Spring Creek Ranch & Grid Kid Madness

Jack had a super fun field trip with his 1st grade class to a pumpkin patch called Spring Creek Ranch.  The kids got to go wild in a straw maze, a corn maze, bounce their brains out in bounce houses and slide down an enormous slide… if that wasn't enough they then got to go on a hay ride and pick out a pumpkin to take home as a souvenir!  Max was able to tag along with the group but being the goof ball he is he didn't try out any of these fun activities, he preferred to play with my hair and have me carry him around like an infant:)

Jack has scored the best teacher ever this year!  Mrs. Petre is amazing!  Seriously one of the best teachers I've had the pleasure to know.  The kids love her and she keeps things fun and ship shape.

 We had the greatest treat ever this weekend - more visitors!! Shawn's parents drove up to see Sam play his last regular season game.  What a game it was!  These kids have had a great season and will head into the playoffs with a great record.  They won 51-0, and Sam threw his first touch down pass, so he was super excited.  He also tried out a new play that he designed himself where he pitches to the running back and then the running back throws a short pass back to Sam.  We are extremely proud of Sam for his hard work this year, and we can't wait for the future of Summers football at West Valley!

Grandparents Day

Grandparents Day was October 2 - and my parents were sweet enough to come over from Idaho to attend!  Jack's class was the only one that had an "official" program and day - so he was able to spend the most time with them.  He asked them questions about what they were like when they were 6 years old.  It was such a treat for my kids to have grandparents close enough to attend, and I am grateful for them for making this memory with the kids.

Not to being one to take advantage of a trip, my mom brought Tyleigh and Addi along.  Tyleigh needed a minor procedure done on her toe and Shawn was game!  We took her to his office's surgery center on Friday.  We then enjoyed the rest of the weekend with yummy food, a football game for Sam, and watching Tyleigh vomit!  Other than the puke, it was a great weekend.  We love family!

September Schenanigans

Football is ruling the house right now, and we all love it!  Sam has been playing quarterback and doing a great job.  It has been so fun to watch this team play!  Right now the team is 2-2 with 2 regular season games left.  Sam's last game was the toughest yet - but Sam came through with two really great stops while playing corner.

 Lyv as been doing great in school and loves her class and teacher!  She is also becoming a pro Mileage Club runner and earned her 5 mile bracelet a few weeks ago.  She is a go getter and I love her determination to do well at whatever she is doing.

Max, Max, Max….someone is taking to being the only child like its second nature.  He is a little spoiled to say the least and gets into a little mischief especially when I'm distracted doing housework.  I am so grateful for the mild mannered, easy going boy he is.  He plays independently which is great help, but almost too good that sometimes I forget that he's there:)  He is such a sweet boy and I'm so glad to have him with me during the day.

He still manages to make it to our bed most nights, and although I don't like being kicked in the back, my hair tangled around his sweaty fingers, I don't mind waking up to his angelic face and snuggling with him….because like all things, it will come to an end, and that will be a very sad day!

Family Pictures 2015

So its been a while!  I know I keep saying this but time really is flying by and before I know it a month has come and gone and no updates!  So here is an over load from the past four weeks.  We decided to try to do our own family pictures and it worked out okay.  I would love to take a photography class and really become familiar with how to take better pictures, but these aren't the worst either:)

I know every mother thinks they're children are beautiful, but I love capturing the personality of each child with film.  And my kids are pretty stinking cute so that helps too:)

Seattle Labor Day Weekend 2015

We took our first trip with the kids to Seattle on Labor Day weekend.  On the way we hiked down Snoqualmie Falls.  The kids thought the waterfall was pretty dope!

 Max loved seeing all the trees that have fallen…and keep making a chop, chop, timber noise whenever we saw a new one!

 We took the kids to Pike's Market.  It was definitely an experience, the kids weren't too crazy about the smells, but the flowers were gorgeous! They did however love the ride on the ferris wheel.  It was pretty nice to be in an inclosed gondola with air conditioning and get to have a birds eye view of the Sound.

The main reason for our Seattle trip was to watch the Mariner's play.  The kids loved the game and the food…okay mostly the food, but the game was perfect for us.  We had seats on the first base line and even purchased some new Mariner's gear.  Life couldn't be better.

 Max nearly went into a popcorn coma.  He wouldn't share for the life of him.  Even though the Mariner's lost, the weather was perfect and the company even better!

Fast and Furious

Life is coming at us fast and furious right now.  We are so busy that sometimes I feel like I'm going to collapse under the pressure to get everything done, practices attended, and dinner on the table!  But at the same time, we are really enjoying this new phase of our life. So here's a sample of what we've been up to: 

 Sam is in the thick of football right now and began to feel a little overwhelmed at being the quarterback.  Say what you might about youth sports, but life lessons are learned out on those fields that will stick with them.  He came home one night from practice and told me that he didn't want to play quarterback anymore!  I was dumfounded…what kid wouldn't want to play quarterback?  You get to touch the ball literally every play.  So as I dug deeper - Sam started giving reasons why it was just too hard, and how he just didn't like it.  Long story short he was overwhelmed and had a difficult practice!  Shawn and I explained to Sam that he was part of a team.  He has signed up for the season and had been practicing for 5 weeks as quarterback.  The coach felt like that was the position that he was the best for, and could help the team out in….. so as tough as it might seem, we told him he needed to stick it out for the rest of the season.  If next year he doesn't want to play - fine; if next season he doesn't want to be quarterback again - great; but this year, this season that is where the coach wanted him and where his team needed him, so he would give it his all until the last game.  He was more than a little mad at us for this decision.  I know that he felt discouraged, but it is in the small moments that he creates a habit of pushing forward when life gets tough!  So he headed back onto the field the next day and told the coach he would play wherever he wanted him.  He's never complained since!  I am grateful for Sam, for his ability to be coachable, and his desire to execute directions exactly - and I hope he'll keep this lesson in his heart and mind for the rest of his life.

 *Max is such a player!  Bless his sweet heart.  Being home with just me isn't always very much fun, but he doesn't seem to mind.  Give him a train track, some cars, or any other toy and he is good to go for 30 minutes.  I love his sweet sassy personality and am glad to have him as my side kick for the next three years.

 Lyv started her first official dance class this past week and loved, loved, loved it!  I'm so excited for her - she's been waiting patiently for this day:)

 We cheered on our own West Valley Rams at the opening game.  I love high school football - football at its best!  The kids enjoyed the game, even though it was a little chilly.

Finally….the moment we've all be waiting for…..the big BYU win over Nebraska!  If you want to see a grown man turn into a complete psycho… throw a hail mary for the win! I don't know if I've ever seen Shawn this excited!  He was overwhelmed, as you can see:)

Jack's 7th Birthday

7 years ago we were blessed with the most precious sweet baby boy - and we were able to celebrate all weekend long Jack's 7th birthday.  Because his birthday usually falls on Labor Day weekend, we party like its 1999 on Jack's big day!  We started our celebration on Friday with THE CAKE - the Cavity Cake as we call it.  Jack searched high and low on Pinterest to find the perfect cake for this birthday - and bam: a candy covered chocolates frosted chocolate cake!  That couldn't fit Jack any better! We went to the West Valley Rams football game and then came home and sang to Jack; and dug in!

On Saturday we watched the BYU game!!  What an exciting game it was too.  Then we headed to Kids' Castle (an indoor play park) and followed that up with dinner at McDonalds!  What would that night be without a little more cake:)

On Sunday, Jack's actual birthday we started the day off with hot cinnamon rolls and then headed to church where Jack continued to be showered with well wishes and candy!  He got a humongous pixie stick, and couldn't have been more pleased.  We packed up and headed to Seattle Sunday night.  Then we hit up the Mariner's game on Monday!  What a perfect weekend celebration for Jack!

Jack got a few favorites this year:  Mouthwash & a 5 lb. bag of gummy bears!  He was so funny because those seem like ironic favorites but that just shows you the beautiful quirky personality that Jack has.  He told his grandma Julie that the gift he wanted from her would sound a little crazy…but Mouthwash was the must have of the year!  He also got money, roller blades (so he can improve upon his awesome blading skills), two lego sets, and two joke books.

I am so grateful everyday for this boy!  He brings our house so much laughter and joy, and equally frustration and anger.  He is independent and persistent to no end, but he is also so intelligent, loving, and funny!  So funny that I think how boring our house would be without him and it makes me sad.  This year he has been so brave - he has tried so many new things and conquered a lot of his fears from last year.  He rode in the ski boat, got up on the knee board, dove like an olympic champ, jumped off rocks on the river, and wrestled alligators! Ok….the last one isn't true, but he has made us so proud of his courage!  We love you Jack.