We Love Daddy

These three boys couldn't ask for a better Daddy than the one they got just for them!

Corbin loves getting to spend time with Justin and lately he is so excited when the two of them play Nintendo together! They look like two best friends playing together!

Taylor is starting to learn how to ride without training wheels. Last night, we went over to the school parking lot and Tay rode his bike around pulling Justin on his rollarblades. Taylor was smiling from ear to ear and loved this very special time with him.

Levi is absolutely in love with his dad. He will go get a book and run to Justin to have him read it to him. Justin picks him up and Levi squels, "YEAH!"

Thanks for being such a terrific daddy!! We love you, yes siree!

And of course to my incredible dad and father-in-law! Dad, thanks for keeping me laughing all these years. I now just figured out why mom looks so young. Thank you for all of your continuing advice and for always lifting my spirits up. Craig, thank you for excepting me as another daughter! Thankyou for raising an amazing young man, who, by following your example, has turned out the way he has.

And to my brothers and brother-in-laws! You guys rock and each of you are incredible dads to my nieces and nephews!

Congratulations

Isn't this woman beautiful? She's MY mom (a few years ago) and I am so proud of her. She has retired from 17 years of teaching this month!
My mom went through a lot to get to this point, I will probably never realize how much. When I was in 1st grade my mom made the difficult choice to go back to school and become a teacher. I am the youngest of six children and I am sure it was so hard for her to choose this. But it worked out well, because when mom was at school we still had a parent home all the time since my dad worked from home.
Mom graduated 4 years later with incredible grades and then quickly became the art teacher at Box Elder High School. Over the years they gave her other assignments; year book, pottery, and a little photography. Then, eventully she became the full time photography teacher. I don't think they could have asked for a BETTER teacher!
I remember my first day of high school very well. I was taking my mom's class - I was so excited! The class was full of Seniors and Juniors, I was a little intimidated by that, but oh well, it's not that scary. My mom stood up in front of the class to welcome us and introduce herself. She then mentioned that her baby girl was in the class and was sitting right over there in the back. Every...single...person turned there head and stared at me! I was humiliated and knew that was the end of ever becoming anyone cool at school! But in the end, I survived and loved having my mom as a teacher! However she was harder on my grades than anyone else...

Mom had some wonderful aides to help her out in the class room. Nancy has been with her for the last few years and they did not keep the classroom boring, they were like sisters!

Halloween

Valentines Day - mom's on the right!

Aren't they the best?

Last week we surprised her with a retirement party in her own backyard! She never saw it coming! We had such a great time and were so grateful to everyone who showed up!

Congratulations mom!! Enjoy getting to do what you want to do now!!

Do you want to know why

I think we have adorable kids...
Because 30 years ago this adorable baby boy was born. Oh, those dimples and chubby cheeks get to me every time! I feel so blessed to have been able to spend 8 of those 30 years with you Justin. Thanks for all you do for me and inspiring me to become a better person each day.

Happy Birthday to the man of my dreams! I love you so much!

All Done

We have ourselves a Kindergartener Gratuate. Corbin did a GREAT job this year, we are so proud of him! Looking back over the past year, I can't believe how much he has grown up. He is becoming so responsible, but yet, is still so full of energy and life! We love every bit of you buddy!
They had a cute little program on his last day of school and here he received his diploma...?
Whew, I did it!

Mrs. Wheeler has been a good teacher for Corbin, we appreciate all that she taught Corbin this year and the hard work she put in. She was pretty worn out at the end of each day. But luckily for her, she is retiring this year!

Corbin and Daddy

Corbin loved getting to be with his classmates 5 days a week. It was so fun to see him interact with those kids. These two girls are adorable!

The kindergarteners got to have their own fenced in playground. Corbin LOVES it.

August 2009

June 2010

Am I ready for 1st grade??? Corbin knows I am NOT, but he tells me it will be okay, we will have the night time together.

Taylor on Sunday

Taylor,

Thankyou for all the good choices you make. Thankyou for your sweetness and light that you bring into our home. I don't think you realize how much you mean to me and your dad, you need to know. It made us so happy when your teachers gave you a treat at church and asked you to share some with your brothers. You could have easily eaten them yourself and none of us would have known you were asked to share, but you did, and you were so happy to do it! Then later that day when I wasn't feeling very well you gave me lots of kisses and then got me a drink of water because you know that helps me to feel better. You sat on the couch and rubbed my head because you also know that helps me to feel better. You constantly held up your thumb, pointer finger, and pinky and told me you love me (that is the special way you tell us). Thanks for making me feel better.

We are so grateful that Heavenly Father sent you to us, what an honor. We love you Tay!

Bumps and Bruises

are what this boy is made of.

I have never met a child who is more observant than this one. Now, to add to that, he does everything and anything his brothers are doing...age does not matter. We don't have stairs in our home, so he learned by climbing up his brothers bunkbed ladder...before he was one. He climbs up onto the table and jumps around like it's no big deal. He spins around the family room and then runs down the hallway full speed. He gets so excited and forgets about any object in his pathway. Can you tell this is a bad, bad combination. It is.

When we were in St. George a couple of weeks ago, the very first night we were there he was up on the top bunkbed with his brothers and cousin Hunter. I don't know what they were doing...they were probably just so excited to be together! We then heard Levi screaming so we run in to get him and comfort him. The boys said that he tripped and bunked his head on the edge (I'm so thankful he didn't fall off). When we looked at his face, it had swollen up right under his eye (now, I'm thankful he didn't bang one inch more towards his eye). After a minute or two of needing to be cuddled, he was back and running around like nothing had happened. So it just looked really bad, but he seemed great and happy. A few days later he banged his chin on the picnic table...another bruise...a few days after that another bruise appears on his cheek, I have absolutely no idea where that one came from. And the list goes on...still.

Two weeks after the black eye, Levi has a doctors appointment. I told the Doctor about all the bruises and then we were onto the rest of the appointment. (Stats at 21 months are: 33.5 inches tall - 55%, 25.4 lbs. - 30%. 19.1 inches circumference - 50%.) After examing Levi, the doctor pulls up a chair across from me and says, "well..." Oh no, that can not be good. You never want to hear well.... from the doctor. First thing that comes to my mind is...he thinks I'm an abusive mother, he's going to turn me in, they are going to take our children away....I feel sick! He goes on to tell me that he found blood in Levi's ear and the two reasons that would be the case is from either an ear infection (which, he didn't have) or head trauma. I think the Dr. noticed my face color go from pink to white. I felt like the world's worst mother on the planet. How could I not notice my child having head trauma....really? Doctor said, in most head trauma cases you take the child to the ER and often they need to have a procedure done by a neurosurgeon. WHAT? Have I ruined our child? Luckily, the Doctor didn't seem too concerned and said that Levi must be one tough kid, because if anything would have happened it would have been within the first 24 hours. I guess I felt a little better. He still wants to see Levi in a week and a half just to follow up on it. I should have put this child in a helmet that whole time. Since then...
Daddy came home from work and was in the kitchen. Levi had been in his bedroom and when he noticed Justin was home he booked it full speed to him yelling, "Daddy!!!" in the cutest voice you will ever hear and then ..smack.. right into the corner of our bookshelf, knocking him down. It was devistating. And now, yes, another bruise on his face, right down his cheek.
On Saturday, we were over at my sisters house and I was telling my parents all about Levi and that I was probably going to be turned in for child abuse, and what do you know... Levi, running full speed again, smacked right into the kitchen table. Oh child, please no more! You have got to stay bruise free...at least until next week, please....

Croquet at Grandma's

How can a boy be any happier? Hitting a ball with a stick, whoever invented this game is brilliant.

Yes, this was a great game for these boys.