September 18, 2016

Another year came and went putting up flags for the Healing Field.  It is an amazing sight to see 3000 flags up knowing that each one represents a life that was lost that day.  This is a busy time for Ryan and the kids were involved with putting up and taking down the flags. 

Corbin came in the house one day to show me this little frog he caught!

We went to the ward campout...although it was a bit chaotic!  Ryan had to drop me off with Kessiah, Sienna, Logan, Mason, and Corbin.  He had to go back to finish taking down the flags and Jenessa had a soccer practice...so he dropped me and the kids off with all our gear.  We put up 2 tents...the kids were great helpers...I think I might have been very overwhelmed if Kessiah hadn't been so confidant.  Just when we thought we were done the campground caretaker came and told me we had to move our tents because we were in the wrong spot!  I had a small breakdown and cried to Ryan on the phone...and then we got it taken care of!  Some people came down from the ward and helped us move our stuff and picked up our tents and carried them to the right location.  I didn't like having to keep track of the kids without Ryan around...but we made it!

We had to get our stuff packed up the next morning and go to soccer games.  I had to get Kessiah to Prescott for her ride to go to a multi-stake dance in Flagstaff.  Ryan, Jenessa, Sienna, and Logan were in a mud run. And we had stake conference It was a busy weekend!

Right after I took this picture they came and gave me a hug...
just to make sure I got some mud on me too!

Corbin and Mason got to sit in someone's four wheeler
while we were waiting for the mud runners!

September 11, 2016

Yesterday was our 22nd wedding anniversary...it's hard to believe it's been that long!  I am so blessed to be married to such a good man.  We went out to dinner at Murphy's, a restaurant in downtown Prescott.  Afterwards, we walked around the square...something I have never done!  

Yesterday was also the first games of the soccer season.  It is going to be a busy season...this year we have 5 kids playing on 5 teams...it's a lot! 

Monday was Labor Day, we started out our day by doing a fun run and 5k (Ryan and Sienna did the 5k).  Someone brought face paint which the kids had fun with.  Afterwards Ryan and I tackled the garage and got things looking pretty good.  We finished up the day by going mini golfing.

August 28, 2016

Soccer practices began this week for Sienna, Logan, and Corbin.  Jenessa is helping coach Sienna and Logan's teams...she really enjoys the game and likes working with kids...hopefully her schedule will allow her to continue helping with those teams.  I'm not sure how this year will go with 5 kids on 5 teams...it should be an adventure!

Ryan has his annual Arizona Cities and Towns Conference this week.  I haven't gone down with him to this conference in several years...I think it just got too hard with all the kids.  This year we decided to try going down on the last night.  We had fun going to the festival of cities and swimming in the pool (it even had water slides!)...plus we made a stop at Chick-fil-a.  The kids are asking if we can go again next year so I guess it was a success.

Here is a picture at the Festival of Cities.
Sienna is trying to catch stars in a wind tunnel to win a prize.

And of course...it is Logan's birthday!  My oldest son is 9.  I can see a lot of growth happening in him lately.  He is growing into a young man.

August 21, 2016

Logan got the idea in his head that he wanted to do a sewing project.  I told him he would have to wait for Nana to visit, then she could help him...he had other ideas!  He asked Kessiah to help him...and those 2 got to work creating an emoji pillow.  I'm told Logan did almost all of the sewing!

One day this week, some of the kids were bored and decided to get creative!  They made a "river" from tin foil and the hose...then made boats out of tin foil to float down their river.

As part of science this week I had the 4 youngest do a STEM challenge where they had to build something using certain criteria...I actually let Mason and Corbin build whatever they wanted.  Sienna and Logan each had to choose what they were going to build and then were allotted a certain number of materials based on a budget.  They complained at first and even said it was impossible...but then they started trying to figure it out and did a great job.

This is Corbin's "thinking pose"  He sat there tapping his index finger on his head saying "I'm thinking"

Logan built a tower

Sienna built a bridge

Here are a few pictures from our art class this week.

Mason came home from church today with this picture he had drawn in Primary.  It just made my heart happy to see it.  I love my family so much...they are my everything!

Summer is wrapping up

Summer is coming to a close.  We got back into our regular piano lesson times this week.  Early morning seminary started...Kessiah now has her driving permit so she drove to and from seminary every day!  Classes begin for Kessiah and Jenessa this week.  I think they are both ready to get down to business again.

We have been watching a lot of Olympics this week...although it is interesting to me to see how we had it on almost constantly at the beginning of the week but by yesterday it was only on for a couple of hours.

We started up our co-op with the Nyman's this week.  Our plan this year includes art, math, and a book club...I'm excited to see how it goes.  I got us started this week with art.

Kessiah and Jenessa got to ride horses this week for YW...they had a great time and want to be able to do it more often...we'll have to see how our schedule works out this fall.

Ryan had his birthday this week.  I thought Sienna did a fabulous job at helping Corbin and Mason come up with a creative idea for a birthday card.  Kessiah also helped Logan fold a paper plate into a cookie holder (he made snickerdoodles all by himself!).  It is great to see my girls growing up to love and serve their siblings.  And just because I didn't see Jenessa so anything on this day doesn't mean she doesn't do a lot to help with her siblings!

January 2016

We are back in the swing of things with school, early morning seminary, and piano lessons. Seminary got off to a rough start because of the weather.  The first 2 days back were find...but then we were supposed to get 4-6 inches of snow...so the rest of the week was cancelled because of 2 hour delays at the public schools.

Logan and Mason are playing basketball with the YMCA.  We were excited when we found out that they were forming some teams in Prescott Valley and we wouldn't have to go over to Prescott.  They each have a practice once a week and a game every Saturday.

Sienna had fun this month in activity days...they spent one week cutting out maxi skirts and the next time they met they sewed them.  I went with one of our machines to help her...that was tough for me as I always delegate any sewing activities to Kessiah so I am way out of practice!  But she did a great job and the girls enjoyed showing them off at church.

We have our Shakespeare club up and going again.  This semester our plan is to perform the play "Twelfth Night" in April.  We have a community theatre whose director is going to help us.  Here are Kessiah and Jenessa at the auditions.

Happy New Year 2016

We started off the new year by trying something new...geocaching!  Ryan downloaded an app on his phone and we headed over to Watson Lake.  We found our first one fairly easy.

The second one we could not get to without a kayak because it was on a small island...and we had to get to another island before we could even get to the island that was our goal.  Everyone got to the first island...but I stayed on the mainland.

The third one was nowhere to be found even though we were in the right place.  It was a fun adventure as we didn't stick to the trails as we just followed the compass in the right direction....at times that made me just a little nervous!