SEVEN:)

Nathan, I can't believe you are 7! I want you to know that your family loves you and your SMILE lights up my life.




Happy Birthday!

Nathan had another great soccer season with slightly less singing and wrestling his teammates during the game this year. He did come up missing in one game but we found him at the near by playground.
We try not to let Chloe sleep to long during the day or she will be up half the night. One day after sleeping way too long Scott could not get her to wake up. He finally took her out where he was working and set her on the compost bin and told her to watch him work. A few minutes later he turned around and, as usual, she got her way again.

Brooklyn is playing the flute this year and we were able to see her perform and the school musical concert. She did a great job!
Scott's parents, the missionaries, Schwenke's and the Varney's all came to our house this year for Christmas eve. The kids performed a live nativity to music and the spoken word. It was a special night and we are so thankful for friends and family.

Christmas this year was downsized 3 or 4 sizes as far as gifts and gadgets but the Christmas spirit filled our lives more than ever. There is only one gift that is important this time of year, our savoir.
Clayton turned 12 this year. He got the Priesthood and is passing the sacrament and we are so proud of the young man he has become. He also got a new gun for his birthday.

We spent a night in Payson with our friends the Hall's who were so kind to invite us to their families cabin. The kids found snow on our hike and snowballs were thrown, a snowman was made and our hands were all numb but it was so much fun.

Indian ruins near Sadona
Spent a night in sadona with the Varney;s. The kids stayed home for this trip and we did a little hiking, a little hot tub and had some great food at "Elote" Mexican restaurant. It was a quick trip but a nice break. We were celebrating Liza's birthday....only her and Darrin could not make it this time.

Made another weekend trip, this time to visit Scott's family in California. Coming home we ran into a storm. It was crazy to see it snow so much at that low elevation. Drove through rain almost all the way back home.

On the road of life together for 15 years!

Over 15 years ago we met as the result of a not so subtle set up by your sister and I thought I loved you then.


After three years of marriage you gave me a son, the first of 4 beautiful children. Laying in the hospital holding him for the first time you looked angelic and I thought I loved you then.


A few months later we picked up our lives and moved to Arizona. You were our strength through those first two difficult years and I thought I loved you then.


Now after 15 years of good times and bad, in what can only be described as a special kind of love, one thing is clear...........You totally scored when you found me Sister! :)

Love you more every day.....

Scott

Let the holidays begin........

Thanksgiving this year was a quiet one spent at home with family. Scott's sister and her family as well as his parents came over and we spent the day visiting and watching football.

The following week My brother Pat made the trip from So Cal with his three kids. His wife Genine had just opened a gourmet cupcake shop and so she stayed at home to make all the dough...literally:) This is a pic of some of the delicious samples Pat brought us to try.
We had a ton of fun the two days they were here. Scott, Pat and Clayton went shooting and I made gingerbread houses with the younger kids. They had a Blast! We also made our annual trip to Zoo Lights.

GUM, GUM and more GUM!

(Before)

(After)

Today was a big day. Brooklyn had her braces removed. She has had them on for 8 months and 12 days and she has been fabulous with them. She doesn't complain, she brushes and flosses, and she has stayed away from all the candy she loves including GUM. Now she can chew all the gum she wants for 12 whole days until the holding arch gets placed and the retainer is fitted. On to the next phase of braces.

I gotta Feeling...

Why do I run? I wish I had a tally of the miles I have traveled on my feet over the last 10 years. The night before a race I always wonder...why? Well let me mention just a few reasons WHY:

1) The feeling I feel when my daily run is over, especially if I have pushed myself. There is something about running that makes me feel like I can conquer the world, let alone, conquer the rest of my day.

2) friends - I love the people I run with. They make it more fun and inspire me to keep moving.

(Stephanie, me, Jenny, Denise, Carol, Jenesey, Rachel - morning of the 'Run From the Sun')

3) family - The best part of race day is sharing the experience with my family. It is so much fun to find there faces and hear their voices screaming you on as you come into the finish line.

The 'Run From the Sun' is a new race to the valley and they did a great job. It was organized very well and I hope Deseret A&L keep bringing it back.

'I Gotta Feeling' as long as my body will carry me, there are many more races in my future.

Boys in the desert.

The kids were out of school for veteran's day on a Wednesday this year so Am took the girls to a movie and shopping and the boys and I headed for the desert for a over-nighter. Just 90 minutes south of home we camped in a area I am familiar with and have hunted many times. It is wide open country full of cactus and and barren sandy washes but is beautiful none the less. We hunted, spit, scratched, started fire and chopped wood and did all those things that men do.



We were totally alone and seldom even saw a car on the access road. Clayton set up a target range in camp and shot for hours. Nathan was more into swinging the hatchet, poking at the fire
and walking around camp in his socks.

I got the boys orange hunter caps on clearance at Big 5 and they never took them off. In fact after his shower when we got home Nathan put his back on and wore it until bedtime.

We did have some success with quail despite the low numbers this year. Clayton drove the ranger up the wash and I would hop out and chase em. Nathan read a book in the back and ate pringles and was a good sport when we made him get out and chase the birds too. At one point he got a cholla cactus in his leg but did not panic, and with the help of his brother plucked the thorns out with out much complaining. It was a great manly man outing.