2009 Summary

I have not been very good at blogging but I want to summarize 2009.

Our travels took us to Arizona (for a temple sealing), Virginia (for a wedding), Utah (for a race), and Washington (for a baby blessing). It was full of travel so we stayed home for Christmas and plan to vacation in Caldwell for Spring break.

Avalee completed Kindergarten and started 1st Grade. She is doing very well in school and is a sponge. If you read a word to her once, she will most likely remember it the next time she sees it. She is amazing. She is also learning to play the violin.

Lincoln completed preschool but had to take preschool again because he missed the deadline. If you ask him, he will tell you how frustrated he is to not be in Kindergarten. He enjoyed Christmas vacation because Avalee was home and his neighborhood friend could play with him because he wasn't at school.

Both of the kids are enrolled in gymnastics. Each has their different strengths but they are both becoming stronger. Lincoln is going to play baseball this spring. I am sure it will be entertaining.

Nathan and I both served in big callings for 10 months this year. I was released as RS President on November 1. It was a blessing to be home with my family but I miss serving. I have enjoyed organizing our house. I found diapers in Lincoln's closet and I know he has been potty trained for over 18 months.

We also took on the adventure of redoing the flooring in our entire house. What a task but it was well worth it. I love the new carpet and the pergo downstairs. In the process of redoing flooring, we put everything in our house into our garage. We did not bring anything back into our house that we did not need. We took a big donation for a tax write-off and had some good luck selling items on Craigslist.

Overall, 2009 was a great year. We have been blessed and have been healthy.

Lincoln's Excitement

After about five weeks, I finally had time to get to the grocery store last night. I took the kids with me because Nathan was at meetings. By the time, I got home, got the kids to bed, and the groceries in the house it was 9 p.m. So we put the perishables away and left all the non-perishables on the counter.

This morning I picked up one of Lincoln's friends on our way home from exercising. On the way in the door Lincoln got excited and said "I have something to show you". He then ran into the kitchen and said "Look, we have food to eat". He was so excited.

My poor kids have been such troopers in life. I guess know they can appreciate food a little more.

Downstairs

This weekend we got our downstairs flooring done. This was made possible by an awesome coupon at Costco and good friends and a grandma. We could not have done it without them!

This is where the fridge and stove sat on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Avalee was so excited to come down the stairs on Tuesday morning and see her life was back to normal.

The floor went really fast until you got to the edge. I think this picture shows them looking at a vent.

At one point, we had 12 neighborhood kids building structures out of the flooring boxes. It entertained them for at least three hours and then it got dark so they had to go home. Lincoln is in the kid in the back.

Here is the finished projected without the baseboards. The baseboards will be done this weekend. Lincoln is doing a trick for the picture.

Now I am off to the upstairs. I am not motivation to do the upstairs because I have a sinus infection but the carpet people will be here on Friday. The good news is I have the feeling back in my hands and they are no longer swollen. I actually got my wedding ring on yesterday.

Project

I am currently on break from our project. My body hurts and is tired. I need something to lift my spirits so I got the camera out and started posting pictures. The BEFORE--Avalee and Lincoln finding gloves to help. Avalee was sick so she stayed home from school and Lincoln was still sick. This was their burst of energy for the day.

Lincoln admiring the linoleum on the back porch.

Chipping at the sub-floor. It took me an hour to make this dent.

Many, many hours, lots of help from friends, and hurting muscles later. It is mostly gone. I only have under the fridge, the closet, and the edgework. Stay tuned for the AFTER.

Six Hours of Canning

On Monday, I tried to start canning and tried for four days. On Thursday night, I didn't have a choice because the food was going bad and we were leaving for the weekend. So in seven hours (7 p.m. to 2 a.m.) this is what Nathan and I accomplished. Pretty impressive!

Lincoln's Birthday

Lincoln's birthday celebration was a party with 17 kids ranging from 3 to 7, dinner at Red Robin ,and the Ice Age 3. I think he had a good time.

All the kids against Nathan in Tug-a-war. Nathan won.

Unwrapping the presents. I couldn't get all the kids in the picture.

Homemade Pikachu pinata.

Pikachu.

Pokemon ball cake.

Lincoln opening his presents from us.

Lincoln still can't smile on cue. We are still working on it.

Blessings

Lately, we have so many projects and calling related items in our life that we do what is needed to get by with life. When I heard it was going to freeze, I decided my tomatoes would just have to die because I didn't have time. I had some great neighbors show up and bring all my tomatoes in the house for me and saved them. I only have about 18 left that haven't turned red. What a blessing. I used these to make more salsa and spaghetti sauce.

I love good neighbors and am blessed to have so many.

Fort

Nathan got tired of the low hanging branches on our tree in the backyard. He cut down the branches and the kids asked for them. They took the branches from the trees and the sticks from the lilies and made a fort. We just watched their creative minds go.

Avalee's Homework

I am always by Avalee when she is doing her homework but I never watch the paper or pay attention. Her homework is not challenging for her so it is just something we do.

Today I hear the word "ass" coming out of her mouth over and over as she reads her homework. I started laughing and looked down at the paper. This is what I saw.

Say the sounds.
a s a s a s a s

I am sure there are parents laughing all over the valley tonite.

Lacey, my college roommate

My dear, sweet college friend's four-year daughter, Taylie, was diagnosed with Luekemia this month. I cannot imagine the heartache that Lacey is going through but I know she is a strong woman and will get through this trial. I have always admired Lacey's strength and good example. I can say that she helped me become who I am. I have not seen her in years but whenever I read the blog her family and friends have created I cry and just want to go visit her and help her family.

As Lacey is in Primary Children's with Taylie and expecting her third child any day, I ask that you please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. If you are interested in learning more, you are welcome to check out Taylie's website. http://www.tayliebug.com/

Too many posts

I have had so much fun posting today. Please click the older posts to see all the fun we have had in the last month.

Entertainment

Avalee, Lincoln, and our neighbor Sarah spent an hour straining my tomatoes. It took all three of them but they did it and had a great time. Sarah would put the tomato in; Lincoln would push it down; Avalee turned the handle.

A couple of tomatoes got Lincoln in the face because he pushed too hard so after a while her learned not to look in the bowl. The kids thought it was pretty funny that some tomatoes would "talk" to them and others would making "farting" noises. They laughed the entire time.

The positive side was it took them so long that some of the water drained out of the tomatoes as they were waiting in the bowl. It was the fastest I have ever cooked down a batch of spaghetti sauce. I think next time I will let the tomatoes sit for a minute after I get them out of the water.

Wahooz

When the bishop canceled our church meetings on Wednesday night, we head to Wahooz for there cheap night. Attractions are only $2 instead of the outrageous $6 or $7. We had been promising this to our kids all summer but didn't find the time until the first day of school.

Lincoln making a good effort to get a goal.

Avalee won but Lincoln made a couple of goals.

Lincoln going for a ride with Spiderman.

Avalee is very good at the spider game.

Avalee was a very good minature golfer.

Lincoln not so much. We really tried to help him but he didn't get it. I was crying at one point I was laughing so hard.

Showing off their golf balls and clubs.

Riding the go-carts. So much fun.

Lincoln and I after the bumper boats. I got really wet but it felt nice because it was a hot night.

This is the end of our summer fun!

First Day of School

Avalee started 1st grade this year. She is loving going all day and learning. She is not loving that school starts at 7:55 a.m.

This is the most normal picture I have gotten of both the kids in a long while.

Garden Explosion

When we got home, this is what we found in our garden. The neighbors had picked all they could eat. I have since made 20 jars of spaghetti sauce, 16 loaves of zuchinni bread, and three batches of zuchinni brownies. The tomatoes and peppers just keep ripening so salsa will be next.

Nathan's Birthday

No, Nathan did not turn 39 but it was the only candles we could find in the house. Since he lies about his age anyway, I decided it didn't matter.

Nathan checking out the ice cream situation.

The kids waiting patiently to eat cake.

From this point on, I gave Avalee the camera. She took pictures of Nathan's high school friends that were in attendance. It was a fun night for Nathan to have a birthday and catch up with old friends.

Kirk

Mark

Rachel

DC Zoo

I love the DC Zoo. They have the best animals and it is free. Avalee insisted on carrying this purse she had found. At each animal stop, she pulled out a toy animal of the animal we were visiting. I have no idea where she found these animals but it was pretty funny when we caught on to what she had done.

This is the first time the kids had seen a seal.

And they were so excited about the panda bear. Everyone else was also excited about the panda bear so it was hard to get a good picture.

The DC zoo has mist sprinklers in many locations. The kids loved to stand under them.

They would get completely wet but they were always dry when we got to the next one.