A Note from Grace

We love you too, sweet girl.

Spring Highlights

Got some highlights for Spring!

Funny lighting...I look as though I might float into the Heavens.

Archery

Every time Troy downloads his phone I find little pictures that I have never seen.  This time there were pictures of Gracie from her field trip last October.  I think she looks quite official.

Future Olympian?  Perhaps.

A Note from the Surgeon Generals

I have always told the girls that Mt. Dew was not good for them. So, when Troy gets it out to drink (his favorite drink of all time), they give him quite an ear full.  This is their latest tactic to try and get him to quit his terrible habit.

So far, the notes have made him smile but...there's still plenty of Mt. Dew in his back seat.  The one change I have seen, he now refers to the girls as, The Surgeon Generals.  

Cute.

Dr. Seuss Day

It was Dr Seuss Day at school again. Aeva's class had all sorts of fun. They became the "things" out of the Dr Seuss book. 

Aeva just happened to be Thing 14.

They also did "surgery" on letters to make two words become one.  For example, cannot can be surgically changed into can't.  Will not can turn into won't.  

How come my teachers never taught me to do surgery?  This is definitely the time to go to school...awesome teachers, computers, ipads, etc.  I feel like I grew up in the dinosaur age!  

Darby is 20!

 Darby turned 20!  That means yummy food and cake for everyone else!

It also means some $$$$ for Darby.

And a big pile of hugs!  Love this girl...she grew up SOOOO fast.

Cavities x 2

I understand that there are probably some pictures that you should delete or simply keep to yourself. These are probably some of those very pictures. However, memories are too important to waste.

Maddie and I post dentist - we had tears in our eyes from laughing at each other.  

We were quite the site.  

Slightly more composed but equally as retarded.  Good thing anesthesia doesn't last forever!

Bottoms are off!

Drum roll, please. The bottom braces are officially off!

How can this little wire thing cost so much?  

It took two years and two months to get them on and off.

Now we enter the world of retainers.  

President Aeva

Aeva's Presidential plans:

It says:

If I were president, I would go swimming every day.  As president, I would eat pizza every day.  If I were president I think it would be fun to swim.  I would invite everyone to sleep over at my grandmas.  As president, I would help America read the Book of Mormon.  If I were president, I would never ever clean up my room again.

As Aeva's mother, I better invest in a pool (sounds like there might be a lot of swimming going on), buy a pizza shop (eating it every day could get expensive) and get grandma a bigger house for everyone to sleep in (she currently only has two beds).  Nation wide BOM readings?  Why not.  As for the last part, cleaning is a part of life...even for presidents.  Good luck, Aeva.  You have my vote!

President's Day

Have you ever laughed so hard that you cried? You can't control yourself and then you lose all of your strength and become powerless against everything around you?  Happens to me.  In fact, one of my kids is usually the cause for such laughter.  My latest episode looked something like this...

This past year, my kids have discovered the joy that comes from skiing between all of the trees on the sides of the slopes.  Ms. Aeva feels that she should be able to go anywhere that her older sisters can go.  Usually, it doesn't work.  

On this particular occasion, Aeva had followed Gracie into some trees but did not have as much speed as Gracie.  She decided to take a "lower" path through the trees and ended up stuck at the base of a Quakie.  She then decided she had better try to turn around and only ended up with her skis going backwards down the hill and into a pine tree.  Ever gotten stuck below a pine tree in lots of snow?  Not a good thing.  By this time my dad and I are laughing too hard to be of much help.  I bent over to grab her hand but her glove just came off.  More laughter.  I grabbed her coat but her arm just came out of the sleeve.  Hysteria.  Further and further she sunk into the hole.  I couldn't to anything.  I was worthless, blind with tears and laughing as my last born sunk to her death.  It's a good thing Grandpa Ken was there or we would have never gotten her out.  

We had to recuperate over some nice hot chocolate back at the ski lodge.  Aeva still looks slightly offended that I was unable to save her.

These girls have become great skiers and it is fun to take  them out on the slopes.

At the end of the day, we even tried the Palmas lift.  Basically you put a frisbee seat between your legs and stand up as the lift pulls you up a hill.  

It took a few tries but Aeva finally got it and it ended up being the highlight of Aeva's day.  Too bad we didn't do it earlier in the day so we could have gone more than once.  

The sunset was amazing and it ended our day with some amazing views from the top of the world.

We are blessed beyond measure!

Puppy Love

My Aunt Holly's dog had puppies. This means that my kid beg and plead to go and see them whenever they are with Grandma Rett. They know their mother would never take them to see the puppies...I am not a dog lover.

I will admit...

that they are very cute.

If they didn't pee, poo or smell, I might decide that I liked them.  

For now, I have yet to meet a dog that follows any of that criteria.

Guess that means we will continue to be a dogless family.  

Growing and Growing.

Maddie found her Indoor Soccer ID card when she checked in at her first game of the season. She liked seeing how much she had grown. I wish she would grow a little slower.

All State...at everything!

Ever meet a kid that excels at...well, everything? I just happen to be related to that kid. He's pretty incredible.

Parker sets his goals high by anyone's standards.  Goals that would be difficult, hard to reach, physically and emotionally draining...yep, he'll do it.  This kid has dedication, determination and never quits despite the challenges that face him.

I am proud of him and the high standards that he holds for himself and those around him.  I can only wait and see where his path of hard work and dedication will take him.  

Keep your head high, Parker.  You deserve only the best because that is what you give.  Continue to work hard and the only place you can land is...right on top.

6th Grade Valentine's Dance

The 6th Grade Valentine's Dance has come and gone.  The kids were so excited.  

Especially this kiddo.

Before the dance could begin, we had to have a class picture.

They even had a photo booth.  Soooo fun.

Were adults supposed to get in the photo booth?

Guess so.  We never came out of it.

Maddie's teacher, Mrs. Froerer, even got a dance with her son Luke.  He was thrilled.

I even stole my other girls out of their classes to get a few photos.  I call it parentally authorized sluffing.  I feel very little guilt about it.

We finished the dance with a little bunny hop.

A fun dance for a great group of kids.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Valentine's Day 2014

Valentine's Day...the love, the candy. 

Such a fantastic day to give me chocolate.

Maddie made her Valentine box hoping that lots of yummy candy would find its way inside.

Troy found this inspirational quote that he shared with everyone...no need to feel worse about yourself on Valentines than you do all the other days of the year.

Maddie got invited to her first "party."  Boys were not invited to this party and so we decided she could attend.  We are such giving and kind parents.