M.I.A.

I would like to extend my deepest apologies for not posting in such a long time. But I'm happy to report that we are all still alive and well. I'm sad to say that time has gotten the better of us and our crazy schedules. Alot has taken place between now and my last post and I'm seeing now that there is NO way I'll have time to bring you up to date completely. So here's just a brief overview of events.....

• Addison turned 6
• Lynden turned 2
• Vacation to see friends
• Awards assembly for Addison...who is turning out to be just as smart as we thought she would be
• Halloween
• 8 year Anniversary
• Thanksgiving
• Awards assembly #2
• Christmas
• Job change
• Dunes Trip
• New Years
• Lots more working
• Valentines Day
• Awards assembly #3...that's right we're now hoping for a clean sweep of all four
• Spring break

Man that seems like a lot in just 6 months. No wonder I feel like I've had no time to rest! Throw church callings into the mix and it seems that my time is all used up. Time to catch my breathe and go on vacation! Now only if it were that easy. I'll try to post more often and add pictures as I go, but for now a quick update will have to do.

Addison's First Day of Kindergarten

All I can say is....."What took this day SO long?!"

I know I should be sad to see her go, but if any of you know Addison then you know she's been ready for this day to come for over a year now. She is a smarty pants and I probably should have gotten her tested to start school last year since she'll be one of the oldest in her class, but I figured she needed that extra time to mature. She made us a count down calendar 2 weeks before school started and made sure she marked it off every morning when she got out of bed. Needless to say there were no tears from anyone that morning when she walked through the gate all by herself. Cole was lucky enough to get the day off work so he could be there with us. He couldn't believe that she didn't even look back once to make sure we were still there watching her. She is so independent. Sometimes it's a little much, but in this case it was perfect!

She loves going to school everyday and hates the weekends since she doesn't get to see her friends from school. She is attending Jack Barnes Elementary which is in another neighborhood than ours, so none of the kids from school even go to church with us. This has been an adjustment for her, but she loves seeing the Hall kids and Mrs. Butler a friend of ours from church.

She was so disappointed the first 2 weeks that there was no homework! What?! What kind of kid looks forward to homework? Addison....that's who! She is so excited everyday to come home and do her homework before starting anything else. I'm sure this will wear off shortly, but I'm definitely going to try and encourage it for as long as it will last.

Happy 3rd Birthday Lincoln!

Ok, so I know that these pictures are 2 months late now, but I figure it better late than never. I've been having problems with my computer not letting me upload my pictures. I finally got it fixed so that means it's time for a massive update to the blog.

Lincoln turned 3 years old the weekend of 4th of July. Due to almost everyone being out of town for the holiday we decided to have his party the following weekend. Nothing big just a few friends and cousins. Of course the battery on my camera died in the middle of the party so I only got a few pictures of the festivities.

All his lout!

I know I'm a cheater by just doing cupcakes, but it makes it SO much easier with all the kids. Plus I always seems to have less cake leftover, that we all know just gets thrown out anyways! :)

A boy and his truck

Lincoln goes no where without his trucks! This was one of the only pictures taken at father and sons this year. Cole said every time he couldn't find Lincoln he would just go down to the creek and there he was with his trusty dump truck. Needless to say he fell into that creek and got soaking wet 3 times in one day, but that never stopped him from wanting to go back to throwing rocks in the water. Cole was in charge of cooking dinner for the ward, so Lincoln had lots of exploring time on his own. He is definitely a wanderer making his own trail where ever his little feet take him!

Final Count Down

It's official I quit my job!! And the count down has begun.....6 days left! YEAH

I actually quit back in May, but agreed to stay on and help train the new hire until the end of July. My hours have been cut way back for the last 2 months and it has been awesome! I only work from 2 - 6 Mon thru Thurs. The kids love having me home and I love being there with them. It has taken some getting used to since we were all so used to getting up and have to rush out the door to day care and work, so now our morning our much nicer. We have all had our ups and downs with the change, but I think this is all for the better.

Also, my last week of work is Addison's first week of Kindergarten so the timing couldn't have been better. I'm so glad that I'm the one that gets to take her to school everyday and pick her up to ask how her day was and help her with her homework. (No offense Amy I know you would have been WONDERFUL at doing this for me, but I just felt like I should be doing it since I'm her mom.) Being home more with the kids has really made me see how much I have missed by having to work outside of the home for the past 6 years. I am so grateful that my friend Amy and my husband gave me the final push to stop working. I couldn't have done it without all their support.

To tell the truth....I've been looking forward to these last weeks since I gave my notice in May. Time has just not gone by fast enough. I will miss my job and of course my boss. He has to be the BEST person to work for. It's hard to leave a place that you've been at for so long, but I know that this decision is the best for me and my family. I look forward to all the time and adventures that I get to spend with them every minute of everyday.

So here's to the future and all the fun and excitement that it might bring!

The Little Things........

Do you ever feel like you just can't keep up? Life is so crazy! Everyone is SO busy. The days are just to short for the long list that's left to finish.....breakfast, laundry, snacks, lunch, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, going to the store, going to work, naps, snacks, coming home from work, dinner, picking up toys, baths, books, finally bed! WAIT...STOP!!!! Just slow down and take a look at the wonderful things going on around you. The gentle good morning given by a 20 month old. The snuggle under the covers of a 3 year old who manage to sneak into your bed in the middle of the night un-noticed. The quite, but sincere 'Thank You's' spoken as you make every meal. The soft touch of a tiny hand trying to memorize every inch of your face. The smiles and laughter shared with those close to your heart. Dancing in the middle of the kitchen. Tender hugs given just because. I love you's spoken without words from across the room. A sister patiently helping her little brother learn to write his name. Every giggle, smile, loving word, warm embrace, tender moment shared between you and those you love.

DON'T ever let the most important things in life just pass you by. The dishes over flowing the sink can wait. Toys can be picked up later. Never ending laundry will still be there when you have time. Life is far too often spent making sure everything gets done, instead of making sure that one precious little moment won't be forgotten. I know that I'm just as guilty as everyone else. I'm no where close to perfect, but I'd like to think that I'm getting better every day. Trying my hardest to soak up every minute that I have with my precious gifts and wonderful husband. I've had a lot more time to spend with them lately and it has opened my eyes to how much I must have missed over the last 6 years. I have no regrets of the past, only lessons learned for the future. I will cherish this time and hold it close to my heart, remembering all the joy and happiness that truly enlightens and fills my soul.

Do you still Believe?

We had a very exciting night a few nights ago.....It had begun like any other night after I came home from work, Dinner, Relaxing, Baths, and not soon enough Bed Time. The kids had been in there rooms for maybe 10 minutes when I heard the start of Addison and Lynden's door open. Thinking that Addison was coming out to tell me she had to go potty, which is a nightly ritual of hers, I told her to go to the bathroom without even hesitating for her to give me her excuse for being up. She immediately started laughing and ran straight for the couch and I could tell she was holding something in her fingers. She was giggling so much she could barely spit out the words....."Mom I finally LOST my TOOTH!"


She has been working on this thing for over 2 weeks now, ever since she had an appointment at my office and they informed her that 1 of her front teeth were lose and that she'd be losing it soon. Every time I'd turn around she'd have her fingers in her mouth wiggling her tooth and now here it was in the palm of her hand! Needless to say due to all the excitement ALL the kids were now awake and curious what all the noise was about. We had told her that once it finally came out that she could put it in a plastic bag and that we would tape it to her head board with a note so that the Tooth Fairy could find it, since I didn't feel like searching for it every where on her bed in the middle of the night. So she instructed Cole to get her a bag and me to start the note so that she could tell me what to write and then have her sign it. I have never seen this girl smile SO BIG. It kinda made me feel like a kid all over again. Filled with anticipation and excitement even though I knew exactly what would happen over night.


With every thing in place she proceeded to tell me that she was going to try and stay up to see the Tooth Fairy and ask her some extremely important questions...."Why do you take my teeth? What do you do with them? Why do you only come at night when kids are sleeping? Where do you get your money? Do you have friends?" This were only a few of the hundred that I was forced to answer for the Tooth Fairy without completely letting the secret out of who she really is. Needless to say Addison woke up the next morning bright and early and pulled me out of bed to show me that the Tooth Fairy had come and left her 2 money's as she calls them. (Thank goodness this girl is not in school yet and has not yet learned the value of money. I think she might then be a little upset on how much she actually had received!)

It was so much fun for both Cole and I to see her smiling face, with 1 tooth missing of course, and the overwhelming joy in her eyes at this wonderful milestone in her life. It truly makes you light up to see your children experiencing the same things that you did when you were their age and have all the wonderful memories come flooding back to your mind. Just thinking about it puts a smile on my face!