Wednesday, July 4, 2012

So far behind


I can't believe that school has been out for over a month and I'm just getting to blog about the end of school....I guess it just proves that this summer has been filled with tons of fun stuff which means no time for blogging until now!!

Anyway, the kids finished off another year of school and I'm left wondering how it's possible that we'll have a high schooler and 3 full time elementary students next year.  It boggles my mind to think that I have only one more year with the twins at home until they are off to Kindergarten.  I swore I wouldn't baby these two and I haven't intentionally tried to but there is just something about the last kids, it's just next to impossible not to.  I'm trying really hard to break myself and everyone around me from calling them "the babies" but that's what they've always been to all of us and part of me doesn't want to let that go.....:( anyway, enough of that!!  I took very few pictures of the kids with their end of school activities but I wanted to document a couple of fun things!

Every year the 4th-6th graders get to put together and paint rockets and then launch them in front of parents and classmates.  All the kids really look forward to doing this and Morgan was no exception.  She painted hers purple, silver, and black and it turned out pretty awesome looking.  Here she is waiting for her turn to launch her rocket.


It's almost my turn!
Ready, set, launch!! 
All the kids take off running in hopes that they might catch their rocket as it's falling from the sky.  Morgan wasn't quite that lucky! 
Bringing it back for a second launch! 
Morgan and Watson playing on the playground after rocket launching. 

Looking at this picture makes me kind of sad knowing that Kaleb will be gone all day at school next year.  I'm not a big fan of half day Kindergarten but I did love the extra time I got with him while the twins were napping and while the others were at school.  He's growing up much too fast for my liking although he thinks that I'm a mean mom for still making him take the occasional nap. :)  I'm a firm believer that most kids need naps until they are 5-6 and sometimes and sometimes even until they are 36! :):)

Kaleb's teacher, Mrs. Schuester came up with the idea of having a letter of the day for the last several weeks of school.  The kids could bring things starting with the letter for that day and they'd have special show and tell time to tell about what they brought.  If truth be told, Kaleb was pretty upset some of the days because kids were bringing in live animals and one kid even had his dad bring a horse. What??  Kaleb had a bad case of "green with envy" until he came up with the idea of wearing all of his cowboy stuff that Grandpa and Grandma Rose have given him for "R" day (Rodeo)  He was decked out in his cowboy hat, chaps, jeans, cowboy shirt, bandana, and his brand spanking new boots.  I still can't believe that I didn't take a picture of him but he was pretty proud of himself! I thought it was cute because on "m" day, I was given him some ideas of things to bring and he says, "no, I want to bring my mom for (m) day"  Aaaahh!! I love this kid! 
I love this smile on his face, he was patiently waiting his turn to introduce me as his guest!

What a wierd picture of me, good thing Kaleb is so cute!

Jordyn and with a few of her school buddies.  These girls are pink lovers!
Jordyn with her absolute favorite teacher, Mrs. Funke.  One day Jordyn just randomly told her teacher that there was a house for sale down our street.  Evidently, Mrs. Funke had been not seriously house hunting but looking at some possible options and had seen this house on her computer. So, Jordyn our little realter: ), went to work hoping and praying and maybe pleading with her teacher to buy the house.  Funny enough, they did buy the house and now Jordyn's dream has come true, her favorite teacher is just a few doors down from us!  How fun is that? 
Mom and Jordyn at the rocket launching!
Jordyn and Mom at the rocket launching

Regan and her best friend,Lindee,  heading off to one of their last days of Middle school!





Catch up! (Easter pics)

We enjoyed a fun Saturday before Easter at my parents house in Blackfoot with my sisters, my grandma Johnson, and of course, my parents!  I love getting together with my family at it seems it only gets more exciting as the kids get older. They all get along so well so we rarely have to deal with fighting which leaves lots of time for visiting, playing, laughing, eating, and just hanging out enjoying each other's company.  My mom and dad always make things really fun and festive and we always have way too much good food to eat.  Boo hoo!  This year, mom ordered pizza for lunch so we could keep it simple and spend more time preparing for our awesome Easter egg hunt.  We always have tons of candy to put in the eggs but our favorite thing is bringing all sorts of extra things like, granola bars, drink boxes, individual chip bags, fruit snacks, twinkies, etc. to throw out on the lawn so that pretty much every where you step there is a treat.  We also have the kids do all the hunting they want and when they fill their basket, they come back and dump it in the giant pile and then go for more.  Then we divide everything up equally so that everyone ends up with the same amount of stuff.  This is probably the funnest thing because the kids all line up and grandma gives them each a huge ziploc bag and the adults (and Regan and Todd) who think they're too big to hunt :):)  take turns dropping things in the kids bag.  I love it!!
                          Squished in mom's office filling Easter eggs.
Two of my best friends, my sister's, Lori and Julie! 
Buddies- Kaleb and Grandpa! 
Speaking of buddies, Kaleb, Cannon, Brigham, Lily, & Porter and "miss bear"

Mom making sure everyone gets lots of pizza!
Porter looking rather pleased that pizza is on the menu:)

Porter and Todd, well, pizza face Todd-ha ha ha ha 
The girls with Daddy! 
The gang, minus the China crew (we miss you, Matt, Sara, Luke, Emma, Gavin, and Eva!!) 
Kaleb going hunting!
                                                    Kate and Chloe having fun!
Morgan climbing her favorite tree!!  She always makes sure to climb the tree when we go to Grandma's house 
The kiddos playing in the sandbox grandpa and grandma created in the corner of their backyard- the kids love it. 
Teenagers, Regan and Todd---Yikes!! 
Uncle Stanton and his sweet haircut from the Barber in Blackfoot--he knew it was bad when he'd been in the chair for over an hour.  Good thing he was such a good sport!
Dad and Grandma Johnson 

Kami, Porter, and Cannon Easter egg hunting! 
Jordy pie!  
Regan and Todd dumping all the candy out of the eggs
How much can I carry at once? 
Kate and Cloe--Buddies

Cannon being, well, Cannon--Love this kid!

 
                                                                           Mom and dad enjoying the grandkids
Dividing up the loot! 
Two cute boys! 






Jordyn's Spring Clogging Recital pics









Wednesday, June 20, 2012

In loving memory

My sweet sister-in-law, Patty Teichert, passed away at Bear Lake Memorial on June 4, 2012.  All who knew Patty, loved and admired her.  She rarely complained about her many challenges and kept a smile on her face even during times of great trial.  She should have been a comedian because she could have made millions with her "one-liner's."  Our kids loved visiting Patty in the nursing home because she always welcomed them with a big hug and a smile, she'd always let them take turns going for rides in her wheel chairs, they loved playing with all of her fun trinkets, toys, and stuffed animals that she got from people, they loved seeing the artwork from all the nieces and nephews taped up on her closet doors, and of course, Patty always shared her treats and stuffed animals with the kids so they never left empty handed.  Even though we were all broken hearted to hear of Patty's passing, we couldn't help but feel at peace knowing that she went back to live with her Heavenly Father and she would no longer have to suffer in her broken down body.  I also can't help but smile when I think about the reunion's she had on the other side with so many of our loved ones that passed on years ago.  I'm sure she was welcomed with open arms.  She will be missed so much by all of us that she left behind but I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of eternal families.  I know she's not far away and I know we'll see each other again soon.  We love you, Patty.

This poem was on the back of the program at Patty's funeral and I thought it was beautiful and so fitting for Patty's personality:

I'd like the memory of me
to be a happy one.
I'd like to leave an afterglow
of smiles when life is done.
I'd like to leave an echo
whispering softly down the ways,
of happy times and laughing times
and bright and sunny days.
I'd like the tears of those who grieve,
to dry before the sun
of happy memories that I leave
when my life is done.