Our Family had the best year! We were able to welcome two sisters into our family. Vanessa from Brasil and Katinka from Germany. We had a fun year with them. It is so hard to send them back home. We really hope to be able to see them again. One day we plan to travel the world and see their homes and how life is for them there. We have learned so much from hosting this school year.

Manny

We lost a member of our family yesterday. Manny has been the best dog for our family. It was so hard to watch her go, but it was nice to see her leave her crippled body too. She was run over by a quad when she was a young dog and has gotten to the point that she would not walk on all 4 legs. She would run around on 3 legs. She was still the sweetest dog. She loved her family and would protect them from any threat. We had her for almost a decade. She will be missed. The kids really had a hard time when she finally passed. Hunter really loved her and was so sweet to her. We had a little funeral for her last night. It was really nice to be able to let the kids talk about her and then we were able to talk about death and where you go when you die. It is one of lives hard lessons to learn.

Change

 We moved about a month and a half ago. We are really enjoying the ward and the area. I do miss some things about our last house and area. We got to speak today in our new ward. It was really hard for Travis. He got roped into going to scout camp all week with the new ward. They let Tyler go if Travis would stay all week. Tyler is only 11 and they don't let them go that young. It was really neat for Tyler. He got 6 merit badges there. He got to drink all the soda he wanted (i think this was he favorite thing). Tyler said the food was really good. They went to Raymond this time. Travis has gone 2 years before this and only went to Geronimo. He liked Raymond so much more.

My friend said she feels like she is in the never ending story every time she comes over.

This is Home sweet Home now!

Scout Camp

Tyler and Travis got to go to Camp Raymond this year. It was really a neat experience for both of them. Tyler got to go as an 11 year old. We were excited for him. He really got to do a lot of fun things there this summer. He was able to earn 6 merit badges. It really gives him a boost in the scouting area.

He went a couple of hikes.

 He got to go the first aid merit one with the cute girls teaching it!!

 He is so excited to be 12 so he can hang out with these guys again!

Mother's Day

Love you Mom! We made Nana a fruit bouquet for her mothers day gift. She loves her fruit.

New House

 We bought a bigger house and decided to remodel it before we moved it. Here is Travis on a crazy setup of scaffolding to texture the wall. We enclosed the loft to make the house a 5 bedroom instead of 4!

Woodbadge

Travis complete his Woodbadge ticket and earned his beads. He finished it the last possible day you could. That is my Hubby for you! He loves to push it to the last minute. Love you Babe and proud of my Owl!

If you haven't watched this were they get their beads it is quite entertaining. The men all get up and sing this 15 min song. Gracie was so shocked. I don't think she has seen anything quite so funny in all her life.

Violin

 Tyler had his end of the year concert. He did really well, but is not sure if he will be doing it next year. I hope so.

He did the Mission Impossible song for his last song and got to wear sun glasses. He is pretty cool!

Pack Meeting

This was our last Pack Meeting in the Twin Knolls ward. It was so sad for me to leave behind all my friends. I loved being a wolf leader and miss my sweet boys!

BFF

Gracie has been so lucky to get to have her BFF come over almost every day! Her mom had to go back to work and needed someone to watch her. It was so nice for Gracie to have someone around. She was alone all day with Mom while the kids were at school all day.

Legos

 Some took Mom's camera and tried to make a Lego movie!!

Meema and Lucy's Birthdays!

 We had Meema's birthday at our house! The kids got to help me make and decorate a cake for her. They wrote her name in red hots!

 Two weeks after Meema's to the day is Lucy's birthday! She still had on her cast so we only did small family parties. She got a free cake from Basha's for her bday and they had cake decorating going for valentines day so they let her decorate her cake! She wrote her name on it.

 What a pretty girl!

It was a special day for her. She is now 7 years old! It was a Sunday bday so it was low key!

Tyler

 Battle of the Books! Tyler did battle of the books this year. He did so good. On his second battle he got 2nd place. I was so proud of him. Can't wait for him to do it next year!

Broken Ankle

Miss Lu broke her ankle in Jan of this year. She had her cast on for 8 weeks. It was so smelly when it came off! She was jumping on the tramp when she landed weird on it. She was not using it all night and then the next day too so I took her in for an xray. She broke her growth plate. I hope this is the only bone we have to deal with. Once was enough for me. I can't believe that I broke my ankle 3 times and my wrist. Sorry Mom!

Pinewood Derby

Hunter had his Pinewood Derby over the weekend. He wanted a truck. His Dad and him designed it. They both took turns cutting it. Then Hunter was able to paint it. He wanted to name it Firebolt. So he painted fire on the front of his truck. He actually won 2nd place. That is the best we have ever placed. He also won the award for most Realistic.

Christmas

I enjoy our simple Christmas. We don't really go crazy and buy our kids a ton of things. We only get them 3 toys that we really think and try to get them something that they would think was special. It takes a lot more thought I feel then just getting them whatever, but I really enjoy their faces when they open them up.

Christmas Eve

For the past two years now we have gone out to the Desert and played around. It beats shopping with all the crowds. The kids love it too.

Santa at Grandma Jeans

 I missed getting Gracie, but here are the rest of them. I had to add Griffin! I love it when they do that for Santa.

We love Grandma Jean. She was reading to some of her Great Grandchildren.

Gingerbread Houses

Terra, Candice, and I made these houses. It is a bit of work, but I think it is worth the effort. Lucy wrote in school that this was her favorite part of Christmas.

I love the way they all look together.