Nick and Lisa and Kids

Pumpkin Carving

2012-01-27T17:51:00.000-08:00

This year we opted out of cutting and gutting our pumpkins. Instead, we had a paint fest. We even had two extras: Abby's friend Rylee and Bryant's friend Carter.
It was fun, a little messy, and much less time consuming than carving. Although we did have some sadness morning the loss of Jack - or Mr. 'O Lantern - better known as Jack 'O Lantern!

American Fork Canyon

2012-01-27T10:35:00.000-08:00

This is our annual trip to the American Fork Canyon during October General Conference.
This year we went up and had sandwiches and a marshmallow roast. The key for us is to get up there pretty early in the day or else all of the spots are taken. We have definitely come to enjoy our "favorite" spot year after year. We even have "our log" that we take our annual picture on.
Anyway, you can see we had a lot of fun playing, hiking, eating, throwing rocks in the water, and playing in the leaves. We'll be back again next year, I'm sure!

This is the look we got from Emma when we told her it was time to go (above)!!

Dirty Dash 10K

2012-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

So, as if the 5K in June wasn't enough ...
I decided to lure in some of my family (cousins and cousins-in-law) and do the 10K Dirty Dash too. It was at the same venue - Soldier Hollow. It was so much fun. It was really great doing it together with a large group of people. It was really hilly. My legs were so sore the next day. We waded through mud, swam through muddy water, climbed walls, crawled through tunnels, swung on rope swimgs, and even scaled a 20(ish) foot rope wall. It was a lot of fun. I hope we do it again next year!

This picture is of me and my cousin, Kelsey Belnap. We look dirty, but this is after rinsing off after the race was over. So, you can imagine what we look like 10 minutes previous to the picture!

First Day of Preschool 2011/12

2012-01-25T12:38:00.000-08:00

This year, Grayce and Emma started preschool. They are going to "A Leap Ahead Preschool." Their teacher is Miss Cathie. She is amazing!! We love her so much - she does an incredible job with the kids.
The open house was a little scary for Grayce. She was very shy and scared. But, since then, she has grown to love preschool.
The girls go to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30-11:45a.m.
Preschool is done in Miss Cathie's house (in her basement). That was a concept that was a little bit hard to understand at first.
Now, it is a countdown every day to when they go to school. I really feel like this year has been such a great preparation for kindergarten next year.

First Day of School 2011/12

2012-01-25T12:19:00.000-08:00

The first day of school for the kids....

Abby, 6th grade (I can't believe she is a 6th grader)

Bryant, 5th grade (He seems so little to be in 5th grade)

Tyler, 1st grade (He is, by far, the most excited to start school this year)

Tyler and his best friend, Ty (above). Tyler and his first grade teacher, Miss Ramsey (below).

The Anniversary Trip

2012-01-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

Nick and I celebrated our 15 wedding anniversary this year - August 22nd. We decided that one of the things on the top of our list was to go to Minnesota. Such a big part of our lives was there. We have dear friends there that we love. We also were anxious to go to some games at the Twins' new stadium, Target Field.
We took the kids to Idaho to stay with Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles (2 kids at a time in each place, for 2 days at a time). We stayed for 5 days.
We went to church in our old ward, we went to 3 Twins games (and we went on the pregame tour of Target Field), we visited my old place of work, we went to lunch with friends, had dinner with our old bishop and his wife at their new lakeside home, we went to the Mall of America, and we relaxed too. We slept in each morning - it was fantastic! I had forgotten how it felt. I had also forgotten how it was to only be responsible for myself. It took a little getting used to, but I managed. Even the airplane trip was relaxing and quiet.
We had a great time!!!!

Bishop and Sister Albaugh - great friends!!

Lisa on the Target Field Tour

Nick and Lisa outside of Target Field (right field side)

They handed out "Gardy fans" at the game

Bart, Lyea, Koby, Malia, and Emi Endrizzi - also great friends

Brandon and Katie Sparks - also great friends

Right behind homeplate in the expensive seats on the Target Field tour!

Shirley Sanders - my former boss, great friend

Went to lunch with Jacque James - a great friend (we also worked together in two YW presidencies)

Lunch with Nikol Gordon too - a great friend

Getting a "Juicy Lucy" inside one of the restaurants inside of the Target Field Stadium

Inside of the Mall of America - used to be "Camp Snoopy," now it is "Nickelodeon Universe"

Getting lunch in the Mall of America at Chipotle

On the airplane

Getting the rent-a-car

Our first apartment in Minnesota - on Gibbs Avenue (2 bedroom)

Our second apartment in Minnesota on Fifield Place (a three-bedroom)

Over the scoreboard in centerfield

Goodbyes

2012-01-19T12:13:00.000-08:00

Nick and I took a trip for our anniversary to Minnesota (more to be blogged about later). Nick went a few days before I did for business. So, I took the kids up to Idaho and then went to the airport. I took a picture with each of them before I left. It was really hard to say goodbye to them. I was really excited for the trip and some time alone with Nick, but it was hard to leave them all.

Aren't they cute.
It was just a fun, spur of the moment idea to take the pictures, but now I am so glad that I have them!!

Butterfly

2012-01-19T11:58:00.000-08:00

We were at Gram and Papa's house. They Lukers were there too. We were eating together. While we were eating a butterfly came and landed right next to the blanket where the girls were eating lunch. From then on, it was complete fascination with the butterfly. It let the girls get so close that we all started to wonder if something was wrong. We finally decided that it was probably injured. We tried to take it and help it fly away. Eventually we left it on it's own. Hopefully our cute little friend survived.

Preston Rodeo Parade

2012-01-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

This year the Preston Rodeo Parade was done a little different. Usually they do it two nights in a row and it is really a good one for kids - lots of candy.
This year, the day we went, they just did a horse parade. No candy.
The kids were disappointed. So, Grandad went and bought a bag or two of candy and handed it out to all of the kids. It was cute of him - and obviously the kids loved it!!

Pictures in Idaho

2012-01-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

We were up in Idaho because Nick and I went on an anniversary trip to Minnesota. We dropped off the kids to grandparents. Anyway, we went to the park and got some cute pictures of the kids (except for Abby). We missed Abby because she was off geocaching and we never caught up with her while we were picture taking. She was there though.
In these pictures Bryant just turned 9, Tyler is almost 7, Grayce and Emma just turned 4, and Maggie is 1 1/2.

Grayce and Emma turned 4!!!

2012-01-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

What a fun day. My little babies are 4! They have been looking forward to their birthday ever since they realized they were having one (about 7 months ago when Maggie and Abby had their birthdays).
We had a little party for them with some of our friends that love our girls - Ricky and Annalese Evans (and their kids Kade, Lauren, Lexi, and Ty). We did some swimming, had some cake/ice cream (of course it was a princess cake), and opened presents.
Nick and I took the girls to Build-A-Bear too. They had a lot of fun dressing up their new bears in ballet clothes.
After the party, we took them to Trafalga where they rode the rides and had a great time celebrating. It was a great day!! I really can't believe it has been 4 years since they were born. I feel so blessed to have them both in our family, but even more so to have had them come together. They are such special friends. I can't imagine them being apart from each other.

Happy birthday girls!

Two Sets of Twins???

2012-01-19T10:38:00.000-08:00

Everyday, it seems, Tyler is growing taller and taller. He is already in the 90% for his age in height. Bryant is average for his age. So, they look so close in size. They have recently started to share most of their clothes. We get asked all the time if we have two sets of twins when we are all out together.
We'll see how soon Tyler totally passes Bryant up - I don't think it will be too long.

And, I just had to throw in this cute picture of Bryant and Maggie before church!!!

Dance!!

2012-01-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Grayce and Emma started a little dance class this fall. They do ballet, tap, and jazz. It is pretty cute to watch them. I think they really enjoy it and often come home telling us the songs they danced to and the moves they learned.
Just before Christmas the girls performed in their first dance recital. They did so much better than their mother did at their age. At my first recital they opened the curtains and I absolutely froze. I was so scared by the fact that there were so many people there watching that I didn't move the whole time.
Grayce and Emma, on the other hand, did the entire dance as well as I had seen them do it. They smiled and seemed to really enjoy the dancing. Part of it may have been that Santa was there narrating the whole thing. Whatever the reason, they did great.
Their performance was the story of the Grinch. They performed with many other dancers from the same studio where they take dance. So, they only had a small number. They were dressed up as the little DaWhos from Whoville. They had adorable hair and were so cute.
Who knows, maybe we found something they will love to do!!

4th of July 2011

2012-01-19T09:58:00.000-08:00

We continued our tradition on the 4th of July this year. We always go get some pizza, make some brownies, and go park across the freeway from Thanksgiving Point (where they set off the fireworks) and watch the show. It is fun. We bring chairs and blankets and just enjoy. We had great weather again this year and enjoyed our time together. Fun!!!

Dirty Dash - 5K

2012-01-19T09:45:00.000-08:00

I tried something new this summer. My friend, Annalese, and I dove into the mud. We ran a 5K in the mud. It was so much fun. We even jumped into a pool of muddy water at the finish line. What a great time. My only regret is that I didn't get more pictures. Mostly that was because I didn't dare bring my camera along!

Baseball and Softball 2011

2012-01-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

Bryant started his first year of real competitive baseball. He played in a competitive city league (on the Angels team) early in the year and then tried out for and made it onto a super-league team (the Crush). He played a lot of first base, some short-stop, and some third base. He was really good. Their city league team took 2nd in the city and went on to the state tournament where they took 2nd place there too. We found out after the season was over that there was a little bit of a fight between coaches over who got to pick up Bryant in the city league (they have a try-out and draft). After the super-league season was over, we decided to move Bryant onto a newly formed super-league team coached by his city league coach another coach, and Nick. It has been a spectacular experience for him.
Abby played on a competitive city softball team and tried out for and made it onto a super-league softball team too. She had a great season. Her city team barely squeezed into the state tournament. They were fun to watch. They lost 2 of their first 3 games at the state tournament.
Tyler played base ball too. He was on a coach-pitch team. It was a little less than challenging for him because he is used to having to keep up with his brother and sister and has thus developed his skills really well. So, to keep himself entertained, he started hitting switch...one at bat right handed, the next - left-handed. It was fun to watch. He actually hit the ball really well on both sides of the plate!

The Pool - Summer 2011

2011-10-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

This year we finally did it. We had been threatening to get a pool for several years but kept talking ourselves out of it because of worries about little kids. This year, however, we decided that we would just have to be careful because we needed a pool.
So, after much looking, we opted to get this one...

There was much rejoicing. After a couple of hours, the pool was up. After a couple of days, the pool was filled. Then, after a couple more days, the chemicals were just right, and in we all went. It was so cold at first. Nick found us a solar blanket to put on top. It took a few warm days, but it really worked. In fact, it worked so well that we didn't keep it on everyday.

The kids (and us) loved the pool all summer. We had many friends over, and friends or not, there was much swimming going on in our backyard.

Of course, the girls still enjoyed their little pool (it had a slide). Grayce and Emma got pretty good at swimming in the big pool on their tubes. However, they were good to play with Maggie in the little pool too. It was just a fun summer of swimming for us.

Kindergarten Graduation - May 2011

2011-10-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

It is kind of a funny thing that we make such a big deal out of kindergarten. It is as big of a production as high school graduation. Well, okay, not as big, but almost. I guess it is good that the kids actually graduate from kindergarten and move on to actually school.
Having said that, it was a really cute production the kids put on for all of the eager, picture taking, families. There were songs with actions (of course we got all of that on video), spoken parts (many of which could not be heard because the microphone wasn't working at first), cute faces, and a whole lot of pride in the production!
We are so proud of Tyler though. He has been such a great kid at school. His teacher tells us how well behaved and kind he is there. We know he is a great kid, but you never know for sure what is happening when you are not there.
Great job, Tyler - we are so proud of you!! Onto 1st grade!!

The Petting Zoo with Grandma and Grandpa - May 2011

2011-10-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Grayce, Emma, Maggie and I went to thet petting zoo with Grandma and Grandpa. It is at McKee's in Pocatello. It is a nursery/pet store. It is free and they do a great job of having it set up so that they kids really enjoy it. Grayce and Emma thought it was especially fun. Even though their personalities are often opposite of this, Emma was the one that wasn't afraid to feed the animals. Grandpa and Emma did a lot of feeding.

Grayce did a lot of watching.

Maggie wanted to keep feeding the animals, but she needed a little help and encouragement.

There were swings too - of course the kids had a lot of fun on those. They probably wore Grandma and Grandpa out pushing them so much.

We got to see some brand new baby chicks too.

It was fun for everyone! What a great time for the girls to spend with their Grandparents. They sure have a special place in their hearts for Grandma and Grandpa.

The Dance Festival - end of school year 2010-2011

2011-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Each year at the end of the school year, the classes (by grade-level) all put on a dance festival. The parents come and they do their dances by grade. It is fun to watch and they usually come up with some great choreography for the songs.
This year, Tyler's class (kindergarten) did "The Chicken Dance."

Bryant's class did "Kung-Fu Fighting."

Abby's class did "The Square Dance."

The fight! - May 2011

2011-09-30T12:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a sadder face in all of your life?

Talk about break your heart!!

Tyler was outside in the backyard playing with Bryant and Ty (his best friend). They were playing baseball - which is their very most favorite thing to do. Then, it happened. Tyler was trying to score and decided that he probably couldn't make it home, so he turned around and raced back for 3rd base. On the way back, he got into a terrible fight with the stubs that were left of a dead bush right in the middle of his path. I think the bush won that fight. He came inside covered in blood and scared me to death.
After briefly cleaning it off of him, it was apparent to me that stitches were probably necessary. So, I called Nick. He came home. Then, Tyler and I went to the doctor's office. The rest can be seen in the pictures! He was in a lot of pain and the doctor told us that we were very lucky that his eye was not damaged. Obviously, it wasn't just luck. If you look at the pictures, you can see that there isn't a good explanation for his eye being undamaged! Thank heaven for tender mercies and guardian angels!!
He ended up with stitches and a very sore face.

The Sheepies - May 2011

2011-09-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

We call them the sheepies.
They are the Christofferson sheep at the corner down the street from our house.
Diana and Kara and their families came to our house for a BBQ and to visit. The kids played forever in the back. However, after a while it was obvious that a little distraction was needed for kids and parents. So, for a reason I have yet to come up with, I decided to take them on a little walk to visit our sheepies.
There were 9 kids. However, I will count Abby as a help to me, not one that I had to keep track of. We had a great time and the sheep were well fed!

Tragedy Struck....Grayce and Emma found the scissors!!! - April 2011

2011-09-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

I know it happens to everyone, but that didn't make it any easier when it happened to me. I came home from a meeting and found Nick sitting at his computer working and Emma and Grayce missing huge chunks of hair. After claiming complete ignorance to their mischeif, I calmly ;) assessed the damage. As I began sifting through their hair with my fingers, I kept pulling out chunks of hair. My breathing got shallower, and my heart starting beating faster. Soon, I got to the front of Grayce's hair. My discovery depleted every ounce of hope that we could just "cover this up." Right smack in the front of her forehead, cut down to the scalp, was a large, uneven area with missing hair. I was sick. Upon investigation, I discovered that the two of them had given each other a hair cut. Grayce too the scissors and cut pieces of Emma's hair and then Emma reciprocated and did the same to Grayce. Apparently, Emma thought the front of Grayce's hair was most appropriately cut. My choices were limited...either shave them both bald (which I seriously considered), or just leave it alone and let it grow out again. I decided on a mixture of the two. We went for our first visit to the salon!! Here are our results... (we also brought Abby along for a haircut too)

Grayce:

Emma:

Abby:

Cousins and t-shirts - April 2011

2011-09-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Nick and I were fortunate enough (and I mean that sincerely) to be able to watch Nick's sister's kids overnight. The kids (the cousins) all get along so well. It was so much fun to have them with us overnight.
We decided that we wanted to do something fun with them and have that be something that they could take with them afterward to remind them of our fun day!
So, I went and bought some different colored t-shirts and used our fabric markers to let the kids go crazy. They each got a shirt that they could decorate/design however they wanted. Then, each cousin or sibling was allowed to sign a message (however short or long - and with pictures or words) to each other's shirts.
They had a lot of fun and then they had a fun shirt to wear to bed that night!!

The Race for the Cure - May 2011

2011-09-29T12:55:00.001-07:00

I was involved with The Race for the Cure in Salt Lake City. We raced in May. It was my first race of the summer. It was a 5K. It was so cool. There were thousands of people there. So many people had names of people that they were running for on their bibs (some still alive, some not). Some people had banners and signs telling the stories of their loved ones that they were racing for. It was so neat to be a part of something so big and for such a good cause. I ran together with some of my friends from Curves. This is a picture of us before the race. Only 3 of us ran, the others walked. But, we all had a great time!

Girls' Night Out - April 2011

2011-09-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Diana, Kara, and I went to a couponing class together. Then, we had to follow it up with dinner at Applebee's with NO KIDS! It was the first time I had gone out without the kids for anything fun in a long time. We had a great time and had to stop to pose for a picture before we all went home!

Kindergarten Field Trip (every mother's dream) - May 2011

2011-09-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

I had the great opportunity to go on a field trip with Tyler and his class to Thanksgiving Point. It was really fun. I was glad that the bus ride was only about 10 minutes though. I somehow was the only one to keep the kids occupied before and during the bus ride on the bus. We sang about every song I could think of that was kindergarten appropriate - and some others that the kids sang to me that I didn't know. They were a lot of fun and definitely full of excitement and enthusiasm. I was ready for a nap when we got back. I honestly don't know how the teachers do it!!

Tyler and his friend Ty (and some occasional tag-alongs)!

Abby as Christa McAuliffe - April 2011

2011-09-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Abby had to do a presentation on Christa McAuliffe. She had to write her own poem about her, dress up like her, and present her poem over and over during the evening. She did a great job!

Also, her class and other 5th grade classes in the area were involved in the "Hope of America" program. They sang many songs and were the main focus of the program. They performed at the Marriott Center on the BYU campus. It was a really neat program and a lot of fun to watch. They did one number with flashlights. It was really amazing!
This picture is of the kids. They were all given different colored shirts, depending on where they were sitting, to make it look like a large flag. They moved for some of the songs to make it look like the flag was blowing in the wind. It was cool.

Easter 2011

2011-09-29T12:28:00.000-07:00

Our annual pose before church Easter pictures. The kids looked adorable and we had a fun day!

Abby

Bryant

Tyler

Grayce

Emma

Maggie with the whole gang

Ethan's Birthday - April 2011

2011-09-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

We had fun at Thanksgiving Point's Farm for Ethan's birthday. It was a familiy event. That made it more fun just to be together and play with cousins than the farm, and the farm is fun!!

Grayce enjoyed riding the ponies.

Emma too had a lot of fun on her pony ride.

I guess there is a prefered view as you look at the ducks!

Never resisit the opportunity to sit on a cow and get your picture taken!

As close as we got to an entire group shot!

BYU Baseball

2011-05-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough this year to have the BYU baseball/softball teams offer BYU Faculty free season tickets for their entire family. We had so much fun. As you can see, some of the games were warmer than others. We also had to enjoy a fun treat (thank you Krispie Kreme) on the way home. We went to several of the baseball games and to 3 or 4 softball games. Despite having a deathly fear of Cosmo the Cougar (at least Grayce and Emma did), everyone had a lot of fun. Our new tricks: #1 - When Cosmo comes close, have Dad say, "No thank-you Cosmo. Go talk to someone else." #2 - When Cosmo is anywhere in eye-shot, put a blanket over your head. Because, if you can't see Cosmo, he can't see you. (both versions were so fun to watch).
Our family is definately a baseball family. We mourned the end of BYU's seasons, but we are thick into baseball and softball seasons of our own now. Abby, Bryant, and Tyler are all playing city league, and Bryant is playing on a competitive Super-League team. Many of our days are now partially filled with watching games. We LOVE it. I don't think there is anything better than watching the kids play. It is so much fun!! Abby is playing mostly 3rd base. Bryant pitches and plays 1st base. Tyler plays all over. However, he suprises all of the other kindergarteners when he bats. He starts into coach pitch this year.

Running?

2011-05-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

I am going to do it.
I am training for my 10K.
I just finished another 5K (The Susan Komen Race for the Cure in SLC). It was a fun race to be a part of with so many other people. Now, I am going to take the plunge - although for most people it wouldn't be considered a plunge - in the world of 10Kers. I know I will be able to finish it. I have been regularly running 3-4 miles. However, it seems like any time you decide to do something you have never done before, the doubts come.
I am one that has to do things completely. I don't like doing things 1/2 way. So, if I am going to run the 10K, there is no walking, I will run from start to finish. I guess that is part of the reason why I am not going to run a marathon - EVER!! My ultimate goal is to one day run a 1/2 marathon. My sweet husband (I'm sure to be encouraging) told me he was sure I could enter and finish the AF Canyon 1/2 marathon - NEXT MONTH!! Needless to say, that one is off the docket! However, I will run this 10K next month, another 5K in a couple of weeks, a 10K in September, and then we will look at getting ready for the 1/2 marathon next year.
If anyone has done it before and has any good advice, I would love it!! I guess at least after all is said and done I will know if running really is for me or not. I know I am not fast, but I am a finisher. So, here goes.....

Easter 2011

2011-04-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

This year Easter was fun, but busy. We ended up with Maggie being sick on Easter Sunday. So, we have everyone else in their Easter attire but her. We are anxious for the day that we can all return to church together. It has been a long time since we have been able to all go (either Nick or I are home with someone who is sick). Maybe we will get spring to finally come and we can get out of the house and get well!!!
Regardless, we have beautiful kids and they looked so nice in their Easter best!!

Abby

Bryant

Tyler

Grayce

Emma

Bye Bye Tonsils (and adenoids, and strep)

2011-04-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

Tyler had his tonsils and adenoids out today. He is such a trooper and handled it bravely! He is home and resting comfortably now.
I have decided that I really don't like leaving my kids for surgery! It is so hard to watch them wheeled the other way. Tyler did great though. We are so glad to be on this side of it all!
The Doctor thought Tyler's tonsils were so amazingly huge that she put them in a baggie and brought them out to the waiting room to show us. It had the attention of everyone there. I just wish I would have had the presense of mind to take a picture of it!!

Pinewood Derby #1

2011-03-16T12:02:00.001-07:00

Bryant raced in his first pinewood derby last week. He and Nick made an amazing car. Bryant came up with the idea and helped a lot. Nick did all the cutting. I did most of the painting. Bryant signed it (it is a Louisville Slugger), and Bryant named it - "The Bat-mobile."
It wasn't the fastest car in the derby, but it was BY FAR the best one!!
These pictures give you a good look into Bryant's personality - he is so stinkin' cute!!

We are still alive...

2011-03-13T18:07:00.001-07:00

It has been so hard to find time to do much extra. With facebook I forget to blog and let other things take over my time. So, here is us in a nutshell for the past several months...

Nick and I are trying to survive parenthood. Sometimes we have our heads above water - so I guess that is a good thing. We have really enjoyed attending many of the BYU basketball games this season. We are also very excited to start watching the Minnesota Twins play baseball. We all were able to be in Idaho for Thanksgiving this year and got a family picture too.

Abby is still taking violin and getting quite good. She is in an accelerated program in school and still involved with the Lehi City Children's Choir. We moved Abby downstairs into a different room. It was fun to paint that and have her in her new, bigger bedroom.

Bryant was just recruited onto a super-league baseball team. We have yet to find out what that really means (besides the amount of money we will be missing from our pockets).

Tyler is LOVING kindergarten. He finally feels like he is a big kid along with the other two. He has 3 loose teeth right now and it looks like the timing will be just off for the famous "All I Want For Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" song to be a reality.

Grayce is as fiesty as ever. She always worries about taking care of Emma and Maggie. She and Emma started Sunbeams in church this year. They are growing so fast.

Emma is still our clingy, teary one. She is a girly-girl and loves to dress up, put on jewelry, and be "pretty." She and Grayce will start into preschool in the fall. Emma potty trained at the first of the year - very quickly. She is helping to get Grayce to be as consistent.

Maggie turned one in December. She is a talker, full of kisses, and just brings so much fun and happiness to our home. She has all of us wrapped around each and every one of her fingers. Maggie went through the RSV issues this past month and recovered fairly quickly!

Here are a few pictures:

Bryant's Baptism

2010-09-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

Better late than never, right? And, I mean getting this posted, not Bryant getting baptized.
We had such a great day for Bry's baptism. So many friends and family were able to come and we really enjoyed a sweet program, a great baptism, and a nice afternoon with everyone at a fun woodland area near our home.
We are so proud of Bryant. It is obvious he is a spirit eager to do what's right and to learn. We love him so much and are anxious to see how he impacts the world with his stong personality and giant spirit.

My Grandpa, My Friend

2010-06-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa, Wright Capener Hanks, passed away on Monday, May 24, 2010. He was 91 years old.
My Grandpa was such a great man and left a huge legacy in his family. He and my Grandma had 4 daughters, 19 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren (with more on the way). My Emma is named after his mom. Everyone of his children and grandchildren that are married have been married in the temple and are active in the church. All of his grandsons and two of his granddaughters have served missions.
My Grandpa was such a good person. I am sure I have never once heard him talk badly of anyone. He is a great source of strength to all of us and definately was a great example of how to live a good, righteous life. I am so grateful that he is now reunited with my grandma (after 16 years) and his parents and others. However, for me he will truly be missed...for now!
Love you Grandpa!

The Mud Incident

2010-05-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

I finally got a picture so I could document this great story.
It was about a month ago and we were up in Idaho for a short visit. It was the middle of April so it was still a little chilly and wet outside.
The kids were all happy to be outside playing at my mom and dad's house. Nick was at his sister's house working on fixing their computer. My sisters (Diana and Kara) were both at my parent's house too. We were checking on the kids about every 10 minutes or so.
Well, on one of my checks of the kids, this is what I found...

It looks innocent enough, I know. In fact, I was checking on them and almost went back to what I was doing thinking they were okay. Luckily I stayed and watched for a minute. A funny thing happened.... nothing. They didn't move one bit. I watched a little longer.... nothing. My curiosity was peaked now. Then, the tears came and the loud cries for help quickly followed. Then, I realized - they were absolutely stuck in the mud.
Like a good mom, I ran out to help them only to stop at the edge of the mud not wanting to get dirty or stuck. So, I was about 20 feet away and they were in tears and couldn't move one bit! I wasn't quite sure what to do - although thoughts of getting someone else to go after them did go through my mind.
Finally, I decided that the only way they were coming out of the mud was if I went in after them and got them out. So, I handed off the baby and took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my pantlegs, and in I went. They were so stuck that it took quite a lot to get them out.

Finally, after much pulling, out they popped - without their shoes. The shoes had to be fished out afterward. The mud was quick to get cold - very cold. My toes were freezing. There was no way that I was using the hose outside to wash off. So, it was into my mom's poor bathtub for all three of us.
It took a while, but we got clean, the girls got a good bath, my feet were soft and smooth (what a great mud bath).
The takeaway - now everytime we go anywhere with dirt of any kind, one of the girls will say to me - "We don't go in the mud, Mom." So, at least we learned something!!
And, just so we are clear... we love dirt and digging and mud and usually don't mind the outside messes. However, it was so cold (notice the snow in the background), and Nick was gone (not a good combination).

Maggie's First Bite of Food

2010-05-13T12:53:00.001-07:00

We started Maggie on solids!
She did great.
It is always fun to get to these milestones!

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

What a great day Mother's Day is! We even got an added bonus at our house when the bishop called the night before and cancelled all of Nick's meetings for Sunday. So, I got help getting everyone ready for church. It was great!
I decided that I don't have very many pictures of me with the kids, so our new tradition is to take a picture of me with each of the kids individually as well as one of all of us together every Mother's Day. So, at least once a year there will be evidence that I am the mother. Of course, since I wear a dress once a week - and usually only for 3 hours - I had already changed into my comfy Sunday clothes!!
I was also lucky enough to get these beautiful flowers!!
Happy Mother's Day!!

Maggie

2010-05-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

Maggie is already 5 months old. I think that most of the time I am so grateful to know that she is the last baby coming to our family. Maybe because most of the time I am sooooo tired and lose patience too quickly.
However, there are those moments that I find myself holding her just a little longer, cuddling her just a little closer, kissing her just a few more times, listening to her coo and giggle with coos and giggles of my own, and watching her just a little more intently because I know this is it.
She is such a perfect addition to our family - I just love her!!

Hats, hats, and more hats!!

2010-04-14T10:00:00.001-07:00

I am starting a new adventure. I have been busy making these cute hats. I am doing my first craft show with them this weekend. So, as part of the display I took some pictures of the girls with them on. I have still to take some of Abby with some on - she was playing with her cousins when I took these pictures.
I am hopeful that they will sell well. It has been fun making them, so the most I lose is a few dollars of yarn and some time! My kids love wearing them and they are so stinkin' cute (the girls and the hats)!
Wish me luck!!

Easter!!

2010-04-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

Easter at our house is always fun!
We do our Easter Bunny festivities on Saturday.
We had fun doing our egg coloring.
We took some before pictures...

Look at how nice, neat, and clean the table looks!

Emma
Grayce (Yes, that is a wisk in Grayce's and Emma's hands. We gave them to Grayce and Emma and they put their eggs inside and then dunked the whole wisk into the dye. A much cleaner, easier experience for the young ones! Thank you Rachael Ray for the great idea!)
Tyler
Braynt
Abby
(Maggie was safely sleeping in the other room)

The finished product..

Then, there were the pictures post-egg hunt. The kids each had their own color of eggs to ensure equality and fairness for all (an important part of life in the Ball home).

Of course, the next morning was also full of fun Easter gifts...

There was also much enjoying of the yummy treats! It was such fun for all of us.

Nursery Concert

2010-03-31T14:47:00.000-07:00

After Abby, Bryant, and Tyler sang the song they were asked to do in sacrament meeting a couple of weeks ago for the camera, Grayce and Emma wanted to be part of the festivities. So, we eagerly recorded them singing some of their favorite songs from nursery. I know I am their mom - but they are so stinkin' cute when they sing. And, they love it so much!!

The Sing Along

2010-03-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

Our older three were asked to sing in church last Sunday. They were asked to sing "Beautiful Savior" from the Primary Songbook. They did an absolutely amazing job!! We were so proud of them. It was such a beautiful song too - and perfect for the Easter Season! Anyway, we thought we would share.

!

Knowledge Bowl

2010-03-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

Abby and Bryant both participated in the Knowledge Bowl. They were on the same team this year where the 3rd and 4th graders combine. The topic this year is Geography. They have studied and studied for the last 4 months. They know so much - much more than I do! It has been so fun to see them learn and study together. They would quiz each other at the dinner table and at night before bed. They really knew their stuff!
Saturday was their competition. There were 3 teams from their school. Abby and Bryant's team won 2 games and lost 2 games. The top 10 teams get medals. The points go by the scores of their games, not the win/loss record. So, we are still patiently awaiting the results.
It was a proud moment for Nick and I to watch them buzz in and answer questions that we knew they had studied. We are so happy with them. The hard work they put in really showed!
Next year the topic is history!!
GREAT JOB ABBY AND BRY!!
The first picture is of their team. The second picture is of all of the teams from their school.

Sunday Movie Night

2010-03-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

We have a family tradition at our house. It started when Nick, Abby (our only child at the time), and I flew to Arizona to check out the possibilities of Nick attending the school there to get his PhD. While we were there, we visited my cousin, Rob, and his family. It was a Sunday night and after we ate dinner together, they set their kids up with the Disney movie that came on TV each Sunday at the time. So, when our kids got old enough, we decided to do something similar. So, now, every Sunday night we have what we call "Sunday Movie Night" at our house. Sometimes we rent a movie on Saturday night to watch, sometimes we watch one we like that we already have, sometimes Nick and I share movies we liked growing up, and sometimes we watch ones we record when they come on TV (thank-you DVR). It has been a lot of fun. The kids are always anxious to see what Nick and I choose for Sunday Movie Night. We even have a tradition within a tradition that starts in November - each week a new Christmas movie - until Christmas!
So, each Sunday night we all gather round the TV and watch a fun movie together. Sometimes it is accompanied by a treat, sometimes not. But, no matter what, it is a lot of fun together.
Last week, the kids were so into the movie - I think we watched Monsters vs Aliens - we had to take some pictures!

Ring Around the Rosie... Grayce and Emma Style

2010-03-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

It all looks innocent enough.
Grayce and Emma love to play together and often come up with fun games all on their own. This is one of the all-time favorites. We aren't quite sure if it is because of the catchy rhyme, the fast paced movement, the flinging of a sibling around in dizzy circles, or maybe it's the abrupt throwing of your body onto the floor that has now become a blur. Whatever the reason, the joy found in this simple game is evident by the complete joy on their faces. And so the story unfolds...
Two very cute, very creative girls decide to play the ever-popular "Ring Around the Rosie" to pass the time together.

Ring around the rosie,

pocket full of posie.

Ashes,

ashes,

we all fall down!!

Of couse a hug

and a kiss just to make sure we are still friends after such a great game!

Artists Hard at Work

2010-03-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

Grayce and Emma have really been loving drawing and coloring lately. They often get very serious about what and how they are drawing. It is fun to watch them and even rekindles the supressed artist in me to sit and color/draw with them. As you can see by their pieces of work - there is a lot of young talent in our home!!

Maggie's Blessing

2010-02-23T13:53:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 21st, we were finally able to bless Maggie. She is completely RSV-free and doing great.
Maggie has been such a blessing to us. We were not planning on her, but we can't imagine our family without her. She really does belong in this crazy family.
She has such a calm, sweet personality. We love watching her react to the hugs, kisses, holding, ooohing, and aahhing, etc. She loves to be held and talked to. She is certainly happiest when she is not left alone. And, thankfully, she is much happier when there is some noise around her than when it is quiet. We all love her so much and melt when she smiles at us or tries to talk to us. It is amazing to discover that the space in your heart that you didn't even realize was empty fills up to overflowing! I love being a mom and can't wait for what life has in store for our family!
We were lucky enough to have had lots of friends and family come to share this day with us. It was special and Nick did a fantastic job giving her the blessing. He always does. We had one of those moments after he came and sat down. He turned to me - a little teary - and said, "That's the last one." There is something so sweet about these little ones and it is a little sad to think that we won't have another one to do this with again. Having said that, there is something really great about knowing that we are really living the next stage of life as we now move from giving them life to helping them live life. It is fun to be parents and we look forward to watching them all grow and become the people they will become!! Life is good!!

Here are a few of the pictures from Maggie's blessing:

One is Such a Lonely Number!

2010-02-20T06:37:00.001-08:00

We decided that we are very thankful for Maggie's temperment. She so much prefers to be around other people than left to her own peaceful moments! It was so fun and funny to watch this little scene unfold the other day at our house. Her brothers and sisters really love her - wholeheartedly!!
Maggie started out all fed, changed, dressed, rested, and comfortable on the couch...

Then, Emma came over to give Maggie her proper morning greeting- with hugs and kisses, ooos and aaahhs, and lots of love that only Emma can give...

Of course, seeing and hearing the fun Emma was having with Maggie caused Grayce to experience an immediate drop of her toys and a quick sprint over to the couch (luckily she bounced off of the cushion and not off of Maggie when we arrived at full speed) so that she could join in the fun. That quickly started the outpouring of hugs and kisses that only older sisters can manage to give..

After a minute of that and watching the twins be a little more rough with Maggie than Tyler is comfortable with, he came over to supervise and join the fun...

Oh Maggie - we wish you luck in your perfect little role as the youngest member of our family! We hope you endure it well and know that we love you!!

Simple Machine

2010-02-19T15:08:00.000-08:00

3rd grade at Sego Lily Elementary means "Simple Machines."
This year Nick and Bryant made a scale. That has been the source of A LOT of fun at our house. Bryant and his siblings have weighed everything that would fit on that scale. Bryant helped build it and he painted it red too.
Of course, he was most excited and proud when he got to display it for all to come and see. Great job, Bry!!

Modern Technology

2010-02-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

No one can ever claim that the people in our house, no matter how small, don't know how to work the technologies of today!!

Grayce and Emma love to get mom and dad's phones and sit and play "pop the bubbles" or "coloring book."
Someday I am sure they will be doing circles around us with their understanding of modern technologies!!

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-17T09:57:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun this year making the Valentine's Day boxes for the kids' school. Tyler didn't need a box, but we had fun making the Valentine's for his school class.
Bryant really wanted a BYU themed box - the girly stuff didn't really appeal to him much.
Abby wanted a little more frilly look to hers.
Anyway, the boxes were the kids' ideas. I helped with the implementation, but most of it was them! We had so much fun and they turned out great!!
Happy Valentine's Day to my favorite little valentines..
Abby, Bryant, Tyler, Grayce, Emma, and Maggie!
And, of course, to the love of my life and best friend... Nick (I love you honey!)

All Smiles

2010-02-17T07:23:00.000-08:00

Maggie has been getting into that fun interactive stage. She loves to smile - especially right after she eats. Everyone loves it when she smiles. it is a lot of fun. The whole day for Grayce and Emma focuses on getting Maggie to smile - I LOVE IT!!

The Crazy Life

2010-01-21T10:30:00.001-08:00

Wow - who knew that life was going to be like this! What a crazy place my house is - I hope my kids survive!
Maggie is perfect and we are loving her. She is, however, a newborn and brings with her all of the fun challenges of a newborn - no sleep, many diapers, no sleep, feedings every 3-4 hours, no sleep, needing to be held, and of course - no sleep!
My kids have been so patient and love having Maggie here. It is fun to watch them talk to her, hold her, and occassionally try to lay on top of her (Grayce and Emma). All in all, we don't go anywhere anymore, and there are true moments of insanity. But, we are all surviving!! It is good to report to Nick when he gets home from work that everyone has been fed and is still alive!
Bryant and Tyler have been busy in basketball. It is so fun to watch. Bryant is a good little player. He loves to fast break and there are not many people that can even come close to keeping up with him. Tyler has been doing Itty Bitty basketball. He loves having his own thing to do that is just his. Abby is auditioning for a main part in their choir musical. She is so talented and I can't wait to see her perform again. Grayce and Emma are fulfilling their callings to keep me very busy - removing diapers frequently, pouring drinks on the floor so as to be able to fingerpaint, coloring every door in the house (wetwipes work wonders on crayon), pulling out all of their clothes and putting them on in layers over the clothes they have on, throwing diapers at the garage door until they burst open (wetwipes don't work on that), getting into the pantry and playing build with the canned food - which is all fine and good until the tower falls on someone's toe, and all of the other things that only the imagination of a 2-year-old could come up with! Nick is back full-swing into work again. It was so nice to have him working from home for a few weeks - oh how I miss him!! He had to speak in church a couple of weeks ago - he did great and enjoyed his time off while he sat on the stand. I am sure that we were quite a sight. We actually got some great help from the wife of one of the counselors in the bishopric - she took Maggie the whole time so I could focus on the other 5 (really just Grayce and Emma). We survived and so did the rest of our ward!
Okay - just got back from a break... Grayce came in to me and told me she needed a wetwipe (never good). So, after investigating, I found the wall upstairs had new art all over it. So, we all got busy cleaning it! Unfortunately now, the part that we cleaned looks different than the rest of the wall - maybe I need to do a better job keeping my house clean!
If any of you need a little entertainment, come on over!!! Now if there isn't a recent post for a while, or if all of my pictures look blurry - you'll know why!

Maggie

2009-12-09T13:35:00.001-08:00

We were so blessed to welcome our sweet new little girl to the world.
Maggie Lisa Ball was born on Tuesday, December 8th at 5:55p.m.
She was 8 pounds and 20 inches long and perfectly healthy.
We feel so blessed to have her and so happy that she made it here safely.

Nick is doing well and is an absolutely amazing husband and father. He is so wonderful!
I (Lisa) feel really good and can't wait to get home and start getting myself back to "normal" - whatever that is!!
The kids are not able to go to the hospital due to the new policies around the H1N1 virus. But, Nick was able to work his way around the hospital's firewall/safety protocols and set-up a video chat for them from hospital to home. Thank heaven for someone who knows his was around the computer!
When Grayce and Emma were shown a picture of Maggie they were so cute and excited. They kept saying, "Oohh Baby!" I can't wait for them to meet her in person. It is going to be an interesting adjustment, but I think they will do great.
I really miss seeing the kids. It is nice not having to do the day to day stuff, but I really miss the conversations and the hugs and kisses I so took for granted every day!
It is Abby's birthday today. Hopefully I will be able to meet her down in the lobby for a few minutes tonight. i think she has been having a good day.

Well, now that Maggie has been properly introduced, here are her sweet pictures:

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

Halloween was a little crazy for us this year. Usually we go to the Lehi Legacy Center Halloween party and then trick-or-treating with friends. This year we were up in Idaho and had a fun birthday party for my mom, then went to a trunk-or-treat at my parent's church and then trick-or-treating with cousins. After the trick-or-treating we piled up in the car and drove back home so that we could make it back for Nick to attend meetings the next morning. Talk about a whirl-wind trip!!

We did get our pumpkins carved the night before we left, so that was a plus!!

Abby's...

Bryant's...

Tyler's...

Grayce's...

Emma's...

Nick, Tyler, Grayce, Emma, and I were all able to go to the school and watch Abby and Bryant in the annual Halloween parade.

There was a man dressed up in a giant scary costume that really freaked out the girls - as you can see.

These were all I got of the kids' costumes this year - Abby was a disco girl, Bryant was Mario, Tyler was Luigi, Grayce was an elephant (or as she says it, "elphanant), and Emma was a giraffe!

Ty's Birthday

2009-11-05T12:33:00.000-08:00

My baby turned 5!! I guess I can't call him my baby anymore. He is so grown up and tall, tall, tall. He and Bryant share clothes even. Anyway, here are some pictures of his birthday! What a great boy. I am so blessed to be the mom to these great kids. I love you Tyler!!

The cake - a special request for ice cream cake this year! Good call Ty, it was great!!

Our traditional trip to Build a Bear. Ty chose an owl - so cute!!

Emma posing with one of Ty's balloons (they are still floating high)!!

Grayce being her usually photogenic personality!

Of course everyone getting a glimpse of the new DS game Ty got!

Abby posing with all of the ribbons and bows - what a girl!!

Ty opening presents - he has been so excited for his birthday and he was so cute when it finally came! We love Tyler!!

More Canyon Fun

2009-10-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

We went back up to American Fork Canyon last night - we promised the kids we would do a hotdog roast and have smores. So, we took a few more "formal" pictures. Some are better than others, but - not being biased - I have really cute kids!!
Here are a few...

We went back up to American Fork Canyon last night - we promised the kids we would do a hotdog roast and have smores. So, we took a few more "formal" pictures. Some are better than others, but - not being biased - I have really cute kids!!
Here are a few...

American Fork Canyon

2009-10-05T11:40:00.001-07:00

As our tradition dictates (and because we love it) we went up to American Fork Canyon over Conference weekend. It was so much fun. We decide every time we go that we need to go more often. The leaves were changing and the weather was great - about 55 degrees. The kids (and us) loved hiking on the paths, discovering treasures, throwing rocks in the water (always a popular favorite), and having a picnic lunch. It was so much fun we decided that we will go back again on Tuesday for a hotdog and smores roast. The kids talk about it every day!!

Here is a beautiful sample of the scenery we enjoyed!!

Emma enjoyed the trees so much she kissed them (yes, she is really kissing the tree in this picture).

Another view of the beautiful fall scenery.

One of the few things that I could find that was prettier than the scenery.

The leaves were such gorgeous, vivid colors.

Our girls. We brought coats for them all, but really didn't need them.

Such fun. They were running full speed almost the whole time.

Abby, Bryant, and Tyler walking by the water.

We are so lucky to live here. It is beautiful. We love this time of year. Can't wait to go back!!!

Summer Swimming Lessons

2009-08-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Linda teaches Bryant and Tyler and my cousin, Derek, teaches Abby.
The kids LOVE swimming lessons. Linda and Derek are so great!!
There are even those occasional kisses that only an aunt can pull off!!
Derek threatens the occasional throw you in the water (which Abby thinks is great).
They have so much fun!!

First Day of School

2009-08-26T09:01:00.001-07:00

Another school year under way!!
My two grown-up kids.
Abby, off to her first day of 4th grade (her teacher loves pirates, can you tell???)

Bryant, off to 3rd grade! He looks so grown-up!

Next year Ty will go to kindergarten. In a few short weeks he will be off to preschool. Oh, what to do with only 2 kids at home. I guess it will only last for a little while!

Happy Birthday Grayce and Emma!!

2009-08-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

I finally got the pictures downloaded and up for all to enjoy!

They weren't quite sure how to handle being handed a box-like object with paper and a bow. It didn't take them long though!

They both have a love of Sesame Street characters. Thus, the cakes...

Of course, we can't just eat like dainty little girls.

It is much easier and faster to dive in mouth first!! (notice - they were provided with the proper utensils!!)

Needless to say they enjoyed their cakes!

We aren't sure, but it may have just been a ploy to get a bath??

It was such a fun day with the new 2-year-olds! They enjoyed it about as much as we enjoyed watching them enjoy it.
It is hard to believe that they are 2! We made it!!!
We love you Grayce and Emma!!!!

Amazing Resemblance

2009-08-11T19:54:00.001-07:00

I was looking at some old pictures and found two of Abby that look just like....

Emma

AND

Grayce

Isn't that amazing??
And, in case you can't tell, the first picture is of Abby. The one below each of Abby's pictures are of Emma and Grayce.

The Basement

2009-08-11T17:33:00.001-07:00

Here is the majority of the progress on the basement. We are almost ready for the final reveal....stay tuned.

Happy 7th!!

2009-07-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

Wow - my little boy is 7. I can't believe how fast that has gone.
We spent some of the morning talking about the day he was born. What fun memories (all but the labor part anyway).
Bryant is such a great kid. He is full of life and loves to learn. What an incredible boy!
WE LOVE YOU BRY - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

3rd Place - Utah State Softball

2009-07-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

We were so proud of Abby. Her softball team took 3rd place in the state tournament. They took first in the tournament here, locally.
This was Abby's first year in fast-pitch. She is an awesome hitter and is getting better and better at fielding. She played 1st base most of the season with some little bits at pitcher and at 3rd. She was definitely one of the best on her team (unbiased opinon, of course). Anyway, we spent many days out in the hot sun watching games, but it was worth it and so fun to see them do so well.
GOOD JOB ABBY!!!

Daddy/Daughter

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

Recently Nick and Abby went together to the Activity Days Daddy/Daughter Activity. They had a lot of fun even though they had to leave a little early so Abby could get to her softball practice. They had a hotdog roast, played games, and listened to a nice talk by the Bishop. What a great dad and a great daughter!!!

4th of July

2009-07-09T09:17:00.001-07:00

We continued our fun family tradition this year for the 4th of July.
We got some pizza
Staked out our spot
Ate pizza and homemade brownies
Set up in our chairs
and
Watched the fireworks
(almost from ground zero).
Everyone had a great time. The twins were so cute. Grayce would watch with her eyes and mouth wide open. Emma would scream in delight each time one would shoot off. Grayce finally figured out how to see them light off from the ground and she would give us a "here it comes!" right before we would see it. They were so cute. We were wishing we would have had our video camera that night.
All of the kids (and us) had so much fun. It is such a payoff for us as parents to see them so excited and enjoy something so much. FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Lehi Round-up Float

2009-07-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was the lucky one that was put in charge of the float for our ward this year. It was SO MUCH WORK. We were fortunate to get the Activity Days girls to come and help for an hour one day (the perks of being over Activity Days, I guess). But, it is finally done and the parade is over. We actually enjoyed working together on the float (Nick and I). It was a lot of late nights after the kids were in bed. For a first time float builder, it turned out okay. However, we will happily hand the job over to the next victim next year.

Our Oregon "Heaven on Earth"

2009-07-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

We love going to the Oregon Coast. It has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Our kids love the ocean and we do too. We had a great vacation. We even went whale watching and Nick got to go deep sea fishing. We spent days on the beach playing in the water and beach combing for some great treasures! It was so much fun and we can't wait to go back. Maybe after the baby is the twins' age!! I think making memories with the kids has to rank up there with my absolute most favorite things to do!!
We enjoyed some rock climbing on the beach - that is Nick to the left, starting the rock climbing journey.
We visited Multnomah Falls on our way out - we took some great pictures of the kids there. Even Emma and Grayce posed long enough for a quick shot.
We saw some beautiful sunsets over the water.
Abby liked spending some time at the end of the day going out on the grass at the hotel with her paper and pencil to capture the view in drawing - that is her pictured above drawing the sunset (she is being observed by Tyler).
We also found a great little stream that feeds into the ocean. It wasn't too deep as it pooled up right before it got to the ocean shore. The kids spent a lot of time swimming and playing in it (it is also pictured above)!
ALL IN ALL - IT WAS MAGICAL!!!

Abby Graduated

2009-05-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

Abby graduated with flying colors!! She was happy and sad today. She is really excited that Bry is getting her teacher for next year!
These are pictures of Abby with her good friend, at a class party, and with her teacher.

Bry Graduated

2009-05-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

We officially made it!! These are pictures of Bryant's best friend this year (in his class), his teacher, and of course - him!!

Tulips

2009-05-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

We had the most beautiful tulips this year.
We planted them last year and were pleasantly suprised when they came up even more beautiful than we thought they would!

Swimming

2009-05-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Our family loves the water. We took the twins for their first "real" trip to the pool not long ago. True to the family trend, they loved it. Of course Emma dove right in and got wet right away. Grayce was a little more cautious. But, by the end, they were both loving it!! SO MUCH FUN!!

PATIENCE - it's a virtue, right???

2009-05-12T10:20:00.000-07:00

I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering...

I just had to document a few of the things that have happened lately. Nick and I have been praying to have more patience with our kids .... I don't know that I would recommend this course of action however - unless you are prepared! :)

These first two are pictures we took of Grayce after being properly introduced to Emma's teeth:

Next, after a fun day of playing outside, we are now prepared for naps and baths!!

Emma was sleeping so peacefully for her nap. She was so quiet and we just knew she was far away in dreamland. Until... we went to get her when she "woke up". Somehow she had gotten ahold of a pen and had taken it to her entire tummy. Lukily, baby wash takes ink pen right off of skin!!

In case Emma didn't really convince you, the girls have a real creative side. When they are done drinking their beverage of choice (usually milk), they like to create liquid art on the kitchen floor. Sometimes when they are done Grayce will ask for a "wet white" - which translates from Grayce speak into Mommy speak to "wet wipe" - so that she can clean up her beautiful creation!!

Finally, after too many minutes of quiet in the house, we went to check on the girls. They were happily reorganizing the kitchen drawers:

Now, don't get too soft on me and feel as though they are just youngin's that don't really know they are causing patience-trying right and left - and I have proof... After their mischievous endeavors, they go to their favorite hiding spot so as not to be discovered!
Hurry and climb up on the couch!

Crawl into the coveted spot.

And, just in case they can still see you, cover your face!!

Easter

2009-04-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Easter was a little crazy this year. The Easter Bunny had planned ahead and got all of the Easter stuff well ahead of time. However, on Saturday - late afternoon - mom and dad realized that they hadn't bought the eggs that we needed to color. So, off to the store and back home to boil eggs. We had a lot of fun dying eggs together though. Emma and Grayce enjoyed their first tastes of jelly beans. Needless to say they enjoyed those. Abby, Bryant, and Tyler spent a good portion of the day sifting through their books, toys, candy left by the Big Bunny! It was fun had by all.
(the addition at our table is Abby's friend, Marta)

Baby Ethan

2009-04-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

Steve and DIana had their baby on Thursday night - April 23 - at 11:55p.m. Diana was induced and delivered after 12 hours. Ethan was born very healthy at 10 pounds 13 ounces, 21 3/4 inches - thank heaven for epidurals. Everyone is doing really well and all are home and ready to start the real life. He is a cutie and we are all so happy he is here safe and healthy. Welcome to the world Baby Ethan.

Time Flies...

2009-04-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but the other day I was taking some pictures of the girls and we ended up taking this one. I didn't think about it at the time, but when the pictures were downloading, I remembered taking similar pictures when they were much younger. After a little searching, I found them. How fun it is to see how much they have grown and changed. They look so grown up now. I didn't realize how much like little girls and not like babies that they looked - my babies are growing up. (in the early pictures, Emma is on the right and Grayce is on the left - in the more recent pictures, they are switched).

Grandparents' Day

2009-04-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children. ~Alex Haleyalt

Nick's parents came down for Grandparents' Day at the kids' school on Friday. Abby and Bryant had so much fun. There were all sorts of activities throughout the school for the kids to do with their grandparents. Anything from their pictures being taken to doing their handprints together. It was great! Plus, they got to go to lunch with Gram and Papa afterward. Tyler even got to go to lunch with them. There is no doubt that for that time on that day, my kids knew they were important. What wonderful grandparents they have - we are so lucky to have them.

Conference Marshmallow Roast

2009-04-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun, relaxing weekend.
The kids were so cute on Sunday. They got so excited to listen to President Monson. It is fun.
After conference they came in - soldier-like - asking if they could roast hotdogs over the grill for dinner. So, we had a hotdog roast and then we roasted marshmallows over the grill (Nick and I are up for parents of the year and so we are trying to earn some extra points).
Anyway, they were so cute and had so much fun- it was just picture-worthy. One of those moments that makes you want to freeze time - so we decided to do that, with pictures.

Lucky for us we happened to have a bag of marshmallows in the pantry.

Then, we fired up the good old grill side burner.

To perfection we browned our marshmallows.
And then - eat, eat, eat!!

Homebound

2009-04-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

We have been homebound for sooooo long.
Grayce is bored...

Tyler is bored...

But, I have to say for the most part we are dealing with it pretty well.
To fix her boredom, Grayce tickles Tyler.

Then she makes up for it by giving him kisses.

And Emma sits in the background crying because she wanted to give Ty kisses!! :)

Oh - we can't wait for spring!!

We Have an Annoucement...

2009-03-23T10:19:00.000-07:00

We have 5 new additions to our "7 Family." On Friday, March 20th (the first day of Spring), our cat Kallie had baby kittens. There are five of them - 2 black ones, 1 cream one, 1 orange/brown one, and 1 gray one. They are absolutely beautiful animals. I wish we could keep every one of them. Kallie has been such a good mom. She is very protective of her babies. She is okay with Nick and I being in near her. But, if the kids come in she scoops them all in and puts herself over them so that they are safe. It is fun to watch.
We were shocked when we went out to feed animals before bed and her little baby meows. We had to search for a while to find her, but she had given birth in an old carseat we had in the garage. Needless to say we will be throwing that carseat away. We didn't even really know she was pregnant. I had mentioned to Nick a couple of times that I thought she looked big and was suspecting she might be pregnant. I guess I should have investigated further.
Anyway, here is our newest...

...not what you thought was it??? ;)

The Crew

2009-03-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

Some days I just look at my kids and ... well, just look. They are such amazing little people. I just hope I don't mess them up too badly. I have been blessed with the kind of children I am sure some must dream of having. Wow!! Don't get me wrong, there are those days. But, I guess I am just grateful for the people that they are and how hard they try to be good. LUCKY ME!!

Bryant's Staples

2009-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

As requested, here is a shot of Bryant's staples. It was hard to get a good picture, so...

Our doctor was great with Bryant. He took them out and then went and got a tongue depressor and taped them to that so that Bry could keep them and show his friends. Bryant said it didn't really hurt coming out. I can't imagine that, but that is what he said. FUN, FUN!!

Swimming

2009-03-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

I finally got to spend a few minutes with the older kids. So, we all went swimming. We had a great time - as you can see. I have decided that my kids are waterbugs - they love to be in the water (I guess I have known that for a while).

Lights, Camera, Action!!

2009-02-23T17:02:00.000-08:00

First, let me preface the next couple of posts with a little information. Right after Christmas our video camera (of 12 years) broke on us. After much trying - poking, prodding, and a few love taps, we said our last goodbyes and tried to figure out a good way to get 12 years of video off of the tapes that we had accumulated. Thanks to my sister and her hubby, we are using their camera to transfer all of our years of memories.

Then, the decision. Well, really there was not a decision to make. There is no way I could possibly live without being able to capture the moments that we get every day as parents of small children. They are too priceless. So, out came the wallet and into our home came the new HD video camera - that I love!! It is amazing what 12 years of new technology will get you. I am doing things with my camera now that I wouldn't have thought possible 12 years ago. It is great!!

Anyway, needless to say, we will now be able to easily add (which is why I haven't done it to this point) video clips to the blog.

The first honorable clips are a little old (January), but nonetheless deserving.

1 - Abby decided that she wanted to shovel the snow for us ... in roller skates (how else would you do it?).

2 - Abby and Bryant have both been involved with city basketball teams. Nick has been coaching Bryant and so when I go to the games, I get the great honor of sitting with the other 4 kids. Most of the time, Abby and Tyler are great. However, it sometimes get to be a challenge having to entertain Grayce and Emma. We got creative!!!

The ladder of ... success???

2009-02-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

We were doing some painting in our livingroom and much to the happiness of our babies - we were using the ladder. They thought that they needed to climb up anytime we were off of it or too high up to matter anymore. But, as cute as they are, who could possibly mind one bit!!

Bryant's Basketball Picture

2009-02-14T19:24:00.001-08:00

I just couldn't resist sharing. Anyone who knows Bry knows that ... this is Bry!! :)

Home Sweet Home

2009-02-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Doesn't she look better?
After 4 LONG days in the hospital, the doctor hesitantly sent us home. He said Grayce still had her pneumonia and didn't sound great, but she was keeping her oxygen levels up on her own and was starting to drink too. So, the official quote was, "We can't do anything for her here that you can't do for her at home." So, we grabbed our stuff, signed some papers, and ran out the door (actually Grayce got to ride out in a wagon). We (Grayce and everyone else) were all ready to go home.
Grayce has done amazingly well now that we are home. She has been eating well (she had lost 1 1/2 pounds - and for a 22 pounder, that is a lot!) and sleeping well, and is more and more back to her normal self again. It is such a great thing to watch (on this side of it anyway).
She has had two follow-up doctor visits in the last week and they both went really well. The doctor told us on Thursday that we are out of the woods with her now. However, his orders were to keep her away from other people for another 3 weeks. That means the kids' friends don't get to come over, no visiting teachers, no church, no taking her to the store, etc. It has made for long days of being completely stuck inside. I didn't realize how nice it was to get out of the house every once-in-a-while until I couldn't do it anymore. But, if it keeps her well...
Anyway, we just want to say thanks again to all of you that called, visited, helped us with our other kids, prayed for us, etc. You will never know how much help that was to us. We are truly blessed with great friends and family.

Grayce Update...

2009-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Well, I have to admit that I didn't think we would ever be staying in the hospital this long. But, we are seeing improvements. Grayce spent most of the evening yesterday playing on the floor and on room air - no extra oxygen. She had to have some oxygen during the night because everyone has lower oxygen levels when they sleep (we take shallower breaths). But, she only had 1/4 liter/hour. To put it in perspective, she had to have 2.5 liters/hour the first couple of days. So, we are looking better. They told us that she has to get better with her oxygen (than the 2.5) and drink more on her own before she could go home. She is still on IV, but they lowered that from 60 mL/hour to 40mL/hour. So, we are making improvements for sure. Nick and I are getting really good at reattaching the oxygen monitor, and have even had to reattach the IV connection. They have lovingly nicknamed Grayce "the tornado" because she is constantly getting her cords twisted and off. At least that means she is moving around. The first couple of days she was so lethargic and just laid on my lap. So, I don't care how many times we have to reattach or untwist cords/wires if it means she is moving and happy.
We finally have seen her smile come back last night and this morning. She is starting to seems more like her regular self again. :)
Thanks for all of the kindnesses - notes, messages, phone calls, visits, etc. It is so nice to have good friends and family that obviously care about us and Grayce.
The other kids are doing well. They are with Nick's parents at our house. They have been so good to take care of all of the other necessities of life for us at home. The kids are starting to feel a little anxious and I am sure they will benefit from Grayce being home and things getting back to normal too.
We are meeting with the doctor when he does his rounds sometime early this afternoon. Hopefully by then we will know if we can go home or not.
Thanks again for all of your concern and especially prayers on our behalf.

A Trip to the Hospital

2009-02-05T14:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had to admit Grayce to American Fork Hospital. She has RSV, pneumonia, and a sinus infection. She is on a lot of oxygen right now and that is the main thing they are trying to manage. She is on a good antibiotic for her bacterial infection. The doctor says she can go home when her breathing/lungs sound better and she doesn't need oxygen. They want her on no more than .25 liters/hour of oxygen - she was up to 2.5 liters/hour. So, we could be here for a while. Nick and I think that she is going recover quickly and will turn a corner soon.
It is absolutely no fun having a child in the hospital. It has to be the hardest/saddest thing ever. She can't leave her room, so that has been hard on her too. They had a really hard time getting her IV in because she was dehydrated and little. They finally got it in her foot. So, that has been interesting too. My heart breaks for her everytime I think about it.
Needless to say, our world has turned upside down these past couple of days. We went from a regular visit to the doctor to a long-term (at least for us) stay in the hospital. We just keep talking about how grateful we are that it is only RSV and not something more serious. We'll keep you posted as the days go on.

Mac n Cheese

2009-01-21T11:01:00.001-08:00

It is official - I make the world's best mac n cheese!
The pictures speak for themselves...
Come on over, we'll whip you up a box!

?Simple Machine?

2009-01-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

Over the Christmas break Abby was given a school assignment to make a "simple machine." I decided that the title of the project is all relative.
She and Nick had a lot of fun making it together. I think that they did a great job and Nick got to go to the school on the day of the presentations and see her present her machine to the class.
They made an elevator using a pully.
Pretty awesome, huh?

Itty Bitty Ball - Tyler

2009-01-21T10:45:00.000-08:00

This year is Tyler's first year to sign up for basketball. The 3 and 4 year-olds get to play what the city calls, "Itty Bitty Basketball." He loves it. They teach them early basketball skills and have them play mini-games against each other. There are no real teams, but the kids have so much fun - obviously!! It helps that he has his own basketball to go to just like Abby and Bry!

Choir

2009-01-12T18:50:00.000-08:00

Abby sings with the Lehi Children's Choir. This year they did their normal holiday performance at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and the American Fork Tabernacle. But, they were also asked to perform on the Sunday before Christmas at the Tabernacle on Temple Square. It was such a neat place to watch them sing. The atmosphere was incredible. So many people were there and everyone seemed so happy (except Emma and Grayce at times). Anyway, they only performed 3 of their numbers that night, but one of them was the one Abby had a solo part in - and she did so good. It was one of those payday moments as a parent. We are so proud of her for so many reasons, not the least of which is her ability to sing. She has a beautiful voice and it is fun for her to be able to sing in the choir.
Abby, Bryant, and Tyler were asked to sing together, "Picture a Christmas" from the Primary Songbook for our ward's Christmas Sacrament Meeting on the Sunday before Christmas. They each had solo parts and did great. So many people commented on how touched they were by their song - even Tyler piped right up and sang his parts so sweetly. It was really neat. (can you tell we are proud of them :)

The top picture is Abby with her choir director, Catherine Stambaugh. The bottom picture is of Abby's whole choir (she is in the older choir which makes up about 1/2 of the group) at the American Fork Tabernacle.

CHRISTMAS!

2009-01-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

I am not going to bore you all with a long entry...
I know it is late, but I wanted to include a little about Christmas.

We have had tons of snow here this season. It has been so much fun (even the shoveling has been a good workout).

Christmas Eve was filled with:

7-layer dip for dinner (special request of the kids).

New PJs for the kids.

Feeding the reindeer.

The nativity story and stickers.

Christmas morning was fun too (especially since we didn't get up until 8a.m., and we had to wake up Abby at that!! Abby got her dolls, Bryant got a basketball game, Tyler got a new bike, Emma and Grayce got some tents and tunnels and bears too!

We stayed in Utah for Christmas. A couple of days after Christmas we went to Idaho for about 5 days.
It was full of fun visits with family and friends.
We went sledding - a special request of Bryant and Abby's.

We had fondue - a family tradition for the Axford's on New Year's Eve and we had a game day with cousins and grandparents.

Gram and Papa made Clam Chowder for Bryant (his favorite).

I also decided to try to expand my limited knitting abilities so Nick's mom is teaching me hats and socks! Stayed tuned - I will let you know if they actually turn out wearable!
It was a lot of fun - from which we are still recovering!!!

Grandpa Hanks is 90!!

2008-12-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

My Grandpa (my mom's dad) had a 90th birthday party while everyone was in town for Thanksgiving. His actual 90th is today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA!!
We got a fun family picture taken while we were ALL there!

Here is my Grandpa with my mom and her sisters, Annette, Julie, and Sylvia.

My Grandpa has always been very special to me. We have always had a really close relationship and I count him as one of my best friends in this world. He is an amazing person. He has that rare, incredible quality of making everyone feel like they are #1 on his list. No one ever left his presence feeling anything but good.
I remember my Grandma and Grandpa visiting us when I was younger and he would always talk to me about being good to my mom. I knew she was important to him. He would also always offer me a quarter if I had my shoes straightened in my closet. He had a unique way of making work not seem like work.
As we celebrated my Grandpa's birthday, it was so fun to see person after person come through the door the entire 2 hours of the party - and he was worried that no one would come (the rest of us knew better).
Anyway, I consider myself and my family very lucky to have Grandpa Hanks in our lives. He is a blessing to all of us.
We love you Grandpa!!