September and October fun stuff!

Morgan had her Young Women in Excellence program this month, and it was so well done!  This comes as no surprise, since the leaders in our ward are so amazing, as are these beautiful girls (inside and out)!  We love Morgan and are so EXTREMELY proud of her and the young woman she is becoming!  Even more so, we know her Father in Heaven is so proud of her and loves her beyond anything we mortals are capable of understanding.  Thank you Morgan for being such a great example to all those that know you!

Colton's scout leaders hosted a swim party for all the 12 and 13 year old scouts to celebrate all the work they had been doing.  All the families were invited.  It was too hot to sit out and not swim, so me and my friend Janae decided to do backflips together off of the rocks!  I think the kids were amazed that adult women would do that! I also took the opportunity to test the waterproof camera I bought to take to Hawaii with us...it works!  Can't wait to try it out in the ocean!

 

October means HALLOWEEN!  We cut out some pumpkin shaped sugar cookies and the kids had fun decorating them.  I also made pumpkin pancakes one morning...

Fall means SOCCER for my boys, even if it is still breaking 100 degrees every day!  Kyle is and AWESOME soccer player...

We carved our pumpkins 2 days before Halloween.  Any earlier and the heat turns them moldy pretty quick.  We set up a table in our driveway and the kids went to town!  It's nice that I only really have to help Kyle now with a couple things - I can just sit back and watch and take pictures!

I set my settings on my camera the way I wanted them and had Bryan take some pictures of Morgan and I.  Her Young Women leaders had asked for a mother daughter picture for a program they were doing.  We did one serious one, but the others Morgan wanted us to ham it up!

The big night! Bryan and Morgan went out with friends Halloween night, and I only had Colton and Kyle.  All I could think about that night was how we were all split up because my kids are outgrowing me (literally - the only one shorter than me now is Kyle).  I know that is as it should be, but it's hard as a mom to see your kids leaving.  Right now it's just for the night, but all too soon they'll be going off on their own.  Not ready for that yet!  I've still got a little time thank goodness!  Love all these kids!!  Thank you to my friend who sent me the pictures of Morgan with her friends...

Colton is the blue man, and Kyle is the Ninja on the right...

The EAGLE (Scout) has landed!

Bryan finally finished his Eagle!!  So proud of this boy!!  He is such a great example of everything a Scout should stand for.  He truly IS "trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent"!  Now we get to plan an Eagle Court of Honor for him!  Also, he is now free to go take his driver's test and get his driver's license.  Woo hoo!  Way to go Bryan!!  Pictures from his Eagle Scout Board of Review...

 

Fun stuff in May

This month I got to chaperone Kyle's class on their field trim to the Musical Instrument Museum.  This place was HUGE and had every instrument from all over the world - thousands of instruments.  Really neat!   

 Before the Phoenix summer set in full bore, we decided to hit the zoo, just me, Colton, and Kyle (Morgan and Bryan are not as into the zoo anymore as they used to be when they were younger - which is fine because it gave me more individual time with these two!).  I love that my kids still like to pose for pictures - they actually ask me to take them.  Makes it easy to document our family!

Colton is working so hard in Boy Scouts.  As an 11-year-old Scout, he is well on his way to earning his Eagle.  His goal is to get it before he's 14, and I'm pretty sure he'll do it!

I always love watching my kids in their school musical programs each year.  They're just so darn cute, and they practice so hard to show off for their parents!  My cutie Kyle is on the top row, 4th from the left...

For Mother's Day, Kyle surprised me by pulling me out to the backyard where he had created a little sign out of blue painters tape, and he sang and played an original song for me he had composed...love him!  He also gave me the CUTEST homemade card!

I was the photographer for Colton's football team.  This was a great team, full of Colton's best friends from our ward, and coached by our Stake President and Scoutmaster!  How perfect is that!  They all had such a blast together!

One of the things I love about Kyle is he is extremely creative.  On this weekend, he grabbed a cardboard box and started cutting out pieces and putting them together to create a table.  He spent HOURS, nonstop, working on it.  He was so focused and it was so fun to see him measuring and reinforcing his table to make sure it would stay standing, even with weight on it.  

A table so good that he could actually eat a bowl of cereal at it, with a gallon of milk and the cereal box sitting on it too!  Can you tell how proud he is?  Almost as proud as his mom...almost.

I happened to look out my office window one day and saw Morgan like this...still fully clothed, sucking on her Circle K drink, staying cool.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  WOO HOO!  This was a day full of games and treats.  Kyle had the most magnificent teacher this year.  She was so fun!  We love, love, love Ms. Richie!!!