What Sweet Kids!

Kiersten and Hunter made Justin and I breakfast!

They did a wonderful job!

Scrambled eggs, bacon, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.  Water for me and chocolate milk for Justin.  They sure know us well.  It just made my day!

Before we ate Hunter said, "Wait mom don't you want to take a picture first?"

Why yes I did!  Gotta document when they are so sweet :)

Violin Recital

Kiersten has to take private lessons now since the junior high doesn't offer a strings program.  She still takes her lessons from Kim Skinner.

Kiersten did a wonderful job on her piece for the recital!  Kim kind of threw this recital together at short notice so Kiersten didn't exactly love the piece she had to do but she played it wonderfully!  I am always so proud of Kiersten!  I was NEVER brave enough as a kid, nor adult to stand up in front of people and play.  Well I guess I played my saxophone in high school and had solos.  But I didn't seem to have the confidence that Kiersten does, and definitely not at such a young age.  

When I was little and took piano lessons, I cried so many times at recitals that my piano teacher, Sister Bryce finally didn't have me do the recitals.

So Kiersten you are way better than your mom!

Showstoppers Dance Competition

Kiersten attended the Showstoppers Dance Competition in Gilbert this weekend.  I was sad it was the first competition I have missed.  But it was a quick one day thing and I didn't want to take Ella out around a lot of people yet.  So Justin took her and Hunter for the day.  

I heard they had a great day!

Kiersten's group did 3 dances and won 1, 2, and 3 for them.  She was really excited about that!

She was also excited she got to bring one of the trophies home with her for a few days.  Kiersten is always so sweet and lets other girls, who are more dominating then her take the trophy.  She won't speak up and never wants to make a big deal about it.  Even though she always wishes she got to take one home.

So she was really excited to show me one of their trophies!

I really love watching Kiersten dance!  She is so talented and such an amazing performer!!!

Fun in Gilbert

We decided to make a full weekend trip out of going to the Gilbert Temple Open House.  We looked at the cost of renting two rooms for all of us since I didn't want to have all the kids in the same room as Ella.  I wasn't sure if she would wake them up in the night or not.  I then started looking at the cost of renting a house.  

We were able to get a great deal on a house just down the road from the temple so we jumped on it.

It was actually cheaper then renting two hotel rooms because they gave us 15% off since we were paying with cash.  The house had a pool and hot tub.  I thought the pool was heated but come to find out it isn't.  So it was super cold and the kids just swam in it a little bit.

The hot tub on the other hand was a huge hit!  I even enjoyed some time relaxing in it!

We enjoyed going for walks.  Man I would move back to the Chandler/Gilbert area in a heartbeat if I got to choose!  I try to make the most out of living in Pima and to enjoy my life there.  But if I am honest it is not what I dreamed my life would be.  Actually its just not where I dreamed I would live.

We walked to a neighborhood park.

The kids loved that and it made me really wish I lived in the city again!

Hunter and Logan even played basketball with some kids while we were there.  It always amazes me how fast kids become friends.  They are such good examples when it comes to that!

I wish there was a fun park we could walk to.  I know our backyard is pretty much an awesome park but it would still be nice to have a walking path leading to a neighborhood park.  I LOVED doing that with Kiersten when we lived in Chandler!

It was super nice to be in a 3 bedroom house instead of a hotel room!!  Even Justin told me that was a great call on my part!  I LOVED getting out of Pima and being out of the house.  It had been a long 6 weeks staying home with a newborn.

We enjoyed a little shopping at the mall.  Ella LOVED the mall and all the noise and lights!  It was great to get away as a family for a long weekend!

Butterfly Wonderland

While in Gilbert we decided to take the kids to see the Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale.

They were excited to go see all the butterflies we have heard about.

This is America's Largest Butterfly Atrium!

Hunter with a butterfly that just landed in his hand.

Before you go into the actual butterfly conservatory they show you a 3D video of the migration of the butterflies.  It was really good!

Kiersten was very happy a butterfly finally landed on her!  See it on her hand!

Little Ella had to spread her wings like the butterflies!  She just didn't know what to do with herself.  She is use to staying in the house all day so these outings really wore her out.  But she LOVED getting out of the house and looking at new scenery!

The butterflies were so beautiful!

So many different types of butterflies from many different countries.  It was a neat place to visit!

Wow look at these awesome 5 kids I get to call mine!

This was one of our favorite ones!

Kiersten had two on her this time.....One at the top of her shirt and one at the bottom!  Everyone of us had butterflies land on us at some point....even little Ella Jane.

We all really liked seeing these amazing butterflies!

Gilbert Temple Open House

We were super excited to be able to travel down to Gilbert to go through the Gilbert Temple Open House!

It was such a gorgeous temple!  Ella was a complete angel and slept through the whole experience!

The kids were in awe of the HUGE chandelier in the Celestial room.  We were told it is the 2nd largest chandelier in the world!  It was truly gorgeous!

We were got our tour we were walking with an older couple.  They were not of our faith and had lots of questions.  It was great to share our knowledge and love of the temple with them.  The husband commented several times on how well behaved our kids were.  He was so impressed that 5 kids would be good for that long of a tour.

I am so grateful we were able to attend the open house.  It was a sweet experience to be in the temple with my completed family!

I am grateful for my testimony of the importance of temples.  I know that Heavenly Father's plan of happiness is real and that the sealing powers that take place in the temple binds our families together forever!  I am so thankful to know this.  What comfort it brings, plus it increases my desire to try my best and to be kind to my family members.  I know that God lives and that he loves us.  He knows us by name and on a very personal level.  He cares about all aspects of our lives and he wants to hear from us everyday......even about the little things.  I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ and for the atonement that allows me to be forgiven.  I know that the Savior will make up the difference for us when we are trying our best my fail short.  I am so grateful for his comfort and companionship in my life!  I am very grateful to be blessed with such a wonderful family!  I love Justin and all my kids with my whole heart!

Happy Valentine's Day

This was a very special Valentine's Day for me!  Simply because my family is complete with our new little Ella Jane!

I didn't hear one complaint when I told the kids we were doing a Valentine photo shoot.

Kiersten is so attached to this little baby!

Ella really is a lucky baby to grow up with such a wonderful older sister.  Kiersten can't wait til Ella is a couple of months older and she can start taking her out in the play house for play dates!

I don't think it's ever going to get old buying girl things!

I Love My Life……….it may look boring and simple to most.  But that's okay with me!

I love being a mom!

These 5 kids and Justin are my world!

I look forward to all the stages of life and getting to experience them with my sweet little family.  Of course our extended family is a close second!  We sure have been blessed with wonderful families!

I make plenty of mistakes as a mom but one thing I hope my kids know without a doubt how much I love them and how proud I am to be their mom!

Pretty Happy Girl

Kiersten is in Junior High now and this year several of her friends we getting asked by boys to be their "Valentine".  Kiersten has had a crush on the same boy for years…..Will Javis.  They have exchanged Valentine's for several years.  Kiersten kept waiting for him to ask her to be his Valentine, but he never did.  I kept reassuring her it was just because he is too shy.

She was bummed that he didn't ask her.

But sure enough, Will did want Kiersten to be his Valentine!  Being shy just didn't allow him to ask her.  He had his twin brother, Drew, bring Kiersten a Valentine gift.  

Mini rose plant, which Kiersten loved and a bag full of her favorite candies!

Kiersten got Will a pocket knife, that was on sale and wrote him a message that said, 

"You've CARVED a place in my heart!"

It's so cute to hear about Kiersten's experiences.  Will is so dang shy, they hardly even talk.  In fact Kiersten told me she wanted to tell Will she didn't like him anymore.  I asked her why? Didn't she still like him.  She told me that she did in fact like him but maybe if he thought she didn't he wouldn't be so shy and he'd actually talk to her.  

Oh what sweet innocence!  I love that he is too shy to talk to her………..that's the perfect junior high relationship!  It's nice to know that Will comes from such a great family!  I can text his mom, Faye anytime and we always visit about how cute their little crush is.  We hope they stay shy for along time!!

Scouts

It was the Blue and Gold Banquet.

Logan has been loving being in scouts!!!  

He earned his Bobcat and was so excited to go up on stage.

Hunter earned several badges but they didn't have the actual badges in stock so they will award him with those at the next pack meeting.  But they recognized him any way.

This is Logan's little scout group singing a fun song.

They told a story about a tradition of smashing cake in someones face when celebrating.  Well you can't say something like that around a bunch of 10 years olds without expecting something like this to happen!

Austen Ashbey, Carsen Davis and Hunter

They had a grand time for sure!!!

These three boys are sure fun!  We love that they all live so close.

Can't Believe...

Our Ella Jane is one month old already!!

She is such a fun baby!  

We are so glad she isn't colicky like the first three of our kids were.  In just the past couple of days she has started smiling a little when you talk to her.  It just melts my heart!

So far she's sleeping pretty good for a one month old......she gets up every 2-3 hours but always goes back to sleep for us......thank heavens!!

The month has gone by so fast.  I just can't imagine our lives without this sweet spirit in our home.  The kids are all so helpful with her.....it's so nice!

It has been hard not going places.  You get cabin fever pretty easy.  But i keep telling myself cabin fever is easier to have than  a sick baby!  Seems like everyone is sick with something right now.  I've never had a winter baby and it definitely makes me more cautious! 

Justin Surprised the Kids….

with a trip to the snowy Mt. Graham!  Justin is such a great dad and took the morning off to take the kids up for some sledding.  Ella and I held down the fort!

This blue sled is a favorite of the kids.  It can catch some speed and you can actually steer it which they like.

Justin said Grant handled the cold really well this trip.  Last year he got cold fast and wanted to hang out in the truck, but not this time!  He was all about the sledding!

They definitely got good exercise walking back up the hills a gazillion times!

They had to go all the way to Shannon to find some great snow.  But it was "the PERFECT spot" according to Kiersten and Hunter!!!

LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!

They enjoyed snow boarding!

I think next year will be a great time to take the kids to Sunrise for some real snow boarding! 

I missed going with them this year.....but Ella for sure wasn't ready for a snow trip :)

Next year count us both in though!

They enjoyed hot chocolate complete with ready whip topping and donuts!!!  Great snow snacks!

This was Grant's favorite sled!

Kiersten got really good with the snow board I heard!

It was a fun time and the kids talked for days about how much fun they had!

Thanks Justin for being such a fun dad and for taking time off of work just to have fun with your kids!