Veterans Day and my Favorite Soldier

 My Dad is a highly decorated (retired) soldier. When Veterans day comes around every year it seems that my dad always has something going on. Whether it is a speaking engagement or some kind of honor presented to him. This year he was nominated for a prestigious award up at the University of Utah. Because the war (I think WWII) was signed to end on the eleventh month, the eleventh day, in the eleventh hour the U celebrates eleven Veterans on that time and at that time each year. Each Veteran was escorted up on stage with a active military soldier and presented a metal. While they were given their metal there was a story and a little history read about the Veteran. There was some great patriotic music, taps was played for those lost, and a cannon was shot for remembrance also. Then after this ceremony the Honored Veterans and guests were invited to a really nice luncheon. It was a really neat ceremony and I was so proud of him!

 This is my parents with some really good friends of theirs Sid and Nancy. Sid and my Dad served together and now they go to dinner and travel together some times.

 After the ceremony the audience was invited to come up and talk to and say thanks to the honored. This is the Mayor of Saratoga Springs Mia Love congratulating my Pop.

 My Pop and his escort for the Day

 The President of the U presenting my dad with his award

 My dad is so serious sometimes and this is the only picture I could get of him smiling. This is when he saw his friends Sid and Nancy out in the audience. He has a nice smile I don't know why you don't see it more often.

 Out in the hallway they had a large board telling about each of the Honored Veterans. The same things was written in a program. It really was a good day I was honored to be invited and share that moment with him. Congrats Pop!

 

 

My niece Alisha, dad, and my Bro. James

 

Ok so this was a different day earlier in the year I think it was July 4th but, I realized that I didn't put this in here and since it was another time my dad was given an honor I thought I would post them together. This was a ceremony in the city which he lives. There is a monument in the city cemetery that has service men and women's name engraved on it. It is different than other monuments because it posts the name of not only the dead but of the living service members of the city. It has a wall for each branch of the military but also the police force. Each year they do a ceremony and take down the flag that has been standing there all year and put up a new one. They give the past year to someone they decide to Honor that year and this year my father was chosen. He was asked to speak but, wasn't aware that he was the one chosen with the honored flag that year it was a humbling surprise.

 My Fathers name was also added to the wall of Army service men and women

Mom always by dads side supporting him.

Fall Break and Halloween

Every Fall break for the last four or five years we have had a tradition that we get together with my best friend Tiffany and her kids (last year my sis in law and her daughter joined too). We go to a pumpkin patch and let the kids pick out their own pumpkins. We then go either paint or carve these pumpkins and then make cut out sugar cookies and decorate them. This year Tiffany decided to go visit her sister in Texas, my kids were sick over break, my sis in law did her own pumpkin patch, and Ashton decided to go hunting with his dad for the first time. So this year was just me and three of my kids one night when we could just make it work. They were sad and missing Dad and Ashton (who were hunting) so I decided to pull it together to lift their spirits. It wasn't as fun as having everyone there together to do it but, they were still cute and excited to do it. 

 This was Reggie's first real year to participate. He had a good time! His pumpkin is the only one a month later still on the porch without rotting.

 Jordyn did her best job yet she is old enough now that she took a little time with it by putting stars on it and sprinkles it was very pretty. My favorite one that she has done.

 Of course Ty wanted to carve his so he could have fun getting the guts out

 Then it was getting late so we did the cookies in our jammies. It was a great sugar rush right before bed.

 Halloween morning the kids school did a parade for the parents so we could she all the kids costumes. Ty was a super skilled ninja

 This was a last minute idea because Ashton's costume has a mask and wasn't allowed for the parade. Cory came up with it and I thought it was awesome. This is a Gil leaf suit for hunting but, because is so big on him I thought it made him look like the Swamp Thing. I thought it was really cool looking but, a lot of kids didn't know what he was apparently they aren't familiar with the Swamp Thing (i know i am old). So kuddos to the kids that knew.

 I visited my brother at work to take him breakfast since I was close by and this is what I drove up to. LOL

 My little kitty cat and puppy dog (scooby, Reggie is totally into scooby lately. Some shows never die, love it)

 Tiffany is always so fun on Halloween and puts together a costume. So FUN! I am too boring.

 I had to laugh at Jordyn's costume this year it reminded me of a picture I remembered as a kid when I was the same age dressing up as the same thing for Halloween. The picture below is of my cousin Andrea and I in 1983 we were buds growing up even though she is a year younger than me. So for fun I had to get a picture of Jordyn and her cousin Ella who is a year younger than her. TOO FUN!!

October Birthdays

Once upon a time October only had one special birthday which is my mother's but, now in the last five years this month has added four more special little ones. Two are my best friend of over twenty years little girl Ruby, and one is my beautiful niece Ella's. The other two are my kiddos Reggie and Jordyn. Reggie turned the big #3. His birthday was pretty much the same as last year. Sunday evening we had the families over for cake and ice cream, and then he wanted to go to Kangaroo Zoo on his actual birthday which was on a Monday.

 Making a wish!

 Opening present with all the cousins around (typical of kid parties)

 CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The family so excited to be together

 More of the family. I was so happy almost everyone on both sides were there that are locals

 On his actual birthday Reggie woke up to his room decorated

 The "big" slide at Kangaroo Zoo. He has no fear on anything

 Cousin Izzy joining the fun

 BFF's and cousins. Ella and Jordyn came for the fun

 Mom and Reggie

 Then after Ruby and Ella's B-days a couple of weeks after Reggie's B-day is Jordyn's she turned Five. Her B-day was on a sunday this year and she actually was sick. She laid on the couch all day until the Gparents showed up with presents and then magically wanted to get dressed and open presents.

 She got some new clothes which she apparently loved a couple of outfits for school and...

a super pretty dress for church from gma and gpa Slade

 Playing with her Dora doll from Gma and Gpa Russell

another CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Since her Birthday was on a Sunday we took her and some friends to go play the Saturday before. This is Ilene (Ily) with Jordyn our new next door neighbor that Jordyn has become best buds with.

 Jorydn was told that she could invite a three friends (because that is all the room I had in my van). She invited Ella, and Ily and wanted to take Ruby but, she was in Texas. But, the boys wanted some guys to hang with so our neighbor the Watts decided to bring all five of there kids to come play also. The have two sons that are Ashton and Ty's age that they have become fast friends with and they also have a little girl named Grace that is Jordyn's age. I couldn't find her for the picture. But, we ended up with a good group and they all had a ton of fun!

Ella, Ily, and Ashton giving the rope swing a go.

Happy Birthday Reggie to our miracle man who is doing so amazing that even his doctor is impressed at how good he is doing. With his condition they told me potty training would take longer and be difficult but, he already does so good that it won't be too long before he is all the way trained. He has the best laugh, loves and I mean loves to wrestle with dad, has NO fear (at two was hitting any ride he was big enough for including a big roller coaster at Lagoon this summer) is talking like crazy (telling me he is going on the potty to be bigger bigger so he can go hunting with daddy), will hit the biggest hill around on his trike, can't stand to be told NO, and loves to give me big kisses. I look at him all the time and am so grateful that he is part of our family. That I get to see him grow and develop every day. That besides some vitamin supplements and regular blood test he is a perfect, typical little three year old.
Happy Birthday Jordyn who is my sweet temper tantrum five year old. She is growing into such a girl. She is sweet and kind one minute and the next so emotional that you can't even talk to her. Her and our dog piper are best buddies. She loves going over to the next door neighbors because they have three older girls and lots of girl toys. Her favorite time is snuggle time with daddy and baking cookies with mom. She is just like her mom growing up trying to be tough and keep up with her brothers. Jordyn is at that age where is she isn't a baby anymore and yet talking like an adult even if she doesn't quite understand what she is saying. I have to tell a funny story about her. We went to the doctor for her yearly check-up and the nurse said a new thing they are doing at five is to get a urine sample to test overall health. So I took Jordyn in the bathroom and got her on the toilet and held the cup under her to get the sample and she just wouldn't go. We tried this three times and she just couldn't do it.  I told her we need to get a sample and she just needs to push it out. She just looks at me and says "mommy what do you think I am a cow" as if I was trying to milk her.  I giggled about that all day. When she is being nasty she tells me she just can't lock away her bad heart. But when she finally does she tells me she has a good heart now and she is happy. I love the funny things she says! I am so happy emotions and all to have a daughter.

First day of School

I will be the first to admit that I am not a creative, crafty minded person. I am not the mom that always puts together cute things at the holidays or first day of school. This year I felt guilty that I hadn't planned anything fun so at eleven o'clock at night the night before school started I ran to Wal-Mart and with an idea from pinterest  put together a little surprise for the first day of school.  

 In the mist of getting everyone to school on time with all their school supplies in tow I didn't get any pictures of the boys sad I know. They loved their surprise and when they got to school they had a red carpet laid out, music, balloons, and a tunnel of kids to go through at the front door. Starting a new school with not knowing a lot of kids or any teachers that helped their nerves a ton. They were excited pulling up to the school.

 Jordyn's first day of school was a couple of days later. The most exciting thing she got was a quick run shopping to get her a new first day outfit. She looked adorable as usual.

Reggie didn't get a first day of school surprise and felt left out so we had to take a picture of his cute smile to make him feel better. No Problem!

Fall Sports

I love the fall for the color of the leaves, the crunch they make under your feet, making big piles for the kids to jump in, the fresh crisp hair, back to school, pumpkin cookies, hot chocolate, and most of all fall sports! This year Ty wanted to play soccer again and Ashton was back into football. 

 This is after their final game. Ty is fourth from the right. They had a good season technically at this age they don't keep score but, they only lost one or two games. Most important Ty loves it and had a ton of fun!

 His bright red face can explain how hard he was working and total concentration in his eyes

 Great through in technique!

 Get it Ty! He was never afraid to get in the middle of things. Don't you love that we had a police man reffing a kids game while he was packing.

 Handsome little devil:)

 We moved over the summer and we are no longer Vikings:( Now we are PIONEERS! (totally hard core I know) I will be honest in saying it was a rough year. Ashton was placed on a team that only had four boys every play football before and they got a coach who never coached football before either. So needless to say it was kind of sad they lost every game, only got three touchdowns all season, and his wonderful coach didn't even show up to their end of the year party (pathetic). But, on a good not note Ashton really enjoys playing and I hope somewhere in there his skills improved. He loved getting to make new friends in a new town, being active, and having everyone cheer him on. He did get discourage in the end by losing so much so he decided to not go to the last game and go hunting with his dad instead. I loved seeing him part of a team though and being so happy when he got a good hit and he would be so excited to tell DAD all he did at practices and the games he missed.

 Look how hard core he is taking down his opponent

 Staring down the other team

He looks so cute in his pads! Sorry I guess I shouldn't say cute, TOUGH in his pads.

I am so glad when the season starts but, also so glad when it end. It makes for crazy days and hard to get homework done but, it is all worth it!