The Medina's

WOW! Where does the time go????

2010-02-23T12:49:00.000-08:00

Ok.... time to change the Christmas background and music! Seriously.... where does the time go? I have SO MANY pictures to post!... Figured I would at least save a page for all of it before summer is here!

January 16th!... Kev's big 40!!
February 3rd... Rachel's 2nd grade program
February 4th... Tate turns the big 5!!
February 6th... 12 five year olds!!! Tate's Star Wars/ Jedi Party!!

well...... hopefully I will get some pictures posted.... they are loaded on the computer.... so stay tuned and don't give up! The Medina's are a wild and busy bunch!

The kids and I made this fun sign for our yard... All morning Kev was like..... what's up with all
the road rage on a Saturday..... lol... He soon discovered why! The horn blarring continued the whole day! What fun! Happy 40th Birthday babe!

Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T20:01:00.000-08:00

2009-12-01T22:46:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

HaPpY HaLlOwEeN!

2009-10-31T10:55:00.001-07:00

All the kids had these fun indoor pumpkins as well...

Tate wanted them lit ALL day long the entire month!

Tate cookin' up some eyeball stew before

he and his cute friend Quincy get ready to head out!

The gang... actually let me take a picture before they headed off for their 2 hours of trick or treating "without parents"... aaaaahhhh why do they grow up so fast?!!

Morgan, Rachel, Parker, Mitchell & Tate!

(thanks for letting me hang with you still Tate!)

love the un-edited red eye in this picture!!They look like possessed trick or treaters! haha

Tate and cute Sadie! They went to a bunch of houses up on her street together!

Andrew, Tate & Abby! I just love following these cute kiddos around! What a fun age!

Travis & Tenille had this 10ft tall scary guy at their house!

Tate and Levi had no fear! Even posed for a picture with him!

Cool little dudes!
(awesome costume Uncle Marcus)

Tate & Levi... movin' on after their encounter with the 10ft clown!

SOO excited after receiving bubble gum at this house!!
Their Halloween manners were so stinkin' cute too...
they would say... "thank you and Happy Halloween!"

My traditional chili! Yummm!
Tasted so good while watching the Utes WIN later that night!

I roasted up the pumpkin seeds for everyone to enjoy!
SO SO SO much salt!!! Delish!

Here is Tate's finished jack-o-lantern!

(Kevin and the kids carved them on the front lawn...
Kevin used his electric SAWS ALL!!
that's my man!!! good thinking babe!)

the artwork...

Didn't get the back of Rachel's pumpkin... but it said BOO!

cute pirate look Rach!

Mitchell had drawn out a lizard (of course) on his pumpkin...
I think that's actually where Kev figured the saws-all would come in handy!
Looks awesome!

SOOO many pictures... here is a slideshow of Halloween Morning....

Monster Mashin' Medina's

2009-10-30T11:17:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

***Pause music at the right to enjoy our Monstar Mash!***
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

All Ready For Halloween!

2009-10-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

Seriously! I love how excited the kids get for Halloween. They are getting to the age now that I just bring the October totes up from the basement and they go to town! The first week in October I let them have at all the decorations! They were bouncing off the walls! And they actually did a great job with all of the decorations. So creative! Ok, I had fun as well... I always love transforming the house into fall!

Always have to include the pantry cupboard! Great work kids!

Today was the Halloween Parade at the Elementary School. Always such a big hit! Kevin & I were able to get away from work for a bit to go and join in the festivities! After the parade I popped by Tate's preschool and snapped a picture of them at his Halloween party! 2 more days and counting! The kids are SOOO ready! We hit Costco tonight for some candy and will spend their day off tomorrow carving pumpkins and making Chili! LOVE FALL!

HALLOWEEN PARADE 2009

Rachel Appleseed!

2009-09-30T22:39:00.002-07:00

Rachel's class has been studying Johnny Appleseed. They all dressed up last Friday for their party and look a like contest. Rachel won for her 2nd grade class! So darn cute! I would have to say she is the cutest Johnny Appleseed I have ever seen! Way to go Rach! Love ya!

BaCk To ScHoOL....

2009-09-08T08:53:00.001-07:00

I'm still not ready to say goodbye to summer.... but I do love the excitement the kids have to start a new year at school! You gotta love the first morning of school pictures! They were so patient with me.... sun in their eyes and everything! Love these guys!

Mitchell

Mitchell... 4th grade this year! Wow! Where does the time go?

Great kid! Super smart!

Rachel
Rachel.... 2nd grade..... Such a sweetie!

7 going on 17! Yikes!

Tate

The Tate Man!... 2nd Year of Preschool!

Next year Kindergarten!

Ok... then I really WILL cry!

He was so proud of his "all about me" cube!

Doorway into Miss Martha's Preschool! LOVE HER!

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Daybreak Lake & Backyard Fun with Friends!

NIGHT GAMES

More SUMMER fun!

2009-09-05T14:14:00.001-07:00

LaGoOn 2009

CoUsInS aT nOrThShOrE

SUMMER 2009

2009-08-03T22:20:00.001-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it's August already! I have fallen SO far behind on my journaling... but here is a fun slide show of some of our fun summer activities this far!

GOING PRIVATE!

2009-07-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

I have decided to make our family blog private. Please leave your email address if you would like to continue to view it. I am hoping to get back in the swing of things and keep it up to date more frequently! :)

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

2009-07-04T23:06:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Rachel!

2009-06-18T07:05:00.001-07:00

Happy 7th Birthday our Sweet Rachel! We cannot believe our little baby girl is SEVEN! She had a great birthday with family and dinner out... Then a big friend party at Cowabunga Bay on Friday! What FUN!! LOVE YOU RACHEL!

Spring Break in St. George!

2009-04-14T13:22:00.000-07:00

We had a blast in St. George for Easter! The weather was beautiful... we enjoyed some hiking, four wheeling, swimming... and hot tubbing... (of course)... and tons of Easter Fun!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MITCHELL

2009-04-06T14:42:00.001-07:00

Mitchell Kevin Medina

April 6, 2000

7 lbs 12 oz 20.5 inches

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY MITCH!

So, this year Mitchell told us that he wanted a treasure hunt to find his gifts on birthday morning! In the past we have always done the "follow the rope" game... but thought his idea was a fun twist! We had 9 different clues for him to track down his gifts! It really was a lot of fun! He got hooked up with a LOT of baseball gear. He is playing little league this year and loving it! Grandma and Grandpa were here the night before and for part of the morning of his birthday. That was so much fun! We went to Boondocks with them before they left and Mitchell got to try out his new bat in the batting cages. We went out to lunch with Kev... and then out as a family to Bounce On It in Lindon. HUGE trampoline place. Afterwards Mitchell picked Spaghetti Factory for his birthday dinner. He felt pretty cool because since it was his birthday they let him pick any table in the whole restaurant to sit at. He picked a table way up on the very top floor balcony. We had the area all to ourselves and a great server who didn't mind hoofing up and down all the stairs with our drink refills! We took a bunch of silly pictures! I don't know if it was all the brain rattling from the trampolines or the high altitude in the restaurant but ALL of us could not stop laughing the entire night. I LOVE hanging out and playing with my family! There is nothing better in the world! We are SO SUPER proud of Mitchell for the outstanding kid that he is! We are SO lucky to have him as part of our family! He is incredibly smart... is fun as heck to be around... and is a good example to all that know him! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUD!

An Early "HOPPY" Easter Present

2009-04-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Seriously! Kev & I are the biggest push overs! Well, actually Kev is... I wanted a bunny all along... we all went with Kev on his errand to IFA to get dog bedding and came back with this cute little bunny! Our rabbit cage in the backyard has been empty for about 2 years! SO... it was time for a new little bunny! Hmmmm.. kind of like our crib has been empty in the basement for 2 years.... yeah... ANYway! The kids are very excited about cute little TAZ (the tazmanian bunny) They PROMISE to help be the caretakers! Hey... what's childhood without a few fluffy pets? HOPPY EASTER!!

Aaaahhh! A "Spring" like Saturday!

2009-03-28T14:39:00.001-07:00

Oh yeah... spring means baseball

Mitchell getting some practice in the batting cages

Kevo the Soccer Coach!

Love ya Rach!

Tate enjoys his "bling bling rollin' thing" in the sunshine

Say NO to snow!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

2009-03-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

We LOVE to see the Temple!

2009-03-09T19:45:00.000-07:00

Kevin & I were lucky enough to have spent some time volunteering at the new Draper Temple when the open house first began. Tonight we took the kids up for a tour and had a wonderful time! I wish that I could have taken pictures in the temple. The kids were so cute. Tate just cracked me up and made everyone smile that he passed. He looked like a little missionary with his sports coat on... and he HAD to bring his blanket along (how could you deny a blanket the opportunity to be in the House of The Lord?)... and to top it off he had his temple brochure opened and checking things out as we walked along! Can you even picture! So priceless! Mitchell and Rachel were also very interested and loved seeing each of the rooms. I asked them afterwards how they felt in the temple. Mitchell said he "really liked being in there and it made him feel like nothing else mattered." Yep, his own words! Couldn't agree more buddy! Rachel said that "it made her tummy feel happy and she felt good and stuff"! What a BLESSING it is to have 4 temples right here in our very midst! Each one practically within eye shot of our very home! We are so grateful for the blessing of temples and for the opportunity of watching the Draper Temple construct right in our own backyard!

Here are some great pictures of the construction!

Park City Weekend!

2009-02-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

We were able to enjoy a fun weekend in Park City! Such a beautiful place right in our own backyard! Kevin was up there on business... And we were able to spend time playing together as a family every second in between! The highlight was tubing at Gorgoza Park! Ok, can I just tell you that Saturday was absolutely GORGEOUS! The kind of beautiful winter day... complete with fresh glistening snow.... blue as blue sky... and the sun bright as a summer day.... that one can only DREAM of enjoying! Does that sum it up for ya! Yeah... definitely a Staci kind of day! We enjoyed some much needed R & R! Played in the hotel... shopped... and ate at some great Park City restaurants! I will throw on a few pictures... but the lap top is SO slow! I hope to have my computer fixed soon and will have some serious catching up to do! So many fun pictures of Tate's birthday... the party... Rachel's drill performance... and for all of you so patiently waiting on the CRUISE pictures... they are all coming soon.....! So keep checking!

What a goreous day! What a hottie I'm hugging!
(double click on this one and check out the sun reflecting off my glasses!)
What a PERFECT day!

The kids were right in their element! Such fun!

Check out the awesome tracks behind us...
And a tow rope to get up the hill to boot!
I'm not sure who had more fun.... the kids.... or Kev & me!

It was such a warm beautiful day... We had our gloves off most of the time!

Taken on the balcony of our hotel room!
I LOVE all of the huge trees up in the mountains!
You can just taste all of the extra oxygen up there!

We had dinner at Squatters one night!
They make a mean turkey mushroom burger!
Thanks for a fun weekend!
Love ya babe!

Valentine's Playgroup...Birthday at Backyard Adventures...And Alta Mini Drill Rachel!

2009-02-08T21:06:00.000-08:00

What a fun and action packed Friday we had! The day started off with playgroup at our house! I really love these little kiddos! We talked about Valentine's Day... made paper heart and straws necklaces.... and frosted heart shaped cookies! I have so many cute pictures! Seriously... if anyone wants to come over and try to revive my computer I would LOVE you! But for now I have to settle with just documenting in words on the good ol' laptop. Anyhoo... Such a fun morning. I always look forward to when it's my turn. We have a blast.
After playgroup Tate and I ran a few errands before the big birthday bash at Backyard Adventures! Tate was SO excited! The kids had a total blast running and jumping and sliding and climbing all over the place! Ok... Kev & I had just as much fun too! That place is great! Although I think I pulled a muscle or something in my hip. Oh my am I getting old? Anyway what a fun 4th birthday party! I made the cutest cupcakes cones. They were cupcakes in ice cream cones all frosted to look like an ice cream cone. You'll just have to wait for the pictures. You'll be impressed I'm sure. Tate got some really great gifts and had an absolute blast with all of his friends! There were 18 kids.... boys and girls! TOO cute!
Immediatly after Backyard Adventure we headed home to have a quick dinner. Kev whipped it up... thanks baby! I helped get Rachel all dolled up... hair done... a little makeup... and ready for the Alta High School basketball game. She and a bunch of her cute friends took a drill team clinic all week and they performed at half time at the game! WAY CUTE! Rachel did an excellent job! She knew every dance move! She smiled and looked as cute as can be! It was fun to sit in the stands with all our friends watching the girls! It brought back high school memories of watching the games. I remember watching my hunk o husband on the football field! Mmmmm! Seriously though... scary to think that was 20 years ago! Yikes!
We are so proud of our kids! They are such a joy and so much fun to be around! We love their personalities and the many things that they are in to. They make us laugh! We had a fun weekend!

My Baby is 4!!!

2009-02-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Tate! We had such a great day! I was able to take the day off of work and spent the entire day playing and enjoying my kids! I can't believe Tate is 4 years old! I will post pictures asap! My computer is way sick and I can't get any pictures on right now! But we had an exciting day! Action packed.... super fun birthday! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH TATER!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEV!

2009-01-17T15:22:00.001-08:00

I love this picture of Kev and me! We are such a great team! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!
We enjoyed a fun family dinner and ice cream last night to celebrate Kev's birthday! The kids made the cutest cards to surprise him with! I love how excited all of them get for birthdays! They wanted to know if I was going to do the "follow the rope" game! Too cute huh? Tonight I have a babysitter and have planned a date night movie and a couple extra surprises for him!! Uh- HUH! Maybe I will get out that rope~ Ok, NO... don't worry! I won't be posting any pictures! LOVE YOU KEV! Thanks for being such a fun and amazing husband and friend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The Sugar Bowl was SWEEEEEET!!!

2009-01-02T23:30:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2009-01-01T11:09:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T21:47:00.001-08:00

Christmas Sunday!

2008-12-21T20:00:00.001-08:00

I love the Sunday before Christmas! We are always blessed with the most wonderful Christmas Program in Sacrament meeting! The music the entire day was beautiful and the spirit particularly strong! I always come away strengthened and with renewed gratitude for the many ways in which the spirit testifies to me! I am so very grateful for this time of year! For the opportunity to reflect on my life and the ways in which I can improve. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who is SO very patient with me! And for this glorious time of year in which we celebrate the birth of our Savior! I love the Savior with all my heart! I celebrate his birth and give thanks for His life, His attoning sacrifice and for the example that he is in my life!
Merry Christmas!
Below are a few pictures we took after church. I love surprising the kids and Kev with new outfits for Christmas Sunday. Everyone was so patient with my picture taking! Thanks guys! I love you all very much!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

2008-12-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

Well... after a late Thanksgiving this year the house has quickly been transformed into Christmas! The kids had a great time helping me inside and assisting Kev with the outdoor lights! I am SO blessed! I love the excitement and pure joy that the kids radiate! It is so much fun to be a part of. I love how warm and cozy the house feels with the Christmas decorations! It brings such a wonderful spirit. We love this time of year and we are so very grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the birth of Our Savior. Welcome Christmas Season!

WAY TO GO CUTE PEOPLE!!
(I definitely think the candy canes in their mouths the WHOLE time did the trick!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2008-11-27T18:16:00.001-08:00

Can't let the season get away without the traditional picture of my pantry cupboard!

So many projects from all three kids this fall!
Way to go Mitch... Rachel... & Tate!!
I am so THANKFUL for each of you!!

FUN WEEK!! WHAT A GAME!!

2008-11-22T19:35:00.001-08:00

It was all RED all week at Dr "J's" office!

Corie's a cougar... but seriously... is she cute or what!

Two WAY wacky... and WAY darling assistants!

The entire office was decked out in UTE!
Makes even the sterilization room fun!

Lounging on the couch in between patients!!
This UTE week is wearing us out!!

Ok.... we'll forgive the blue gloves for you Whit!

That's it!! I'm standing on my hands until Dr J comes out to check my patient!

Whoa! Can't tell that shot was done with the timer can ya!?
Love ya Andrea!

GO UTES!!!
Thanks Dr. J for a fun week at the office!

..........................................................................................................................................................................

Saturday November 22nd...
GAME DAY PREPARATIONS!!

The kids and I are counting down the hours!
Waiting for Kev to get home so the party can begin!!

All decked out in their RED!!
I LOVE these cute kids of mine!

Their enthusiasm is CONTAGIOUS!!

Way to go Rach! You are a DOLL!

Oh Tate!!! I love you buddy!

THREE of the CUTEST UTE fans on the PLANET!!

What a fun way to spend the day pre-game!!

Mom & Dad were here to attend the game in person!

UTE football!! A family tradition!!

..........................................................................................................................................................................

FOOTBALL PARTY!!
Note: more kids than adults!!!
PRETTY FUN AND CRAAAAAZZZYYY!

So fun to have Avery here cheering on the Utes!

Cute Rylee too!!
We had RED & BLUE at this party!
We LOVE the Williams!
Even if they cheer for the "boogars"... I mean Cougars!!
(thanks Cole)

UTES WIN 48 to 24!!!

WOOOO HOOOOO
And the crowd goes WILD!!

This Speaks For Itself!

2008-11-20T21:05:00.000-08:00

UTAH vs. BYU Rivalry??

2008-11-17T22:14:00.000-08:00

Ok... SO SO SO cute!! Last weekend we had the darling Williams kiddos! Tate and Bo played WAY hard... sun up to sun down! This is what one night brought! One crashed UTE fan... One even more crashed BYU fan! (I know... I know... I was responsible for this little dude!!! I had to let his Cougar blanket into our home! ARRRGH!) Love ya Tate and Bo!

Kicking off UTAH vs. BYU week!!!
GO UTES!!

TIME FOR TURKEYS!

2008-11-14T15:13:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness! I just love hosting playgroup! Today it was at our house for the letter "K" and some turkey business! We practiced outlining the letter K... discussed many things that begin with the letter K... and sang the alphabet jumping up when we got to the letter K.
We also talked about turkeys and the sounds that they make! WAY cute! Especially when Tate yelled out that they say "cockadoodle doo!!!" Ok, hey.. rooster... turkey... not too far off huh... Then I told them a story about how "Tom the Turkey" got his feathers. I made 8 different colored turkeys and feathers to go along with the story. They all wanted to pose for a picture with the different turkeys. They also humored me with allowing me to take a timed picture of me reading the story to them! Seriously.... our kids just know the importance of preserving moments in photographs! I love it when they all run to the camera..." I want to see... I want to see..." Remember our childhood days of waiting for the film to be developed at Costco to see if we obtained any viable pictures?? Anyway... all that activity warranted a snack! We frosted cupcakes and downed a few Capri Suns. Then we put together a turkey puppet. The welcoming activity was coloring the head and mouth. So we then attached them to a brown paper sack complete with feathers! I did a puppet show for them myself first. I hid behind the couch and used their puppets. I realized part of why I love teaching this group! The are a HUGE boost for self esteem. I had them rolling on the floor laughing at my silly show. I love these kids! Then all of the kids got back behind the couch and presented their own version of "TURKEY TIME"! I also showed them how to use chairs and a blanket for their stage in case moving their mom's couch was not an option... These little kiddos are a riot! As I was preparing all the crafts for departure time... the boys were running around like crazies and the girls starting playing "teacher" of "playgroup" OH MY!!!! SO SO CUTE!!! What a fun morning of preschool playgroup! Happy Thanksgiving Andrew, Bo, Tate, Abby, Ella and Haylee! I love ya!

***So... you probably noticed that Tate is not in any of the pictures! He was really being a pill and wouldn't participate in half of the activities... So here are some pictures of him following a regular preschool day last week... Where he luckily behaves! I guess it's somehow different when the mommy is the teacher! Anyway... they made these cute turkeys and Tate was so excited for the first real big snow of the season! He can be a stinker... but I love him SOOOOO much!!

10-0 baby!!!!

2008-11-07T21:43:00.001-08:00

WOOOO HOOOOO! How about those Utes!!! What a great game last night! Kevin was lucky enough to attend the "black out" in person!..... ( Thanks Dylan and Nat! "U" guys rock!) and I ordered it up on Comcast and jumped up and down in our family room until I was in tears! We are so proud of our Utes! 10-0! Their flag flies proud on our front porch! Bring on those Cougars!

Gooooo UTAH!!!

Halloween Parade... Trunk or Treat... & Neighborhood Fun!

2008-10-31T21:51:00.000-07:00

HaPPy HaLLowEEn 2008!

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids earlier in the month "BOOING" our neighbors! I'm never sure who gets this up and running in the neighborhood... but we sure have a great time participating and leaving little Halloween treats for our neighbors!

Ready to head out for some serious "BOOING"!!

Oh, so sneaky!

Hiding out... click on this one and check out Tate's face!! So stinkin' funny!

Mission Accomplished!! WOO HOO!!

SCHOOL HALLOWEEN PARADE
KIDS...COUSINS...FRIENDS...FACULTY
SO CUTE!!

TRUNK-OR-TREAT

NIGHT TIME TRICK-OR-TREATING
THE PARTY CONTINUES...

Ok... this is the ABSOLUTE best!! Pause the music to the right and enjoy this short video clip of the kids in action!
And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

5 People Picking Pumpkins at a Pumpkin Patch!

2008-10-30T20:13:00.001-07:00

Costume "Dress Rehearsal"

2008-10-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

The kids are SOOO excited for Halloween!! They wanted to run around in their costumes tonight for practice! I love the excitement that they have for everything! Rachel has been checking off the boxes on her countdown calendar every morning! Tonight was a lot of fun! We even went next door to our cute neighbors Heather and Jim so the kids could warm up their "trick or treat" voices!! They sounded GREAT! I'm sure they will have no problem on Friday night! So here are some sneak peak pictures of their costumes. Two UTE football players and Camp Rock's own Demi Lavato! So cute! I figured I might as well get pictures while they would still pose and are not crazy high on sugar!! 2 more days!!

SPOOKY Kitchen Art!

2008-10-28T23:29:00.001-07:00

It's becoming tradition to take a picture of the kids seasonal artwork. They love taping all of their hard work to the pantry doors in the kitchen. I love the projects they do and I love preserving the memory in a photograph! Mitch, Rachel & Tate all contributed this year! Tate actually did the witch, frankenstein, the top ghost & the leaf mobile! Nice work buddy! Great job to all of you! Happy October!!!

Rachel's Halloween Countdown!!

2008-10-27T22:25:00.001-07:00

Ok, so is this just the cutest thing you have ever seen??? Rachel loves to draw and write and organize... Kevin and I were in the kitchen tonight and this is what we found hanging on the cupboard!! Not sure when she created this masterpiece... but she obviously wanted to plot out this fun Halloween week! Kev and I thought it was TOO CUTE!!
You might have to click on it to see it better but the top box says..."Monday omost Hallwoe" then "Tussday clows to Hallween" "Wenday omost" "Thiday so clows!!!!!" "Friday Hallween!" We seriously could not stop smiling!! We really are getting so "clows" to Halloween! I am so in love with my kids!!! They are so much fun!!! And their excitement for things in life is absolutely contagious! Thanks Rach for you fun "Calnder"!!

My Dad Rocks

2008-10-12T23:20:00.000-07:00

We had a great time last weekend in St. George watching my Dad compete in the Huntsman Senior Games! He raced in 4 different cycling events and did a couple of basketball competitions! Final medal count.... 1 GOLD 1 BRONZE 2 Fourth place ribbons! The cycling events were: Tues: HILL CLIMB... riding to the top of Snow Canyon (sometimes as much as an 11% incline!) Wed: TIME TRIALS... 20K fastest time race through the canyons just outside of St. George. Thurs: CRITERIUM... this consisted of 13 laps (1.5 miles each) through a triangular street circuit! Each turn 120 degrees! YIKES!! Fri: 37K ROAD RACE... this was the event we were able to be there for! Kevin and I dropped him off in Gunlock to start the race and they raced up "the wall" and to the top of Snow Canyon and then back to Ivins! We were able to follow along in the truck and take a couple of picture before heading to wait for him at the finish line! What fun! I am so proud of my Dad!! And the kids thought that Grandpa was awesome! Way to go Dad!!
Saturday was also his 72nd birthday so we had a great celebration that evening!! We are just so proud of you Dad!! Thanks for letting us cheer you on and enjoy such a great weekend with you!

37K ROAD RACE

The starting line at Gunlock!

Waiting at the start lineup.

Away they go...

This is when we passed him in the truck on the way towards the steep climb. aka "the wall"
That's DAD leading the peliton!!!! SWEEEET!

Racing last stretch to the finish line! Beat the guy behind him for the BRONZE!

The Finish Line!
(my mom has the picture of him actually crossing I will have to get... I was waiting to cheer him into the last stretch and Kev was the photographer at the finish line! )

Taking a cool down lap after finishing!

The kids were SO proud of their grandpa!

Back at home with his medal!

Way to go Dad!

This is a picture his awesome neighbors Roger & Peggy took of the GOLD he got in the criterium race!
They were his pit crew and cheering section until we (my mom was with us because she had been here for baby Jordan) all got to St. George!
THANKS ROGER & PEGGY!

Everybody had fun making his birthday cake!
(nice bike and medal stand picture by Kev... good job babe!)

The kids surprised Grandpa with horns at the end of the birthday song!!
(then after about an hour and a half of them afterwards... the party horns made their way to a REALLY good hiding spot!)

We Love You Dad & Mom!
Thanks for a fun St. George visit AND for keeping the kids there this week for continued FUN!
See you next Sunday!

"What Is Fall?"

2008-10-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 3rd was my turn to host Tate's preschool group! I had SO much fun! His friends are way cute and we had a blast! Mitch and Rachel were off track so they were able to help out and join in on the fun! My topic was "What is Fall?" This is a note I had to welcome the kids. We also had colored leaves on the ground leading the way up to the front door. The kids thought that was pretty neat!

Rachel took this picture of me... I told them a story about what happens to a tree when it's leaves begin to change colors. I was the tree here blowing in the wind and dropping my leaves for the kids to catch!

Then we read a poem about leaves. They would hold up their color of leaf when it was mentioned in the poem! They were so attentive and FUN to talk to!
(click on the picture and check out Bo's face!!! These cuties are seriously easy to entertain!!)

During craft time we made macaroni and leaf necklaces. We also practiced our cutting and gluing skills and put together a leaf mobile.

Snack time was a hit! Orange filled oreos and apple juice!
Nothing cuter than a 3 year old covered ear to ear in chocolate oreo! Priceless!!

They all posed for a picture with their crafts! Great job kids!
(Tate was being a stinker and wouldn't get in the picture)

This was the poem on our leaf mobile!
We sang it to the tune "5 little monkeys jumping on the bed"

Andrew, Abby, Haylee, Ella, Boston & Tate...
Thanks for spending the morning with me!
Can't wait until my next turn!!

Sweet Baby Jordan

2008-10-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness! I am in LOVE with my new niece Jordan! My brother and sister-in-law are SO excited to have her in their family! Jordan Elaine Flowers was born at 12:30pm October 2, 2008! She weighed 8 lbs 5 oz and was 20 inches long! She looks like an angel! She is just the sweetest baby! We had a great time cuddling and kissing her today at the hospital! We love you very much Jeff & Deb!! And big brothers Jeffrey and Hayden! Congratulations!!

All of us with Deb and little Jordan

Proud new Dad!

Aunt Staci LOVES Jordan!

Uncle Kev.... the chics always love him!

I remember when Mitchell was that size! Time sure FLIES!

Rachel ADORES her sweet new cousin!

Oh my Tate!!! You are so soft and loving!

WE LOVE YOU BABY JORDAN!

PINEWOOD DERBY!

2008-09-18T21:12:00.001-07:00

Mitchell had a great time tonight in his first Pinewood Derby! He and Kevin worked hard on his car and had a ton of fun racing it! Mitchell made it to the Final 4! He ended up with 4th place and was super proud! He has such a great group of friends in the Scouting Program with him and leaders who are outstanding! It was fun to see the guys all having such a fun time racing their cars!

What a fun night! You are an awesome kid Mitchell!

Whoa.... the car....
Mitchell googled cars on the internet and told Kev he wanted a Lamborghini... alrighty then...

Two proud guys!

Mitchell got to race about 20 times!
This picture was the top 4 racers!

Kev was there for every pit stop to graphite the axels...

There was some serious competition!
I was happy to see that all the boys had such a fun time!

And they're off!!

The awesome cheering section!

The scoreboard...

The best part about the Derby... the buds and their cars!

Mitchell and Dallin the champ! Way to go Dal!

Mitchell sanding his car a couple days before the race!

He was able to put the power tools to use!
There was a LOT of testosterone in the garage that weekend!

Aaahhh! Finally the paint job!

GREAT JOB MITCHELL AND KEVIN!

GOT PASSPORT???

2008-09-15T23:39:00.001-07:00

Our passports arrived today!! We are so excited! Applying for and obtaining them was such a great teaching opportunity for the kids! We are so privileged to live in the United States of America! We are truly blessed! And we are COUNTING the days until December!! WOO HOO! Thank you U.S. Department of State!!! For such an efficient and speedy delivery of our passports!

Ok.... I admit it!!

2008-09-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

My big kiddos are back to school as well! Actually for a month now! Wow it's flown by. I guess I'm finally just admitting to myself that summer is over and school has begun. Mitchell and Rachel started the end of July... and at that time I was really in denial. However... we have managed to make use of every spare moment the past month and still play summer time style.... and we're crossing our fingers for a few more weeks of outside fun!
I am so excited for Rach. She is in FIRST grade and loving it! The whole day school thing has not even phased her! She has so many cute friends! I think she really loves the structure of school and is really excelling thus far!
Mitchell started THIRD grade. He is smart as a whip as well. They have begun to learn cursive handwriting and is doing really good. He is super fun and has a ton of friends. I am so thankful that they enjoy school and do so well. What a blessing.

My Baby started PRESCHOOL!!

2008-09-03T23:22:00.001-07:00

Tate started preschool today and we are so proud of him! He was on cloud 9!! You could hear it in his voice! He is so excited to be a big boy and head off to school like his older brother and sister! We found him a cool Tony Hawk backpack that is as big as he is and he won't let it out of his sight! Kevin dropped him off at school and he ran right in! He had an assignment to bring some small items in a little bag provided by Miss Martha that would tell something about him. He wanted to take the two "T" blocks from his name that is on his dresser. One he said... was to represent his name Tate... and the other for Tony! I thought that was pretty smart that he knew that fact... he also took some of his small toy skateboards to show the class that he loved skateboarding and riding his scooter. I am just so proud of all that Tate has become in his little 3 years! He is just the funniest dude ever! I love spending time with him and will miss him the couple of days a week that he goes to school! Here are his first day of school pictures. Bad timing that the little neighbor boy scratched the heck out of Tate's face yesterday! But he is so stinkin cute all the same! I wish I could freeze time a little. Tate...... please don't let me blink and you are all grown up!....... WE LOVE YA!

click on the picture to see his cute little "thumbs up"!

That backpack ought to last him until 6th grade!

Seriously Tate!! Could you be any cuter?!!!!

3rd Medina Child to Miss Martha School
WE LOVE MISS MARTHA!
Have a great year Tater Bug!

IT'S THE ROUND FACE ISN'T IT??

2008-08-29T09:57:00.001-07:00

Fun stuff below. I got a great link to myheritage.com from my cousin Dan. I think Mitchell looks just like Kev personally... but my round face is probably tipping the scales. Try it... it's fun! You can also create your own family tree!

Medina Look-alike Meter

2008-08-29T09:56:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Medina Look-alike Meter

2008-08-29T09:38:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Medina Look-alike Meter

2008-08-29T09:23:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Tate's Perspective

2008-08-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

Nat and Rachel had these questions on their blog. So, I decided that I would ask Tate and get his 3 year old answers to some deep questions! Thanks for the idea gals!

"What is something Daddy always says to you?“
Keep my pull ups dry

What is something Mommy always says to you?“
Who loves you?...Mommy!!

What makes Daddy happy?
When I keep my pull ups dry

What makes Mommy happy?
to ride my bike

What makes Daddy sad?
I don’t know

What makes Mom sad?
If I don’t get my pull ups dry (ok... we're really not trying to make him OCD... he's potty trained..wears underwear the whole day... etc... but major pee fest at night...any suggestions?)

How does Daddy make you laugh?
He guitars to me (holds him like a guitar and sings the mountain dew song)

How does Mommy make you laugh?
you do the fishes on my neck

How old is your daddy?
5 (held up fingers)

How old is your mom?
5 (held up fingers)

How tall is your dad?
tall like mommy

How tall is your mom?
I don’t know

What is daddy's favorite thing to do?
some work

What is momma’s favorite thing to do?
love me (oh my goodness…. Was that the cutest answer ever!!)

What does your dad do when you're not around?
ride the bling bling (he calls his little battery car a bling bling) (picture that... that's funny)

What does your mom do when you're not around?
washes dinner and puts it in the oven

What is your dad really good at?
builds 4 wheelers

What is your mom really good at?
fixing cupcakes

What does your dad do for his job?
works at his work oh… hi daddy’s work (whenever we drive past Kev's work the kids yell... "hi daddy's work)

What does your mom do for her job?
clean the peoples 'teeff'

What is your dad's favorite food?
pancakes

What is your mom’s favorite food?
'samwiches'

If your dad were a cartoon character, who would he be?
Sponge Bob

If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Mr. Crabs (hmmm ok)

How are you and your dad the same?
we ride on 4 wheelers

How are you and your mom the same?
play dinosaurs

How are you and your dad different?
huh, I don’t know

How are you and your mom different?
I don’t know

If Dad was an animal what would he be?
a tiger

If Mom was an animal what would she be?
a elephant, a nice elephant…..

(ok, so at least I'm a nice elephant! But Mr. Crabs?? should I be worried about how my children view me??)

Thanks for your cute answers Tate! We love ya!

15 YEARS BABY!!

2008-08-12T21:58:00.001-07:00

Kevin and I celebrated our 15th wedding Anniversary today! Kev surprised me by sending these beautiful flowers to my work! What a treat! Thanks babe! They are gorgeous!

~Beautiful eucalyptus, lilies and 15 roses for 15 wonderful years~

Here's a little blast from the past.... I can't believe it has been 15 years since this dream of a day!
What an adorable couple huh?

Oh my! Look at these baby faces! Boy were we young!

Happy Anniversary!!

8-12-93

I LOVE YOU!

OUR FIRST TRIATHLON!!

2008-07-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Kevin and I competed in our FIRST triathlon last Saturday! We were in Burley, Idaho for the Spudman. What an exilerating experience!!! We finished very proud and had a TON of fun! Here are some great pictures THANKS to TENILLE!!! She, Rylee, Boston, Mitchell and Rachel were our cheering section.... Tenille was the star kid wrangler and athlete photographer! We LOVE ya Nille-mom!

Now those are a couple of happy faces!!

(Kev can even hold me on his back after all that! WHAT A MAN!)

The kids had a blast and were SO good!

We had a fun car ride chatting and goofing around!

The race consisted of a 1 mile swim in the Snake River... A 26 mile bike ride... and a 6.2 mile run! This is us before the swim... My wave was just about to begin...Mitchell and Rachel were there to toss us into the river!!!

Ok, that's a scary picture... but I figured I'd post it anyway! Wow, bright swim cap, goggle eyes... and cavity free! That's what a swimming Dental Hygienist looks like before a big race! Click on and enlarge at OWN risk!!

We were so happy to have 2 of our 3 cute kiddos there to watch the race! That meant a lot to us! Tate stayed at home. We missed ya buddy!

Getting ready for the swim start! Can you see me with my arms up!! Geeez.... always about the pictures.... Get your head in the game Stac!!

Kev had the fashionable orange cap! Lookin' hot babe!

Kev the fish

My swim wave waiting for the GO horn!
(I was a few heads to the outside of the orange and white buoy)

Travis, Kev and I taking our bikes to the T1 bike transition the day before!

They had a carb dinner for us the night before the race. I'm talkin a plate load of carbs!

There were rows and rows of bikes... we set things up just right for a quick transition from our wet suits to the bike!

This is T2 the bike to run transition. We crossed the bike finish line and then quickly racked our bike and put on our running shoes for the last 10K run. Beautiful country huh? The trees up there were gorgeous!

Another view of the T2 area. We had our running shoes and hats set out there the night before.

bikes heading in to the T2 area

We have some video of us coming from bike to run..... and then running to the finish line that I will try and post asap! There aren't any still pictures... the running course was out on the dirt roads and through the town of Burley... Fun stuff!

THE FINISH LINE!!!
WE DID IT!!!

Such a proud moment!

Paul, Kevin and Travis!
The guys trained together over the months.... way to go studmen!!

Group shot! What a FANTASTIC way to spend a Saturday morning! Bryan Flamm was also there... we missed him for this pitcure!

~SEE YA NEXT YEAR BURLEY~

**WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER OUR MOST HEART FELT CONDOLENSES TO THE FAMILY OF DONALD MOREHOUSE. DONALD WENT UNDER IN THE 6TH SWIM WAVE OF THE MORNING. WE EXTEND OUR LOVE TO HIS WIFE AND FAMILY AND MANY FRIENDS. WE ARE SO VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.**

DAYS OF 47'

2008-07-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love the month of July! I am so grateful to live in a free country and have the opportunity to honor our great Nation and the men and women who have fought for and continue fighting for those rights! I feel equally as blessed to live in such a wonderful state where the gospel is so abundant. I love the 24th of July holiday! What a testimony to our early brothers and sisters who set such a great example of faith. I am always so humbled when I think of the sacrifices made by the Pioneers and the great love they had for our Father in Heaven!
Our family had a fun week celebrating Draper Days the Saturday before the 24th. We spent time at the carnival and watched fireworks at night. On Monday we met our cousins at the South Towne Expo for the float preview party and were able to see up close many of the floats that participated in the parade! The 24th day was spent swimming and goofing around the house. That night we went to the Mayan for dinner and then did our own fireworks in the driveway. Pyromaniacs.... it's all about lighting the fireworks for the kids! What a fun week! I took a ton of pictures as usual so below is a slide show of all 3 days of fun! HAPPY PIONEER DAY!

FUN....FIREWORKS... and FAIRY'S!

2008-07-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! (a little late) We had such a great day! Rachel came into our room bright and early to announce that her tooth was loose!! It wasn't just a little loose... it was REALLY loose! What a fun way to start off the 4th of July! We jumped out of bed to celebrate and by the time we were ready for the carnival she had wiggled it out! SO stinkin' cute! Congratulations Rachel on loosing your first tooth!

"Here's my tooth!!"

Such a classic 6 year old smile!

She was a little nervous about the tooth fairy visiting her room.... So we taped the tooth and her note to the front door so that she wouldn't have to come inside..... mission accomplished! The cute little tooth fairy left her surprise on the front porch!

The rest of our Fourth of July was a BLAST! Below is a slide show of the carnival we went to during the day! The kids were in HEAVEN! So many rides!! Cotton candy......snow cones..... and an afternoon of fun! Then we enjoyed the Sandy City Parade and went home to BBQ and light fireworks with about 100 neighbors!
OH TOO FUN!

CLASS OF 2020

2008-07-02T22:57:00.001-07:00

WOW! Graduating from kindergarten and moving on to the 1st grade! Where has the time gone? We are so proud of Rachel! She has grown so much this year and has become so darn smart! Her graduation today was darling! She sang all of the songs and said her part perfectly! So much fun to watch. But I am not looking forward to her next graduation. 2020 will be a neat year to graduate... but PLEASE..... let time go by a little slower!!! WE LOVE YOU RACH!!

pause the music at the right for this darling video clip...

Rachel and Mrs. Graham... what a DARLING teacher!!

Class mascot... "TED-E-BEAR"

Cute Kindergarten Aide.... Mrs. Nancy

B.F.F... Sara, Rylee, Bella, Rachel, Olivia

Slurpee with Mitchell after the graduation!

Rachel's Party! WOO HOO

2008-06-30T22:55:00.001-07:00

Rachel's birthday party was a HIT! She wanted an Alvin and the Chipmunks party.... and that's what she got! SUPER FUN! As each girl arrived they chose which "chipmunk" they wanted to be and Kevin and I made t-shirts for them to wear! Kev designed and did the iron on while I painted their fingernails in the cooresponding color.... red, blue or green! The t-shirts turned out sooo cute! (great job babe!) The back said "Rachel's Chipmunk Party 2008"

Here are the cute kiddos... Olivia and Avery had gone before we got this picture... darn... but you get the idea of the cute little rascals!

The girls modeling their colorful nails!

They loved the fishing game...

Thanks for helping me set it up Tate!! (I put the tape on the fish and he stuck them in place!)

The cake turned out darling and was yummy!

Such DARLING friends!!

Thanks for sharing Rachel's special day!!

Group HUG on Rachel!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY cute "Simon"/Rachel!!

WE LOVE YOU!

Rachel's friends are so darling! Here is a fun slide show of the party girls!

RACHEL is SIX years old!!

2008-06-18T22:12:00.001-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL!!

The famous birthday rope

She's really concentrating!

Oh Yeah...up and over the chair...

She found her gifts! You're so stinkin' cute Rachel!

She chose the Old Spaghetti Factory for her birthday dinner

Happy Birthday Dear Rachel!

We surprised her with her special gift... pink and white heelys!!

What a GREAT DAY! Ride Safe Big 6 year old!!

A Day Out With Thomas!

2008-06-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend was a blast! I thought I would post some pictures of the fun! On Friday I took Rachel and Tate to Heber to see THOMAS THE TRAIN! Kevin was at work and Mitchell at school so it was just the three of us. We had a blast! The kids could hardly sleep the night before. We drove up and went for a ride on the train and did ALL of the activities at the Thomas carnival. We actually did everything about TWICE! It was very cute! Then we had lunch in Heber before driving home. What a fun day!

WE LOVE THOMAS!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Saturday we packed up and headed for St. George. Aaron and Michelle and the kids went too. When we pulled in the driveway the kids all ran to the pool room and threw on the extra suits that Grandma has there... and were in the pool in about 3 minutes flat!! They couldn't even wait for us to get their bags from on top of the car. We thought that was pretty funny! My Mom and Dad's house is always SO much fun! We are grateful for our Southern Utah getaway! We play... hike... go on bike rides..... have mini golf tournaments..... shop....(well the girls always sneak away and hit the stores) relax by the fire pit..... eat good food... and of course SWIM SWIM SWIM!
Below is a slide show of the fun weekend activities!
PS... that is a hummingbird nest in the wind chime on the back porch.... YES, Kev really is vacuuming the putting green.... and NO that is not a real knife that Tate's chopping the cactus plants with! :) Enjoy the slides.....

Ok, I know I have about a thousand pictures on this post but I had to include this clip of Tate going down the slide. He is so stinkin' cute!

EDWARD... I'm sorry I kept you waiting!!!

2008-05-30T23:50:00.000-07:00

Ok.... so I know that I am the LAST one on the planet to read the Twilight Series... but I just finished the final book tonight! OH MY!!!!!! Great reading!! Nice mommy retreat! Now I am excited to see the movie and I'm counting down to the sequel!

God Bless The USA

2008-05-26T22:02:00.000-07:00

I am so grateful to live in a free country! On this Memorial Day I would like to express my heart felt thanks to the many honorable men and women who have lost their lives defending that right! I honor those serving in our armed forces this day as well... and pray for their safe return!

PERFECT Saturday Soccer Weather!

2008-05-17T22:44:00.000-07:00

Rachel had her last soccer game today! What a gorgeous day to be out! I think it was actually one of the only days she was able to play without gloves and a sweatshirt under her uniform! She is so much fun to watch. She scored 2 goals today and the smile on her face when she is running after and kicking the ball is priceless! Her team is absolutely darling! What a fun bunch of little girls! She is very proud of her trophy and is looking forward to more soccer in the fall! Way to go Rach!

Way to go "Watermelons"!!

What a cute and VERY excited girl!

Nice kick Rach!!!

The parent tunnel after the game was always a big hit!
We are so proud of our kiddos!!

See you in the Fall!

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day MOM!
With all my heart I thank you MOM! For all that you do for each of us! For the love and support that you give no matter the day or the time! You never cease to amaze me at the things you can accomplish and the fun and love you radiate as you magnify your calling as Mother! You are truly an example to me! I LOVE YOU!

AND....
I am so grateful for my wonderful children and the opportunity I have to be a MOM! I am so blessed with patient and understanding kids and a loving husband who is truly my best friend and supports me in all that I do! I want to say thanks for a great Mother's Day! I was spoiled the entire day! Kevin and the kids started by making me yummy crepes while I went for a morning run. I thought Kev was so darn cute. He had downloaded a recipe from the internet... complete with strawberries, bananas and whip cream... and they were delicious! I especially loved the homemade cards!! So sweet! They all treated me like a princess all day long! I am such a lucky girl! I love you guys!

18 GUYS...54 WHEELS...

2008-05-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is a slide show of Mitchell's birthday party with his friends. We went to the skateboard park the day before his baptism and had a blast! Seriously.... 18 seven & eight year old boys!! We're talking TONS of skate boarding and biking.... waterballoons... games..... a pinata.... food.... and an abundance of bare chested man power! What fun! And what a great bunch of friends Mitchell has! We are so grateful for each of them!

Proud Moment For Rachel

2008-05-07T22:25:00.000-07:00

And very proud moment for Mom and Dad! Rachel was given the award of "CEO" for the quarter at school. It stands for Chief Example to Others and represents her dedication to school and learning... as well as her example as a good citizen in the classroom! The school had a nice awards ceremony for the kids and the Principal presented them with a t shirt and their certificate! We cannot believe how much Rachel has grown up this year at school! And we are constantly amazed at how much she has learned! We are proud of you Rach! Keep up the good work!

BAPTISM DAY FOR MITCH

2008-05-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a special day for Mitchell! We are so grateful for the wonderful young man that he is and for the choice he made to be baptized today! We shared the day with family and friends whom we love very much! Congratulations Mitch! We love you big guy!

Mitchell was so proud to wear his new sports coat and tie! He says that one of his favorite things is the tie clip with a missionary on a bicycle. That melts my heart!

He also LOVES his new scriptures with his name engraved~

Seeing my sweet boy all dressed in white and so excited for this day gives me such an incredible feeling of gratitude! I feel equally blessed to have a husband who honors his Priesthood and can perform this beautiful ordinance for our children.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MITCHELL!!

2008-04-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

Mitchell turned 8 on April 6th. What an awesome birthday! And what an important age! We had a wonderful birthday weekend! We are SO proud of you Mitch! We are proud of the person that you are! You are so smart and funny! You are such a good friend, brother and son! You are such a joy to have in our family! WE LOVE YOU ! Here are some highlights of the fun! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Following the traditional rope to find his presents

The rope wound all around the house.

Woo Hoo presents at last. And oh ya baby..... ROCK BAND!

Grandpa & Grandma Flowers gave him a RIPSTIK
Nice moves Mitch!

Birthday breakfast complete with french toast, streamers, balloons and party favors!

Putting the birthday gift to good use!
Rock on Kev!

Mom's not bad on the drums either! I'm sure that Tate sucking his thumb and Mom biting her tongue are the keys to success!

Grandpa & Mitchell were an awesome duo!
The whole family is ADDICTED!
Thanks Mitch! We love YOUR birthday gift!
(Mitchell by the way is SO DANG GOOD!)

Mitchell chose the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner!

Aaron, Michelle & cute Ryan met us there.

We were so excited to have Grandpa & Grandma with us for the weekend!
Grandpa treated to birthday dinner! Thanks Grandpa!!

Ryan, Rachel & Tate

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MITCHELL!!

We love you and look forward to your baptism next month!

Signs of SPRING!

2008-04-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

I love when the bulbs start to come up in the yard! I love SPRING! At this point, after a long winter... I NEED spring! I am SOOOOOOO ready! It is wonderful to see the many signs that it is on it's way~ I am very grateful for the many blessings of a changing season!

HAPPY EASTER

2008-03-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

Wow...Easter sure snuck up on us this year! We had a fun week celebrating St. Patrick's Day and Easter all in the same week. Constant party! From green pancakes, leprochans and gold coins to coloring Easter eggs and enjoying a wonderful Easter Sunday... We had a fun time as a family. The highlight for the kids was the egg hunt at the pool. It was the kids first time "diving for eggs" and they had a blast. Tate cracked us up! He stood on the side of the pool adjusting his goggles and flexing his abs waiting for his age group to begin. When they finally blew the whistle he just went flying into the pool. He was all over it... it was so stinkin' funny! Mitch and Rachel are getting to be awesome swimmers. They had their own age categories as well and had so much fun. We were impressed at how the would dive down and get the eggs off the bottom of the pool. So funny. There were a TON of eggs. They were the plastic ones and some were filled with rocks so they would sink to the bottom. The kids would stack them on the sides of the pool and all the parents kept throwing them back in so the fun continued. When the time was up the kids just had to take one egg and turn it in for a bag of candy. It was really organized and a lot of fun! It was a fun Saturday activity for our little swimmers!

We had a fun evening coloring eggs
'EGGCELLENT' job everyone!

This is a note that Rachel left for the Easter Bunny.
Seriously! How could you not LOVE this??

~EASTER MORNING~

Max the "Easter Dog" got to come in the house for a moment and pose for a picture!
His first Easter! Luv ya Max!

MANY "HATS"!

2008-03-26T08:58:00.001-07:00

I know... seriously... where have I been??? This last month has flown by. It has been crazy! I've worked 5 full days a week these past three weeks! Wsheeew! A friend of mine went on a humanitarian trip to Bolivia to provide dental hygiene services so I covered at her office while she was gone... besides working my own days.... so it has been busy wearing my many "HATS"! I am so grateful to my cute husband for all of his help during my "March Madness" he has been AWESOME! And to my kids for being so sweet and flexible to this crazy change! I am also VERY lucky to have such wonderful friends who have been so life saving and stepped in to be a second Mom! And to my mom and dad for taking treating the kids to a fun trip to St. Gorgeous while off track! I LOVE you all very much!! So now, I'm looking forward to catching up on things that have been neglected... doing some blogging.... and enjoying the beautiful spring weather we have been having! Not to mention getting a great massage! This ol' dental hygienists' back is not the same as it was ten years ago!! lolol! Anyone know a good masseuse?

LOTS OF LOVE

2008-02-17T23:20:00.000-08:00

We LOVE Valentine's Day!
The kids had so much fun preparing cards and gifts for their friends and attending parties at school. I was at the Utah Dental Convention on the 14th and 15th, but Kevin and I were able to enjoy a nice dinner and movie on Saturday night! Happy Valentine's Day!

So many friends.... so many Valentine's!

MMMM we are giving out some good stuff!

Kev & I bought the kids cute Valentine's Day outfits!
Mitchell doesn't always like posing for pictures....

RACHEL ON THE OTHER HAND.........

You're so cute Rach!

The traditional pantry artwork!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
AND HAPPY ENGAGEMENT DAY to KEV & STAC!
(we were engaged on the 17th of February..... 15 years ago!!! WHOA BABY!)

Hannah Montana

2008-02-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

My cute friend Tenille and I took our girls to see the Hannah Montana 3D movie concert on Friday! It was at the Jordan Commons for one week this month. We had purchased our tickets a month in advance so Rachel and Rylee were beside themselves with excitement by the time the day arrived!! All decked out in their Hannah t-shirts you would have thought we were attending the "real" concert! Best part is... the movie tickets were only $15 each. So, the little girls were over the top excited and it was not quite the shock to our wallets as the live concerts! Truly the "Best of Both Worlds"!!

We had a fun dinner at the Mayan before the movie.

The girls were so cute and fun! We were all smiles!

Modeling the 3D glasses... NICE puckers gals!

Moms need a shot at modeling the glasses!
And ok Tenille wins the best lips contest! I admit it!

Kicking back before the movie starts.... and the SUGAR intake begins...

Ok, about 20 minutes into the movie the girls cannot take it anymore! They're squealing and bouncing around in their seats! Rylee says... "Come on Rach... lets DANCE!" And the rest is history!!

Our seats were the first row up from the middle isle. They ducked under the bar and away they went! It was seriously the cutest thing ever! After about a half an hour or so four or five other girls came down to join them! Even a couple of cute little boys!

The girls have some serious moves! Tenille and I about fell off our chairs laughing! They were totally UNLEASHED!! Wild and crazy! SOOO much fun!

They danced until the end of the movie (check out the red faces)

Umm, yeah... and then even a little while up in front AFTER the movie! Everyone gone now... only the cleaning crew was left in the theater!!

What a GREAT night!! WATCH OUT MILEY CYRUS!!
RACHEL AND RYLEE are on your tail!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TATE!

2008-02-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

Tate is 3 years old today!!

We cannot believe how fast time has flown by and how quickly he has grown up! Tate is seriously the funniest little guy ever! He had a great birthday today! Here are a few pictures of birthday morning following the rope to his gifts... and our night at Chuck E Cheese. We LOVE you very much Tater Man! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

We Thank Thee, O God, For A Prophet

2008-01-27T22:06:00.000-08:00

Gordon Bitner Hinckley

June 23, 1910 to January 27, 2008

What a remarkable life you have led! We will miss you greatly but rejoice in the knowledge that you are with your sweet wife and our Heavenly Father once again! You will be with us always in our hearts and in the spirit of our home!

~WE LOVE YOU PRESIDENT HINCKLEY~

Friday February 1, 2008
Viewing of President Hinckley.......

We had the wonderful opportunity of attending the viewing of President Hinckley! What an amazing and spiritual experience it was. I was so proud of the kids. We waited in line a total of five and 1/2 hours for our chance to say goodbye to a beloved leader! It was worth every second! He looked wonderful! So peaceful! We all blew him a kiss. As I was holding Tate, he blew his kiss and said "I love you". That was a moment I will never forget! I hope that the beautiful spirit that we felt in that room will be something that our children will never forget as well. What a wonderful Friday night out as a family! We are so truly blessed!

Waiting in line outside of the Conference Center.
(I didn't realize that I'd caught a goofy picture of Mitchell...
this was after about an hour in line.... maybe he was getting a little freeze brain!)

The line wrapped all the way around to the north side of the Conference Center. The total outside wait time was about 3 hours. There was reported to be approximately 65,000 people who attended the two day viewing. What a remarkable tribute!

Once inside the Conference Center we waited about an hour and 1/2 in the auditorium. They showed wonderful video footage of President Hinckley's life. Again... I'm not kidding you... the kids were amazing!

When it was our sections turn to go.. it was only about an hour of walking through a line
up to the Hall of Prophets!

The kids were so reverent when we arrived... and the spirit in that room was so strong it was almost tangible! What an amazing experience!

Back outside afterwards...My little troopers are still smiling!

The kids loved see the temple all lit up.
They are always so excited to be near the temple!
This picture is worth a thousand words!

Kevin & Staci get their GROOVE ON!

2008-01-06T00:03:00.000-08:00

I know, I know.... here's a spot for you to leave your comments! I told you that Kevin & I rang in the new year in style!! Kevin is looking seriously hot with the gold chain and tight pants huh?!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas 2007

2007-12-30T17:07:00.001-08:00

Wow... I can't believe how fast the week has gone by!! It has been such a fun and action packed week! Now, finally time to breathe! Christmas was great! Santa made a visit to our house! And there was lots of fun with family and friends and way too much food as usual! I have captured a few of the highlights as well as pictures of the house decorations. I love the cozy feel the decorations add to the house. I will miss them when they are gone in a couple of days.
We want to express our love for our family. We are so grateful for the opportunity we had to spend time with or talk on the phone with each of them this Christmas season. I am also glad that the mantle of cooking Christmas dinner has been passed to me. I love having everyone over and cooking for them! And Kevin & I enjoy having everyone to our home. We hope that Christmas was wonderful for all and wish each of you a very Happy New Year!

My cute little elves helped deliver all of the neighbor gifts this year!
Thanks guys!

The freezing temperatures didn't bother them a bit!

This is Tate hiding behind the Christmas tree one morning eating 3 candy canes!
Not an uncommon occurrence however!

While we're talking about the Tater man..... long story short... he was awake first one morning...... obviously thought the house needed more decorations..... got a hold of the new
36 roll Costco pkg.... and went to town!

My Mom and Dad are so much fun!
They always show up with a couple new games to try!
When they are around it is always a constant game tournament!

I think that Rachel is the most competitive of everyone!
She's a crazy girl!

More gaming!!

Check out Mitchell concentrating with his tongue!

Yeah, not sure what I was trying to do here...
But there you go...

I should have got some of this on video tape. Here's Rachel..."Um Gram... yeah... no go fish!"

Rachel dressed me and my mom up in dress ups one night.... complete with tutu's on our heads!
She was laughing so hard taking the pictures that they are all blurry... but you get the jest!

This is my Dad dealing the cards in his lucky bicycling hat!
Looking good Dad!

We had Christmas Eve dinner with just our little family.

Rachel was so proud that she helped set the table.
Yes, I cooked two big meals in a row... one on Christmas Eve... (turkey, stuffing, broccoli) the other for 20 people on Christmas Day...(ham, cheese potatoes, salad, rolls) I don't have any pictures of that dinner..WHAT was I thinking???? At any rate... the way I figure it...I've earned a couple of Cafe Rio nights in January!!
(p.s. all five sparkling cider goblets made it through the dinner in one piece! great job kids!)

This wild rice stuffing recipe comes from Kevins side of the family!
I made it myself this year and was so proud that I had Rachel take a picture of me!

After dinner we made sugar cookies for Santa. Stars, Christmas trees, and snowman shaped! Thanks Lani for the fun cookie kit!

Treats all ready for Santa and the reindeer!

The kids in their new Christmas jammies!

The kids on Christmas morning! 7:45.... not bad!
Look at the plate behind them... looks like Santa and the reindeer enjoyed the treats!

Tate has played NON stop with the train table that Santa brought!
I'm hoping it will keep him from getting into trouble for a while!

This is becoming a tradition... I can't take down the kids art display without documenting it!

Once again.... great job guys! I truly love your projects. They are my favorite!

Ok, I know I've gone crazy with all the pictures on this entry... but I just have to include some of the house decorations before I take them down.

Merry Christmas 2007

Sunday December 23rd

2007-12-23T22:03:00.000-08:00

Joseph Smith Dec 23, 1805 to June 27, 1844

We had a wonderful Sabbath day! The kids looked beautiful! What a true joy it is to be able to celebrate the birth of a loving Savior and to also honor the prophet Joseph Smith on his birthday! This evening Kevin and I were also able to attend the baptism of a friend in our neighborhood. I feel so incredibly grateful and humbled tonight as I reflect on my many blessings and the many opportunities that we are given to strengthen our testimonies each and every day! I am looking forward to the next couple of days and hope that we might carry with us the wonderful spirit that today has brought!

Ok, so the boys ties are a little long... they both wanted to wear "real" ties today. No 'clip on' or 'zipper ties'... so I surprised them this morning with these. I think they look so handsome. They will probably be able to wear them until they leave on missions! And Rachel looked darling today as well. I just love the Sunday before Christmas! The primary sang a song in the program. Tate went up on stage as well. It brought tears to my eyes to see my children singing about the birth of Our Savior!

I had to include this as well. Rachel drew this picture after we got home from church. She was in her room for quite a while and came out with this. I am going to frame it. What a beautiful testimony from a 5 year old girl. She explained everything in the picture. I especially love the words she wrote above. "Bathlaham" & "Mare hand Joseph" Thanks Rachel! You are an amazing child of our Heavenly Father!

~Our Sweet Angel~

2007-12-13T22:09:00.000-08:00

Our Ward had such a wonderful Relief Society Enrichment Dinner! It was titled "Through Mary's Eyes" and was centered on our Savior's sweet Mother and her many wonderful strengths and attributes. It was such a beautiful night! As part of the program some of the little girls in the ward dressed in white and sang Away In A Manger. Rachel looked like an absolute angel! She did a wonderful job and was so proud to be singing in front of everyone. (We had about 80 people there) It brought tears to my eyes to see my cute little girl singing such a beautiful song about the birth of our dear Savior! Make sure you pause the Christmas Songs on the right before playing the clip. It is SO SWEET! Great Job Rachel! You and your friends were such DOLLS! ( Our cute cousin Jessica is on Rachel's right) Love you Jess!

4 Cute Elves!

2007-12-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, seriously!! I am the luckiest woman in the entire world! Look at the cute elves I have at my house this year!! Check them out by clicking on the link below!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1296154139

P.S.... THANKS JILL! This link was TOO funny!

SNOW FUN!

2007-12-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

We had another awesome snowfall this weekend! Here are a few pictures of our family playing in the snow on Saturday! We had a blast!

Build A "Reindeer"

2007-12-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

Kevin and I took the kids to Build A Bear on Saturday for an early Christmas surprise. They had been watching our movie Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer for a few days prior... so they were all very excited to build their own reindeer. Here are a few fun pictures of the day.

This is waiting in line to stuff the deer they chose.
Mitchell really was excited to be there even though he looks like a mad reindeer choker!

Tate loved stepping on the petal to control the "stuffing" machine!

He was really proud of his finished product!
His "new reindeer"

They took the "bathing" and brushing of their reindeer pretty seriously! Rachel is such a cute little "mom".

Meet "Strawberry Clarice"

Mitchell & his finished product.
Now he has him displayed on his dresser riding on a skateboard! (of course)

That reindeer building stuff can really wear a guy out!

We had a great afternoon with our cute kids! Build A Bear.... yeah... wish I would have thought of that place!!

~Let it snow~Let it snow~Let it snow~

2007-12-01T09:20:00.000-08:00

Looks like WINTER has officially arrived! We awoke this morning to a winter wonderland and the kids could not be more excited! Wow! It's amazing how fast the Saturday chores can be completed!! The kids are bundled and have headed out to enjoy the snow... and Kevin has excitedly fired up the snowblower! Looks like we're in for a great winter Saturday!!