Doing good...

I love this quote!

I just realized that I need to take tanner shopping for his valentines...he's not into the cutsie homemade ones that I used to make with Jaycee, which is good...but really~all the kids care about is the candy anyway!!

New Year!

SERIOUSLY...how can this be! As I was browsing through my blogs, I realized that each year I blog less and less...so this year I will top my blogs in the past and hopefully keep up! We spent New Years Eve with our friends at the Hawkins house, Sandbergs & Harvards were there, and we played games...ate, ate, and ate! So much fun with these guys!! Then the next morning at 7 AM...we headed to the mountains to snowmobile! And we were soooo glad that we did....I mean, just LOOK at this view we had all day riding in this beauty!!! Really, it was breathtaking!!

Kevin is proud to welcome his new DRAGON sled to our trailer this year. He sold his other one, and loves this machine!!

It was FREEZING cold up there, but we had an excellent time, and the memories always out weigh the cold!
NEXT......December was a memorable time! The 9 of us flew to Puerto Vallarta Mexico and spent a week there at a fabulous all enclusive resort. We ate, ate, and ate, layed in the sun, rode the Mexican roller coaster (the city bus) did some site seeing, visited the flea market and wheeled and dealed a little, the kids had an encounter with the dolphins, Kev and I dove the murky waters, we snorkeled, and enjoyed each others company! The virgin drinks were memorable as well, as we continually had to check to see if they really were virgin!!

This was our view from our room....so beautiful to wake up to each morning with the sun shining bright and always a pleasantly warm day! The weather was just right...never too hot! And the relaxing was perfect!!!
It was fun eating together, and sampling all the wonderful foods that were at our fingertips!
And the best part....wearing shorts in December and NO shoes...or flip flops!
These animals were amazing to watch!! I seemed to catch all three of them in the air at one time...surprised myself! COOL...

Alot to do just staying at the resort as well...Shaylin and Tanner played a little tennis, we played bocce ball and shuffleboard, and did it all!

Kaylee, Jaycee and Shaylin on our balcony.

Wishing Ryan and Darin could have joined us, but maybe another time!!

Definately a trip we will never forget!!!

Another Soccer Season finished!

Tanner's favorite position this year was the Stopper, and he was AWESOME at it...we've never seen him play so aggressively, and it was cool to watch!! He actually made a goal the last game from the defense position...half way up the field...kicked it, and it dropped right in the goal! I don't think the goalie on the other team was expecting the ball to be kicked that far....really an awesome goal for TAN!! I told him it was because he was wearing the magic beanie hat that I knitted for him the night before...but I'm not sure he bought that!!

Tanner sure has a great coach and such a fun team and we love the Family's!! We are always sad to see the season end, because we miss visiting with the Parent's...and of course their team is way fun to watch! This year they had an excellent season! They won 8 games, tied one and only lost one~they actually seemed to get it...their passing and defense was awesome, and they really work great together as a team!! BUT....9-10 year old boys will be BOYS!!! This picture proves that indeed!! Good blackmailing at a later date I'd say! He decided to take a break from basketball this year so that we could do more snowmobiling. Kev got him a new sled this year, and he is so excited to try it out!!
In fact...today Puyallup got their 1st snowfall of the year...if this keeps up, we will have some good snow this year!! YAY!!!!

Because Tanner has such an awesome DAD...Kevin arranged for the boys to be picked up at their last soccer game and have a one hour LIMO ride, then be dropped off at Dairy Queen for their team party!! The boys were beyond EXCITED...look at their faces when Kevin told them what was waiting for them!! Too cute!!
Here's the group that rode in the Limo!!

Tanner actually knew about the surprise, and he kept a SECRET for 3 weeks...didn't telll a soul!! Kevin had this limo in his shop for a week doing some body work on it, so Tanner and I checked it out before it left Center Collision... Tanner loved it!!!
Cool license plate!

Handsome looking guys wouldn't you say!?

This was at Dairy queen...Victor had these shirts made for the boys....and they were definately 1st to the ball this season!!!

Till next year....soccer's through!

Ellie

Who'd have known that this little thing could make 2 kids laugh sooo hard?! They love to play with her and watch her climb. Jaycee takes such good care of her, and is good to share with Tanner. It's so cute to watch her eat cabbage....those tiny little fingers..adorable!
Jaycee with Ellie
Tanner and Ellie

She had alot of energy today! Climbin all over the place!

They keep trying to talk me into a dog...I tell them if I would have wanted another kid...I would have had one...I think 6 is enough!! They say I have every excuse in the world why we can't get a dog! I'm such a mean Mom...I guess. Ellie is the perfect pet!!!

A little treat!

Inspiration Unlimited sure was that! Fun to be with wonderful ladies and create ALL weekend. This event was held in Henderson Nevada, and I loved the heat!!! We met a new friend from Albuquerque, NM. Anyone from that city has my attention, and she was a kick to be with! Trina and Journey and I were roommates, and really did have a great time! So much fun that we registered for next year! With the exception that we are staying a day extra to lay in the SUN!! We didn't have a minute to ourselves to even do that!! Not right to be in that kind of heat and not take advantage of the rays!! Oh well, live and learn!!

School Starts and Soccer!

Jaycee is an 8th grader this year at Aylen Jr. High! In the midst of all our comings and goings, we were actually here for her orientation day! She was sooo relieved! Shyn took her to get her backpack while she was here...personally I think it's funner to shop with your Sister than your Mother!!


And Tanner is starting the 4th grade at Karshner Elementary! His teacher is Miss Jamieson, and all his friends are in his class! He was pretty excited about that.

Tanner at his finest....and doing what he loves best! SOCCER!

They tied their 1st game 0-0...Thanks to Goalie Miles who was on the ball!!

So glad we have great coaches and families to hang out with during our games!!

Re-cap of our summer!

July 2nd ~Kaylee and Sean came to stay with us for the summer (2 months) a little break from Utah, and to plan their wedding! So we can't have them here without making memories!

July 5-9th ~Jaycee and I went to girls camp at Cascade Park in Arlington...and it was so dang hot!! 97 degrees...and Kevin made me jealous by taking Kaylee and Sean boating while we were dying of heat! I was the Crafts lady...and I managed to Crack the screen of my droid cell phone the day before going to camp...argh!!

July 10th ~Boating in Lake Washington, over to the The Ballard Locks with The Family

July 15th ~Sean celebrated his 25th birthday with his future Family...(US) and they all went to the NRA Sportsfest, and got to shoot all sorts of things with the youth in our ward...enjoyed by all!

July 20th ~Kev took the day off to take Kaylee and Sean to Seattle...Sean had never been.

This sign at the Pikes Place Market made me laugh!!

July 21st-Our annual trip to Alder Lake in the boat!! Love it there!!

July 24th ~We took the motorhome and quads to Beverly and had a very hot weekend of riding!

July 27th ~ Kaylee and I went to Bellevue to get some BLING to go with her wedding dress!

July 29th ~Kaylee's Bridal Shower at Gloria's house.

July 31st ~Seattle Temple with Kaylee and Sean...to take her endowments out! YAY

Aug 3rd ~Kev and I had a date night to do Sealings at the Temple with Kaylee and Sean. Kaylee's 1st time back!

Aug 5th ~Tanners 1st Raingutter Regotta for scouts

Aug 14th ~ Painted the outside of our house in 1 day!!

Aug 15th ~Shaylin joins us on the fun of things, for a week!

Aug 17-22nd ~Sand Lake Dunes, and The Kite Festival in Longbeach

We tye dyed shirts at the KOA

Aug 24th ~Kaylee and Sean's Open House HERE!

Aug 25th ~Everybody heads home to Utah....fun day in Seattle with Shyn and Jace before Shyn's plane leaves!

Aug 27th-30th ~Bennight Family Reunion at Ensign Ranch (Washed all evening to prepare to leave the next day!)

And Yes...nice RACK on the wall behind Kevin's head!!!

Aug 30th ~7 pm...take off for Utah...Wedding

Aug 31st ~Arrive in SLC after traveling 14 hours with 3 hours of sleep to have a Family BBQ. Get picked up by Shyn to go spend the night with Kaylee...at Midnight!

Sept 1st ~last minute wedding things...dipped strawberries, nails done, shopping. Ate at Pizza Piza Pie Cafe...where Shaylin shared her dough tossing skills with us! FUN

Sept 2nd ~The Beautiful Day...Kaylee and Sean are married in the Mt. Timp Temple! (Oh and school starts for Tanner and Jaycee....but they aren't there!!)

Sept 3rd-6th ~Leave West Valley City (after visiting Winder Dairy...delicious milk and ice-cream) Head to Idaho Falls to check out the St. Anthony Dunes with our Friends

Tanner and Jaycee with Gramma and Grampa House

At The Hampton Inn in Idaho Falls

And at last....We arrived home on Labor Day!

W H E W!!!!!!!!!!!!

And in the midst of all this, we gutted our Kitchen, re-did our upstairs bathroom, remodeled our basement, painted the outside of the house..and tried to be somewhat normal!! What a summer to remember!!

I came home and finished up last minute shopping for the kids to start back to school...then crashed the next 2 days!!!

And if you're still with me....you're a trooper...that's alot crammed into one blog post!!