Eight is Great!

Well here it is-Sierra's birthday and Baptism post. She turned eight on saturday and was baptized the same day. Michael's parents and sister Mindy came from Utah, and my sister Brenda and niece Abigail came from California. We also enjoyed seeing the relatives who live "relatively" close, that we never get enough time with. It was such a nice day with lots of support from family and friends. Here are ten facts about Sierra;

1. She is easy going, which in this household is soooooo welcome, and rare!

2. She is very silly and loves, to giggle, sometimes just to hear herself giggle.

3. She loves to play with baby dolls, always is carrying a baby and creating a "mom" game usually involving Zoe and Carter with her.

4. She is so kind. There are a couple of little boys in her grades that have a crush which I know she doesn't reciprocate but she is so thoughtful of their feelings, even when it's hard for her.

5. She eats at LEAST two breakfasts every morning.

6. She is a dedicated fan of hot cheetos, her fingertips are permantly stained red to prove it.

7. She loves pirates, the movie, the idea, the "theme" she has had a pirate themed birthday every year since she was four. Last year she was a pirate girl for halloween, not surprisingly she wants to be a pirate girl again this year!

8. She is tenderhearted. To discipline Sierra I have to be very careful, if I tell her I am disappointed in her behavior she is likely to burst into tears and be remorsefull and sorry much longer than necessary.

9. She is likely to be moving and smiling, If you did random checks of Sierra throughout the day she would 9 times out of 10 be grinning and in motion.

10. She is so loving, all my kids have had their "stages" where they didn't allow kisses (Carter's is in the middle of an 18 month long stage right now), but not Sierra, she will love and hug, and kiss, and climb on laps, and snuggle you to your hearts content--I so love that about her!

A special birthday for a sweet daughter, we love you Sierra! You are a good example to all of us.

Mud slingin'

They may not be politicians but they sure know how to sling some mud. We are replanting the side yard and Michael thought this looked like a kids dream Family Home Evening activity. It was! Only Carter wimped out after just a minute, in his defense the sprinklers were COLD!

One Year Today

Here it is----the one year mark. I started blogging on a Sunday, one year ago. A year seems like plenty of time to get a lot done, doesn't it? Yet here it is one year later and the big change is that my computer in now downstairs instead of upstairs! One year later and I have got 4 kids in school--2 in the middle school. Having them grow older feels more aging to me than my own birthday's do. One year later and Michael and I have new church callings--he is teaching a sunday school class for 14-16 year olds and I am Primary President. I have probabaly not blogged too much about primary, I try to keep this mostly about my family, but I love primary, not being President, but primary!! One year later and my pantry is fairly organized although it has been slipping slightly as of late--only 12 more closets to organize and then it will be time to do the pantry again--I am sure of it. One year later and I still find it hard to "get 'er done". Mainly the" 'er" is laundry, housework, time for myself, time to excercise (pause to scream and shudder here) time to write, time to keep in touch with friends and family.... Maybe I shouldn't dwell on the negative, let's see....in one year I've roughly done 520 loads of laundry, vacuumed the carpets 200 times, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher 365 times, and driven approxiamtely 30,0000 miles, helped with homework at least 300 times, given over 900 baths, thrown several parties, made about 25 trips to the doctor, given medicine well over 780 times, taught preschool roughly 64 times and the list could go on and on. There I feel much better, I have accomplished a lot! Let's see what the next year brings--hopefully chocolate that causes weight loss!

Unsure

I am unsure about what to post. I am almost at the one year mark and am super excited to have at least one year of my life with kids in print. We all know that not one of my five kiddos is getting out of here with a baby book--haven't even bought one for Carter yet--note to self great 4 year old birthday gift a baby book! We are plugging along, 21 preschoolers including Carter this year. Four kids in school and for the first time a real stuggler with the school scene. I won't name names, but man I love this kid (o.k. I love them all I admit it --- please don't tell them it'll go to their heads). I am watching a daily, no hourly struggle to keep it together and move forward and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Anyway it has consummed this house and Family for three weeks now and it is rough. No time of the day passes without thoughts for this child, worry for this child, prayers for this child. The silver lining--how the siblings are praying and being so kind to the sibling. Love to see that more often! Anyway couldn't let this experience pass--I don't think I'll forget it, but the way the mind is slipping who knows. Keep the mystery child with the mystery problem in your prayers please! Oh--and happy birthday to my sweet cousin Melanie--I love living close to you and yours. And Grandpa Bishop I intended to watch The Price is Right today in honor of you ( I would have yelled at Drew Carey since Bob Barker up and quit I think he didn't have the heart to go on without you!) but the darn day got away from me. Love you Grandpa!

Zoe's first day of Kindergarten

Here she is the big Kindergarten Girl before school started this morning. Zoe was so excited she literally could not hold still!

Here she is ten minutes after Kindergarten ended today! I wonder if I can sign Carter up for this?

Zoe and her buddy Miyah at the "MTC" part of Kindergarten. All the parents and kiddos meet in the Gym. The teachers come up and one by one they call up their class and walk away from us. Killer day on the Moms, Michael quite likes seeing all the ridiculous Mothers. He says its' like Nascar, no good unless there is a wreck, quite a few wrecks today! I did fine if your wondering.

The official stand by the Red Rock sign which is required for all my children.

On a side note this is what happens when I try to pretend I am a young, fun Mommy and I take Carter to the city park. I should just accept I am an old, slow Mommy who is only capable of starting movies safely. Lesson learned.

First Day of School 2008!

This is what we saw when we went to the office to get our first day of school pictures with Grandma Louise. She gets so bored at work with only 50 or so kids clammering for help at once. Grandma is the little blue dot behind the throngs of kiddos, and under the clock on the wall.


The most beautiful second grader at Red Rock Elementary. Sierra LOVED her first day of 2nd grade, and too bad there aren't bigger capital letters to write LLLOOOVVVEEEDDD with!



Here she is, official middle schooler, Miss. Sammi Noftle. 6th grade treated her well today. As an added bonus only one page of homework, in which she got to list her likes and dislikes--if only it would stay so easy!




Can you tell that 7th grade has made Jackson even cooler than before? (I love the shirt, his best buddy Tanner has the same one too!) He has discovered however, that leaving for school at 8:00 am and returning home at 5:30 p.m. makes for a very long day. Last night he spoke to the Othello Lion's Club about what it was like to have a childhood cancer, he was very impressive.





They almost look like they like each other.






This is more like it, the girls are convincing Jackson that the sooner he cooperates the sooner he can be done with pictures. I think they all did fine today, but I sure missed them, Sammi and Sierra had party and friend obligations after school and Jax had football so it was 91/2 hours till I got my family back home--I miss summer already.

Aunt Marcie gets Married!

Dallas and Marcie enjoy their first dance!


Too bad the ties don't really show up--they were Carter's favorite color---geen if you can't tell.



Billy Throttling Michael, Sierra looks pleased about this.




Zoe and her sidekicks, Jordan, and Mya.





Three cool dudes, Carter, Little Billy, & Jonnie