Broc's Lucky Eleven

December 11th Broc turned 11, how lucky is that? Broc loves his birthday just as much as any kid does. He is so funny though because he doesn't want to be surprised by his presents, he wants to know. For days leading up to his birthday he begs for me to tell him exactly what he is getting or better yet show it to him and then he promises that he will act surprised when I give it to him so no one else will know. (I guess he has patience kind of like his dad..... ha ha). He did pick out his Etnies jacket this year and acted so surprised that Ryan didn't even know he had seen it before (How crazy is that I can't even pick out clothes for my boy-- he is way to particular about how he looks). I don't give in to him on everything, he did have a few surprises and whether he will admit it or not surprises are fun!!!!






It must be because he is the only boy in our house but every birthday this is what his sisters do to him. He is pretty nice about it (maybe it is because they are giving him gifts) but he probably won't be too happy that I put them on the blog for all to see. Broc is not a cake man so for years we have been making brownies w/ powdered sugar. This year watching him blow out the candles was hilarious. Ryan thought they were trick candles, but the funny thing was they weren't and it still took him 3 tries to blow all of them out. This picture is the last time when he finally got them all. (He really put everything he had into it.) I can't believe he is 11 already but I am grateful for the fine young man he is becoming!! We love you Broc!!!!

It must be Christmas time!!

You can tell it is Christmas time when there are 4 gingerbread houses on my countertop. Since the kids were 3 years old Ryan's sister Amy has been making gingerbread houses with all of the nieces and nephews. It is something they all look forward to (even Chantyl, who is now 21). Amy works for months to make all of the gingerbread forms and put the houses together and then everyone brings bags of candy to share and they decorate the houses.

Here is Britnee's house this year. I'm not quite sure of the theme but I do know that the red ball above Santa is a bowling ball just about ready to drop on his head. (Where did she come up with that!)




This next house is Broc's. His theory for decorating houses is to get as much candy on it as possible for treats the next week. And as you can tell from the pictures I really should have taken them sooner before he started eating his masterpiece. (and his sister's houses too)



Shaelyn did a smiley face on her roof this year. This totally fits her since she is such a happy girl. (yes Broc ate the eyes). Apparently I didn't get a picture of her holding her gingerbread house because lately she can't put her phone down. I guess the picture I got most accurately portrays my cute Shae at this stage of her life.



Shalece is so creative and always comes up with a theme for her gingerbread house. This year was my favorite. It's called extreme sports. She has every snow activity you can think of, snowboarding, snow ball fights, skiing, ice skating, snowmen, sledding and even snow angels. Truly a designer house.


Thanks Amy for carrying on such a great tradition. We all love you for all of your hard work!!! And we all look forward to next year.

More Thanksgiving Fun......

The Friday after Thanksgiving Ryan took Shalece, Broc, Britnee & Kamryn out West shooting. It was a first time for Britnee and Kamryn. I don't think they were able to shoot any of the skeets but they had fun with the other targets and when it got too cold they just got in the truck and took about a million silly pictures of each other with my camera!! Broc however is our sharp shooter and he LOVES IT!!! He could have stayed there all afternoon. Shalece also loves to shoot. It was only her 2nd time and this time she tried the 12 gauge. Check out the below pictures, they are in order and it gives you an idea of the kick she got after her 1st shot. I was impressed with how she recovered and got off another shot. Way to go Lece!!













Broc showing Britnee how to load.

{ Thanksgiving }

This year Thanksgiving was with the Koltermann side of the family at my house. It was so great to have Mom & Dad back from their mission. We were all together except for Bryce & Brandi & family who live way to far away (we miss you guys!!!) We also had my Grandpa Davenport there for the day (who is in his 90's ).It was a fun day of lots of yummy food, games, rockband, children playing, football watching, and of course all of the women hunting the ads for the perfect Black Friday deals. (Michele, and Jodi & Mike were the die hards who got up early to get the best deals, Shalece and Troy chose to stay up until 4a.m. at southtown mall and the rest of us slept in and went to a few stores later in the day to see if anything was left.)








Check out Wyatt's masterpiece with the mashed potatos (it kind of looked liked a snowman's head, olive eyes, carrot nose and celery mouth) It didn't last too long though Ryan said no one should mess with the mashed potatos.



The whole gang!!!!!




I just love this picture. My darling niece Brynli was dancing in one of our dress up's and when she was done she would ask Ryan if that dance was good enough. If it was then he would have to dip here to finish off her performance. I don't know for sure how many times she did it but she got dipped everytime. We sure do miss having little girls at our house. Thank goodness my sisters have plenty when we all get together.

Thankful for......

I love this time of year with the holidays upon us. But before the hustle and bustle begins I wanted to take a minute and reflect on some of the things I am thankful for. I could never possibly list them all but here goes a few:

1. Ryan- I heard it said once that some blessings are so great you have to count them twice. That would be how I feel about my awesome husband. He always makes my day a little brighter and loves me know matter what. I am thankful for the time we get to spend together and for the great father he is to our children.

2. My Children- I am thankful for Shalece and her incredible writing talent and her independence. I am thankful for Shaelyn and her compassion and love for others. I am thankful for Broc for his kind heart and his explosive energy. I am thankful for Britnee with her quick wit and ability to keep us entertained all the time. I am thankful for all of the little things my children do: hugs, kisses, chores(without asking), notes, laundry,long talks at night, etc. I am also thankful for all of the sports and other activities they participate in. Although it may make my life extremely busy I am thankful that we always have something fun to do and I love watching them.



3. My Home- I am thankful for my beautiful, warm home where my family all comes together at the end of the day. A big thanks to Ryan for making it a reality and working so hard for it. I am thankful for the great neighborhood we live in and that we can live so close to family and friends. I am thankful that after all these years we can still call Lehi home.

4. My Friends- I am thankful for great friends to laugh with, cry with and help me raise my kids. I have the best friends in the world. I am thankful that I can call them at any time and they will help me with whatever I need. I am thankful that they will listen and give me a new perspective on whatever my trial of the day is. I am thankful that they will support me and encourage me in all I do. (even when I do something as crazy as bootcamp)

5. Parents- I have truly been blessed with great parents who not only raised me well but are a continual example to me and are always there for me and my family. My mom has always been one of my best friends and one of the sweetest people I know. My dad has such a good heart and is always willing to help me out. If it wasn't for his awesome carpentry skills it would have taken us much longer to build our house. I am thankful for the good grandparents they are to my children.

6. Siblings - I am thankful for my brothers and sisters. Bryce, Janet, Michele, Troy & Jodi. also for the great people they married (Brandi,Michael, Wyatt & Mike) and all of their cute children. We really had a lot of fun growing up despite the occassional fight (ok during the teenage years it might have seemed more often than just occassional). But we have become such good friends and I know I can count on them for anything. I truly enjoy the times we get to spend together and wish we had more of them.

7. Ryan's Family- It is hard to call them In-laws because that sounds so formal and really we're just family. I am thankful to Kathleen for the way she raised Ryan and for being such a good grandma. I am also thankful for the whole gang: Shad & Careen, Mark & Teresa, Jennie & Mike, Amy & Ryan and last but definetely not least Creed & Emily.(Oh and of course all of the nieces and nephews- life wouldn't be complete without all of you)

8. Freedom - I am very thankful to live in a free country and enjoy all of the freedoms that I have. I am thankful for brave men and women who protect those freedoms every day with honor and great love for this country. I am thankful to have brothers who are dedicated to the cause of freedom.

9. Temples - I am thankful that there are so many temples close to where I live. I am thankful for the peace that I find whenever I am there. I am especially thankful for the sealing power that is there that binds my family together forever!!!!!

10. Mountains - I am thankful for the tall mountains that surround me and for the safety they provide. I am thankful for the beautiful green in the summer and snow capped ridges in the winter.

HUSBAND TAG !!!

I've been tagged twice for the husband tag so here goes!!!

1. Where did you meet your husband? We were in the same ward growing up but it wasn't until I went to high school that we really noticed each other. Our first "together moment" was a combined YM/YW activity to a haunted house.

2.How long did you date before you got married? 6 years (ok 2 of them he was on a mission but we really got to know each other through letters)

3. How long have you been married? 19 years 3 months and 9 days

4. What does he do that surprises you? He still makes me laugh every single day.

5. What is your favorite feature of his? His Eyes & Smile

6. What is his best quality? He would do anything for anybody. He always puts me first and tries every day to make life better for me and the kids.

7. Does he have a nickname for you? Yes

8. What is his favortie food? Outback Steak and mashed potatos

9. What is his favorite sport? Baseball (but he also loves basketball & BYU Football)

10. When and where did you first kiss? It's been so long we kind of disagree on this one but since I am telling you the story I say Halloween Night while we were at the High School. (We were suppose to watch a scary movie but they never did get it to work- so we did what everyone did in Lehi back then and went cruisin' with friends)

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? We just love to hang out together! Mostly dinner and a movie - sometimes we go out or sometimes we meet on the couch for an episode of the office or some other movie when the kids are all asleep. (who am I kidding my kids don't sleep, well at least when they are suppose to be in bed)

12. Do you have any children? Four

13. Does he have any hidden talents? Oh yes, many but if I share them with you now they will no longer be hidden.

14. How old is he? 41

15. Who said I love you first? He did, of course!!!

16. What is his favorite music? ROCK (KISS, AC/DC, Motley Crue) But he likes all kinds of music- He is at the Pink Floyd concert tonight.

17. What do you admire most about him? His commitment to things that are important to him (church, family, friends & work) He has a great perspective on what really matters and he is the most incredible husband & father.

18. What is his favorite color? BLUE

19. Will he read this? Of course

20. Who will I tag next? Janet, Michele, Jodi

The other side of Britnee.....

All of you who know my Britnee know what a sweetheart she is. So imagine how surprised I was when I came home from the store last week to find this in her room.



This is the closet in her room. What you can't tell from this picture is that she has Shaelyn locked up inside. She did a good job, Shae really did try to get out. I think she wrapped 20 belts, scarves, and ribbons around the door knobs along with the pile of stuff. She did however put a note in the pink basket that says "Shaelyn is inside". She was really proud of herself (you can tell by the smile). After I rescued Shae I asked how Britnee got her in the closet. She was just choosing what to wear for the day when Britnee shut the door and then she decided just to get dressed in there. Britnee was fast because by the time she was dressed and Shae tried to get out it was too late. With Britnee at our house life is NEVER BORING!!!

{The Wedding}

Last week my friends daughter Tara got married. I've known her since she was 4 so it is hard to believe that she could possibly be getting married. It was a great week at the Mount Timpanogos temple on Tues. when she took out her endowments and then at the Logan Temple on Thurs. where they were married. Tara is such a beautiful girl and I just wish her & Jason all the happiness in the world.

Tara & Jason


Demi & Britnee



Lece & Tara

Katie, Hailee & Shae



Here are some pictures of my kids on the ride there. I guess it was a little too early for them. But if you ask Broc he never fell asleep, he must have been just closing his eyes. (what do you think?)

Labor Day in October and the Super Bowl in November

Last Saturday- October 25th Broc's Tiger team finished up their baseball season by playing in the championship games for the Labor Day Tournament. You may remember that Labor Day was a rainy day and so they canceled the games until October 25th. We started off that day with a playoff football game (which Broc's team won) and then headed to Salem for baseball. I just love all the boys on Broc's team!!! They are so much fun to watch and just really good kids. (the parents are GREAT TOO!!) We have made such good friends that really there is no place I'd rather hang out than at the ball park. The Tigers won the 1st game 10-4 against the Orem Tigers and then in the championship game they won the Cedar Crush 10-8. It was a really good game. The boys made some awesome plays and ended off the season with another win. Way to go Tigers!!!!






I love this picture because it captures the look on Broc's face right after he struck out the last batter of the game.


That same night of the tournament Mark & Teresa had a Halloween Party. We were only able to go for a little while but Ryan came up with a great costume. "The Winningest Tiger Coach" (it's only really funny when you know that Creed & Mark were there. They both coach a Tiger Team too.--- Sorry Creed but you have to admit that it was funny!!!!!)



Saturday November 1st Broc's football team played in the 5th grade Super Bowl. It was at P.G. High School. It was a really big deal. They had announcers and all. This was Broc's 1st year of football and he really loved it!!!! Thanks to all the coaches especially Jason & Stan who made this such a great experience for Broc. We played a Lone Peak team for the championship. Apparently they had won it the last 3 years in a row. Well our Lehi team came to play and they played hard. I was so proud of all the boys -- they really put their whole heart in to it. It was a great game!! We ended up down 12-21 but we put up a good fight. Watch out next year Lone Peak --- we will be back.


The Celebration after our 1st touchdown. Matthew ran it 80 yards for a touchdown-It was Awesome!!!

Broc on defense- Great Tackle!!!

Broc & his baseball buddies. (Broc, Matthew, Mick, Braedon, & Colby) This was the 1st year for all of them but Matthew. Congratulations Pioneer for a great season.

Broc & his friend John Raas. He is one awesome football player- he can run over anyone. Broc had fun getting to know him this year.

Welcome Home!!!!

Welcome Home Mom & Dad



Last Week was a great week. So many exciting things happened and it all started with my parents coming home off of their mission. They have spent the last 18 months in Little Rock, Arkansas serving a CES (Church Education System) mission. We like to tease them that they have been playing for the last 1 1/2 years because we heard about all the parties and activities that they were involved with and it sounded like a lot of fun. Seriously though I know they made a difference in a lot of people's life and were great missionaries. I am grateful for their example and their commitment to the gospel. I know we were all blessed by your valiant service to the Lord. We love you both and are so excited to have you HOME!!!!!





Britnee made sure that there was a sign for the house and she personalized it by putting the cutest little notes on it. Thanks Britnee!!!!

Guess what day it is??????

Ok, this post is for Ryan. Guess what day it was yesterday (October 26)???? I'm really not going to make you guess but it was the 25th anniversary of the 1st day of US!!! Can it really be that I have been in love with you for a quarter of a century?!! Wow, time sure does fly when you're having fun. Who would have thought all those years ago that the combined activity to the Haunted House would be our beginning of forever!!!! I must say you just get better with age because I love you more now than I did back then. Thanks for an incredible 25 years (4 years dating, 2 years waiting, and 19 as your wife) I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Grand Adventure...... at the Grand Canyon

Last weekend was UEA and the kids had 3 days off. We opted out of a baseball tournament and decided last minute to go on vacation somewhere. It was a crazy week for me. My SIL Emily and I went to St. George on Tues. to watch Les Miserables at the Tuacahn theater. We had won 2 tickets and a $60 gas card at the school auction (for only $50, what a deal). It was truly an incredible show and such a fun trip. Anyone who knows Emily knows how much fun she is- even when we're sitting in a bathroom out in the middle of no where because she needs a breathing treatment. Love Ya Em. We definately need to do that again soon. We came home Wed. before 5 p.m. and so I washed clothes, packed and had us ready to head out on Thursday morning. (Did I mention that I also had to run payroll this week). We stayed the first night in St. George where we ate at the Outback the girls shopped and the boys watched baseball & football (the games weren't that great so the boys ended up shopping too.) Oh we also had to get in some swimming. Britnee was very disappointed to find out later that it would be her only chance to swim- the pool at the Grand Canyon was closed for the season- and she brought 3 swimsuits. Life is just not fair when you are 9.


We took the long way to the Grand Canyon so we could stop and see the Hoover Dam. It was pretty cool. I think Broc held his breath while driving over it- he really doesn't like dams- not even the one at Flaming Gorge. It was a beautiful day and so after all that walking we spent way to much money on ice cream cones- but it was definately worth it.

We stopped in a little town in Arizona(I forgot the name). The only place we could see to eat was Wendy's so we drove a little off the beatin' path and found Route 66 and this great little diner called Mr. D'z. The atmosphere was great and so was the food. If you're ever traveling thru you should try it out. (after we made the turn to head to the Grand Canyon the full town came in to view. It was not as small as we thought. There were hundreds of places to eat. One of the first one's being In and Out Burger. We told all the kids to close their eyes-- especially since that is Shalece's favorite) Given that further information I would still chose Mr. D'z.





We spent that night in Williams, AZ. It was a fun little town with a lot of cute places to shop for all of us tourists. The next morning we woke up early for a train ride to the Grand Canyon. It started out with a wild west show and then we boarded the train. The kids had so much fun. They have a cafe car on the train where you could get drinks and all kinds of goodies and there was entertainment.(harmonica's and guitar's all your western style music fun-- Britnee's favorite was "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash-- thanks to Sadie who taught her all the words.)










The Grand Canyon truly was breathtaking. This was a first for all of us and we loved it. We had 3 hours there before the train would take us back. Not enough time to see all of it but we took off around the South Rim and went on a pretty great hike, took tons of pictures and realized that you got a completely different view from every look out on the trail. Every since Ryan fell off the cliff at Zion's (ok it wasn't a real fall but he did completely freak out me and Emily) Shalece had been dying to take a picture of her falling off the Grand Canyon. This made me a little nervous but finally Ryan found a safe place for her to "fall". Then all the kids had to take their turns. I think everyone there thought we were crazy but the pictures did turn out pretty good.










On the train ride home those same crazy cowboys from the Wild West Show jumped aboard our train and robbed us. It was a true wild west experience. Really great for young kids. Britnee tried to give them her diet coke because that was all she had but they just wanted cold hard cash. That night we ate at a Mexican restaurant in Williams. The food was incredible and all of us enjoyed the entertainment except Shalece. Country Music just isn't her thing and lucky for her she was sitting right next to the speaker. Britnee (our little entertainer) sang and danced and had a great time. Broc was able to watch the Red Sox game so he was happy too.




Sunday we took our own car and went back into the Grand Canyon to see the Visitor's Center (kind of lame) and some other views. For Ryan and I these were some of our favorite views. For Broc, he figured he'd already seen the Grand Canyon so sometimes he just stayed in the car and played his PSP while we would take pictures and enjoy the scenery. We stopped at the Indian Ruins and took pictures for Britnee's Indian Project at school and then we all got out for lunch at the watch tower. That was definately a must see. (Broc even enjoyed it, even though he probably won't admit it.)





Then we got back in the car for the 7+ hour ride home. Our kids were all such great travelers. There was no fighting or complaining or "are we there yet?". All in all it was a really great trip. There is still so much we didn't see that we plan on going back. 4 day trip with my family-PRICELESS!!!!!