This girl......

What a silly little thing!

This was her being a pill on picture day.

She loves Justin B.

I really don't know why I have a child that is always getting into trouble? I was down in Phoenix for Melissa's cheer competition (they placed 4th in state) on Saturday and while Claire was here at home with Brian she managed to accomplish a few "NAUGHTY" tasks. Brian had our balcony door open in our room as our room can get pretty warm on a sunny day and as he was either taking a nap, reading a book, or playing a video game on his IPAD Claire decided she would take whatever she could find in my room and throw it over the balcony and watch it land in the snow! Yes, books, pajamas, shoes, even some of her own toys. I didn't discover the mess until MOnday morning when I looked outside the kitchen window and saw our personal belongings scattered about the snow. Also, the other day when I got my car stuck in the snow of our driveway, I was shoveling it out only to go in the house an hour later to find Claire completely naked except for the cute pink bow in her hair, standing in the chair, spooning out the chocolate milk powder by the spoonful into her mouth, noticing she had also pee-peed on the floor! I do love her but I am not sure I will make it to see her reach 18! These are just some things about Claire I don't want to forget.

what a GREAT day!

Yesterday I woke up to get the boys ready for school and I saw on my phone that I had some new email messages. One of them was entitled CES Admissions. I knew this was the long awaited news to see if Melissa got into BYU. (Brigham Young University) I have seriously been on pins and needles worrying about this and hoping and praying for her to get in. As we all gathered around the computer waiting for the page to come up showing her acceptance or denial, it came up with the words that seemed gigantic ACCEPTED! Tears came to my eyes as I hugged her and congratulated her. It was such an exciting time!!

It's hard to describe the situation of helping her through the application process and then waiting patiently to be told if your child is GOOD ENOUGH. Knowing full well she is an excellent student with so many awesome achievements and talents but how do "THEY" know that? Wondering if they really read through every application and if they can see how AMAZING she is. I was wanting to call and tell them to look at her application, read her essays, see all she has done and then tell me she isn't good enough! I know all parents must feel this way when put in this situation. I am so happy that "THEY" saw that and accepted her into their school. I know how difficult it is to get into this amazing institution. I am so extremely proud of her and know with all my heart this experience will change her life forever. Let this amazing journey begin!!!

Brian's little sister Ashlyn also got in and found out around the same time and was super excited. I am thrilled for her as well. I am so glad we have these girls to be great examples for all the younger kids. WAY TO GO!!!!!

Just a little news....

Claire fell down the stairs..this barely bruised because of witch hazel 'n ice

Melissa at winter formal with Alex.

Natalie has been taking pics with her new camera.

cute one of Claire

Melissa's last half time routine

proud parents

SENIORS

walking her on the court

flagstaff girls with coconino boyfriends... matt looks sad since they lost!

the famous picture

I haven't blogged in awhile so I am going to do a quick update. Claire fell down the stairs and lived to tell about it. Brian's computer crashed a couple weeks ago and he is devastated as it has all his business stuff on it and he was trying to back it up at the time it crashed. I don't know how we are going to do our taxes without all that info. I think he really was about to vomit after it happened and he has taken it to 3 places to see if he can retrieve anything and they all say "nothing". Melissa went to winter formal last Sat. and someone walked by her catching her toe nail with his shoe and bent it all the way backwards. Thank goodness its not all the way off. Melissa had her last game this week and it went pretty good except for the gym being so overly crowded it was crazy, if there had been a fire we would have died for sure. Flagstaff high school won both games the girls and guys varsity teams. Melissa was escorted on the court by us, her loving "perfect" parents. (ha ha) Next they have competition in phoenix on March 5 and after that they go to Nationals at Disneyland. Overall it was a good night and not too emotional like I thought I might be. The funniest story this week is one of an email being sent to me by a friend who's step mom is the wife of my father in laws business partner and happened to be shopping at Desseret Industries and saw a huge picture of Brian in his suit as a missionary. When I saw this I was amazed that no one had bought this amazingly handsome picture of the cutest guy for only .50 cents!! I called them early in the morning and even had my wonderful mother run over there to get it but it was gone...yes, gone. I have to admit I was a little sad, I know it was outdated but it was a picture of an important time in Brian's life and one that our boys could look up to as their dad as a missionary. Oh well, hopefully someone has it hanging in their living room for all to see. (probably just tore that picture out and used the frame for something else) it was pretty funny and Brian got a lot of texts telling him he was famous! Such is life.

Melissa's Birthday

I can't believe I HAVE AN 18 YEAR OLD! Really? Where did the time go? She made me a mom. She was my first everything. First child to care for, bath, feed, potty train, send to kindergarten, become a big sister, cry over a boy, play in a sport, get in BiG trouble, drive a car, go on a date, and finish high school. The list goes on and on and on. She has been a wonderful daughter for 18 years and has given me everything that any mother would dream of but I must say that I am having anxiety over her flying the coop. I'm not real sure how this whole college thing will go and in a way I want her to stay right here next to me. I know it can't be THAT hard, I mean it happens everyday. Then why does it feel so traumatic at the same time. I really want her to experience all the wonderful things in life that being an adult has. The freedom she will experience and the loneliness without her family too. I just hope that she will be in a good place with good people to fill the void and like Brian wrote in her birthday card, something about flying the coop but remaining a pigeon for now, returning often, to become an eagle later. (It was cute) We took her to The Cottage Place restaurant which is a place only reserved for special occasions since it is pretty pricey. She had just been sick with strep throat for 24 hours before that so we weren't even sure if she was up for it. We are planning a party here with some of her friends hopefully soon. Her cheer squad made it to nationals so they are busy fund raising for a trip and she just had finals which she completed the semester with straight A's again. I am so extremely proud of her and know that wherever life takes her she will make the best of it and be a success. Happy 18th birthday Melissa we all love you so much!

Trenton's birthday 2011

blowing out the candles

Natalie took some great pictures at the party.

I call these "spongebob" teeth

Zane ready to go up trusting me with the ropes

this is over 45 ft up...crazy!

look at all these cute boys!

the guys there said Trenton has some "natural" talent

the "bellayers" is that a word??

Claire getting in on the action

Where did the TIME go? We just celebrated Trenton's 9th birthday party and it was a blast. I told him he could only invite a few friends since it was pretty pricey at Vertical Relief in Flagstaff. I thought I was going to be sitting there watching all these little guys climb up and down but boy was I wrong! I was wearing heels too and was told I would need to learn to" ballay" I was like, "uh, what?" thinking "hey I am paying for all these kids to do this and you are making me work?" so at first I had a crappy attitude but then I was thrilled that I learned and accomplished a new skill. I really enjoyed being the person at the bottom hold threading and "bellaying" ha ha! We had a great time and would love to go back as a family now that Melissa and Brian know how to do it too. Happy Birthday Trenton. We all LOVE you so much!

Christmas 2010

Natalie and Trenton.....so cute!

Alex and Melissa

Claire being comforted by Grandpa

Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus and a donkey....ha ha

Claire showing Zane some LOVE

Zane helping to decorate the tree

This Christmas we spent at home. We haven't done this in our entire married life. One year we did have Christmas morning here and left for the valley right after but this year we stayed home for Christmas eve and Christmas day and even a few days after! It was really nice to experience a regular Christmas letting the kids enjoy their morning and play with the things they received. I did miss some of the holiday traditions that we are so used to participating in with Brian's family. Every year they have a Christmas eve get together where many talents from members of the family are shared like playing the piano to singing a song, etc. Luke 2 is always read with the kids dressed up as people out of the bible that were present the night of Christ's birth. We did this too this year and it was just as special. Claire had a baby Jesus tied to her and I had to chuckle when someone asked her "where is baby Jesus?" and she looked up to the ceiling and all around. My parents came up from Gilbert and stayed the night with us which is a big thing for them as the altitude up here bothers my dad and the stairs are pretty steep for a couple of senior citizens to climb. They helped get a turkey and all the fixings ready for dinner that night. My mom helped with all the tables and the decorations. There were a total of 19 people eating and it was great. Melissa invited her boyfriend Alex and his family over and we had a family from church join us too. It was a great Christmas and New years which we spent at The Checks annual Casino Party. One word...WOW! it was amazing!!

Best Friend cruise 2010

Our first port "Progresso" (pretty windy) also had the

most annoying peddlers EVER!

Our door decorated with pictures...awww.

A day at sea..so relaxing by the pool with awesome Carribbean band

Love this picture of my BFF!

Some of the food and beverages in Cozumel.

Who looks this good at 40? Tiffanee does!

I think I have a "tan" or is that a sunburn?

writing fun stuff in the sand

nothing feels better than this!

yeah thats my fat behind running down the beach

I have definitely been a "blog slacker" since my last post. I wanted to write about my trip with my best childhood friend. We met when my family and hers lived on Bell Circle in Huntington Beach California when I was only 4 years old. We were best friends doing everything from making forts to me teaching her to ride a bike to "big wheels" in the rain and playing "Charlie's Angels" and so many many more great memories. When I was 9 my family moved to Canyon Lake and we remained friends thanks to great parents who kept us in touch with each other and would meet half way to get us together. Soon enough we were adults and we continued to remain best friends. Even though we had our own struggles and differences throughout our friendship we have put those aside and remembered what friendship is really about. I tell my children all the time that as you grow up many different friends will come and go but if you keep 1 good friend from it throughout your life you are truly blessed. I can say that I have 3 really good friends that I have kept in contact with and I think friendship is one of God's great gifts. I am thankful for each and everyone of them and the bond that we share.

So a few months ago my best friend Tiffanee and I decided to plan a cruise together. (Dec. 11-16) We found one out of Galveston since she is chicken to "fly" and we got the cheapest one available...literally the bottom, very back right next to the "wave breaker" which made noise ALL night long! WE could have been in the broom closet and would have had a great time anyways! We went to Progresso which wasn't the best port but Cozumel was absolutely beautiful and we had a great day at the beach...that is another post all on it's own! (what a story!) I had so much fun and can't wait to plan our next adventure! I love her so much and am so thankful that she has been my bestest friend in the whole world for over 36 years!