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

Boren Blog

The preferred past time of Noftle and Boren children was riding Grandpa Kent's four wheeler, around the field of weeds in front of our house, around, and around and around about 6 hours a day. (I'm not sure- it could have been longer- you lose track and get dizzy after the first 4 hours) You might notice Jackson and Carter are not in any of the photos, Jackson was at Scout Camp the whole "week of the Boren's" and I'm not sure how I didn't document Carters involvment this week. I think I must still be carrying a grudge against him since he white out'ed(?) himself, Zoe, Zach, a preschool table and a baby doll while Shelley and I were at the Movies. Where were the Fathers when this took place, you might ask. Well --- I might answer, playing the Game Cube, like they did every spare moment of every day. So in reality it's probably my fault, I should have hired a sitter since the big girls were babysitting elsewhere!


Austin, the coolest quarterback in my kiddos memory, took these four lovely ladies out for a night on the town--they stayed out until midnight (actually I am taking Sammi and Riley's word for it, I was to bleary eyed when they got home to check my watch) which thrilled them all to no end. Austin is very wise, when he leaves in about one year for his mission he will have two 12 year olds, and 2 eight year old devoted letter writers. Here they are displaying their poster they made to thank him. He really showed them a good time.

We loved having the Boren's we fall right back into BFF status in about 5 seconds, even after years apart. To demonstrate our BFF'ness Sammi and Riley have created a "routine" Shelley and I are working on ours, maybe to be posted at a later date!

Help there is a teenager in my house!

The birthday boy finally scores a Nintendo DS lite, thanks to his Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Aunt Courtney, and Uncle Matt!! Now he is cool like his little cousins, although they all have Wii's as he like to remind us.

Adalynn enjoying Jackson's teen years.

Got them all blown out in one breath-- no small feat when you are this old.

Field trip to the new Royal Turf field where his glory days will be coming soon with JR. HIGH SPORTS!!

Jackson is still a lover of all sports, esp. football, basketball, and baseball. He can push Sammi's buttons better than anyone in the world. He is an A student and his teachers say he is fun yet respectful. He notices the kids at school who need friends and he is unfailing kind to them. The other day Zoe got bummed again at the post office, she really wants there to be a letter for HER. So without a hint from anyone, I'm used to Zoe's complaints and barely notice them anymore, Jackson wrote her a letter and put it in an envelope to be planted in the mailbox. It was so exciting for Zoe. It said how awesome and cool she was and it was signed by her secret admirer! That is a perfect example of his sweet thoughtfulness. Happy Birthday Jackson, the teenage years have officially begun.

Relay For Life

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I hope so because this post will mainly be pictures. I tried a trick of loading all the pictures first but I loaded them backwards so pretend the pictures at the end with Jax in his survivor clothes are at the beginning--Thanks for pretending! Friday night to Saturday was the Relay for Life Cancer walk. Courtney organized a team with Jackson as our "Survivor" I was looking forward to the Relay this year because last year Jackson and I had to talk at the opening ceremonies and that was very hard for me, and him too I think. So this year I thought I would just sit back and enjoy. I started getting that "yikes" feeling about 2 days before the Relay. I don't know what it is. I feel so many emotions at this event and I cry and cry when I first get there. I feel guilty that Jax ever was sick to begin with--like maybe a good mother could have prevented it (don't tell me it's irrational, I'm rational enough to KNOW it's irrational!)I feel guilty and soooo blessed that I get to have my child as a survivor and other mothers don't have their children anymore. I remember so many times where I watched Jackson be "tortured" times that caused him so much physical pain that I cry and cry just remembering those days. I remember he would start crying when we would turn on the street where the hospital was. Every time I would park the car in the lot he would start saying " No Mommy, please I don't want to, it hurts please Mommy don't make me". It killed me to pry him out of the car and carry him crying into the building to get his port accessed. Then we would always go to Arby's to wait for his lab results which we would have to have before he could have his Chemo administered. I hated those days and it all comes back to "haunt" me at Relay time. I know that I should just feel so grateful for the fact that he got that help and that he is in his eighth year of remission and TRUST me I am. I guess it is o.k. to be really sad for this cause this year the Othello Relay had a goal of raising $60,000 dollars and $102,000 was raised!! So from the bottom of my heart thank you to all of you who donated and who came and walked. And to all of you who have supported us and helped us with our boy all these years---you will never know (I hope) how much the prayers, love, and support saved us.

About five minutes into the car ride home I looked back and the girlies were "Gone"!

I didn't have to look to know Jax was out,he was snoring to beat the band! Mind you he didn't even stay all night!

Carter and Zoe danced the pants off the carebears. Better them than me I always say!

Two pretty amazing men. Cute too!

Our fearless leader. Courtney and Matt did so much work to pull this off. Matt even turned himself into a human cotton candy man. They sold alot of cotton candy and it is NOT fun to make. They were so unselfish to take this all on. Thank you -- our lately formed team pulled off an impressive $850.00 (I think?!) not bad for a first year team!

Jackson getting his "survivor" medal. Last year his survivor medal hung on a decorative shelf in my dining room for a few months. One day I was cleaning (literally it was 1 day last year that I cleaned!!) and I moved the medal to his room on his shelf. That same night it was back in my dining room hanging up! So that is where it will stay along with this new one. Jax never says much about all this cancer "stuff" so I have to take those non-verbal clues he sometimes gives me.

The MAN on his survivor lap--very emotional, for me at least.

Zoe, Avery, and Carter at the opening ceremony, we are all looking pretty awake and not too grumpy at this point.

Debra, Jackson, and Dana three awesome Royal City survivors.

Jackson had the inspired idea to take his last year survivor shirt, cut it up and make himself a survivor headband. I think it looks awesome. He is the youngest survivor at this event by about 25 years or so. He stuck really close to Michael and I this year, we aren't really sure why. I asked him if he liked and it said he really, really does yet he wouldn't spend the night or leave my side? Any armchair psychologists out there?? He is a good boy, and I am so glad my son is a survivor of this hideous disease.

Park City Palooza, or Crazy People On The Loose

What does trebuchet font look like---this apparently--wow I did some computer thingy on my own. Anyways, I don't feel well but I can't sleep at night knowing that my devoted readers are missing crucial information about me and mine. Plus a certain sister has claimed the bragging rights of 1st to blog about the reunion and I am so ashamed, sigh. Well folks here we go...., we left Saturday the 5th of July and drove to Boise to annoy our good friends the Anderson's (I know weird in a cool way huh!!).

Then we drove to Salt Lake City and promptly got in a huge traffic jam which made us late to my Cousin Greg's house. But no worries we were just bringing the APPETIZERS! When we finally got there it was great. Greg was the host with most and Brooke was too kind to let Noftle's, Wades, and Bergholms invade when she was only contractually obligated to allow the Cammacks' in! 10 adults,16.5 children, and a cool mattress in the basement which doubles as the best slide Zoe has EVER ridden down! We threw a few family skeletons around and watched Brett drool over Brookes cool artichoke decorations. You can always dream Brett! And although it is against my religion to post pictures of myself I had to post the one of the original "Chaos Causing Cousin Crew". Holly, Becky, Shannon,Heather, and Greg, minus about 17 of our other cousins!

Then it was on to Highland, Utah for some Noftle family fun. We went with Michael's family boating,(Carter, Zoe, and Jax all fell asleep on one of their tube rides!) on a ride in Grandpa Fred's new "Ranger" toy, and stayed at Billy and Mandy's fabulous new home that Zoe wants our house to "turn into". She actually has said that a few times, "I hope when I wake up our house is turned into little Billy's house"! Keep hoping Zoe, that would thrill me too! I got to go Sister-in-law wedding shirts shopping, I knew that secretly all these years Sarah has wanted to dress like me and that this is her plan come to fruition! Just you wait Marcie, when the wedding reception comes Sarah and I will have worked out a fabulous synchronized dance routine to do justice to our matchy shirt outfits!!! The girls and I also got to attend Marcie's bridal shower which was a treat for us out-of-towners. I've decided I need another bridal shower, my stuff is looking 15 years old.

Then it was time for Michael to start his Irrigation Association Certification Board Meetings or the Holy crap that is one long Name for such a boring organization meetings. We checked into the "Hotel Park City" and I never wanted to leave. Michael had to pry me out the room on the last day. The whole place was gorgeous and our room, not to brag or anything, had 3 fireplaces, and our own hot tub! Heaven. The kids and I swam and swam and then swam. The pool was sooo warm that even Jax could stay in for hours at a time. Saturday Michaels' meetings ended, and the Andersen family reunion officially began!! A wuhooo! Talk about your kids, they were everywhere, in my car, my hotel, my pool, my vacation, my hair, my lap, my food EVERYWHERE. I had to keep up an internal dialogue a lot!! Here is a sample of my "inner conversations" Becky remember how much fun you had as a kid with your cousins, Becky remember you are doing this to help them know their Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and make them feel closer to all of them. Becky you don't need sleep, your a mother for hecks sake suck it up man, and take one for the team, do it for the Gipper, or for flipper, or maybe Free Willy, yeah whales hate it when people sleep do it for the whales. See my logic got a little off after several nights of Farley family fun. We spent a couple of days at Olympic Park, watching the skiiers jump and do their "stuff" and land in the practice pools at the end of the jump ramps. The kids and most all other adults who aren't deathly afraid of heights ( Me & Holly) rode ski lifts to do the Ziplines(Holly did do that but it was just to make me look bad so I don't really count it) and Quicksilver slide. Carter could have gone up and down all day, however to afford that we would have had to sell him, so kind of a catch 22 there! I wish I had a close up of the kids shirts. Mom got them shirts that say "Team Andersen" on the front and then on the back it says "Chaos Causing Cousin Crew" and lists all the grandkids names. This confused Braxton a little, every shirt he saw had HIS name on it and therefore should be his! How can you fault logic like that? Makes perfect sense to me. We had fun, we laughed, cried (mainly the adults from lack of sleep) we shared, (germs mostly), all in all a great time was had. I am looking forward to November, Courtney is promising laminated posters with color coded schedules to keep us all in line. (I promise to post pictures of her rocking in the corner mumbling nonsense words when we get out of line like you know we will!) She complains about being the only sister-in-law but I mean really, Dad likes her best so what is she whining about?!