The Checketts Family

Halloween 2009

2010-01-31T20:45:00.000-08:00

I love Halloween! Not just a little, but a TON!!! I generally ask the boys what they want to be, and then I go to work figuring out how to make the best use of old costumes, thrift stores and whatever else I can get my hands on. I also REALLY like to dress up - I'm still a kid at heart...

Anyway, this year was really fun because I had a baby girl to dress up. I looked online for ideas, shopped around a little bit and finally found the perfect one - Little Red Riding Hood. When I was buying the costume, the clerk asked if her dad was going to dress up as the Wolf and I replied "Um, I'm not sure..."

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I didn't want her daddy to be a 'bad' guy. Instead I decided to have daddy dress up as the Woodcutter, and I dressed up as Grandmother. I thought the costumes turned out pretty nice!

Shallon decided to be a vampire and Draven thought an army dude" (his exact words) would be fun.

NYC - Part III

2010-01-31T19:56:00.001-08:00

Our last day in NYC was busy and fun! We started by taking the subway (all the locals call it the 'train'), had lunch at ESPN Zone, took a carriage ride through Central Park, went to the top of the Empire State Building, to Rockefeller Plaza and then, after much walking, decided we could leave the city and head to our hotel in New Jersey.

We both had a really great time in New York! I think one of the things I liked the best were the street vendors who sold the warm pretzels with mustard - yummy. I also loved the fact that since we were walking all over the universe, I could eat tons more than usual without the weight gain! It's the little things in life...

Ken had meetings Monday and Tuesday so I was just hanging out at the hotel. I'd told him that I planned on getting a pedicure one of those days since I knew my little peepers were gonna be sore. So Monday, I head to the mall for a little R&R. While my feet are soaking in the pedi water, I've got my phone sitting in between my legs in the chair so that if Ken calls I can quickly and easily grab the phone (I'm such a good wife that I don't want to miss a call from him). I'm sitting there, enjoying the warm water and the chair massage when my phone slips off the seat and into the water!

Ooopsies...the phone was fried! I thought about just going without a phone, since it was pretty lame the way it died, but then I realized that I had the rental car and Ken would have no way to get in contact with me, plus, all my babies were on the other side of the country from me. So, I had the opportunity to find a Verizon store to replace my phone with the least expensive one I could find (and still live with). The moral of the story - DON'T keep your cell phone in your lap while getting a pedicure with the chair massager going. It could turn out pretty bad!

I'm leaving you with the last picture we took in the Big Apple. We walked back to our hotel to pick up the car and this is standing on the street corner looking at the "R" for Renaissance as is lights up.

Now, I'm not sure how many more times we'll be in New York City, but if it never happens again, I know I had enough fun in NYC for my lifetime. (I'd like to be clear that I'm only saying New York - there's a lot more fun to be had in this world with that man!) Thank you honey, I love you!

NYC - Part II

2010-01-29T20:51:00.000-08:00

We did get enough sleep and made our way to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. It was such a neat experience to have with my husband!

After checking out the Statue (and climbing like 200 stairs) we made our way back to the mainland and into the city. Now let me just say, there's a reason that all the travel sites you'll find say NOT to rent a car if you're going to New York. It's CRAZY! Ken did a great job!!! It's so packed and confusing and I think we drove past our hotel a couple of times before we finally found it. We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel right on Times Square. It was a beautiful room and the all the staff were absolutely amazing!!!

We had a wonderful dinner AJ Maxwell's, before heading to see Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway. We were so close to everything that we just planned to walk everywhere. We walked to dinner, passing the restaurant and doubling back to find it. It was raining a bit, but not too bad. Well, since we were seeing a play on Broadway, I made sure I had a cute outfit to wear, including some awesome shoes. The thing about the shoes, the weren't made for walkin'! Especially that far after I'd climbed to the top of the Statue of Liberty and walked all over Times Square! When we got to dinner, we asked about getting a cab to take us to the show. The maitre d' informed us we wouldn't be able to get a cab since there was a World Series game happening in the Bronx. He did call and get us a limo though. That turned out to be the best decision - it was pouring rain on our way to the theater and the driver was wonder and walked each of us to the theater with his umbrella. GREAT! I LOVED the play so much! It was done so well, with such a cute story line...really fun! After the show we walked back to the hotel, it had stopped raining by then, and I had Ken take a picture of my great shoes before I took them off for the night...

NYC - Part I

2010-01-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

Last fall, Ken had a business trip to New Jersey. The office is really close to New York so we added a couple of days to the trip and I was able to tag along. It was so much FUN!!!

We left home on Friday afternoon, landing in Newark around midnight. The start of our trip was really quite comical (looking back - at the time it was pretty frustrating).

As we were boarding the plane, with our carry-on luggage, I realized that since it was the last flight back east on a Friday night, everyone else was flying with carry-on luggage and as we were some of the last passengers to board, we had to gate check Ken's bag. Not too big of a deal - we'll be fine.

Hours later, we land in Newark. We get off the plane, find Ken's bag and head for the monorail to take us to get the rental car. The monorail is broken and the one attendant doesn't know how long it will take until it's fixed. We go back by baggage claim so we can get a taxi to take us to get the car. It's raining lightly and we get in line...the line's pretty long and after 5-10 mins we find out that their computer is broken and so they have to write all the fares up manually before people can get in the cab to go to their destination. Okay...the line is moving, we'll get the car and get to the hotel...

We get to the rental place, Ken quickly checks in gets/gives all the necessary information. We're told that our car is in parking spot 83 and we head outside (this all was really quick - like 8 minutes!). Spot 83 is empty. I tell Ken I'll wait with the bags while he goes back in to get things straightened out. I'm waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Finally, 15 minutes later, Ken comes out and we get our car. Turns out that the woman who helped him when he went back in was new and she had to cancel his car and then redo it for the different car...

Alright, so now we are in the car, we have our GPS working and we're heading to our hotel. This hotel is right next to the airport and it would have been almost as fast for us to just walk there once we got off the plane! We get to the hotel, it's 1:30 am by now, I'm exhausted, Ken's tired and really concerned about how tired I am and how sore I might be in the morning since we're scheduled to tour the Statue of Liberty.

Ken pulls up front at the hotel, I stay in the car while he goes to check us in. Turns out he can't because the computers are doing their nightly maintenance. It'll take another 15 minutes. We can park the car and come in with our luggage and by then we should be able to get checked in. So, now we're in the lobby, I'm falling asleep in the chair, holding bags, and telling myself that I'll get enough sleep and I won't be sore. The clerk is unable to find our reservation. There's nothing in the computer for us. Ken's about to blow his top - poor guy! Thankfully he's really organized about confirmations etc. so he pulls out the confirmation number from his breifcase and now the clerk scrambles to find us a room. There's none of the room we booked, but he's going to upgrade us for free, blah, blah, blah (seriously, I'm so ready to be in a bed by this time!). We get up to our room, fall into bed and pray the night is long enough...

Family Pictures

2010-01-29T20:16:00.000-08:00

So I'm finally thinking I can get caught up on my blogging...(maybe!)

The beginning of October we had family pictures done with Jessica Drew. I love all of our pictures - here's one for all of you to enjoy!

October Break

2009-10-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

This year the boys had an extended break from school. Normally they get 2 1/2 days off in October, but this year it was 5 1/2 days. Shallon was invited to go camping and 4 wheeling with his best friend and their family so he was totally set.

The rest of us went south for a few days. We took Draven and Emma to Old Tucson Studios, Tombstone, and the Biosphere. It was really fun to see so many different things and have some time with Draven and Emma (while we knew Shallon was in good hands too). Here are a few pics from our adventures....

Happy Birthday

2009-10-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Our little angel turned one today! We sang her a birthday song this morning when she woke up, we played a little bit of dress up and put on some new shoes (the first shoes she's worn since she was a baby), had a fun little family dinner at IHOP and got her to bed early (she was tired and getting grouchy!).

She is such a sweet, wonderful baby and we are so thankful to have her in our lives. We are planning to have a party to celebrate with family and friends on Sunday.

What I did on my summer vacation...

2009-09-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I've already talked about a lot of what we did, but our BIG vacation was to San Diego. We stayed in a beautiful hotel and had 5 fun-filled days!

I briefly wrote about Sunday night when we arrived, which was our anniversary. On Monday morning Ken, Emma and I all got ready and we went and had a wonderful breakfast with Lawrence, Yeni, Montse and Tony. They are such a fun family and we are so grateful to be able to call them our family!

After our delicious, gourmet breakfast, we were on our way to one of the many parks we visited while in sunny, southern California.

Monday was our day at Wild Animal Park; it was so neat! They have so many different animals to see. We saw zebras, California condors, elephants, giraffes, gazelles, dik-diks, dinosaurs, gorillas and so many other animals! It was an absolutely amazing day.

One of the highlights that day was taking all the kids on their first ever carousel ride. This picture is a little deceiving, Emma doesn't look completely thrilled to be on the ride, but once it got started she LOVED it!

At the park, they have an exhibit called "Dinosaur Mountain". They've created animatronic dinosaurs that move, growl and even spit (thankfully, not all of them spit!). They have areas where you can touch what a dinosaur's skin might have felt like, an area where you can move the dinosaur and each one has a stamp, so you can be sure you've see all the dinosaurs before you leave. It was fun.

Emma had fallen asleep in her stroller, so I stayed with her while Ken took the boys into the petting zoo. Here they are with some sort of African plains animal. I just keep thinking what a cool opportunity this was - not all kids, or adults, get to have these types of experiences...

Daddy - Daughter Time

2009-08-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

There's no picutre to go with this post, but it's still worth posting about!

Here in Arizona we have garbage day (Tuesday morning) and recycle day (Friday morning). My sweet husband takes out the bins on Monday and Thursday nights when he gets home from work. Then on Tuesday and Friday when he gets home from work, he puts them away. For the last month or so, this has been something that Emma does with him. He'll come in the house to get her and they go out together to put the bins on the curb or to put them away in the garage and backyard. It's not a huge deal, but it's so fun for them to have that time together. Ken was telling me last night that he enjoys that time with her, and by the looks she gives Ken, I know that Emma loves the time she gets to spend alone with him. They have a beautiful bond.

I am so thankful for daddys and how much they love their little girls.

Two Wonderful Years

2009-08-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Ken and I celebrated our anniversary driving to San Diego - yeah, we know how to party!

It was the first day of our family vacation and his good friend Lawrence and his wife, Yeni, agreed to have the kids for us that night so we could celebrate on our own. We drove to their place and had a nice time visiting with Yeni and the kids (Lawrence was still at work) and as we were getting the kids stuff to bring in the house I decided we'd take little miss with us. Yeni is an awesome mom and the kids are always so helpful with Emma, but she was a little out of sorts (she'd just had surgery 4 days earlier) and I didn't want her to be a handful. Or worse yet, I didn't want to get a call at 10 that they wanted us to come pick her up. Now, as far as southern California is concerned they lived close to where we were staying, but in real life it was about 30-45 minutes away. Driving in the car for almost 2 hours that close to midnight wasn't an appealing thought, so we just had Emma come with us.

It was so sweet of Lawrence and Yeni to keep the boys and I think they were so glad to have a friend to play with and a Wii to play on. They had a blast!

Ken and I got checked in to the hotel, unpacked our bags and got read for dinner. We went over to the restaurant right next to the hotel, The Red Marlin, and enjoyed a delicious meal and some great time together.

During our meal, my sneaky husband went off and found our waiter. Ken told him it was our anniversary and asked if there was anything they could do. Now, as we were eating I thought about doing something like that, but sweet Ken did it. He's so good to me - just fun little things like that mean a lot to me. It's just so nice!

Anyway, it truly has been two wonderful years. I'm so glad that I found Ken and that he asked me to be his wife. My life has been blessed beyond measure and I'm sure it will continue as time goes on.

Surgery

2009-08-13T07:23:00.001-07:00

Emma was born with a mole on her left ankle. It's kind of interesting because while I was pregnant with her I had moles removed on my face. Anyway, the pediatrician said to watch it and see if it got any bigger or darker. I didn't think it was getting bigger or darker, but at her 6 month check up he asked me to take her to a dermatologist and have it biopsied. A couple of weeks later the results came back and the mole was A-typical (I believe that's what it's called). Basically it meant that the mole could turn cancerous. Not cool! We were sent to a pediatric plastic surgeon in Phoenix so we could get the low down on how they'd remove it and when we could get in to have it done.

The procedure was really similar to mine, except that since she's a baby and squirmy they had to put her under. The surgery was scheduled for the Wednesday after we got back from Utah at 9 am. We had to be at the surgery center at 7:30 am to get all the paper work done and Emma all ready for her big day.

Ken and I got there with her and had plenty of waiting - not really fun when you're thinking about your baby going through this, but it turned out fine. The doctor was very skilled. The nurses were really nice and the anesthesiologist was really kind and answered all the questions we had.

It turned out to be really fast too. After only about 20-30 minutes they were calling "the parents of Emma Checketts". The bummer was that in recovery only one of us was allowed back there at a time. I went back first (and only as it turned out) to see how the little miss was doing. She was crying and pretty upset, but calmed down really quickly. All the nurses and doctors were impressed with how well she did for the procedure and how quickly she calmed down and had some juice. We were able to leave about 15 minutes after she came out, which they told me was really fast for a baby coming out of general anesthesia. She's such a trooper!

We went to lunch and then took Ken to work. Emma fell asleep while we were at lunch and ended up sleeping a fair amount of the day (I can't blame her - I'd want to sleep too!). She couldn't go swimming for 10 days after and that was really all the direction they gave us. The stitches were internal and would dissolve and the doctors got everything that they needed to. The bummer about not swimming was that she wouldn't be able to go into the ocean while we were on vacation in San Diego - oh, well.

Utah Trip (conclusion)

2009-08-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

Monday, after taking Ken to the airport so he could get back to work, we packed up the car to head back to Arizona. Our original plan was to drive to St. George, stay the night with my Grandma at her condo, and then drive back to Mesa the next day. Saturday morning I got a call from her telling me she wouldn't be there but we were still welcome to stay. I asked what was going on that she wouldn't be around and found out she had a boyfriend! Isn't that awesome?!? A little background, my grandpa passed away 13 years ago. Grandma has served two missions and just kind of figured she would finish this life on her own. It turns out that there was another plan. She had been praying for guidance about what to do with her life, and Lincoln had been praying for a wife! He is a very sweet, kind and loving man and treats Grandma like a princess. They are so cute together and I'm thrilled that they found each other.

Just so you know, we met Grandma and Lincoln in Provo/Orem to visit and have lunch. It was a really nice time. We drove to St. George, spent the night and got home Tuesday evening, safe and sound. I had just enough time to wash all our laundry, make sure the house was clean and relax for about 5 minutes before we headed out for our family vacation! I'll put that in another post...

Utah Trip (part 3)

2009-08-12T20:52:00.002-07:00

Isn't family the best? I certainly think so! While we were up in Utah, Ken's family organized a family gathering on Sunday. It also helped that his brother's family was blessing their newest addition at church, but then we all got together at their house for visiting, food and fun!

I told Shallon that he was responsible for getting pictures of everyone, and the boy did an amazing job! He even took a self portrait after he'd gotten everyone else - he's just so fun!

I love that when we're in Utah the kids have a chance to visit and play with their cousins - I think that those are some of the strongest bonds that we create as kids. I'm thankful that my children have that wonderful opportunity. Lots of love to all the cousins, their fantastic parents and of course the super grandparents too!

Utah Trip (part 2) AKA the GIANT Slip'n'Slide

2009-08-12T20:31:00.001-07:00

So, Uncle Brent is the coolest-ever! They have a big, beautiful back yard and on Saturday Uncle Brent made a GIGANTIC slide for all the kids to enjoy. It was about 70 feet long and the kids just loved it! Their kids were there, Shallon and Draven and even a few of the other cousins were there from Provo. They all had so much fun.

Thanks Uncle Brent for having such a cool yard and making the wonderful slide for them to enjoy!

What do you get when...

2009-08-10T21:05:00.001-07:00

You cross brothers who don't always pick up after themselves and a curious 9 month old sister?

Here's the answer:

A little girl covered in chocolate frosting! Do you see the frosting jar in the edge of the picture? The boys (maybe just Draven) had made a snack of graham crackers and frosting (a treat he learned from me unfortunately) and didn't put everything away. I'm not sure if the frosting was on the ground or if she managed to get it there from a table or chairs, but nonetheless, she was able to get more than enough in her mouth, on her face, hands and clothes. The moral of the story - TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING!

I made the boys come out and see what had happened. Shallon took Emma and cleaned her up/changed her clothes. Draven's job was cleaning up all the frosting in the kitchen. I guess we'll see if that was enough to make them remember to put things away.

Utah Trip (part 1)

2009-07-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun in Utah! The weather was beautiful and the kids had a ton of fun with Grandma and Grandpa and all the family up there! In the first couple of pictures we had just arrived at my aunt and uncle's house. Emma was on the floor, acting like she might want to crawl. My cousin's son, Carson, was crawling all over the place! I thought that maybe seeing how it was done would be an incentive for her. She liked watching him move, but she wasn't going to be tricked into crawling before she's ready!

Next, we have a couple of pictures from the park. The boys and I took Emma to a park that I thought was just below my aunt and uncle's. Turns out it is below their house, but by a 1/2 mile or so. Oh, well! It was good exercise and we all had fun. The boys each took Emma down the slide and she liked it pretty well.

That night we met Grandma and Grandpa for dinner and then they took us to Uncle Brent and Aunt Ann's to see their super cool yard! It was so much fun (and there will be more on the yard later). Grandpa took Emma down the slide, the boys played tether ball (I think I even played a game with each of them) and then there was a little basketball action too. Really a super fun place for kids to play. Grandma and Grandpa took a break on the swing and Emma had a nice time relaxing with them - pretty cute!

The last couple of pictures are of Emma and cousin Lady. Emma loved all the great toys to play with at B&A's (they have 4 girls) and Lady was thrilled to have a girl smaller than her to love on. We had a great time! There's still more to come, but my baby is asking me to love on her. I'll post more soon...

What a month!

2009-07-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

We started our very busy month on the 4th with a BBQ/swim party at our house. I didn't get a single picture so there are none to share here - oops! I will tell you that we had a great time. My family that lives here came over, plus a couple of extra friends. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed swimming with Emma and the little girl cousins too. It's so fun to have so many baby girls around now - I love it!

I have plenty to write about the rest of the month, but to give myself a little break I'll put that stuff in different posts! Keep close for the rest of the update...

Meal Time

2009-06-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Emma's getting to be quite the good little eater. She's even figuring out how to pick up cheerios and put them in her mouth! I'm impressed with that...Anyway, she's a pretty messy eater. It seems to me she gets particularly messy when dad feeds her. So, this afternoon dad had been feeding her until his sno cone was ready and then I took over. She ate a little more of the turkey and rice dinner and then she wanted to look out the window at the brothers playing in the pool. Dad had gone outside too so Emma and I were the only ones in the house when I started cleaning her up.

I guess it's important to back up for a brief moment. In the last week or so, Emma has started saying 'Mamamama' and "Dadadada'. She doesn't always say it when she sees us, or even when she wants us, but she is well aware of the fact that she's saying something we like to hear!

Anyway, back to cleaning her up. I got the washcloth and started wiping her face and hands and she got MAD! She was fussing and crying and started saying 'Dadadada'. I just laughed at her and said "You're okay and Dad's not going to come and save you. You need to get cleaned up."
Ken says that she didn't know what she was saying - which is probably true, but I thought it was really funny that she said that when I was cleaning her and not 'Mamama'!

Happy Birthday Draven!

2009-06-28T18:44:00.001-07:00

Nine years ago today, Draven was born into our family. It was very special welcoming another little boy into the family and we've loved having him. He's always great to make a joke or a funny face - and now that Emma's here he has a constant audience.

This morning we started out with raspberry filled glazed donuts for a special breakfast. Then off to church. When we got home, I put some steaks on the BBQ - that was his request for his birthday meal. Once we finished eating, I made some homemade ice cream sandwiches using chocolate chip/chunk cookies as the 'bread'. Finally, it was time for presents! Shallon gave him a couple of bakugan, and Emma pitched in on our gifts. From us he got a bakugan activity book (word finds, mazes, etc.), a couple of shirts, and finally - a sno cone machine and all the stuff to use with it!!! The boys have been dying to have one, and I suggested that Draven ask for one for his birthday. After dad, Emma and I took our afternoon naps, we got out the sno cone machine and had a maiden voyage! It's pretty fancy how well it works and once the boys each had their cones, they enjoyed soaking their feet in the pool while they ate.

Draven, we love you and are so glad you're our son! Happy Birthday!!!

Mommmm, I'm bored......

2009-06-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

So, this maybe wasn't exactly what was said, but it was close! Shallon finally decided that we could play Slap Jack and that would keep us busy for a while. While Shallon got the cards ready, I was doing laundry. Emma had just woken up from her nap and so I stuck her in a laundry basket with a toy - to keep her in one spot and busy. When I was done with the laundry and ready to come into the kitchen I decided to push her into the other room while she was still in the basket - she liked it! Well, then the boys got the idea to push her around in the basket. Since they can move a LOT faster than Emma, they decided to protect her with a couple of pillows from the couch. They were going back and forth from the family room to the front door, making tunnels (by standing with their legs spread so the basket could go between their legs) and bridges (standing on a chair and leaning against the couch or hands on the counter and feet on the island). Maybe the cutest part about the bridges and tunnels - Emma would duck her head when she was going under their legs!

I told the boys that this is what we used to do when I was little. It's so wonderful to see the kids playing together and to know how much they all love each other - even if the boys drive each other crazy at times and if Emma is so much younger than the boys. We have a wonderful family and we are truly blessed!

Father's Day

2009-06-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

This year for Father's Day I was really racking my brain about what to get Ken. He's got most things he wants or needs and if he doesn't he'll usually get it himself. He's just very efficient. Also, as much as I love to buy him clothes, he doesn't really need anything new now and I'm not at a place where I even want to think about clothes shopping!

So as I contemplated all the different options I remembered the kids paint-time card in my wallet for As You Wish (a paint-it-yourself pottery place). I called and found out that there was still time to go in and work our magic and pick it up before Sunday!

We set out the next afternoon, after Emma's nap, and picked out the plate. Then everyone got some paint and we sat down to work. I thought I knew how to do hand prints, but I don't know if I've ever done hand prints with an almost 8 month old baby. It didn't work so well...thankfully, the sweet people that work at the store are more than happy to lend assistance! The gal came over and wiped off the bad prints and then helped us get all the kids hand prints on completely (when Shallon first put his on we were missing the bottom 2/3 of his palm). On the rim of the plate we wrote "Our Dad's The Best Hands Down!!!" The boys thought that Ken would particularly like this because it's cheesy.

We love our dad so much and we are forever grateful that he chose to be the dad in our family!

Swim Time

2009-06-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago the boys wanted to go swimming at our local pool on Saturday so their dad could see where they practice swim team all week. It was a really nice time. The boys were able to go down the slide and off all the diving boards (two regular boards and one high dive). It was really fun for them because during the week they only get to swim laps.

One of the really fun things about this pool is that it has 0 ft entry. Basically, it's like a wading pool and it just gets deeper as you go in further. It was so awesome for little Emma because she could sit and play in the water and relax and have a great time. It was super fun to watch her in the water and it also made me realize how much she loves her big brothers and how much they play with her! While she was sitting in the water she was watching all the big kids in the pool. Whenever any of them came walking towards her she would smile and watch them pass. I could almost hear her saying "I'm here and cute and I'll laugh and smile if you do something fun for me."

It was lots of fun to just relax and enjoy the beautiful Arizona weather. Summer time is great!

Summer Fun

2009-06-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

This year before school got out, Ken and I had a few lengthy discussions about summer activities. I wanted the boys to have some structure and I didn't want to hear "I'm bored, there's nothing to do!" So we made a plan - swim team in the mornings and martial arts at night. Monday through Thursday they boys have swim team practice from 8-10am. This is done through the city and they learn all sorts of different strokes and really work hard. Also, they have competitive meets on Thursday nights to see how well the kids are doing. This last week was our first meet and it lasted forever! I think that almost every other parent in the city decided to put their kids in swim team...

Here's Draven in his race - he's on the second block from the right. It was really fun to watch him and Shallon swim and to see how much they've already improved in just the few weeks they've been doing swim team!

Shallon's race was shortly after Draven's (and by shortly I mean the girls Shallon's age went between them but it was still 45 minutes to an hour later). Shallon is wearing the bright blue trunks on the second from the left block. I did get pictures of them finishing their races, but since it's just a dark head and a hand coming out of the water, I decided not to post those!

Now, about martial arts. Shallon is taking a Karate class on Monday and Wednesday nights. He's got about 8-10 different instructors and there's gotta be close to 35 kids in the class. It's really good for Shallon because it gives him lots of people to learn with and a chance to excel. Draven is taking Aikido on Tuesday and Thursday nights. He's got just the one instructor and there are about 12 kids in his class. This worked out really well because it's a smaller environment for Draven to learn in and he's only got one person to listen to and follow their instructions. When I signed them up I had no idea it would work out this well. Shallon and I have discussed continuing his Karate classes into the fall - we had to since it was soccer sign-ups. We determined that soccer and karate would be too much to do and might even have conflicting practices. So, we'll see how far this will take us. For now, we're just busy and enjoying the little bit of free time we have during the day and on Friday's.

Oh, I guess I can also add that we're still doing piano lessons this summer, and I've challenged the boys to each read a book a week (or every two weeks if it's a really long book). That way we don't get too far from our school year schedule.

Family Visit

2009-06-13T10:36:00.000-07:00

Lots of love and sweet-ness from Emma to her grand-parents and they gave it all right back to her. Also, that new little baby cousin of hers had plenty of love to share! Russel wasn't real cuddly - he's too busy for that - but he sure had lots of fun exploring everything. He didn't like the rough-housing in the pool though - he's a lover, not a fighter.

Now, isn't this a beautiful family? Their littlest one is cuddling with grandma and taking a nice little snooze while everyone is enjoying some time in the water. Russel REALLY liked being able to see his belly button. He usually wears a onesie so it was fun seeing him pull up his shirt and giggle when he could see and touch his belly button! What a fun little boy!

These two cute kids sitting by each other are almost exactly one year apart (Russel was born on Halloween and Emma was born the 29th of October the next year). It's so fun to see the kids together! As a mom, I like to see how big the cousins get so quickly and then it makes me think that in not too much more time that's where Emma will be and all the fun things she'll be doing!

We had a great visit with Ken's parents and his youngest brother, his wife and their two sons over Memorial Day weekend. The picture above is one of the many tricks they performed while playing in the pool on Saturday. The other tricks were walking under water with someone standing on their shoulders, throwing people across the pool and, of course, wave pool. Wave pool is where Ken will hold one of the boys in his arms and jumps up and down causing the water to swell and go over the edge. It's pretty fun to watch and the boys seem to really love it when their dad does that with them.

We had such a great time and we love to see family and have fun playing and visiting! Thanks for coming to AZ and next time we'll see you at your houses!

Father's & Son's Camp-out

2009-06-13T10:07:00.001-07:00

So, this is pretty late (maybe only a month over due) but I thought I'd still post about it!

Ken and the boys headed up Friday after work - that was an adventure itself. On their way out of town the Xterra overheated. The poor boys remembered the time my dad was taking them to a Father's & Son's campout and had car trouble so they didn't end up going. Shallon & Draven were both telling Ken about that and so he was determined to make sure they made it up and had a great time (what an awesome dad he is!!!).

They did get up there without too much trouble and found the campground. The boys had a great time playing pine cone wars and hanging out with all their friends. Ken had a nice time visiting with the men from our ward. Saturday morning they got up and went fishing. Ken bought his first ever fishing license and now is excited to use it more with the boys this summer.

They arrived back home Saturday afternoon and were all thrilled to see me and Emma again - and we were so glad to have them back home safe.

Mother's Day Gift

2009-05-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

So, they don't even know it was a gift, and I think that's what makes it so special to me.

My boys all got back this afternoon from the Father's and Son's camp out. They had a nice time, playing, visiting, and a little fishing. Once the car was unloaded, it was time for yard work. It was so wonderful for me to look out the window and see them all working together. Ken was trimming the edge of the lawn, Shallon was mowing, and Draven was picking up oranges. It was awesome to see my men together taking care of our yard!

Thanks you guys! Love you much -

If My Mother Were A....by Shallon

2009-05-09T00:14:00.000-07:00

If my mother were a flower, she would be a snapdragon, because
She is fun to play with.
If my mother were a color, she would be a pink, because
She is bright and beautiful.
If my mother were a precious jewel, she would be a turquoise stone, because
Like turquoise, she is my favorite.
If my mother were a kind of food, she would be broccoli, because
She is so very healthy.
If my mother were a car, she would be a VW Beetle, because
She is so creative and fun.
If my mother were an animal, she would be a rainbow trout, because
She is an amazing swimmer.
If my mother were a candy, she would be a jaw breaker, because
Her fun lasts forever.
If my mother were a sport, she would be a volley ball, because
She can put happiness in any direction.

I’m just glad that my mother is a mother and she is mine!

My sweet son wrote this for me and I thought it was a special piece to share...

Sweet Treats

2009-05-08T09:55:00.000-07:00

Shallon's 4th grade class put on the neatest program yesterday for all their moms. All the kids dressed up in their best clothes and put on a program with skits, singing and even some dancing!

Shallon made me a hot pad (which he said was to replace the one he set on fire on Sunday night -oops!),a book about me, a book of poems and thoughts about me, and a book of coupons. He's such a sweet boy - I think the nicest coupon is for 20 uninterrupted naps - I just have to tell him before I lay down (his words).

The kids told us about the origination of Mother's Day and then each student brought their mom a carnation. Shallon gave me a purple one since that's my favorite color.

They put a ton of time into this program. A few weeks ago, Shallon's homework was three pages of questions for me, my likes and dislikes; stories from my childhood; what I would wish for...it was really fun to talk about that with my son and see him get so excited to learn about me.

Our treat after the program was a root beer float in a Coca-Cola glass (really fun) and all the kids served their mom's. Definitely a special time with my oldest child!

Happy Birthday!

2009-05-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

Today is my special man's birthday!

He is the best dad and such a wonderful husband

- we love him and wish him the best birthday ever!!!

all our love, ESDE

Swim Lessons

2009-05-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today we (meaning the wimpy ones in our home) got in the pool for the first time this year. Ken and the boys have already been swimming a few different times, but I prefer to wait to get in the water until the water's in the 90's.

This afternoon I was so hot I couldn't stand myself. So my sweet husband suggested I go cool off in the pool. Emma and I got ready and headed out. The water was cool (and by cool, I mean it takes your breath away!) but we were out and I was still hot.

I got in and stood on the step and let Emma stick her feet in the water to get used to it. I was pretty impressed with my method to get Emma comfortable in the water. I let her set the pace. I'd put her feet in and then when she was ready, I let her sit a little. By the time we were done, about an hour or so later, she was chillin' in her pool floaty and just loving it!

I told Ken that once the water warms up some more, we'll get her used to having her face in the water too - but again, I'm going to let her set the pace. I'm excited that it looks like she's going to be a little water-baby!

Rain Forest

2009-05-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Third grade at our elementary school does a section on the rain forest. It's pretty cool seeing how much the kids learn and they love coming home and stumping us on things like the understory and the Harpy Eagle (I'm not sure if either one of those is right...).

The culmination of this project is a play that the kids put on for the parents. Lots of songs, some dancing, a few kids have speaking parts and each child gets to make a sock puppet. Draven had decided that he wanted to make an Aye-Aye. This animal is a member of the Lemur family and as Draven says 'has really weird feet'.

Last night, in addition to completing regular homework and having a little league game, we also created an Aye-Aye. Here's a picture of a real aye-aye and our finished masterpiece.

Take me out to the ball game

2009-05-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

Little league is supposed to be one of those things that shapes character, teaches kids how to be part of a team, how to follow directions and maybe even how to perform under pressure. I also think it's designed to teach mothers more patience.

We have games twice a week, and this week we added in an extra practice. Don't forget that we still have homework, scouts and piano lessons. All of that makes for a busy week and tired boys. Before we were even getting uniforms on, Draven asked to stay home - NOT a good sign...

We made it to the game and we were making it through the game (both really good things considering everything else). All the boys on our team were having a tough time and the other team was really good and EXTREMELY competitive (as a little side note - I am SOOOO thankful that the boys haven't had a coach like that. I am glad my boys get to learn how to be on a team and not get jerky when things aren't going the way they want). Draven is one of the smallest and most inexperienced players on the team so he spends a lot of time in the outfield. There's not really a ton of action in right field and so Draven finds ways to entertain himself...

Notice the kid sitting down in the back of the picture? That's my little guy - I can't really blame him though, it's boring sometimes. So, he was sitting in the outfield when a boy from the other team just nailed it and it came sailing directly into - you guessed it - right field, where Draven was on his butt! Parents in the bleachers were saying "the right fielder was sitting?!?!" and I wanted to say "well of course he was - nothing was happening!" Instead, I just bit my lip and watched as my son got up and started running after the ball. He retrieved the ball from the fence line and then threw it to first. This whole time remember that the batter is running the bases, rounding them and heading for home to score. The first baseman throws it to home and got it there seconds before the runner, the catcher tags the runner and he's out! It was miraculous! It was beautiful! I was SO proud.

After the game we did talk about following the game that you're playing, standing up when you're playing a position and maybe most importantly, doing what the coach says (like standing up!) when he tells you to do something.

We only have a few weeks left and I'm sure we'll make it!

Surprises

2009-04-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

This morning I got a call from my good friend Jan. She's in town for her god-child's wedding; had some free time and wondered if I could meet for lunch. I was so thrilled to hear from her and I was especially glad that I had a free afternoon to spend catching up with her.

I met Jan two years ago while attending Impact Training in Utah. Jan saw me fall in love with Ken and marry the man of my dreams. Jan saw the best time of my life (that far).

Today we talked about her life and mine -- all the changes that have happened for us both over the years, the joy, the struggles, the growth. It was wonderful and perfect! What impressed me the most was realizing how much I loved my husband after spending time talking with Jan. Visiting with Jan reminded me of just how blessed I am in all aspects of my life, but particularly in the fact that I married my Prince Charming and I am more in love than I ever thought possible. Jan, thank you for taking the time to see me today - it blessed my life immensely.

Something to Inspire

2009-04-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

These flowers are from some plants in our yard. They are so fresh and beautiful. New life - there's nothing more inspiring!

I'm not sure if that's the most accurate way to describe the way I feel, but it's pretty close. It's almost May, school will be out soon and I'll have three kids to contend with all day. There will be friends, swimming, crafts (if I get my butt in gear) and of course boredom. What kid's summer would be complete without it?

With these thoughts swirling in my head, I looked out the kitchen window and remembered how blessed I am. When Ken and I got married we briefly talked about living in his two bedroom townhouse. Once we got back from our honeymoon in Vegas and I'd moved in a weeks worth of clothes and toiletries -- that's when Ken said "Let's find something bigger!" And with that, we were on our way to our new home.

I remember standing in the kitchen the day we moved in. Almost everyone had settled into the backyard to swim and relax and I was talking to mom. I looked at her and said "Is this really my house?" I still feel that way some days...

Our home is so perfect for us! The boys share a room, Emma has her nursery right next to our master bedroom. The boys have their game room that keeps all the toys, kids' books and video games out from under our feet. The kitchen is great for cooking and visiting. And then there's the backyard...

This summer, like the last two, will be spent swimming and playing with friends and family. I'm sure we'll use the BBQ at least a few times. The pool will be filled with diving toys, floaties, some adventurous games of HORSE (feet sticking out of the water while their head's under water for the killer shot), and all the fun we could want. This is the pool where my daughter will learn how to swim. This is the place our family experiences fun, excitement and for me, serenity. This is HOME - the best place on earth. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am blessed and so grateful for it all.

Easter

2009-04-29T16:48:00.001-07:00

So, it's way past Easter and we're almost ready to start birthday's in our house, but I wanted to post a picture from then - so I am!

Easter has always been a holiday I anxiously anticipate. It probably goes back to being a little girl and having my mom make us all matching outfits using the old kitchen curtains (Ang - do you remember them? I can see the picture in my mind from Grandma & Grandpa's house in Fort Shaw, our dresses were yellow and white...crazy what we remember....). Since that time I've always looked forward to Easter. The new clothes are a huge factor, but also the opportunity to remember the Savior.

Now, we're going back to the clothes. This year was pretty exciting for me because for the first time in my life I was buying an Easter dress for someone other than me! The little girl dresses are so cute and fun and I'd buy them all if my husband wouldn't kill me. Also, does a girl really need a dress for every day of the month? No, I tell myself, no!

This is also the only time that I really put my foot down with the boys to wear what I want them to wear. I think they're now realizing that sometimes it's just easier to do what Mom asks than to get into a discussion.

Even Ken was okay with the new tie. I really wanted to get him a dress shirt to match his tie, but I was pretty sure he would have considered it a frivolous expense and sadly, he'd be right!

So, without further ado, here's how they all looked in their new outfits I picked out....

For those of you wondering, Draven has a thing for bunny ears. We have LOADS of pictures where he has that sly look on his face and someone has bunny ears courtesy of Mr. Man...

Shallon had enough of pictures. It takes a while to get a 5 month old to look at the camera and smile. She finally did, but he'd lost interest by then.

Usery Mountain

2009-04-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

I love scouts. I think it's a great way for boys to learn so many different things and such a fabulous way for their dads to be right there teaching them. I will clarify that I love scouts more now that I'm not a den leader and I just get to be moral support. Saturday was maybe pushing it though...

Our pack meeting this month was hiking to the Wind Caves. Ken had taken the boys on this hike a few months ago, but I'd never had the experience yet. This is us at the beginning of the trail. Notice the fabulous baby backpack? This was SOOOO wonderful to have - dad carried princess and I was able to concentrate on making it up the mountain. I guess I can start from the beginning. As we were first making our way up the mountain I was feeling pretty good. The trail was clearly marked and pretty easy. I had this great idea that on Saturday mornings Ken and I could get up early and bring the baby with us and hike this once a week. Ken was impressed with this idea but warned me that the trail got tougher. About three quarters of the way up the mountain, I told him I took it back. It was kicking my butt! I did power through it and even though I had a couple of brief stops on the way up, I got to the top and then had a nice long break! You might be able to see how red my face is...this is because I am absolutely exhausted! On the way down the mountain a friend told us about a hike at the Lost Dutchman. He said it's a loop, instead of up and down, and that it's not as much of a climb. I suggested to Ken that we check that hike out and maybe we can do the Lost Dutchman hike on a weekly basis and rotate in the Wind Caves once a month...I'll let you know how that goes.

Shhhh...

2009-04-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

One of the most wonderful things that can happen in a home with a baby has happened in our home. Our angel will fall asleep on her own in her bed. I make sure she has a full tummy and a clean diaper and she's out in a matter of minutes! I had been getting concerned a few weeks ago because we all love to hold her so much and it didn't seem like she would ever have a chance to figure out how to fall asleep on her own, but then it just happened. Now it's tough to remember what it was like to have to put her to sleep. She is SOOO sweet and such a blessing in our home!