~Happy 17th Ashley

To Our Daughter
From the first moment we looked in your tiny, perfect face, we have loved you. Through diapers and bows, to barbies and braces, you have grown. You are a Young Woman, sometimes needing us, and sometimes not. We are so proud of you, in awe of you, and so grateful for all that you have taught us. Stretch, grow, dream and soar, beloved daughter, knowing that we will always be the first to cheer you, the ones to wipe away the inevitable tears. And we will always and for eternity love you!
Happy Birthday Ashley ~ Love Mom & Dad xoxo

~Kelsey & her YW Medallion

We are thrilled for Kelsey receiving her

"Young Woman Medallion". She has worked so hard to finish her Personal Progress. She said her favorite Value was Integrity because it was very personal to her.

She was so cute as a Beehive. When I would check her book she would have done ALL of the experiences instead of choosing the few that were required. She went above and beyond in many of the Value Experiences. And she is also wanting to work on the new Value "Virtue" when the new Personal Progress book comes out. We are so proud of you Kelsey xo

I can't believe we have our third and final Young Woman Medallion recipient in our home :)

~Life of a Mom

This "Anita Renfroe" is amazing!!!! I LOVE to watch/listen to her.
I like the part..."I need some pepto bismal and I wish I had my mommy". She makes me feel good about myself.

My little one was standing behind me the other day and with loving words, a sweet smile, and sincere voice, he said "mom your rear end is growing"!!! K... how do I get mad at a six year old. Do I laugh or do I cry? I smiled back at him and bent down to his level and said with a sweet loving voice (and a forced smile), "You have a happy mommy and that's all that matters not what my rear end looks like!" He said, "OK" and off he ran to play. So I took my rear end out went outside to play...I mean exercise!
This one above I saw a long time ago! It is so true and funny. "Don't make me come down there!" I loved it.

This video below is so inspirational and beautiful. I love being a mom. I want to be a MOTHER WHO KNOWS don't you? Sister Beck is a lovely speaker. It's kinda long but so worth watching.

~Permit :)

Ashley passed her "Provisional Instruction Permit". It was not a major priority in our home until her younger sister (only by 18 months) said she was going to get her License before her big sis!!!! That sparked some motivation. Ashley finished her online Drivers Education in three weeks!

Last week she was driving like this... This week she is driving like this...Blake is so excited (like his mommy) to have another driver in our home soon. We hope the six months goes by real fast for her to get her License!!! We had to celebrate with a "CARS" party!Congratulations Ashley!

~Ash & her YW Medallion

Yeah...Ashley received her

"Young Women Medallion" We are so proud of her and her hard work. 42 Value Experiences and seven 10 hour Value Projects...she is done. Well, she still wants to work on the new value "Virtue" this year. We love you Ash and you are a great example to your siblings on how you love life and church. Congratulation's.

~Snow!

Craig, Austin & Garrett went to Hurkey Creek for a scout over niter. The kids were excited when they returned with some SNOW!They tried making a snowman but it turned into a snow ball fight real fast! Craig was wearing his "winter gloves" cause he was cold but had flip flops on!?

~New Year

Happy New Year!

***The girls went to a youth dance in Menifee. The night before Kelsey and friends went to Scandia where there were 23 stakes. The rest of us went to the party house "The Mahkorn's". We had fun playing games and eating.

***The three boys and I (shelli) got stopped by the police at a check point. They asked if I was coming from a party! No we were going to a party. They did the normal checking and staring before they let me go. We had cookies, games and glow sticks. A bunch of people were already lined up on the side walk!

***Hope 2009 will be a great year! As Uncle Shawn did a toast I choked on my first sip of sparkling cider! I freaked out thinking this is a bad sign. I could not sleep that night and realized that this year I need to "slow down" and "enjoy"!

Kelsey and Friend on roller coaster in Scanida!

~Christmas 09

We had a wonerful christmas with family! The break was so relaxing and we enjoyed the RAIN. Every morning we lit the fireplace, watched Christmas movies, lit the Christmas lights, listened to christmas music, lit the candles and enjoyed friends (kids) and goodies for the whole two weeks. I wish we could do it all over again :)

It was a month to give of service in many ways.

~Performances

We love December and all the fun things the kids do. It was jam packed with practices and performances. The kids did great and we survived :) I love going to help out in Blake's class and work with the kids. It was exciting to put the school work away and make some gingerbread houses. After mom sat in the car waiting for Blake to get out of school. It was raining and mom was bored so she ate most of the frosting and candy off the gingerbread house! We did make another one at home :)

Blake sang, danced, played a musical instrument and memorised his parts. He was Hanz from Sweden and was so cute.Austin and Garrett's Choir groups got to ditch school and go to Disneyland! Austin's "Sound Wave" group performed at the Carnation. Both boys got to go "Back Stage Disney" and have someone professional teach them and make a video of them. I always love going to chaperon. I chaperoned 5 boys (6am-10pm)! I am used to having girls. I had to be a boy and run around with them while laser fighting the whole day. I did what ever they did!!! They ate nothing for breakfast, candy for lunch and finally pizza for dinner. It was fun.

Austin's "Sound Wave" & Garrett's "Show Choir" groups performed at a few middle schools and elementary schools. We love to see them sing and dance (with girls). They enjoy being in these groups. It keeps them busy and out of trouble. Well they don't ever get into trouble.

Austin raps at 3:38!!

The girls are in the High School Dance Production. We also love watching them perform and having fun with their friends. We are amazed at how good these groups are. Kelsey also performed in "Show Choir"! Good job girls. This does keep them busy and out of trouble! Dang...Kelsey is now taller than her big sis Ashley and mom!

~Temple Trip

~Santa Baby

We had our Ward Christmas party and Blake was so excited to see SANTA! Someone else was excited to see him too! He couldn't wait to read his "WISH LIST" to Santa.

Austin decorated our family table for us. He did a great job.

It wouldn't be a party if we didn't hear the Primary Children sing some Christmas songs. They were so cute.

Then it was time to clean up and TAKE OUT THE TRASH!!

~Lost Tooth!!!!

Blake's 1st official tooth loss.

He knocked out his two front teeth years ago falling out of the bathtub.

He came running to the car so excited with the plastic tooth necklace. He does not know where or when he lost it! He thinks he might have lost his tooth while eating lunch!

His hands were so dirty as he dug in the playground and under the lunch tables looking for his tooth! I told him the tooth fairy still comes. He is worried that someone will find his tooth or it will be lost. We reassured him that the Tooth Fairy will take care of that also. She is magical :)

Here is his prize he got from his teacher for being good. He calls it the "Bling Bling Teeth". The reason he chose these is because he wanted to be just like his cool Uncle Philm who had gold teeth last Christmas!

~Happy Thanksgiving

We had a Wonderful Thanksgiving with family at my sister Heidi's new home. Grandpa brought Airplanes & a Microscope for everyone to find interesting things and stick under to look at (we won't mention what they were :). We missed you Oregon family xo We ate, watched movies, played with cousins and dogs, made christmas crafts, chatted, played inside & outside with the fun cozy weather! We had the BEST DEEP FRIED TURKEY, stuffing mashed potatoes & gravy, yummy punch, the famous cheeseball, cranberry jello, Hawaiian rolls, succotash & yams. The pies...oh my...pumpkin, pecan, apple & chocolate!!! We had great servers who took our pie orders!Thanks family for doing it all and putting up with me and my hurt rib!?. My sweet girls kept taking secret pictures of me in pain :( Love the CHRISTMAS LIGHTS already up Shawn! It was funny when leaving and he said "Merry Christmas"... is it that time already? :)

~Happy Birthday Craig

Craig- You are a wonderful Husband and Father. Thank you for all that you do for our family. You work hard and never complain. You make us laugh every day and you are the best cook ever! The first time I met you ~ you were the Elders Quorum President in the Singles ward and I was the Bishops Secretary! Now you are a Bishop and I am ... the YW Secretary besides many other things! I am grateful that you have always loved to serve and you are a great example to our children. You are our Spiritual Giant. Happy Birthday!!!

~We did it!

I could not sleep on election night waiting for updates on TV & the computer. I felt like it was Christmas! Through Prayers, Fasting, Faith, listening to our church leaders & a Miracle - "WE DID IT"! I'm so grateful for all who supported & worked on Proposition 8 (for MANY weeks). Even up until the end with youth standing "peacefully" out in the rain at 6AM holding signs (again) one last time!

It was interesting to be a "Pole Watcher" for a couple hours by myself & later helping with many others at our "Headquarters" from 9am to 8pm (doing MANY tasks & eating - I was distracted by all the good food). Everyone has a story behind this. For me it's another miracle in my life & I feel comforted (for now) and happy for what I supported!

Thanks you guys, for all your hard work & for voting yes on 8! :) I also woke up (after 3 hours of sleep) feeling that for me this is a "New Beginning" to a great future in many ways! I feel blessed & I am thankful.

~Halloween pix

Cousins & Friends!