Why we love Grandpa!

Carsen: "he helps me build things"
Kate: "he lets me play with toys and takes me on tractor rides"
Hunter: "he take me fishing, sometimes"
Benjamin: "he plays with me"
Jacob: "he's funny!"
Abby: "i like how grandpa sings in the morning"
Clara: "grandpa likes to sneak up on us and scare us"
Emma: "he makes us homemade presents from wood"

Happy Birthday Dad!

Seventy-two years ago, the world became a happier place! My dad is known by all for his sense of humor. If you know him, you surely know what a 500 pound canary says......if you don't, you haven't been around for his joke telling sessions.

To know him is to love him....this is why I love him:

• hard worker


• loyal to wife and family


• dedicated to the gospel


• easy going


• funny


• adventurous


• ability to ease any burden


• dreamer with ambition


• wood working talents


• supporter financially, physically, spiritually


• loving and kind


• positive outlook


• a protector and a friend

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you.

Grandma's Valentine Party

Brynn, Kate, and Amelia loved making and decorating cookies for Valentine's Day. Only a grandma has that kind of patience.....CLICK pictures to view.

Amelia is now working with a pediatric allergist.

She had blood drawn again and they will check for several food allergies.

For now....all milk products have been removed from her diet.

I never realized all the things this involves....

gogurts, cheese sticks, mac n cheese....all her favorites.

So yesterday we had goat cheese pizza and strawberry smoothies made with goat's milk.

$4 a pint she is our gourmet girl......but it is well worth it.

She has gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks, so is now 18 lbs. Yeah for amelia!

We had a fun family night where we all filled out a questionnaire ahead of time and then we played family trivia! It was fun finding out what we actually knew about each other. Hunter was the overall winner knowing the most about everyone in the family....so he is our blog spotlight! Maybe you will get to know him better TOO!

If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would you get? Mango
If you were an animal, what would you be? Lion
What is one goal you’d like to accomplish during your lifetime? Become a VET
When you were little, who was your favorite super hero? Robin
What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer? Ride horses
If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be? Cotton Candy
What’s your favorite cartoon character? Arthur
If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go? North Carolina
What’s the ideal dream job for you? Vet
Are you a morning or night person? BOTH
What are your favorite hobbies? dogs, games, football
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten? liver
Name one of your favorite things about someone in your family. Playing games
If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be… cool, cool, cool
If I could be anybody besides myself, I would be…Steve Smith

We all enjoyed sharing Hunter's favorite "holiday" SUPERBOWL! He enjoyed his favorite game foods, baby back ribs and honey BBQ wings. He was of course cheering on the Steelers, even though Dad didn't want him to support any team that President Obama supported. It was an exciting game! Hunter ate and yelled to his heart's content and as soon as the game was over......he threw up in the bathroom! Too much excitement for one afternoon.

Ever since I was little, my mom served others in need. Babysitting, rides to church, preparing meals for others......whenever I need her she is willing and ready. After keeping Kate all day, playing Candyland, doing my laundry, changing sheets, baking cookies, matching up socks, she then brought over a delicious dinner! She never ceases to amaze me. Thanks Mom!

Update on Amelia

I failed to mention why Amelia was going through her exploratory surgery. She has always been tiny and slow to gain weight, but at 9 months (she is 16 months now, she stopped gaining weight all together. After lots of tests to rule out things, the doctor ordered an endoscopy/colonoscopy because of blood in stools. The hardest part for Amelia was not being able to eat for two days, and the hardest part for me was having to give her to the nurse and watch her cry down the hallway. The doctor took several biopsies of different part of esophagus, intestines, etc. So far the anatomical parts all looked normal and we will wait to find out about the other test in about a week. They are narrowing down the possibilities to allergies, parasites or inflamed intestines??? not sure what that means. We are grateful that it is nothing serious at this point.

There is nothin' like hide and seek at the coast.

Amelia isn't quite sure if she wants to touch it.

Skim boards looked great, but didn't work.....santa was a cheap skate on those.

Slushies, popsicles, suckers and jello jigglers. Sweet, brave Amelia...in preperation for her exploratory surgery on Monday, she is only able to have clear liquids for two days. She can't have red or purple liquids either.

She is doing great considering...but it is so hard not providing the basic needs of food and her not being able to understand.

Final Days of Christmas Vacation!!!!

Three days at the coast was the perfect way to end vacation. Four kids, two scooters, one wagon and one dog=one fun day at the park.


New Year's Eve was spent with the family making homemade hats and playing with "punch balls" Then we all stayed up to bring in the year with sparklers and watching the ball drop. It was Dick Clark's last year......of course my kids didn't understand why he was the host. We all got a kick out Kelli Pickler ignorant statements and some other famous girl saying that being in New York for new years eve was a life changing experience....how shallow can you be?

Build A Bear!!! Carsen was convinced he was the only kid in America that hadn't built a bear. When he got home he said, "Now every child in the world has a bear."

Annual Christmas tree pickup for the BSA fundraiser. Hunter loves being able to climb up high and stomp away!!!

Ice Skating!!!!

Nathan, Wyett and Hunter and some friends from church went to the ice skating rink in Fresno. They loved it! They were also able to pass off a merit badge.

Two hours from the snow and three hours from the beach, so maybe it isn't so bad living here! Kids had a great time sledding at Shaver. Next week they get to hit the waves!

I can't believe another year has quickly come and gone! I climbed into bed all toasty and warm last night and was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude for my life and my family. Despite the days when I wonder if this is all my life will be....wiping noses, fixing meals, constant laundry....there are those perfect moments that come when I realize life is exactly what i had always wanted!!!!! Here is to a new year right around the corner!

I noticed that Carsen (age 8) was doing really good not to get angry with his brothers, tease his sisters, etc. I said, "You are really being good Carsen" He said, "I know....I made a promise to Santa and God that I would try harder." Oh the magic of the season!!!!!

Amelia was so happy eating her spaghetti and green beans....that i had to take some quick shots. Sorry about the boogers!

Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Wyett recieved a varsity letter for Water Polo and also Most Improved Player Award. He had the highest percentage of goals made vs. shots tried. Good job Wyett!

Wyett was singing in the shower, so I thought it would be great to video tape his voice because he won't sing in public. Unfortunately, I didn't realize he was almost done and just about to get out! (Don't worry, he said it was okay to put this on our blog. We have been laughing all night about it!)

With parents kind and c l e a r .........

Okay i live in a pretty scary place when the life of chickens are of more value than the life of an unborn baby. Proposition 2 in CA consisted of bettering the life of chickens stuck in farms and ensuring that they had adequate living space in order to spread their wings and turn around properly. When I am eating my KFC in the future, I will be comforted in knowing that my meal enjoyed life in a luxurious chicken condominium first. Unfortunately, CA didn't pass a proposition that would ensure parents were notified first if their minor child was going to have an abortion. When a society places importance on the life of a chicken over the life of an unborn baby and family relationships.....we are headed for some scary times. I guess there are some level-headed people still in existence though because Prop 8....Keep it straight....PASSED! Yeah.

Fall Fun!!!!

Little Amelia was our little ladybug.....

those are carsen's black socks that fit all the way up her leg!

Carsen was a scary skeleton.....

and no that isn't a wig, that is his real hair!

Hunter is a wizard with his magical witchdog...

i never thought i would have to buy a costume for an animal.

Kate loves cupcakes!

Amelia loves the wonders at the corn maze!

the world we live in is getting weirder and weirder.....as i mentioned earlier....i took amelia to the doctor today. since it was in fresno, i thought i would make a shopping day out of it, so my friend went with me. during the appt. the nurse came in and asked which one of us was the primary subscriber on our insurance...... i guess in today's society, two women bringing a baby to the doctor and one assumes it is a two mommy family. Gross!!!!

Wyett just played an awesome game of

water polo against Hanford West.

They lost with a score of 7 to 8,

but Wyett made 5 of the goals!

Yeah!!!!!

I spent the day in Fresno at a Pediatric Gastro Doctor's office. They are trying to figure out why Amelia still only weighs 16 pounds. I came home without any answers, but a purse full of stool sample bottles. Nine bottles to be exact and a post card with 4 slots for more samples. I guess I will be having a more gruesome Halloween then I had originally planned. It reminds me of the time my sister couldn't figure out why her fridge smelled so bad......she later discovered a bag of poop she had forgotten to take to the doctor!!!!! GROSS!!!Happy Halloween everyone!

Loving the Outdoors at Duck Creek!

Newest addition to the family....a welsh terrier named Mazie. Now we know why she is called a terrier from the Welsh root TERROR. Actually, she is a sweet dog, just going through
ADHD Dog Syndrome.

Hunter was given a second chance with dog ownership.

Amelia Lynn Turns One!

I thought since Kate was 4 years old that a single stroller would work fine. Obviously not....she still wants to ride not walk!

Carsen is happy to be the newest scout in our ward. He had a blast at day camp and is working hard to earn his wolf badge. He recently was in charge of the flag salute at this month's pack meeting.

Hunter started tackle football this year! He is on the Blazers team and loves to "CRACK" anyone he can get a hold of.

Wyett Waterpolo

Wyett loves to play water polo! Wyett made the Varsity Team this year. He is loving this sport and hopes to go to training this summer in Santa Barbara.

Who would have guessed the highlight of my days would consist of watching a corn snake eat a pinkie mouse? Being the mom of 3 boys, it is necessary to think gross things are cool!