This and That!

It has been seriously hectic around our house for the past 2 months!! I'm really not sure why put it just seems like there is rarely any down time so ,therefore, I've missed blogging about so many little happenings!

* Jordyn started piano a couple of months ago! She has begged me for 2 years now and of course, she thought she'd be a concert pianist after her first lesson. So, when I picked her up and asked her how things went, she responded very matter-of-fact, "well, that wasn't as fun as I thought it would be!" Thankfully, she's really enjoying it now that she's finally playing an actual song, (Old McDonald) on the black keys so she really does think she's ready for the big stuff! She also started her first season of soccer about the same time and was sure to tell anyone she had a conversation with just how busy she was going to be between soccer, piano, homework, reading, and, and of course, her daily primping in front of the mirror:)!! This little girl is something else!! She is just about as girly as they come--she's always painting her fingernails, combing her hair, dressing up, packing her purse, decorating her "boring" shirts with stickers, planning the next days outfit--you get the idea--and Kamryn is following right in her footsteps. She can't wait for Jordyn to get home from school so she'll dress her up, paint her nails, and just make a big fuss over her. It is really cute and especially fun to see the two of them playing together but I just may be in for it when the teenage years roll around. Anyway, Jordyn is truly one of a kind! She's smart, funny, whitty, charming, outgoing, sassy, confident, snuggly, and the list could go on and on. She's had a great year of Kindergarten thanks to her great teacher, Mrs. Campbell. She's 'reading so well know and loves to read to Kaleb at naptime. (I LOVE THAT) She's really ready

for first grade and looking forward to staying all day next year and being one of the "big kids!"

See what I mean??

* Kaleb, my little "cowboy in training" had his big dream come true a couple of weeks ago when he go to go with Grandpa and Grandma Rose out to Park Valley to brand cows. Seriously, I think he would've chosen that over DisneyLand any day. When he learned he was going with Grandpa, he of course made sure we'd packed his chaps, boots, cowboy shirt, cowboy pants, and hat and he was all smiles as he drove away in the car with Grandma!

These pictures tell the story of Kaleb's "most perfect" day!

Buddies! Kaleb and Grandpa going to work!

Hanging out with my cousin's, Aubrey and Shaylie (puffing out my chest to show what a tough cowboy I am)

Kaleb's job was loading the tagging gun and it was definetly a highlight of the day! According to Grandpa and Grandma, he was really in to what he was doing and intent on everything that was happening around him!

I LOVE these pictures that my mom took! This is what I grew up around and I consider it the good life and I miss it terribly. The older my kids get, the more I long for them to have these experiences where you learn to work hard at such a young age, where a stick and dirt make fabulous toys, where jumping ruts is the excitement of the day (pictured above), helping on the ranch with your dad! Though I love certain things about where we live, my heart will forever be in Park Valley!

Grandpa Rose, aka, Kaleb's hero, roping a calf!

Eatin' cookies after a hard days work!

On the way home just plain pooped!

The next day at Grandma and Grandpa Rose's house in Blackfoot! Rested and happy to be with G & G Rose! It is so adorable to watch Kaleb grow up genuinely loving all things "cowboy!" He loves being in wide open spaces, loves horses and cows, loves cowboy hats, chaps, ropes, etc. In fact, Grandpa Rose gave him a rope a couple of years ago and it is honestly his very favorite toy, well, besides the prodding stick that Grandpa sent him home with after branding. Unfortunetly, he and his sisters played tug-of-war with it a few too many times so Kaleb got it taken away for a time. Bummer!! Thanks G&G Rose for taking Kaleb along for the day--a little boys dream came true!

** Another random item--Regan and Morgan learn to sew aprons for activity days and decided they would give them to Grandma Rose and Grandma Johnson for an early Mother's Day. I think the girls were as excited as the Grandma's! I need to mention how much I love activity days and the wonderful leader's my girls have!! They are really learning some great skills!

more random items to follow.......now if I can just find the time

Happy 8th B-Day, Morgan!

How can it be?? Morgan turns 8 years old today and will be baptized on Saturday! It just so happens that she gets to attend her first day of Activity Days today and she is beyond excited! I really cannot believe I have another child being baptized...my kids are just growing up so fast. I remember thinking before Morgan was born, "how can I possibly love another child as much as I love Regan," but just as soon as she was born, I remember holding her and looking in to her beautiful innocent face and having that same deep love completely fill my heart. I'm sure that sounds cheesy but I've had that same feeling as each of our children have come in to our family.

I can't imagine my life without these 6 beautiful kids!

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My friend down the street took Morgan's baptism pictures a couple of weeks ago and in a matter of 45 minutes, I think she took around 200 photos and captured Morgan's personality perfectly!

Some of the things I love about Morgan are:

* Her sincerity

* Her desire to understand the scriptures

* Her hunger for learning

* Her laugh

* Her beautiful smile

* Her naturally curly hair

* Her honesty

* Her sensitivity

* Her love for soccer

* Her ability to entertain herself

* Her creativity and ability to "think outside the box"

I love this girl!!

This is Morgan's, "I'm trying to be serious" look!

These are famous Morgan looks! I love that Kara captured them so well!

This was Morgan's most favorite picture of the bunch!

Happy Birthday, Morg's! We love you so much and we're so grateful Heavenly Father sent you to our family!!!

She's growing up!

I can't believe Regan will be 12 in August! What???? I'm officially OLD!! Last Saturday we went on a little mother-daughter date. First we ate a yummy lunch at the Red Robin, she ordered her favorite, chicken strips and fries with a lemonade, which always puts a smile on her face. I ordered a yummy southwestern salad and I enjoyed her cute sense of humor over some good food in a fun atmosphere. Next we headed over to the mall for a little shopping. She's suddenly growing out of everything and in that stage of being just a bit picky about what she wears. She was so polite when I'd show her something I thought was so cute but it was obvious when she really didn't approve. She's such a great girl and is very careful to pick things that are modest
and tasteful so I can't be that bummed, right?

Mini Jordyn

I think Jordyn has met her match......Kamryn! She loves dressing up, getting her hair done, wearing big flowers in her hair like the girls, and loves her nails painted! Yesterday a man at church said hello to her and she got a big grin on her face, pointed to herself and said, PRETTY!! Here she is checking herself out in her compact mirror, doesn't she looked pleased??

The only problem is, Porter thinks he needs to get pretty right along with her. When I'm curling her hair, he stands up on the stool and points to his hair, and then says, "bow, bow!" So, I've started spiking the front of his hair and making a big deal out of the way he looks just to apease him and it seems to be working!

Hooray for good weather! Jordyn and Kaleb were so excited to dress the babies up in their Hawaii t-shirts to celebrate the "Hawaii-like" weather we've been having! Judging from the babies faces, they are equally as thrilled. Oh how I love when all 4 of these munchkins have smiles on their faces!

Spring AYSO Soccer!

Jord was really hoping for a pink uniform, what she didn't realize was that she'd be playing on a team with boys AND girls. She is ALL girl, loves her hair done, fingernails painted, would love to wear makeup, loves skirts, stretchy pants, jewelry, etc., but she also loves sports. She's one of a kind!

Yep, that's Morgan playing goaly, swinging on the bar, waiting for the ball to come her way. Gotta love her personality! But, on the other hand, there she kicking the ball down the field as fast as she can, she's a "go getter" when she wants to be!
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Soccer is in full swing! Morgan and Jordyn are both playing this season so we're busy running kids around to practices and games! This past Saturday, both girls had their first games and I must say, it was darn fun to watch them play. Morgan sat out Fall season and found out she really missed it so she's rearing to go this season. Jordyn is playing for her first time and loving it so far, she's so tiny but she's got these fast little feet so if she can just get the whole concept of the game, I think she'll have it made!

Family History Friday!

I have been the biggest slacker with my Family History questionnaire lately but, for the record, I haven't totally given it up. In fact, I'm working on a family history project of another kind right now. Morg's big 8th B-Day is in less then 2 weeks and I've been working on a DVD with photos from birth until 8 years old which means hours of going through piles of pictures, scrapbooks, drawers, retrieving photos from my ancient computer, you get the idea! I've also got to come up with around 4-5 songs to add to the DVD (any ideas would be greatly appreciated)!! DJ put together a DVD just like this for Regan on her 8th B-Day and it's one of the kids' favorite DVDs to watch so I'm super excited to surprise Morg's with hers. I'm hoping to get back to the Family History questionnaire once this project is finished but we're up to our eyeballs in yard work, soccer practices/games, house projects, right now so blogging is definetly taking a backseat but I'm okay with that! I'm loving this gorgeous weather we are being blessed with so we must take advantage because for all we know, we'll wake up to snow tomorrow!

Irate customer!

It's a good thing DJ is the family Barber or else Porter would've headed out any other door with half a haircut or a butch. The poor little guy hates haircuts and makes it known the entire time. With all the haircuts DJ's given to himself and the boys, he's gotten pretty good with the clippers and saved us tons of money in the process! Thanks, hon!

DJ cut Kaleb's hair earlier in the week and though he doesn't love haircut time, he sits pretty still. What handsome little guys!! I had to laugh at Kaleb because he was back watching Porter get his haircut and pretty soon he came running out and said, "mom, daddy wants a buddy, so I don't have to get my hair cut!"

Inseparably connected

Porter & Kamryn (3 days old)

Porter & Kamryn (21 months old)

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Really.....it's a love hate relationship if I'm being really honest but when it's love, it's just so darn cute!

April snow showers!

It's April 6th and we woke up to at least 5" of snow this morning. I sent the kids out the door to the bus stop only to have them come bounding back in 3 minutes later yelling at the top of their lungs, "NO SCHOOL, NO SCHOOL"!! So, minutes later, guess what they told me they were going to do on their day off.......PLAY SCHOOL!! Funny kids!

I believe this is the first time I've ever heard of school cancelled in April, due to weather!