Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Easter 2012
This is a beautiful day for me. This year we went to church with Nana and Gpa to hear uplifting messages about our Savior. In case my children read this now or in years to come I testify that he is real, that he loves us and that the eternal plan of happiness is our blessing because of Christ if we want it to be. I wish for each of you all the happiness that God gives freely if you do your part.
Knott's Berry Farm
We had to go big since we stayed home this spring break so we got Knott's Berry Farm passes. It is a great time for a lot less than Disneyland meaning less money and less crowd, and it includes entry to 3 water parks during the summer season. This is going to be the family gift that keeps on giving. My favorite part is that it is something the entire family can do and all enjoy - this is a challenge when you have an 18 year old and a 2 year old!
Nana and Gpa got the passes too yea!!!After being terrified by the Easter Bunny the only way Kellen was going near these characters was in his mother's safe arms!
Love you guys tons - oh wait I have already said that a million times sorry.

We have started orthodontics with child #3. We obviously do not carry the gene for straight teeth. They sure do look beautiful when they are done - but here is the before picture.
This girl is so tough on the soccer field. If you haven't watched under 16's play competitive soccer you haven't seen physical. This is the sweetest girl you will ever come across just don't cross her on the field! She goes in with her head all the time and it just makes me cringe. Saturday this is what her eye looked like - it got way worse but I didn't take another picture. Perry just remember prom is in two weeks :)!

It was national signing day, and here is Davin signing his life away or at least the next while. He looks pretty happy about it though:)


We all jumped in for a photo after the festivities. You can tell he feels relieved to have things settled and we are too.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Spring Break 2012
The sea lions in La Jolla made our beach day so fun. These animals are really unique - they are different from seals or otters because they don't have long enough front flippers. This makes them graceful and cute swimming in the water and awkward and silly looking on land.
Perry is much more of a beach beauty than the otters and the setting was so beautiful I just had to do an impromtu photo session (which Davin was really patient about only because Shayna was there :) )
Kellen was always on the move so catching him was a trick. He loved the day - especially digging in the sand and the food haha. He was so tired out, he fell asleep in the car on the way home!Josie Kate is so grown up looking these days. Just absolutely love this girl!!!!
Emmie caught sand crabs, played volleyball, played in the water, climbed rocks and did what she mostly does, which is to enjoy whatever she is doing.
Brody has been waiting to go to the beach since last summer. During the summer we go once a week, and he loves the beach. He is the reason we went to see the sea lions. He really wanted to play in the tide pools too, but we timed it wrong. He was happy to climb rocks instead.
Davin was just happy because Shayna was with us!
I jumped in a family shot thanks to Shayna. I love these people so much!
Davin asked Shayna to prom by dressing up as a prince and waking her up with his friend playing the trumpet. He wrote her a cute poem and had a scroll on a velvet red pillow the said "PROM?". My boyfriends never did stuff like that for me... oh well too late now!
Brad and Davin heading off to priesthood session of conference.
Perry's soccer banquet. She was recognized for being one of 3 sophomores on varsity and for being selected as an all league player. Perry I love watching you play too!
Josie had another band concert. She is the one front and center glowing like an angel is what her "sickening lovestruck" mother thinks. She was selected for symphonic band, but has decided she wants to participate in ASB leadership next year instead :(
Davin had his basketball banquet which I think I mentioned in an earlier post, but here he is with his coaches. No more high school basketball unless Brody or Kellen decide to play, but he has committed to UC Riverside after a year long process of meeting and talking to universities. He had several opportunities, but this one met his goals the best. They are division 1, strong academics, church institute program on campus, and they will be paying his tuition, books, room, and food. We are happy we will be seeing a lot of his games because his conference has so many so cal schools in it.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The update is way past due I know - this life is a ride though and it is going so fast I can't always do the things I want to! I can't even scratch the surface a lot of the time. Twice now when I have been bustling around brow furrowed Kellen has stopped me in my tracks by saying, "you happy Mom?" I stopped taken of guard and thought why is my 2 year old asking me this? Then I told him both times, "yes I am happy I am just busy." To which he said, "ok you happy." This second line in the form of a statement. I am really happy and think it is sweet and a little odd that my 2 year old is the one making me have this introspective moment.
This last month has been crazy with varsity soccer and varsity basketball the same season, Josie's club soccer team, Emmie's dance and Brody's t-ball plus all the school and church and family stuff sprinkled in. Now we have Perry's club soccer and track to add in. Perry and Davin both made all-league. Davin all valley and all CIF too. It was so fun to watch these kids play! Davin unfortunately crashed his car on a rainy day driving through the Sam's club parking lot. Brad spent lots of days out of town, and of coarse was gone for the crash and for the bball banquet I had to help put on for 100 people. I told you it is a ride :) I don't want to forget the beginning of potty training, a couple of colds, perry learning to drive with her permit, Josie's band stuff, and great friends that came to visit.
I have to tell the Brody and baseball story. When we found out we were expecting a boy with Brody, first thing I said to Brad during the ultra sound actually was he is not playing baseball. I just didn't think I could do it again. It is fun and cute when they are little, but when they get older there is batting practice, pitching practice, regular practice, and games that last 2 hrs and 20 min - not to mention the stress on the mother when there is so much pressure on her child!!!
Brad being the constant negotiator says to me how about only if he is left handed?! I am laying there thinking there are slim to no chances this baby will be a lefty because we have 4 right handed children and we are both right handed, so I say O.K.! By the time Brody was 6 months old you could tell he was going to be a lefty!!!! Brad of coarse has held me to this little deal as you can see from the pictures below. Brody has officially begun his baseball career.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Brody in his Kindergarten LuvBug performance Feb 2012

Brothers and their bears


The Jake and Abby wedding

These two are beautiful amazing individuals, and so celebrating their special day with them was of coarse beautiful and amazing. We are so happy for them and had a great couple of weeks.

Jessie with the groomsmen (Davin 2nd from rt)


Perry and Brooke


Josie and Alyssa


Emmie and Brody


Jessie and Emmie

The cupcake tower - so fun!


The groom with little Kellen



Davin received a student of the month award for the City of Murrieta. Nana and Gpa came to support. Way to go Davin - you rock.


Davin with the other kids, the superintendent, and the mayor


























Saturday, January 21, 2012

Way to go Emmie


Third grade in Mrs. Naerbo's class has been a good year!




Kellen sat with Emmie and acted like the big kids




New Years Eve (can't believe I only took 2 pictures :( !!!)

Aunt Lynnette with Lucus

And Nick and Alex too




We are right in the middle of high school soccer season for Perry and Basketball season for Davin. The pace required to get the parenting job done right is killing me, but I sure enjoy seeing these kids get to do what they love and do it well! We had so much fun at Davin's last game. We made posters and painted our faces and the gym was packed as they battled their cross town rival and won!!! Davin's girlfriend, Shayna was there sitting on the other side with her school, and every time Davin took a shot their fans would loudly chant Shayna, Shayna, Shayna. He was not distracted, however, and ended up with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Perry's team is having a much harder season. She is playing hard and good, but they just don't have any scoring power which makes it hard to walk away with anything but a tie. Perry plays center mid and leads the team in headers for sure. She is still trying to enjoy the experience, but a win would sure help :)!




Went to the temple last night - learned a lot - love the peace that is there. Came home to 8 huge deep voiced teenage boys sprawled all over the sectional watching a basketball game - love this too. Woke up to rain and an uncancelled soccer tournament for Josie. Watching my little boys out the window right now as they float lego boats down the gutter - a tradition started by Davin and passed down. Now I am going to start chocolate molds for Jake's big wedding in one week! Busy, very busy, but happy, very happy!







Saturday, January 7, 2012

Went to the Santa Rosa Plataeus yesterday our last day of Christmas break if you don't count the weekend. Brad was working so missed out on our adventure and picnic, but all six kids went. I was getting out of the shower when Dav came home from 3 hours of bball practice, and I heard his 5 year old brother telling him we were going. His response, "I am not going dude." Brody's response, "She is going to make you." Davin's response, "Dude I said I'm not going my legs already ache." Brody's response, "Your going cuz we're all having a picnic." By the time I got downstairs to tell Davin it would mean a lot to this old mom if all of her children could spend just 2 hours together he was all for it. Thanks Brody for laying the ground work :) and for being so confident and strong to be a match for that big old teenage brother of yours! It was beautiful and warm and everyone was playful and pleasant. The key is short activities with reasonable expectations. In fact expectations are the key to most of our happiness or unhappiness. I had a college professor spend two lectures on this topic, and at the time I didn't fully comprehend the message. Mostly I just thought it was strange that in an English class I was being taught about expectations. I get it now for sure. I will not expect my entire family to "joyfully" work together on Saturday morning or anytime for that matter. We work to get it done and I don't care about the joy part and don't expect it. I don't expect an amazing hot date with my hubby every week, so when I get one like last night it is delightful. I do expect the kids to do their best at whatever they do, I expect respectful interaction even when there is an "issue", I expect time, which is precious, to be balanced so that this family gets some of every one's! So two hours together in nature with all my peeps was just great. Thanks guys.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

While I was walking today I was thinking about some of the things we have tried to teach you kids. It boils down to kindness and self-control because when you focus on these two, it naturally leads to good character. It was clear to us in the beginning that if you focus just on obedience children will obey out of fear or to please or other reasons, but not because they are developing and recognizing their own internal desire. It has worked pretty well. There have definitely been times when we have had to force immediate obedience because of the situation, but for the most part you guys are turning out to be really kind empathetic people with your own "good character". Love you guys tons - not going to apologize for intentional parenting :)!