Youth Tubing Trip!

What a fun activity! We had a great turn out and we didn't have any major injuries or lose anyone :) FUN FUN! I love my calling!

GREASE!

It was my friend Beckie's birthday and her husband got her tickets to GREASE! How lucky am I that they had 4 tickets! It was such a fun night. AND Taylor Hicks (of American Idol) was in it! Happy Birthday Beckie!

First day of school 2009!

Well here we go! The first day of school was great. Emma loved it and was so excited to just get started. Luke wasn't that nervous because it was his same teacher and pretty much the same class. The only worry was Gavin. He saw the kids with their backpacks and immediately got his out and wore it the WHOLE day! After we dropped off the kids he wanted to know where his class was. I took him to the gym and told him that was his "class". He bought it and went in with his backpack :)

Emma came home from school a little put out that she didn't LEARN anything and had no homework :) I hope she is always this eager to learn!

Short, sweet, to the point

The kids recently inherited our old computer after it crashed and Matt nearly threw it out the window. He got a new tower off Craigs list and now the kids think they are soooo cool to have their own computer. So this morning they were trying to figure out how they could keep the Sabbath Day holy and still be on their new found obsession. I suggested to Luke that he type a letter to the missionary that just left from our ward. So he went to work. I had to leave for meetings and so I had to wait until after church to see his master piece. Here it is...


Short, sweet, and to the point. Let's just say that I BETTER NOT be getting letters like this when Luke is a missionary. He has about 12 more years to improve his letter writing skills :) He wants me to white out the Believe part because he said he messed up and it was supposed to say I can't believe I will be nine when you get home. Very cute letter! :) Luke has continually been praying for Elder Raskey since even before he left. Such a great role model.

Slumber party!

Amy and John Lopez are celebrating 18 years of wedded bliss and so we got to have our own little celebration with Carver and Cooper. They have been sooooo great! This morning they all climbed into bed with each other and were so giggly :) Too cute!

Luke's last basketball game of the season....

These are Luke's buddies Kyle & Austin Stella (twins that go to his school) Their dad also helped Matt coach.

Today's cheering section!

This season was Luke's first time playing basketball and it was a great experience. It was made even better because Matt was his coach and he did a GREAT job! It was all the kids on our team first time playing and we were up against kids who have played 4 and 5 seasons together. So we definitely had our down moments (like when we lost 58 to 2, and no that was not a typo :) But I am soooooo impressed with how much the kids learned over the season. By the end they were quite the defensive players. At the beginning I was just going to be impressed if we scored any points because these poor little boys have to play on the 10 ft. baskets that the NBA plays on! At the beginning they couldn't even get it near the hoop and by the end they were able to make plenty of baskets. They all know to have their hands up when on defense, they all are dribbling much better. (The first game they were just running around the court holding the ball). And they all have mastered grabbing onto the ball when the opponent is in possession and the ref calls jump ball. I think we averaged about 30-40 jump balls per game :) What a great season...thanks Coach Matt!

Primary Summer Splash Bash 2009

The Primary always knows how to throw a great party!

Meet The Teacher 2009

Well today was the big day, we got to find out what teacher Emma will have this year! We already knew that Luke was going to have his same teacher from last year because they are moving her up to 2nd grade and are trying a new technique called "looping" where the whole class is moving up with her. I am VERY excited about that because she is the best teacher EVER! So we found out that Emma has Ms. Cabrera. She is a very sweet lady and Emma was so excited to meet her. There are 3 Emma's in her class!!!!! Talk about confusing! So Ms. Cabrera asked her if she would like to be Emma R. or Emma Rose. Emma opted for Emma Rose :) When we were checking the list and reading the names of the kids in her class Gavin piped up and said "And Gavin too". Poor kid he thinks he should be going to school too! I'm not ready for that!


What a fun day!

How cute is this???? This is what they will look like each morning walking together to class!

Emma and Ms. Cabrera

Luke and Ms. Lipsit (I hate it when I don't notice that the picture is blurry until it's too late!)

Deep Thoughts by Luke and Emma

My friend sent me the funniest email where she interviewed her son with random/weird questions and put down his HONEST answers...So I tried it out on my kids, they loved the attention of being interviewed and I had fun hearing their cute little answers. (Even if some of them hurt my feelings :) he he he, just kidding! :)

Here's what Luke said...

1. Tell me the five best things about you.

That I never play video games on Sunday, I play basketball, I have a computer, I never play with friends on Sunday, I'm going to be in second grade.

2. Why do kids put rings in their eyebrows and nose?

They just want to look cool.

3. If you could tell me to never serve two vegetables again, which would you choose?

Salad and broccoli.

4. Who do you think I'd rather you be: an NBA player, the mayor, a famous explorer, or a movie star?

Movie star, because sometimes you sing in the shower and you play Sing Star and Rock Band.

5. Which of your friends do you think I like the most? Why?

Carver, because you're friends with his mom and because he's a nice kid.

6. On a scale of one to nine - one being not at all and nine being totally - how strict do you think I am? How strict would you like me to be?

Five, just kind of strict, not that much.

7. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.

$2000. I would spend some on video games, some on a DS game, I would buy a limo, and I would buy a dog. Then he asks "Are you really going to give me $2000?"

8. If you had to pick one of these which would you pick? Really long nose hairs, hair in your ears, hair above your lip, massively hairy armpits?

Hair above my lip.

9. If you could arrange it what time would I get home from work? Then what would we do together?

You don't work. But if you got a babysitter for Emma and Gavin then we would go and get ice cream.

10. Can you think of any clothes I have that i should never put on again?

That dress that daddy bought you that you think is too short but that daddy likes. And I think you should have your hair cut short.

11. Which of the choices do you think would be best?

a. Dinner with everyone at the table and the TV on with your favorite show.
b. Dinner in which everybody took what they wanted from the fridge and no one had the same thing.
c. Dinner with the whole family together and no TV on.

A, because that is funner then sitting there eating.

12. If you are feeling sad what meal could I make to help cheer you up?

Ice cream.

13. Tell me who you think are the three greatest musicians in the world?

Micheal Jackson, Brittney Spears, Coldplay

14. What kind of lies do your friends tell their parents?

That we're going to go out and play basketball but really we come to my house.

15. If you have to choose a disability which one would it be, and why?

A. Blind
B. Deaf
C. Inability to walk

C. I'd just break a leg because then I could be in a wheel chair and then I don't have to always run, I'll just get in my wheelchair and it would be easy. If there were stairs I would just call someone and they would make it smooth and get me up, or mommy could hold me and then daddy will get my wheel chair and bring it upstairs for me.

16. Do you think you should get paid for certain chores? Which ones? How much?

$500 for making my bed, $200 for cleaning the bathroom, and for cleaning the t.v. $2000, and for pulling weeds $10,000.

17. What makes a person good looking?

If they are famous and if they have a limo.

18. If you could decorate our house what would it look like?

A blast, it would have candy all over it, video games for free and it would have 500 DSI's that are free, and the candy would be stuck all over the walls. And the house would be made out of candy. And then we'd have another video game house made of video games that are free.

19. What do you think about my driving?

You make wrong turns sometimes.

20. Do you think I lose my temper too often?

Yes.

21. What is the best memory you have?

Going to Rock Springs with our family.

22. What do you think is beyond the stars?

I think there is aliens.

23. Do you believe in Heaven? What do you think it's like?

Yes, I think it's a really special place where everything is clear and nothing is dirty.

24. Do you thinks it's OK to cry in movies?

Yes.

25. What have you done that you are especially proud of?

That I bought my own DS game.

26. If you could look like anyone who would it be?

Myself.

27. How do you describe me to your friends?

She's always angry, just kidding, sometimes. Actually I don't really tell my friends about you.

28. Can you describe the most beautiful place you have ever visited?

Rock Springs, there are rocks all over and there is clear water so you can see the fish.

29. Have you ever had a scary dream? What was it about?

Yes. It was about when I had a parachute that I was in and someone locked me in a cage with the parachute on and there was this big hot lava hole and the parachute dropped me in there. Someone threw a sword at my parachute and it was dropping me in and I swung up on a rope and kicked someone in the face and got their gun and then I shot all of them and then I ran out and jumped into my plane and ran back home.

30. What do you think is the right age to get married?

30.

31. Why are sports important to kids?

So then kids will get exercise and that's fun for them.


Here's what Emma said...

1. Tell me the five best things about you.

Mommy dresses me pretty, that I like church, that I feel happy inside all the time, that I got my ears pierced and I was brave, I'm pretty.

2. Why do kids put rings in their eyebrows and nose?

Because they're spanish

3. If you could tell me to never serve two vegetables again, which would you choose?

Tomatoes, cucumbers.

4. Who do you think I'd rather you be: an NBA player, the mayor, a famous explorer, or a movie star?

Movie star because I think you are going to rock out. You like to rock out on Rock Band.

5. Which of your friends do you think I like the most? Why?

Marin, because she is nice.

6. On a scale of one to nine - one being not at all and nine being totally - how strict do you think I am? How strict would you like me to be?

One. You're good and nice.

7. What would be the ideal allowance? Tell me how you would use it.

$25. I would go on my mission and give people money that don't have any.

8. If you had to pick one of these which would you pick? Really long nose hairs, hair in your ears, hair above your lip, massively hairy armpits?

I don't. That is a weird question, I don't want to say one of those.

9. If you could arrange it what time would I get home from work? Then what would we do together?

You don't work. But if there was a day that you got a babysitter for Gavin and Luke I would want to go get ice cream, go to the movies, and go get my ears pierced, which we already did yesterday :)

10. Can you think of any clothes I have that i should never put on again?

(Emma walks into my closet...) She points to a light pink shirt of mine and says "this one because I like pink just not light pink".

11. Which of the choices do you think would be best?

a. Dinner with everyone at the table and the TV on with your favorite show.
b. Dinner in which everybody took what they wanted from the fridge and no one had the same thing.
c. Dinner with the whole family together and no TV on.

C, Because then that doesn't distract us.

12. If you are feeling sad what meal could I make to help cheer you up?

Chicken noodle soup

13. Tell me who you think are the three greatest musicians in the world?

Micheal Jackson, and that's all

14. What kind of lies do your friends tell their parents?

I don't know, I've never heard them.

15. If you have to choose a disability which one would it be, and why?

A. Blind
B. Deaf
C. Inability to walk

Can't walk because then I could be carried around in a wheelchair

16. Do you think you should get paid for certain chores? Which ones? How much?

Yes, cleaning the stairs, cleaning out the car, doing really hard work and being really good and that's all. $200

17. What makes a person good looking?

Hairdo.

18. If you could decorate our house what would it look like?

Bows all over the place.

19. What do you think about my driving?

Good, excellent.

20. Do you think I lose my temper too often?

Yes.

21. What is the best memory you have?

Yesterday getting my ears pierced.

22. What do you think is beyond the stars?

The sun.

23. Do you believe in Heaven? What do you think it's like?

Yes, I think it's where you won't get hurt.

24. Do you thinks it's OK to cry in movies?

No because then everyone can't hear the movie.

25. What have you done that you are especially proud of?

I got my ears pierced and didn't cry

26. If you could look like anyone who would it be?

Kinsey Lopez (a girl in our ward)

27. How do you describe me to your friends?

She's so nice.

28. Can you describe the most beautiful place you have ever visited?

Grandma Gillespie and Grandma Rose's house.

29. Have you ever had a scary dream? What was it about?

Yes, it was about Gavin getting surgery.

30. What do you think is the right age to get married?

51.

31. Why are sports important to kids?

Because it's fun.

Emma is growing up!

I can't believe my little Emma is heading off to Kindergarten! And to top it all off she decided she was brave enough and big enough to get her ears pierced! I thought it was the perfect way to kick off the new chapter in her life, the I'm a big girl and I go to school all day chapter. So we went and she was sooooooooooo brave! The lady asked her if she wanted the other worker to come over and then they could do both ears at the same time, but Emma opted to do it one at a time. So the lady made her pinky promise that after she did the first ear then Emma would let her do the second even if it hurt. She also asked her if she wanted to hold my hand while she did it and Emma said no that she was fine. So the lady did the first ear and Emma didn't even BUDGE! She did the second and Emma still didn't flinch! What a brave little girl! She has been so responsible about taking care of them too. We are supposed to clean her ears 3 times a day and Emma doesn't let me forget it! Too cute!

Here we go....

Take a deep breath...

Getting all ready....

Ta Da!!!!!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A blast from the past

Back in my babysitting days I LOVED to babysit for the Howell family. He was my bishop and they had Ben, Jenny, Andy, and Aly. I think I even started to babysit for them when I was 8 years old (just for short periods of time when my mom was home 2 houses away). Well now 25 years later Aly came to visit me! Her family still lives 2 houses away from my parents. She is soooooooooo darn cute and it was so fun to get to know her as an adult. She just needed a get away before she goes back to school and soon she will go on her mission. I can't wait to see where she will go...maybe FLORIDA! We would be so lucky!

So we had a great time. We went on the Winter Park boat tour, the beach, to Rock Springs to ride the tubes down the river, miniature golfing, and to my friends pool. She also got to go to institute (a religion class for the single adults), the singles ward, and to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure with one of the single adults that she met here. Oh and we can't forget the So You Think You Can Dance party that we had to watch the finale. Morgan, Kim's husband, was even in town for that and then got to go to the beach with us the next day. My kids were so sad to see Aly leave, as was I! Last night Emma cried and also said it wasn't fair that she didn't get to spend yesterday with her (that's when Aly went to Universal). She definitely made a great impact on my kids.

Thanks Aly for a FUN time!

This is the cool crab that the kids caught at the beach!

Gavin fell asleep in my arms at the beach and so we made this little tent and he had quite the relaxing nap! I was jealous!