Holy Smokes May is CRAZY

I think I'm going to have to break May into a couple different posts. So many big things happened that month!  Anaya had her dance pictures and recital.  I did the fancy updo for pictures, and Taisha did the super-cute curly hair for Anaya's recital, because I had a camp overnight retreat that night and had to miss the recital (more on that later.....)

Kayden went to the dance recital and recorded her performance for me (videos later).  He was texting me during the other dances that night, telling me that between all the pageants, guest performances, and other violin recitals and whatnot's that he's been to supporting Kristen, he could probably be a pageant  judge.  He told me he was positive he was going to have a whole houseful of talented, beautiful little girls..... and that he will make a GREAT stage-dad!


We were lucky enough to have all my siblings and their families here all at the same time, so we had a BBQ in the back yard (thanks Debi, for the "child containing" jump house!)  It was fun seeing everyone, and seeing all the cousins playing together... and I'm sure all of Nathan's arm hair have grown back by now (so glad he did the BBQ-ing, not me!)

Kayden had prom the same night at the BBQ.  Here he is with his date before heading out.  I should have taken a picture of all the little girls cousins staring at them though.....  funny!

Malia turned 16 near the end of May!  She is so excited to be 16, driving, dating, working, and is really looking forward to her junior year in school.  She wanted tin foil dinner for dinner and apple crisp for her birthday "cake."  YUM!  On the last day of school I made another GIANT pan of chicken enchiladas for her and her friends for lunch.

Her friend Christine, planned a really fun surprise group date with some kids from Rexburg for her birthday.  Man, she has some great friends!  Malia loved the whole thing!

Just had to put up this picture of one of the questions on McKay's math test:

Cracked me right up..... 

And Just Like That Kayden Graduates!

So VERY, VERY proud of him..... and can't believe how fast time has gone!  By this time next year (July 2013), he will have one year of college behind him, and will have been on his mission for a few months.  *Sniff*

(He thought it would be funny to have his seminary graduation pictures taken like a mug shot....)

(So blurry..... oops!)

Kayden was awarded a 1/2 tuition for BYU-I (he's going to Provo though), and also was awarded the Outstanding Academic Athlete Award for his school.  That's what he is getting in the blurry picture below:

Graduation Night

He is such a good kid!  He's been working hard this summer, and is SO ready to head off to college.  He's even volunteered to paint his room, so it's all ready for Taisha to move into when he leaves.  I'm not quite there yet......

Easter and Birthdays

I am not sure why, but I don't have many Easter pictures this year. Here is everyone in their Easter clothes though:

The kids got Wacky Six for Easter, and it has been played almost non-stop since.  Most mornings the first thing I hear is "Let's get Wacky!"  

McKay turned 9 in April.  He wanted tacos for dinner, and rice pudding for his "cake."  His birthday was on a Sunday (which is why he is still in his church clothes), and on Monday we went to iJump, a new trampoline gym here in Idaho Falls.  

McKay should have a whole house built like iJump.  He is a very flippy kid.  Here is Rik throwing him into a back flip, and he figured out how to do back hand springs anywhere.... and you should see what he can do on the tramp these days!

River (Pono and Michelle's daughter) was baptized in April, and while I don't have any pictures of pretty River that day, I do have a picture of Kayden and Rik's grandma having a nap on Pono's couch together.  Love it!

Speaking of Kayden, he turned 18 in April!  Kristen made him dinner and Snicker cake on Sunday, and then on Monday I made a GIANT roaster pan of chicken enchiladas for him and his friends for lunch, and I am not even kidding you, they ate EVERYTHING. 

The weather was fantastic in April.  It was a rarity for Kayden to have a track meet cancelled because of weather, and more often than not, it was like this:

Spring Break?

Now where were we?  Spring break maybe??  Thank heavens it's summer and I can kind of catch up a bit.

This year for Spring break, Kayden went to Europe with my dad.  Nathan was stationed in Germany at the time, and was able to get most of the two weeks off to drive Kayden and my dad around.  Kayden fell in love with Europe, and I have decided he must have some European in him somewhere.... He loved everything about that place... the food, the clothes, the food, the architecture, the food, the cars, the food, the people, the art and he really, really loved the food.  Even last week at church, he leaned over and told me how much he wants to go back.  

While Kayden was in Europe, Malia drove to California with her friend Christine, and Christine's mom and dad.  She also had SO much fun on this trip!  They stopped in Las Vegas, went to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Seaworld, and spent some time on the beach.

As you can imagine, with those two kids gone, there was no way I was cooking dinner for the rest of us.... so we took the kids out every night, and then Taisha, McKay and Anaya spent a few nights in Soda Springs.  Which just left Rik and I..... that was weird.....

So, SO grateful for all the people that made all the trips and experiences memorable for my kids!!

Weirdest January.....

I've got just a little bit of catch up to do... just a little. Normally I would mention how I don't particularly like the month of January. I would complain about the snow, grey and wind. But holy smokes, it has been beautiful lately!! The kids have been walking home from school and asking to set the trampoline back up... it's been THAT nice! (We actually set the tramp back up on Friday!) The month of January flew by! Here's a few highlights:

I played a round of hangman with Anaya:


Kayden went to Sadie Hawkins with Kristen (it was a glow light dance.)


Rik, Kayden, and a few of Kayden's friends rode the Jazz bus down to Salt Lake to watch the Jazz play:




The pinewood derby snuck up on us again (I swear it comes around twice a year.....)



Kayden was asked to sweethearts by Lindsay Jackson:


Leading up to Sweethearts, Kayden had a super busy schedule. He HAD to go to the midnight premiere of Star Wars.... which had him coming home about 3am (after getting up at 5:30 to go to the temple that morning.)

After Star Wars, he had to get up at 6 to go to a morningside. That day ended with him setting up for the dance... which took until 2:15 in the morning. On the day of the dance, he slept in as late as he could before leaving to go planking with his group:

After planking he slept. In fact, I was concerned that he would be a terrible date because he was so tired and worn out! He was a little on the grumpy/groggy side from all his weird sleep, and every time he sat still for very long, he was out cold. I was worried that he would be curled up fast asleep at the dance. But, thank heavens, this was a really fun group of kids, so he stayed awake! He said it was one of the funnest dances he's been to. Kayden ended the weekend by speaking in church. Ya, it was one of THOSE kind of busy weeks.



We had our family Red, Pink and Heart dinner on Monday night because Tuesday looked a little over booked:


Kayden and Kristen went all out for Valentine's Day! Here are just a few of the 100 balloons that Kristen put in his car. (They are now all down in Kayden's room.... )


Malia went to Nampa for a three day choir training. They had time to do a little shopping before coming home. This is what picture texts I kept getting:

To finish out this week we found out that Kayden was accepted to BYU!!!!!! He was also accepted to BYU Idaho, but really had his heart set on BYU Provo. He is almost crazy excited!