SHOTS???!!!!

This summer (2012) I decided to get all the Dr. Appts. out of the way at once.  So the beginning of our Summer, after a fun Memorial Day with the Jarman's, was spent at well checks and dentist check-ups.  The kids kept asking if they need shots.   I thought the kids were all up to date on their shots, but I was wrong.  Aubrie needed a booster, which she wasn't too worried about, and Boston needed two shots, which included his Tetnis.  After Aubrie told him how that was the worst, he started getting more worried by the second.  When it was his turn to get his shots, he started to get panicked and as I was holding his hand he started to stare at me with a look of desperation that said, "MOM, Please save me?!!", and then he started to cry. That got me emotional, and when he saw me get emotional, it made him panick even worse.  When they gave him the shot he yelled out and half way through the yell he shouted, "THAT WAS AWSOME!"  and started to laugh.  Apparently it was awesome because it didn't hurt!  It gave everyone in the office a good laugh. We wish we had been recording it because it would have won us some money on AFV!   Boston never had any soreness from his tetnis shot so he really lucked out!  Guess the drama he had getting them was enough.
Here are all the stats from the kids
Aubrie 12 years
22 lb 20%
56 1/4  10%  (forecasted growth spurt in a couple of years)
Body mass 17.11  30% (gotta love the gymnastics!)

Boston 10 yrs
65 lb 20%
54 3/4  45%
15.24 20% (always my skinny boy)

Ethan  8yrs
56 lb 45%
50 1/4 45%
15.59 45% (see a trend?)

Sophia 5 yrs (I lost her sheet:( )
Her weight was in the 10th%
She was 42 1/4 inches (I remember that bc it was then we realized she could ride some new rides at Disneyland)
And her BMI  was 20%.

MY BABIES ARE GROWING UP!!!!

The Dental Appts. were a success...no Cavities.  Ethan had some sealants put on the next day, when Aubrie went for FOUR extractions to prep her for her braces that go on this month....which will be a good chunk of change!

Gymnastic Dance Recital

The end of the school year always comes with recitals.  This will be the first year in 9 years that we don't have a dance recital.  I have to say that it feels GREAT to have that freedom.  The dance recitals were always in the middle of June, so we had to stick around for them.  That meant no vacations until a couple weeks into the summer, and I think that is why I always signed up for swim and dive, since we were here already.  This is the first year there will be no swim and dive!   I'm looking forward to lots of trips and fun!  

Aubrie's gymnastic's recital was the weekend before school let out.  It was fun for the girls, but so amatuer compared to the Dance Recitals with Devney's.   It was fun, however, to see the girls tumble.  It was also nice to be done after only an hour!   Aubrie danced to Footloose, and to an Elvis Medly.   During one of her front handsprings, she almost fell on her face.  We had a good laugh about it.  After the recital was an awards ceremony, slideshow, and BBQ.   The Recital was moved to a Sunday for some scheduling conflicts, and they called us as soon as they found out.  We agreed to bring Aubrie to do her dances only. So we didn't participate in the other activities.   The whole family came to watch during Rehearsal.   Before we left,  Aubrie got her award.  She got an award for Bars.  That is her worst event, but I think they gave it to her because she sliced her hand the night before one of her meets, and she still competed on the bars with it.   Aubrie's best event is the vault and Beam.  She scores 9's on those events.  She really worked hard this year, and even though she missed half of the meets because they were on Sunday, she still remained one of the top girls in her level.   She has moved up to Level 5.  

Mother's Day 2012

The Mother's Day tradition continued this year at Montezuma's Well.  This year we had to attend another
Ward in the morning, so we could make it up there in time.   Pleasant Valley Ward currently has the 9:00 am time, so we were able to see a lot of the "orginal" famalies we miss.   It felt really nice to be there.  After church, we headed home to change and get our things together.  When we got there, the place was croweded. There was a huge tour bus in the parking lot.  Luckily there were a few tables left on the other side of the park.  We unpacked and got settled, then had lunch.     Then Boston, Ethan and I played catch. After that we set up the crochet set, which I would say is the biggest tradition there, since that's the only time we play it!  After that, we took a little hike, that included Sopia falling in the stream, but only up to her knees.   We then went back and played another game of crochet, but this time we played teams.   It was an interesting take on the game, and made it more fun.   After that, we played a family game of soccer.  It was the three oldest against Ben, Sophia and I.  They thought they were going to beat us for sure, because they didn't realize I can actually play soccer!   We had a fun time, and the kids said that was their favorite thing.  After soccer, we packed up and headed home.  When we got home I wasn't feeling well, so we put off the steak dinner Ben had planned for me till Monday.  I went upstairs and rested, and that was actually a nice way to end the day.   I wish I would have started celebrating Mother's day like this a long time ago.  I love being able to enjoy my kids on Mother's Day!

End of School Year Fun 2012

Piano Recital

Castles and Coasters Saturday

End of Year Party

Ethan and Xander

Aubrie's friend on Labor Day!

A Day of Firsts

Today was a day of Firsts.
Today was the first time Aubrie went to the temple.  Surprisingly, she didn't have too much to say about it when she got home.  I guess I don't really know what I would expect her to say.  Maybe it's more of a mile stone for me than her. LOL   She said it was good, and that she did 5 names from Hungry and they were hard to pronounce.   She also said she was so little that none of the baptismal clothes fit her.   That is no surprise!   They left the church at 7:15 and were back by 12:30.  She fell asleep on the way home.  So just how I remember my first temple trip!
Today Aubrie missed her piano recital for the temple trip.  The first time we went to a piano recital with out her.   That felt weird.
The boys did well at their recital.  Ethan played Aluetta without music.  Boston played a piece from Swan Lake that impressed everyone. He has some skills.  I love listening and watching him play.  He really gets into it!  Then for the first time, the kids had to compose their own songs and play them.  Aubrie's teacher played Aubrie's song since she couldn't come, and the kids all got a book of all the composed songs at the Recital.
Another First today was that it was 80!  I don't remember the last time it was 80 after school got out.  After Aubrie got home, we played goofy golf at Castles and Coasters.  It was Sophia's first time playing, and she kept saying, "This is fun!"  She would hit the ball in her own way, and she made some miraculous shots.  She got a hole in one on the 15th course.   She was so excited and talked about it on the way home.   Tonight we are going to enjoy this weather with a family soccer game at the park.   You can't not take advantage of this amazing day!  I want to live in California!

WE SURVIVED BASIS

Well last week Aubrie unofficially finished Basis.  The last two weeks for her were actually kind of nice! She had half days every day.   The week of finals she didn't study like I wish she would have, but she seemed to feel that most of the finals were easy. I think she was burnt out!   I don't know if they were geared to be easy,  or if they felt that way because they really learned the information well. We are anxiously awaiting her grades.   The day of her last final we celebrated with a mother/daughter night!  I took her to Texas Road House, then we went to the mall, and followed that with a movie.  We saw the Advengers, which the boys already saw when Aubrie was studying for her finals.  It was a nice night for just the two of us, which I felt like we both deserved.  Aubrie's year at Basis was hard work for both of us.  I spent many hours the first semester helping her with papers, Math and Chemistry homework.   The beginning was so rough.  Almost everyday was a struggle, and there were many tears shed! I just wanted to pull her out.  She really put a lot of things aside so she could do gymnastics and go to this school.   Towards the  end I told Aubrie she could leave, but she didn't want to.  She really started to appreciate the learning and she also was liking her new group of friends.  Basis is now her home, and I really am impressed with how the kids adjusted and how they learned to study, and put forth big efforts to learn.  Learning is a priority for these kids, and Aubrie has learned independent studying.  Sticking with it really paid off.   I'm hoping to see next year be even better!
This last week was fun for the students.  All the teachers put together some type of weekly project for the kids, whether it be to make a music video, or learn about a different culture, etc.  Aubrie signed up for a cooking project.  She learned to make a variety of recipes, including some ethnic recipes.  Aubrie had fun doing that.  It was nice for the students to be able to spend time with their friends, with no stress of homework or tests.  I think it was a great way to end the year!

Dinner at Texas Road House to Celebrate!

Goodbye Preschooltan

This Month I wrote my last Preschool check ever.  It was bitter-sweet.  I'm not ready to see my last child off to Kindergarten.  I LOVE having Sophia home with me.  She always takes me by surprise and puts a smile on my face with the things she says and does.  Her comments are always so funny, and her love for singing and dancing no matter the place or time, keeps me smiling.   Sophia, on the other hand, is ecstatic to go off to Kindergarten.  She was so happy to finish Preschool.  Her last day of preschool was celebrated with a swim party.  She had fun playing in the Splash Pad of one of her preschool friends backyards.   When we left she said, "Now I go to Kindergarten."   Sophia met her Enrichment teacher for Kindergarten.  She is retired teacher (but my age) who does it out of her house. It's a nice substitute to the Enrichment the school offers because it's only a 4 to 1 ratio and since it's not through the school she isn't limited to the amount of information she can teach them.   Sophia is excited to go there.  I reluctantly signed her up for it, because I was looking forward to the fact I would only lose her for half of the day.  But I realized how selfish it would be for me to keep her from being able to do something she loves, which is to learn.  She really enjoys learning. When she graduated from preschool Ms. Sarah gave all the kids their Homework books.  Which were the left over workbook pages from the books she used.  Sophia was so excited to do that workbook.  She was even in her bed one night with a flashlight doing it.  Her excitement for that made me realize I made the right choice.   Besides I can pull her out whenever I want and make special Mother/Daughter days out of it!  I just love her so much, and can't believe how fast time has flown, and how my life is changing.  Now I have a YW down to a Kindergartner!

Mother's Day 2012

Another tradition of ours that I LOVE is our Mother's Day at Montazuma's well.  It's funny that we never play crochet except when we go here.  I guess it's something to look forwar to.  We also enjoyed some baseball, as usual.   Always a nice RELAXING way to spend Mother's day.  No one messing up the house  all day, and all of us enjoying eachother, with no other distractions. 

Another

Soccer Tournaments

This season's round of Soccer Tournaments ended up to be like NOTHING we expected.
Ethan's futsal team had two losses to the girls Black 2003 excel team.  So they ended up playing each other in the finals.  The game was so INTENSE.  One goal for their team, then one for ours, etc, throughout the whole game.  Ethan made a goal at the last minute to tie up the game, which meant it went to a shoot out.   Ethan's team got 3 goals out of the 5, and the girls only got 1.   They ended up as Champions.  Those girls were so good.  It was an amazing victory.
  Aubrie only had one loss at the last game, to her school team (BASIS) who had the awesome girl from the team that beat them the season before.   Her team geared up to beat them in the finals, thinking that is how the tournament would end up.   They ended up losing the game before the finals.   They lost in a shoot out.  The first each had 5 shots, and neither of the teams scored.  Aubrie was SO CLOSE, and had the best shot of both teams combined.  Then it went to sudden death.   The other team shot before the whistle and scored.  Our team didn't realize they went before the whistle had blown, and they were so upset thinking they had lost.  After getting every one's attention the ref explained they had to do it again.  The goalie was so unsettled that she didn't stand a chance against the same kicker.  They got the shot and Aubire's team lost.    Ironically Basis lost too, so the number one and 2 team ended up contenders for 3rd.  The Cheetah Bears were soooo sad.  The team that won it all last season ended up winning, and they KILLED them when they played that team.  Funny how anything is possible in the tournament.
          Boston's team went into the tournament undefeated.   Boston's team was matched up with a good team in the finals.     They both played a good game, but the other team was always ahead.  I had to leave early, and Ben called to tell me they were having a shoot out.  Seriously?   They made up two goals, and another shoot out?!!!  This one didn't go well either.  Boston got the only goal, and the other team got two.  Their loss was a little easier for Boston, since the kids on the opposing team were on his indoor team that started that night.   I was a little sad though, that there was great opportunity this season for all the kids to come out champions.  Probably good they didn't though, because it would have just gone to their heads!:)
Sophia's league didn't have champions, just a final game.   They got killed, but had a fun time.  Sophia got two awesome goals.  One she dribbled down the side, and kicked it across with her left into the goal.  They had a party at Streets of New York afterward, where she got the award for most aggressive.   She had a fun time playing, and the parents got a kick out of her little aggressive, pumped up attitude!
   Though it is a bit crazy at times having all the kids in soccer, I really do enjoy watching them play. It is worth every Saturday we have to give up , and all the heat we had to endure.

Spring Soccer 2012

Another Season of Soccer, and Sophia's FIRST time playing!   She has been so excited, and couldn't wait for her first game.  All the kids missed their first game, being it was over spring break.  Luckily their teams pulled wins.   Aubrie's team beat the team that beat them for the Championship (2-1) in the fall.  So that was a great win for the Cheetah-Bears.  Boston's team played his old team (which I'm glad were weren't there for) and beat them!  That got the kids really excited to get out there and play.  Aubrie's game was first.   It was a Friday night game.  We picked her up from her gymnastics work out, and you could tell that tired her out on the soccer fields.  She still played well, but not as hard.  Ethan had a soccer tournament in Prescott the following day, so Ben could only make it to the first game.  Boston's was first, and his team KILLED the  team they played...17-1.  My heart was aching for the other team.  I was starting to cheer them on.  They  even pulled Boston out a bit, and put him on defense and started to tell our boys to not play so hard.   I really HATE games like that.  I hate when kids experience so much disspaointment.   The much anticipated game of the new season was Sophia's first game.  She was so nervous that day, worried that she wasn't going to get a goal.   She played super hard, even though half of her time on the field, was on the ground.  She fell so much!   I'm not sure what contributed to it, but all the parents were so entertained by her strong will and desire to do well, and watching her fall over and over, and contivue to pick herself up and continue on with such engery and enthusiasm.  She didn't get a goal, but she had an "assist", so when I told her that, that was good enough for her.  She thought she made a goal!  Ben was sad to miss her first game, but I took a lot of video.  Ethan finished his soccer season at the tournament, but continues to play at CCV in the Futsal league.  It's a good experience for him.  I'm hoping he will continue with his soccer team.  They are finally stoping starting to gel and understand the game!  So far the kids are all having  a great soccer season.     I LOVE watching them play!   Only 3 games left until the Tournament.  I'm hoping to have a few team champions this season!

Number 3 Under the Water

ow!  I can't believe I now have three baptized children.  I remember how surreal it seemed the day Aubrie was baptized.  I just felt like my kids were growing up so fast, and now my little Ethan is eight and Baptized.  He was Baptized May 5th.  He was baptized a month late, because we were in Hawaii for the first Stake Baptism day after his birthday.   We considered baptizing him in Hawaii, but since Ethan didn't know we were going to Hawaii, I didn't feel good about making that decision for him.  I'm glad we had him baptized here.  He was surrounded with his friends and family, and everything else was wonderful about his special day.  
First, I have to mention and show off his cute Baptism announcement.  Terri Moore threw this together last minute.  I put it on Facebook and it got a lot of comments on how cute he is.  He is so handsome.  Those freckles are so cute, and he has that sparkling smile.
The day of his Baptism was a little busy in the morning, but it really worked out perfectly.  Aubrie and Boston both had their soccer games at the same time and early in the morning, and Sophia had hers Friday night.  That opened up the afternoon, and so we had no conflicts.  I believe that was meant to be!   Ben took Ethan a little early to get him ready, and while I finished things up here.
Ethan had a lot in attendance.   I was sad that my parents couldn't attend, but my Dad was in the hospital, and my Mom couldn't fly out.   Ben's parents, Craig, Bryce, Nicole and Shea were the family that attended.  He also had several friends, that included his best friend Xander.  Also, his piano teacher, Heather, came with her kids.  The Hawkins also came.
The Baptism talk was very good, and one the kids could relate to.  The speaker spoke to the kids level, and even called them by name.  Our Ward was the first to go (Ethan was the only child from our Ward so it was all about him).   After he was baptized, and everyone went to the room to wait for him to get dressed, I passed out note cards to everyone, and asked them to write on it some words of advise or something they liked about Ethan, or both.  That passed the time nicely, and was also a nice thing to give Ethan later in the day.
I was inspired to ask our old Hometeacher, and Ethan's recently released cub scout leader, Ryan Morse to give the talk on the Holy Ghost.  That was divine inspiration.   Ryan started his talk out by telling Ethan he got him a gift.  He then pulled out walkie talkie radios.  Ethan's eyes were instantly glued to Ryan.  Ryan spoke about how the Holy Ghost is like a radio, and spoke about how we get on the right frequencies by doing right things, and also about how there is an emergency announcement feature, and related that to how the Holy Ghost warns us.  He continued going over all the functions and related it to the Holy Ghost.  It was PERFECT for Ethan and every other kid that was there.  Ethan got his white blanket that he had been looking forward to,  and then after the Bishop spoke, Aubrie led the closing song, "I Have a Family Here on Earth", which was Ethan's pick.
After the services, we came back to the house for a BBQ.  Ethan had fun with his friends, but half way through the party, I found him changed out of swimsuit, and walking to the office with his white blanket and his box of note cards, and other cards he had received.   I found it endearing that he was excited for his blanket.   I really felt that he appreciated his baptism day.   The next day was Fast Sunday, and Ethan fasted without having to be told.  That was a miracle within itself, considering how much that kid likes to eat.   Then at church he was so well behaved.   His teacher even mentioned how well behaved he was.

The following day, Ben went and purchased his scriptures, that my Dad pays for all the kids to have.  I had something later that evening, and when I got home Ethan told me how he had read the Bible.  I didn't know what he was talking about, until I remembered I had put his scriptures on his bed to surprise him.   He is so good at reading them, and I am impressed that he is starting at the beginning.   He even brought them to Father and Sons, and he looks so cute holding the big Quad as he walks into church.
Even though he still has a lot ot work on, we have noticed a softening, and a greater desire from him to be better.  He is such a sweet endearing boy.   We are so lucky to have him!