"Catch up"

So I have slacked again and it makes me sad because I'm missing a lot of stuff on here. So I'll try to hit the big stuff and then keep things up...Maybe even start a new blog in a few weeks for my son who just received his mission call. I can hardly believe he is old enough to go on a mission! It makes me feel old, but so proud of him at the same time! So here are a few of the highlights

 On our way out of the temple we met Elizabeth Smart at a book signing!

 I also attended the Salt Lake temple while the older 3 went to do baptisms Friday afternoon before we picked Larry up from the airport.

 We even attended the Jordan River temple open house! We got to walk through the whole thing and it was sooooo special to be in the temple with all 5 of my kids! Someday I look forward to doing it again!

 For spring break I took the kids to Utah. Larry flew out Friday night after work to join us for General Conference Saturday and Sunday. It was the 1st and last time I could take all 5 of the kids because now Ruth was 8 and Ethan is leaving... so We went for it! It was amazing. We had great weather, saw so many things and really just had so much fun together!

 This house was AMAZING! I would love to own a beach house like this! Totally would do this again!

 The week after the Lion King was over we rented a beach house with Sam and Jenniann's family. It was so relaxing and fun! I could have stayed a few more days!

 Ethan turned 18! CRAZY!!!! My baby boy is 18! He got tons of stuff to prep for his mission!!!

 Then there was the Lion King! I started after Christmas break and filled our days until Spring break almost! Hayden was in the Chorus and LOVED it! She was a baby lion and a baby bird. I got to help make costumes and do make up. I think they are HOOKED!

 The tree lighting was wet and fun... Hayden got to sing with the choir!

 Christmas dance recital was fun. Ruth was a toy soldier. Hayden was "coal" and Amelia was an angel.

 They had a wonderful time doing their gingerbread houses!

 This was the only way Myka would get close to Santa. We went only a day before Christmas Eve... That was cutting it close!

 Our traditional Elders with Pillowcases I made them!

 The other great surprise Christmas was Ethan's graduation gift announcement. We were going to take the boys to Hawaii!

 Christmas was a BIG deal! Sunny had all of his kids and it was the LAST time we would ALL be together for Christmas in probably many years. Not long after this Johnnie left on her mission, soon with be Ethan, Brock will follow not long after they return (or even over lap....) It just goes on from there.

 Hayden turned 11 and in our house that means a sleepover . Hayden had a blast even though things changed last minute and she ended up having less people than planned. She came home SICK on her birthday and we had to cancel. It was a plague that ran through our entire house. It was a quick one thankfully. But then the sleep over was moved to the week of Thanksgiving which means less people could come. They still had a lot of fun and made big messes!

 She asked for a Jasmine costume for Halloween for her birthday (I secretly or not so secretly Love that she has done this several times. Asked for a Halloween costume for her birthday.) 2 birds one stone!

 I got to go on her Pumpkin patch field trip. It was wet and cold but lots of fun!

 Ruth turned 8 October 9th and choose to be baptized! It was such a special day! I made her dress out of what fabric and lace was left after making my wedding dress. Her blessing dress was also from this fabric. There is no longer any left big enough to do anything.... but she looked so beautiful and I could tell how serious she took the whole thing. For weeks she tried so hard to make good choices, be and peacemaker. She still is going such a good job and is quick to repent when she makes a mistake.

 Ethan's last year of cross country. He did such a great job! He has worked so hard all these years and really has come so far!

 Hyaden's last jog-a-thon and Ruth's 3rd. Ethan's cross country team came and helped out! It filled my heart to see them running together!!!

 Fall was filled with all the usual things... pumpkins and Halloween. This is so much more fun for me now that they literally do the whole thing themselves! I don't scoop or cut one pumpkin! I didn't even clean it up!

 Back to school brings so many exciting feelings and thoughts. Many mixed this yer for me 1st of all it was Ethan's senior year.. so its this last first day of high school. ... 2nd it was Amelia's last first day of middle school. 3rd it was Hayden's last first day of elementary school...I will then only have one left in Elementary school. 4th Brock had his first day of 10th grade and is loving and thriving in High school. 5th I was called as the seminary teacher over the summer so I honestly felt like I was going back to school as well... I now get up at 4:30 am 5 days a week (let's not kid ourselves I never sleep in anymore) but for weeks I couldn't sleep much at all I was so nervous! But the sleeping got better and it is the best calling I have ever had! I love the Scriptures and I love the youth!

 Ruth learned to ride her bike on 2 WHEELS! She is now quite the speedy kid on 2 wheels!

 In the fall the kids got to go to a "young eagles" day where kids 8 and up got to go "fly" a plane with a local pilot. It was before Ruth's birthday so she was grounded....