Recap

Ok, so I'm not that great at blogging.  But never fear, I will not give up!

Having fun on the front lawn.

I suppose I should recap the last year a bit for you. 

   

at the hotel lobby in SLC

Katie entered the schools talent show with her 2010 recital piece, then in May performed her new piece at her recital and did fabulous as always.  She is now in 4th grade with many friends and bringing home excellent grades.  She goes strait to finishing homework after she gets home each day... most of the time :)

Hunter and Kevin get themselves ready for church.

Kevin finished his spring soccer season and can't wait to start up again this fall.  He also started 1st grade and loves that on Mondays he, Katie and Daddy get to ride bikes to school.  Makayla Y. was his love last year, but with her gone he apparently had to find someone new, so he has written down our phone number to give to Jaden (she was on his soccer team last season), so they can have a play date.

Kevin and Hunter love playing games together.

Hunter is now in Kindergarten, and likes riding the bus each day.  He is reading alright, and seems to enjoy his time at school, so hopefully it will stay that way and he will continue to be challenged. He still loves being my tester in the kitchen.

Just finished watching the magician at the farmers market in SLC.

Ammon has just started "talking" in the last couple weeks. He would sometimes say things to you, but nothing understandable.  Now, I can understand him say milk, but nothing else unless he is repeating, which is what he's started doing coherently in the past couple weeks.

Ammon and William at a pool party.

He likes to use the potty when his friend William does, but has no problem not using it so training is a ways off still.  He's just a social user.

Shelby and Jared are best friends.

Jared is as fat as always, or maybe more.  It's nice that he can share clothes with his brother who's more than twice his age.  As you might imagine he loves to eat.  He has not started walking yet but likes to stand and loves to dance to any music.

Posing with some pigs in SLC

I've been trying to keep up. :) I was called as the ward choir director; heaven help us.  I'm due in January with a girl this time.  Katie is especially excited, but she's always more excited than the boys for any new arrival.  We are still slowly organizing and getting out of boxes from our move a year ago, but every time

Bryan hangs a new shelf or makes drawers (installed last night) I get right to emptying boxes and filling them up.  Next is a shoe caddy, to get those off the closet floor.

Enjoying some lunch after cousin Doug's wedding.

Bryan has been busy building, there's always some project to finish.  He is still enjoying work and that's a good thing since he was called out quite a bit last week.  He is looking forward to a few campouts coming up, one with the 11 year old scouts which is one of his callings in the ward.

Collecting shells and then a walk on the pier at Seal Beach.

We spent a lot of time away from home over the summer.  Bryan's cousin got married in the San Diego Temple.  We spent over a week at his parents where he started tearing apart their kitchen.

Grandma Bernita holding Jared.

Our next trip was to Salt Lake for a weekend, to visit family and temple square, but most importantly to help celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa's 90th birthday's.

Jared dug right into his chocolate cake!

Then Becky and I drove with Katie and Jared to CA for Bryan's cousin returning from her mission in MI, so awesome!  That's where Jared turned 1!

At Desiree's shower, Katie wearing Aunt Britney's TP dress.

Next was back to Bryan's parents for more building kitchen cabinets, enjoying the CA weather and to party with family celebrating my brother Seth, getting married in the San Diego Temple.

Of course we geocached anytime we could!

We are doing alright with our regular schedule.  The kids have their to do charts I print each week, and I rotate the animal and chore they will be doing.

These girls love digging through the wet dirt.

Four kids, four animals: pig, dog, chickens & fish, of course I need to help Ammon with his, but it's been working well for a while now.  I guess when Jared gets old enough we'll have to get a goat or something. :)

Brotherly Love

Ammon loves his little brother Jared. Kevin was the same way with Hunter, getting his bottle or diaper and climbing in his playpen with him.
It's great watching them have fun with each other.

Happy Easter!

How can a child playing in a pool still be so dirty?

I love pictures like this, where I feel I caught a real smile even though they posed.  They are just having so much fun that it shows.  I love for my kids to have fun, I love to have fun with them.  I wish I was better at managing my time so I could better share the everyday adventures of our family.  But I suppose the most important thing is that the fun is happening, I often don't grab the camera in time, or even try when you are in the midst of those special moments, but those moments happen, and that is my first priority.

Kids are fun!

I've missed you!

The kids liked watching "Wimpy Kid"

Hunter's impression.