Jaimin & Soccer

Jaimins playing soccer this year. He is kinda shy out on the field for some reason. We keep telling him to act crazy like he does at home but for some reason he wont let loose. Maybe by the end of the season :) ( that kid in the pic is his friend Chase)

The many faces of Madden

Madden makes the cutest cheesy grin face now, we love it. Anytime he is wanting to be smiley he makes this face. We took him to get pics done yesterday and these crazy smiles were all over. He is so dang cute!

SNACKS!

This is our pretty snack plate that "MOM" is so wonderful to make for us!(That is what my kids would say)

I must say, I do make awesome snack plates though. As you can see I just clean out the fridge and the pantry, arrange it nicely on a serving platter and serve it with napkins and toothpicks so they can poke all the snacks they want. We do this on those days that everyone wants a snack while watching a movie and I don't feel like taking orders, I just make a variety :)

ALL MY CHILDREN

I found another pic with all 5 of our kids, I tell ya they are hard to come by. As you can see here Jaimin (far right) didn't want to take a picture, the others just have their cheesy, done with picture smile. Gotta luv um!

Update! (very long)

So I haven't updated in forever so this post is LONG!

Circus

During the summer we took a few trips to the "valley of the sun", we went to the B & B circus this trip. We didn't tell the kids where we were going till we got there, they were so surprised. My camera didn't take good pics of the show so this is all I got. Mike said it was fun but he wouldn't spend money on it again (?), whatever that means huh?

Madden
Madden got so big so fast. His personality is just so fun. Here he is trying out his johnny jumper, we got this when Brian was a baby.


Madden started sitting up during the football camp this year, he was 5 1/2 months here.






Family Reunion
At our family reunion this year the kids decided to run off and put their hands down some holes in the ground. Well thanks to brave Eighmey they caught 3 baby cotton tails. We went back to the hole where they found them and confirmed the mom was dead so we kept them. Needless to say they didn't live long, they needed their moms heat and lovin I'm sure.


The guys caught toads everyday and night and had contest with them, like who's would jump faster and further and what not. They were so dang big and gross!

Eighmey all scrubbed out and catching lizards


Eighmey... all dolled up one day for a Mother/Daughter dinner

Madden trying rice cereal, YUCK!

Trey lost another tooth, he also skinned his nose on a tree(long story)

Brian made a bird house for a scout project, he did a good job and is very proud of it.

Mike loves to play with Madden this way, Madden loves it to obviously :)

Brian got awards for scouts, he looks thrilled right?

Eighmey helping dad replace fuel pump in our car. She loves getting dirty, go figure my only girl tries to be a boy.

Madden likes taking baths in the sink, I made a mohawk out of bubbles. He's sooo cute!

Jungle Jims (Jeepers)

We always go to Jungle Jims when we go school clothes shopping. We have gone now for at least 5 years now and the kids will never let us stop (well maybe when they are older :) )

My grandma used to take me and my siblings to Jungle Jims so that is what I call it. I guess the name now is Jeepers. I still love all the rides there, anything to get me dizzy. The place isn't huge or anything, but fun for kids.My brother and mom dropped by this time because they happen to be down that way and my bro thought it was alot different from when we were growing up. To me it is the exact same!

1st Day of School

Finally got all my kids in the same pic

Trey has the same teacher as Brian did last year. I am so glad, she is the best ever seriously. Trey loves school, he is a hard worker most of the time and very easy going.

Trey and Mrs. Bentz 2nd grade

Brian has Mrs. Hamling for his 3rd grade. He likes school but is too smart for his britches. He thrives on challenges and is a social bug.

Brian and Mrs. Hamling

So this was June to August in a nutshell. I have more recent pics to post later. All is well!

Happy Father's Day Part 2

Now time to wish the other fathers in my life "Happy Father's Day."

First, my dad, I do love this guy. We have sure had our rough patches but I think it's all good from here (right dad?). Why not get all the crap on the table while you are young and be able to enjoy the remainder of your life, right?

My dad is the best, I am able to ask that man ANYTHING and he has an answer, not just an answer to hold you over either, a REAL answer, one that is usually right and works.

He is a dang hard worker, him and my mom both instilled this trait in their kids for sure.

My dad has the best sense of humor. I love when we can sit around and just laugh at the years past. We have had some crazy times.

My dad is always willing to do anything for his family. He would give you the shirt off his back. He would protect his family till the end for whatever reason, I always feel safe with him.

My dad loves my kids, he has gained a great relationship through the past year as my kids saw him at least every other week. They love you dad.

My dad isn't materialistic in any way. I have learned alot from this man in the past year. He has what he needs, (and sometime wants) and that's just fine with him. A great thing to learn I think.

I love you dad, thx for the past 25 years, I have learned alot from you, to 25 more years :)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

To my Grandpa Starkes, I don't know you much but you raised a great man one way or another, thx and Happy Father's Day.

To my 2nd dad, Joel, not because you are second but because you came to me in my life second, get it :)

Thank you for being a great example in the church for me and Mike. You have taught us so much through the years.

Thank you for the love you show our kids, they really admire you.

We love you, Happy Father's Day!

To grandpa Parrack,

Thanks for being such a sweet grandpa through the years, I know Mike has more memories of you but I am grateful for the ones like:

Going through the temple with you for your first time

doing our annual family reunion

listening to your stories

our annual Thanksgiving dinners at your place.

Thanks for being a great father as well

we love you, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

To my grandpas who have passed through the veil, Grandpa Eighmey Grandpa Vogel, and Grandpa Yarn, Happy Father's Day, we love you and miss you, thanks for raising awesome children that I call parents.

And to all my brothers and brother-in-laws, Brian, Brandon, James, Larry, Rhett (and one day Andrew and Chancy, I am sure) HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! :)

Happy Father's Day Babe!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO MY ONE AND ONLY!Cheesey and always

No pictures please

Thats why she's so cute

That's why he is a dork

Baby faces

tired from clownin' around

clownin' around

Mike,

You probably won't read this for awhile, but I had to tell you how much I love and appreciate you. You are the best dad around. Every time my friends and I are talking about husbands there is no comparison, they even say you are perfect, and I have to agree.

I may complain every now and again about you but that is because I am spoiled by you and I can't function if your not around to spoil me. You are so great to me when it comes to the kids; anything we do with the kids you know is a team effort and you never let me do it all by myself (which i appreciate). I always say " I am not meant to raise children by myself" and you never let me. I really don't know how some women do it, I can't do it all by myself, they are alot stronger than I for sure.

Thank you for being a great friend to talk to about anything. I am grateful I can vent to you :)

I know lately you are tired from being gone all the time and not having any days off but I am grateful for your efforts and your hard work.(It will pay off)

Thank you again for all that you do for me and our family. You are truly my hero and my motivation to keep going. I love you forever Dean!

I

Things on my mind today.

Well. I am REALLY good with remembering dates, for the most part, and today 1 year ago I found out we would be blessed with another baby in our home. Of course at the time of finding out I didn't have those "exact" thoughts, I was actually very shocked and kinda overwhelmed with the idea. I knew we possibly wanted more kids but I really didn't picture right then. It took me about the day to get over it, then I was happy but didn't know how to tell Mike, he was the one always making comments about how DONE we were. So with Father's Day around the corner I held my tongue. That was the hardest thing ever, I tell Mike EVERYTHING. I kinda made comments every now and again but he never caught on. So, the day before Father's Day we were at our family reunion and Molli encouraged me to tell him then in front of everyone before we all went home. So we made a plan, we would have everyone get together and give out our Father's Day gifts for those who had gifts to give. I went last I believe. I gave Mike a shoe box, and in it was a shirt that he lifted out and read. "PROUD FATHER OF 5." He was confused and so was everyone else till his mom said "Really?". Mike said "we need to talk", he laughed it off but was very surprised. It took him a week to get over that, and now that Madden is here we wouldn't change it for the world. 9 weeks along

Another thing on my mind today is Azure. Today is her birthday. She would have been 26. I will always remember this day because I messed it up 1 time and promised I wouldn't do that again.

Azure was one of my best friends, I sure do miss her. For awhile there when I needed to talk I would pick up the phone and she was the only one I would even want to talk to. That feeling when I pick up the phone has differently numbed a little but I still would love to have that conversation with her.

When I look through things in my house while organizing I still find things that remind me of her;

A recipe she wrote for me on a yellow piece of notebook paper

Her signature in my sign in book for my wedding

A "don't eat pete" game board she made for my kids while babysitting

A fat, black hair tie I have that looks like the one she was wearing the day of her passing

(and the only reason I remember that is cause Brian asked me what he should do with it when it was given to him)

A night gown that Eighmey still wears, was one she was wearing while taking a pic with Azure

(pictured below, yes it still fits Eighmey it is just a bit smaller)

When I make certain foods like chicken cordon blue(spelling?)

JUST EVERYTHING!!!!!

I sure do miss her. Today I was telling Mike that it was her birthday and Jaimin heard me and told me we should make a cake and hide it and act like she ate it. I think Azure would love a cake made by Jaimin.

Now I am getting teary eyed so I must close, I just want to say I will never forget this beautiful girl, I will never forget the fun we had together. I will never forget the time we watched The Office for the first time and she hated it, just to stay up and watch episode after episode months later (that show grows on you). I will never forget playing games with that woman, she always got crap from Brian and Mike about cheating when they were the ones cheating. She would always say she was never going to play with them again and still did cause we would beg.

The list goes on and on of the things I wont forget. I am grateful for this list, and for all the memories that it holds. I miss you Azh, Happy Birthday!

Behind Again

Excuse me while I catch up, I wanted to post this last month but I have been busy like crazy.

Well May 15th marked the day that Mike and I went to prom together 10 years ago. Can you believe it, I can't. He asked me to prom about 2 months earlier after a horrible date at GAB. I, of course, said yes cause I was in love with him. (He just liked me as a friend :)

Let me take you back; first we had our day date thing, we went to a movie and to bowling (who didn't), then we went back home and mike hung out for a little and we watched MTV and listened to music. We had alot of fun that whole day. The time came and we had to go our separate ways so we could get ready for that night.

Let me take you back to that night; I was so worried to impress this guy, cause like I said I loved him, I wanted to get it right. I was living with Nicole at the time so we went dress shopping like a month before. Everyone told me they liked the dress we picked out but my hubby still makes fun of me to this day about it (picture below, don't laugh, i'll explain)

Then Nicole told me she would do my hair and makeup, well for some reason, can't remember, Nicole was in the valley that day and was trying to get back but didn't, so I called Hilary DeWitt and she did my hair and makeup. Jesse Cochran and Mike picked me up and went and got Jesses' date. We went to the prom and everything was cool. THEN, Mike was acting weird all night, I thought he hated being with me or something. I was sad cause I thought this was it for our friendship. We got through the night and Jesse drove us home. Mike took me to the Porters' door(where I was living at the time), I asked him why he was so quiet all night. (he would hate for me to write this but), He started tearing up and told me he thinks he likes me. K what kind of person says that I know, but we were "just friends" so for his feelings to change was weird to him I guess. So then he asked me if he could kiss me, I was a prude so I said no. So he left and I went a balled in my room. I didn't know what to feel for that guy, I loved him for so long, but now he pulls this on me? Nicole finally made it home that night she was sicker than a dog throwing up every 5 minutes. That's all I remember.

K now let me explain the pic.

The night before I was riding around on 4 wheelers with some friends and I was on the back riding with Ryan Baker. We were somewhere behind the High School and going way too fast. He was in and out and around every tree flying as fast as he could when all of a sudden he hit a LARGE branch on the ground. He ducked but I didn't see it so it hit me right in the face. It made a cut on my forehead which made a goose egg under that. So my forehead was swollen and huge and bleeding. They took me to the school, I went to a friend doc and they fixed me up. THE NEXT DAY... I woke up and had 2 black eyes. Not funny when you are a teenager girl going to prom with the love of your life that night. So we decided I needed bangs to cover up the goose egg and bandage. The black eyes I couldn't do much for other tat tons of makeup. So that is why I have like 4 inches between my eyes, very swollen.

SO IF I LOOK LIKE A FREAK TO YOU IN THIS PIC LIKE I LOOK LIKE A FREAK TO ME IN THIS PIC, THAT IS WHY, K, DON'T JUDGE!

So for the rest of our story, The following week was the last week of school. I guess I decided to chase another boy so my friends tried to hook us up. Well, that same night Mikes friends were trying to hook him up with another girl too so we saw each other around town that night with other people. I think that's when it clicked. The last day of school Mike asked me out and I said yes. I remember him writing it on my arm or something cause the music at the year book signing party was too loud. We haven't been apart since. His parents didn't like the idea then much but 10 years later I think they are okay with it.

I love that man. Remembering all the drama it was when I was a teenager just makes me laugh, I'm glad he is mine now forever and ever no matter how ugly that pic is.

Last day of school