Just for fun

So yesterday I tried to take a family picture but was very unsuccessful. I did however like this picture of Dave and the kids. Since my attempt was unsuccessful, today I had my good friend Jess take some pictures for us so when I see those I'll put them up.

Dave and the kids

Dave and I
Aubrey took this for us, not too bad uhh

Aubrey Riding

Aubrey has been horseback riding regularly for over a year and a half now and is doing awesome. She has been in two shows and absolutely loves it. She is riding English and is doing Hunter Jumper. Her first show was in June called Jump into June and she did very well. She won fourth place in four of her classes and second place in a jumping class. She rides a school horse from the barn she rides at named Tiz and just loves her. Her second show was in August and my mom and my older brother Peter were able to see her in this one. She got two sixth places a first place and a reserve Grand Champion for this show. That was very exciting and was a huge deal. She has progressed so much in this past year with her riding and is very talented. It amazes me that her tiny little 40 pound body can control a 1500 pound animal. She has absolutely no fear of them and is not afraid to let them know she's the boss on them. It floors me to see her be so assertive with them.

Trick or Treat!!

So on her actual birthday, Halloween we just did a small family dinner with our tradition of corn chowder, rolls and trick or treating. Grandma Julie and Grandpa and Holly came over and so did Dave's cousin Jen and her three kiddos. It was quiet but very fun! Aubrey was a vampire, Boyd was a Jedi knight and Holly was Wilma. They scored some serious candy so much Boyd couldn't carry his bucket by the end of the night and that was just our block. INSANE!!

Aubrey, Holly and Boyd
Trick or Treat!!

Happy Birthday Aubs

So I cannot believe my baby is 9!! Where did all those years go? For a special little person who has been through more than most she really is a miracle! This year Aubrey decided she wanted to have a spa party so she invited five of her friends over and I soaked, cut, filed, scrubbed and painted fingernails and toenails. We found some funky colors and got some little manicure sets for each of the girls and just had a girl day. While all the nail painting was going on we watched Hocus Pocus ate pizza and made caramel apples. She decided instead of cake and ice cream she wanted everyone to make caramel apples. It was so fun and she had a blast. After caramel apples we went to our ward trunk or treat. It was a great night for her and I'm so proud of what a beautiful girl she is, she always has been, but she really is growing up into such a strong young lady. She is such an example to me on how to put others first. She is a great big sister and is always willing to share anything she has with him. Her and I butt heads a lot!! But I know its because she literally is my mini me, we are the exact same person in a lot of ways and that doesn't always work out for us sometimes. Its not something I'd change but its hard to deal with as a mom sometimes. I am so lucky to be her mom and have learned a lot in the past 9 years from her and know she will continue to test and teach me for many more years.

Aubrey and her heath bar apple



A friend Braeley



Toes



Another friend Allison



Kelsey



YUMMO!!

 



Clara

All the girlies

The Other Half Moab

So this last Sunday October 17th my older brother Peter and I ran the Other Half in Moab Utah. This was my second half marathon and Peter's third. I asked him to come run it with me cause he keeps me going. It was a georgous run and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. This was a much harder run than I thought it was going to be though. The hills killed me!!! Yikes I didn't think they'd be that bad but they were so I didn't do as well as I'd have liked to but it wasn't terrible considering I didn't train all that much.We finished in 2 hrs and 40 min so hopefully when we do our next one we can beat our 2hr and 15 min mark that we did in our first run. Peter is such an awesome brother, he flew out to Colorado just to run with me. He can run forever so that's why I ask him to run with me cause then that sibling rivalry comes out a little bit and I think if he can still be running so can I. I couldn't run the whole way though seriously those hills were killer and my knee wasn't having any of it. He kept saying that I had to stop so he wouldn't die of a heart attack like his wife was afraid of. So he told me really I was saving his life by having to walk. Anyway it was really was fun and I'm grateful that he and I have that time that its just the two of us. We talk and laugh and just have fun. Dave was able to be at the fiunish line this time and that was nice to have him and Boyd there cheering for us. Aubrey decided to go to a slumber party instead so she wasn't able to come but she called and asked how we did. Such a sweet girl!! It was a great weekend and I'm happy to have another half under my belt. Now to train for the Surf City half in February ( I hope I can go) We want to run that one in under 2 hours this time. 



My knee was killing me!!

 

Me and Peter crossing the finish line. We did it!!



Happy Birthday Boyd!!!

I cannot believe my little buddy is already 4!!! He is such an amazing little man it blows my mind how athletic he is. For his birthday he wanted to go bowling so we took everyone to Brunswick Zone and bowled and ate pizza and soda. He had a great time. He scored some great loot too. Funny thing is that he saw a present before he knew it was his and was upset cause he thought it was for another little boy and it was a bat full of baseball gum and was so sad and when I told him it was his he was so excited he couldn't even stand it. So this spring in March he learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels in all of about 5 minutes. It snowed later that day so I thought he'd need to relearn how to do it and after the snow melted he asked if he could ride is bike and I told him I'd be out in just a minute to help him so I go outside to get him started and he rides by me. I asked him how he did that and he told me "I watched Aubrey kick with her foot to go and so I did" Crazy! It doesn't help that his dad told him that as soon as he learned to ride his bike with no training wheels he would get him a dirt bike. So he learned and asks for his bike every week. My sister and brother in law are giving him their little Honda 50 so he can't wait!! He has a best buddy Mal our little neighbor girl and we nick named them Forrest and Jenny cause they are always together. They have the best conversations. The other day at our house they were coloring at the table and this was the conversation
Mal: Boyd I love you!
Boyd: Mal you're crazy! But I know:)
Those two are crazy! There is rarely drama and if there is they just take a break from each other for a few minutes and then resume playing. I love that we have such great neighbors.
We signed him up for T-ball and he cannot wait for his first practice next Monday. He is amazing with a baseball. He can hit anything his dad throws at him and I'm not kidding he is crazy good. He can pitch the ball to himself and he can throw. Some of his little quirks kill me.
Some things about Boyd at 4
1. He can ride his bike without training wheels
2. He can play baseball amazingly well
3. He always says "What the...?" usually ends with crazy but sometimes just leaves ya hangin'
4. He has discovered Bakugan and loves them
5. He is still a mama's boy which I LOVE!!
6. He loves his big sister but can whoop her trash!
7. He hates wearing church clothes and we fight every Sunday about it.
8. He loves to pray and is usually the first one to call that its his turn
9. He can spell his name
10. He knows his alphabet and 1-10

Tonsils out and septoplasty at the same time

So the Tuesday after graduation I had my tonsils out and my deviated septum in my nose fixed. It was an ok recovery well still recovering actually but I'm looking forward to being able to drink again without it feeling like it all went up my nose and eating food that I like!! I would probably recover faster if I wasn't doing too much but with kiddos that isn't all that possible. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought I didn't get black eyes or anything. But wow talk abput a sore throat and nose. Anyway recovering best I can for now and going back to work soon. Too soon probably!!

I'm finally done with undergrad!!!

So I am finally done with by Bachelors degree!! Yippee:) I never thought the day would come but it did. I got my BS in Psychology so in case I don't get into PA school I hope to have a degree that I can do something with. It was great, my mom and dad and my older sister and her husband flew out to be with us for my graduation. Dave's parents came as well of course and it was a great time. I feel like a weight has been lifted for the time at least. I am in the process now of applying to go to PA (Physicians Assistant) school but if I get in this round I wouldn't start until August of 2011 so  I have a year off to just work and relax. I plan on spending a lot of time at the pool this summer. I couldn't have done it without the support of my family though. Dave is a great husband and put up with a very very tired and grouchy me for the past two years while I worked nights and went to school during the day, sometimes not sleeping for 2 to 3 days at a time. And that's no exaggeration. Also all the support he gave me encouraging me to hang in there. My family was awesome and put up with calls asking questions and why things are the way they are. I am grateful for having such a strong support system and am glad I was able to accomplish my goal.

Finally found him after the ceremony

The family

Me and my Mom and Dad

Kyle and Michelle.

Everyone who was able to come to the ceremony.