Gabrielle's Birthday

      So yesterday was Gabrielle's 9th birthday, and I think the best one so far. I always struggle this time of year ( you think it would get easier  after 9 years) but I did manage to keep myself pretty busy with Thanksgiving & other things this month. I always feel like we should to something to celebrate this day so we always have a cake & let the kids blow out the candles, and since we have been back in Utah we go to the cemetary & visit. But I really wanted to feel closer to her this year so me & Troy went to the temple.We had my Mom & Dad come during school & watch the kids & do all of the dropping off & picking up that we do. I was really thinking it would be nice to do sealings & when we walked in they had the sign up saying they needed proxies for them so I was excited. I have to say, next to our sealing day, this was my best temple day. While we were there I just prayed that I would be able to feel her spirit. ( Troy always says he would like to see her, & looks for her )
I felt the most intense happiness, that I know was her. I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life that I have the opportunity to help other people to have eternal families. It was the best to seal other families together on her day. We met a woman who goes there everyday, & is there most of the day, what a great example. I would love to be able to feel like that everyday. I am looking forward to be able to go back again & can't wait for the day that I am able to serve more.

Trick or treat!

Halloween 2010!

Toothless the Nightfury dragon, Cowgirl, princess, Woody the Cowboy, & Scarecrow ghost face!

Gothic mummy

                                  Halloween parade at the school. Addy the cowgirl with her class.

   A blury Afton the nightfury. Troy was off work this year & was able to go to the parade with us.                                                              Cute kindergarteners

Carving pumpkins!

Makayla & Linki working to get everything out.

Troy helping Addy with her witch pumpkin.

Lathan got to carve the yellow pumpkin from our garden! He made a zombie

being silly

They wanted to play & take pics more than work on their pumpkins.

eating trunk or treat candy.

just lookin cute

The finished pumpkins ! Makayla's , Linki & Rylynn's, Afton's , Lathan's, & Addy's.We had a fun halloween with just our family this year.

Potty Time!!

     We have started potty training this week! Linkin still has poo accidents & sometimes pee ones too. And Angie & Clint started training Kyrie last week, so we decided to train Rylynn too. We thought it would be best to get them all trained  at once. 

first attempt ! they all went!

Later in the day, still excited & happy about getting bigger.

Next day! still happy & liking going potty.

Rylynn has had about 3 -5 accidents a day, Kyrie has had 0 accidents while here, & Linkin has only had poopy accidents. And 0 accidents for today,  and it is already almost 11! They are all doing great & are excited to earn treats & a toy from their potty charts.

They all have the first row filled . Hopfully next week we can go to every 30 minutes, instead of 15-20. :) 

Snow!!!

 We woke up this morning to snow! The kids were all excited & got out their gloves, hats & scarves, before school. So as soon as we got home from bringing them to school the littles had to put their boots on & go play in the snow.

Here they are all ready to go out!

They just kinda stood around & posed for pics for the first few mins.

Trying to make snowballs.

Making snowangels!

Rylynn just kept trying to pick it up.It was kinda like when the faucet is running & she tries to grab the water. She just kept looking at her hand baffled. We really didn't get enough snow to play in but they tried. They played for about 15-20 mins yesterday. They loved it!!

Fall update



       I was thinking that once school started I would have more time, but everything is still busy. Makayla turned 12 & is now in Young Womens. Lathan turned 10 & just received his Bear in Cub Scouts. Addyson & Afton were both Student of the Month for September!   Linkin is learning the alphabet ( names & sounds) & learning to count to 20 & by tens to 100. Rylynn is now 18 months & started nursery, she is also saying more & more every day. We have a lot of picture updates also.

                             This is one from when we went to Farm country in August With Jackie & Angie.

                                                       We got Trafalga & Seven Peaks passes!

They were well worth the money! We have enjoyed having different things to do & can't wait to go swimming next year!This is one of the kids' favorite new places to go!

 Makayla & her friends at her Birthday Party! Jackie came & did their hair & then we went to the mall.

She has been into doing her own hair & wanted a straightener  & curling iron of her own! This one does both!



A singing DS game!

We went up the canyon with Chris & her family & the boys! We had hotdogs , smores & starbursts. We brought up a book of Scary Stories to tell in the Dark. Everyone had a lot of fun! Makayla brought her friend Brooklyn , too. Everyone had a lot of fun until Rylynn fell into the fire, but she was saved by a quick moving Auntie Chris!

This is just a funny pic I got the other day of Afton stuck between these two sleeping cuties in the car.

Caramel apples ! We made these during UEA weekend ! We had Adam , Andrew, Jayden & Laynee sleepover on Thursday & Friday. We had so much fun! We had a fire one night, & went shopping several places. And played tons of games. I think everyone had a great long weekend( especially my Dad & Mom)

Here are some of the kiddies watching a movie on our new couches & ottomans. We have been wanting to get these for about a year & they finally went on sale!  They are super comfy & really help fill up our big livingroom.

I had my 31st Birthday. Troy brought me home flowers & took me out to eat at Texas Roadhouse, without any kids ( thanks Brian!!). It was really good, if you tell them it's your first time eating there they bring you a half rack of ribs! Troy & the kids spoilled me.

Pics from Lathan's birthday& Student of the month coming soon. I just have to get them from Troys phone.

Linki Update

    Linki is doing so awesome without his cast! He has been able to walk around since the 2 or 3 day he had it off. He is going farther & farther each day. On Tuesday he walked all the way to the school to drop Afton off. I kept asking him if he was ok, He just kept saying, that his Horsies were giving him a ride there. He has been pretending that he has 2 horses that give him rides everywhere he goes. It is super cute! He kinda gallops & has been saying he wants to be a cowboy when he grows up. So maybe that is where he got the horses, who knows.We are so happy that he is doing so well. Now if I could get him to go to bed on time.....

Zoo

We bought a zoo pass this year, with Linki in his cast we wanted something to do that he could do. It is totally worth it. The kids love to go. This was back in August or July.

Train pics!! The kids' favorite.

Chris, Zac & Jayden & Angie, Laynee & Kyrie were all able to go with us! We saw Jackie there for a little bit too.

The big brass Rhino. I think it burned their legs a little.

Troy bought us all icecream at the end of the day! I just loved watching these three enjoy theirs. It was everywhere, but totally worth it.

Back to school

This year we had a Back to School fashion show!! Everyone got to pick 3 outfits to model.

The first outfits, I think these were most of their first day outfits.

 These were the second set of outfits they came up with. I love Afton's faces & poses, He is super excited for Kindergarten.

 The last round of clothes for the show. Addy was the biggest ham & Lathan had the hardest time finding the perfect outfit for his first day.

Lath trying to decide which outfit was the best.

First day everyone was so excited!!

Just a funny one, they look like they are waiting for the bus.

Makayla is in 6th grade this year. Her teacher is Mr. Rasband. The night before school she put on her shoes & we realized we bought a size to small for her, she was so upset. So I let her wear my sandals & we went on a shoe search after we dropped them off. We went to 5 or 6 stores & ended up ordering some online.

Lathan is in 5th grade. His teacher is Ms. Mason. He is  so excited to get better at spelling, & math.

\Here is Addy! she is in 2nd grade, her teacher is Mrs. Washburn . She is in a 2nd- 3rd split class . I am excited for her to be able to move ahead in area's that she is doing really good in ( spelling & reading)

At her Back to School night they had spotlight posters about each child. On the other kids posters it said they wanted to be teachers, pet doctors, nurses & other things, on Addy's she put pop star. As you can see she is already practicing.

Afton is in Kindergarten, his teacher is Mrs. Wolfindin. He is so excited to learn to read. He already knows all of the letters & their sounds, he can sound out a few small words & can count to 14. We are working on getting to 20 & writing . His first day is on Wednesday. He is ready to make new friends. I wish he could have started the same day as the other kids, it has been hard for him to see them leaving for school. 

My Linki. He is getting his cast off tomorrow!!! We are all super excited & anxious for it. When he first got this cast they told us that some kids come in walking & we didn't really believe it. But he has been able to pull himself up & walk around furniture & walls for a couple of weeks. He looks so cute & is soo proud of himself. He has gotten really strong & I think I have gained some arm strength too. He loves to draw now & loves to have books read to him. He was actually jumping a little today also, crazy kid!  so yea!! Fingers crossed tomorrow he won't  have to wear this stinky cast anymore! And he can walk to the potty!!