A slow start to Spring

Apparently it has been much longer than I realized since my last post!  Oops.  I guess that's what happens when life speeds up on you!  Since Nash's Pinewood Derby we've had a few fun things happen, but not an over abundance.

1-We got our taxes done and turned in and were happy to receive a refund.  With our refund we are putting a new fence in!  Wahoo!  My entire backyard will finally be fenced in (only 7 yrs after moving in!).  Travis started setting corner posts this week while he has been home.  He heads back to work tomorrow though so my yard will look a little ghetto for awhile!  We will also be using some of our refund money to take the kinds on a mini Spring Break vacation in a week.  We will head to Dinosaur National Monument with the camper for a few days and then head down to Moab for a few days.  Should be lots of fun!

2-Nash still loves going to Scouts every Tuesday.  Scouts and dance have overlapped and he hasn't loved the idea of having to be home alone for about an hour and a half while it's dark outside.  My very kind (and very loved) home teachers have let him come stay with him until I get home from dance with Sam.  Geri & Randall Funk have been our home teachers for about two years.  My children have adopted them as another set of grandparents (because you can never have too many grandparents).  I think this has been a special treat for Nash to go spend time with them.  (Geri is the wolf den mother so she's at his den meetings each week.)

3-My grandpa Arol got married.  Yep.  Married.  He married a woman named Marion.  She seems nice.  I've only met her for a short time.  My kids like her from what they know of her.  She has eight children of her own that are all grown, married, kids are married.  She was living in Camas but has sold her home and moved into Grandpa's home.  They were married on February 28th in the Logan Temple.  It's a little weird to think that Grandpa is married to someone other than Grandma, but he's happy and that's really all I care about.

4-Preschool registration for Fall was opened up.  I've got a smattering of three year olds and have almost filled a four year old class.  This year I'll be capping my class size at 8 students so if my class fills up then I will open an afternoon session if the need arises.

5-Samantha is now in the throes of debate with my class at school.  I can't tell if she likes it or hates it or is indifferent to the whole idea.  I think she's ok with it because she likes her partner!  Her big debate night will be May 1st.

6-Samantha and the boys had an exhibition for dance/tumbling out at Sky View.  The boys' group stole the show (as always).  They did an awesome job with their Footloose dance and the audience just ate it up.  I can't wait to see their Oompa Loompa dance at the year end review in May!

7-Samantha found out that in Spring of 2015 LaShars will be traveling to Disneyland again to perform.  We decided we will go and take all four of the kids.  But, we also invited Travis's brother and sister and their families.  We're going to go big!  The kids can hardly contain themselves!  I explained that this means they have a year to save their money.  This means they really ought to consider doing their chores so they have money when we go.  Especially since we'll be making a visit to LEGOland!

8-Travis finally got his red truck up and running.  The stupid thing has been sitting in my driveway for at least six months and wouldn't start.  Wouldn't be a huge deal expect that we're still paying on it!  I'm thrilled to say he finally got it fixed and moved out of my driveway!  Honestly, four cars and two licensed drivers!  What I wouldn't do to sell two vehicles!

9-Travis has now officially trimmed all our trees.  I may never get shade in my yard again.  Makes me sad.

10-Nash is now on every other week allergy shots!  SO excited that I now only have to drive to the allergy clinic every other week.  And thankfully, Nash & Samantha have fallen on the same week for their every other week shots!  There just may be a light at the end of this very long tunnel!

11-I agreed to coach Caleb's soccer team.  Yes, I know what you're thinking (idiot!  When do you have time for that?!)  Well, I don't have time for it.  But, I got around four emails in three days telling parents that they were seven coaches short and if they didn't come up with more coaches they would have to disband and the kids wouldn't be able to play.  I couldn't hardly bear the thought of having to tell Caleb he wouldn't get to play because he's been so super excited.  Thus, I am now a soccer coach.  I'm crossing my fingers that the weekends they play and Sam has a dance competition that his dad is home so we can divide and conquer!  Soccer season and competition season overlap so here's to hoping!

So, as you can see we've been busy but we haven't had any earth shattering experiences.  As soon as Brooke decides she's going to go pee in the potty all the time I'll consider that an earth shattering experience and there will be a post all of its own.  I can't hardly wait to find out what it will feel like to have no kids in diapers and no prospect of ever having one in diapers again.  A little sad, but more happy than sad!

Blue & Gold Banquet

Tonight we went to Nash's first Blue & Gold banquet.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  It turned out nice and it didn't even last all evening long!  The kids had several things they have been working on that they  needed to bring with them to display.  Nash had all of his done & I remembered to take them all with (now there's an accomplishment in itself!).  We had a nice dinner & Nash received his Blue & Gold badge & his pinewood derby badge.  He's super close to earning his wolf.  It will be exciting for him when he does because at least count he had around 27 or so arrow points!  He'll be a happy camper when it comes time to receive those awards at Pack Mtg!

Nash with his display.  He made the teepee at one of his den meetings.  They even drew authentic Native American drawings on it!  His LEGO collection, his pedigree/family tree, his fire escape plan & the game he made from his creation kit.

Receiving his Blue & Gold badge & his pinewood derby badge.

I'm so behind!

Things have been super busy around here despite the holidays being long gone!

Both of the boys signed up for tumbling at the beginning of January.  This means that we now spend 3 days a week (four hours a week) at LaShars!  Boy are they getting their money's worth from us!  The boys have loved every second of it and Caleb asks nearly every day if it's tumbling day.  Guess I should have signed them up sooner!  Yes, their dad knows they're doing it.  I think it was when I said that the dance they were learning was Footloose that he finally decided it was ok!

Nash had his first pinewood derby ever!  He had a great time making his car & even though he didn't come in one of the top three places, he had a great time racing.  He even has two grandmas, a grandpa, mom & a brother there to cheer him on!

Samantha performed at the USU women's basketball half time.  As always, she did great!  She told us afterwards that their music skipped so they were off.  I let her know that we couldn't even tell.  She was pretty happy to have two grandmas, a grandpa, all three siblings, a dad & two cousins show up to watch her dance!

Sam also danced at our Relay for Life kickoff event on February 6th.  We had our third annual Dancing with the Relay Stars.  Her dance studio was one of the studios that participated.  I think she had a great time.  I also think she was secretly glad that her group was second to last to perform so that she could watch most of the show!

Nash has been playing basketball.  It's all kinds of fun for more to trek out to Hyde Park twice a week for practice and a game!  His team hasn't won too many games, but he seems to be enjoying it.

His last game is this Saturday (February 15th).  Before we know it soccer season will be here and it will be Nash on the sidelines cheering Caleb on.

The last time Travis came home we managed to get two kids with pink eye, Travis with influenza, Brooke with influenza, & Sam & Nash either had a 24 hr bout of influenza or something of a varying sort.  Not fun.  Now that Travis is gone, apparently it's my turn.  I'm crossing my fingers I don't get it full on - I don't have time for that.  Here's for hoping!

The last time Travis was home we also celebrated this girl's birthday!

Sister requested all things mustache or zebra

I cannot believe she is 11 (well, almost!).  Where has that time gone?  She is growing up to be such a beautiful young lady.  She is very kind and thoughtful.  She is getting to be a fairly decent babysitter for me now too.  I'm still in denial that she's going to be in middle school next year!

Preschool is moving right along and we're getting ready for our Valentine's Day party at the end of this week.  Samantha is still in my SEM group at Canyon and they've just started debate.  I'm not sure how great of an idea it was for me to teach my own daughter to debate!  Here's to hoping I don't regret it later!

A little bit of excitement...

Travis has been bugging me since this past summer to set up an appointment with the bishop for him.  I somehow keep managing to forget it until it is his last day home and it's about 10 pm.  I FINALLY did it (huge thank you to our home teachers for getting me to get it done!).

The whole reason he wanted this appointment was so that he could talk to the bishop about himself being the one to baptize Nash (yea, we're super on the ball).  I was skeptical about the whole thing, I won't lie.  Not a ton of things have changed since Samantha was getting ready to be baptized and the bishop wouldn't let him do it then (a few things have changed, but nothing earth shattering).

Travis came home from work on Saturday instead of Sunday (slow week) and we all made it to church (hopefully without infecting anyone).  Travis had his meeting with the bishop later that evening.  When he came home I jokingly asked him if he'd had to break any toes (he joked that he would break the bishop's toes if he told him no again).  He said "Nope."  So, guess who's going to be ordained a priest on Sunday before he goes back to work?  Yup...we're making progress slow but steady :)

As soon as we have a date scheduled for our Nashie Boy for a baptism, we'll let you know!

Christmas 2013

Santa sure found us again this year!  Boy, my kids are spoiled!

We didn't go to Manti for the Christmas celebrations down there this year.  It was sad.  That's the first time since we've been married that we haven't gone (fourteen years).  I just didn't want to make that trek without Travis.  I was glad we ended ups staying home because Brooke was throwing up that Friday and Saturday (the 2th & 21st).

We spent Christmas Eve with my parents and siblings.  My mom sewed her guts out for the kids this year.  Everything she made was a huge hit.  So was everything she actually bought!  We had dinner before we opened presents.  After we opened presents the adults played an "adult" version of apples to apples.  We laughed til our sides hurt!  We may be busting that game back out for New Year's Eve!

Christmas Eve:

My mom knew Brooke was getting a kitchen this year so she got her some more dishes to go with it. 

Since Brooke loves to "cook dinner" (pull out salt, pepper, sugar and any other spices she can reach and dump into any bowl or pan that is sitting near by and stir until it's mostly all on the floor and counter) my mom made both Brooke and Sunny the cutest apron and hat!  Brooke was super excited about getting her own apron (all of her siblings have them but she's the only one with a hat!). 

Travis & I went out to finish up Christmas shopping the Monday before Christmas.  My mom needed one more small item to finish Brooke and told me that if I found something to just get it for her and we'd get even.  There were several things I debated about (play make up, a barbie and a toy camera).  We went into Sportsman's Warehouse and found a pink pistol.  I wasn't sure she'd LOVE it, but she has been known to steal her brother's and "shoot:" him with it.  So I figured that at the very least she'd get to play on an even field with him.  Apparently, this item has been THE gift of the year.  Girlfriend LOVES that pistol!  She's gotten quite feisty about it whenever anyone else picks up her pistol!  

 Nash was wanting another extreme dot to dot book.  In case you haven't heard of these, they are these amazing dot to dot pictures that have dots that go up to about 1,500.  Nash has nearly completed two books already.  He LOVES these suckers.  He was really wanting the prehistoric one and wouldn't you know, that's the one Grandma got for him!

 Caleb is by far my most imaginative child.  He loves to pretend.  My mom found this pattern to make a fort, of sorts, that looks like a pirate ship and is made out of felt.  It just gets thrown over a card table so it isn't huge, but it is AWESOME!  All of the kids were climbing in and out of it all night.  I have a feeling it's going to be a permanently set up item at our place!

 The red spot is a mail box and you can actually put things in it.  This will be great because whenever all the kids play they send each other mail through the bottom of their bedroom doors!  At least now his mail won't lay on the floor for me to slip on!

 Nash got a skateboard for Christmas last year.  However, not long (only a few months) after he got it, it got left in a spot where it accidentally got run over.  Really a combination of my fault, his fault & Trav's fault.  I told him to put it in the area he did but should have told him to put it closer to the house.  He was old enough to know that the area I had told him to put it is the spot where dad parks the trailer and it should have been put back by the bikes.  Travis was backing the trailer into its spot at night and didn't see it and drove right over it and split it in two.  Since that very sad incident, he has been DYING to get another skateboard.  When he opened this one my brother looked at me and asked, "Aren't you at the dr.'s office enough?"  Yes, but apparently I'm a gluten for punishment!  What can I say?  The kid has seriously been dying to get a new one and I did feel partially responsible for the outcome of the last one.

 My in laws have an old school light bright.  Caleb LOVES this sucker.  He busts it out every time he's over there.  The one my mom got him is a cube so it has four sides he can do pictures on.  The sides aren't as big as the old school one, but this one is super cool.  The sides fold down so you can actually work on it like it's laying flat on the table but you can still push your lights in.  Brookelyn quite likes this gift as well!

 Working in a fabric store is both a blessing and a curse for my poor mother.  At least she doesn't unload the freight anymore so she doesn't see every piece of fabric that comes in!  She saw this flannel and it just screamed Caleb to her (it's farm if you can't tell).  She had no idea what she was going to do with it when she got it, but she knew she had to get it for him.  She ended up making it into this awesome robe.  This is a great idea because Caleb LOVES his robes.  He calls them his ninja suits and he wears them at all times of the day!

 Sam hates poodles as much as my brother.  My mom made my brother pj pants with one side (the front) out of this fabric.  She used the rest of the fabric to make Sam a night gown.  She loves the new night gown (it's comfy) and the fact that it matches her favorite uncle Zacc!

 Sam loves Zebra print and this jacket is from a pattern she picked out.  I think the jacket turned out absolutely adorable and Sam LOVES it!

 To be a smart alec my mom made my brother's poor dog this scarf and leg warmers.  Poor Fidget.  She kept trying to get away from us and she went over to Sam to hide!  Zacc wants a tutu for her so I may have to make that for her for his birthday!

 These two girls are finally at an age where they play nice together (mostly....most of the time :) ).  They had a blast climbing into all the big boxes and watching tv while all tucked into their box.

 This is what our place looked like Christmas morning before the kids attacked it.

 "Are you kitten me?" is Sam's new mantra for about the last month or so.  When I saw this shirt that said, "Are you kitten me right meow?" I HAD to get it for her.  She loves it!

 Brookelyn LOVES her "Thomas-Jerry" these days.  I found this shirt and knew she'd love it.  She does!

 I think it's a safe bet that she loves her new Minnie jammies.

 The girls got a new tv to go in their room (mostly because Sam's new Karaoke machine needs to be hooked to a tv for it to work and I know she prefers to go in her room and use her window seat as a stage rather than come out in the living room).

 This boy finally got a new cowboy hat and cowboy boots!

 I got Sam a mustache cake pan because she's totally into mustaches (her and her best friend at school are referred to as "mustache 1" and "mustache 2").  I do believe we will be having a mustache theme birthday party this year!

 These dress up shoes are the best!  They are high heels with Minnie Mouse AND the bows light up when you walk!  Score!

Christmas morning after we had all our fun at home we headed out to Travis's parents house.  We had breakfast and waited for everyone else to get there.  We finally got to open gifts around 3 pm.  Nash got a remote control helicopter from grandma and grandpa and has absolutely loved it.  He said it is his favorite gift this year (and we got the kid a basketball hoop because he loves baseketball and is set to start Jr Jazz in January).  Way to go grandma and grandpa!

As you can tell the kids were spoiled rotten (as usual).  It's so much fun to watch them open gifts.  I have lots more fun on Christmas as an adult than I did as a kid and I don't get nearly as many gifts!  I just love watching how excited my kids get about their gifts.

Since Christmas day we've been pretty low key.  We bought my Aunt Nikki's piano (they got a baby grand for Christmas) so Travis's dad and brother helped Travis move it to our place on Thursday.  We spent the entire day moving the tv, entertainment center, etc. out of our living room upstairs and setting it all up in the basement.  The preschool kids will be completely thrown off when they come back at the end of the break!  I love that my living room is now a spot where we can sit and visit rather than have a tv blaring!  Sam has loved the piano already.  She'll just walk up, sit down and start playing.  She rarely did that with the keyboard.  I hope that having a real piano will keep them excited about piano lessons and help them continue to learn and improve their skills.

Travis heads back to work tomorrow (Sunday) and the kids and I don't go back to school until Thursday.  I think the last few days of our break will be spent just here at home being low key.  I have a lot of things I want to get done for preschool and I did manage to kinda clean up my sewing room so I can sew some things that I've had on the back burner for a long time.  I guess we'll see how productive the kids will let me be!

Here's to a happy (and healthy) 2014!