute to watch him and watch the looks on his face as he decided which move to use next. We came home that night and ordered Sayger his own personal sparing gear!!! Way to go little man :)

Happy Birthday Hay!!!!

2010-11-04T19:07:00.000-07:00

Bestest friends!

Stormie and Mykayla

Opening gifts

Happy Birthday!

Brandy, Cal and Jas

The Birthday girl!!!

Jen and Trey

Some of our best friends have a birthday celebration in January!!! It is the best time to break up the cold winter. This year they had lunch at their house, then we headed to 1000 Springs for a day of warm water fun!!! I made Hailey's gift for her this year, check out the sucker treats and glass of skittles. It turned out soooo cute! I attached a gift certificate to the top of it and it looked darling!!! Love this family :)

Snowmobiling!!

2010-11-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Kyle and Gina

Sayger

Connie and Kim

Brett, Shane, Sayger, Kyle and Mitch

Between Christmas and New Years we go to the Darrington's cabin to celebrate New Years!!! Oh boy do we have some fun!!! Long days riding, late nights and sleeping in, just to start it all over again. The day we arrived we unloaded the car, unloaded the sleds and just in time for a day trip that went into the night. We all geared up and headed out for a ride in the snow. Shane knows the area pretty well so we followed him and headed out for some fun in the snow. Kent got a new sled and was thrilled to take it for a ride!!! We spent the remainder of the day trailing around. We went into Island Park, enjoyed some soup and a game of pool then headed back to the cabin in which we found worried kids who thought we were only going for a short joy ride, 60 mile joyride!! Sayger loves to ride with Kyle or Gina. Kyle takes him into the powder and spins cookies. One time he tipped the sled over and all we could hear was Sayger laughing as he was completely covered in snow, he loves it!! He calls Gina, Super Shina the Super Sledder. They all ride really well and spend alot of time waiting for me to catch up or get unstuck!! I am not very brave!!!!! We look forward to this trip each year, one of our favorite holiday adventures!! Thanks Darringtons for hosting!!

The BIG 40!!!

2010-11-02T18:34:00.000-07:00

The cake nearly caught the hospital on fire!

The BIG 40!!!

Happy Birthday to Auntie Brooke!

This year Auntie Brooke turned 40 and we couldnt let the occasion go by without some celebrating. We put together a gift bag with 40 different gifts and surprised her at work. She invited us back for cake and we had a "Happy Birthday" with our favorite aunt!! The kids loved it and I think Auntie Brooke felt pretty special!!!

One of our FAVORITE things to do....

2010-11-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

At the hockey game in Salt Lake

Waiting for the game to begin....Kris and LynnKent and Kim

My friend Kris

Cody and Shandler...good friends!!

Sayger Max!!

Callin and Sayger....the dynamic duo!!!

Stormie and Chloes......seeeeesters!

After the game we all went swimming......

Gift exchange!!!

Silly Shandler!!!!

Awwww... really.....time to go home.

Every year we make a point to spend one weekend with some of our favorite friends, the Hansens. We have enjoyed several trips to Boise to see the Steelheads play, a few shopping trips to Salt Lake just after Chritmas and many,many fondue dipping nights!!! The day after Christmas we headed to Salt Lake for a hockey game and a weekend of fun times. We draw names and exchange gifts and it is Kent's soul purpose to find something that will surely embarass poor Kris. We had lunch together and then went to the hocky game. Lynn really gets into the hype of the game and he took the kids clear down to the glass. The funny thing is my girls love the fights and get so excited when the hockey players begin to duke it out. This time one of the players hit the glass right where they were sitting and you would have thought they hit the lottery>>>THEY LOVED THAT!!! We had treats, cheered the team on and built some fun memories together. Our kids have become good friends too and we hope they will continue the traditions throughout their lives. When the game was over we headed directly back to the motel so they could swim. The motel we stayed at had a water slide in it and the kids were so excited to swim. We stayed there until it closed and then headed up for showers. By about 11p.m. we headed down to the main lobby where we parked by the fireplace and had our gift exchange. We giggled and snickered at the kids...Cody has always a crush on Shandler so check ou the shirt he gave her!! SO FUN!!! We love spending time with the Hansen's it is something we look forward to each year!!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

A new tradition....

2010-10-30T22:05:00.000-07:00

Our families are all getting big enough and G&G Kidd are getting up there in age ( preparing for all of us is a HUGE job and very tiring), that this year we set a new tradition and had Christmas Day at our own homes. This was the first year in 20 years that we were not rushing to get out of the house in order to be at G&G Kidd's on time.
I had been craving a deep fried turkey so Kent met the order. We had lots of pre-dinner snacks and I decorated the table with Christmas dinnerware, glasses and serving dishes.
It turned out great!! After dinner we headed downstairs for some more gift exchanges and the day turned out well.

Bright and Early!!!!!!

2010-10-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

Sayger was sprinkling Reindeer Dust on the lawn in hopes St Nick would find us!! HE DID!!!

Christmas morning is always filled with absolute excitement!!! The kids have been instructed to wait until 7 a.m. or we would all be up shortly after midnight. They come bounding into our room declaring it is Christmas morning(like we didn't know) and it is time to open presents!!! Kent and I gather photography materials and head downstairs to see what Santa has left us!! Stockings are always first, then on to the wrapped gifts. It is one of my favorites too!!! I love to see their faces when they go through their stockings and open their gifts!

Are you kidding me???

2010-10-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

Kent went to Jason's with his computer one night to build us a Christmas card. He was gone until after 1:00 a.m. in the morning so I was so excited to see what they had created. Kent called me down to see their artistic creativity just before I left for work. He pulled up this card and I just stood there...somewhat speechless trying to find something I liked. Kent started explaining the art work they had created and how they agreed on the lines, and colors. I was still speechless. Finally knowing Jason and the perfectionist he is along with his creative artistry, not to mention he has done our Christmas card for three years now, I thought "Okay! This is it, he knows what he's doing." I then started to explain to Kent it was not my favorite card, but it was okay if Jason thought it was okay. Kent couldn't take it, he had spent to long keeping a straight face and explaining to me the great brains behind the design, he began laughing hysterically!!! This was not our Christmas card, it was those two wizards idea of fun until 1:00 a.m., just to see my reaction!! Thanks boys, you really had me worried there for a few minutes!!!!

Pictures in the snow!!

2010-10-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

We took family pictures to build a Christmas card with while we were looking for a fresh tree to cut! It was fine at the beginning but the kids were not cooperative with the reflector shining in their eyes and the sun starting to go down. We did get a shot we could use! And Kent a Jason built a great card for us after they played a very funny practical joke on me! I will try and find the first draft of the one they tried to pass off and put it on the blog! During the pictures Sayger and Kent were eyeing a hill close by...Sayger just so happened to pack the sled and they spent a few trips sledding just before it got to dark!!!

Christmas Eve 2009

2010-10-30T13:55:00.001-07:00

Chrismas Eve at Grandma Berni's!!! Every year we spend Christmas Eve at Grandma Berni's! We have snacks, egg nog and open presents, which is the highlight of the evening. Grandma has a special guest come and suprise the kids and they all love it. Santa gives each child special time and even got the two grandmas in for a hug!

Decorating for Christmas.....

2010-10-30T13:14:00.001-07:00

Christmas 09

He loves to do this.....Rudolph antlers

He HATED that tie!

My upstairs tree that we cut ourselves....my favorite!!

Downstairs tree that holds all the eclectic ornaments

Placing the really heavy ones on the bigger branches.

Christmas fun!

I love decorating Christmas trees.

Can you see the excitement!!!!

Kent does not share the enthusiasm for Christmas that I have. However, when he wears his Santa hat I know the mood will be happy. He and Sayger found these as I was unpacking the decorations and placed them on their heads as they sang a few carols with each other (not good harmony) but the mood was great. He and Sayger put together our fake tree for downstairs- I love live trees but the fireplace dries them out so quickly downstairs so we decided on a fake tree(BEST INVESTMENT EVER!!) Takes Kent about 10 minutes to put it together, which he loves!!! The downstairs tree has all of the ornaments my Grandma Fowler has given me since I joined the family(there are several from the 70's on that tree).Every year, still, she buys or makes an ornament for my tree and they are all on there, at least 40 of them. I have also done the same for my children and so has Grandma Berni. Stormie has 14 x2, Shandler 11 x2 and Sayger 7 x2. The great part was when I got married I had over 20 decorations to place on a tree, it was great!! Our tree is loaded!!! With all of my decorations and my children's decorations there is getting to be little room to hang stuff!! BUT I love it...the tree looks wonderful with all those memories hanging from each branch!!!

NOTE- I did the same thing for Kenna and Charlce when Kent and I got married and they each were able to begin a tree with memories of their own!

Dance Pictures

2010-10-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

As I begin to update my blog, that is almost a year behind- I will be placing dance pictures that I love throughout the updates. I will also be updating the blog with current reflections and past pictures. With a very heavy heart Shandler had to make a big choice this year. Dance or not dance. Shandler is our athlete and has always loved moving but sports and the dedication to them won out and dance had to be set aside. She began this year playing volleyball and felt she needed to be there and support, as well as become part of her team. The stress of spreading herself between two loves began to weigh heavily upon her. I am proud that she could make the decesion that would work for her. She loves to dance and those of you that know her, know she flutters around everywhere she goes, dancing, jiving and twirling. She will miss dance but not as much as I will miss watching her dance.

Christmas Crafts

2010-04-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

Every year I look for some type of homemade craft to make my friends for Christmas. I have made jelly, a butter spread, recipe boxes and this year I made clip boards. I saw the idea in a scrapbook store, took a picture of it on my phone and created my own style:) They turned out pretty cool. I took the picture in October and couldn't delete it until I created one of my own, I was afraid I would forget about them and I am totally a visual learner.

Queen for the Dance!

2010-04-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

Shandler and Tucker were 6th grade King and Queen at their Christmas dance. Love the Burger King crown with "Queen" written on it. She was pretty excited but ran in and told her sister first. Stormie came to tell me and I had to ask her about it. She went to her backpack and pulled out the crown. I made her pose for pictures. She looked really cute that day, her hair was all curly and her outfit was perfect. It was fun for her, however, she was more excited to tell me everyone she danced with than to tell me about the crown.

CHEER

2010-04-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Love to watch her cheer, she does such a good job!! When we were in Mexico one of her friends asked "Where's your mom.....she never misses seeing you cheer?" I felt bad because I do make it to all of her games just to watch her cheer and she looks for me too!!! Dad made it to this one and took the pictures for me.

Dance like no one is watching....

2010-04-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Look at that!!!

Pretty pointed toes!!!

Look at that face.....

Dance Force danced for one of the half-time performances over Christmas Break and Shandler's group was one of them. We love to watch her dance, but after seeing these pictures we were amazed at some of the things she can do. Stormie sat right on the sidelines and directly after the dance she came running up and exclaimed " DID YOU SEE THAT, SHE WAS AMAZING!!!!" Then she told Shandler the same thing as she came to see us after her dance. She did do very well and is so animated it is fun to watch her.

A little sledding fun!

2010-04-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

While we searched for a tree Sayger and his dad kept their eyes out for the perfect place to sled. As you can see, it was almost dark before they found the perfect spot and I sat in the car and took a few photos of the fun. It was getting pretty cold so Sayger just took a couple of runs before his cheeks were frozen!

Finding the perfect tree....

2010-04-03T19:07:00.001-07:00

Falling down the mountain.....

Really falling down the mountain......careful Auntie Brooke!

How about this one?

HMMMMMM......

I LOVE Christmas, it is my very favorite and in my house there are two trees. I have always loved looking for the perfect tree and often it would take hours in tree lots circling around looking for the tree I loved. My family hates shopping for the perfect tree in town but they enjoy the mountain search. We have a tree in the family room but have been unable to keep alive and green because of the fireplace, so we now have a beautiful pre-lit tree for the family room. It has all the keepsake ornaments on it. I used to have a tree flocked and placed in the piano room with red decorations but have since traded for a live tree directly from the mountains near our home. We invited my sister and her husband this year and went to Hagglar Canyon to search for our Christmas tree to place in the dining room near the stairs-at 12 feet tall. We packed the car with treats and hot chocolate, dressed for the weather and picked a perfect day. We did hike and I could not find the perfect tree!!! So we hiked some more and Kent found a tree, he cut it down and I did not like it, but Brooke did so they hauled it to their truck. Kent and I hiked some more, up to the very top of a steep hill in which Kent quickly pointed out mountain lion tracks bigger than a dinner plate. Needless to say the tree search began to quicken! I found the tree I loved, Kent cut it down and stood it in front of me and I hated it!! He told me "TOO BAD!"(there is more to the story , but it can not be posted) and hauled it to the truck. It turned out to be perfect and was a beautiful tree.

Big Sisters Birthday!!!!

2010-03-19T15:48:00.001-07:00

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!! That is what we heard all day! Charlce celebrated her birthday while she was here and I am not sure who was more excited for it, her brother and sisters or her!! They made her a beautiful cake equipped with candles and all. We sang "Happy Birthday" and she shared her treats with us. She even let the little kids help blow out her birthday candles. It was a fun day and I hope she knows how special we all think she is! 25 is half way to 50 ya know:)

Thanksgiving 2009....

2010-03-19T15:40:00.001-07:00

Going to Grandmas for dinner!

Grandma Great making our favorite...noodles:)

Grandma and Sayger

We always spend Thanksgiving with my family and this year my grandma decided it was time to give up such a big house and big yard, she moved in with my mom. It has been great for both of them and less worry too. We had our usual, turkey, sweet potatoes, homemade noodles, gravy, dressing and pumpkin pie(which is Stormie's absolute favorite!!!). Charlce and Ricky where here this year and after we ate we played several rounds of Hand & Foot!!! It was a fun and FULL day :)

NASCAR Day....

2010-03-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

Charlce lives in the South and has grown to love NASCAR, which she has passed on to my son!! While she was here for Thanksgiving, they planned a NASCAR Sunday!! They put on their NASCAR pj's and found a comfortable spot on the couch and watched the races all day!!! As you can see the remainder of the family had a good nap! I have to admit, the thrill of NASCAR would be far greater if I was there, but watching lap after lap on the television was not my favorite!!!

Something between dads and their sons....

2010-03-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

On a trip home, Kent stopped at Cabelas in Boise-one of his favorite stores! He had been looking for the perfect gun for Sayger to learn to shoot with. He called and asked me what I thought. I had no idea and told him to get the gun he thought would be best. He purchased the Rossi-Trifecta and was so proud. He came home and hid it in the closet. We debated about it being a Christmas gift but Kent couldn't stand it. He called Sayger in and had him open the box. Sayger was thrilled and wanted to go out and shoot it immediately!! Kent took him to the field behind G&G Kidd's house to shoot. Sayger learned gun safety first!!! He also learned that his gun had a 22, a 223 and a 410 all in one. They shot cans and pumpkins that day and Sayger had a great time. However, he decided he does need ear plugs, it gets a little loud.

Halloween Dinner...

2010-03-07T16:55:00.001-08:00

I never do any of those fun dinner posts but on the Monday night before Halloween I had this great idea so I put it together along with some fun recipes from the internet. We had mummies, monster blood, green worms and a little graveyard for dessert. It turned out really cute and by surprise we had a Valmont Rep. that was coming through and needed to pick up some promo items from Kent so he enjoyed it with us. He got a kick out of the creative dinner idea and loved watching the kids reaction too. It turned out fun!!

Soooooo it has been awhile....

2010-03-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

I plan on working diligently on catching up my blog but remember I am a full time teacher, a full time mother, a full time intern, a full time taxi driver and much more so this has been on the bottom of my priority list. HOWEVER, I want to create books for my children so they not only have the pictures but they have the stories too. So hang on...... we are going all the way back to Halloween!

Winter Basketball

2009-12-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

John Charles came for a visit and made Shandler a sign. He did it once for Stormie a couple of years ago and Shandler was proud to have her turn!

Her game was at 8:00 Saturday morning......Are you kidding me!!!!

Shandler loves to play basketball and has played with this group of girls for several years. She started with them in the Declo Rec. program and last year they put together a traveling team and played various teams from South Eastern Idaho. She loves basketball and has become a pretty good little player. She has wonderful coaches that have taught her alot! We were not sure if they were going to put together a team so I signed her up to play ball in the Rupert League too. Her coaches called and now we are juggling two sets of basketball schedules.....whew!! They begin in November and will play until Christmas, this group is sponsored by the Burley Lions, JAZZ basketball. GO SHANDLER!!!!!

Carving and the display of pumpkins....

2009-12-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

One Friday the kids did not have school, however, I did. I asked Kent to help them get their pumpkins carved and be sure to take pictures so I could see! It was a nice day but windy(imagine that!) so Dad set them up in the garage with garbage bags and carving tools. Sayger worked very hard this year to completely carve his pumpkin on his own. He would not let his dad help at all. He did great! When Shandler was very little she could not dig the guts out of the pumpkin without dry heaving the entire time. Kent or I have helped clean out her pumpkin for years, this year she conquered the slimy center of her pumpkin all on her own! They had a great time and were able to get them all carved and ready for the Halloween display and lighting. I have to say they were very cute and one of my favorite things to do is light the pumpkins and stand back in the driveway to see how they look in the dark. I also love the smell of the heat coming from the pumpkins as the flame is cooking the inside, it remind me of fall.

Red Ribbon Week-Rock Star Day!

2009-12-20T20:15:00.000-08:00

October is Red Ribbon Week and the promotion of "Saying No to Drugs!" Rock Star Day was Sayger's favorite and he had his outfit picked out for days. The shirt is too long to see the chains and key rings he had hanging from the belt loop which scooped into his pocket. The lenses of the glasses flipped up and his hair had color in it. He looked pretty cool!!

2009-12-20T19:51:00.000-08:00

Posing for a picture in the pumpkin patch!

The Pumpkin Patch

2009-12-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

One Saturday afternoon we called our good friends the Redders and asked if they wanted to go to the pumpkin patch and gather some pumpkins for Halloween. The Redders have 7 children and we have 3 and to all of our amazement we only had three with us at the Pumpkin Patch, their youngest son, Sayger and Stormie. Shandler was at Frightmares in Utah with Korena's daughter and Scott's boys were visiting their mother. We scanned the pumpkin patch for the best pumpkins and loaded a wagon full. Even though all of our children were not there we gathered pumkins for them all, so the wagon was very full! Scoot pulled the thing from place to place and in the end it was very heavy! As you can see the weather was still pleasant and we had a fun afternoon. The little boys ran all over that patch and had a great time finding the perfect pumpkin.

Someday....

2009-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Someday I will be back to catch up our blog...... right now it is on the botton of the priority list.
1. I am a mother-homework, house, dinner, laundry
2. I am a wife-:)
3. I am a teacher-educate, plan and correct papers
4. I need to get kids to events, piano, dance, Taekwondo, cheer, basketball
5. I need to watch all of the events.... dance, Taekwondo, cheer and basketball
6. Help my neighbors and friends who have recently undergone tragedy or surgery
7. Counseling....those who need me.
8. Baking for Christmas
9. Shopping for Christmas
10. Attending Christmas functions
11. Preparing for holiday events and dinner
12. Put together Masters Degree Portfolio
13. Blogging....maybe :)

Jaylee and the soccer field.

2009-11-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

She was a fierce soccer player..... Check out the fear in those boys faces!

Jaylee often had a game directly after Sayger's. We stayed one afternoon and took some pictures of her while she played. These were some from one of her first games. She looked so cute. Remember Jay.... you can do anything as long as you look good doing it!! Love the cute hair do!

First Day of School.....

2009-11-15T19:20:00.000-08:00

First Day of School 2009..... Shandler is headed to the Junior High-6th grade. Sayger is going to the 2nd grade this year and Stormie is a freshman in High School! Cute kids!!!

Soccer....

2009-11-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

This summer the high school soccer team hosted two camps. Sayger's good friend Zach invited him to go and they had a blast. They even received a free soccer ball( which I helped pay for with the registration fee) and he was thrilled!!! He was so anxious for soccer to start with the rec. program and asked continually when he could start! Finally the day came, we signed up and practice started! He did great. He really enjoyed it and actually they had a pretty good little team and a patient coach who taught them alot. We loved watching him and how excited he got when his teammates scored and how into he got when he played goalie! It was a fun fall sport and only a couple of games with cold weather!

DHS

2009-11-15T18:48:00.000-08:00

So hard to believe I have a daughter in high school! The time has truly flown by and I could not be prouder of her. She was the only freshman girl to try out for cheer leading and she made it! Thanks Sissy for the coaching and help! She is part of the JV squad and was able to cheer with the Juniors and Seniors at homecoming. She did great and looked so grown up! She always thought she would rather play sports but I think it is in her blood, I was a cheerleader and dancer too, she LOVES it and fits the part perfectly!!!

First snow.....

2009-11-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

In October we woke up one morning to snow and it was covering the ground. Sayger was so excited he could hardly handle it. As the snow continued to pile up, he watched carefully from the front window anticipating the moment when there would actually be enough to ride his snowmobile. He continually asked his dad if there was enough and Kent would reply "Not yet!" As Sayger climbed the stairs to check the snow he heard the familiar sound of his snowmobile engine and excitedly geared himself up to ride! He spent the remainder of the afternoon zooming around the yard. He has finally grown enough that he can start it and keep it from getting stuck. He had a great time....even though it was a Sunday!

My siter's Big Day

2009-10-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

My sister was married two weeks ago in September. In fact the last good weather day we had. She asked me to go with her to get her hair done and hang out, like sisters do. It was fun. We met at Peterson's Barn and decorated first thing, then I stopped and got her a sandwich while she started on her hair do! It was a process, especially since her hair is short, but in the end it turned out beautiful and was the perfect wedding do!

*** Wedding pictures to be posted at a later date.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

2009-10-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

Korena and Lori

Brandy and Connie

Ellen and I-we have been friends since the sixth grade!!!

CHeeeeessssyyyy!!

I am really lucky to have such great girlfriends. Kent was out of town on my birthday, so Lori made arrangements for us all to have dinner at the Upper Crust in Heyburn! We giggled, we visited, we laughed and we had a great time. Of course I had to wear the cheese hat and have my picture taken-silly! We have decided we need to do it every month and not just on birthdays!

Thanks girls the dinner was great and I loved the gifts, but most of all I feel lucky to have each of you in my life!!!

PEACHY Keen!!

2009-10-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

Finished product!

Before....

My mom, anxious to help. Last year I ordered a bushel of peaches and was in the middle of school when they arrived and too ripe to wait, so mom and grandma canned them for me. This year when my bushel arrived my mom and I had everything ready to begin canning that very night. However, once they made it to my house(thanks Kent for picking them up) they were still a bit green, mom said we had time to wait until the weekend. I was actually glad to hear this, I have been wanting to learn how to can peaches for years. Saturday morning mom wanted to go to painting glass in Twin, Brooke was moving into her new house and I had a kitchen ready for canning. I went and helped my sister unpack and decorate until mom called saying she was on her way home from Twin. I then raced home from Rupert and began learning the process. I am also excited to say I have inherited my grandmothers pressure cooker-HOOOOORRRRAAAAYYY!!! It really wasn't as hard as I had once thought and in a couple of hours I had 21 jars of peaches!!! They looked beautiful and I have to say I am very proud of myself!!! I have since purchased half of a bushel and prepared them for cobblers and pies. Yes, it worked because I have already used one bag and made a terrific cobbler that disappeared in a matter of hours. Thanks for the lesson and help mom, we are enjoying the fresh packed fruit!!

I can ride my bicycle!!!

2009-10-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

Sayger is my little character. He does nothing new unless he decides. When he was being potty trained he decided one day HE was going to potty in the toilet and all the preparing I did before made no difference, once he decided, it was a go! The same with reading, I tried to prep him, worked on sight words and bought fun games to play. However, it was not until HE decided he was going to read that he did. He has had a bicycle for years, ever since he was three. He started with training wheels and everything, but again, until HE decided he was going to ride it has sat in the garage collecting dust. This summer he learned to wake board on the river and it helped with his confidence to do other things. One day he looked at that bike in the garage and told his dad he was going to ride it. With a little help to get going, HE rode that bike!! I know Sayger will be able to do anything he wants in life, when HE makes up his mind.

Hiking adventure continued

2009-10-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

Lake Independence hiking adventure continued

2009-10-04T20:06:00.000-07:00

Lake Independence

2009-10-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

The entire crew! Lori, Jason, Hailey and Zack Lugo. Kelcie Carpenter and Hallie Hitt.

Stormie and Kelcie

Hallie and Shandler

Lunch break- we were halfway there.

18 years ago I was with the young women's group and we hiked to Lake Independence. I was 75 pounds heavier and completely out of shape and it darn near killed me. I vowed that someday I would hike to Lake Independence again and I put it on my "Bucket List." 75 pounds lighter, three kids later and working out regularly, we planned our hike. Kent chose a weekend we could fit it in before soccer started and before it got cold. We spent a week planning and making a list of items. We mentioned it to the Lugo family and Jason saw photo opps., so they joined us. We each had back packs with frozen and thawed water along with bug spray, wet wipes, sweatshirts, chap stick, first aide kits, lunch, protein snacks and of course chocolate! We distributed the wealth and each of us carried a backpack, including Sayger! Kent and Jason carried all of their camera gear along with a few photo props and soon decided it was going to be a long hike. We started at noon and the weather was perfect. It was a little over casty which helped with the heat and a slight breeze would occasionally blow. Several times my children voiced their concern for my sanity and stated this was the stupidest idea I had ever had. We stopped in the shade and had lunch in which my telephone beeped with a face book message so Jason, Kent and I tried to post our status. Jason had a GPS and kept track of the mileage for us, which turned out to be 7 miles round trip. We ran into some people hiking back out and asked them how much further, they said once you get to the red gate you're there. Yes, we made it to the red gate and since we had hike in we decided to go all the way to the top lake. The kids found tiny frogs which amused them for some time, we ate chocolate and soaked our feet in the cool lake water. The hike down was brutal on the glutes and shins and we each took a turn sliding down the hills on our bums, including the men! We passed a mule train in which the people on the mules commented on their amazement that Zach and Sayger had hiked the entire way. When we arrived back at the car it was 6 p.m. We headed to Almo Outpost for dinner and then soaked in the hot pots until after ten. It is an experience I will remember and recall for a number of years and even though it was not an easy task, my children will be able to say they did it too. Kent and Jason got some great pictures and someday you may see some in a magazine, advertisement or sales add. It was great and it is one more thing to cross off of my "Bucket List." Thanks to my family for participating in my quest, you all amaze me and I am proud of you. Thanks to the Lugo's for sharing memories with us. Kelcie and Hallie it was great to have you along for the ride, you were both great sports!

Oscar Mayer the Weiner Dog

2009-10-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is the newest member of our family, Oscar! He was going to be placed in a shelter or put to sleep and we saved him. He does have a few issues, like trying to bite any visitors we have, but we are working with him. He is making progress and is getting better at his grouchy outbursts. He fits right in with our family and is a great little snuggler. He is what they call a Dapple Daschund and we love him. Matilda has adjusted well. I was afraid that a young boy dog would completely cramp her style but she actually plays with him. It is cute to watch her chase him around the table and steal his toys. She is still the alpha dog and quickly lets him know when she is done and when he is invading her space. Welcome home Oscar.

Budding photographer....

2009-10-04T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sayger helped his dad during the fair, by taking pictures of his sisters. The camera is heavy and almost bigger than him. He love it and actually did a pretty good job.

Be patient....please?

2009-10-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

I am so behind that the next few posts will be part of my marathon catch up, so be patient with me please and view the length of my next several posts. I checked my calendar and have come to the conclusion that it has been over nine weeks since I have spent an entire Saturday home. Yesterday, Oct.3rd was the first in that nine week period. So I deep cleaned, caught up on all laundry, took a short cat nap, hugged my children and watched conference! It was great.

Stormie in the show ring....

2009-10-04T18:58:00.001-07:00

Cutie....

Go pig Go!

Love the cheesy smile.

Showing off her showmanship skills.

The week before fair Stormie becomes a nervous wreck. She worries about her clothes, her pig the judge and just about anything associated with the fair. This year she was little more relaxed and she had a great fair experience. I can't believe how much she has changed since the first time she was in the show ring. She is growing up. She does a great job and she says her cheeks hurt this year from the perma-grin:)

Shandler at the pig show....

2009-10-04T18:42:00.000-07:00

Totally in her element!

Cheesy....

Ready for the judge to see her.

Great angle....

Shandler loves to show her pig! She is a natural showman. We were laughing at her a number of times as she bounced across the ring. So cute!!

Dancing in the parade...

2009-09-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

Shandler was also in the parade with her dance group. They were very cute and as always the facial expressions and energy Shandler shares is the best part of watching her perform. There is no lack of confidence there!! She did great and we loved watching her "BOOM, BOOM, POW" down the street!

Cheerleading in the parade...

2009-09-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

Stormie was so excited to be a high school cheerleader, she didn't even mind the early morning parade practice! She looked great and so did the rest of Mrs. Kidd's team. We loved watching her in the parade, she looked beautiful and very sharp. Way to go Stormie, we look forward to seeing you at the games this year!!!

Go STORMIE!!!

2009-09-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

Proud moments

2009-09-06T19:40:00.000-07:00

Proud as punch!!

Shandler did so well at fair this year with her horse. I could not be prouder of her. She looked beautiful, kept her head clam and listened to her leader. This year she had the most points in her age bracket and w0n the "High Point Buckle!" They posted the results on Thursday morning and as I walked in the pig barn she came screaming around the corner, I thought she was hurt or something tragic had happened. She grabbed me and yelled "Mom, I won the high point buckle!!!" I asked her how she knew that and she drug me to the postings, with a huge grin on her face!!! She was thrilled and it made the whole fair for her!!! Friday after Round Robin they presented her with her buckle and I must say it is fancy!!!

My girl and her horse!

2009-09-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

She looked awesome!

Receiving her trophy and blue rosette!

Wow!

Giving her horse a pep talk and taking a breather!

Heading in for halter!

Fun in the sun!

2009-09-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

Brave...

little girl!

The whole crew!

This summer my niece and her sons were going to come an spend a day swimming so I invited Kenna and the kids to come spend some time on the river too. Jessica forgot all about our river date but Kenna and the kids came and we spent all afternoon playing in the river, jumping off the dock, collecting rocks and snacking on some yummy treats. Grandpa got his camera out for some fun shots. Next year Jessica... and mark it on your calendar!!!!

Family and Friends

2009-08-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

Ray, Melva, mom and grandma.

Melva, checking out my river.

Stormie and Sayger.

Go Sayger!!

Checking the water. A family friend came from California and we had a BBQ so she could see our river and have some fun!! Shandler was at dance camp so she wasn't in the pictures :( It was a perfect day with great weather and some good food!!

The big winner!!!

2009-08-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Shandler spends all summer getting herself and her horse ready for the fair. It used to make me a nervous wreck but this summer we decided to just spend time enjoying the rides. Sydney was thrilled when Shandler first rode early this spring she had matured, we made some changes with her horse and the feed and it turned out awesome. Shandler did not need to spend as much time learning to do the basics, she started the year off ahead. This year Shandler had to learn a new pattern and with Syd's help she aced it with a trophy and blue rosette! I had tears in my eyes and so did Syd. It was awesome. The judge even stood up and clapped for Shandler. It was a long day from 5:30 am until 5:45 pm but as you can see it was all worth it.

Cassia County Fair 2009

2009-08-16T18:01:00.001-07:00

Stormie's face says it all!

Washing pigs before weigh in.

Fair time.... Kent grew up participating in the fair, so we did fair when Kenna and Charlie were young and now the tradition is being passed to my children as they participate in the Fair. We raise pigs for our 4-H projects and Shandler also takes a horse. We start in February and finish up at the sale in August when our projects pay off. Fair week is the social event of the summer and we spend all week at the fair nearly from dawn until dusk(often later)!. Kent takes vacation time to help the kids with their projects because I am a California girl and this is not up my alley. However, it is a great week and we all look forward to it. This year our friends had their 5th wheel trailer there and it was a lifesaver in more than one way!! Look for more posts to come on fair week, pigs horses and more!

Shopping in SL

2009-08-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

Dinner at Macorni Grill-we had the BEST waiter!

We wore poor Chloe out.

Fun memories-mother/daughter.Kris and Chloe

Chloe loves Stormie and when Storm put on her flowered shirt Chloe begged her mom to put on a flowered shirt too! They were cute. We are looking forward to next year already!!!!

Our favorite shopping trip of the year!!!

2009-08-16T17:25:00.000-07:00

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory... taking cheesecake with us:)

Kris and I

Stormie, Kris and Chloe

Mom and Stormie in the car.... still feeling a bit loopey here:)

For three years Kris and I have taken our girls on a "Girls Only" shopping trip before school starts. The past two years we have gone to Boise but this year we ventured to Salt Lake and we had a fantastic time. Shandler had been invited to a dance camp, in which she was thrilled, so we missed her this year. We shop, laugh, share and spend time together and best of all calories are never counted on the shopping trip:) This year we had to quickly fit it in before fair and Lynn and Kris had a race. We decided to leave Tuesday but I had an early morning dentist appointment so we planned on about noon. For those of you that know me, you completely understand my anxiety when it comes to dental work. I had a crown that the dentist did not get on correctly and a crack that needed repaired-that news had me in dithers. I informed the dentist he would be taking care of both issues at one time AND I would like oral sedation. So for $4.76 I slept through the entire procedure!!! NICE!! The only problem with that was I also slept in the car all the way to Salt Lake and I snored, which provided great entertainment for Kris and Stormie. We stopped in Snowville, which I have a vague memory of but had a great nap the rest of the way. When we stopped to shop in Layton I was still a bit foggy and if Stormie would have played her cards right she could have loaded up and I would probably never had known it:) I finally started coming around and focusing while at dinner, Love the Cheesecake Factory. Thanks Kris for the great trip and I am so glad I was able to give you two a laugh!

SMILE....

2009-08-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Shandler's braces!

Open wide....

The tech that put Shandler's braces on posed for a quick photo

Shandler was a little nervous and a little excited with loads of butterflies in her tummy! She did great getting her braces on and did even better for the next few days. Her mouth was the most bothered from keeping it stretched open while having the braces put on. She did have wax on a few back teeth for a couple of days but was a trooper!! The dentist said 18 months if she follows all the rules and maybe sooner! He made me a deal.... He would buck her teeth out and space them inches apart, that way the boys would not even look at her and then when she was around 25 he would fix them and make her beautiful. The best part is I wouldn't have to pay anything until she turned 25! She was not impressed with that idea so I guess were working on the 18th month plan!

He did it!!!

2009-08-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Where is he????

There he is.....

He's up!!!! WOOHOOO!!!

Sayger's goal this summer was to wakeboard! And with a small bribe and great bravery he made it up and he boards outside of the wake!! At first he would only go about 100 feet and then fall but now he goes in and out of the wake and stays up for a long time(from our house almost to Montgomery bridge) AMAZING. He sure looks little compared to the big ole river around him. He loves it and when his sisters ask their dad to pull them he is right in the middle of it asking if he can go too. It has been awesome to watch him this summer!!! Keep up the hard work Sayger!!

Vampires????

2009-08-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

The holes left in Sayger's mouth.

The loot from the tooth fairy, with "Fairy Dust" on it!!!

The three teeth pulled at the dentist.

Sore and numb mouth :(

Each summer I schedule a day in which we can all attend the dentist for check-ups and cleanings. Before we went to the dentist this time, he asked me to have Sayger evaluated for crowding. The orthodontist suggested three teeth be pulled. After our check-ups(from 8:30 until 1:00) I consulted with the dentist to discuss the teeth being pulled. He said they were all baby teeth and it would be fairly easy to pull them, in fact they may have time right now. To my surprise they took Sayger back and pulled his three baby teeth that very day. He was such a big boy and was so brave-unlike me-I hate the dentist and any kind of dental work!! They brough him out about 45 minutes later and gave me instructions to keep him down and only soft foods for a couple of days. I was little confused since they were just baby teeth but figured it must be because they pulled three. That is until they showed me the teeth in the little treasure box he held. I almost fainted when I saw the size and it must have shown on my face because the nurse immediately began explaining that the baby teeth they pulled had not lost their roots yet so they had to pull the entire tooth. Because of the deep holes Sayger had to lounge all day and could not play or run around, blood clots had to solidify, if they didn't it would be bad and painful for my little man. We parked him downstairs with his PS2 and a milkshake. He was pretty good until later that evening and then became miserable and just wanted to sit with me. I was glad to hold and comfort him and hoped it would feel better the next day. When he woke up he was thrilled to see money under his pillow but was even more excited to see "Fairy Dust" all over the pillow, the money, his bedspread and him. It was the highlight of the entire event plus his mouth felt much better. That tooth fairy is pretty cool!!!

Boys and Big Machinery!!

2009-08-01T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sayger behind the controls....

When the river came up so high this spring it continually washed away the dirt from the planter we have at the edge of our property. Kent kept a watchful eye on it waiting for the big rock to tip over. On the 4th we were sitting there watching the kids in the river, when the rock slowly and ever so gently tipped over. Once the water level dropped Kent borrowed the Bishop's backhoe and tipped the rock over with the help of our little man. Did he really think he would get the opportunity to use big machinery without Sayger. This little boy is 100% boy and loves trucks, tractors, etc. He was thrilled to have that backhoe in our yard. After he and his father fixed the rock, they went into the field next door and dug a hole-Sayger easily used the controls and was so excited to operate it all by himself!

Daniel"s game

2009-07-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

During the fourth celebration in Rupert I ran into a past fifth grade student. He came and visited with me and told me about his summer playing on an all stars baseball team. He also told me there was a tournament in Burley. He didn't know the times but called me later that week with the time of his first game. It is awesome when your students think you are the coolest teacher ever and want you to come watch them. I went and watched him play that night and was amazed at the skill level of these young boys. They played awesome! I was glad to know he thought enough of me as his teacher to invite me to watch him play. It turned out I knew several of the boys on the team. Stormie says I must be a really good teacher because my current and past students always go out of their way to come and talk to me or say hi-she says she avoids any teachers she ever had. I hope my impact on the youth I educate is positive and that they know I care about their lives and what is important to them. This year, moving to a new school, has been a great change for me. I have bee able to see an entire different population of students and what they need for success in life. I don't remember it being this hard to be a child when I was young.

4th Fireworks

2009-07-12T21:34:00.001-07:00

Ryan and Cydnee HoweMe, Kris and Chloe

Kris and Chloe

Cydnee, Audra and baby

Stormie and Shandler.

4th Fireworks

2009-07-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ray, Brooke and AshleyHanging out by the fire.Cuddly up, it is starting to get cool.Scott and Korena

4th Festivities

2009-07-12T21:24:00.000-07:00

The dog vaccumed the snacks and then needed a nap!

She found a strip of shade and stretched out!

After barbequing Kent was busy on the boat!

All day....

Great weather for the 4th on the river!

4th Festivities

2009-07-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

Grant and Audra Conrad and their son Noah

Brooke and Ray

Korena and Scott Redder

Sayger Max!

My mom and Audra were sitting in the shade visiting when they found out we are related. She is a Robbins and that was my grandfathers name. It is really a small world!

4th Festivities

2009-07-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

Kent fired up the BBQ

Setting up shade and chairs!

Relaxing before the feast

Swimming, of course.....

Rupert 4th-Parade

2009-07-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the curb watching the parade go by!

Waiting for candy!

My children's grandpa Alex is in the extended care center in Rupert. Yes, it is sad and none of us like it, but life has a way of being in control. So we take the opportunities we can to share some moments with grandpa Alex and this one was the 4th of July parade. We patiently wait in the shade and visit with grandpa until the parade makes it way to the hospital then the kids quickly move to the curb where they help Sayger fill his sack with candy. This year the parade was long as it always is, but they did have some great floats and of course Sayger filled his sack!

Super Scrubber

2009-07-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Along with growing older comes the responsibility of doing chores. Before the 4th we had the kids do their chores so the house would be ready for guests. Sayger doesn't mind cleaning the toilets because he doesn't need to touch anything but the wand. This day he decided to wear his yellow silky cape and clean as "Super Scrubber." Totally makes sense to me, any job is easier when you are a super hero!! Stormie tried to take pictures but I think she was laughing to hard because they are all a little fuzzy. As you can tell, Sayger found no humor in this job and was taking it very seriously! I love this and it made me laugh, someday he will be mortified I even have these pictures!!!!

Kayaking

2009-07-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

Before the girls left for girls camp Mark had asked if he could use the inflatable kayaks for the lake by the camp. Kent said sure and then decided to give Stormie a lesson before they left. It was funny. The inflatable kayaks are a little tipsy and closer to the water so you have a tendency to get more water on you than normal. The river was still high so they headed up stream between the islands. It was tough paddling. They made it to the Moss residence and headed back down with the flow of the river which was much easier paddling. Dad also gave Stormie a lesson in splashing with the paddle which of course led to a water war! They had a fun afternoon learning to use the kayaks and Stormie said they were great to have on the lake at girls camp.

Famous Art Work

2009-07-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Shandler's kindergarten art work

Stormie's kindergarten art work.

For several years I have stored these two pictures drawn by my girls when they were in kindergarten. They have carefully moved from cupboard to cupboard in order to keep them from wrinkling or getting bent. Robbie and Kenna had a great idea in displaying their children's art work, so I am stealing the idea and also displaying my children's art. I need to find or have Sayger create something wonderful for me so I can display his talents also. I love to just stop and look at these two pieces and go back to the time when there where little girls in my house. I hate to see them growing so quickly.

Golf Tournament and BBQ

2009-07-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Connie and Brett

Korena and Scott

Kent-the maser chef.

Last Saturday the guys enjoyed a day of golf as part of a fundraiser for the golf course. After the golf game we invited the crew over for a BBQ, boating and swimming. This is one of the biggest reasons we love our backyard. The high water didn't slow the kids down either, they headed right for the river.

The river rising....

2009-07-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

Every year I watch the river levels closely, especially when there are large amounts of snow or heavy rain. This year we had both. A late heavy snow storm and an entire month of rain. The rock planter out in the water is usually where our beach is, which is also covered with sand. For several weeks the planter and the beach have been under water. The sand is being washed down river and my plants are under water! This picture is the highest point the river was at this year. The river has been dropping steadily for about seven days now. I was hoping to have the beach back by the 4th of July, however run off into the reservoirs is still steady. Kent placed a post in the water so I could see just how much the water was rising, I was starting to get concerned, he marked it every three inches. From the first day he placed it in the river it rose six inches but since then it has dropped those six inches and a bit more. The big rock in the planter has since tipped over due to the many boats and waves from the 4th of July. We will be re-building or re-planting, hauling sand in and tipping the rock up soon. I HOPE!