Happy Birthday Zach!

This guy is officially a teenager today! Happy 13th Zach!

Bad Break...

I don't know what it is about my two oldest kids, but they have both had the misfortune of breaking the same arm (the left on both), twice! Zach broke his when he was 5 and went a week before mom and dad realized that it really was broken, oops! The second time was two years ago right at the beginning of baseball season. Luckily, his coach talked him into trying to wear his mitt over the cast, and what do ya know, it worked! He was able to help his team out and be the pitcher for the season. That one was a doozy and was a 5 week cast.

(Broken arm #2 -sorry no picture of #1, wasn't in the mood to scan picture)

Hayley on the other hand, broke hers the first time 3 years ago while trying out her new Heely's. She was afraid of having a broken arm so she insisted it was not broken, and mom and dad were convinced until a few days later when we noticed she was still favoring it. A bright pink cast made her not so afraid. The second time happened last night when she flipped over the handle bars on her bike when little bro Ty, cut her off. She somewhat convinced us that it was okay again, until this morning when we were pretty sure she broke it again. So, after church, mom and dad took Hayley to our favorite Kids Instacare in Layton, whom I am sure almost recognize us, and spent two hours there, waiting to find out the same....broken. This time she sported a lime green with blue stripe cast! Can't miss her! I just hope Justin and Tyler don't repeat this tradition (they seem to lean towards the plastic surgery/stitches on the face). That's another tradition that needs to end!

(Broken arm #1)

(Broken arm #2)

Back to School

Notice how Tyler is standing next to the shortest kid in the class! (BTW, he had that backpack on since 7 this morning.)
Hair already kind of flat!

Just happy...

Moments before the chaos!

Only pic of the big junior high student (at least I got one!)

Today, we transitioned from sleeping in and hanging out, to getting up early and heading to school. This year, Zach started junior high (7th grade), Hayley started 5th grade, Justin started 2nd grade, and Tyler started Kindergarten. Mom got up at 6:30 and didn't stop running until everyone was home from school (about 3 pm). Unfortunately, Zach does not get bussed to junior high, so I had to run him to school, come home curl Hayley's hair (for about a half an hour), then rush the elementary kids over to school for the lovely flag ceremony that the principal insists on doing every year (what a waste!), then came home, ate breakfast, finished getting ready and had about an hour until Tyler had to be at school for kindergarten (on early-out day schedule, another total waste!) After dropping him off and getting the traditional pictures, (and not crying) I treated myself to lunch after running a couple of errands, then came home to relax for about half an hour before heading to the school, making sure the younger kids all made it on the right bus, then drove home and enjoyed my last 5 minutes of peace for the day. Zach's school got out around 3, so after that my day could slow down. Luckily, tomorrow everyone is riding the bus (except Zach, hopefully he is riding his bike) and they have full schedule day, except Tyler who has the rest of the week off for Kindergarten testing (once again, another waste!). I hope everyone else enjoyed their back to school day. Now off to go sign a gazillion papers for school (why must they give all the homework to the parents on the first day of school?)...

Be Careful What You Wish For!

I have had a really slow blogging summer. I have not had many posts, because, well, there wasn't anything to really post about. I remember thinking last week how cute some of my nephews and friends little boys were, and all the funny, cute things they do that make a mom want to share. I haven't had that in a while, because my kids are 12, 10, 7 and 5. They are kinda past that cute stage (sorry kids, but it's true). Sometimes I wish my kids would do or say something cute or funny, just so I could have something to blog.

Well, I wouldn't call it cute, but Tyler came in with Justin in tow, just as it was time to get ready for bed, and announced that he just got sprayed by a skunk. He was kind of laughing and so was Justin, so I said, "No you didn't", until the smell caught up to him in my living room, and both Kris and I smelled it at the same time! We quickly herded him back outside, Kris got armed with the hose and I had my camera. After squirting him off in his undies, Kris then took him in to the bath and I worked on the clothes scattered on the lawn. Two cans of tomato sauce, 5 cherry tomates and one hour later, we decided to call it good. He still smells, but the skunk got him right in the ear and face (he was only less than a foot away from the stinking thing!). Not areas that are easily scrubbed.

We found out that the boys went to visit their fort with two of the neighbor kids (an old olive tree in the open space by our house), and Tyler needed to use the bathroom. Instead of coming home, he went behind the fort and came face to rear with the skunk! The worst part of it all is we were really trying to have the kids go to bed early to get ready for school in two weeks. That didn't happen. Most of all, I think it was Tyler's destiny...

(Tyler and Justin, Halloween 2006)

Colorado Trip

We just got back from a trip to Colorado. Usually our trip consists of visiting relatives in Grand Junction, but this time we decided to make a vacation and visit some parts of Colorado that the kids have never been. We were able to still incorporate the visit with seeing grandpa and cousins and aunts and uncles. We journeyed to Ouray and Montrose, Colorado. In Ouray, we took the kids to Box Canon and enjoyed the hike to see the falls. We were supposed to visit the hot springs and go swimming, but our timing included lightning and rain, so the pool was closed. Instead, we headed to our hotel in Montrose and hit the pool there. The kids didn't miss out on anything! We took a boat tour in Morrow Point to see the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River. This was a 2 hour tour on a pontoon boat, and the kids seemed to enjoy themselves. We finished off the trip with seeing grandpa and family before heading home. Kris was excited to share a part of his childhood with his children and to share the beauty of the Colorado mountains with us. We are glad that he did!

End of Spring Sports Wrap-Up

Hayley just finished her Tumbling class for the year (but not really, cause she is still taking a class this summer along with her new competition dance class-we'll try it this year...). By the exhibition she was able to: do her back hand-spring by herself (although she preferred to have her tumbling coach there to catch her just-in-case), and almost perfect her ariel without hands. Not bad for a year of tumbling.

Zach led his Dodgers team as pitcher/1st baseman to the playoffs in a 5th out of 7th place. During tournament time though, they were able to come in 3rd place (Zach and his dad went camping during the last 3 games, so just maybe they could have gone farther? I don't know, and we will never know. Must remember to plan all campouts at least 2 weeks after baseball season ends...) He will now be starting All-Stars tournaments which will take us into the end of July. At least we really love the sport!

(He is not happy about losing.)

Justin helped his team, the Diamondbacks, finish in 4th place during the playoffs. He really started playing toward the end of the season, when he got past all the T-ball habits. His coach put him in as pitcher through all the playoff games (he's in machine-pitch, so he really just stands next to the machine), and he had some really nice snags there, leading to several outs, and even had a double play, catching a pop fly, then throwing to first base to get the kid on first out! Talk about fast reflexes! His goal for next season: to make the All-Star team (can you tell he has an older brother he idolizes?!) I say, you have a great chance Justin!

Tyler just finished T-ball. That's all, no playoff tournaments, because we all know that in T-ball, everyone is a winner! He had a great season, learned lots of things, had some great hits and throws into first base. Probably the best thing about t-ball this year, was his teammates who were all friends from our ward and the ward we just split from. He had fun playing with his friends. Next year he is hoping to play machine pitch with Justin. We shall see...

The End, or Should I Say, The Beginning

Today, my oldest graduated from sixth grade. The school held a graduation with caps minus the gowns. As a parent, it is a bitter-sweet moment in time. In just six years, we will be doing this for high school. In just 3 years, he will be driving. Where has the time gone.

There were some differing opinions amongst some of the parents about having them "graduate" from elementary. Some think it should just be a celebration, I say, why not call it a graduation. After all, they have finished the first part in a series of schools. They move on to the next phase of life, one that can be trying and a time for finding out who one is. I hope my son can find his way through this and come out on the other side, emerging as a fine, young man. I have no doubts that he will. I love you Zach and am proud of your accomplishments in life this far! Way to go!

Just a side note, do you know how painful it is for a sixth grade boy to sing a song with the class during elementary graduation? Zach looked like he broke his arm or something. I told him he should have started doing the Napoleon sign language motions during the parts of the song they were supposed to do hand movements!