Karlee

This is going to sound awful coming from a mom, but...

"Nice and sweet" are not the first words that come to mind when describing Karlee.  I often think freckles and feisty.  With that being said, many of you know that her emotions and reactions run high and extreme on both ends - sweet or rotten - excited or sad.  Anyway, today I went to the school to eat lunch first with Kavan and then Karlee!  It was a great time!  And I had not one, but three teachers come to me and express just how sweet and helpful Karlee is.  Karlee has two children in her class with special needs, and guess who just happens to willingly love and help these children?  I love her!  :) 

The Temple

This past Saturday I was able to go with our church youth group to the temple.  It was a beautiful day!  And it was Kyler's first temple trip to be able to do the work.  He was so excited!  He had a great day!  When Kyler and I were talking about it he really focused on the importance of being baptized by immersion.  He said, "Mom, I thought about life, death, and resurrection each time."  (And the fact that Brother Heath would just pop him right up out of the water each time.)  After we were done, we headed to the bookstore where Brandon (a 17 year old youth) came to Kyler, put an arm around his shoulder and said, "So, how was it?"  Kyler smiled real big and just nodded.  Then Brandon asked, "Do you remember any names?"  Kyler did, and he also remembered that one shared his birth month and day.  Kyler was able to do the work for some of Brother Carlsen's ancestors, which he thought was pretty neat!  I had such a great time sharing this beautiful day with McKenzie and Kyler!  I love them!

So Fun!

McKenzie and Zach - they always have a fun time.



You gotta watch out for that Bishop Anderson!  :)

  

   

Spaetzle

So I have this awesome aunt that I love!  She makes all kinds of yummy stuff in her kitchen - with all her neat kitchen tools and gadgets!  I was in Ohio for a family reunion just a short while ago and she taught me how to make homemade noodles and spaetzle.  Just so you know, I love spaetzle!  After I came home from Ohio McKenzie and I made spaetzle.  However, we made quite a mess because we didn't own a "spaetzle maker."  It was still really good, but I was ready to order a "spaetzle maker."  Then to my surprise what comes in the mail just a couple days later...a box from my aunt containing a pasta cutter and a "spaetzle maker."  How awesome is that!?!  So we had spaetzle for dinner.  Making spaetzle (with a spaetzle maker) takes about 10 minutes from start to finish - and it is yummy!!!

Karlee took these pictures while Layne and I made spaetzle with the "spaetzle maker"...

Make dough while boiling water.

Drop dough in hopper.

Move the hopper back and forth over pot.

When dough floats it is done.

Drain.

Serve it and or mix it with just about anything.  Aaaand it can be a main dish - a side dish - or a snack!  :)  Perfect for a tired mama and hungry kids!  And so yummy!  Thanks, Aunt Patty!  Sure do love you! :)

Where did summer go?

The summer went by so very fast and school is already in full swing. 

Kenzie (a freshman) is out the door for seminary by 5:55am,

Kyler (7th grade) catches the bus with Collin (8th grade) and Samantha (6th grade) at 7:00am,

and Karlee (4th grade) and Kavan (2nd grade) are on the bus by 7:24am.

My house is quiet, yet responsibility beckons.  I can remember telling my mom at age 11 that I wanted to stay 11 forever... things change!  :)  I've come to the conclusion that no matter who you are or what you do - life is busy.  Layne reminds me often to "pick out the good" - remember the "good" from each day. 

So today, I will do laundry with "sunshine in my soul!"  And relish in the freshness of clean clothes! :)

(Kyler planted sunflowers this year.  They were beautiful!)

A long time ago...

my brother and I played on the Jersey shore! :)

McKenzie!

Kenzie has some fun friends that she got together with for pictures and a dinner out - to celebrate the end of the school year!  Kenzie had an all around - fantastic - last year in middle school!  I think she is a little nervous about high school and a little sad about ending her reign as an 8th grader! 

Meade, Courtney, Kenzie, Katie, and Maddie

Dinner at Armando's - yummy!

Band concert - she had a flute solo and got to play the piccolo.

So she told me the day of she had a flute solo and didn't make a big deal about it.  But had I known her flute and the chimes were about the only things playing I might have been better prepared.  Anyway, if you listen closely and quickly you might here what I heard that night!  :)

Honors Night! :)



I am always so proud of the kids when they have worked hard and done well, but sometimes the award night gets a little "lengthy"!  Good thing we had Kavan with us to take pictures...

Soon after school got out, Kenzie went to Girl's Camp.  Great site, great lake, great leaders, and great memories!

"Live Like You Believe!"

Then Kenzie turned 14!  Huh? 
(Did you know I met Layne at 14?  At my first church dance?)

Kenzie was sick on her birthday and had been for 3 days, but we still had a small celebration.



Ice cream cake, yum!



Then we celebrated with lots of family at the lake.

Then she celebrated again with some friends by making "hair flowers,"

bath salts and shrinky dinks,

 having lunch and eating cupcakes and ice cream,

then pampering the feet with pedicures while watching Letters to Juliet.  Fun stuff!!



One of the things she asked for for her birthday was a Daddy - Daughter date!  They saw the movie Soul Surfer and ate at Fatz Cafe!  So fun!

My, how time really does fly!

We sure do love her!



Kyler!

Kyler had the opportunity to play baseball for the middle school's B team and the county recreation department this year.  Even though his school team was kind of like the "Bad News Bears" that never quite got it together, Kyler worked really hard and had a great time with both of his teams!

Kyler turned 12 years old in May - WOW!  To celebrate "the boys" - Kyler, Layne, my dad, and 3 of Kyler's friends (Griffin, Owen, and Keaton), went to IHOP and the movie Thor in 3D on the eve of his birthday.  Then on his birthday my dad took Kyler, Kavan, and Layne on a fishing trip.  They had so much fun!

Then we celebrated with cheesecake and presents after showers.

It's fun that Kyler still gets so excited!

Kyler loves card tricks, magic tricks, diabalo tricks, etc...  So Kenzie got him a "magic hat."

And being 12 he got to go to Boy Scout Camp in June, so he got a new pack for his birthday!

Also being 12, he received the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday May 8, 2011.

What a neat day! Layne and I are so grateful for Kyler and for the choices that he makes - and for the excitement he has for life!

After church, we celebrated Kyler's and Kirk's birthday with lots of family.

Kyler got an afghan from his Grandma Mitchell!  Love it!

Kirk and Kyler are enjoying their cake - cookie and ice cream!!!

There have been several areas devastated by storms lately and Alabama was one of them.  Layne, Kirk, Collin and Kyler along with many others were able to go help with Alabama's relief effort.  What a great opportunity for service!  I think seeing the devastation was quite an eye opening experience for the boys.  (Kyler also thought it was pretty crazy to go to church without a shower in his dirty jeans and t-shirt, and to be able to set up camp right there on church grounds.)  A neat experience - a great memory!

Kyler really enjoyed middle school and had a great school year!  The end of the school year brought band concerts and...

Kyler and the bassoon!  :)

honors night.  Kyler missed honors night because of a baseball game, but the two trophies left sitting on the table were his.  He said his homeroom teacher (Ms. Nash) was very excited to give them to him the next morning.  He received the trophies for obtaining the highest average in his pod for language arts and social studies.

We love this boy!

2005                                                               2011