Happy Birthday Frans...

Frans turns 9 today! Wow time really does fly by. Frans is such a fun boy to have in our family. He is so full of joy & life you can't help but smile at him. He played football for the first time this year and just loved it...then again Frans loves everthing even if he isn't the best one out there. I have a feeling that this attitude is going to take Frans very far in life. Frans' team was the Connell Eagles and he played on the line as he is one of the bigger kids.



Frans got his wolf badge in September. He loves cub scouts and has a great time with all the other boys. He is always excited to pass off things and earn new beltloops & badges. I hope this continues as he gets into Boy Scouts and works toward his eagle.











Frans is always joking around with his siblings and playing pranks. He has grown 4.5 inches since June this year. We hope he will be tall but you never really know.



Frans and Bode are best friends. Frans always is asking for Bode to come over to our house. They pretty much have been this way since Kindergarten.

Even when Bode accidently cut Frans & he got 4 stitches...Frans still said Bode was his best friend. I am glad Frans has such a good friend. Occationally Frans and Bode get into a little mischief but I guess that is to be expected Boys will be boys I guess. These two boys will be fun to watch grow up together & see how they turn out. Happy Birthday Frans--we love you!

Molly gets glasses!

Molly got glasses last monday, she absolutely had to have these glasses...good thing our insurance paid for most of them. They are purple & pink & have a diamond heart on the side. Molly was so excited. I will give her another month or so before she doesn't think they are so great. The eye dr thinks she may stuggle with her vision...apparently taking after me with my terrible eyesight. He said it was genetic...great. She is pretty cute in them & having a great year so far in first grade. Molly definitely keeps us & her brothers on our toes!

"I did it!"

Haylee did a Trek this year with our Stake & the Pasco Stake (which used to be our stake until we split). I have to admit that we (ok me) were really worried about sending Haylee. Most of you know that she has some learning disabilities and with that some physical limitations. We asked Haylee if she really wanted to go before hand & she told us yes. We then started having her walk 2 miles everyday (begining at the end of June). Then I found out that they would be doing about 7 miles a day for 3 days. I began to get worried again. After much thought we decided to go ahead and send her on the Trek. Her "ma" called the night before the trek & I cannot thank her enough for calming my fears. Oh, how very glad I am that Haylee went! She had to come back one night early as my grandpa passed & I wanted her to go to the funeral. When she got home--dirty from head to toe & quite frankly a mess--she said, "I did it! I did it!" "No one had to pick me up and take me back to camp! I walked the whole way." As I think of the very good lesson Haylee & I learned from this tears come to my eyes. Yes, she did it! And through Jesus Christ we can make it back to our Father in Heaven & say, "I did it! I did it!"

Haylee & her Trek "ma"--I cannot thank her enough for being there for her.

Mikaydi is in KINDERGARTEN!!

Today is Mikaydi's first day of Kindergarten & she was so excited. Owen (in 6th) was like "Oh, man if only she knew what homework is really like...she wouldn't ever want to go." I had to laugh what a typical kid response. Owen was excited to help her on to the bus though. Molly was very excited Mikaydi gets to go as well. I can't believe my baby girl is going to school...time seems to be flying. I only have one more at home & Jax thinks its great. He has been lying around in his underwear all morning watching his movies. In a day or two I expect he will be bored of that and looking for me to start playing with him. Mikaydi is so excited to be able to ride the bus with her syblings--in fact she did not want me to take her today. She wanted to ride the bus with "Molly". All I can do is hope that I have taught her everything she needs to know from "Momma School" & she can be a good student & friend & example.

New School Year 2011-2012

Frans, Molly, Owen....Frans 3rd grade, Molly 1st, Owen 6th...Mikaydi starts kinder next week. Everyone is so excited for school to start. Frans & Molly the most excited. Owen excited to be a 6th grader not excited for homework...neither am I to tell the truth. I am a mom that HATES homework. For some reason I have to sit right next to each child (with the exception of Frans) and make sure they do it. When you have 5 kids in school that is a lot of time. Jeepers--that is a depressing thought. On the good side I get to have all my kids in school & I get to entertain Jax all day (Oh, wait is that supposed to be a good thing?) ! It is amazing how life keeps progressing and moving forward--if we are ready or not!

Here is Haylee on her first day of 8th Grade.

She is panicked because she is late...

Apparently, this year will be like last year...no matter what time I wake her she is always late. Ahhh teenagers! Haylee has decided she really like boys...after the guys camping next to us this summer showed an interest in her. Wow--big difference in how they care about appearance when they are interested in boys. In February she will be 14 and gets to go to dances (really are we really talking about that already?) Well I know it is a good thing for her but a tiny part of me is scared out of my ever living mind!! Who knows what else this year will bring?

Update

The closer we get to August the closer the summer comes to an end. We have been so busy this year. I can't seem to keep up with everything that has been going on. Right now I am working cherry harvest & working at the library & kind of sleeping during the day. The only slow day is Sundays--which is a nice break from the grind. The nice thing is that Cherry's only last around 2 weeks & I get a nice big check at the end to (of course) pay for school supplies and our AC being fixed. Yes our AC was broke for awhile...actually now that its so cool in the house I don't think it ever worked right since we've been living here. The kids are good though--surviving the insanity of mom working so much. Haylee is getting ready to go on her Trek & I am glad that we aren't going as a family this time (I don't think I've got it in me). Jax turned 3 on June 30th I was going to post pictures but somehow I have no idea what happened to them and I don't have time to look right now so I will try to post those later. The biggest problem at our house right now? Jax keeps beating up Molly & Mikaydi--seriously those girls need to learn to defend themselves. I am not saying we should just have an all out brawl but Jax is quite a bit younger than they are & probably wouldn't hit them if they should him he'd get hurt back. If anyone missed Owen, Frans, and Molly's talent show videos they are on my facebook page & youtube. They were also in the paper--a picture of Owen playing the guitar & a nice article about how Frans's enlargerator machine (and I quote) "brought down the house." It was fun to have them in the paper. So as bugs bunny always said, "th-th-thats all folks" (it was bugs bunny right?--I am way too sleep deprived!)

Looking for...

Ok so Owen and Frans both want to do the talent show in their school this year and I think, "Great I have to come up with something for them to do." (I know bad mom moment) Anyway I was looking on Youtube and on the net for ideas. So far not much that I can think of...I was thinking maybe of doing the "Dance Evolution" (if you have not seen it just Youtube it--FUNNY) and asking to see if any 5th graders want to do it with Owen (it would be a little much for Frans). Am I crazy?? Or do any of you out there have any ideas on what we could do that would be fun and not boring? Owen will be playing his guitar, but thought it might be fun for him to do the other too. I am looking for your opinion so please post!! Thanks!

Mikaydi's Birthday Party

Mikaydi is turning 5 this week! I can't believe it. She invited four of her friends over to help her celebrate. She was so cute and had such a good time. She is ready to go to kindergarten, she says "I am five now so I get to go to kindergarten with Molly, right?" Of course I had to explain to her that she had to wait til September to go to school. Mikaydi is growing up to be such a sweet and kind girl. She is always helpful and loves to play with her siblings. Her and Owen still share the very blonde hair, and blue eyes. I just can't believe how much she has grown up and changed this year. I also can't believe that 4 years and 50 weeks ago we almost lost her and she was life flighted to Sacred Heart in Spokane--it seems like just yesterday. How blessed we are to have been able to keep her with us. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKAYDI!

Trying out Couponing

Okay so I keep hearing about how people get these amazing deals by couponing so for 2011 I am trying it out. I have to say it is awesome! It is great how you can really get so much with out spending a lot. I am trying to get my year supply in "household" items this year completely by couponing. Hopefully I will remember to occationally take a snapshot and post a blog about my finds. Yesterday (Saturday) I got what you see pictured here, which includes, 20 Axe deoderants, 16 bars of dial soap, and 3 dial body wash--and I spent a whopping $12 out of pocket and recieved $25 in register rewards (I get to take that amount off my next purchase). Isn't that AMAZING?!!