Family Times...

Re-cap of the past month...

2011-07-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

I know its been over a month sense I posted last...Things got a bit busy right around my last post...On Monday June 6th I got a call back from an app I turned in to be a pre-school teacher at Kindercare...On Tuesday I had an interview that I felt went really well...They told me they were interviewing a lot of people so they would call me back sometime next week...Wednesday the 8th was Sierra's 8th birthday...Kinda an emotional day but I felt like I was doing really well...While I was at the grocery store that day I got a call from Kindercare telling me I got the job and they wanted me to start next week...I was so excited and get very emotional at the same time...I dont get emotional very easily and hardly ever in public...So here I am in the grocery store with Hayden and Xander with tears running down my face...People must have thought I was crazy...Anyways I started my job the next Wednesday and life has been crazy crazy crazy ever sense...My first 2 weeks of work Jeff was also working for our kids got a little neglected...Jeff slept during the day while the kids kinda over ran the house...June 30 was Jeffs last day of work and he has been staying home with the kids...He starts school full time in Sept...I have to say sense Jeff started staying home with the kids my house has been clean the dishes done and the laundry folded and out away...He is way better at house work than I am...He has also been watching his little brother Eric (not an easy task)...I have been working a lot and have decided that pre-school isn't my passion anymore...Don't get me wrong I go to work with a smile on my face and I work my hardest and treat the kids with the love and respect that I would want my kids treated with but I come home grumpy and tired and worn out every day...I haven't been
exactly nice to my kiddos and I'm really trying to be better...

So we have had a few fun weekends sense I stated working...The weekend of the 4th we went to the lake with Jeff's family and had a BBQ and went tubing on his uncle Darren's boat...The kids had a blast as did Jeff and I...The water was freezing...Not just cold but FREEZING...I got dumped of the tube and thought i my just freeze to death before the boat got back to me...On the actual 4th we spent the day at the park with Darren and Nikki having a BBQ...then we drove to CDA and walked miles and miles to watch the fireworks...It was a lot of fun and the kids got to do sparklers for the first time ever...

This last weekend Sky and Ash went to the trailer with my parents and Hayden and xander stayed the night with Linda...Jeff and I went out to Texas Roadhouse for Nikki's Birthday...The food was so good and we ate too much...

Skyler goes to Cub Scout day camp 3 days next week and the week after Sky and Ash got to Summer camp...Time is flying by so fast... soon school will be starting again...

Happy 8th Birthday Sierra...

2011-06-08T09:44:00.001-07:00

Sierra was born June 8th 2003 at Valley Hospital in Spokane Washington. She weighted 8lbs. 3oz. and was only 17 in. long...She was our 3rd child...Skyler and Ashlynn were so excited to have a new baby in the house...When she was born the doctor that checked her out heard a small heart murmur...They were not concerned because this is very common in new babies...They just wanted to see her back at 2 wks and check it again...We took our sweet baby home...The first week home was a little crazy, not because we had a new baby or 3 kids in diapers...We were packing to move into a much bigger apartment...I am sad to say that that first week is kind of a bluer...I do remember my dad picking us up to take Sierra for her 7 day PKU test in his truck and squeezing all 3 car seats into the back seat of his truck...We got mostly moved and started getting the kids rooms set up...2 cribs in 1 room for the girls and a toddler bed in the other for Skyler...We were so excited for Ashlynn to have a sister and only 16 months younger than her...I remember going out and buying matching outfits for them and being so excited to dress them alike...Skyler and Ashlynn seemed to be so good during these first 2 weeks (as good as a 2 1/2 year old and 16 month old can be)...I took Sierra to Church all 3 Sundays she was home...1 Sunday taking the other 2 kiddos as well by my self...Kim held Sierra and snuggled her while I tried to keep the other 2 quiet...When her 2 week apt came I wasn’t nervous at all that there would be something wrong...When Dr. Ashley checker her heart the murmur was still there so we were referred to a cardiologist...On Friday that week we had an appointment to see him...Jeff was going out of town on a campout with the scouts and I wasn’t worried so I sent him to go. At that appointment we found out that sierra had 2 small problems with her heart and 1 major problem...she had a small hole in her heart, a thick wall in her heart and her pulmonary valve wasn’t working right... I remember holding her hand while they did her echo...It took almost an hour and she cried the whole time...The tech was kind of frustrated that I couldn’t get her to stop crying...As soon as they were done and I picked her up she stopped...She was such a snuggly little thing...The doctor said that they wanted us back at the hospital Monday morning so they could do a heart cath to open her valve up so her heart could pump correctly...They said that the hole would problem fix its self over a few years..This was just suppose to be an over night stay...I didn’t get upset at this news and the doctor said :this is where the parents freak out and cry and yell at the doctor." I told him that we trusted that they knew what they were doing and that it was in the Lords hands...We took Sierra home and finished moving and did more unpacking...Monday morning we had to be at the Hospital super early...I couldn’t feed Sierra the night before so she was very fussy...They had a really hard time getting an IV started and she was screaming so they had me hold her while they tried again...While she was screaming a little vein popped up in her head and the nurse stuck it and got it started...Ivs in the head are funny looking...They were able to give her something to calm her down and I just got to hold her and rock her until she went down for her cath...Her cath took longer than they were expecting and when the doctor came out he told us that they went able to fix the valve and it was going to require Open heart surgery...We also found out later that the reason her cath took so long is because she crashed on the table when they put her out...We met her back up in her room and she was still on a vent...At the time I thought wow that’s a lot of tubes for my little baby (boy was I wrong, this was just the beginning)...

We met with so many doctors and surgeons and they scheduled her surgery in 2 days...They were able to take her off the vent a short time after she got back to her room and as she started to wake up she pulled the IV out of her head...They couldn’t get another line started so they had to call a surgeon in to do a cut down line in her leg...After they were done getting her new lines in and getting her settled for her stay I got to hold her and feed her and snuggle her for hours...If I had known this was the last time I would hold her I would have held her all night and I wouldn’t have let her go...If I would have known that this was the last time I would heard her cry I would have listened to it a little longer...She was so sweet and content you would have never known how sick she really was...The morning of July 3rd they took her down to surgery...We were told that her surgery went very well...They fixed her valve and the hole in her heart...We were told that now we just wait for her to get better and we would problem in the hospital for a week...I remember walking into her room and there being doctors and nurses everywhere...You could early see Sierra because she was buried in tubes and lines...She was on a vent again and heavily sedated...She had 2 chest tubes and a central line...And still I didn’t get overly upset...

The doctors knew what they were doing and they were keeping my baby alive...That night Sierra started getting really sick...Most people come off the vent before they ever go back to their room she needed hers...Her kidneys failed and she was put on dialyses...Her heart started to have arrhythmias...They had to keep her sedated all the time because when she would start to wake up too much she would crash...She couldn’t be moved or her heart would go in to crazy rhythms...2 days after her surgery they decided to open her chest back up and leave it open to relieve some of the pressure...This kind of worried us...It is a little unsettling to think of your child laying in their hospital bed with their chest wide open for a few days...But it was what was best for her so back down to surgery she went...When she came back it didn’t look as bad as were expecting...

After a week they were able to close it back up but she wasn’t getting any better...At one point they decided that they needed to do another cath lab to create a new hole in her heart to allow the blood to flow from one side to the other more freely...They thought this may help her heart to stay full of blood and pump correctly...She was so unstable that they went even sure she would survive the procedure but there was no other choose...She had only been back a short time when the doctor came back in...In my mind I thought for sure she had died...He said they got into her heart and there was already a hole there...They didn’t even have to touch her heart...This was a huge blessing...The next few weeks were up and down (mostly down)...The doctors couldn’t figure out why she wasn’t getting any better and why her body was reacting the way it was...She was a fighter though...On a few occasions her heart stopped and they had to use the crash cart to revive her...There is nothing more scary than watching them do cpr and shock your baby...Her lung collapsed at one point and she needed a new chest tube...Her vent got clogged and thanks to a very quick nurse a new tube was put in with out a problem...She retained so much fluid...Her liver started to fail and she got toxic...

Her feet and hands turned purple at one point because her heart wasn’t pumping enough blood to them...The worst part was that we could hold her...All we could was sit by her bed and hold her hand...We had so many visitors everyday...People all over were praying for her...I stayed at the hospital everyday and night with her...And finally Aug. 1st she was starting to make some improvements...they took her off the dialysis and were able to turn her vent down...She had had 2 good nights in a row...On the night of the 2nd Jeff and I decided that I should go home and sleep for the first time in almost 5 weeks and he would stay with her...This was really hard for me to leave her there...But she was in good hands and Daddy was with her...I got home and was exhausted so I went to bed...At about midnight I got a call from Jeff saying that she wasn’t doing very good and I needed to get back to the hospital...I didn’t drive at this time so my dad came and picked me up while my mom stayed with the kids...When I got to the hospital she was not in good shape at all...They decided that they would start her back on the dialysis in the morning and they hoped this would help...On Aug 3rd they put in a new dialysis cath and started up again...The process went like this...They would fill her belly up with a fluid and leave it for about 30 min then they would drain it in hopes that they could drain off more fluid then they put in...and this went on all day every day...Sunday afternoon they started this again...They filled her up and when it was time to drain only a little bit came out then it stopped...they decided to put more in so the pressure would drain the fluid (I guess this happens sometimes)...About this time Jeff and I decided to go get some dinner and let them work on her...We sat and ate and talked and just enjoyed being with each other...When we got off the elevator on her floret I could here the alarms but didn’t think much of it till I came around the corner and saw that they were working on Sierra...She had crashed again...Instead of standing and watching again we went and sat in the Family Crisis room...A short time later the Doctor came in with tears in his eyes and told us that she didn’t make it...They went able to get her heart to start again...When they filled her belly up with the extra fluid her heart went into arrhythmias again and then it stopped...Our baby was gone...We had fought so hard for 5 weeks and she was gone...We made a few phone calls and they went to her room to see her...They had scalded her in a blanket and I got to hold her for the first time in 4 weeks...She looks like a sleeping doll...My dad came to the hospital to help us take all our things home...I am so thankful that Jeff was there with me when it happened...After we left the hospital and went home, The nurses took turns holding her and saying good-bye to her...They loved her so much and took care of her so well...We buried our baby on Aug. 8th 2003 in Baby Land at Pines Cemetery...I miss her...Jeff misses her...Skyler misses her and most of all Ashlynn misses her sister...We know that we will see her again and that she is watching over us...She would have been 8 years old today...I think her and Ashlynn would have looked a lot alike...they would have been best friends and the worst of enemies...She will forever be in out hearts...

May

2011-05-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

Hello May...Good bye May...bring on summer!!!

Spring Break...

2011-04-09T10:30:00.001-07:00

Yeah!!!!! I survived spring break...All 4 kids home from school for a week and babysitting jeff's little brother Eric...Woo Hoo...I'm so glad it's over!!! That's all for now...

Chest Pain and ER visit...

2011-03-26T11:49:00.001-07:00

So with all the stress I have been enduring I have also been having some chest pain...It started Sunday afternoon and I chalked it up to the stress...I didn't want to go to the Dr and just have them tell me your fine and get sent home so I thought I'd tough it out...By Thursday it was worse and my whole body was starting to hurt...So I called my Dr to see if they could get me in for a check up...Because of my family heart history I was sent straight to Sacred Heart ER...My dad drove me down there because they told me it wasn't safe to drive myself...My dad HATES hospitals but he was very willing to come sit with me while I under went all the tests and pokes...2 EKGs...Blood work...Drinking nasty stuff...Lots of IV drugs...And an amazing pain killer that made me feel great as long as I didn't move...All my heart tests came back fine so they are sure its my stomach...My chest cavity is inflamed so I'm now on a steroid and I'm taking a scrip for my reflux...I will be checked for a hiatal hernia soon....When I got discharged I got really sick...I puked my guts out on the way home and again when i got home...Then I laid down in bed and slept for a few hours...2 days later I'm still feeling a little woozy and having pain...Hoping to get into my Dr this week and get some relief...

Super Stress...

2011-03-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel a very heavy load building on my shoulders...

Skyler has been pushing his limits and struggling with anger, depression, and so many other emotions...Jeff and I are not sure how to help him and have completely run out of ideas...We have decided that he needs to see a counselor before it becomes something bigger...I am feeling extremely overwhelmed with this right now...We had a 2 hr appointment with Spokane Mental Health today and they are sure he qualifies for services...

ok breath...I keep telling my self this...but my chest feels heavy...

Lets pile a little more on my load, it isn't heavy enough...

Last year we found out that Ashlynn was really struggling with reading...She was tested at a year and a half behind...We (as in Ashlynn and I) worked out tails off studding and working extra hard so she could catch up enough to pass 2nd grade...Our work paid off and she was moved on to 3rd grade...She started 3rd grade at a beginning 2nd grade reading level...This qualified her to get 21 hrs of reading tutoring from Sylvan Learning Center...She thrived and made so many gains in the Sylvan program...But we are now learning that she is not making progress in the right areas...Letters and numbers are still being formed backwards, Hand writing is still extremal hard to read, Spelling is almost un readable...I have been pushing for 2 years to have her tested and finally they are listening...She may have to be in Special Education Classes to get extra help...She works so hard...It kills me to see her struggle so much with simple reading...There are days she comes home from school and all she does is work on school work and read...

There are days I want to just stay in my bed and not deal with it...Honestly that is most days...But I cant...I'm forced to get up and be a wife and mother...I feel like I'm drowning some days...There is so much going on...I have a feeling we are in for a long summer of tutoring and appointments and a million other things besides fun...I know its a ways of but I'm dreading it...

SUPER STRESS...it hurts...

Happy Birthday

2011-03-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to me today...32...Things I want to do this year...Get closer to my kids...Get closer to Jeff...Read a book...Go somewhere I've never been...Take 10,000 pictures...Loose weight...Eat healthier...Scrapbook with pictures...Go to a concert...Stay in touch with friends better...Buy a French Horn...Start playing the French Horn again...Learn something new...Crochet dresses for the hospital...Go camping a lot...Take time for myself...and I'm sure a million other things...

Picture at the top if of the kids and I at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle...

Seattle Trip...

2011-03-01T09:14:00.001-08:00

Well we made it there and back...Despite all the snow that dumped during the night before we were to leave...The trip over was slow at first but after Ritzville it was mostly smooth going...I drove the whole way over because Jeff had just gotten off work...Our first stop on the trip was the Lego Store...The kids each filled a bucket with the legos of their choice...Then we headed to out hotel and just chilled for the evening...We were all in bed by 7:30 to get ready for the busy weekend to come...Friday morning we got up and headed to the Space Needle...It was cold outside and the wind was blowing...We got to the Space Needle a half hour before they opened so we waited in the cold...The kids were very excited to go to the top...The view from the top was amazing...The sky was blue and the sun was shining...After the Space needle we headed to the EMP...The kids really enjoyed playing all the instruments and Seeing the BSG ships...We also got to make a music video as a family...We called our selves the "Pixler Punx"...Then we walked over to the McDonalds only to discover that Ash had set out bag of Souvenirs down at the EMP...Jeff ran back over there to see if they were still there but he was too late...They were gone...This kinda put a damper on things for a bit but I reminded everyone that we needed to just enjoy the trip and not worry about it...Ashlynn felt really bad all day...After we ate lunch we headed to the Pacific Science Center...The kids really enjoyed this...We went to an IMAX movie and bought some Astronaut Ice Cream...The kids really liked the Butterfly House, Dinosaurs, and the Tide pool Touch Tanks...Then we headed down to Ye Olde Cureiosity Shop so the kids could see the "Mummy"...They loved it...Xander kept asking if it was dead...Then we decided it was time for dinner...We thought about going to Hard Rock Cafe but being a Friday night there was no way we would get in with out a really long wait so we headed back towards out hotel...We ended up at an Ihop witch was perfect...When we got back to the hotel we all crashed...Saturday morning we woke up to it snowing...We decided to go to the zoo anyways...We bundled up in out winter coats, hats and gloves and enjoyed the zoo for hours...The kids decided that they wanted to spend more time at the zoo rather than go on the cruise so we ate lunch at the Rainforest Plaza in the zoo and continued our adventure...We saw Snow leopards fighting, heard the Lion roar and saw the Bears sleeping and so much more...After the zoo we went to the Aquarium...There were a lot of people there so it was kinda hard to get around...We did get to see the giant octopus and that made Skyler happy...We spent about an hour and a half there and the left...We had a little time to kill before dinner so we took the kids to Pikes Place...They loved seeing all the people and different shops...We stopped and listened to a man playing a saw and the kids loved it...Then we got back into the car and headed out to Alki Beach...The wind was blowing and it was so cold we only stayed a few min...Posed for a few pics and got back into the van...For dinner we went to Rainforest Cafe...What a fun restaurant...The kids really loved meeting Cha Cha the Frog...Then back to the hotel...The kids fell asleep fast and Jeff and I packed all our stuff up...Sunday morning we packed up the van and headed home...The roads were better heading home so we made really good time...Now its time for a vacation from our vacation :)

This Week...

2011-02-21T19:34:00.000-08:00

This week I have a list of things to get done and so little time to do it...The van needs to go through emissions...get an oil change and new tabs...I have to do laundry and pack for our trip...Clean house because it's always nicer to come home from a trip to a clean house...I'm babysitting Jeff's little brother Eric tomorrow...Today I did do a little laundry but not all of it...my boys need hair cuts...I have to return something to costco...Have a meeting tomorrow night...No School for the kids at all this week...But guess what it's ok...I can do it...Im choosing right now to not get stressed about it...This trip to Seattle is going to be so much fun...I cant wait till thursday morning to pack the kids into the car in -4 deg weather and head to the wet side of the state...I'm going to take a million pictures and we are going to enjoy just being together as a family!!! SEATTLE here we come!

Update...

2011-02-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

I know... I know I've been MIA for a while now...not sure anyone still looks at this blog because I never update it...Well I'm not making any promises to be better at it but I'm going to try...

Ok since I posted last a million things have happened and there is no way I'm going to be able to remember them all so here are the big ones...

Ashlynn got Baptized by her daddy...We are very proud of her for making this great choice...She was very patient to wait for her Daddy to be ready to perform this ordnance...

Jeff found a new job...He is now working as a Tow Truck Dispatcher for Rouses Towing...He works nights Sunday through Thursday...It doesn't pay very well but it is a job...

I got to go on an AMAZING trip to Washington DC and Virginia for 2 weeks by my self...I went to shoot my cousins wedding and got to stay and visit with family for a while...I would love to take my family there and spend more time seeing everything...I took over 2000 pictures while I was there...I will share a few later...

All 4 kids are in school now!!! Sky is in 4th grade and doing very well...Ash is in 3rd grade and doing very well in everything but reading...We just finished up 21 hrs of tutoring at Sylvin and it has made a huge difference...Hayden is in his second year of ECEAP and loves it...Xander started ECEAP this year and has learned so many things...They started the boys in opposite classes with one in the morning class and one in the afternoon class but this week Xander was moved into the afternoon class...This gives me 3 1/2 hrs Mon-Thur free!! Hopefully I can find a job to do from home...

The boys all had Birthdays...Sky 10...Hayden 5...Xander 4...And Ashlynn will be 9 on Friday...They are growing up soooooo fast...No more Diapers and No more car seats...

The Holidays were good this year...We escaped all illness and avoided any puking...With the exception of a few health issues I'm having...

I found out in November that i have Planters Fasciitis...It's a foot issue in both my feet...I wont go into detail but i have been sentenced to wear a boot on my left foot for 6 to 12 months and Splints on both feet at night...This is not fun but I'm learning to live with it...

That's about all I'm going to write about today but I will keep adding more as I remember...

No Excuses...

2010-06-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

OOOps where did May go...

Oops!!!

2010-05-01T07:50:00.000-07:00

I missed April....ill post this weekend!!!

March

2010-03-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ok so march is almost gone and here it my first post...there is so much to post about but to be honest i really am not motivated to write it all down...so here it is in a nut shell...Blue and Gold Father Son Cake...Swimming lessons...My Birthday...Pine Wood derby...Parent teacher conferences...Spring break...Jeff's Back...Craft fair...Field trip to NW Seed and Pet...and I'm sure much much more...here are a few pictures...

Happy Birthday Ashlynn!!

2010-02-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

Ashlynn is 8...how can this be...she was just turning 1 with those cute little pigtails and chubby cheeks...now she is growing up way to fast...she loves blue and purple and green...she hates PINK!!!...(except hot Pink)...she loves Bella Sara (if you don't know what Bella Sara is and you have a little girl check it out at bellasara.com)...she loves to swim...and she is a really good swimmer...she loves to play computer and watch the Disney channel...she loves school even though she struggles a lot with reading...she is trying to get all caught up before the end of the year...she is a good helper with her brothers...she loves to sing and reminds us everyday that she is the best singer in the family...she loves Littlest Pet Shop and Loving Family Doll House and Drawing and playing out side and a million other things...She is taking Spanish lessons and will soon be speaking a language Jeff and I don't understand...She misses her Sister Sierra so much...She asks for a sister almost every day (not going to happen)...We love Ashlynn and are so very lucky to have her in our family...

HUH...

2010-02-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Oh January where did you go?.....

(Xander is a Sunbeam now!)

Good Bye 2009.....

2009-12-31T12:00:00.001-08:00

January...We had a lot of snow...more than 4 feet in some places in our yard...the kids loved it...

February...Ashlynn turned 7...She had a really fun Birthday party at Build-A-Bear...I started working at the YMCA...

March...I turned 30!!!...and I got my new camera!!!...oh yeah it snowed on my birthday...

April...We went camping...the weather was really nice...we got to see a bear up really close...

May...The Central YMCA opened and I transferred down town to work...Jeff also turned 30!!!

June...My sisters and their families came down from Alaska to visit...Skyler got baptised...

July...We went on a great family vacation...We spent 2 weeks in Port Angeles...

August...we went camping again...

September...the kids started school at Adams...after 3 days they transferred to Trent...2nd and 3rd grade...

October...Skyler turned 9...We went to the pumpkin patch...Hayden went on his first field trip...I went to just sub statics so i could be home with the kids again...

November...Thanks Giving was great...Black Friday was a lot of fun...We saw some great Christmas lights...

December...Christmas morning at Grandma Linda's...Hayden turned 4...Xander turned 3...Jeff and I had our 11 year anniversary...

I think it was a good year...Lets see what 2010 has to bring...

Happy Birthday Boys...

2009-12-28T18:17:00.000-08:00

Hayden and Xander both had Birthdays this past week...Hayden turned 4 on Monday the 21st and Xander turned 3 yesterday...

Hayden you are so sweet and loving most of the time...You love to laugh and giggle and snuggle...You also have a temper...When you don't get exactly what you want you scream and through the biggest fit...You want to do everything Skyler does...Your teachers at school love you...They have never seen the temper side of you and would love to have a class full of just you...We love having you as a part of our family...Happy Birthday Hayden...

Xander you are growing up to fast...Some days you are in your little world and you make us laugh...You always say the funniest things...You love trains and Woody...you are very enthusiastic about everything...you love nana and papop..I love all your kisses and huggins...slow down a little because your my baby...Happy Birthday Xander

Merry Christmas

2009-12-19T12:35:00.000-08:00

6 lbs. of unpopped popcorn

1- 30 gallon force flex garbage bag

Hours and Hours of popping

A queen sized flat sheet

A floor drop

4 really excited kiddos

2 popcorn buckets

all for a few good photos of the kids for our Christmas card....good times...big mess...lasting memories!!!

Prayers

2009-11-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

We are praying for My sister-in-law Andi who was just diagnosed with Brest Cancer...

We are praying for each of her children...

We are praying for my brother Todd to have the strength to support his family through this hard time...

Please pray with us...

Hayden and Xander's pictures...

2009-11-03T12:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween...

2009-11-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

Halloween kinda creeeeeped up on us this year...costumes were last min so they weren't the Aliens I had planned to make...oh well the kids had fun, well most of them...Hayden and Xan love wearing "Buzz" and "Woody" all the time...we even went shopping last week in them...I paid 3 bucks each for them so i can't complain much...Ashlynn wanted to be a Witch so I bought all the fabric to make her an amazing costume and the next day found this one on sale at Children's Place...She loved it and now I can pay it off in monthly installments...Sky didn't really care what he was and thew a big baby fit (as we call them at out house) every time we left the house for a Halloween party...I found this "Bony Pirate" at Value Village in the new costumes...I was about 4 sizes to big but with a few adjustments It fit him great and nothing we did to it is permanent...It can all be taken out and used as a bigger size...Friday Sky and Ash had parties at school and Hayden and Xan went to the Y and hung out with their old pre school classes...Friday night we went to my parents ward party for a chili feed and indoor trunk-or-treat...Saturday night we took the kids to Jeff's grandma's house so she could see their costumes and give them treats... then we headed out to the valley stake center for a 3 ward trunk-or-treat...after that was over we went to Jeff's Mom's house for pizza and more treats...I'm a little sugared out...we have enough candy to last us till next year when we will do it all over again...

Jake's seinor pictures...

2009-09-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

I took my nephew Jake's Seinor pictures today...

I love how they turned out...

Back To School...and not a moment too soon

2009-09-11T08:33:00.000-07:00

School Pictures....

new Family Picture

2009-07-31T09:26:00.001-07:00

I love this new family picture...my brother Jeff took it of us last night out at the beach...all the kids were looking at the camera and almost smiling...more from our vacation to come later...we still are not home yet...

Vacation

2009-07-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

Just a quick greeting from Our family vacation...

I'll write more about it when we are home....

Low Ballers!!!

2009-07-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

We had a YMCA Employee bowling tournament last weekend...it was a lot of fun...I got a trophy for having the lowest bowled game...SWEET...Our team was the "Low Ballers"...we won the best dresses...I was Karen"The Rack" Pixler...My boss was Jodie "Mind in the gutter" Pierson...her hubby was Dan " The Counter Striker" (he is an accountant)...and Jeff was "JEFF"...Good times...

21 Grandkids

2009-06-09T17:10:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we had a family get together for Brittany's Graduation...All 21 of my parents grandchildren were there.. (Sierra only in spirit of course)...here they are from oldest to youngest...

Happy 6th Birthday Sierra

2009-06-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today is Sierra's 6th Birthday...Wow another year has passed and it seems like I was just posting about Sierra...This year comes with less heartache that last but is just as meaningful...I have spent many hours thinking about Sierra and what she would have been like...Would she be a total drama queen like her big sister Ashlynn...Or would she be Athletic like her Big Brother Skyler...Would she have blue eyes like the little boys...(probably not because she had really dark hair)...Would she be shy and reserved like daddy or loud and out going like her mommy...Either way we would have loved her just the same...We lover her so very much and look forward to the day when we will all be together again...

The pictures I am sharing this year are not ones that I've shared before on my blog...they are pictures of pictures in her scrapbook...

This is a picture of Sierra and I the day she was born...She was still perfect here..We has no idea anything was wrong with her yet...

Here is a picture of Jeff and Sierra...This picture is very special to us...After Sierra passed away we were looking through pictures and there were not any good pictures of Jeff holding her...a few months later Jeff's mom got some film developed and she found this picture...I love it...

I love this picture of Sierra's hair...This is her first bath...This is also I think the day before she went back into the hospital...I love the little curls...She looks just like Ashlynn but chubbier...

I took Ashlynn With me Sunday evening to leave Sierra's 6 yellow roses...She misses her sister so much...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY SIEA!!!

Skyler's Baptism

2009-06-07T16:21:00.000-07:00

Skyler got Baptised yesterday...We are so proud of him for making the choice to get baptised...It's hard to believe that he is 8 already...Only 8 more months and it will be Ashlynn's turn....I will blog more about our day later...

(Thank You Jeff...)

Memorial day Camping

2009-05-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

For memorial day weekend we went camping to the most beautiful place on earth...my parents have this camp trailer they leave here year round...we left Friday afternoon and came home Monday evening...here is out trip through pictures...not in order...

this is out camp...it was so green and the weather was perfect...this is the first time Hayden and Xander have been camping in tents...

Jeff my Mom and Xander did a little reading...

We picked some white irises that we plan to dig up in the fall and move closer to camp...

Good Times...Family Times...

We drove to 2 cabins that were built in the early 1900s...they are falling down but you can still see the outer walls...the cabins belonged to fur trappers...

The kids went for their first ride in the back of a pick-up...Xander wasn't sure about it so he road in the cab on the way back...

We sat around the fire at night...

enjoyed s'mores...

Shot the guns...

put almost 100 miles on the 4-wheeler...Hayden didn't want to get off...

Ate foil dinners for dinner...

played on the 4-wheeler while it was "resting"...

worked on a new hole for the out house...

digg and digggggg....

went on walks with daddy...

ate out side....

watched the humming birds feed all day...

and the kids fav part was the bear we saw...this was taken from the back of the truck on our ride...he was about 10 to 15 yards from us...we also saw a momma and 2 cubs from the porch of the trailer...

all in all it was a really fun trip...but its nice to be home and clean...

Sweet Find part 2...

2009-05-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

So I made a discovery the other day...our train table is really bigger than I thought...It came with an extra board and I just though I was nice to have in case one got broke...well guess what...the table expands...now it is 50% larger than in the pictures...I'll post some when i take them...I love it...

Sweet Find!!!

2009-05-14T14:39:00.000-07:00

I stopped by Goodwill to pick Mike up from work this week and decided to go in and look around...as I was on my way out I found this train table with a big box full of tracks and trains...I have been looking for one of these for months now and the best price i could find was $150.00 with only a few trains and tracks...So when I saw the price on it I was so excited...I said $24.99 for the whole set!!!...plus Mike got me 20% off so I only payed $20.00..My kiddos love it...Xander is obsessed with Thomas the train and insists on sleeping with a piece of track or a train...here are a few pictures of how we set it up...

Happy Mothers Day

2009-05-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day Mom...

My mom is wonderful. She is always there when we need her. Anyone who knows my mom loves my mom. She is the greatest Grandma in the world and for that I am thankful. I love you mom thanks for everything you do for our family.

2009-05-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

and May the 5th be with you also...

...

2009-05-04T07:52:00.000-07:00

May The 4th Be With You...

My New / Old Job...

2009-05-03T19:26:00.001-07:00

Starting tomorrow the brand new Central Spokane YMCA is officially open for business...I will be working there 33 hours a week...That may not sound like much to a lot of you but there are 3 days that i have a 3 to 4 hour break in my shift that i will be just hang out at the Y...My goal is to work out for a bit on those 3 days...I am very excited to be working in a new building with new people and a wonderful boss...I made the decision about a month ago to transfer down town and I'm so excited it is finally time to open... I have had the pleasure of spending countless hours down there in the past month helping set up our room and getting everything ready for the kiddos to come play...We have had 4 open houses that have been wonderful and brought us new members....Today i took some pictures of our new Child Watch room...

This is out infant toddler area...It has a gate on it so the little kiddos don't get trampled!!!

This is the toddler loft...It was so much fun to build...

Here is our little library...and table...we are getting a small couch and chair for this area also but it has been back ordered...

This is our home living area...this little kitchen ROCKS!!!...we even have a washer and dryer so the kids can pretend to wash the dress up clothes...

This is one of my fav things in the room...Aaron ( co-worker) and I built this loft in about 2 hours...It was so much fun and didn't require any tools...we have another add on section but haven't put it on yet...we also have to wait for a cage for the sprinkler head before we can let the kiddos up in the top...

This is the kiddie pool... so much fun... I cant wait to take the kids there...

I also got to see a little of Bloomsday this year...It was the first time I have ever been down town on Bloomsday Saturday... It was really fun to see the racers turn the corner and sprint for the finish... about 5 min after I got there I saw my good friend Julie running...I snapped a few pictures but ill let here share them with you if she wants...

This is a picture of the runners running down the hill to the finish...

Good Food, Good Friends, and Good Times...

2009-04-29T22:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had some friends over for dinner...It's was kinda a last minute thing we started planning last night at my pampered chef party...Arah and Matt came over with their 2 kiddos and Lindsey and Sam came over with their 4 kiddos...Then you add Jeff's brother Mike, Jeff and I and our 4 kiddos that makes a lot of people in our little house...The adults were out numbered by the kids but I think we all had a great time...The Girls played Littlest Pet Shop and had a little musical group going...The boys ran around crazy and just had a good time...Jeff and the guys watched Top Gear on the big screen while Arah, Lindsey and I watched Love Comes Softly up stairs...We had a great dinner that went off great with little planning...Lindsey made amazing brownies...All in All it was Good Food, Good Friends, and Good Times...

the joys of childhood illness

2009-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

All 3 of the boys are dealing with some kind of illness and there isn't a whole lot we can do...At our house we have had Fifths Disease, Moleska Warts, and Impetigo all this week...Hayden and Xander both woke up Tuesday morning with Fifths Disease...for those of you that haven't had the joy of having it, it is a rash all over your body with a low grade fever...very contagous but not dangerous unless you are pregnant...Tuesday i took Skyler to the doctor because he had a few open sores...one on his back and 2 on his legs...We covered them with band aids because i had a feeling they were Impetigo (it's a staf infection on your skin)...Tuesday when we took the band aids off at the doctor's office he had had a really bad reaction to the band aid also...the sore on his back was indeed Impetigo but the 2 on his legs were infected Moleska Warts...We knew he had these warts but have been waiting to treat them until his dry skin cleared up...The doctor decided to freeze all his warts off, most of witch were in hid little butt crack...he had over 25...poor kid he was crying and screaming so hard...The doctor put him on antibiotics and we got a new cream for his skin and told us NO more band aids...now Hayden and Xander have little spots of impetigo...AHHHH...It's like a never ending circle...luckily we have lots of meds to cover them all...The Fifths Disease is gone now and the warts are starting to scab up...the Impetigo is looking better....its just a good thing we have already had Chicken Pox here...oh well i guess ill just take it a day at a time...

Here is Xan Tuesday morning...his little face is covered in rash...

Haydens face was just as bad...and his chest...

this is Skyler's back..the spot in the middle is Impetigo...the spots on the side are from the band aid...this is after they had started to heal...the band aid marks on his leg are really bad...sorry no pics of his warts except the one on his lower back in this picture...

cute senior

2009-04-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

"It's Like learning to ride a bike."

2009-04-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA...The kids got T-shirts and Free Bike Helmets...So of course they wanted to ride their bikes as soon as we got home...Hayden doesn't have a bike yet but he has a scooter that Jeff transformed from a princess scooter to a cool boy scooter with a little spray paint...Hayden loves to ride it like a big boy in the street...

Here is Hayden putting his scooter away...(that's why he doesn't have his helmet on)

Skyler got this bike about 2 years ago but has only ridden it about 4 times...last summer our road was under construction so the kids never got to ride their bikes...He is still a little wobbly on 2 wheels...

Ashlynn has been wanting to ride without training wheels for sometime now but hasn't been brave enough to try on the street...Yesterday she ventured out onto the road and taught herself how to ride...NOT with our a few scrapes though...

She is ready to get back out there tomorrow and try again...(wearing long pants and long sleeves of course)...

Easter

2009-04-14T09:54:00.001-07:00

We had a great Easter...After Church we went to Jeff's Moms house for a rainy Easter egg hunt and dinner...they kids had a great time...The food was wonderful..

Here is a quick picture of the kids before we changed them into their Easter egg hunting clothes...We are getting family pics taking with these same outfits so you will be seeing more soon...

happy Keester......

2009-04-07T21:05:00.001-07:00

I tryed to get Jeff to let me take a picture of his butt for my easter card but had no luck...any ways Happy Keester to all....

In Loving Memory

2009-03-29T23:29:00.001-07:00

Now that I have figured out how to crochet dresses I have decided to make them for the hospital...My dear friend Arah takes photos of babies that have passed away or that are going to pass away...I have been with her while taking these pictures and will hopefully be able to help out taking pictures soon...These photos are beautiful memories that the families cherish forever...A lot of these babies are so small that there are no clothes to fit them...I am grateful to be able to give them something that they can use...My Aunt Kris also sent me dresses to donate...My daughter Sierra and Arah's daughter Olivia were buried in dresses made by Kris so these dresses will all be donated in loving memory of Sierra and Olivia...

Here are the 5 dresses I made this weekend...The largest one in the photo is about 8 inches long...They seem so small but they will fit the babies perfectly...

Sierra Pixler

June 8, 2003-Aug. 3, 2003

Olivia Kunz

Nov. 11, 2007

Pine Wood Derby

2009-03-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the Pine Wood Derby...Sky was really excited to race his car...He placed right in the middle out of 11 scouts...I was just glad he didn't loose every race...

Photo Tag

2009-03-24T20:52:00.000-07:00

The rule...go to your photos open the 6th folder and choose the 6th photo then blog about it...

This is from Disney on ice 2 years ago...it was so much fun...

Crocheted Dress

2009-03-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

My aunt Kris Crochets beautiful dresses...I have been wanting to learn for a few years now but have never sat down with her and watched...In September she moved to West Virginia so getting together is not an option right now...At our craft fair last weekend I spent a little time studding one of her dresses and figured out how to make the top...so when I got home I started working on a dress...The first one I started was bigger than I wanted, so I put it aside and started another one...When it came to the skirt I just improvised...This is the finished dress...It is 0-3 months size...It also fits Ashlynn's build a bear perfect...I am very pleased with how it turned out...Kris what do you think?

Hayden's Unders

2009-03-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

Conversation between Hayden and Jeff after Hayden found a pair his unders in the dirty clothes...

Hayden: "I don't like Sky any more..."

Jeff: "How come?"

Hayden: "Because..."

Jeff: "He's your brother."

Hayden: "Not anymore..."

Jeff: "Why?"

Hayden: "He pooped in my unders..."

Walk-A-Thon

2009-03-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

Skyler and Ashlynn had their Walk-a-Thon at school yesterday...They were so excited...They both raised $44.00 not mater how much they walked so they were just out for fun...Skyler ran most of it and had a total of 27 laps with out a drink (he always adds that)...Ashlynn walked most of it and had 16 laps...I'm so proud of them for doing their best...Their school is trying to earn money for new play ground toys...Good luck ADAMs...I took over 450 pictures for the school but ill only share 2...

Sky towards the end...he was so tuckered out...when he got up this morning he was complaining about how sore he was...

Ashlynn is a nut head....She said she got really hot in her sweat shirt but she couldn't take it off because it's all she has on...The weather was perfect yesterday...

Skyler's Concert

2009-03-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight we went to Skyler's concert...I wish I had a sound Clip from it...Can I just say his music teacher is AMAZING!!!...I have never seen kids this young with so much excitement and enthusiasm for music...Even the boys were singing at the top of their lungs and in tune...I was amazed...here are a few pictures from the night...

Skyler was very nervous before the concert...

He was very into the music and moves...

This is Skyler with his Teacher Mrs. Stiles after the concert...He really likes having her for his teacher...

This is Sky and DJ...DJ is Sky's best friend...he lives across the street from us...

Chuckey Cheese

2009-03-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Monday for my birthday we went to chuckey cheese...well ok it was really for spencers birthday...it was a lot of fun...my kiddos had never been there before so they were very excited...here are a few pictures...

Xander didnt like this ride...

Ashlynn really got into this...she won a lot of tickets...

I think Skyler schooled Jeff at air hockey...

Hayden loved the play area, im just glad i didnt have to go after him in the tunnels...

My dad really did have a good time...after we got him up playing the games..

Mom feeding Joey...(her 21st grand child)

Skyler's Glasses

2009-03-11T17:42:00.001-07:00

Skyler had his eyes checked at the beginning of January...They decided that his muscles behind his eyes were weak so he needed glasses...We finally just got them last week...8 weeks later!!!...He only has to wear them in his class room at school and when he is doing home work at home...He says the kids at school think he looks Harry Potter!!! I think he looks cute (but moms don't count)...

Birthday Gift!!!

2009-03-09T15:52:00.000-07:00

I guess for my Birthday Nature decided to give my a butt load of snow...No Thank You...I hope he got a gift receipt so I can take it back...

Oh SPRING....Where are you!!!

Good Bye 20's

2009-03-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Happy Birthday to ME!!!

Good Bye 20's...30's here I come...

Happy 6th Birthday

2009-03-08T21:50:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Jeffs mom's house to celebrate his brothers 6th Birthday...I can't believe Eric is 6 already...Here are a few pictures from the party...

Happy Birthday Eric...

Feel the Music...

2009-03-07T22:27:00.000-08:00

Ashlynn was singing all night while coloring...I had to get a video of it...I set the camera up on the table and went about my evening activities...she kept asking me what the camera was doing and i acted like i didn't know what she was talking about...after a minute she was singing at the top of her lungs again...i was trying so hard not to laugh because she was so into it...my sister Andrea use to do this as a little girl and i thought it was so funny...Go Ashlynn!!!...I LOVE THIS...

Feel the Music!!!

2009-03-07T22:12:00.001-08:00

Tote Bag

2009-03-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

I have been needing a new tote bag for church but couldn't find one i really liked for the price i wanted to pay...Well 2 weeks ago i got a new calling to be the CTR 5 teacher so I have a lot more stuff to bring to church now...I decided to buy some fabric and make one that was just right for me...while i was at walmart today i saw this fabric and loved how bright it was...I think it made me happy because it is so dark and grody out side...This evening i sat down with out a pattern and this is what i came up with...it is reversible also...I think it will be great!!!

oh yeah it only cost $6.66...

Thomas Live!!!

2009-03-03T21:38:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to Thomas Live...It was a lot of fun...The tickets I bought were only $7.50 each but I thought our seats were great...We were up in the balcony in almost the last row but we could see everything perfect...I first bought Tickets just for Hayden, Xander, Jeff and I but decided a few days later to get tickets for Sky and Ash...We couldn't get 2 more tickets together so I bought 3 and invited my mom to go...When we got there our seats were 3 seats in from the end so we traded the people on the end for our 3 better seats and all sat together...It was so much fun to see Hayden, Xander and Ashlynn get so excited during the show...Skyler had fun to but wasn't as into it...All in all we had a great Family night and hope to do more activities like this in the future...

I bought these shirts yesterday....

I got one at Value Village and on at Goodwil...$1.99 each...

The Shirts they were selling at the show were $20.00 each...

Nerf War

2009-02-27T15:45:00.000-08:00

Heyden got this Nerf gun a few months ago and it has been his special toy ever sense...Skyler and Ashlynn both got Nerf guns for Christmas and we had some good times playing Nerf wars in the house...But it didnt take long before all the darts were lost...Grandpa bought a Nerf gun and a pack of 100 darts and brought them over to out house last night...He also bought a small gun for Xan...They had so much fun having Nerf war in the living room...(please excuse the diapers and unders)...

Hayden getting ready to unload a round of darts on the fish tank...

The poor fish couldn't figure out what was going on...

Ashlynn ready to unload on me...

Skyler shooting Grandpa's new gun...

Xander getting ready to reload...

Grandpa getting in on the action...

even Grandma got in on the action...

I love these moments the kids get to spend with Grandma and Grandpa...

back on the blogging wagon

2009-02-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

I just wanted everyone to know my wonderful hubby Jeff is back on the blogging wagon...Check out his blog and see what he has to say about life!!!

Blue and Gold!!!

2009-02-25T13:29:00.001-08:00

Skyler's cake was given the award for having the most "Scoutfull" cake....Sky was happy with that...We had a fun night...It started with a yummy hot dog dinner and then Skits performed by the dens....Then awards and games....followed by the boys giving their presentations on where they like to go on vacation...Ours was Boise (because that's the only place we ever go.)...Last the awards for the cakes....

here is Sky with his cake...

Here is Sky getting his award for his cake...

Pole Dancer

2009-02-24T09:49:00.001-08:00

I got this email from a friend and had to share it...I'm not a fan of forwards so I thought I'd post it on my blog.....

This is the leter the teacher got back from the mother...

Dear Mrs. Jones,I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer. I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

Father Son Cake

2009-02-23T21:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow Skyler has his first Blue and gold banquet for Cub Scouts...One of the traditions is for the fathers and sons to make a cake together...The theme this year is ABC's across America...Skyler wanted to make a flag cake...I was hopping for something a little more elaborate...So this is what we came up with...I found this in a cake idea book...

This is how ours turned out...

Of course i didn't get much help from Jeff or Sky except with the idea...Good job on your father son cake guys!!!

Happy Valentines Day

2009-02-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to something special in bed?......can you guess what it was?.....It smelled, is very sweet and is some of my favorite things in the world.....Have you guessed yet?......Are you all thinking Breakfast?......Yeah Right!!! I Wish!!!....I woke up to Kids in my bed!!! No sleep for me last night.... Hayden was first in my bed, they shortly after Skyler woke up with a bad dream so he joined our room on the floor....then our morning was started with Skyler climbing into bed then I think at one time all of them jumping on our bed while I'm still trying to sleep...It may sound like I'm complaining but really I'm not...It will be all too soon when they wont be gracing us with their presents in our small little bed....I love each and every one of them soooooo much....and not to forget my wonderful hubby who is going to keep all the kids while i go shopping this afternoon....and not to forget the hot date we have planed for tonight with some friends...have a great valentines day!!!

Happy Birthday

2009-02-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

Ashlynn always poses like this...lol

and again...

This is Ash on her Birthday

This a a few days late but I wanted to post for Ashlynn's Birthday...Ashlynn turned 7 on Wednesday!!!...She is such a sweet girl to have in our family...She loves her brothers unconditionally even though they pick on her like crazy...She loves and misses her sister Sierra a lot and talks about her often...She can't wait until we are together again...Ashlynn is a little mother to Hayden and Xander and most of the time they will go along with it...She can also be a huge DRAMA QUEEN!...I love it...She is everything I wasn't as a little girl...She loves dolls and barbies and all things girl (I was all about sports and boy toys)...She loves to sing and dance...Ashlynn can be very shy at times and the next minute she wont shut-up...She loves church and learning about the gospel...We love Ashlynn so much...Our family would not be complete with out her...

Happy Birthday Sweetie

Prints in the Snow

2009-02-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

When I went out to check the mail this afternoon these little prints in the snow caught my eye...I thought they were so cute...Just wanted to share...

YMCA

2009-02-10T14:13:00.001-08:00

So it's offical....im now working at the YMCA in the Child Watch Program....for now im just a sub but I have gotten a call everyday to work....I really enjoy it....Poeple think im crazy because I go from 4 kids at home to more kids at work but I guess I just love kids....The only thing that would make the job better is if my kiddos could go with me....oh well....ok im off to my 3rd shift just today....NICE!!!

new computer!!

2009-02-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

I'm back!!! ant this time I hope it's for good...We just got a new computer that better work for a long time...I look forward to updating my blog and checking out what you have all been up to...

Here is Ashlynn CHEERING for our new computer!!!

(actually she got new shoes that came with cheer accessories)

AHHHH

2009-01-22T17:11:00.000-08:00

I promise im not just slacking.......Our Computer is once again not working....I tried to turn it on one morning and nothing happened.....AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhh..............ARG......and a few other words I cant type.......My wonderful brother is trying to fix it but we will see what happens......Nothing to exciting going on in our house...Jeff is still home with no idea when he might return to work...im just waiting for the phone call to tell me I got the job at the YMCA....any day now...Sky and Ash are glad to be back in school....And Hayden and Xander are loving having Daddy home to play with all day.....Ill try to update as soon as I can in the mean time dont give up on me.......So because I dont like to post with out pictures here is one from the past....
Ashlynn was almost 2 here...look at those chipmunk cheeks!!!

Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam...

2009-01-04T15:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Hayden is a Sunbeam now...He was so cute sitting there with his class today...He is the youngest one in his class because he just turned 3 2 weeks ago...Hayden calls it his "Big Class"...My boys are growing up!!!
Here is a picture of him this morning before church...

I'm Back!!!

2009-01-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

Thank You...Thank You...Thank You...To Arah and Matt for getting our computer fixed so cheap...It was killing me to not have it working...I have wanted to comment on all your blogs but have been only able to read them... So I know whats going on with all of you here is what has been going on with us..

Halloween....We had a house full of Pirates...ARRRRGGG
.

SNOW!!!
so i know you have all heard about our crazy snow this year...we have a lot...this first picture is after the first day...It took Jeff and I 3 1/2 hours just to shovel the driveway...we had to borrow a shovel from the neighbor...

This is about a week later...we now have our own shovel and have been trying to keep up with the snow...we have over 3 1/2 feet in parts of our yard!!! you can kinda see our dish above the garage buried in the snow...no tv for us going on 3 weeks...AHHHHHHHHHHHH...

Hayden and Xander had Birthdays!!!...Hayden is 3 now and Xander is 2!!!...I made them a cake because we were snowed in on Hayden's Birthday

Ashlynn got a hair cut too...nice and short...(her eyes look funny in this picture)

Christmas Eve...Our little Family

Christmas Morning...Ashlynn, Skyler, Xander, Eric (Jeff's Brother) and Hayden waiting to open gifts!!!

There is a little of what we have been doing over the past few months...Its nice to be back!!!

Hair Cut

2008-12-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

Here is my new hair cut...not the best pictures of it but you can kinda see how short it is...

cute senior cousin

2008-11-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

BLACK FRIDAY MADNESS

2008-11-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

I don't have any pictures to post but I wanted to let you know I'm still alive... I will have pictures and stories to share later when I can get to my mom's... Today is Black Friday... And like every other year I was out shopping nice and early... Yesterday I woke up at about 8:30 am and I have yet to go to sleep... I hit the road at about 3:oo am this morning... We started at Wal Mart where it was absolute madness like always... We got everything we were looking for and after an hour we were on to the next store... We finally made it home at 3:00 pm... 12 long hours of great fun and shopping madness... Now everything around me is a dull blure and I really need some sleep... But now it my turn to watch the kiddos and Jeff is out enjoying some crazyness for himself... Good Times!!!

From My Mom's House

2008-10-27T18:21:00.001-07:00

Ok it's been killing me to not be blogging every few days...So here is a little update from my mom's computer...Lot's going on st our house...Jeff is off for the winter, taking his little "Vacation on the State"...I'm still looking for a job and hope to get working soon...Craft Fair Season is upon us and I have been busy getting ready for that...The kids are busy in school and looking forward to Halloween this week...All 4 kids are going to be Pirates this year so I made 4 costumes this weeks...I'll have pictures later...Skyler turned the BIG 8 a few weeks ago and will be getting Baptized in a month or so...He also got to start Cub Scouts and already earned his Bobcat...We took our yearly trip to Green Bluff and got our pumpkins...here are a few pictures from the last month...

Skyler, Eric (Jeff's Little Brother) Ashlynn and Hayden on the tractor ride...

Scouts Honer...

For Skyler's Birthday we had a big Carnival...20 kids in all...it was a lot of fun...

Happy 8th Birthday Skyler

2008-10-15T23:08:00.000-07:00

2 more cute seniors!!

2008-10-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Here are 2 more cute seniors I did pictures for...

Calling All Computer Fixers...

2008-09-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

My computer I broken and I cant afford to pay a ton of money to have it fixed...The port where you plug the power cord in has come loose and needs to be fixed...Can anyone out there help me...I will buy the parts it needs to be fixed...HELP!!!

Skyler's Birthday Invite

2008-09-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

This is my idea for Skyler's Birthday Invitation...They will be printed like Concert Tickets...What do you think???

My Weekend

2008-09-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yeah that's how my weekend has been going...

BIG SALE!!!

2008-09-18T22:38:00.000-07:00

I am having a huge Scrapbooking, Rubber Stamp, Craft SALE this weekend...
( I have a few baby things and a computer desk for sale also)
Friday 9 to 9
Saturday 7 to when ever

817 S. Calvin
Spokane Valley

Music Everywhere

2008-09-17T22:28:00.000-07:00

Skyler really loves to sing...This is a song he learned at school...He memorized the whole thing after only 2 music classes...Enjoy...

Cute Seniors

2008-09-11T21:45:00.001-07:00

Lots of pictures this post...I took my niece Brittany and her friend, Bri's senior pictures today...here are a few of my favroits...what do you think...

My Kids can Blow...

2008-09-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

I bought these Harmonicas for the kids last night and they haven't put them down sense...When I was about 12 I got my first Harmonica and have loved playing ever sense...maybe someday my kiddos will be as good as me...lol...The first Video thats me playing in the backround...The second video is the kids in all thrie glory...

This is what Skyler said in the car last night...
"Mom, can you play that sad song you hear when your stuck in the dessert in Texas?"

Of course I could...
ENJOY!!!

Introducing Joseph Edwin Maughan

2008-09-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

My brother Jeff and his wife Karin just had their baby Sunday morning...
Joseph Edwin Maughan
Born 9/7/08
2:18am
7lb
19 1/2 inches long

He shares a Birthday with his cousin Christopher who just turned 11...
Happy Birthday Chris and Joey
Congratulations Jeff, Karin and Spencer...

Back To School!!!

2008-09-04T16:38:00.001-07:00

WOOO HOOOO..........The Kids are back in school....They were a little nervous about their new school but both had great days...Here are a few pictures from this morning...

Hayden was a little mad when I wouldn't let him go to school...

Sierra's Letter....

Silverwood

2008-09-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

Sky and Ash earned Silverwood tickets at school this past year and I was given a free one so on monday we went...The weather was just right and there wern't very many people there so it was nice...here are a few pics...Jeff's sister Kayla and her boyfriend Robbie went with us...

.

Eternal Family!!!

2008-08-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

My brother Todd and his wife Andi celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary today... But the special part about it was that they were sealed to their 6 children... They are now an Eternal family... Congratulations Todd, Andrea, Jacob, Alexandria, Andru, Charlot, Samantha, and Maxwell... We love you guys...

Jake

Alex

Dru

Charlie

Sammie

Max

Skyler's Photo Shoot

2008-08-27T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos from Skyler's Back to School photo shoot...

Ashlynn's Photo Shoot

2008-08-27T14:16:00.001-07:00

Here are the Pictures from Ashlynn's Back to School photo shoot...

check this out...

2008-08-26T12:21:00.001-07:00

This is my inspiration...This Layout just sold on eBay for....Drum roll please................
$1575.00!!!!
holy crap!!!

A little Shout Out!!

2008-08-26T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here is a little shout out to my brothers and sisters!!!
I found these pictures when I was looking for my Senior pictures...Do you remember these hats...We are such DORKS!!!...We must have just finished playing softball or something because we are all dressed in our softball clothes...

So here's to Karl, Todd, Julie, Jeff and Andrea...Thanks for being the best brothers and sisters anyone could ever have...I love you guys...

Class of '98'

2008-08-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

So this past weekend was my 10 year reunion...Did I go?...Nope...I wasn't willing to pay $50.00 to see people that didn't care about me 10 years ago and most likely don't care about me now...But my friend April challenged all of '98' ers to post our senior pictures...so here it goes...I went a little further and found some other pictures from way back when!!!...lol...

Ok here I am in all my Senior Glory...Like my Friend April said whats with the glum look...I guess I was sad to see high school end...NOT!!!...(kick'n it old school)

Here I am in the Grad get-up...hey girls if you got 'em flaunt 'em

These are my French horn boyz...they were really sad to see me go...I was way better then them!!!

I was a BAND GEEK!!! you know it...this is the Jazz band my sophomore year...Good Times...I'm the short trumpet player in the back...I was even standing on something!!!

This is the Wind Ensemble same year...That's me, the hot French horn player!!!...(i should have made out with him...sorry no names just in case he reads this blog)...lol

OK last one...I know isn't he cute...I married him a few months later...Jeff and I after Graduation...

Johnson Jeffrey Salipeter

2008-08-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today Skyler informed me that his name is no longer Skyler...
It is Johnson Jeffrey Salipeter...
Just think of what my Grandchildren will be named!!!
Gotta love his imagination...

Family Reunions, Black Eyes and all the good things in life!!!

2008-08-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we had a big Family Reunion...I didn't know most of the people there but it was fun...We had it in Chewelah Park...It's about 45 min north of Spokane...There is a Creek that runs through the park that the kids got to play in which was nice because is was 101 deg there...After the reunion was over the kids and I went out to my Grandpa's house in Athol Idaho and met up with my cousins to go Huckleberry picking...WE drove up into the mountains and found lots of berries...Some where on the way down the mountain I poked a hole in my tire so we had to put the spare on...in the process we broke one of the lugs off...I had to drive home very slow so it took me an hour and a half...Sunday we went to church and just relaxed around the house...I made Huckleberry Freezer Jam...mmm mmm mmm...It is sooooooooooooooooooo good...Hayden was running and tripped over a toy and hit his head on the bed...He got a huge goose egg on his head...The pictures don't do it justice...Then not 15 min later he was running once again and fell and got one behind his ear...poor kid...Other than that we had a nice quiet weekend...lol...Jeff is off to Coos Bay Oregon...Back to single parenthood for me...

This is a picture of my Mom and Dad and all their Kids and Grand-kids that were at the reunion...That is only half of us...

Xander, Hayden and Ash in the creek...

Xander fell in face first...He wasn't to happy about that...the water was a little cold...

Hayden's head...you cant really see but the bump is huge...

One more time...

2008-08-14T15:02:00.001-07:00

Check this out...Pass the word...Let me know what your think...
www.yourmemoriesandpapercraftsbyme.blogspot.com
There is a link in my sidebar...

Jello!!!

2008-08-10T11:33:00.001-07:00

There's nothin better than Jello in the summer time...

Xander must know some secret about using Jello as a skin care product...

I went on a DATE!!!

2008-08-07T22:47:00.000-07:00

First off I wanted to thank Arah's Dad Jim for the Spokane Indian Tickets...

Skyler and I went on a date tonight...Just the 2 of us...I decided to take him to he
Indians game and leave the other kids with a sitter...I didn't tell Sky where we were going...When we got there he ask if we were going to watch football...I told him to guess again and he got it...Our Tickets got us each 2 hot dogs, soda, chips and ice cream...We got there early for some activities...First we entered the Simon Says competition...and guess what...I AM CHAMP!!!..I won a T-shirt and a cool Spokane Indians Baseball...Then while the team was warming up we got a foul ball...We took the ball I won and got it signed by a bunch of players...Then Skyler got to join the Kids Club (which got him 2 free tickets to another game), bounce in the Otto castle and hit in the kids batting cage...They ask Sky if he wanted to announce the first batter out on the field but he was a little to shy...We had a great time and great seats...The Indians won 8 to 5...Skyler cant wait to use the free tickets he got to go back with his daddy...here are a bunch of pictures from tonight...

The National Anthem

Picture courtesy of Skyler

My cheese ball son

Nothin better than ice cream on the face

Otto the Spokaneasource...

showing off the cool t-shirt his mama got him

getting that cool ball signed

whats a baseball game with out a hot dog

5 Years!!

2008-08-04T11:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 5 year anniversary of Sierra passing away...I can't believe it has been 5 years already...It seems like just yesterday we were sitting in the hospital with her hoping and praying she would come home...I am thankful everyday for the blessings she brought to my life, and the lessons she taught me...I am a stronger person because of her...

I just wanted to give a Happy Birthday Shout out to all the Kiddos born that same spring and summer that I got to snuggle and love and watch grow up...Have fun in kindergarten...

My New Blog Store

2008-07-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

Check this out...Pass the word...Let me know what your think...
www.yourmemoriesandpapercraftsbyme.blogspot.com
There is a link in my sidebar...