First Day of School

I can't believe we have already started another school year, what is even harder to believe is that Sky started FIRST grade this year. He was so excited to start school to see all his friends and I was a mess. Every time we talked about it my eyes would fog up from the tears and I would have to change the subject. I am such a baby when it come to this stuff. LOL Well the day was finally here and I took some adorable pictures of Sky, (but of coarse my computer STILL wont upload anything, so I will post them later.) I think I was more nervous than he was it is a long day to be aways from him and I had all the other worries, ex: would he remember his lunch box at lunch time, would he find his class after recess, could he undo his belt to go potty, ect... So as we walked into his class I prepared my self for him to get a little nervous and want me to hang out for a minute ha ha. He looked for his desk and when he found it he said okay bye mom, umm excuse me!!!! Don't you need me to show you where to put your bag or anything like that? "NOPE oh and Mom don't kiss me because your lip gloss will get on me" Not sure if that is why I started crying or if it was because he was so big and in first grade, but needless to say I BAWLED like a baby. That was one of the longest days in history, I kept looking at the Clock and I was so ready for him to be home around 1:30 but still had 2 more hours!!He did great he LOVES school and the fact that he has 3 recesses! One day he came home and I always ask him how lunch was and he often has an excuse for me why he couldn't eat all his lunch, well on this particular day it was because he was going to miss recess. When I opened his lunch box EVERYTHING was still in it, well everything except his dessert! I couldn't help but laugh then we had to have a talk about what he needs to eat first and then if he has no time to leave the rest for home! LOL I love that kid so much he makes my life so interesting and fun!!! :)

Abbie a few weeks later started preschool, she was so excited she could hardly stand it! She was very mad when Skyler started school and she had to wait 2 more weeks. When we went to orientation she was jumping out of her skin with excitment UNTIL we got there then she was her normal painfully shy self and I had to pry her off me. I am horrible but, I love that she loves me so much Sky has always been so independent it is nice to be needed. :) On her first day she was singing all morning and wanted to go school at 7am. I take Levi too since I watch him everyday anyways. So I took hem on their first day and I got Abbie out of the car and when I turned to get Levi out and turned back around she was gone! Oh NO not again, another little independent stinker. I made her come back and at least give me a hug bye. Levi had to give me one too. I have been watching him since he was 10 months old and so it kinda felt like I was dropping two of my own kids off, which of coarse made the tears flow even more. My planes where to go grocery shopping with Jace while the kids where at school, wow to only have one kid for a few hours was so weird for me I am so used to having a house full. The whole drive to Winco I was uncontrollably bawling my eyes out. Jace kept asking "wheres Levi and Abbie" which made me cry harder then he would ask " Erin do you have a owie" Ha Ha Ha it helped lighten my mood a little. When we go to the store I had to take a few minutes to get my self together. I am such a nerd and I don't know why it is so hard for me to have them go to school. Every child does it and I see other moms just drop them off and not even go in with out any problems why the crap am I such a boob about it!?!?
The time went by fast and before I knew it , it was time to pick them up and they LOVED it. They talked about it the rest of the day and couldn't wait to go back! It is so crazy to me to think my baby is in school and I have no more kids to send (of my own) I wish I could stop time or at least slow it down. My kids have grown way to fast and just keep growing!
**Pictures to come

Summer catch up!

We have been having way to much fun this summer that I have not posted hardly at all. We spent a lot of time at Lagoon once again this summer we got season passes and definitely got our moneys worth. I had Kylie and Destiny every other week for a week this summer so they got passes too, which made it so fun because they are big enough to ride the big rides. We got Sky on a few of them and he thought it was so cool! We spent a few days at Lagoonabeach too which was way fun the kids had a blast! We just absolutely love Lagoon!

At the end of the summer we decided to go to Lava Hot springs, we had so much fun that we stayed an extra night so we where there for 3 nights. We went tubbing down the river (totally not my thing) I only went once and Nate took Sky a few times, one time there tube flipped and Sky started to float down the river as a paranoid mom I freaked out and I am sure all the people around us thought I was crazy. They got back on their tube and finished their run, Sky would not stop talking about how awesome it was when they flipped! LOL We enjoyed the pool all day one day and the kids LOVED the water slides. The hot pools where my favorite it is fun to see how long you can stand in the hottest pool. :) It was for sure one of the funnest things we did this summer! The best part was just spending a little time alone with just our family, that is o

We also went to Yellowstone with Nate's family, it was an adventure to say the least. Nate's dad is on 24 hour oxygen so we packed 18 oxygen tanks up. His sister is pregnant and extremely tired so most of the hiking and things like that where out of the question. It rained the whole day on Saturday so we didn't see any animals and there really wasn't much to do. All in all it was a pretty good little vacation.
We had another awesome summer and I am so sad that it is over, I love having the long days to spend with my kids. I will post pics of all this as soon as I get to a computer that works! :)

My Favorite Holliday!!!

I absolutely LOVE the 4th of July!!! It is for sure my all time favorite Holiday. I love the time of year, I love the parades, I love the great food , I love the time spent with friends and family and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fire works! I added a new thing to my love list this year I joined in the fun in running the Freedom 5k. It was an amazing experience and I am so happy I did it and look forward to doing it again! This was a hug accomplishment for me but I set the goal a few months ago and I am so excited to say I accomplished it! There where a few times during the race that my emotions got the best of me and I had to hold back my tears I feel so good that I have came so far if you would have told me 4 months ago that I was going to run a 5k I would have laughed in your face! My sweet husband and kids where at every mile marker to cheer me on and it meant more to me than they will ever know. I set a goal of running the entire time without stopping and finishing in 45 min I know that doesn't seem like alot but it really was for me. After the first mile was all up hill I kept thinking there was no way I am going to be able to do this, when I finished in second to last place I had a really hard time being proud of my self I felt like I had failed and that I looked like a fool for even running, then Nate said "you beat your time" and I looked at him thinking he was being sarcastic and said "you aren't funny Nate" then he showed me that I really did, I finished in 42 min. I began to feel proud of my accomplishment. It was a great way start to an AMAZING 4th!
Clearfield Fireworks are honestly the BEST!!! When we lived in Salt Lake I thought Sugar House was good but they have nothing compared to Clearfield!! If you have never seen them you really should I promise you wont regret it! Abbie is not a fan of fireworks and every year I think she is going to like them and every year she curls up in my lap covers her face asks me to plug her ears and she goes to sleep WHAT how can you sleep through that!?!? She cracks me up! :) Sky likes to lay back and enjoy them! I wish I took more pics of all the fun activity's but I only took a few. I will post them when I get a computer that will upload them :)
On Sun. we had our own little firework show we had some neighbors over and Nate lite a few little fireworks I just love spending time with fabulous friends I honestly think I have the most amazing friends.
The fun wasn't over yet. On Monday Nates sister had bought tickets to the Bees game for their dad, brother, and Nate and no one could go so our family got the tickets. It was so fun we had animal balloons and yummy snacks and another great firework show. We went out on the field for the fireworks and that made it ever funner.
I know that the 4th isn't just about fireworks, friends, and food. It is also about our freedom and the people who have fought so hard for it! I do want to give a shout out to anyone who ever has or still is serving our country and thank them for their sacrifice I am happy we are able to celebrate our freedom in such a fun way! Hope everyone had a great 4th of July! :)

6 years ago my life changed forever!

Six years ago on May 29, 2004 I became a mother for the first time. I knew that being a mom would be rewarding and great, but I had no idea what I was in store for! From that day forward my life changed forever. I remember laying in the hospital bed with excitement that my baby boy would be here soon and as I made my last push and they layed him in my arms I remember putting my head back and thanking the Lord for sending him to me while tears streamed down my face! That day was when I understood unconditional love for the first time, I felt so much love and emotion it was so overwhelming. As I sit here and think about that day I can't believe that baby boy is now 6!! I am so blessed to have such an amazing little boy and I am so honored to be his mother.

For Sky's big day this year we decided to do a low key birthday party with just a few friends. For those of you who know us you know this isn't like us we LOVE to throw BIG parties, with lots of friends and tons of fun. This year changed because Sky really wanted season passes to Lagoon again this summer and normally we would be fine with that and get the passes and he would have a big party, but with money tight this year we had to have him choose which one he wanted more and of coarse him being my child choose the Lagoon passes! :) So on Sat. he had a few friend and his cousins over for pizza, cupcakes and a pinata. They seemed to have lots of fun and I have to admit it was so nice to have a small party and have my house still be in one piece when it was over :) After the party we packed up and headed to Lagoon to get our passes! This summer I am going to have my sisters girls every other week to help her out with daycare cost when she asked me I said "I only had one stipulation" and she knew exaclty what I was gonna say. "you have to get the girls season passes this year!" She agreed so they came with us on Sat to get theirs too. We stayed and played for a while and it just reminded me why they are such a great idea to have. We don't have to be at Lagoon for 10 hours to feel like we got our moneys worth and if you go twice it totally pays for it self, we have already been twice so I guess the rest of the year is free :) LOL All in all I think he had a fabulous birthday! I love you Sky please stop growing I want you to be my little boy forever! :)

Planter boxes and T-ball

This year for mothers day I really wanted a tomato plant. If you know Nate you know he doesn't do anything small and simple he always goes above and beyond! He came home that weekend with a bunch of wood and I new right away what he was up too! He made me these BEAUTIFUL planter boxes and I absolutly LOVE them. I am so excited to have a garden this will be my first REAL garden. I have it all planned out what I want to plant and can't wait to make fresh salsa with my veggies! Some of our neighbors were over and saw Nates amazing work and asked if he would help them make some. Nate is so talented and doesn't beleive he is I am always telling him he could make things and sell them for those of you who don't know he made our crib for our kids and Abbies dresser and they are honestly amazing! He also made a crib for my sisters baby that is beautiful! He draws too we have some of his work in our house he drew me a picture of Christ that hangs in our family room and pictures of our kids. I wish he could see his talent and love it as much as I do!

So on to my next topic. Sky started Tball again and is having so much fun. He has improved so much from last year. I haven't seen him dancing in the feild and he hasn't picked any dandy lions like last year! LOL He is on the Angels team and has some of the same team mates as he did last year. It is so fun to go watch him play twice a week and to see him improve his skills! I love my little baseball player he is so dang cute! :)

CANCUN!!!!!

WARNING LONG POST AND TONS OF PICTURES!!!! MMMMMM yummy margarita!!!!

Nate bought me this rose on our last night!

This is us so sad to leave on the plane! Room service!!!!

loving the beach!!!

LOVE HIM!!

My braided hair! LOL

Almost every store you would go into had FREE shots of tiquila!

Bike riding in Xel Ha! SOOO Fun!

The veiw from our hotel

Our resort!

BEAUTIFUL!!!! It was AMAZING we had so much fun. We left for Cancun on Friday April 23 and we got there around 7 pm and spent the night just wondering around our resort then ended the night with some yummy room service. :) The nest day was our anniversary and we just relaxed by the pool and went to the beach, Nate LOVED the beach he wanted to stay in the ocean all day. LOL I loved watching enjoy the little things in life that I have taken for granted, He had never been out of the country and had never experienced most of the thing that we did while we where there. We went to a resort called Xel Ha it is a resort to go snorkeling, cave tubing, cliff diving,biking, and much more we went there for a day and spent 9 hours there it was so fun we got to just relax in the hammocks and went on a bike ride in the tropical forest, it was Nates first time snorkeling and it was an event to remember! He couldn't figure it out and kept coming up with a mouth full of water I was laughing so hard LOL when he finally got the hang of it he was in heaven I couldn't get him to come out of the water! I get motion sick VERY easy and just from the little waves while snorkeling I kept getting nauseous so I had to get out a few times, but he stayed and had a blast! we spent allot of time shopping at the Flea market which is my favorite Nate wast to fond of the flea market :) He didn't like the whole bartering thing LOL I got my hair braided at the flea market there was prob. 100 braids in it and took 30 min to do, when I took them out it took WAY longer. Hahahaaa We also spent a ton of time just sitting in the sun and enjoying the beautiful scenery, we loved getting our margaritas and daquaries (virgin) and sitting by the pool. It was a vacation we will never forget and want to do over again and again! We came home on Wednesday the 28th and were so sad to leave Cancun although we were very excited to get home to our kids. I am so happy we were able to have the amazing opportunity to go and I am also to happy that we celebrated our 7 year anniversary while we where there. It has been a crazy 7 years and I wouldn't want to spend them with anyone else but Nate. He is the most caring genuine people and I am so blessed to have him in my life !

Happy Easter

I have to start this post with a darling story about Skyler. Last Monday we had a family home evening about Christ Resurrection in honor of Easter. Sky really got into it and understood what we where teaching him. I was so happy because I thought it was a little to serious of a lesson for them. So a few days later I could hear him singing in the shower. (which is an often occurrence that I just love) but this time I didn't recognize the song so I went in to listen and this is what he was saying! "Easter's not about candy, Easter's not about eggs, Easter's not about the Easter bunny, Easter's all about Jesus, Jesus!!!" My heart was melting! I asked him where he learned that song and he said "mom it's not a song it a story that I made up" (also something that happens often in our house) At that moment I knew he understood out F.H.E lesson's and that even if they act like they aren't listening and goofing off they really do take something away from it and it is so worth it!!!

We had fabulous Easter weekend, with lots of egg hunts and way to much candy!
We went to Clearfield annual Easter egg hunt at the park where there are literally thousands of people. We did this hunt 2 years ago and it wasn't very fun because my kids where so little that they got stomped on and they ended up with 1 egg each, so this year I had no intentions to go but Sky talked me into it and I am actually happy we went. We saw a few of our neighbors and hung out with them and my kids where big enough to understand that they had to RUN to get any eggs so they ended up with a few and all in all had fun!
On the way home we stopped at Walmart to get a few things and when we got there they where having a Easter egg hunt so my kids insisted to join in the fun LOL So after 2 fun hunts, We went home to get ready for Nates family to come over and had a hunt with them. My kids are the only kids on Nates side but they thought that was even better because they didn't have to fight for their lives in order to get eggs LOL :) It was a very special hunt because after the kids found all there eggs we hid one more for Nates mom to find and in side was a baby onsie. She was so surprised she looked at me and thought it was from me, BUT it wasn't it was from Nates sister Jo Dawn. We are all so excited for her to have her first sweet baby it will be great to have more kids in the family!
On Easter my kids woke up at like 4 am and there was no way I was getting up that early for Easter, so we sent them back to bed and they came in every hour after that so at 7 I finally said o.k! I really think they were more excited for Easter than they where for Christmas. They both got bubbles, jump rope, and a hula hoops. later that day we went to my sister Tracy's house. Every year we all go over there and there is ALOT of us all of her husbands kids, his grandkids, her kids and my other sister and mom and us! They are so sweet they also get all the kids a Easter basket full of goodies. Then they do the BIGGEST egg hunt that is so fun! They do one for the kids and put money and candy in the eggs and my kids made out VERY well! LOL Then they do one for the adults yes you heard me right the adults, It is so fun to act like a kid and run around looking for eggs. They hide over 100 eggs and fill them with over $500 so needless to say we all leave there better off than we were when we arrived! I am so grateful for family and for Holidays that we can all get together and enjoy each others company! I am grateful for Christ and his sacrafice he made for me and for his resurrection so we can ALL live again!

Wiggly teeth!

In September I took Sky and Abbie to the dentist and when Dr. Reinemer was "counting" Sky's teeth he told us that his bottom incisors where wiggly. As most of you can imagine me being a dental assistant I was SOOOO excited to get those things out. One of my favorite procedures to do when I was working was extractions!! :) He also said his top ones where starting to wiggle a little. So as time went on I kept telling Skyler to wiggle his teeth so they would get looser and I would work on them a few nights a week, but they were taking FOREVER to loosen up! about two weeks ago they really started to move and I decided to try to pull them, He really wanted me to because he wanted a visit from the tooth fairy. LOL It didn't go to well though he was so nervous and would tighten up every time I got in there so we waited a few more days and tried again and still nothing. Well one day Nate said lets do it like the people on "The funny show" (America's finniest home video's) a totally family favorite we watch it ever week!! Sky thought that was a great idea so we got some kite string and tied it to his tooth and the other end to the front door I was laughing the whole time I really didn't think it would work. the first try failed BUT the second try was success! We heard his tooth hit the door when it came flying out. I grabed Sky and looked at him and almost started to cry because he looked so big and mature with his little gap in his mouth :) Now I have to admit I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to pull it but this really was way more fun! He said it didn't even hurt and wanted to see his tooth. We went to get it on the string and it was GONE! ahhh oh no where the crap could that little tiny tooth be! We searched high and low and finally Nate started looking in the jackets hanging on our hooks next to the door and when he shook one we heard something drop and low and behold there is was his tiny tooth! :) He had to call all his grandparents and tell them and then he put it under his pillow he kept asking questions like " how does the tooth fairy know to come, what does she do with the teeth, ect." Well the sweet tooth fairy did come that night she left 2 whole dollars ( which is ridiculous I remember getting 50 cents haha) At about 4 am I heard Sky next to my bed " mom mom guess what she came she brought me 2 one dollars" I couldn't help but giggle and then tell him to go back to bed. When he woke up he came back in that morning and said "come see mom" I went in and he had placed the money back under his pillow and slept with it there all night. It cracks me up how excited he was. I love him so much he makes us smile everyday with his quirky attitude and funny jokes! I think he is sick of me asking him to smile to show me but he will just have to get over that because I am not going to stop I love it way to much!!! I wish I could post pictures but my computer is broken and wont upload anything so when I get a new one or I am somewhere that I can upload I will! :)

FINALLY

So in the (almost) 7 years that Nate and have been married we have NEVER gotten a tax return we have always owed state and broke even with Federal. Well the day has come and I couldn't be more excited about it. We finally got a tax return. Now we could have payed debts or put it away in savings but NO WAY we wanted to celebrate and have fun LOL SO we booked a trip to Cancun ( a much needed vacation) and bought a van YES you heard right we are a 2 car family again!! It has been almost 2 years since we have had 2 cars we have been sharing a car and it was not fun. When Nate would be at work I was stranded at home and if I had somewhere to be he would be stuck at home and when we both needed to be somewhere we had to ask for rides and that is never fun! I am so excited and can't explain the freedom I feel now that I know I can leave when ever I need to and I no longer to make sure our schedules are perfectly unison. Why a van you ask well as you all now I do Day care in my home during the day so now if I need to take Sky to school or if I just simply run out of milk I can actually go get some and next year Abbie and Levi (day Care kid) are going to preschool and I am going to be the one to take them so we thought the best car for us would be a van and to be honest I missed our old van I love the space!!!
So about Cancun.... Nate and I have wanted to go on a vacation alone for EVER and we finally saw a opportunity and took it! We are so excited to get some MUCH needed alone time and we got a killer deal on it. We are going at the end of April for our anniversary and we are staying at a all inclusive resort which will be nice not to worry about where we are going to eat every day. :) I think I am more excited for Nate to experience it more than I am my self. I had the opportunity to go to Mexico when I was prego with Abbie and I traveled often when I was younger so I have been out of the country a few times and the furthest he has been is Texas to visit is brother. Now we both have totally different ideas for this vacation I want to lounge around the pool and beach and just relax and he wants to take a bunch of different tours. SO I have decided this is HIS trip since I have done it all before I want him to have the best experience he can! ( I really think once we get there and do one day of touring around he will want to relax by the pool) :) So needless to say we are soooo excited and grateful for this chance to go, we are grateful for my awesome sisters who are taking our kids we know they will be in safe hands Thanks guys!
I can't think of a better way to spend our tax returns!!! LOL :)

come and gone!

This year has come and gone so fast and we have enjoyed every minute of it! We had so many good memories of 2009 but I will post the top!!!
BEST
1. Going to Disneyland, Arizona, and Yellowstone

2. Skyler started Kindergarten

3.Abbie is sleeping in her OWN big girl bed.

4. AWESOME fun summer at Lagoon.

5.NATE GOT A NEW JOB!!!!!

Now we had our fair share of trials this year too, but I want to only focus on the good things that we where blessed with. I pray that this year will be just as good as last and maybe even better. We have been so blessed this year and are so gratefully for the fun amazing opportunities we have been given!We are gratefully that we have had good health all year and pray that it will continue that way! We are looking forward to having a great year and I hope you all have a fabulous 2010!!!!!