The Birthday Boy!

N-I-N-E!

Kevin's last year in the single digits. How can it even be. This year was birthday party year for our kids. Kevin chose to take three friends to see Trolls and then come home for dinner and cake. Sadly, we had to drop Brett off for football before we grabbed a picture, but they were a super fun group of boys. We had a great time with them. 

This is the second time Kevin's birthday has fallen on Thanksgiving. The last time it did, I can remember handing him his food at each meal with a candle in it. By dinner time he said, "Wow, you've delivered all of my food with a candle in it. This is interesting!" I think every year since I always deliver all of his food on his birthday with a candle in it. :)

This year Kevin had been not so subtly hinting that he would like an ipod. We found one, but it made it so he wasn't getting much else for his birthday. So, I found all of our old iphones and taped the gift in the form of a gift card to the iphone and wrapped it. So...as he started opening the first one, he had a great big grin on his face, he was tearing paper off as quickly as he possibly could only to find an only shattered iphone with a sticky note hooked to his with a date with Mom to find new church clothes. This went on for three more phones until it was actually the ipod that he had been longing for. It was really quite funny and hopefully a birthday he will always remember.

Kevin at 9-

Sighs and mutters, "ah, Come on!" When something doesn't go his way. (It's so hilarious and predictable. I can just picture him with a rambunctious child of his own and him sighing, "Ah, Come on!" When they do something to make him Crazy! I have told Cody 90,000 times, "Some day his kids are going to tease him for saying that!" 

He is a kids-youtube-minecraft-watching-addict. (Like drive this mother cray-cray!)

He loves math, danish pancakes, quesadillas, and caesar salad. 

He longs to return to Florida for vacation.

He loves his ipod, drone, and RC cars.

He is growing up and is holding his own in adult conversations. He is kind, thoughtful, and respectful. He is a natural born leader and the class clown. He loves teasing and messing around. If there is a ball in sight he is kicking it, dribbling it, or bouncing it. He has a good and tender heart. He is my little buddy and I love when I see him at school he still runs to me and says, "Mommy!" with a great big hug.

I love him to the moon and am so grateful he was my first born as he is a super awesome example to to me and to his sisters. 

Grandpa Dye

I got a call the beginning of October that Grandpa had been rushed to the hospital for some weird symptoms. Which turned into an infection in his blood stream, which turned into a stay in the ICU which lead to some really terrible days, and a few good days. He seemed to be making a turn for the better and we were all anxious for him to return home to his house. In the past, returning home had always helped him to heal quicker. There were a few good days, but then he quickly went down hill. 

I felt no need to rush home. When I was home this past summer I spent a lot of time with my Grandpa. A lot of really good time. A lot of time with good clarity and long conversations. But as the time went on, I felt I needed to be there for my Mom. Every time I would get off of the phone I would tell Cody how I felt. One day he was in the shower and I was telling him about my conversation with my Mom and he said, "I don't think you need to go for you anymore, I think you need to go to be with your Mom." I think I started crying and then I quickly booked a flight before the fact that he would be home for seven days with three kids really sunk in all the way. I knew it was meant to be when I found Elena and I killer flights. I love blessings like that. 

It was the best seven days ever. There were tears. Lots and lots of tears. But there were so many moments of peace, calm, and comfort. I was able to care for my Grandpa in a way I had never imagined. It was both healing for my heart and therapy for my soul. Elena was soooo incredibly good the entire time. She would say, "see you yater, Drampa!" Every time we would leave. She calmed my troubled heart and helped bring perspective to the plan our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. 

Grandpa passed away surrounded by family while a sweet soul played peaceful music from the harp. I so badly wanted to stay longer. To be able to stay for his funeral but I was needed at home. My poor little Lacey was having an especially hard time. And although Julia never voiced any complaints, I did find a letter written to me when I got home that said, "Mom, I just need to know if you're ever coming back to New Hampshire." Seven days is a long time. 

I was able to spend my last day out west with Tyrel and Alyona. My talking time with Tyrel as we walked around the Salt Lake Temple was closure for my heart. It brought me peace, comfort, and strength. I will forever be grateful that I was able to go and be with my Mom and Dad and Grandpa for the last week of his life. 

My favorite flower is a lily. In Wisconsin the entire side of our house was covered in day Lilies. They made me so happy. My Grandpa shared the love of the Lily with me. His yard is covered in them. He was always so happy when I would make it to visit while they were in full bloom. They made him as happy as they make me. A few days after returning home from Idaho a dear friend of mine, whose Grandfather passed away from similar complications, brought me over a bouquet of flowers and among them were two lilies that had yet to bloom. I'm afraid she will never know how much that bouquet of flowers meant to me. They lasted almost an entire month and every time I walked by those two lilies would make me smile. I will forever enjoy my Lilies more fully. 

I'm beyond grateful for a loving and supportive husband. I never would have made it through without him. He never complained once. 

I will forever treasure these seven days. Seven very special days.

October was a cluster....This post pretty much sums up my brain!

Happy Halloween from Spider Woman, Wonder Woman, Super Girl, and our Dirt Bike boy.

We spent a lovely evening with our friends, The Haskins. They live in prime trick or treating land. We enjoyed sitting out by a fire, eating the most delicious chicken pot pie, watching hundreds of children move up and down the streets collecting pounds and pounds of sugar. It was simply amazing.

Earlier in the month we made a trip to see the Hartford Connecticut Temple open house. It was everything I had dreamed of. I have very vivid memories and feelings from going to the Bountiful Temple open house from when I was 9 or 10 years old. I wanted me children to have the same experience. The temple was so beautiful, so peaceful, and so fulfilling. I'm so glad we took the time to go. It was super awesome to talk to the kids after having gone. Kevin said it wasn't at all what he had suspected it to be like. They were amazed by the cleanliness and the grandeur. Not to mention the trees were amazing on both the way up and the way down. Oh how I love the changing trees. 

And, before all of those grand things happened, my dearest friend, Marci and her husband Corey flew in from Colorado for a quick trip. We made the most of every single second. We dined at Canoe and then hit The Joseph Smith Birth Place Memorial first thing the next morning. Again, the colors did not disappoint. Sadly, it was frigid out, but the company made up for that. The lovely missionary that was working that day gave me these two awesome pictures he had snagged of the sun at just the perfect spot behind the monument. Cody and Corey watched a little football while Marci and I spent SIX hours on a 500 piece puzzle of Julia's (Bless Marci's heart! I never would have done it without her!) The next day we had a sitter for the kids. We stopped at Lexington and the Boston temple, before we picked up some of their friends at the airport. Grabbed some pizza and Mike's pastries and then headed for home. Marci was music for my heart and therapy for my sole. I'm so glad they made the trip out to see us! 

The Seasons of Life

This last week I sent three of my four children off to all day school. ALL.DAY. It is by far the worst and best thing ever. I really don't like someone else dictating my schedule and I despise the mid morning phone call asking where my child is and why when I feel they just need to be home with their Mama. But, at the same time, it is truly the best. These kids are some dang good kids and to see the good they are doing in the world makes me beam with joy and happiness.  

On one of the mornings last week I was doing my hair in the bathroom and I was watching Elena out of the corner of my eye. She was twirling and dancing, singing, and chit-chatting and I just could NOT believe that this is the current season of my life. I'm in my last two years of having a baby at home. MY LAST TWO YEARS!!! How does it happen. It seems that it was only yesterday I was lugging four kids five and under everywhere I went. (which might I add is easier than lugging four kids 3-8 everywhere! Different topic, different day!) I would go to bed completely exhausted from being needed every single second of every single day. But now, Kevin and Julia are mostly independent. Julia loves to be cuddled before bed and Kevin needs help here and there, but they no longer need me like they used to. It is both joyous and hard. Very, very hard. When I pick them up from school they both beg for playdates and although I love to accommodate those wishes what I really want to say is, "Heck no! It's your turn to come and play with me!!!" I want to keep them young and innocent and mine forever, but I'm working so hard to teach them to be kind, outgoing, good, honest, strong, and independent.

It's so fun to walk into their school and see them thriving in their environment. It's heartwarming to see them stand up for good in front of their friends. It's fulfilling to hear them helping and playing with each other.

As crazy as it is to be in this season of my life, I hope I remember to enjoy all of it. 

Run Down!

It seems May, June and July were over in the blink of an eye. Here is a jumble of what everyone was up to-

Cody-Was working on a big project to get the first 1/4 mile of our road paved. It was quite a bit of work, but looks oh so nice!! We started our master bathroom in the end of April and then the tile order was delayed big time and it ended up taking just over a month to complete. It was a BIGGGGG project that we both sort of dreaded working on. Now that it is finished, it is so wonderful. So so so wonderful. Cody also ordered 9 cords of uncut wood and spent all of his free time splitting it by hand. Cody was busy with bike week, although I must add that this was the most enjoyable to date. A few extra people were sent in from Milwaukee to file paperwork and expedite parts and we were able to still see Cody tons. Cody was able to take a day off and attend Kevin's end of the year field trip to the planetarium. He also coached Kevin's baseball team which ended up being so much fun!!! We all loved spending our evenings at the ball park. Cody also taught online seminary this year and May and the beginning of June were quite busy getting that all caught up, assignments graded, and seminary graduation attended. 

Kevin-played baseball and LOVED it! At their last game he was able to pitch and not only did he do a great job, but he was throwing strikes and struck two kids out! He made and presented a project on Jupiter, attended a few days of summer camp, ocean trips, beach trips, and lots of play time with friends. 

Julia-Got a week of summer art camp for her birthday and loooooooved every single second of it. She made so many awesome projects. She was gone from 10-4 every single day. It was so weird for Mom, but so awesome to her. She got a few highlights in her hair. The Young women and Relief Society did a service project and Julia spent several hours sewing straps for adult sized bibs. She loved playing at the playground and with all of the kids during baseball season, and of course beach days, ocean trips, and one SOLID concussion. Ugh! It was awful. She was climbing a tree and fell out of it landing with her head on a cement pad. Lots of throwing up followed with a good solid week or so of nausea and dizzy-ness. Cody gave her a blessing and we took her in for a final doctors check before heading to Idaho for the summer and everything checked out well. It was QUITE stressful. Julia was able to walk in the fourth of July parade with some of our friends. She walked the first mile and rode her scooter for the second. 

Lacey-Kindergarten orientation and preschool graduation. She loved both events and was thrilled to ride on the school bus. (I still suffer from PTSD when it comes to kindergarten orientation but everything went off without a hitch!) Lacey enjoyed a year end field trip to the science center. She also got to spend a day at summer camp and spent hours and hours playing house with Elena. Lacey got her very own four-wheeler, an early birthday present. Lacey spent the month being drug from one thing to the next but there was not much complaining and she enjoyed herself along the way. 

Elena-was able to go to a couple of months of preschool and looved it all! She became more independent and started writing a few letters. She spent hours upon hours using her imagination and playing house with Lacey. She got to enjoy a day at summer camp with Lacey and started to speak clearer and is much easier to understand. She had a dentist appointment. I was terrified after having her teeth pulled that it would be a nightmare but she sat right up like a big girl. Elena also spent a lot of time transporting bigger siblings from one activity to the next, but this is the best time for her imagination to keep her busy. I love listening to her and Lacey playing and imagining together in the car.

Jessie-Also helped in finishing the bathroom. There were also end of year school projects to be made (school days to be skipped, gotta use those absences UP!), wood to be stacked, homework to be finished, Young Women activities to plan and attend. I kept the score at all of Kevin's baseball games and loved cheering so loudly! I spent several hours sewing forty or so adult sized bibs for a service project. There were beach trips to be planned, concussions to tend to, a friend was moving and I spent several hours packing boxes and cleaning. I walked the parade with Julia.

We also hiked a few times, spent several evenings with friends around our fire pit, had lots of movie nights, and dinners at the beach. 

I think I'm beginning to understand how it went by so quickly... there wasn't much down time. :)