Tuesday tidbits - except it's Friday

:: Corbin ::

1. Corbin is a really fast runner. He and Justin had a race last week, and Justin said Corbin totally smoked him. 

2. He is become a really good driver. We still need to take him on the freeway to practice because he turns 16 in two weeks and will need to take his final driving test!

3. We are letting Corbin drive our old van for his car and he is surprisingly excited about it. He says he's going to make it the coolest! 

:: Taylor ::

1. Taylor went to the orthodontist the other day and will be getting braces on in a few months. We first have to go to the dentist because he needs EIGHT teeth pulled (it would have been 9, but one finally fell out a couple of days ago!) Those teeth are STUBBORN. His appointment is next week.

2. He continutes to be such a quick listener. Any time we call the kids to come to the table (or anywhere) 99.99% of the time he is the first one there. 

3. He has such a great group of friends, really really good friends. The other day they decided that they are going to make a summer bucket list together. I am 100% behind that idea.

:: Levi ::

1. Levi is a good friend. Most days of the week he has at least one friend who wants to play. There has been up to six of his friends here at once. However, he does prefer a smaller crowd because it makes it easier to come up with a game to play. 

2. We had Parent/Teacher conferences this week. His teacher expressed her appreciation for Levi and what an amazing helper he is. She also said he just has a sixth sense for realizing when someone needs him or could use a friend. She was tearing up, which of course had me crying. She said Levi has grown up a TON this year and she just adores him.

3. Levi is now in Young Men's and loves it! I love watching our boys when they pass the sacrament (especially for the first time) He was very focused and nervous too.

:: Rudger ::

1. We pulled out this science kit that Rudger got from his birthday party last year and he loved learning about science. He taught me all about acids, neutrals, and bases. 

2. Rudger is REALLY getting into drawing. He got a drawing pad for Christmas and is contstantly sketching things out. Last night he found a how to draw youtube page and would have gone on until midnight if we let him.

3. He loves to write cards for people. He made a goal this month to be a better friend by making them some cards. He took one to our favorite neighbor friend and within an hour she came back with a card for him. Cutest. Thing. Ever.

:: Adeline ::

1. Adeline and her best friend Zach have started a little Joy school. Once a week us moms traid off and they get to play and learn! I love putting her to bed the night before because I tell her hurry and close your eyes because tomorrow you have school with Zach. She says, okay mom and closes her eyes and falls asleep! 
2. I haven't taken Adeline for a well child checkup in a couple of years so we finally took her this week. The doctor suggests we get her into speech therapy. She can't really say her S sounds. But it's kind of the cutest to hear her say things like..."dinnamon rolls", "I want to go ledding" (sledding), "I'm so dweet" 
3. She loves her brothers and wherever they are, she wants to be right there with them.  


Life right now is good. I, of course, am behind on so many things, but I'm not going to let them get me down. I've got this!

This month is the month of all the appointments. I'm nearing the end of braces journey (yes!!!!) But with that has come a lot of appointments. With my jaw surgery, braces, and dentist (I'm getting new crowns put on with my teeth implants). So lots of coming and going. Plus all the kids have appoinments. Today felt so good becuase I didn't have to go anywhere!!

For Christmas I finished the last few chat books from 2015 and gave it to our family (so embarrassing). I don't LOVE the chat books, they're cute and fun to look through, but I decided to make a family year book instead. (I love Mixbooks). So I started 2016 and I'm almost done with it!! YES!! (I kind of want to relive that year) My goal is to get 2017-2109 done througout this year...haha, and then be ready to work on 2020 by the end of this year! We'll see about that! haha

so far this november

:: Adeline got some hand me down recital dresses from her neighbor sisters and she was so excited + went for a walk in the mountains ::

:: the day was a bit chili, but the sun felt warm on our faces + we missed Corbin who was home with a headache :( ::

:: We have been loving laying around while dad reads Lord of the Rings to us + I love getting the 'I Voted' sticker! ::

:: Adeline has been insisting on wearing her swimsuit lately + while I decluttered the brothers bedroom Adeline helped herself to legos and their beds ::

:: snack tray + nachos for dinner ::

:: free day at the zoo! ::

:: tigers and bridges ::

:: the weather was gorgeous on free zoo day...which meant TONS of people were there + classic elephant statue photo ::

:: Adeline got rollarskates for her birthday and she LOVES them + when I was feeling sick Corbin made dinner for us, I love him! ::

:: shopping and lunch with my mom and sisters (it was quite unfortunate that I started getting sick during the middle of this, no fun!) + nutcrackers ::

:: the November sunsets have been so peaceful ::

:: coloring turkeys (plus homework in the backyard) + park break, I love love love this picture! ::

:: hopscotch. Justin plays it differently than I do, and I have to admit, it's much more fun ::

:: I'm totally impressed (Corbin and I laughed and laughed at his expression) ::

:: more Lord of the Rings reading ❤❤ ::

November has gone by so fast, I still can't believe it's November 12th! It's just going too fast. I heard someone say that they take the first week or two after Halloween and deep clean their house, then they decorate for Christmas. I love that! I typically don't decorate the main family room until after Thanksgiving, but everywhere else it just makes me so so so happy, so I do it. To me it's all one beautiful happy season, I don't feel the need to separate them. I love this season....a lot!!!

July days

:: Justin found a cherry tree in the mountains + a waterfall hike ::

:: free slurpee day! + red, white, and blue (purple, but close enough) potatoes from our garden - add some rosemary and it's perfection ::

:: shucking corn + garden dinner (my favorite!!) ::

:: the kids helped me make a peanut butter, cheesecake, chocolate cake + it had some serious layers ::

:: it was a serious labor of love + treat night game ::

:: picnic at the park playing the ha-ha game + charcuterie board ::

:: these two have been friends since they were four, it was so fun to see them! + swimming and popcicles ::

I took a ton of pictures in July, but they are all on other posts because we had an incredibly, memorable July. Visits from cousins, camping, hikes, and an epic trip to Oregon with friends. Not a whole lot of boring, everyday stuff. Although, I love those days too!

June days

 :: weight bench turned into monkey bars + honoring a local hero ::

:: playing dungeons and dragons + starting to feel a little sick :: 

 :: icecream cones in the backyard + growing potatoes is one of my favorite things to grow ::

:: reaping the benefits of starting a garden in early april :: 

:: backyard picnic + I love watching Justin work in the garden :: 

 :: doctor visit for Rudger and Adeline loved the icecream cone picture + went to pick up medicine and ran into a 'launch a donut into space' event ::

:: everyday life with brothers :: 

:: carrots and beets ::

 :: lettuce for dinner + geronimo stilton ::

:: we absolutely love these treat night friends :: 

 :: a pretty intense sequence game ::

 :: standing at the edge of the water ::

:: summer days + picnic at the park (and somehow they all gather around Corbin's phone) :: 

:: *singing* 'watch my corn pop up in rows' ::

 :: overnight oats, yum + Adeline and Zach working together to move the slide ::

:: dinner + games at grandma and grandpa's house ::

 :: these two besties ♥♥ + she's got personality!! :: 

 :: these summer nights are magical ::

 :: dancing at sunset ♥♥ ::

 :: lazy summer days with friends + lazy summer days on the front porch ::

 :: cousintime!! ::

 :: finally making our brick pathway!!!!! (yes 5 exclamation marks) ::

 :: Taylor got a fish hook stuck in his finger while he was fishing with Corbin and his friend...OUCH! + we made it back in time to eat the fish they caught ::

 :: getting closer...eek + she likes to give performances ::

 :: their never too old to be checking out the toy isle + shopping with five kids! ::

 :: birthday party for their cousin ::

:: and we were pretty much the only people there!!! ::

A month of a lot of lazy days mixed with some adventuring was the perfect way to celebrate June!