Cross Country

Hailey ran cross country again for Team Moose!

The Poor Thing!  She ate five pancakes before the race! She said that was the worst stomache ache she had ever had!  Not only that but, she stopped in the middle of the race to help a friend who had fallen and she still came in 8th!  Way to go!  I am super proud of you!

Sierra also ran cross country for the Junior High School.  Unfortunately all her meets were after school on Tuesdays. (the same day I teach piano lessons)  She says it was fun and she improved upon her time thoughout the entire season!  Good Job, Sierra!

Interception!

Cole had a great game against the Badgers!  Cole is white number 95 in the pictures below.  The ball is in the air just left of the Domino's sign.  He got the interception at the 10 yard line and they didn't get him down until the 40!  Way to go!

This is the same game after the hand-off.  He looks like he is the model for the trophies!

Cole vs Goliath!  That is Cole up against Blue #81! 

THE SPAM MEAT CONNECTION
Cole believes eating Spam is good luck for him on game day.  Here is the story.  We try to expose the kids to different foods from around the world.  One night when we were eating something new the kids mentioned Spam and how they liked eating new kinds of food but they would not, no matter what, be eating Spam!  Well, being the "mean" parents we are we knew we had to give it to them because we didn't want them having the attitude that they are too good to eat something.  Soon after this we served Spam for dinner just before Cole had a basketball game.  They liked it!  He had a great game that night and his coach said, "I don't know what you fed that boy but keep giving it to him!"  Of couse we all laughed at this!  So Friday night he brought me a can of spam from the pantry and asked if we could have it for breakfast before the game on Saturday. (pictured above)  I made spam and eggs on english muffins and he had another great game!  It looks like I'll be buying Spam by the case from now on!

Seeing the World with New Eyes

We had the amazing experience of being tour guides for a family from Korea!   JY Son works for the same company as John and had to work here for two months. He brought his family with him. (wife-Soon, daughter-Jiwan, son-Gwan and mother Ok Yeong).  We got the opportunity to take them to Yellowstone Park, Jackson Hole, and a Blue Angels air show.  You might be thinking, "So what?  Been there, done that."  I know, but it was an experience I will never forget.  We traveled in separate cars and moved caravan style through the Rocky Mountains.  I gained a new appreciation for the beauty and variety of the world around me.  We truly live in a beautiful part of the country.  I have been blessed to be able to live here and raise my children here too.  Every mountain vista, every wild animal, every flower and mountain stream I saw was like seeing it for the first time.  I remembered the wonder I felt when my family first moved to Montana.  I wondered if they were bored or too tired from all the driving to notice the things I saw.  As it turns out each time we stopped to rest they would go on and on about everything they saw!  They had a great time and it was fun to see them enjoying it as much as me. 
Everyone was a little nervous at first about traveling with people we didn't know. It is a good thing they could speak some English because we didn't know a bit of Korean.  Conversation was difficult but then we learned to enunciate better and they became more confident in their English so it was easier at the end.  

I will always be grateful for the chance to make new friends and remember the blessings I have been given by my Heavenly Father.

Golfing, it's harder than it looks!

Brook has played on the high school golf team for two years now.  She is getting pretty good at it and participated in a few youth golf association tournaments this summer.  (I would like to have more pictures of her golfing but I cant figure out how to get my camera to be quiet!  As soon as she begins a swing all you can hear is "click, click, click!"  It doesn't seem loud until you are on a golf course or a driving range!)  Anyway, she is a good sport about going out with the family and giving us pointers.  The younger kids and John are picking it up pretty well.  As for me?  No comment!

Crazy Mail!

So this is Robyn. Mom said that the only way I was allowed to get the pictures off her camera was if I put them up on the blog, so here we go!

I got a banana in the mail! My friend Tyler Mertz, who is currently in the MTC, heard somewhere that the post office would mail a banana as long as there is a stamp and an address. So he tried. I got such a surprise today that is for sure.

Independence Day

I love the 4th of July!  I love that I live in America!  I don't want to be anywhere else.

We had a great day.  Church was wonderful.  It was good to feel gratitude for ALL our blessing including the opportunities we have living in this great nation.  I feel blessed in too many ways to count.

After church we had some friends over to the house.  It was too cold to hold the BBQ outside so we stayed in. John grilled the meat of course.  After we ate enough to last all week we sat down and played a marathon game of Catan.  It lasted from dinner until dark.  As we were putting the game away we realized how dark it had gotten.  We almost missed the neighborhood show!

This photo was fun.  I can't believe how perfect it came out.

The Kids

This was the cake I made to celebrate the holiday. It looks pretty non-decript but then...

TA-DAH!

Happy Independence Day!  Thank you to everyone who made and are making sacrifices to make and keep us free.

New Camera

Happy Birthday to ME!  John totally scored big with this birthday gift! I have wanted a camera for a very long time and when we finally went through the 3rd cheap camera in 2 years he decided it was time to stop buying and time to invest!  (More likely he got tired of me whining not being happy with the results I would get with the point and shoot versions!).  Whatever the reason, I am THRILLED!  I have been having a blast with this new "toy".  I have a ton to learn...but it is the fun kind of learning.  Here is some of what I have been able to do so far.  PLEASE remember... I am not a professional nor do I play one on TV or in Blog-land.  It's just me having a good time.  (If you want to help my family then you can come over and let me photograph you because I think my family is getting tired of me being my photo guinea pigs!)

This is one from my first "photo session"  Hailey was a good sport and when the wind picked up this is what we got!

This is from the YW's 5 mile hike last saturday.

This is totally legit!  The kids were really playing monopoly and I was playing with different lighting and focus settings.

I am thinking of putting this in B&W and then getting different game pictures for the new family room.

The kids had just come in from playing in the rain.  Ususally I am annoyed when they leave their shoes by the door but now I look at everything and think, "This would make a great picture!"  (I know, they are just boots, but I like it.)

This one is legit too!  Brook was making cookies and I was getting on her nerves!

Maybe I'll write that cook book I have been dreaming about.

I have taken hundreds of pictures since my birthday (it's only been two weeks).  I don't like them all and I wont be keeping all of them. There are a lot that I do like.  There is no way I could post or even frame them all.  But I figure that if I take a lot of pictures I'm bound to find a few that work.  Hopefully as I practice it won't take so many bad pics to get to those good ones.

41st Birthday

Well, 41.  I never pictured myself here.  I could see myself as a young mother with toddlers and small children.  I could see myself retired and perhaps on a mission.  For some reason I never really thought about what I would be like in the middle.  It feels good.  So I wanted to take some time and figure out who is this person I am now and enjoy it.  I feel a little silly writing about myself so I'll just make a list, it is easier and more comfortable.
-I am a wife
-and mother of 5
-happy to be a "Stay at Home Mom"
-wish I could stay at home more!
-Love the gospel.
-Love our family motto "No Empy Chairs"  It holds lots of meaning for us. ask me about it and I'll be happy to share
-Love that there is a priesthood holder in my home!
-Love that he uses it for me and others.
-Always get answers to my prayers.  wish I always liked the answers
-love to read
-started a book club (it's in it's 3rd year now)
-love to cook but hate to do dishes
-love it when a new recipe works out and tastes great too!
-try to keep my house and family organized and efficient
-Enjoy setting a timer to help me get my work done (I'd rather do someting fun but cant enjoy it until the work is done)
-one of the best compliments I have received from a friend..."Your house always smells like bread!" (just wish it were true)
-best compliment from my kids..."Wow Mom! You're smart!"...thank you for noticing
-best compliment from my husband..."You did a good job."...ahhh, the satisfaction
-Young Women's leader (have been for most of my adult life)
-Love teenage girls- quirks and all
-I am my kids biggest fan
-try not to be the loud parent in the bleachers(it still happens sometimes)
-get annoyed with other drivers
-my kids remind me that other drivers cant hear me when I tell them how to drive!
-becoming more patient with those drivers (it's an effort)
-enjoy reading blogs of other people especially other moms who keep it real and have great craft/home/photography ideas
-tried to get into scrapbooking-hated it. too much stuff and equipment-  Started a blog instead
-learning how to upholstery -I will probably never do it again after this first project (pictures to follow)
-learning photography- having a blast!  Thanks John, for the perfect birthday gift!
-Love a nap on Sunday afternoon.
-Love that my kids are building a special relationship with their Grammy.  Not everyone has the opportunity to have a grandparent live with them.
-Voluteer with the Office of Emergency Management-I've seen a lot of  things I hope to never see again
and seen some miracles happen and love the energy that happens when people work together
-wore a BYU football tshirt at Walmart and was treated rudely
-Love to be super nice to rude people just to watch them squirm!
-Enjoy a good game of Settlers of Catan.  (especially if i win!)
-I am not a good sport.  I am getting better (another effort)
-Talking about Personal Progress makes me smile
-a list maker.  I love to cross things off as I complete them. (confession- I even add things to my list just so I can cross it off too!-pathetic!)
-Love it when my kids sit on my lap - even when my legs fall asleelp
-have great friends.  They are all different, all beautiful, all talented, smart and fun.  And they are all real!
-find mistakes in my bank account almost every time I reconcile!  it's getting better, yes, another effort
-would rather not roncile my bank accounts.  John is better at it anyway. but I know it is important! bleh!
-Love the variety of bird song outside my bedroom window in the morning.
-looking forward to building our house.  Not looking forward to the work.  Looking forward to having it done.
-Want to make our home a farm home. 
-Farm home = good feelings, good food, self sustaining, work and fun.  It's a lofty goal but I believe attainalbe
-Feel enormous satisfaction when completing very small goals! most especially when they add up to a big one
-cant stand it when people eat while talking on the phone.  Had a friend who talked to me while on the toilet.  I hung up the first time I heard her flush, then I got used to it and now it just makes me laugh!
-teach piano lessons after school.  I love it.  (just dont like the "donkey song" I am sick of it!
-love it that my husband always calls me during his lunch break
-My comfort food...definately Mexican!

-Family, it's what I do.
-LDS Woman.  It's who I am.

SPRING!

KOREA

John got to go to Korea again.  This is the view from his hotel in Seoul.  Notice the garden on top of the building.  He didn't have time for sight-seeing as he was very busy at a rolling mill in Yeongju.  When I asked him why he didn't bring home "travel" pictures he just laughed and said, "I was working."  So, if you ask an obvious question, you get an obvious answer! 

"OLD LADY"

This is where I spent most of the month of March after having surgery to repair cartilage in my hip. I have heard that manditory bedrest is terrible but I was very spoiled by family and friends.  I have to admit I rather enjoyed the break.  There is not much better in life than to smell breakfast cooking while you are still in bed!

This is a sweet card the girls in Young Women made for me.  They are so fun!

TREES, TREES, TREES

We have planted 75 trees!  There are already Ponderosa Pine all over the lot.  We have added White Pine, Douglas Fir, Spruce, Poplar, and Sugar Maples.  The Poplars and Maples alternate on both sides of the lane. I am very excited for them to grow in.  The display will be marvelous!  We have also planted Elberta Peaches and Honey Crisp apples.  I have never had fruit trees before so I am enjoying learning how to care for them.

(The little white "house" in the background of this picture is the chicken coop.  It looks like a playhouse to me!)

Light was fading fast on this evening but we got a fun suprise.  As the sun was setting the geese and ducks began their nightly migration from the farms on the prarie back to the lake.  Their path goes right over where we will live.  They didn't seem to be too afraid of us and as the light faded they traveled closer and closer to the tops of the trees.

"Spring" Break

We traveled to Utah and southern Idaho for spring break.  We got to visit Robyn and John's brother, sisters and parents.  The pictures from Easter didn't turn out but this is the travel conditions we had on the way home!  I love living in Idaho!

Arrow of Light

Cole has moved on from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. We are all very proud of him. I am feeling a little sad about not having a Cub. There is not much cuter than a boy in a Cub uniform, (think of the Disney movie "Up!") and there are no more pinewood derbies for us. But, I am so excited for the new adventures he has ahead of him! This is going to be a fun ride!

The ceremony was great. It was done at the Blue and Gold banquet. Older boys from another troop came and presented the program. They were dressed in traditional native american garb and represented the winds from the four corners of the world sent to give guidance and blessings to the boys who were crossing the bridge into the scouting world. They did a very nice job. A young boy stood up at the end of the program and proclaimed "That was awsome!" He was absolutely right.

Hailey's Baptism

January 9, 2010 was a special day for Hailey! It was baptism day.


I hope she will always remeber this special time with her dad. We are all very proud of her.



The day was made even better because she shared it with two very special friends! Gabby, Lily and Hailey were all so beautiful. Congratualtions to all!

Here and There

Brook and her friend, Olivia planned a youth dance and invited all the wards in the stake as part of the Young Women's program. The decorations were beautiful and they had a good turn out. I think everyone had a great time.

We bought a 5 acre lot outside of town early this fall. It has water, electricity, a barn and a chicken coop but no house. We are excited to start working on that in the spring. It should be an adventure, wish us luck!

Hailey was an elf in the school production of "The Incredible Reindeer".

Cole's Cub Scout den helped the city in raising the flag at the beginning to the community holiday celebrations.

Fall Sports

Hailey played basketball in the Parks and Recreation program. This picture shows her with her coach, Erin. Hailey played several postions and scored a basket during game-play! She learned a lot and we had fun watching her!





Cole played football again this year. His first year in the Junior Tackle program. He had a great time playing corner on defense and wide receiver on offense. We had a lot of fun drinking hot chocolate in the stands and trying to stay warm!

Hello everyone. I'm settling in well and having a blast. I didn't even get lost on the first day. It was cake:) The first night I was here I went to the basketball game against Eastern New Mexico and it was sooo fun. Cosmo (the mascot) even came up to where my row was and I got pictures. Here are a couple and I hope all is well.

Love Robyn