...and I thought I loved you then

Thanksgiving at the Ranch

2011-12-21T11:57:00.003-07:00

Beautiful, Yummy, Memorable!

Family Pictures!

Keri took these amazing pictures. It was 20 degrees!!

Tait was doing the "Vector" dance from Despicable Me. After posting this picture of Facebook, a friend commented, "with both direction and magnitude". It made me laugh so hard!! Love these kiddos!!

Bret was doing some 'potty talk' to get the boys smiling

A picture to show how tall Anders has gotten. Has he passed his dad yet? It's VERY close!

Finn's 7th Birthday

2011-12-21T11:49:00.002-07:00

Finn wanted to go to Panda Express for his birthday!! IT was number 1 on his idea of a perfect birthday!! We went and he talked about it for days-EASY!!

He was so grateful and we had a fun, fun night!!

Halloween

2011-12-21T11:45:00.002-07:00

I need to get pictures off my phone (it's a long story why this is difficult). Here are a couple of Halloween pictures. It was a beautiful, WARM night!!

Cute Friends

FALL!

2011-12-21T11:33:00.003-07:00

I can't figure out why we don't have a picture of Hans birthday cake. I think my batteries in my camera died and my dad has pictures. I will post more later when my dad gets me those. My boys had just finished watching shark week and Hans was infatuated with sharks. We made his cake-water frosting and sharks all over the cake, including a man in a boat (you know where this is going). It made me laugh!! Hans is a funny kid-and scares me a bit!

Finn's 1st day of kindergarten!!

First football game of the season! Love this!!

Scroll Down Through Moab!!

2011-08-05T21:39:00.003-07:00

I just realized that I was so behind that some of my new posts are on a second page. Please be sure to click on older posts. There are some pictures of Anders trip to Moab and repelling a 150 foot arch!!! That's not one to be missed!!!

16??!!

2011-08-05T13:12:00.004-07:00

I can't believe Anders is 16!!! He had a BBQ with his friend Brian who also turned 16 at the end of July and lots of friends. It was so much fun. At grandma and grandpa's the next night, Anders received lots of thoughtful presents centered around his favorite thing to do-Mountain Biking!!! New shock, handlebars, stem for his handlebars, gloves, magazine subscription. A highlight was the personalized wrapping paper from Joseph and uncle Brett with mountain biking scenes. Wish I had pictures of Anders BBQ but we were worried about the thunder storms that were threatening. I hope he felt how much we love him and how grateful I am for a kind, conscientious, well-mannered, hard-working, respectful son. (I could have easily kept going)

Mountain Biking with Grandpa

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Sundance, Utah There couldn't be a more beautiful setting to bike!!

Boating at Deercreek with the Hatchers

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4th of July

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Games!!!

Fireworks

Feeding Chickens (and scratching mosquito bites)

"I see the gate first!!"

Retiring the old flag

Unfurling the New

Family Hike to the 'Big Tree'

Thayne Parade

All the participants in the parade threw candy. The kids ran to grab it. So fun to watch the competition and the sharing.

Everyone needs to spend at least one 4th of July in a small town. There's nothing like it!!

SUMMER

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Is it a surprise this pool lasted 2 days??

Cousins Working Together at the Ranch

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Garrett and Anders went to the ranch to work for grandma and grandpa. It was nice to get an email from grandma telling us what great hardworking boys they are. We agree!!

Tait's 7th

2011-08-05T12:09:00.002-07:00

I forgot to post Tait's birthday. He's such a great kid. We always say, "he's going to be somebody". He has an intensity and desire that is so unique for a boy his age. He wants to make the most of anything he tries. It is very hard to keep him busy, however. He's exhausting and wonderful!

T-Ball and Softball

2011-08-05T11:27:00.002-07:00

Spring and early summer were VERY crazy for us. Tait was finishing his competitive soccer league. They sang Happy Birthday to him at one of his last games. His coach asked the other players how old they thought he was. When they realized they had been playing with a 6 year old they were surprised. Most of the other kids were 8. He started baseball, Finn played T-ball, Elli and Anna were playing softball and Bret was in a softball league in Salt Lake. I coached Anna's team. Bret helped with Tait and Finn's teams. Can I just tell you how nuts we were. Tuesdays we had at least 4 games and had a few 6 game nights. It was a logistics nightmare!! How we wished Anders was driving then.

Baseball

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Great friends and league champs!! It doesn't get any better!!!

And an All-Star to boot!!!

MOAB!!!!!

2011-08-05T10:47:00.005-07:00

The 14 and 15 year old boys in our neighborhood went repelling, rafting, and mountain biking in Moab at the beginning of the summer. Bret was able to go down for their repel(something Bret and Anders have come to love). They visited many of the arches in Moab and then repelled one at the end of the day. This was certainly a trip of a lifetime for Anders!!

You can see Anders way up on the left in orange. He is a little monkey.

This is the arch the repelled off. The scariest part to me was walking across the narrow top to get to the repell.

Anders is FEARLESS climbing and repelling. He has always been a very cautious kid. He has needed to know the end from the beginning in everything he has done. He does great in the situation because he can see the end from the beginning.

Work Hard/Play Hard

2011-08-05T10:39:00.003-07:00

Work at the ranch is fun when you're doing it with the whole family!!! We cleared trees and deadfall for grandma and grandpa. Finn had an eerie fascination with the bones he found.

Hikes at the Ranch with Dad and Searching for Bullfrogs

2011-08-05T10:10:00.005-07:00

The Salt River has overflowed its banks bringing LOTS of mosquitos. The kids heard frogs in this mess in the meadow and went on a search. Every time they stepped in there, the croaking stopped. Once out and sitting listening, they started up again. Frogs were heard but not found!

Dad has enjoyed hikes at the ranch lately. Well, he's always liked them but now they have become a priority. This weekend the boys went on one and the next day all the kids went while mom cleaned the cabin to leave. They enjoyed building a fire and roasting marshmallows and string cheese. What great memories to have of your dad!!!!

If you're a Mom of Children Who Love to Read

2011-05-13T18:55:00.003-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know about a fabulous website where you can see reviews of children, young adult and even some adult books. My good friend Jennifer started this blog with some friends. It's such a brilliant idea. It's so hard to tell what kind of books to grab for your children at the library or bookstore. Sometimes we just don't have the time to read them first ourselves. I know we've all had an experience where we picked up a book our children were reading and thumbed through it and have been shocked or have had our children come to us with concerns about a book. This takes the guess work out of it!!!!! Please support this wonderful website and pass it along to friends!!!!!!! As a mother I think its invaluable!!!!!!!

www.theliteratemother.org

Having a Hard Time Letting Go!

2011-01-21T18:45:00.005-07:00

My four cousins all had baby girls this past year. What fun!!!! I still haven't seen any of them. My mom and I made a quilt for Courtney's baby, Dylan, a while ago. I loved how it turned out!! It was made with the softest fabric I have ever felt!!! I love to see pictures of her dark hair against that fabric!I think it fit her so well. My mom and I finally finished and shipped off the quilts for my other three cousins and their beautiful baby girls. I have missed seeing those quilts at my house! It sounds silly but I was very attached to those quilts. Luckily they were going to some of my most favorite people! I miss the Lynn family and am sorry to miss all these amazing events. When growing up, we spent all special occasions together. If you haven't noticed before, I have a quilt blog and the link is on the top, right side of this blog. Take a peek! I love how they turned out!!

Check them all out!!

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Please check out all January's posts. I'm so proud of my son's Eagle award but with all the pictures I've posted in the past few days, 3 day old posts are already on page 2!!!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-07T11:17:00.007-07:00

Swimming in grandma's pool

Singing Christmas Eve

Finn fell asleep one night staring at the tree!! Magical!!

Singing Silent Night by the Fire

"Come on mom, we want to go to sleep!!!"

Getting ready to read the 'Night Before Christmas'

Writing a letter to Santa

Bret and I came a couple weeks before Christmas to decorate, wrap and put up a tree. We hopped on the snowmobile at night and headed up the mountain. We climbed up the side of the mountain, cut down this tree and towed it back. It was so much fun and a great memory!!

Christmas morning

Keri's Beautiful Photos

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Hans and Jett

All Giggles

Anders

Even Bret got in on the action with his nephews

Sledding at the Ranch

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Those Faces Say It All!!!

Pre Christmas Festivities

2011-01-07T10:19:00.004-07:00

December is filled with parties and events. Every day there is something exciting to look forward to... starting with decorating!

A fresh cut Ranch tree!!! The boys LOVED the ladder!

The Nebekers invited us to the Polar Express train ride in Lindon. It was so much fun!! We watched a small part of the movie while we waited for our turn. It happened to be the part where the train goes on the wild ride straight down. When our turn was called, Hans didn't want to go because he was afraid of the big drop. It was so fun and so sweet.

Next it was on to the annual neighborhood Santa walk. The 'horseshoe' street in our neighborhood is lit up with luminaries and all the houses are decorated. Hot cocoa, hayride, goodies, Santa and visiting with friends. Great fun and great memories!

Aunt Karyn was here for a few days and didn't get a chance to see the kids. She left a little 'gift' and asked us to go have fun as a family. We decided to get a Cocomotion machine (we have one at the ranch and the kids are addicted to warming up with cocoa), and goodies to make gingerbread houses. We had so much fun and will be enjoying hot cocoa all winter.

What's Christmas without a music program? Finn is all business and follows instructions to perfection. Adorable!

Look at that face looking at Santa

After a HUGE snowstorm, the kids always make forts and have snowball wars. In the background of the picture you can see Tait and our neighbor across the street near their fort.

Part of Anna's Christmas present was to go to the Mac counter and get a makeover. Here are the results-BEAUTIFUL

Because we were at the ranch for Christmas this year, we celebrate early at grandma and grandpa Howard's house. Here's Finn sleeping with his gifts. Hans slept with the box with his gifts in it!!

Anders Eagle Court of Honor

2011-01-05T19:55:00.005-07:00

October 31st Anders was honored with his Eagle Award. What a special night it was for both the Eagle Scout and the parents of the Eagle Scout! His good friend asked if they could have their ceremony together (neither one wanted to be the center of attention). It turned out better than I could have imagined. Friends and leaders past and present participated in the program. We were so fortunate to be able to have so many people who mean so much to our family involved in such a memorable night. After the ceremonies, Anders talked about his project. He was so confident, poised and did a fantastic job. I was so PROUD of him.

Getting ready!

Grandma Howard's magic touch-it was beautiful and delicious!

Friends practicing their part

Buddies

Getting the mom's pin

Anders friend (our friends too)

Anders gave one of his mentor pins to Bret. A very special moment.

New Eagle Scouts

With Grandma and Grandpa Howard

Watching a video Bret made of the boys throughout their scouting experiences. Amazing to see the difference between pictures of them at 12 and pictures of them at 15.

Post Eagle Celebration

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Collector's knives from Grandma and Grandpa Howard and Uncle Brett

Thanking Grandpa after opening his Eagle Scout edition of his Henry Rifle

And Grandma too!

Anders is holding his Henry Rifle (Eagle Scout Edition), his new collector's knives, and hatchet. Everything an Eagle Scout could dream of!!

Mountain Biking With Grandpa

2011-01-05T11:49:00.002-07:00

Anders has a new love-mountain biking.

He saved all spring and summer, working hard for Bret. He bought this great bike and worked hard to get the most for his money. It was interesting to see how different the process was with his OWN money. Grandpa Howard is an avid mountain biker and loved the company. Anders is especially excited now that he received a year pass to Sundance for Christmas. He's been busy snowboarding and can't wait to bike this summer. After spending all his money on his bike this past summer, he didn't have much left over to ride the chair so a season pass will be perfect. I expect he'll be up there often-especially after he gets his LICENSE!

The Back Side of Timp

Grandpa and Anders

Thanksgiving Point Farm

2010-12-29T12:34:00.003-07:00

I have these pictures from my dad of Hans with his Aunt Tracy, Aunt Shannon and cousin Hugh, Grandma and Grandpa Howard at the Thanksgiving Point Farm. It was a beautiful September day. Hans loved being with his cousin. As confident and crazy as Hans is, he was hesitant looking at the animals. What a great memory for him.

Finn's Preschool Field Trip to the Orem Firestation

2010-10-07T15:20:00.006-07:00

Finn had a parent escorted preschool field trip the the Orem Fire Station. The Fire fighters were doing it as a community "get to know us" as well as an emergency awareness day. The boys enjoyed it so much!

I find it especially fitting that Finn is standing next to the Gotta Go waterless toilet they had on display. No further explanation necessary.

In the ambulance

AirMed helicopter

Watching it land was so fun!!!

The fire demonstration. When this fire started it scared the boys to death. The fire was started about 25 feet below where we were standing. It was very loud and very hot!!

Checking out the hose

Popcorn, cotton candy, helicopter, firetrucks, fire, water, free fire hats. What more could a little boy ask for?? Pure Heaven! Mom had a great time too. It always feels nice when I can be patient and just have fun instead of being stressed all the time. I know it made it more fun for Finn and Hans as well!!

A Teenager-Finally

2010-10-07T15:01:00.005-07:00

Well its official, we have another teenager among us. It feels like she's been a teenager for several years already. She is so beautiful. She is so responsible. She is so capable. What a blessing she is a part of our family.

She made her own cake

Her new beach bike

Anna is holding my nephew Hugh. Shani and Hugh were visiting from Georgia. They all loved having him over. Hans stills says, "did Hugh go back to that place on an airplane?" He also still calls him "baby Hugh" which he is not. I can't believe he's done all that growing without us together to experience it firsthand. We miss them.

Eagle Board of Review

2010-10-07T12:39:00.004-07:00

At the end of September, Anders went for his Eagle Board of Review. Those reviewing his application sat and reviewed his paper work, pictures and info on his Eagle project and his recommendation letters. Anders was waiting in a room with other boys. It was a bit nerve wracking! Those making the decisions did not hesitate to make them a little more nervous. One man upon leaving the room dropped a small piece of rope. He picked it up and turned toward the boy he would be meeting with and said, "I hope you remember your knots." All the boys in the room turned white and looked at their parents thinking, "are you kidding me?" It turned out to be a wonderful night. Anders was in his room the longest of all the boys there. This made Bret and I a little anxious. The committee deliberated and then we were all called in for the decision. It was unanimous. It was obvious they were impressed by Anders. They said his project was outstanding and his recommendation letters were as well. I'm so impressed with my son as well. What a proud mother I am. I'm grateful for all the things he learned throughout this process. Bret was told by a mother recently, "we all know it is the mother who is the driving force behind a scout getting his Eagle." I thought how sad that was. Anders absolutely was the FORCE behind his Eagle project. Bret often asked Anders, especially on Sundays, "how's your project going" or "shouldn't you be working on your project" or even, "don't forget you can't get your learner's permit until you finish". The changes in Anders from the beginning of his project to the end were immense. From his organizational skills, to his ability to communicate with adults, to his desire to make high quality puzzles. We've seen a huge improvement in his study skills, responsibility and self motivation in High School this year. Anders admits he feels it is because of what he learned throughout his project. Too bad many mothers have the same attitude as this woman and don't think their sons can get their Eagle without their "help". We are so proud of Anders. Great job!!

Look how short I look, or how tall Anders looks!!

A very, very proud father!!!!

Washington DC

2010-10-07T09:10:00.004-07:00

I got a phone call at the beginning of August from Bret's mom asking if I wanted to go to Washington DC for the Glenn Beck "Return to Honor" rally with her, and Bret's sisters. A girl's weekend in Washinton DC?-How can you say no to that? Bret and I are not ones to travel or get away. The mom guilt is hard to overcome, especially when Bret is the one who really needed the break. He insisted I go. I'm so glad I did!!! Just being on the airplane and reading for a few hours was MAGNIFICENT!! What a treat. But it only got better from there!!

This is our beautiful hotel on Embassy row. Our hotel room wasn't ready when we got there so we were given the Presidential suite. It was huge and beautiful. What fun.

The rally was a non-political event that honored soldiers, honored those who exhibited faith, hope and charity and called for each of us to return to a life of honor, integrity, honesty and a return to a life that honors God. It was incredibly uplifting and I felt a great hope knowing there were so many there cheering and clapping for a return to those things. I was amazed by the stories of love, sacrifice and service that were told.

This is Alveda King, niece of Martin Luther King. Her father was also murdered during the fight for civil rights. She was fantastic. There were many on stage that day that had very different views politically from Glenn Beck but felt it was important to make a statement about a return to devotion to God and the destructiveness of concerning ourselves with answering to man instead of God.

After the rally, thousands stayed to listen to Jo Dee Messina, John Rich and Keni Thomas, all performing patriotic songs.

I was amazed the entire event (for hours before and after) by the kindness, civility, friendliness and most especially by the respect of those attending this event. This photo of the grass is indicative of what the event looked like just minutes after the rally. I could have taken pictures of every square inch from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument (by the way it was packed with people the whole way!) and I never saw one scrap of paper the entire way. As a matter of fact, one of the men sitting next to us stood up and helped the volunteer that came to take the trash from the trash can near us. He came several times throughout the day to do this. It was a very uplifting day!

In front of the White House. I was disappointed in the lack of care that was taken there. Notice the brown grass.

The view of Embassy row from our "Presidential Suite"

The next day at the Lincoln Memorial-POWERFUL!

Haunting!!!-The Korean War Memorial

The Vietnam Memorial

Brunch at the Tabard Inn

Thank you Tam and Neil for an unforgettable weekend!! It was truly a priceless experience!!

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This digital collage personalized with Smilebox

PRESCHOOL BOUND

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Finn's on his way to preschool. He's so excited! I think Hans is excited for him to go too!

Has it Been 3 Years Already?

2010-09-30T18:13:00.002-07:00

2010-09-30T16:41:00.002-07:00

Create a photo album

Pause it so all the pictures load before you start! It might take a minute or two.

Anders 15th Birthday!!

2010-09-28T13:27:00.003-07:00

We were at the ranch for Anders' 15th birthday. We celebrated out on our porch with his favorite lemon cake and chocolate cookies. This same weekend was the Lincoln County Fair. We have been to different events at the fair before but never to the demolition derby. What a FUN night we had!!! Only in small town American can you do this kind of thing. It was a ball. My boys have never sat so still for so long. What boy doesn't love to see cars crashing for fun?

Pioneer Day Campout

2010-09-28T13:00:00.006-07:00

Bret and I had thought about going to Nebraska for his 10 year reunion in July. There were a few people he was interested in seeing but we mostly wanted to have a weekend to ourselves and be able to attend the Winter Quarters LDS temple. As the weekend approached we realized this just wasn't going to happen. Instead we decided to go camping on a very busy Pioneer Weekend in Utah. Going from a quiet weekend together to camping with all the kids was a rather large shift in my mental planning. We made quick preparations and headed to the Uintas to find a spot. Well, needless to say on a very busy weekend, it took 2 1/2 hours to find one once we got there. We ended up away from a lake (the kids really wanted to fish) but in a beautiful out-of-the-way spot. It was a crazy race to set up so we could start dinner. Although things were chaotic (to say the least) it was a memorable night of eating a yummy dinner, visiting, playing charades, laughing, telling stories and snuggling. It is a blessing that 2 months later I really remember the fun and not all of the other VERY challenging aspects of camping. I'm sure it's the same for the kids too.

Setting up Camp

Collecting Firewood

Enjoying (obviously) S'mores

Planning their Charade

Acting out Star Wars

Finding a Lake the Next Day

Can't Leave Them Alone For a Minute!!

2010-09-28T12:43:00.004-07:00

Being summer and all, you'd think it would be great to tell my boys to "GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY!" Well, unfortunately for me, this really isn't the case. They scare me in the front yard. They are a little thoughtless when it comes to the street and our formerly quite little street feels like a thoroughfare these days. So I have to be out there with them in the front yard. We fenced in our backyard so I wouldn't have to worry about the street. Finn, however, has a water fascination. This is what happens every time I leave them alone in the backyard.

A Proud Conservative Mother Moment!!!

2010-08-30T10:34:00.003-07:00

I have to relate an experience with you. Finn (4) and Hans (several days shy of 3) were playing house together. Finn was the dad and he was sitting in the front of the "car" driving. Hans was sitting in the "backseat" and he was the son. Anna and I walked by Hans' room and overheard this exchange.

Finn: (pretending he was driving)

Hans: dad, can I watch a movie?

Finn: No son, I'm listening to Rush

Hans: Okay dad

I love it!!!!

What's Summer Without a Little Baseball (or softball or tee-ball for that matter)

2010-08-04T16:53:00.004-07:00

At one of Bret and Mike's games (Brett played too this night)

Summer and softball/baseball/tee-ball just go hand in hand!!!! Bret, Elli and Anna played softball and Tait played his first year of tee-ball. I only took pictures of Tait. Bret coached Tait's team, I coached Anna's team and we tried to get to Elli's games. Sometimes we had 4 games on tuesdays. It was quite a challenge logistically. That doesn't even count practices. I don't like to think of summer without it though.

Look at that beautiful summer night!!!!

Zions 50 Mile Hike with the Young Men

2010-07-15T13:08:00.011-07:00

This Past month, Bret and Anders went to Zions National Park with the other young men (12-18) and their leaders and some dads. They were gone monday through saturday and had hikes scheduled each day and one day of repelling. Preparation for this "once in a lifetime" opportunity began before the start of the year. There were many, many meetings of leaders (Bret and others), repelling certifications, and get in shape hikes. The result = an amazing week of determination, courage, extending one's perception of what they were able to accomplish and friendship. Anders found a new love-repelling!!! My very thoughtful and cautious Anders felt fearless and exhilarated by the repelling. While others hyperventilated at the top of repels, Anders excitedly stepped up!!! These videos are so fun and I'm excited we have them. Bret too loved the repelling. Bret has spent months running and lifting weights, feeling quite prepared for the trip, but Anders who scoffed at the idea of having to physically prepare was "like a gazelle", Bret said. It's sad when we start to feel our age. Bret laughed at the thought that he would be doing this with the last three boys in his late 40's, early 50's. We had better start preparing now!!!

Pictures are Backwards

This is the Last Day

Thursday's Repel-Birch Hallow

Getting ready for his 1st repel

Looking down from the 1st repel.

YES those are people down there!

The 1st video is from this repel

The Barracks-16 mile day

(pictures are backwards so this is the end of the hike)

Tuesday's Hike-Orderville

They repel down this on thursday.

The 3rd video is of Bret looking back up at this rock during his repel.

The 4th video is of Anders doing the same.

Bret's not nervous in this video, he's in awe of the beauty and the power of the elements in creating these amazing structures. He kept trying to get the boys to look around them or look at particular effects the water and other elements have had on the rock over the years but they didn't seem to appreciate it as much as he did.

The Continuing Eagle Project

2010-06-21T14:00:00.002-07:00

I am so Proud of Anders!!! He has picked a pretty in depth Eagle Project and it is coming along nicely! I am so disappointed I don't have pictures of the bake sale. You would not believe how many cookies and goodies we made!! So to start at the beginning, Anders decided to make wood shape puzzles for a children's developmental center. It requires quite a lot of money to buy the materials so he wanted to have a bake sale. He passed out flyers to 100+ houses and emails to family. He offered 6 options (Reese's peanut butter cup cookies, homemade kit kat bars, coffee cake, sour cream cookies with burnt butter frosting, outrageous brownies and yum yums). 45 orders and many, many hours later, Anders had all the money he needed for his project. Bret and Anders bought supplies and they are now cutting the shapes. After the shapes are cut, scout and friends will get together to sand, paint, glue and spray finish them. It is a pretty in depth and time consuming project, but I'm so proud of how hard he has worked and the skills he has learned. He is communicating with adults better and has learned to better organize and manage his time. He is proud of his work and there has been some time lost as he feels he needs to perfect the puzzles. He wants to give the children a product that is high quality. What a great kid he is!!!! And what a wonderfully supportive father he has!!!

Cold, Windy Fountains in Highland

2010-06-21T13:52:00.002-07:00

Cousin Katie came to hang out with Elli and we took everyone to the relatively new fountains in Highland. True to form this spring/summer, it was windy and cool. They sun peeked out occasionally but everyone loved it. I can't imagine how busy it will be on a non-windy, sunny day. We're going to try it anyway. They had so much fun.

Finn void of any insulation is Cold!!! Trying to warm up for another go!

Family Home Evening Dinner at the Creek

2010-06-21T13:46:00.002-07:00

Yummy salad and fresh fruit, a creek, family, and even live music made for a fun family home evening.

Holiday Weekend at the Ranch

2010-06-21T13:34:00.002-07:00

Clubhouse under the stairs

My Boys!!!

Returning from a work project on the mountain. Check out Finn's helmet that is bigger (and heavier) than he is!

Swimming in grandma's pool

A Memorable Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-21T13:01:00.004-07:00

For Memorial Day this year we were in Star Valley. We had the opportunity to take a drive to the Bear Lake Valley to remember family. We started in the small town of Laketown.

Love this quote from JFK

This recent war memorial has Bret's grandfather's name on it (Kenneth Myers) as well as his brothers. It is a wonderful tribute to all those in this town who have served their country.

Next we went to see Aunt Laura and visit the Laketown cemetery. Grandma brought her pedigree chart with pictures of ancestors. It was wonderful to be able to see faces and read grave markers and get a better understanding of the Myers family. We also were able to recall stories of ancestors and pay tribute to their sacrifices and who they were.

The view of Bear Lake from the cemetery

We then headed north of Bear Lake to visit Grandma Mae and Grandpa Myers. We are standing in front of one of the trees Grandma Mae planted when her husband, Grandpa Myers past away. What a beautiful resting place.

What a memorable day we had thinking of family and paying our respects to those who have come before us. Just as it should be. I know the kids were touched as well.

Girls Late Night

2010-05-25T12:39:00.002-07:00

Anna and Elli were given an opportunity for a "late night" (no sleep-overs at our house!) this past weekend. It made me feel horrible that Anna kept asking, "are you sure its okay mom?" and, "Are you sure it's not too much mom?" I guess that means I'm not getting the mother of the year award this year! I obviously have not hidden the fact that life has been a bit overwhelming lately. Anna and Elli rode their bikes to Wal-Mart and bought (with Anna's own money from babysitting) this cute cooler and the fun glasses (plastic). They set the basement up (sheets covering my couches due to buttery popcorn hands) for an exciting evening. I was amazed at their creativity and they had so much fun with their adorable friends. Although, I think my girls may have been too silly for Anna S (see picture)!

A Friend's Party

2010-05-25T12:18:00.004-07:00

Tait finally had a friends party. In our family, the kids have to take turns each year having a friends party. It helps to only have 3 a year instead of 6! Last year was actually the year he was supposed to have a "friends party" but when we asked who he wanted to invite he kept giving us a list of older boys names. We tried to explain to him that he needed to invite the friends that were his age but he struggled to understand why he couldn't invite all the older boys. So we put off the party until this year. It was a huge success. Tait took some friends to Jump On It! 7 boys jumping on tramps and inflatable toys for an hour. What could be better? They came back to our house (tired!) and had cake and ice cream and opened presents. He had so much fun, I enjoyed those cute boys and I didn't feel like I needed a huge break after. Perfect!

Getting ready to jump all at the same time

Brothers doing what brothers do!!! Wrestling!

My Happy 6 Year Old

2010-05-25T11:58:00.005-07:00

Tait turned 6 and I couldn't be more proud!!! What a special boy he is! We call him our dynamo. He is always happy, wants to do what's right, is an incredibly hard worker and is very athletic. He really makes me happy, especially when I see his charming smile. We got lucky on his birthday-No Rain or Wind! It has been a wet, windy and cold spring so far! (It snowed yesterday. Not a light, pretty, quick spring flurry.) We had a BBQ with Grandma and Grandpa Howard. Tait just wanted hamburgers and hotdogs. He got exactly what he wanted-Mariokart, a slip and slide and money to put in his saving envelope in mom's file cabinet.

Boys will be boys!

Hans does EVERYTHING in excess!

My 20 Year Reunion

2010-05-18T12:43:00.004-07:00

I'm so disappointed that this is the only picture I have of my reunion (thanks to Jax). We attended the family BBQ at my school during the day. It was fun to see my friends and their families. It's one thing to see a picture of people's kids or hear all about them but I enjoyed not only seeing their kids but watching friends interact with them. It's not something you see in high school. They took a great picture of our family at the BBQ that is on my school's alumni website. I need to figure out how to get it. The kids ate, played on the playground, decorated visors and frisbees and played soccer on the softball field that holds all kids of memories for me!!!

Later that night Bret and I went to the dinner at our school. It really is indescribable how beautiful my school is (another thing I wish I took pictures of). We visited and ate where I use to go to math. They have made many changes since we've been there! These are my friends Jackie (JAX) and Brandi. Bret and I sat at a table with people I didn't really hang out with in high school and we had a ball. We had great conversations about our family and all the funny things that go on as parents. I was grateful to have those experiences with Ken and his wife Grace, Michelle, Shabnum and Yen Yen. I also wish I had taken pictures of Bret and I. You can say Bret cleans up nice!!! How proud I was to be there with not only the most handsome man at the reunion but certainly the nicest and most thoughtful. I'm always amazed at how comfortable he is in those situations and how comfortable he makes others despite his desire to be a homebody!! I LOVE him! Wish you could have seen him!! By the way, the question I got quite a bit-"so you have help, right?" I replied "No" each time but upon further thought, I should have said "Yes, my amazing husband and my older kids!" It was such a fun opportunity to show off my love for my family. I think it was more an eye opener for me than for anyone. It's easy to get down on myself for not doing enough or feeling guilty for things I wish I was doing but when it comes down to it, I don't think I'm doing too bad!

DISNEYLAND!!!

2010-05-18T10:50:00.009-07:00

My 20 year reunion (OUCH!) was this year and our family went to California for a quick trip. We took the kids out of school and drove on thursday, caravanning with my mom. The kids loved the extra elbow room (1-2 would drive with my mom at a time). Thursday night after checking into our very cramped room (that supposedly slept 8), we went to dinner. This is always an interesting thing to do in California. We watch people count us as we walk by them. We can see people's eyes getting bigger and bigger as they realize our party of 6 kids is approaching a table right next to theirs. This is one of the things that gives me great anxiety. I don't want to ruin anyone's night out. I love to feel the success of a night out with my family when the people near our table leave with a smile on their face, hopefully out of relief. Of course we gave the kids a huge lecture before we left and they were PERFECT!!!! Anna overheard someone trying to determine if she was ours or our "help". It was a great start to our weekend. I was so proud to be out with my beautiful family. Friday we went to Disneyland. My mom came with us to help with watching younger kids while older ones went on bigger rides. It worked out fantastic. I was able to go on more rides than usual. OUr weekend turned out great EXCEPT when in the hotel rooms. That was a new low for family togetherness. Once we walked out of the hotels, all was good!

Chillin with a couple girls in the jacuzzi

On the tram getting excited

Anxious to get started!!!!

Little Boys on Buzz Light Year while big kids hit Space Mountain

Typical Finn!

Dad trying to talk Hans into going on the teacups. "You'll LOVE it!!"

HUMILITY!! There were a couple rides that humbled Hans immensely!!! Jungle Cruise and Pirates to name a few! He would bow his head and look down and try to ignore everything going on around him. Not a typical sight with Hans.

Think Hans is excited to be near Lightening?

Finn quickly realized this was the shortest ride at Disneyland

Incredibly Unusual!!!! 2 hours of peace of mind!

Very, very handsome boys!

Finn giving Hans a ride after a long day

Although Bret and I vow not to go to a hotel room with our kids for at least the next 5 years, It was a memorable, quick trip. Being with family and making memories is PRICELESS!

Spring Soccer

2010-05-18T10:00:00.003-07:00

Spring soccer is fun and cold!! Tait has been so fun to watch this year. He is not very teachable but instead STUDIES sports. When we try to explain something to him he says. "I know, I know mom!" He watches everything so intently and then is able to apply it. He is so fast and is almost better with his left foot than his right. Wish I had more video of his soccer season. I spend most of my time keeping my eye on mr. crazy (aka Hans). Look at that smile. If that doesn't spell TROUBLE I don't know what does!

Tait's Soccer from Meghan Vargason on Vimeo.

The Most Lovely Woman!!!

2010-05-11T12:31:00.004-07:00

My mother-in-law sent me this and I found it on Bret's cousin's blog as well. I can't imagine a more beautiful woman. I admire her completely. I strive to live as she did. I hope I'm going in the right direction.

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing my neighbor's lawn.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with the children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I've got a long way to go but I'm so glad there are women like this to guide me as I strive to become what I wish to be!

2010-04-30T08:30:00.002-07:00

Well Here's the video of this crazy kid! Turn off the music at the bottom of this page, his voice is hysterical.

Muddy Smile from Meghan Vargason on Vimeo.

Turkey Hunting

2010-04-27T13:29:00.004-07:00

Anders was the only one in the family (including extended family) that drew out a turkey tag. Anders was so excited and he and his dad had so much fun together. They count it as one of their best weekends together, ever!!! After Anders got his turkey, they spent the rest of the day 4-wheeling at the sand dunes. After arriving home that night, Bret and Anders had turkey kabobs. They were a little too "fresh" for mom!! Its so fun to see them so happy together. What a great kid!!!!

STUCK!!!

Turkey Camp

Wyoming Easter

2010-04-27T13:06:00.005-07:00

Easter in Utah is usually cold enough. Not like the California Easters I remember, but Easter in Wyoming is another story entirely! It's always cold, snow on the ground and most times wet and muddy as well. The Bonus? FAMILY!! The kids always have a ball-no matter! (so do we!)

Easter in Wyoming

Eggs From Grandma's Chickens

Feeding Grandma's Chickens (look at that follow through!)

Those poor Chickens were huddled in the corner, scared of Hans "feeding" them

Hans knows where Grandma's gummy bear stash is

organization from a mom of 6!!

Holy Cow! Dying eggs with 5 boys, 5 and under. Talk about stressful!

Pre-EASTER at G&G Howard's

2010-04-27T11:58:00.005-07:00

Look at those beautiful skirts (well not too close! I made them)

Finn had the most eggs. He went for the obvious, easy to get eggs.

Tait, however, went for the challenging, hard to get eggs. He ended up with very few.

We had dinner at grandma and grandpa Howard's the week before Easter. We celebrated Grandpa's birthday as well as had an Easter Egg Hunt. Typical of Utah Easters, it was still brown but the kids had fun. I think uncle Brett and uncle Mike had fun hiding eggs for the kids as well!!!

MUD!!

2010-04-27T11:34:00.004-07:00

Are you kidding me? Look at that face. It says, "I'm adorable, I'm entertaining, I keep mom hoppin' and LOOK OUT- here I come." He is truly a menace but with that smile how can you be mad? Hans had been outside in the typical Utah spring playing on the mounds of snow. YES SNOW! The snow was melting however and the edges of each pile was surrounded by mud. I love this picture and the video is even better!!! I'll try and post the video later!

My Beautiful 9 Year Old

2010-02-11T14:33:00.005-07:00

Elli is 9!

ice cream sandwich cookies in case you were wondering

A new necklace with the most adorable fish charm from grandma

Awesome pouch and journal from Uncle Brett

SCHOOL SUPPLIES for the future TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Ice Fishing With Dad

2010-02-11T14:21:00.004-07:00

How Cute Are These Boys?

Hans was scared of the fish in the tent

BEFORE Hans' leg went in the hole and he got soaked. Fortunately with the heater inside the tent it's a balmy 60+ degrees. It was a LONG day for Bret but worth the excitement in the anticipation and certainly worth those smiles!!

Christmas Break at the Ranch

2010-01-13T16:19:00.008-07:00

Arriving at the ranch after the very well traveled 4 hour drive!!

Is that Pepper? Anders and Anna riding the newly trained Pepper.

This happened several times. Tait loves to curl up with grandpa on the couch.

Hans

Finn

Garrett and Anders

Anna playing with her cousins

Does it look like 8 degrees? Grandma had lots of cocoa ready for very cold grandkids!

I LOVE Tait's smile in this picture!!!!

COUSINS!!

CHRISTMAS DAY

2010-01-06T14:14:00.007-07:00

Santa brought the little boys new trains (I love EBAY!), the girls fabric, Anders a military boardgame and the family Wii

The traditional picture at the top of the stairs that I've taken since I was 5

A new sewing machine from the grandmas!!! You should have heard the screams of delight!

Dad's new tackle box from the kids that is designated for ice fishing

Ghost Squad game for our new family Wii

Elli started sewing immediately

A fishing boat for Hans from grandma and grandpa Howard

Thanks Grandpa!!

Adding to Finn's Batman cave

Christmas Eve

2010-01-05T17:02:00.007-07:00

Okay so these are backwards!

Does Tait look ready for bed? He was so excited and talked to me nonstop until he literally took a breath and was OUT! I couldn't believe it!

Finn can hardly keep his eyes open

Reading the Night Before Christmas

Grandma in her BYU santa hat and aunt Tracy in her U of U santa hat. Grandma had just given all the kids BYU socks.

Mike, Tracy, Nicholas and Tracy's son and daughter-in-law. They were such a fun addition to our Christmas Eve.

The Nativity-our way!

The Program-Tait, Elli, Finn and Hans practiced for hours. Anna was their director.

Drawing with new goodies from uncle Brett

Tait LOVES to draw

What a wonderful Christmas Eve!!!

Christmas Ambiance

2010-01-05T16:45:00.002-07:00

My Little "Man"

2010-01-05T16:33:00.004-07:00

Tait has long wondered when he will become a man. He has expressed interest in having under arm hair. He sleeps at night without a shirt on because he feels that's what men do (although he knows his dad doesn't sleep shirtless). It is important for him to act like the man of the house when he needs to. He loves when dad and Anders are gone for dinner or morning or evening prayer because that means he can call on someone to say the prayer since he is the man of the house when they're gone. One day Tait came downstairs looking like this! He drew sharpie on tape to make his mustache and eyebrows and was very serious about it. It was incredibly difficult to keep a straight face. What a funny kid!!!!

Completely Last Minute!!!

2009-12-23T10:38:00.008-07:00

We actually weren't going to send out Christmas cards this year but after looking forward to the mail coming each day and disappointed in friends that did not send cards this year, I decided I needed to. So, we tried to take our own picture and you know what happens when you're rushed!!! No great pictures!!! My favorite one I must have accidently nudged when I turned on the timer and Anders is cut off. We settled. Hans was making the most adorable faces and I finally was able to snatch a picture of it. I took time to write 2 pages about what's happening with our family (I haven't for several years). I didn't have time, however, to get it copied and in the envelopes. If you have several minutes and have nothing to do, I copied it on here.

Anders is 14 and in the 9th grade. He is a kind, thoughtful teenager who loves wrestling with his brothers, snacking til all hours of the night and watching the military channel. His newly straightened teeth are gleaming behind his handsome smile. Anders is close to getting his Eagle (perhaps having it in writing for all to see will encourage him to make the final push!) Anders and Bret are great buddies. They enjoy hanging out together as well as working hard together. Bret coached his football team for the last time this year. Although I’ll be grateful to have Bret back at the end of the summer and through fall, I know they will miss that oportunity to be together. Anders went on Trek this year (a 3 day pioneer experience with the youth at church). He was barely old enough to go and surprised his Trek family with his hard work, respect for others and general lack of laziness and selfcenteredness so often found with boys his age. We were so proud to hear he was up early asking what he could do to help and saw him help his Trek sisters when in need. We are so grateful for the respectful, outward looking young man he is turning out to be!

Anna is 12 and in the 6th grade. She is incredibly responsible and capable of pretty much anything. Sometimes it is difficult to remember she is only 12 and not ask, “could you please help me with...” all the time. She has a new love of fabric and sewing as does her mom and sister. She has gone into Young Womens at church, learning and enjoying activities with the other girls who are ages 12-18. She loves her leaders and the wonderful girls she spends time with at church. She has fabulous friends who help cultivate her creative and imaginative mind. What a lucky girl. She is wearing mascara and wanting to “hang out” with friends. We are on the threshold of teenage battles. She’s growing up.

Elli is 8 and in the 3rd grade. It was a special year for Elli. She was baptized by her dad this year a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She is a happy, independant, strong-willed girl whose smile is absolutely beautiful. She loves going to school and “playing” school. She spends every spare minute teaching her brothers, friends, cousins, dolls, stuffed animals, etc. Her little brothers have profited from this love of teaching. They are learning things that mom is unable to find time to teach.

Tait is 5 and in kindergarten. His first day of kindergarten was fun to observe. He was so confident. Another parent said his son looked like he was going to be sick but that Tait looked rarin to go! Tait is a dynamo, a child of incredible intensity. He loves life and loves his family. His happiness is infectious and when he is sad or frustrated, he is equally infectious. He is constantly peppering mom with questions that are much too thoughtful for a 5 year old boy. When he is not asking questions he is drawing pictures for friends and family. He gets so much joy out of making things for people. It is like he is giving a piece of his heart each time he hands a picture to you.

Finn is 4 and a little sweetheart. I can’t help but think of the line in the movie Napoleon Dynamite when Uncle Rico says, “he’s a tender little guy”. He is quiet and thoughtful. He analyzes every situation from a spectator point of view. He has a shy smile and a sweet laugh. He has learned to read with his two neighborhood friends and is so proud of himself. He loves to fish with dad and his brothers. He begs to go to the ranch and see grandma and grandpa and ride 4-wheelers. He loves to snuggle with mom and play with his trains.

Hans is 2 and FUN. He went through some crazy 2-year old crankiness for a short while but seems to have come through it with flying colors. Like Tait, he is a ball of energy. He rarely stops smiling. He will stand up to anyone and has very little fear. He loves to read books, play trains and cars and has an active imagination. He loves elephants and most other animals. He is incredbily observant and keeps everyone on their toes. I can’t imagine life without his wide-eyed, fun outlook on life.

Bret as a custom home builder has not been as busy as he would like to be. We are hoping 2010 allows for more opportunities. Bret is busy as the 12-13 year old advisor for the boys at church. They love him. How could they not? His 45-boy football team loved him as well. He has a wonderful way of showing love and concern for the boys, allows them to feel comfortable with him while also expecting respect and rule-following from them. I love watching boys from church or past teams come up to him and greet him with smile of friendship and admiration. I appreciate that he is the type of man those boys can look up to.

Meghan-I am busy with a crazy household. Time is spent just keeping things together. I have found a new love of fabric and sewing quilts that has provided a fun diversion. Bret has been supportive in this new hobby knowing how happy it makes me. I also love to read, spend time at my bookclub and going on dates with Bret.

Through a challenging couple of years, our family has been blessed with many opportunites to learn and grow. We are especially grateful for family, friendships, faith and freedom. We feel that lessons learned in the last two years will make our family stronger, happier and better able to serve others and enjoy the blessing that our Heavenly Father has so graciously given us. At this time of year, we think of our loving Savior and His humble birth. We pray that we can all feel the love of our Savior this time of year and know with certainty that He loves us and will comfort us and allow us to become more than we can ever imagine.

Merry Christmas,

Bret and Meghan

Preparing For Christmas

2009-12-23T10:26:00.005-07:00

We LOVE our living room at Christmas time!!! With the high ceilings, windows and wood burning fireplace it is so magical. We enjoy nightly fires that start at dinner time. We then cuddle on the chairs and read a Christmas story and listen to Christmas music. I hope the kids feel it is as memorable as I do. I do tend to get a bit, shall we say, moody while making Christmas preparations. It always seems more than a bit stressful. Hopefully these "living room" experiences help to erase some of the memories of mom's stress.

I can't help but think of Buddy the Elf saying, "you are very good at decorating that tree!" when I see Tait on the ladder decorating.

The Greatest Neighborhood in the World!!!

2009-12-23T10:06:00.004-07:00

The first Monday in December is always our annual neighborhood Santa Walk. Lou Halls, her family and immediate neighbors host the rest of the neighborhood in meeting Santa, drinking hot cocoa and eating goodies, riding in a hayride and visiting with the greatest people you could possibly be privileged to live near. The streets are lined with luminaries and Christmas music plays.

Bergen, Anna and Brooke

Elli, Andelin and Adi

Daxton and Finn

Shannon and Hugh with Santa

The Boys and Santa

It was so much fun to watch our kids gravitate to their friends and hang out with them all night. Anders plays football every year. They turn a car's headlights onto one of the yards. There are probably 20 boys playing football by headlight. I feel so blessed to live in a neighborhood like this. All of our kids have wonderful groups of friends. Our friends and neighbors are people we love and trust and appreciate are such great examples to our children. It's like a Norman Rockwell painting!

HI HUGH!!!

2009-12-23T09:56:00.003-07:00

Its hard to believe that we've never met my nephew HUGH!! He was born at the end of June in Atlanta and Shannon and Hugh came to Utah for a visit for a week. Ogg couldn't come and we were so disappointed, especially Tait! We went to the airport to surprise them. It was so fun to met him.

What a handsome little guy!!

While driving to the airport, Tait, Finn and Hans about jumped out of their seats watching the airplanes land. I guess we're going to have to head to the airport for Family Home Evening soon!!! Shan and Hugh stayed for a week. It was way too short!

BYU-Utah Game

2009-12-23T09:34:00.005-07:00

This Years BYU/Utah game we were at the ranch enjoying grandma and grandpa's HD bigscreen. We watched with our Utah fan brother-in-law and the kids wanted to do something 'special' for the game. We went to the local Ace hardware and got pens and paint and decorated the boys tummies with BYU. Tait and Finn had to strong arm Anders to do it. Not because he's not a big fan but because he's a little modest. We told the boys to wait and reveal themselves following the first touchdown. They had to wait longer than we wanted but they were excited to surprise everyone. You can see Hans didn't want to be left out!! Go BYU!!!!

Fell Asleep Praying?

2009-12-23T09:29:00.003-07:00

Hans doing so great at going to sleep in his big boy bed. I've always dreaded this stage but we have gotten to the point where we go through our routine, close the door and he either falls asleep or plays for a while at naptime. Night time is even smoother. We went to check on him one afternoon during naptime and this is what we found. What a sweetheart!

QUILTING!!

2009-11-23T12:27:00.004-07:00

Okay, so I think you can officially say that I'm obsessed with fabric. I quilt because I love fabric. This is a direct result of my very good friends' influence (thanks Jill and Carolynn-I mean it). I am having so much fun. I just had my first 2 quilted and bound (the 2 on the bottom)! I have 4 quilt tops ready to be quilted and 3 quilts ready to start. My cute girls have asked for fabric for Christmas. They are loving it too!!! I'm grateful my sweet husband is understanding of my new obsession and loves how happy it makes me. He has enjoyed snuggling under my 2 new quilts in front of the fire or TV. Too fun! Stay tuned for more sharing.

Finn's Birthday

2009-11-23T12:11:00.002-07:00

My sweet, quirky Finn has turned 4 at the beginning of this month. He is a complete delight. He smiles shyly a lot. He is an independent player and loves to snuggle with me. He started reading a month or two before he turned four. He begs to read with me every night. He looks so much like my dad it absolutely cracks me up! What a sweetheart. He had a fun birthday. More Geotrax, a batman cave-what more could a four year old want? He had an Ironman cake. He sat on the counter the day of his party so he could just stare at his cake. I made him lunch and asked him to sit at the table. He refused and ate lunch on the counter to continue looking at his Ironman cake. Funny thing though, when it came to eating it, he didn't want to have any. He picked his piece and then stared at it and said he was done. That happened the next day as well. Like I said, QUIRKY! What a fun aspect of our family! Poor thing is sandwiched in between 2 intense, aggressive, crazy brothers. Happy Birthday Finn!!! We love you!

Carving Pumkins

2009-11-04T14:02:00.002-07:00

Halloween

2009-11-04T13:46:00.003-07:00

Halloween was a lot of fun this year. Carving pumpkins night is usually chaotic and dramatic but it seemed to go pretty smoothly. It's always nice when everyone is happy with the outcome! Halloween night was not too cold or windy (like the previous days) and turned out to be tons of fun this year. Anders went to a neighborhood Halloween party where he had a "teenage" good time. He started out trick-or-treating with his little brothers which was so kind of him. Anna was a fairy with her adorable neighbor friends who were also fairies and her very good friend who was a BYU fan. Elli was a fairy like witch. She trick-or-treated with the big girls this year and her good friend and her cousin Katie. Bret and Anders took the little boys. Tait was a football player, Finn was a knight and Hans was a cowboy. Hans had no interest in holding his treat bag and leaving the house. We tried to convince him he'd have fun. Finally I went through the whole scenerio, "Take your bag to the door, say trick-or-treat, open your bag, they'll put candy in your bag and then you can knock on another door." He grabbed his bag out of my hands and walked out the door saying,"let's go!" His attitude was, "well why didn't you say that in the first place." His two cousins, Ben the cow and Jett the other cowboy came later to trick-or-treat with us. Grandma and Grandpa Howard were there along with the cow and cowboy's parents (Keri, Jess, Mikan and Zach). After a fun night, Bret and I hustled off to our indoor soccer game. Yes, laugh all you want. We're feeling what you're thinking-aren't you a bit old for that? We won, however. And we played a bunch of young bucks (college students). It was an eventful and highly successful Halloween!

2009-11-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Watching Bret's Cousin at One of His Training Jumps

2009-11-04T13:34:00.002-07:00

Last weekend as a busy one! Finn, Tait and Elli had a primary program practice, Anna had a volleyball game, Bret and Anders had an end of the season football party, Bret and Anders went to the BYU/TCU game (sad). But earlier in the day, Bret, Anders and Hans went to watch Bret's cousin in one of his training jumps. They had an absolute ball. What a thrill it was for Bret and Anders (my military obsessed son) and Hans to watch those helicopters and those jumps so closely!! These pictures are just some of the incredible pictures they took that day! They hope to take Finn and Tait next time. They were at their practice.

Who is This Crazy Kid?

2009-11-04T13:16:00.002-07:00

Hans is absolutely a nut! He has so much spunk and in all honesty, he scares me a little bit! He will take on anyone, he growls at anything and doesn't hesitate throwing something or hitting someone to get his point across. It is especially intimidating because he has this incredibly low voice for a 2 year old. He has put many siblings in tears as a result of his aggressiveness. Here he has found some sprinkles we were using for Halloween sugar cookies and has spread them all over the table. He licks his hands and picks up sprinkles and then licks some more to eat them. He has just graduated to a toddler bed (tears). He was at first putting the side of his crib down by sitting down and pushing his back against the one bars and pushing on the bars on the opposite side with his feet. He could then lower the rail down. That wasn't all that dangerous and since he never did it at night it was not an issue. He progressed to just flipping over the side while the rail was up. The first few times it was obvious he had hopped out. He then became very graceful and he would sneak downstairs without us knowing. He is now in a toddler bed. I tried to put a safety handle on the door but he has figured out how to rip it off. I then put duct tape around the safety handle thinking he wouldn't be able to get the end of the tape off, but no that didn't work either. For now, naps are gone and I want to cry! I love my little Hans but to have just an hour and a half to not have to worry about what he's into was priceless!!!

Tait's Starting to Love the Horses

2009-11-04T10:15:00.004-07:00

Tait is getting more comfortable with the horses. The little boys brush them and feed them. Unfortunately Finn and Hans appear to be allergic to them. Perhaps their allergies are just aggravated by their new winter coats. It was a beautiful weekend. Not only did we have fun working together, we watched movies, football games, ate yummy food and just plain relaxed and enjoyed each other.

A Working Weekend With My Parents in Wyoming

2009-11-04T09:52:00.003-07:00

Well, it's fall and that means going to the ranch to get some wood for the winter! It always starts with grumbles but ends after having tons of fun working together. I was so impressed with everyone this year. We know that Tait is always a start to finish worker. Finn and Hans were surprisingly focused and Elli and Anna were great as well. Dad and Anders manned the splitter. They have a connection where they really don't have to speak. They know what each other's going to do! After we got home, we unloaded the truck in a huge, evening windstorm. It was certainly memorable! When we were finished splitting and loading the wood, we watched all 6 of our kids enjoy some fun games with no fighting! They played forever together, laughing and being KIND. It was such a fun moment and one I'll remember for a long time!

2009-11-04T09:41:00.001-07:00

Anna's 12th Birthday

2009-11-04T09:33:00.002-07:00

Well she's finally 12. It feels like she is already at least 12. This was a big birthday for her. In church, she now attends Young Womens along with the other 12-18 year olds as opposed to being in Primary with the 8-12 year olds. She is thoroughly enjoying Young Womens. Weekly activities have been especially fun. She is making new friends and can't wait for her other friends to graduate from Primary and join her. She is a wonderful, responsible and capable young lady. Now starts the social and make-up battles that have been brewing!

Father and Sons Camping in Heber

2009-09-14T14:40:00.003-07:00

This past weekend, Bret, Anders, Tait and Finn headed to Heber for a yearly father and sons camping trip with other fathers and sons from our local church/neighborhood. We decided Hans needed to wait until next year. Bret would not have been able to have fun with the big boys due to the constant attention to Hans. The highlight of the trip was Finn's ginormous fish he caught with his new fishing pole. He was in heaven. Finn loves to fish and asks to go often. The last time the boys went fishing, he caught the 1st fish (typical) and then sat back and enjoyed watching everyone else. He was completely content to catch 1. Well, the one he caught this weekend was a lunker. Check out his smiles in each picture. I think my favorite was the one of all three boys in front of Bret's truck. It makes me smile just thinking about it! I asked Tait if he caught any with his new fishing pole. He said the fish only liked Finn's pole. He had an enormous fish on 2 times but lost it both times. I love that even though Tait and Anders didn't catch anything, they still had so much fun and loved that Finn had such great success. What amazing boys! I just realized that is appears to be very apropos that we named Finn what we did!

Labor Day at the Ranch

2009-09-14T13:29:00.003-07:00

Labor day weekend was spent at the Ranch. What a beautiful weekend it was. Poor Hans hit his nose and mouth on our wood stairs and looked so unfamiliar to us. Poor thing! He also was incredibly mellow for a couple hours. Although it was more calm and peaceful than the usual overactive, opinionated little boy, we couldn't help but miss that crazy little thing! We also had a chance to go boating at Palisades Reservoir thanks to Jess and Keri. What fun. The only problem was it increased our desire to be a boating family!!!!

Enjoying Palisades Over Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-14T13:17:00.003-07:00

2009-09-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

It's Football Season!!!!

2009-09-14T12:49:00.004-07:00

It's here-football season. The sounds of Al Michaels or John Madden gives me goosebumps! Here are my two favorite football players and our future football star. Anders is playing on the 9th grade B team. It will probably be Bret's last year of coaching Anders. Anders has improved so much this year. Even though he still hasn't started growing in comparison to most kids his age, he has found a whole new confidence that has helped him so much. He focuses on technique to help until his size catches up. Their team is HUGE! There are 48 boys on their team. It is truly a tribute to Bret and coach Goold. Those boys LOVE them and the parents love the lessons their sons learn beyond football. That is why there are so many boys on one team. There was supposed to be 2 teams but there were so many boys and parents that have had such great experiences with Bret and Coach Goold in the past, they had a hard time imagining playing for anyone else. I'm proud of Bret and the person that he is. He wants those boys to not only learn how to play football, but to have a fun experience before things get too competitive and they also are incredible examples of good sportsmanship. I hope this helps everyone look past the fact that this year hasn't been as successful as all the previous years. Playing 48 boys each game is a challenge. They do a great job.

College football has certainly been exciting this year!! How bout them Cougars!!!! Go BYU!