Graduation

Greg graduated with his Masters in Business Administration on December 17th. We are so proud of him and all his hard work.

Temple

I have to admit I was not mentally ready for Gabe to turn 12. When I tell people that they think that I just don't want to get old. I can tell you that is very far from the truth. I have always had a hard time with my kids growing up. No matter how many time Greg tells me that is what is supposed to happen, I just want to dig in my heels and stop time. Yesterday I was holding him in my arms thinking I had all the time in the world and then all of a sudden he is being ordained a deacon and I am standing in front of the temple with him. I can honestly admit that I didn't want to go in. I am so glad I did. I was able to stand and watch while he entered those baptism waters with his dad and my heart was so full. I am so grateful to have been able to be there to watch that sacred ordinance take place. I am so proud of the young man Gabe is turning out to be and the decisions he has made. Don't get me wrong, I still want to dig in my heals and keep those hands from turning on the clock, but I am grateful my Heavenly Father knows me and is there to comfort me as my kids grow, like they are supposed to.

12

Here are a couple of pictures of Gabe on his birthday. They were off school on the Friday he turned 12, September 24. He wanted to go see Legends of the Guardians with a few friends and then eat at Cici's Pizza. So of course, that is what we did. It was a fun day!!

A new way to carry things

Sam wanted to bring all of his guys downstairs to play with. Instead of just finding a bag to put them in he came up with a different way. When he got down the stairs I just had to laugh. Maybe I will start trying this way too?

Tenderfoot

Gabe got his tenderfoot a couple of weeks ago for scouts. He loves scouts and looks forward to going every week. I just don't get why we moms have to get up there?? :) Way to go Gabe!!

Forts

Sierra has always been a night owl. Greg and I have to be careful because we will put the kids to bed and then go to sleep a little while later, but Sierra will just be fiddling in her room. Well this is what I came into at about 12:30 a.m. Sierra had taken about 10 blankets from the linen closet and made a canopy for her bed. Very creative but I still had to undo all the knots she had tied the blankets in. She was very proud of herself even though she did not have a good time waking up in the morning.

Too Big

Tonight at dinner we were talking about the fact that it is already September. Sierra and Sam got all excited that Halloween is just around the corner. As they were talking about what they wanted to dress up like Gabe says, "mom, I don't think I want to dress up anymore." Wow, I can't believe we are already there. I told him maybe he can just be something ugly and gross and he just shook his head and said he would pass out candy and that I needed to deal with the fact that he is growing up. What is that???? Holy Cow!!!! I know I don't deal really well with the kids getting bigger, but man I thought I had at least one more year. Apparently not, his birthday is just around the corner and he will be ordained a deacon at church. Stop the madness!!

Did you know it is only Tuesday????

As I was driving home from school today I was feeling a little rundown and tired. Then the thought popped into my head, "Holy Cow, it is only Tuesday!" I feel like it should be Thursday, but unfortunately IT IS NOT!! I guess I need to buck up and start taking vitamins or something. My mom was a little shocked when I called her while driving and when she answered I immediately said, "mom, did you know it is only Tuesday?" She then told me I needed to go home and take a nap, but who has time for that :) Anyway enough complaining. Hope the week is going by fast for someone else.

UNO

This post is just more for me to remember. I started at UNO today. Metro Community College is now in the past. My first class started at 9 so I thought I would leave right when the kids left for school so I would have plenty of time. Little did I know that parking was going to be such a nightmare!! And I stress the word nightmare. I paid for a parking pass and couldn't even find a parking space on campus. I ended up having to park over at a park. So as I am walking the mile to school and sweating profusely, I am cursing the administration of the college and the fact that I had to pay for the stinking parking pass in the first place. By the time I made it to my class I had five minutes to spare (mind you I parked the car at 8:25. So while I sat there I was hoping I didn't smell to bad seeming as seating in the classroom was very close quarters. Just as I had cooled off the class ended and I realized I had ten minutes to get all the way to the other side of the campus for my next class. Holy Moly!! Bring on more sweat!! Anyway, that is what I will always remember about my first day at UNO. Good times!!

Mischevious Brynna

This should be the last picture. She finally fell asleep after all her mischief.

Brynna was just out to get into places she knew she wasn't supposed to be. I followed the trail of scooby snacks and found her in the shower.

Not quite sure what this is about. I was folding laundry and looked over and this is what I saw.

Laundry Palooza

So this is what happens when you neglect your laundry for a couple of days (okay like 5). I usually try to do it right out of the dryer but things have been so hectic lately I have let it go.

There are no words. This took me and hour and a half!!

First Day of School 2010-2011

The day has arrived. I can't believe it. This morning I sent ALL THREE of my kids to school. As I am blogging this it is quiet in my house and I have already gotten some cleaning and laundry done. I can't wait to see what the school year brings!

Gabe is all ready for 6th grade. I can't believe it. Gabe is always so helpful. When we got to the school he told me, "don't worry mom, I will walk Sam to his classroom before I go to mine." What a great kid.

Sam I am is in kindergarten. This morning he was very proud of himself for getting up on time (even though I had to wake him up). He just kept saying, "mom I woked up on time so that is good right?" Way too funny, you had to be here. I really don't think the school is ready for Sam, but we will see. He got Mrs. White who is Gabe's tutor so at least I know her and gave her fair warning.

Miss Sierra is all ready for 3rd grade. She is such a sweet girl. She explained to Sam over breakfast all about having to change your card at school if you are bad. She told him if you have to turn it to yellow it's okay because it means you just made a mistake. But, if you have to turn it to orange that means trouble :)

Kids Weekend

I have not blogged in a while. This summer has been crazy for Greg and I. I am very grateful that he will be done with his master's after this next semester and maybe I won't be so crabby. We have both spent a lot of time on school and our kids have been so supportive. We decided to take this last weekend before school and just hang out and do whatever they wanted. Greg took a couple of days off work and we let them plan.
So sorry about being a bit of a loser when it comes to blogging. With all my kids starting school on Tuesday (oh yes, all three) I will try to make more time for it.

Kids Weekend Day One

Our first day of kid weekend was FunPlex which is a water park/fun park. We went there with Ginger and her kids and Trish and Savannah and of course Paul. What's a trip without Paul :) It was a great day and the kids did not want to leave. With the water slide and the all time favorite motion ocean (wave pool) the kids were in heaven. We had to pull Sierra and Sam out of the water by the end.

So I know Gabe is becoming a young man and getting older on me. He and Zack roamed around the park by themselves all day and checked in when they were hungy, typical. They had a great time and I was surprised that Gabe rode the roller coaster multiple times. Gabe has a fear of heights and between that and the very tall water slide I am proud that he doesn't let his fear prevent him from having fun. He and Zack had a great time.

Sierra on the bumper boats. She is a little adventurer. She loved everything about the park

Our fear with Sam is that he has no fear. The wave pool would get pretty scary when they turned the waves on and he just plowed through. We had to stay right next to him because he would just dive right in the wave not considering how deep they get and that it takes a lot of energy to stay on top of them. He loves the water. Every day this summer he would ask me how he was going to get wet that day, whether it was going to the pool or running in the sprinkler he doesn't care as long as he is wet.

Day 2

So on day two it was a little more relaxing. The kids chose to go see a movie which I don't have a picture of and then they wanted to have pizza at pizza hut. We took them to see Sorcerer's Apprentice and to have pizza then just hung around the house and went to Borders bookstore that night so the kids could pick out a book.

Day 3

This does seem like a weird picture for our third day of kid weekend. But let me tell you what this was about. Our kids love the movie Princess and the Frog done by Disney. Ever since that movie they have been fascinated by beignets which are a fried dough with powdered sugar on them. They are commonly found in the south. Well we found a restaurant in the old market downtown called Jazz that serves foods originated from New Orleans. So we took the kids there this last weekend and let me tell you the food was amazing and the beignets were wonderful (heaven really). This picture I am posting just because it will make Tori mad :) This is her eating her beignet and loving it. YUM!!

Sierra is loving her beignets also. She is a little baker in our family and has been wanting to make these, and now that we have tried them I will definitely be letting her :)

All three of the kids with our little desert. Sam had powdered sugar all over him. It was quite funny.

We ended up at the slides downtown and the kids were loving it. Shawn and Tori came down to join us and the picture above is when I took Brynna down (even though Tori didn't want me to). Both her and I look terrified but she was laughing by the end.

Gabe at the end of the slide

Sam is a little lightweight and so he kind of flew off at the end of them.

Sierra was a little shocked her first time around

Sierra has been wanting to walk across the footbridge that goes from Nebraska into Iowa. Greg and I did it last year as part of our anniversary and ever since she has wanted to go. So here they are in both states.

13 Years

Yesterday Greg and I celebrated our 13th Anniversary. It has been a pretty grueling summer with both Greg and my classes for school we have been taking. I am grateful we got to spend a few hours yesterday remembering that very special day that started a long journey of memories.

EEEEWWWWW!!

On Saturday night we decided to walk together around the lake and detoured to Pizza Hut and then walked back to the car. It was a fun activity with the kids and they enjoyed the pizza and Greg and I enjoyed walking it off afterward. On Sunday morning I was really groggy and tired because I hadn't slept well because my arm kept going numb and I couldn't figure out why. I was in the shower washing up and looked down at my shoulder and to my dismay saw something black on it. Upon further inspection I figured out it was a tick. AAAHHH!! I freaked out. Greg had already gone to meetings at the church, so I figured I better call mom. I jumped out of the shower and rang her up. She informs me that she has no idea how to remove it (what the heck kind of answer is that, the woman has seven kids :) I then called Greg praying he would pick up. Luckily he did and through my tears (yes I am a baby) I told him what happened. He came rushing home to the rescue. He still chuckles at me when I say that is why my arm was numb, but I did call the urgent care and they said that was something that could happen with a tick bite. HOLY COW!! I was so freaked out. Nasty Nasty bugs!!

Sprinkler

Sam and Sierra were excited to run in the sprinklers today. It still amazes me how much fun they get out of it

Sam going down the slide

Gabe getting whooped by dad.

Sierra climbing the ladder

I am helping out this summer at Jumpin Jax (the bounce place in town) with their parties and so forth. Greg brought the kids up the other day and they had a blast.

Brynna and the Tramp

Brynna loves Gabe. When she sees him she just lights up. Gabe decided to take her out and jump on the trampoline, which made me a little nervous, but he did so well with her.

It was so fun to hear her giggle and laugh and just have fun.

It took her a while to figure out it wasn't solid ground but once she did you couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

Hatched

Okay so I wanted to update you on the results of our unexpected visitors. Here are all four birdies after they hatched. I looked up how it all works and then watched and sure enough it happened exactly the way they said. A robin only lays one egg per day and lay 3-4 eggs and then when they hatch (within 12-14 days) they hatch in the order they were laid a day apart. It was awesome to watch. I will tell you the sad news that after they hatched only two of them made it. Nature is cruel and two of the birdies were thrown out of the nest. Try explaining that to your kids. I had to explain to mine that even though they might not like their brother or sister at the time, they could not throw them out of the house!!

Unexpected Visitor

After the kids got home from school today Sierra looked outside and saw this. While I was watering the plants the other day I noticed a nest in my flower box that hangs off our deck. There were no eggs or anything in it so I figured they didn't want to use it. But today here we see the mommy in her nest. I haven't wanted to scare it off so I have been keeping the kids away, but they are so curious and it is really cool. I hope we can see the little birds when they hatch. We will keep you posted.

Baptism

Sierra was baptized on April 10th. It was a big day for her and we enjoyed being a part of it. We are so proud of her and the decision she made to be baptized. What a great day!!

Conference

While in Utah Eric and Megan were able to finagle seats for General Conference. Greg and I have never been and it was neat because we got to take Gabe. What a great experience for all of us. I know it will be one I remember. We had so much fun with our friends out in Utah and they made it so much fun that we will definitely be going back, (if they let us :)

Easter Fun

We did the traditional stuff for Easter. Dyeing eggs is one of the kids favorite. Below are the kids with their Easter baskets after our egg hunt. I don't know why Melia isn't in the picture but I am sure she was busy cracking open eggs. They were all so much fun to watch.