Summer Continues

We are home today, although just barely by the majority. We have been at the pool at least 3 times a week for 6 weeks now and finally the majority voted to have a day at home.

I am loving it. Wandering around trying to catch up on all the things that never get done as we rush out of the house to our next thing to do. Brownies, popcorn, french toast, snacks, Lego Rock Band and Movies.

You have to love lazy summer days!!!!!

Family Home Evening FUN

We love FHE when it goes well. Those of you with numerous small children know what I am talking about. Sometimes it feels like it is a roll of the dice as to whether or not you will make it 3 minutes into a gathering, let alone finish the lesson. However, there are those days when everything seems to fall right into place and those days make all the rest seem small in comparison. This was one of those days. We had a great lesson, great participation, everyone was happy, so we ended on a happy note of TWISTER. Ruthie has some serious skills at this game. The girl can fold in half and keep on holding her position. Admittedly, she has a great advantage, but the entire family gets in on the fun.

Fishing Follow Up

This is what you dress like in July in the Kansas heat and humidity.............

BUT this only happens when Dad is the only one that goes on a camping trip with a child and he makes sure that his son is COVERED, unfortunately, he was not........ Thus coming home looking like this......

WARNING: The next image WILL take your breath away.

Fishing

Michael got to go on the traditional 12 year old vacation with Dad. This is a family tradition from Bodie's fam that we have chosen to carry on in ours. Mike chose to go camping/fishing down in Arkansas on the Buffalo River. They had a blast. Apparently, they spent 14 hours on the river the first day. They had tons of fun together, just the two of them and have many memories that will never be taken from them. What a great tradition. This is the only picture I have of the event, but his smile is worth a million words.

Happy Birthday Boys......

Eli and Danny had birthdays in the last two weeks. Eli turned 9 and is loving it. He loved the birthday presents of Wii Lego Star Wars and some FANCY chocolate truffles. True to form, he is the food connoisseur. He requested Cheesecake Factory Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake for his cake, and Uncle Pat's Bowtie Chicken Pasta for dinner. He better have a very good paying job when he gets older so that he can afford to buy the food he likes.

Danny is 3. He has mastered all the naughtiness that goes along with that age and the phrases, "I don't want to, you aren't the boss of me, I can do it, My mom said so, etc....." He is quite the little helper and loves "my little brother." He got swimming stuff for his birthday and a stomp rocket. He spends a lot of time outside counting down to blast off the rocket. GREAT purchase on our part.

Oh, how we love these boys and the fun that they bring to our family. We are so glad to have them and can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Welcome Spring!!!

We had a big spring thunder storm yesterday. I was at the chiropractor trying to get my back and hip fixed (I have pinched the nerve canal going into my left leg.....tons of pain, not much walking and not fun at all.) the kids were at home with Mike in charge. The storm decided to get a little aggressive so the kids tried calling my cell phone a couple of times. I was in the room with the doctor and didn't know, so they called Bodie. He then called the dr office to get me. Apparently, the kids were in the storage room, scared to death because the wind had picked up our trampoline and dropped it 50 feet away. Then it decided to break our wooden play set in two and knock it to the ground. The basketball hoop got relocated to the end of the driveway on its side, and the burn barrels were blown around the house. The kids did a great job of going to the safe place in the house and taking a phone with them. They were full of energy when I got home, and wanted to tell me all about it. What a crazy thing to happen. Today is General Conference and Easter weekend, so I am hoping to get some rest and that maybe Bodie can fix the play set. It has many broken pieces, including the 4 X 4 posts that were anchored into the ground. It does not look promising.......

Tubing In OHIO

We had such a great time with Grandpa and Grandma Minster. They are always so great to us and we love all the fun we have together. This was just one of the outings that we had while there over the New Year. Everyone had a blast AND everyone took a turn. Too bad we don't have a picture of Grandpa in my coat :)

November 1, 2009

What an awesome day. Michael received the Aaronic priesthood and Aaron was blessed. We had both sets of Grandparents in attendance. It was so cool. We love our little family so much, okay maybe we aren't SOOOOO little, but we have a lot of fun.

Halloween

Just trying to catch up a little. We had a fun Halloween. The kids all enjoyed having the Cheney cousins come over for the trick or treating. Josh would only wear his costume for about 20 minutes, and then he was done. Dan wanted to be a big kid, but he just got to stay home and watch a movie with Mom, Josh and Aaron, much to his dismay. Michael graduated with his birthday to being a chaperone with Dad. He didn't mind too much especially when his brothers and sisters shared their candy with him. Good job kids.

Hello Again

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. A lot has happened since then, we had a baby!!!! It is amazing to me how much they change in such a little amount of time. These are just a couple of pictures. The first Aaron is only 3 weeks, the second he is 3 months. He is the best baby. Sleeps from 9 to 6 every night. What more could I ask for????

We have been crazy busy over the last few months. The boys are always busy with their sports and now is no different. Today Eli and Ben played against each other in basketball. Love the sport. I love what teamwork teaches kids. Eli played his heart out, but Ben's team is just better than his. Ben was a great big brother today. Because I know him, I could see that he was holding back. He played a great game, but I could tell he wasn't giving his all. A couple of times while running down the court, he would catch my eye and give me a "Benny grin". Oh, how I love that boy. I was so proud of my guys today.

Big Sister......

What will we do when Ruthie goes to school this fall. Actually, it is only weeks away for our kids. We will have 5 out of 6 of them in school for at least half of the day. Mike will be in middle school, 6th grade, Ben 4th, Eli 3rd, Ruthie Kindergarten and Joshua will be in pre-school. Poor little Dan. He will be so lonely. No one around to help do his hair, HELP him "play in the mud", and HELP him take naps.

Oh, how we love our Ruthie.

Summer Vacation

We love being around our extended family and had the wonderful opportunity to have 7 out of 8 of my siblings all together for a big family baptism and the fourth of July. Eli, and cousins Seth and Jared were baptized on July 4th in Vernal Utah. What a fun time we all had. Memories were made that the kids will not forget. Lots of chaos and many late nights. After the baptism we all went back to Pleasant Grove to my brothers house and stayed there for 4 more days. Here are a few photo highlights.......

Bodie and Eli. We are so proud of you Eli!!!

Jared, Seth and Eli. He is not happy that he is the shortest, hoping for a growth spurt soon:)

This is Bodie and Josh at Bridal Falls. WAVING "HI" to MOMMY!!!!!

All the grandkids that were present for the festivities. Just getting them all to sit and stand was quite an effort. They range in age from 24 to 1 year. 35 grandkids, with at least 1 more to come........
The siblings and spouses that were there. We are so blessed that we all have such a great time together. It never seems like enough time before we all have to get back to reality.

Just Cruizin'

Due to some slack that I have been taking, I will post a little about life around here:)  We are doing well.  Josh seems to be back into his swing and the medicines are working for now.  He and Dan are on about the same stage developmentally, so it seems like we have twin 2 year old boys.  They are trouble to say the least.  They are in the "mine" phase and we are hoping they get out of it soon.  Josh is still not verbal, which just means that he screams more than Dan because he gets frustrated at his inability to communicate his needs/desires.  I do have to admit that I love to hear, "no, no, Doshy. Me."  It makes me smile.  I am just hoping that the words rub off on Josh and he finds his voice soon.  They are both so sweet and are good for each other.  

Ruth is busy as ever.  She was bummed that we didn't sign her up for soccer this spring, but is loving all the time she is spending at the baseball fields watching the older brothers practice.  It is free time for her to get dirty.  She loves to draw and the dirt is a great easle.  She is cuter than can be and lost her first tooth last weekend.  So now she talks kinda funny and we all love it.  She is a huge help all the time and is willing to try any job as long as she is not alone.  She is really becoming Grandpa's little helper.  I think she talks his ear off, but he is becoming more tolerant.

Eli, Ben and Michael are all playing baseball, counting down the last few three weeks of school and can't wait for summer.  They are all doing well and having a good time now that spring has finally arrived.  I really have to be fast when they get home from school if I need anything done, otherwise I have to go searching for them outside.  They are currently building a fort with an old tarp and hay bales.  They have some old crate pallets that make for great walls.  They love to be outside and love even more to get out of chores.  They are great about including the little ones too.   Ruth has graduated to the "BIG KIDS" in their eyes, which is a wonderful thing for her. She is included in all the trouble now.  I would say they are pretty normal little boys. Michael is also playing soccer, so our week nights are spent at the ball park, with 6 baseball practices and 2 soccer practices and a soccer game every week.  If I make it through with my sanity, We will have to call it good.

The kids are very excited to have a new baby around the house.  Dan has gotten his own opinion about what he does and where he goes, so they think it will be nice to have one that they can just hold.  They all want a little girl.  Not surprising to hear from Ruth, but the boys think that she is too outnumbered.  Very considerate on their part.  They are pushing to find out what this baby will be.  Every day they put in their votes.  It is very fun for me to know that they are excited and always want to help.

Bodie is doing well at work.  His running has been cut down because of long hours at the  office and even longer hours as Dad.  He is great and always being available and willing for the "hand off" of kids.  One mom at preschool commented to me today that I am braver than she.  I just had to give credit to an amazing husband that is willing to step in and take over when I am "done".  She went on to say that she didn't know those kind existed.  I am grateful that I have one and count my blessings every day.  

I am great.  I am starting to feel better, although that should have happened weeks ago, I am happy it is finally here.  I had to bust out the maternity clothes today. At soon to be 17 weeks, that is almost okay with me:)  It will be nicer when I look pregnant instead of just fat.  At least, that is what I am telling myself these days.  I am happy to be getting some energy back and love the weather that I can go outside with the kids and enjoy our property.  

For those that don't know, my parents have moved in with us.  They are building an "apartment" in the basement.  It is going slower than all had hoped, but we still see the progress. It has been a lot of fun to have them here and the kids love it, most of the time.  It has been a huge blessing to Bodie and I since we have been in and out of the hospital again with Josh and we know that the kids are being well taken care of.  We love them and are grateful for their service.  

Ok, I have gone on and on and don't think I have any more to tell.  Maybe next time we will have some pictures to share.

HELLO!!!!

So we are wondering just how many people out there really do pay attention to this blog.  This is our official announcement. We are expecting #7!!!!!!  Hope all is well with everyone.  October 2nd here we come.

Wacky February

For those of you that don't live in the midwest, February is the craziest of months.  We have the wierdest weather all month.  For instance, right now, it is 70 degrees outside.  Two days from now, we are expecting snow.  Wierd.  It is like Mother Nature can't make up her mind.  For today though, we will take it.  My kids are loving it.  When the boys got home today, they ran in the house, stormed the refrigerator and then left again.  My favorite part?  They took the little guys with them.  I just went to check on them and they are all on the driveway playing basketball/dodgeball.  Danny is sitting on the bench watching and loving being outdoors.  What a fabulous day.

That heaven sent neighbor that pointed out my great kids, well she continues to be a saint. The next day, I woke up from a short nap (which I totally deserved, might I add....) to this. A wonderful chocolate cake, a hilarious card which advised me to take comfort that someone else was having a worse day, and a beautifully wrapped FIRE ENGINE. Just what I needed, a great laugh. Cake, fun and good friends. You can't ask for a better way to wake up from a nap.

Best Husband Ever

I didn't get pictures of the kids or myself, but look at this amazing husband of mine, still smiling at me after working so hard out in the fire. We were all exhausted and very dirty. Unfortunately, he had already had a chance to wash his face before I got the camera. You can imaging what he looked like if this is washed :)

My WORST Day

I wish that I could do justice to these sad excuses for pictures. Let me just say that the black area totals 20 ACRES. The picture on the bottom left was taken just for proof that the fire started over 50 feet from our burn barrels. So let me explain.........

It is the first part of February in the mid-west, not normally expected to be 65 degrees. So, I decide to be the best wife/mom ever and do the farm chores before everyone gets home. Then, I think, we should all be able to take a fun family bike ride or something. Maybe Bodie can go enjoy a nice run. Who knows, the possibilities are endless. I go out and decide it is a beautiful day, why not burn some of the trash while I am at it. We have a million boxes in the basement just waiting for a day like this. So, like hundreds of times before, I start the burn barrels. I am always super careful, unlike some other people in our family, names will not be mentioned, Bodie...... Anyhow, it is going well, so I go to finish feeding the sheep and chickens. Their water is almost full, so I go to check to see if I should start winding up the hose. As I turn back around, to my complete horror, my yard is on fire. At this point, Ruth, my stalwart helper, says, "I better get Grandpa." (My parents are out staying with us..)
A gust of wind came up and grabbed something from the barrel and took it to the dry grass. Within moments I was surrounded and completely helpless. Dad was out there with me. Mom, Ruth and I were dragging hoses to nowhere imparticular and everywhere all at once. It quickly became apparent that there was no way we were going to control this. So, I call 911. Our VOLUNTEER fire department got there 15 minutes later. I am sure that I uttered some less than nice things in the mean time. Of course, I didn't think to get the camera out during all this. These pictures were taken 4 hours later when we finally had it all under control. I called Bodie right after the 911 call. He made it home in surprising time. I think he may have sped, but I will never ask.:) I do have to comment on my kids. Ruth is fearless. She stayed by me until I made her and Mom go in the house. My mom as asthma, not really what you want when fighting a fire. When my 3 oldest boys got off the bus, we were in the thick of it. The fire dept was there, we were all working like crazy. I was so proud of my boys. They ran as fast as they could from the bus and dropped their backpacks on the back door and ripped off their school shoes. With farm boots on and shovels in hand, they all joined in on the line. Stomping and shoveling dirt. I might add that this was the first day in weeks that had been over freezing, so the shoveling was a daunting job. The ground was frozen solid just a few inches down. But they stuck with it. Like I said, we worked for 4 hours. My neighbor is the one who pointed out my boys. She just reminded me that "it should do my heart good to see my boys out working along side their Daddy." It did. I was just sad that I was the one who had caused all the work.
We were very blessed that day. The wind stayed blowing the right direction, away from all the animals and everyones houses. Bodie had to use the chain saw and cut some dead tree trunks down that were on fire, I think that was kinda fun. Although, at the time I was really worried. We all came in late that evening to strip out of very smokey clothes and eat some quick dinner. Never once did anyone really give me a hard time. I was quite impressed. We definitely counted our blessings together as a family. Although, fighting a field fire is not my kind of fun, it made me realize that all the reasons that we moved out here to the "country" are still in tact. Our family works hard together. We even had fun doing it, once the fire was under control, and our kids are learning the value of HARD STINKIN' WORK.


I should also add, that is absolutely the last time for a long time that I will attempt to do the burn pile. I definitely have had my share for a while. What a difference a day makes........

PINEWOOD DERBY

Ben had a great time this year at the Derby. He found a picture of the car he wanted to build. Dad and he cut it out and then he painted it. I got to help a little by drawing some lines on to help. I enjoyed being able to help.

We all had a blast watching the races. Grandpa and Grandma even came, which is always a favorite of the kids. Ben was pretty pleased with his car. It looked great and performed well. He was hoping to dominate two years in a row, but this year he was edged out at the very end. He took second!!!

We were proud of his hard work and his great sportsmanship. There were boys that were shedding tears and upset and Ben would try to console them and kept a smile on his face. We love you Ben. Thanks for being so tender hearted.

BAD Botox!!!

Those of you who don't know Danny, don't know that his upper lip wouldn't normally be protruding out over the top of his bottom lip like this. In only Danny style, he went plowing through the house yesterday at full speed, only to trip on his own two, tired feet. Face first, he plumeted to the floor. Not getting his hands up in time, his face took the hit. He was bleeding everywhere. His nose, his lip, his gums, it was hard to see what was bleeding and what was not. I thought poor Eli, who was standing near by when it happened, was going to lose his cookies. Many cups of crushed ice, popsicles, advil, and one very long night later, this is whathe looks like this morning. I have not yet fought the bear to clean the rest of his face up. That sounds like a fight for two this evening:) He is such a tough little boy. He has been running around all morning laughing with a very tight smile. The only time he has been sad today was when his request for "cooookkkiiieees" was denied first thing this morning. (That decision has been rethought and since then I have given in.....)

What a happy little boy who is full of love for life. This little "bout with bad botox" hasn't stopped him from climbing on the kitchen table, running into everyones legs or tackling his brother. He has such a great personality and so much of it. My favorite part of the day yesterday was watching the rest of the kids cuddle and spoil him for the remainder of the evening. He is going to be spoiled, I am sure. Just like the rest of them.....