Grandma has left the building so nobody move!!!

This is a little old now but crazy things have happened as of late, and I think I can regroup and finish what I started last week.  Anyway, I've had the most perfect recovery from little Mase and I attribute it to the amazing help that I've had.  I know I'm sure I've given the run down before in other posts but I'm doing it again, so bear with me.  Right after she was born, Randy's parents happened to be here for the 4th of July holiday so my MIL stayed throughout the weekend and the day she left my lil bro came till my family's reunion in which he took the oldest 2 with him.  Then my sweet MIL took the younger two for part of that time up to her place leaving Randy and I alone with the babe for a few days.  When those 2 came back there were just a couple of days left before the older came home.  I was by myself with all of my kids for about 4 days before my mom was able to come down and help for a week.  She needed to go home that next week to make sure James was ready for his mission and since we had so much time off (from Randy not having to use vacation time after the baby was born) we decided to make the drive up to MT for 10 days and then come home after in which my mom would stay till the 2nd day of school. 

I can't believe that I ever got that much help and I'm an indeed so grateful.   So, thanks to all of you (you know who you are) for giving me this amazing opportunity to bond with our new addition.  It was heaven.  So I finally had to put my big girl panties on and take care of my family. . . by myself.  Well all was going well till the day after Malia started kindergarten and I went and played volleyball for the first time in years (btw, I'm not good, nor have I ever been good), and right before I was planning on leaving I jumped up for a hit and landed on the side of my foot and did this

Kinda gross eh?  Apparently I can't take care of myself, but I have some amazing neighbors/friends who helped me the couple of days that I was down.  Oh and it's not broken, just sprained . . . badly.  I've iced the snot out of it and kept it elevated and wore a compression sock for 2 days and I have to say, as long as I'm wearing the air cast, I'm doing good.  Not even using crutches anymore.  And seeing how it's Morgan's birthday today, that's quite an accomplishment.  So we are off to celebrate, another post to come on that.  Here's to hoping I don't hurt myself anymore.

Cougar Kick Off

The last few years we haven't been able to go to this because of soccer games, but since we didn't sign up this year for fear of losing about $200 if we ended up moving, we have lots of time to do things we haven't done in a long time.  We got lots of signatures from the girls soccer and volleyball team.  We also got some sweet shots with Cosmo.

 We met the Nordfelt's there and got a pic taken altogether.  The funny thing about this shot is there was another photographer behind me who took this shot as well.  My mom was jokingly saying, she's probably taking it for a newspaper or something.  Well the next day, it showed up on the "BYU Football" facebook page.  Pretty crazy.

 The kids also played a little beach ball volleyball. . .

 And we stood in line FOREVER to get these caricature pictures drawn.  At first we were like "ya lets get them all their own, then after standing there we decided to put the kibosh on that one and double them up.

 I figure I'll make copies of them so they all get one for their  scrapbooks.

It was a lot of fun and I'm glad we got to do it again.

1st Day of School 2012

The time has come, the time is now!!!! I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that summer is over (unofficially).  It was hard for me enjoy sending my kids off to school this year (like it usually does) just for the fact that I don't feel like we really had a summer, and that's mainly because of Masie's arrival.  We waited around for her to come and then after it was recovery time. I'm sure for my kids it was different because they actually went and did fun things like the older two going to the Schmidt reunion and the younger two hanging with G & G Tucker.  We also went to 7 Peaks at least once a week till Maser came and hit up our playgroup all of the time.  At least we all got to get away up to Montana for a bit to help close off the summer.  As for my kids, they are somewhat happy to go back, just to see some of their friends they didn't see over the summer.  Malia is in school as well this year but doesn't start till this Tuesday, so the pics are of the older three.

 Micah and KC aren't in the same class this year, but it's all good cuz both of the teachers are amazing so they don't seem to mind.

 The girls man they are growing fast.  I think I'm going to post a progression of pics of these three soon.  I can't believe how much they've grown.  Here is the post from the end of school.

 Can't you see the fake excitement in these three?

 Mak and her bestie. How did a get old enough for a 6th grader?

 Micah got Morg's 2nd grade teacher Miss Edwards, who I absolutely love.  I'm glad we are still here just so he can have her.  

 Morg has a new 4th grade teacher Mrs. Blackstock.  She taught a different grade last year (I can't remember which though).  She's having a baby next month and will be on leave for 6 weeks after that.  We'll see how this class goes.  I'm not exactly thrilled for the switch.

 Mak also has a new 6th grade teacher, Miss Clements.  She was an ESL aid last year and Mak loves her.  I'm really excited cuz the class is pretty small (comparatively speaking to last year)

Good luck kids!!!! Have a fabulous year!!!!

James goes to the MTC

It's done!  He's gone!  The baby, the last of 9 kids, (8 of which served or is serving a mission, ya the black sheep is me) has left to serve a full-time mission for 2 years in Portland Oregon.  He first starts for a few weeks in Provo at the Mission Training Center (MTC) which is where we dropped him off on Wednesday.  But first, for traditions.  We, meaning my parents, like to take outgoing missionaries to Tucano's, a really yummy Brazilian restaurant, where you sit and they bring yummy meat for as long as you want.  They do have a salad bar with other yummy foods, but I don't like to waste my stomach space on that so I just sit and enjoy the meat, mmmmm.  Micah really liked it, this was after we washed his face that was covered in meat juice.  

The girls did too, lol.

Ki Ki even enjoyed it.

Can you tell Wall-E did too.

What a ham.

Elder Schmidt and Momma-la.

My kid's "other" Aunt, Sarah.  Malia, loves her to death.

Grandpa Shrimp (that's what Ki Ki calls him) with the girls.

The gang

James and the 10th Schmidt.

Cousins makin` daddy jealous on a Harley, lol.

After we stuffed ourselves silly, we went up to the Provo Temple to take some pics before we dropped off James.  Billy's fam.

All of us.

My fam. notice the sleeping baby, again.

The parental figures.

James really likes Stewart from Mad TV and does an awesome impression of him.  Check out this clip if you've never seen it.

"Let me do it"

"NO!"

"Off I go to serve the Lord"

Head shot

One last shot with the kids. . .

and me.

After the temple, Randy took the kids home and my parents and I went to drop of Beebit.  After Jon went on his mission, they stopped letting families go in and drop of the missionaries because of the H1N1 craze going on. So now you have to drop them off curbside and another missionary "host" helps them take their bags up to the door.  It makes for a very quick goodbye and a lot less crying.  This was a very cute shot of these two.  Made me cry a little.  

Bye Dad.

Later peeps, see ya in 2 years.

Off he goes.  Good luck Beebit, Uncle James, Jame-S, Stewart, ELDER SCHMIDT!!!!!  We love you and will miss you tons.  The Tucker house will be very quiet without you here.

Masie's blessing

We went against the grain and blessed Masie on a Tuesday instead of a Sunday because James's farewell and MTC date didn't make it conducive for a Sunday blessing and I really wanted him to be there because he'd been with us pretty much through everything.  Anyway, Tuesday it was and luckily a lot of Randy's family were able to make it as well.  Here are the Grandpas.

 And the star of the show, Miss Masie!!!

 Our bishop/neighbor/friend.  Thanx so much for accommodating us.

 Aunt Deanna.

 The Youells.

 Julie and Michelle taking over in the kitchen.

Mom and Matney.  Funny story, so in the kitchen Matney's helping and my mom is behind her saying "KT, KT, KT" and Mat's not responding.  Then my mom realizes it wasn't me.  Matney's my twin I never had.  Our mom's are personality twins as well.  Every time her mom comes and visit it makes me miss my mom more and vice verse.  It's pretty uncanny.

 Mak and Wall-E

 The whole family, Schmidt's and Tuckers.

 Tucker clan.

 Schmidt brood (well a portion of us at least).

 We haven't had a family shot in a while.

 And this is probably why.

 Grandparents and Great Grandparents.

 Had to get one last shot with James and the Babe.

 And of course Zoolander.

 He was getting a little hungry.

 Our friends who could make it.  Youell's left too fast for us to get them in there.

 Thought this was cute shot of the 3 of us.

 We really like "baby smell," and apparently she's already had enough of us doing that.

 It was a long day for this little girl.  So glad she's part of our family.