Finding Spring in the Fall

This has been an exciting fall.We had a great Halloween , not too many sicknesses, and a surprise visitor ,A mountain lion in our garage and on our deck.Pretty cool right!? It was actually kind of scary. Abby saw it in our side yard ,one morning, climbing up our rocks to the neighbors yard she said to Ashton"I just saw the biggest cat" .After realizing what it was we were on the look out later that weekend I was cutting some boards in our garage , Isaac was out there with me, and I heard a noise in the corner of the garage ,every time I turned the saw on .It scared me a little,so I thought I would put the dogs in the garage to scare or eat what ever it might be.About 2 am we heard a loud crash in the garage ,of course I made Reed go check,because I was too freaked out.I also heard an spooky kind of howling sound.Reed said the dogs were in the corner where I heard the noise,but they were fine .We didn't think much until the next morning when we could see that something had broken through the window in the garage .Something very big. I guess the dogs must have scared it out.Reed and Aliza saw it on the deck the next night ,but we have not seen it since .Hopefully he has moved on.

I also ran the St.George Marathon And finished in 4:57 31 . It was a lot of fun!

We also found Spring,Our lost dog, which disappeared from our home 8 mo. ago ,along with one of her puppies.Someone found her by the freeway ,tied up to a post with a shoe lace.There was no sign of the puppy .Aliza had wanted me to pray,just a few days before we found her, that we would find her.The faith of a child is amazing.In the end we let her stay with her new owner ,who is unmarried with no children.The thought of us taking Spring from her almost gave her a brake down,so our family disgust the problem and felt that was best.We got to go visit her ,and take some pic's .I know she is very happy,and is totally spoiled.We are so glad that she is alive and well.

We just finished a nice ,small Thanksgiving, with our family ,Grandpa, and Scott and Stephanie.It was nice and I thought it was comparatively quite to other more crazy Thanksgivings,but Stephanie had a really hard time with the noise .Oh well that's who we are.What can ya' do.

All in all everything is great .The kids a doing well.Ashton has discovered the joy of reading through the "Twilight saga" He loves them ,and is on the 3rd book.I can't believe I am actually telling him to put a book away and go to sleep .It is AWESOME!!

Abby is doing well .Her teacher LOVES her and thinks she is an angel.She is doing well with her work.

Amelia was moved into Abby's class last week.We had a hard time with her teacher .She is much happier in the same class with Abby.

Ammon has been struggling with reading and at his last IEP I felt like it was the exact same thing that we went through with Ashton 5 yrs ago.We know he has dyslexia,but the school won't do anything special to help him,so I have decided to go into the school twice a week to tutor him one on one. I really hope and pray this makes a difference.We are catching this a lot earlier than we did with Ashton(11).I hope I am up for the challenge.

Aliza is great and here long term substitute adores her .She is still really struggling with speech ,but making progress.She is such a doll!!!

Isaac is talking more and more all the time,and we all have so much fun with him.He is rapidly approaching 2 ,and he knows it . He has discovered tantrums and is not afraid to use them.He is adorable.

Everything else is great ,and we are looking forward to Christmas.We had a great time in SL visiting family,and going to Jared's wedding.Reed's mom made a great early Thanksgiving dinner for us .We had a good time.My kids love Grandma's cooking.Ta Ta for now.

Here comes Fall

October has been great so far.Reed's shoulder is getting better.And we have so many great things to look forward to.The twins celebrated their birthdays on Thursday,and Ammon's is coming up on the 21st.I finished the St.George Marathon on the 4th(in 4:57 33)not too bad for a mom of seven kids.I recovered quicker than I thought I would.It was fun! The kids are doing well with school,and are looking forward to the long UEA weekend,coming up.We really can't complain about anything .We are just glad everyone is healthy and happy.My darling Niece McKenna came to Leeds a few weeks ago and took some great pictures.Here are some of my fav's.

MarathonFoto - The World's Leader in Race Photography

MarathonFoto - The World's Leader in Race Photography

The August Rush

July totally flew by and August is half over .We have had a crazy busy summer,with tonsoffun stuff.We won a $200 shopping spree at new grocery store that just opened in Leeds and had Our picture in the Hurricane Valley Journal.We got front row seats to Stadium of Fire without paying a dime .The show soldout in like a half hour or so ,butwitha little luck we got in. We went to Lagoon,Classic waterslides ,spent tons of time with family,friends and cousins went camping in Payson lakes with my family last weekend,and lots of other great things,and school started a few days ago.It is good to be back into a routine,but I miss those not so lazy days of summer,and having the kids all home ,but life keeps moving on to fast if you ask me.

June is Busting out all over

The month of May flew by .School is out and we are getting geared up for Summer. We already have busy plans of Karate Camp and Cheer leading classes,mixed in with lots of swimming ,visiting family in S.L. a vacation to CA ,and hopefully some time to camp and just relax with the Kids .Life seems to be getting busier and time seems to be going faster.I wish I could find a way to slow time down.
We are going to S.L. tomorrow for H.S. graduations for Mckenna,Jamin and Jason .It will be so good to see everyone!!!
Ashton finished all of his end of level testing and is so happy to be done.The only problem is that he is going to do summer school until school starts in August .He is not real happy but it will be good for all of the Kids to keep up.
Reed and Ashton just got back from Boy Scouts camp yesterday .They had a great time! They came back tired ,sore,Sun burned and mosquito bitten, but very happy.Ashton's shoes caught on fire, when he tried to warm them by the fire.He burned his finger but is no worse for the wear .It will be a good story to tell his kids someday.
Abby is still just a little Barbie! She is so sweet and such a huge help with Isaac .She brings so much to our family.She is usually the first to get her chores done.Her teacher told me at the end of the year how great Abby was ,she said she was always friends with new Kids and willing to help.The girls also did great in their dance recital.
Amelia got her picture in the newspaper this month for "The Relay for life" in fact they used her quote to name the article on the front page" No one else has to die "
She talked about her grandma and ran three miles.She is still the teachers pet!
Ammon is as cute as ever with his mix of big teeth, baby teeth ,and no teeth smile.
He did Awesome in his end of year program.He love's his new air-soft gun and follows around his big brother.He still really likes Karate.
Aliza has had a very busy month .She graduated pre-school registered for Kindergarten got her five-year-old shots,and started speech,but the most monumental moment occurred on May 13Th 2008.SHE TIED HER SHOES!I am so proud of her!
Isaac has also had a big month.He"officially"turned one year on the 14Th.Cut his first teeth about the same time one on the bottom two on top those three came in within few days of each other,we are still waiting for the other bottom tooth to come in.It looks really cute!,and then a few days ago while his O.T. was here he just randomly stood up in the middle of the floor and stood for a few seconds.He got such a reaction that he did it a few more times and even clapped while he was standing.He signs,Ball, Daddy ,Mommy and bye bye .He says hi to everyone! He brings so much happiness to our family ,we love him!
We went to a family stake dance last night .I was so proud of my kids .Ashton danced 12 dances ,He is quite the ladies man! Abby and Amelia also danced Amelia mostly danced with Mr. Brady Jones(so cute),Ammon danced and played Aliza danced a lot with Reed .Me and Isaac were dance partners and Grandpa came and danced with about all of us .It was fun!!We also got to see Pres. Henry B. Eyring last week at our church that was way cool .He smile and waved at us as he got in his car .What a neat spirit he has!!
We look forward to a totally awesome summer .Especially being able to spend so much time together.

The Merry Month of May!!!

We have had a great couple of weeks.Busy with appointments ,and all of the end of the school year stuff .

Ashton passed the Sacrament for the first time today .We were so proud!!! he looked totally hansome in his new black pin-stripped suit.He also got to collect fast offerings today ,and walked a lot.He was also made a Junior Instructor las thursday and gets to help teach a class of about 16 .He did a great job ,He is really growing-up!!!
Abby had her last soccer game yesterday and played so well!! They only lost one game all season!!She also had her dance copetition last Saturday ,and looked like an Angel.
Amelia also had her last soccer game ,she has really grown over the season .She did great at competiton also.The girls team took 1st place in Ballet,and 2nd in Jazz .They have learned so much!!
Ammon is as cute as ever ,and had a huge honor last thursday at Karate .He was awarded a special Medal for walking away from a fight at school.Somebody kicked him in the leg and instead of fighting back ,he walked away.He told me "Martial Arts teaches us to control our bodies.He also played goally for the first time yesterday and blocked a couple of really tough shots.Way to go Ammon!!!
Aliza has had a very busy few weeks from Kindergarden registration, and open house to ,speech lessons to hearing tests (which she finnally pasted YEAH!!!),to pre-school field trips and just being her adorable 4 year old self. She is so much fun!!!
ISaac has had a HUGE week .He broke his first tooth on Thursday. He did his first sign(ASL) about a week and a half ago it was "ball",He can also sign Daddy and MaMa. He started Physical therapy ,and had another hearing test.He is the best Baby ever , and so happy .We are thrilled to have him in our family!!
Other than that we have just been running crazy trying to do all of things that parents of Six great Kids are supposed to do ,but we love it!!!

A VERY BUSY APRIL

This month seems to be flying bye.Ashton turned the big number 12 and will get the priesthood next week and start passing the sacrament the following week,my baby is growing up!We went to a Deaf conference last weekend in Ogden ,and we learned so much! We are still taking sign language lessons and trying very hard to retain all that we learn .Ashton and Ammon both advanced to Orange belt rank in Martial Arts,They are both Junior Leaders and help with instructing other students ,and they look so cute in their bright red uniforms and Ninja costumes.
Abby and Amelia had their final choir concert at Tuacahn.They did so great.They were the prettiest girls in all the Elementary schools of Washington County.They,with Aliza have their final dance concert at the end of the month.You should see Aliza shake her booty on stage ,she is so cute!!!
Isaac is still growing and learning new things everyday! It seems like he just started doing all kinds of things all at once about two months ago he started playing peek-a-boo,role-playing, pointing ,his own form of crawling (it looks more like a monkey at the zoo kind of scoot)it's adorable.He is just so fun and full of life .We all love Him.

In addition to all of that we have sent time with grandparents, cousins and good friends up in S.L. Had a wild B-Day party for Ashton at Boondocks until midnight,danced in the moonlight,got our 15 passenger van stuck in the sand at the virgin river while Reed got a flat tire trying to rescue us,went hiking and swimming at Red Cliffs in freezing cold water and got sunburned,lots of soccer games ,Went to the Kite festival and chased down a few kites trying to escape by breaking the string, swam and played at Sand Hollow Reservoir and aquatics center and loved every minute of it all .Can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring!!!

Bathing Beauties

Aliza, Abby, and the bathing beauties, Jonah & Isaac.

Days go by