11th Anniversary

Our 11th anniversary was yesterday. We have never had the chance to do anything besides go to dinner, so Jay surprised me this year with a fun little getaway. His parents came down and stayed with the kids overnight so we could go. We went down to Mesquite, stayed in one of the resorts, had dinner, watched a movie, and then went to the spa. We got massages that were much needed and then got to sit in the outdoor hot tub. What a fun way to relax and spend a weekend with someone you love. Thanks Jay for a great weekend. I love you!!!

Let it Snow...Let it Snow...Let it Snow

Wednesday night it started snowing and it did not stop. Who knew that it could snow this much in St. George. Apparantly even though we are in Utah they are still not equipped for snow here. They cancelled school for about 6 inches of snow. The kids were so excited. Jay didn't have to go in to work until 10 so he took the kids and some neighbor friends for rides on the 4 wheeler. Clayton even skipped breakfast and lunch to play in it. I love the hot weather, but I do enjoy a few days of snowy weather to make it feel like Christmas.

Halloween 2008

I was finally able to get a video to post. Yeah!!! I have been trying for months. Here are the kids Halloween pictures. I was able to get a theme out of them one more year. Easton was Scooby Doo, BrynLee was Daphne, Clayton was Shaggy, and Brooklyn I could only convince to be a ghost pirate. I found an awesome swamp monster (she really wanted to be a bad guy) costume at Target, but she didn't want it. The kids had so much fun and are already talking about next year.

Clayton Football

Clayton really enjoyed playing flag football this year. His coach really worked them hard at practices. The first practice he had them doing high knee drills. His coach also taught him this reverse play and he scored a touchdown almost every time. One game he even got an interception on the other teams 1 yard line and ran it down to the other end of the field for a touchdown. He was so excited. His team did really well. They went undefeated and Clayton was so excited because he finally got a trophy. He is already looking forward to next season.

Dancing Queen's

Brooklyn and BrynLee started dance a couple of months ago and they are loving it. Brooklyn has tried ballet before and didn't really like it, but this studio had a hip-hop class. She really wanted to try this style. Hip Hop is definitely more her style and she has really picked up on it. This is BrynLee's first time dancing. She wanted to try the tap/ballet combo. She definitely likes tap better because of the shoes. What kid wouldn't like to dance with shoes that make so much noise. They are both really loving it and are excited to do their first recital in a couple of weeks.

BrynLee Humor

Friday morning I was rushing around trying to get out of the house the same time Brooklyn and Clayton left for school. Me and Easton were supposed to get flu shots, Easton had an ear infection and I needed to pick up his prescription, BrynLee wanted to pick out a Christmas present for Brooklyn, and BrynLee had to be back for early school on Friday by 11:00 to get ready. I was trying to put my make-up on, and BrynLee came into my bathroom with her bright blue eye shadow and lip gloss and was putting on her. I had already asked her twice to put her shoes and coat on and it still wasn't on. I was pretty impatient and I told BrynLee to hurry and put her make-up up and get her shoes and coat on. She looked at me and was dead serious and said, "Mom...can't a sistuh put her make-up on" and turned around went back to putting her make-up on. I was laughing so hard. How can you get mad at that.

New Calling

A couple of weeks ago I had heard rumors that our Primary Presidency was going to get released. I didn't think anything of it because I thought for sure it wasn't true because they were just called 4 months ago. Last week I got a call from the bishopric wanting to meet with me and to have Jay there if he could. I knew right then that it was going to be Primary, but I wasn't sure what. When I got there they said that the wanted me to be the 1st counselor in the Primary Presidency. I was a little shocked and overwhelmed at the same time. I'm over baptisms and the primary program. It's going to be kind of crazy trying to get organized, but the presidency I work with makes it so much easier. I really am excited to have this chance to get to know each of the kids in our ward, but I am a little nervous getting up and conducting in front of 200 kids and with time I know it will get easier. My first sharing time is on Sunday, so if anyone has any good ideas let me know.

1st Day of School

Here's the first day of school pictures from August. Brooklyn started 4th grade, Clayton started started 2nd, and BrynLee started Kindergarten. They love the teachers they got this year. I put BrynLee in afternoon Kindergarten in hopes of Easton sleeping for a little while so I can get something done in the afternoon. It has only worked a couple of times with everything that has gone on in the last couple of months, but we are getting there.

Lugnuts 2008

This past summer Clayton played on a traveling baseball team. Their team name was the Lugnuts. They practiced 2-3 times a week and then went to a few tournaments. He played 2nd base and right field. He started playing on the team right before he turned 7. All the other kids on his team were almost 8 and 9. He did really good to keep up with the older kids. There was one time when a ball got past him and went to the fence. He hurried to get the ball. The other teams coach sent the kid that hit the ball home, but Clayton threw the ball from the fence right to the 2nd baseman who through it home and got him out. I didn't know that a kid his size could throw the ball so hard and accurate. I think there were times when he was overwhelmed, but he still always tried to play his best. Jay had the priviledge of helping coach. He liked being there to help Clayton. Towards the end of the summer his team got the chance to be bat boys for the St. George Roadrunners. I think that was his most favorite part of the whole season. All he could talk about for weeks was how he was going to be a bat boy. He got to run out with the Roadrunner who also played his position, and then be bat boy for 3 innings. He even got to keep a bat that broke during the game. He was in heaven. He had so much fun playing, and I hope that he continues to enjoy baseball as much as he did this summer.

Updates

It has been a long time since I have posted. We moved out of our house over 2 months ago and into a friends basement. What we thought would only be 3 weeks turned into 6 weeks. I am so grateful for friends willing to put up with us for that long. We finally moved into our new house 3 weeks ago (I will post some pictures later). We are so excited to be in, but there are so many unfinished projects. Our goal is to be out of boxes by Thanksgiving. With Easton's continued help we will definitely be out of boxes, but maybe not organized.

I am updating as fast as I can because I really would like to be caught up, but my OCD-ness has kicked in and I had to pick up where I left off. So for now, here is Clayton/BrynLee's birthday, 4th of July and 24th of July.

July 24th

Growing up we would spend many times in Beaver on the 24th. We would always look forward to the parades, the races, Horse races, cheese curds, bbq's with family, and games in the park. The past couple of years we have been able to go since we have been living in St. George. This year we met my family up there. The kids were so excited to see cousins and get the candy at the parade. When we got there we found out that the floats this year couldn't throw candy from a moving vehicle, so for the first 15 minutes the kids were whining and crying(BrynLee) because there was no candy. Finally people started throwing a little candy, and the kids started getting a little more excited. Th kids would go up about 10 yards and then come back by us and then follow it down for about 10 yards. They wouldn't go where we couldn't see them. One truck that came by started dumping candy and the kids followed that one a little further. About 5 minutes after that car had passed we realized that BrynLee was missing. We started walking up and down the streets and still couldn't find her. We were next to the announcer so we had him announce that she was missing. The lady sitting next to us husband was a police officer so she called him and they put a watch out for her. At this point it has been about 20 minutes and everyone was looking for her and I was really starting to panick. Me and my aunt started walking towards the end of the parade (about 400 yards where we were sitting) and right when we got to the end the announcer at the end of the parade announced that they had found a little girl. I didn't know whether to get mad or cry with relief. Apparantly she followed the truck with all the candy to the end of the parade, and didn't realize she had gone that far. When she couldn't find us she went and told a lady she was lost and she took BrynLee to the announcer. What a way to start the day. Even though BrynLee was lost for awhile the parade was still fun. The kids were also excited to do the races. This is always my favorite part, especially with the baby's. This was Easton's first time racing. He was so fast, that the other kids were only about 1/2 way through when he finished. He got a silver dollar and a sucker for winning. BrynLee didn't really care about running she just wanted the sucker at the end of the race. Again it's all about the cany. She got her mother's sweet tooth. Clayton and Brooklyn were all about the winning. They both ended up getting 2nd in their races. After the races it was back to Grandma and Grandpa's hose for the bbq. It really was a fun day and it brought back a lot of fun memories.

Clayton and BrynLee's birthday

This year for the kids birthday's we were in Provo/Price for the 4th so we got to celebrate their birthdays with family again. On July 5th Clayton turned 7 and BrynLee turned 5. We went to the park with family, had cake and ice cream, and opened presents. BrynLee didn't really know what she wanted this year so I found her a remote control Bratz car and she loved it. She also had a Bratz cake. Clayton had been wanting a ripstick, so that's what he got along with a new helmet. It didn't take him long to figure out how to do it. Clayton doesn't really like cake so he wanted a cookie cake and we turned them into baseballs. This is one of my favorite days. Clayton and BrynLee never fight and are so happy to be with one another. I never thought that they would like sharing a birthday, but they really do.

BrynLee's Favorite Things:
Bratz
Computer
Hannah Montana (She thinks she is Hannah Montana)
Swimming
Littlest Pet Shop

Clayton's Favorite Things:
Playing outside
Baseball
Riding his bike/scooter/ripstick
Swimming
School

4th of July weekend

Earlier this year we were able to get tickets to Stadium of Fire. My sister and her kids flew in from Alabama so we went to Provo for the weekend. We started off the weekend going to 7 Peaks and later that night we went miniature golfing at Trafalga. Thanks to my mom working in the schools, she had a bunch of left over free passes. The next day was the 4th and we went to a BBQ at my uncle's house where my cousins had set up a big slip n' slide for the kids. My Grandma's birthday is also this day and in honor of going to see Hannah Montana later that night she got a Hannah Montana wig. We ended the night with Hannah Montana and Blue Man Group at Stadium of Fire. The kids loved it. They were dancing with the music and screaming as loud as they could. Clayton kept yelling "I love you Miley" and "Hannah Your Hot"!!!! For only being 15 Miley puts on a pretty good show. I am so glad we were able to go.