HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL

Well it is here. The time seems to go by so quickly as I get older, that I recently stopped to realize that Jade is 17 and soon to be that independent (we hope) young woman who no longer will live at home or in our case every other weekend. Keaton is 12 only 6 more years and considered an adult, Korbin will be 16 at that time and then what. I guess it happens to all of us but it sure kinda freaks you out if you think about it so just don't. We also have been very fortunate that the economy has not affected us in the sense that it has other people. Brent and I are still employed and on those days when you just wish you didn't have to go, I try to remember that there are people out there without jobs, that can only wish that they could get up and go to one, or that are struggling with buying christmas for there kids even if it's the simple things such as maybe they need new socks or shoes. Maybe they are struggling with paying bills or even having food in the house. Sometimes we get so caught up in the hustle & bustle of all the things we take for granted that we can provide ourselves. There are so many people out there who could use help and never ask for it. This year we have been able to not only christmas shop for our kids been also been fortunate to help out a few kids and it surely brings you back to the true meaning of Christmas. It also makes you stop to be grateful that you aren't the one needing the help, although you do realize that if you were there are people out there willing to help. I pray for everyone to have a great Christmas, Happy New Year and be fortunate in the years to come.

2 SEASONS

It has been forever since I actually took time to blog. We have 2 seasons at our house which is baseball season and winter. Winter is here, thaaaank you. Well baseball season ended the second week of October and we also did football at the same time. Korbin played flag football which after watching Keaton play tackle football is much to more layed back, that is a blessing to me sometimes to have things a little more relaxing for awhile.
Keaton started Jr. High this year and life is so different. I thought he was so grown up in 6th grade, but it's like he is a different kid. He loves it. I can see how much he has changed just in the responsibility he takes on. He is turning into a little man and i thought that first year after he was born went by fast. Yes, he no longer thinks girls have cooties. Korbin is in the 4th grade and no longer has his older brother in school with him. It is a good thing we all have our babies to keep our minds off the older kids growing up and to remind us what it was like when they were younger. Anyway to everyone raising small children enjoy it before you know it they start Jr. High.

JUNE IS KEATON'S MONTH

We would like to dedicate this month to Keaton! He turned 12 on the 14th and there is something wrong with that. First not only does he attend Jr. High in the fall, but he wants to go to scout camp for a week. Now my first thought about scout camp was NO they lose scouts, you see it all over the news. Second my son needs a pocket knife for woodcarving so invision this with me will you, a bunch of 12 and 13 year old boys with pocket knifes. If that isn't an accident waiting to happen. After careful consideration and finding out a great friend of ours (who happens to be the 1st counselor in the bishopric) is going with the boys. I decide to let him go. Now the first day was monday the 15th the day after his birthday and they had not been gone 24 hours and I get a phone call from Norm at 8:15 pm telling me Keaton was doing his woodcarving and misunderstood it for thumbcarving. Now as pocket knifes go this is the least of the things I invisioned of a bunch of boys with knifes. So to keep the story semi short. Scout camp was in MT. Pleasant and wonderful friend and counselor Norm brought my son all the way back to Payson hospital for a few stitches and by the time we were done there it was 11:10 pm. So we all went home for the night and Norm and Keaton set out the next morning to finish there week at scout camp. 5 merit badges later, no swimming, and no more incidents they had a great time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEATON!

March Madness

Baseball Season. This is the time when our spring really starts to take off and extend into summer. Having two boys who are extremely dedicated to sports can be very busy, although the dedication to baseball surpasses all sports. Keaton who bleeds green for the team The Irish has played since he was 8 and Korbin bleeds red and black for The P.G. Pirates also since he was 8! The boys are now almost 12 & 10 and our sping & summers are tied to baseball. It can be very hard to work in vacations especially with family. Thanks to them they are very supportive and we try to work around it. As for the immediate family Brent helps assistant coach on Korbin's team so he travels with that son and I go to cheer on Keaton. It can be rough not being able to see the other boys game because of the split up Brent and I do, but the boys seem to understand since their are two of them. Jade loves to watch her brothers play. Tanya and the girls also cheer them on. We are getting ready to attend a tournament in the St. George/Mesquite area starting March 19 of course called March Madness with both boys. May they play well! Here are some great pictures of the boys taken a while back although they are not action ones I'll blog some of those when we get back from the tournament!

2009

Ok, so I was wondering if we can hurry up this first part of 2009! They say things happen in 3's and we have had some challenges already this year. I am hoping they will just happen quickly so we can get on with it. First, Tanya has had some challenges and needed to be put back on track with her recovery. That was very hard for me to realize again that things do not nor will not happen the way we want them to. What someone else struggles with sometimes is not what we all can understand and everyones struggles are different. We just found out a week ago that Brent's youngest sister Pam has recently been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer she is 36 years old. Brent had a brother that had a malignant brain tumor and went through chemo treatments, so cancer is not new to them. Jeff was in remission the year Brent and I was dating (1992) and suffered a seizure at the wheel of his car. The result of the accident was his death. Jeff was 27! You know not every one of us is gonna end up with cancer, but I realize that we all have our own cancers they just come in different forms, whether we are fighting an addiction, cancer, financial struggles, employment problems, sickness, etc. We all have a huge fight before us and I am so glad that we have God to get us through. I have learned in the past year more so than ever that during those struggles our trust and faith just gets stronger. So to everyone and their cancers God Bless You and may you have faith it will work out the way God wants it to.

OH HOW I LOVE NEIGHBORS

TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE GREAT NEIGHBORS YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW I FEEL! LET ME ENLIGHTEN YOU. LAST WINTER BRENT SPENT 3 MONTHS ON LEAVE FROM WORK BECAUSE OF BACK SURGERY, WELL WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A 4 WHEELER SPORTING A SNO PLOW AND BRENT ENJOYS IT LIKE A LITTLE KID. HE SPENT THOSE 3 MONTHS PLOWING OUR WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I MEAN EVERYONES DRIVEWAY, SIDEWALK AND WHATEVER ELSE HE COULD PLOW! THE NEIGHBORS WERE SO THANKFUL THEY DID A GIFT FOR BRENT AT THE END OF THE SEASON. MY COMMENT WAS "WHAT ARE THEY ALL GONNA DO NEXT WINTER WHEN YOU GO BACK TO WORK". BRENT IS GONE ALOT AND IS ONLY HOME 1-2 TIMES A WEEK. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RUN THE SNO PLOW (PATHETIC HUH). OUR GREAT NEIGHBOR TODD HAS ADOPTED THE 4 WHEELER AS HIS SHARED NEW TOY AND I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THAT. I THINK HE MIGHT ENJOY IT ALMOST AS MUCH AS BRENT, BUT THEY SURE ARE SPOILING THE NEIGHBORS AND ME! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO I AM SO THANKFUL FOR GREAT NEIGHBORS AND DEFINATELY WILLING TO SHARE THE TOY!

December.........
It is a time to be grateful for all the things we have. I am so grateful for my family that is healthy, happy, and content. Brent and I have been doing the normal things like working and taking care of our family. We are both so thankful to have jobs that have not really been effected by the "Recession". As for Brent's everybody needs to eat right and with me in the medical field it really doesn't change. In fact it is my busiest time of year, everybody has met there deductibles so they all want to have surgery before the end of the year. So again we are thankful for our occupations because so many families have been effected. Jade is currently an official licensed driver (drivers beware), actually she is very good just like everything else she has always been really responsible. Keaton & Korbin are getting ready to start basketball and keep us on the up and up. All 3 Kids are looking forward to the snow since they all have a snowboarding hobby and a dad who uses them as an excuse to go skiing. Yes he is in the clear since his back surgery to go ski the mountain (imagine that). We are also blessed with our extended family that lives with us. Tanya and the girls are doing wonderful. I am so proud of her and what she has accomplished in a year. She has made some very difficult decisions that have just made her a stronger person. She recently started dental assisting school and her support system seems to grow and grow. She is an amazing person and all four of them have been a great addition to our family. Happy Holidays to all and God Bless Everyone!