Merry Christmas!

We had such a fun Christmas this year. It was so nice to be home all day and just play and hang out. My parents and my sister and her family came over for dinner in the evening too. The kids all got pillow pets which they all love. I was hesitant to get them but it was such a fun gift and they were all so excited to each get their special pillow pet. They also got razor scooters and a few other fun gifts. It was so nice to get all the special treats from friends and cards and pictures. Now it is over and on to 2011! I am excited to see all that the new year will bring!

Turkey Trot 2010

I ran my first 10K on Thanksgiving day. I started running about six months ago, and when I first started I could not even run a quarter mile without walking. I worked up to be able to run a mile, then two and eventually the 10K. I never was a runner, I hated running in PE and it wasnt until just recently that I now enjoy it as much as you can enjoy running. I have a great support system to encourage me of family and friends. My next race is the Ragnar Relay in February with Jake and Laurie and Glade and some of their friends and family. I know a lot of people run but to me this a great accomplishment.

Makenna had been playing in the backyard with the others and apparently was ready to crash. Come on, do I get Mom of the year award or what! She is such a little bundle of fun and so busy. She really does go and go until she crashes. We love our little Makenna.

The other day I was driving the kids to school and I said "Guess what tomorrow is?" and Kimball says "Veterinarians Day!" Anyway, we had a great Veterans Day.

Halloween in Safford

We went to Safford over Halloween. Jake had a bike race that weekend so we made it a family adventure and all went. We took our trailer and parked it at my sister Amy's in laws house. She is staying there until they move next month. It was so neat to see the new temple as we drove into the valley. It was so pretty and our first time seeing it except for Sammi who went through with the youth. We got there on Friday and had lunch at an all you can eat pizza place with my sister and her kids and Jake's friend from work who lives there and his wife and kids. After we got Jake's race packet and the kids played with their cousins. Later after dinner Jake, Amy and I played speed scrabble and Amy totally whooped us. Amy's husband Brad is away training for his new job so it was fun to be there with Amy. I got up early the next morning and took Jake to the airport where the race start was. It was so neat to see all the racers and watch them excited as they took off. I went back and Amy and I went for a run in her neighborhood while the kids watched TV. We got a good run in and it was fun to run with Amy. Jake said to be at the finish line between 11:30 and 12:00. So we hurried there at 11:30 and I saw the pace car coming around the corner and I knew he was going to be in that group and sure enough Darnit! he was. We missed him by a few minutes! It was great to see him excited that he made good time. Way to go Jake! 104 miles.
Happy Halloween! We went to my sister's ward Trunk or Treat and then to a few houses on the way back. Lots of candy so the kids were happy. It was a fun trip to Safford.

Broken Arm Blues

Sammi broke her arm a few weeks ago now. I know I am behind, such is life. She was climbing up in her closet to get a bag of craft buttons for a school project and was hanging on the hanging clothes bar which gave way, and she landed on her arm. It is a crazy story because Jake and I were not home when it happened. I had run to the grocery store to get some Mayonaise for a potato salad I was making. I forgot to take my phone and when I tried to drive home I had a dead battery. Luckily I ran into my friend Melissa in the store so I got a ride home with her. Well Sammi had been trying to call me and I didnt have my phone and Jake was riding his bike home and didnt hear his so she called a friend in the ward and they came over as I was pulling in with Melissa. Our friend Dixie and her daughter Hannah stayed with the kids and fed them dinner while I took Sammi to the emergency room. Jake got home and got the news and called me. They put a splint on for a few days until the swelling went down and then she had a cast put on. Of course orange, her favorite color. She gets it off after Labor Day weekend. Yeah!

Beach

We go to the beach every summer with family and friends. Sammi was at girls camp so she didnt come this year. It was such nice weather and we all had campsites pretty close together. It was so nice to have our trailer and I always sleep really good at the beach, I think its the combination of the weather and the sounds of the waves. Love it! Jake was training for his triathalon while we were there so he got some good swimming, biking and running in. I went for a run on the beach a few mornings and it was so nice to be on the beach and getting some excercise in. There was plenty of sand fun, boogie boarding and exploring. Jake's parents will be back from there mission to go next year, we missed them! Tanner collecting water for the sand castle
Kimball, Bo, Katie, and Tessa

Makenna had some good naps on the beach

and fun in the sun

Rebecca and Lacie

Tessa and Rae

Rebecca covered up to her neck!

All the kids loved asking Tessa questions

Lake Powell

Makenna hanging out in her Bumbo in the trailer
Fun in the sand with cousins

Sadie with Makenna fully protected

Sammi and Sadie hanging on

Tanner, Me, Tessa and Kimball ready for a ride

Kimball, Tessa and Tanner on a hike in the canyon

Family Reunion in Heber

Over Memorial Weekend my family went to Heber and stayed in a really neat cabin. It was fun to have all of us together. My sister and brother who live in Utah were there too. All the cousins had such a great time and there were relatively few squabbles. We all had food assignments, and activity assignments. The kids loved my brother Shane's geo caching adventure and it was really fun to see them search and find the cache and then pick out a treasure. Rachel planned a fun scavenger hunt with a treasure bag at the end. Of course it would not be a real reunion without the VanCott tournaments. The cabin had an air hockey table, pool table and ping pong table. It was fun to see the competiveness come out and boy do we have a lot of it! The best part for me was the late night game nights with laughing to tears. Good times!Me, Sammi, my Mom and Sisters!
Shane explaining the art of geo caching to his neices and nephews

Treasure bags!

The whole gang!

Chicken Fun!

My kids love our chickens! It is so funny to watch them pick them up, carry them around, slide them down the slide and jump with them on the trampoline. I know it may sound on the side of abusive but they really are good with them. We have six that are full grown hens that just starting laying and eight chicks that we just got a few weeks ago. Our goat is so funny with them and the chickens will hop on the goats back and eat the bugs off! It has been good for our kids to have animals and to take care of them and collect the eggs.

Karoke Indians

Kimball went on a hike to the San Tan Mountains for boy scouts the other day. He loves scouts and just got his bobcat at the last pack meeting. He came home from the hike and he was telling us all about it. He says "We learned about the Karoke Indians." Who? Huh? Oh, the Cherokee Indians! We all got a good laugh. He is a funny kid and can quote Shaggy from Scooby Doo really funny too!

To go or not to go

My 20 year high school invitation came the other day. Yikes! How time flies by. I am debating back and forth on whether or not to go. I was able to go to the picnic during the day for my 10 year and was glad I did that. My brother got married that weekend and his reception fell on the night part so we did'nt go to that. I have a few friends that I would love to see but they live out of state and I am not sure if they will go or not. Anyway, I am trying to decide if I should go or not and right now I am leaning toward going. Any advice?

Panic Attack!

Yesterday I was running my errands since Jake was working from home. I was in Costco and looking at the salmon. I turned around to put it into my cart and my cart was gone! I started second guessing myself, did I leave it somewhere? I look all around and don't see it. So, I start walking and I see this lady with my cart. I approach her and say "you have my cart" and she looks down and notices that it is not her cart and appoligizes and says "Wouldnt that have been funny if I had gotten to the check out and then noticed. I am thinking No way, I am so glad that I got my cart back with my purse in it! She had taken my cart instead of hers and walked off. I have never had that happen before. Scary!

Birthdays Birthdays Birthdays!

February and March are the busiest for our family and birthdays. We celebrated Tanners, mine, Sammi's and Tessas. So this post is a recap of their birthdays. Tanner wanted to go camping and fishing for his birthday so that is what we did. We went to Roosevelt Lake and a couple other families from our ward came too. My camera's battery died after one picture so I got one of the big fish Trevor caught. Tanner didnt catch anything but he loved being in all the action and using his new fishing pole. It is kind of a joke that Jake loves to fish but isnt very successful. So, sorry Tanner you get all the experience and more experience! We went on a hike to the indian ruins and it was such a nice day. The kids did so good and even Tessa hiked most of the way. I had Makenna in the front carrier but Jake ended up carrying her a lot of the way up. It was enough of a struggle to get myself there! It was such a fun weekend, we want to go again soon. Thanks for the adventure Tanner and Happy Birthday Big Boy! We love you! Great big Carp!

Tessa just turned 2! She is such a sweet and fun little thing! We had family over and she was so excited for her birthday and loved to hear us sing to her throughout the day. She loves princess stuff and to dress up. Happy Birthday Tessa! We love you!

Sammi had a birthday party with all her friends. She planned it all herself and did a great job with all the games. She wanted Hawaiian haystacks for dinner and apple pie and ice cream. She is officially a teenager now and is loving the role, I am still getting used to the idea. She is such a good helper and we love to hear her laughing. She keeps us all on our toes. Love you Sammi!

Ragnar Relay Race

Jake participated in the Ragnar Relay Race last month with eleven other runners. There were some that he knew well and others that he didnt. There were the Sherwoods and the Smiths from our ward and our sister in law Julie and the others were friends of the Smiths. This was his first time and everyone else's too. They ran three legs each and alternated through the race. They had a couple of hotel rooms to crash in and take a shower when they were not running. He enjoyed it and will probably do it again next year. There were over 150 teams of twelve so it was a busy race. We went to the finish line at the end and Jake and his team ran in together. Go Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins. That was there team name!

Kimball's Baptism Day

On Satruday Kimball was baptized and it was such a special day. My sister in law Julie gave a talk on baptism and my Dad gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. They did such a great job, thanks guys! Rebecca sang the "I like to look for rainbows song" all by herself and she did so good. It was fun to see all the cousins gather around the baptisimal font to watch and what a neat example for them. The Bishop welcomed him to the ward and told him that the happy tears that he saw from his Mom are because the spirit is here and that whenever he sees his Mom have happy tears to remember those moments. He also gave him a homework assignment to give us a hug and kiss that night and to say thank you for being his parents. He was so cute to follow through before we left for Stake Conference that evening. Shelli came and played the piano and welcomed him to Primary. Thanks Shelli! It was so neat to have my sister Amy and her family come from St. Johns and all the rest of the family that was able to be there.