Nick Turns 5!

Nick turned 5 on a busy Tuesday! 

I had to wake him up at 6:45 so he could open his presents before Kate and Jack caught the bus.  We had blueberry muffins for breakfast, with hot chocolate (of course). 

He happily opened his presents, finding a soccer ball, money from Grandma and Grandpa Judi, a Cars 3 lego set and a new shirt with a soccer ball on it.

We had preschool at our house after the big kids went off to school.  The theme was Nick's birthday and winter.  Nick's friends brought his cards and gifts. He loved it! 

We read books about snowballs and Christmas.  We played snowball games and had a snowball (cottonball) fight.

 We had chocolate panda cupcakes for snack.  Followed up by pretzels.

 We played freeze dancing games to Frosty the snowman and did the "Reindeer Pookey". 

I bought the movie Cars 3 for Nick to watch in the afternoon.  He played with his lego cars while he watched.

He picked Wendy's for his birthday.  Instead of our usual birthday date, we let all the kids go with us.  Nick had chicken nuggets, root beer and fries. 

That evening Kate had a young women's activity, Jack had scouts and basketball practice.  Nick, Ty and I went to pack meeting at the church.  After 9:00 when everyone got home Nick blew out his candles and had his bear cake.  He helped me decorate it...adding the stomach buttons, hand the decorating candle holes in the stomach.

Nick is my little buddy.  He has matured a lot this last year and I enjoy spending time with him while the other kids are at school. 

• He is an awesome helper!  He is usually willing to grab something for Dave or I.  He likes to help me clean and put things away. He likes to help in the kitchen and is an awesome small towel folder.   
• He doesn't get as frustrated about things as he used to, since he can do pretty much everything on his own now.  
• He can write his name and pretty much all the letters, if I just show him what they look like.  
• He can count to 14, that silly 15 is hard to remember.  
• He likes to make up songs to sing.  
• He loves the color black and when he colors or paints at preschool things end up being black.  
• He loves to play with his friends, but isn't very tolerant of younger siblings coming over to play.  He'll take his friends into his room and leave the younger siblings to play in the toy room.   
• He loves riding his bike.  The faster the better.  
• He doesn't like to walk to the bus stop with Ty.  He prefers to sit on the couch watching a show until the bus comes.  He is a very disciplined person and doesn't like to do things that are wrong.  He follows most rules (except now throwing things or hitting, but he does have two big brothers that egg him on).  
• Nick is a little OCD.  He likes to have things just how wants them.
• He loves to collect things that are special, whether they are his or not.  Sometimes the other kids find their things under his bed or in his dresser.  He usually remembers where they are.
• He has been begging for Nike shoes like Jack and Ty for a while.  He got some after Christmas at the Nike outlet and was SO happy!  
• He loves stuffed animals, especially cougar and his new Teddy bear from Christmas.  He still loves his blanket that he got when he was born, the navy blue fleece blanket I made him for Christmas last year and his "Holy Ghost" aqua blanket he got in CTR 4 this year.  
• His favorite foods are:  his morning hot chocolate, canned peaches, bananas, apples, oranges, jerky, pretzels, lime yogurt, chicken noodle soup
• Dislikes:  cheese
• Friends:  Brecklyn Toponce, Henry and Maisy Medina, Scarlett Gowdy, Levi Frewing, Paisley Stromberg
• He loves preschool and asks every day if it is preschool.  
• He likes to play the computer, with Ty or alone.  His favorites are games on Kizi, Animal Jam and Sesame Street.  He likes to play Minecraft with Ty.  
• He can stay up late like the big kids!  He hardly ever takes a nap.  And on weekends stays up late watching a movie, sometimes falling asleep on Dad.
• Nick gives the best kisses and hugs.  When he realizes that he has made a mistake or was grumpy, he makes an animal sound and nudges at me until he can have a hug and a kiss.  

Favorites according to Nick:

Color:

Food:

Things to do:

Toy:

Show or Movie:

Book:

Friends:

Ty Turns 8 and Baptism

Ty had been looking forward to turning 8 for months.  He had been anxiously learning and baptism and learned the covenants that he'd make.  I got to go with him to his interview with Bishop Wuerch.  He was nervous, but gave great answers to all the questions.

We were in Utah at Mike & Maggie's house around Ty's birthday.  Maggie hung up a Happy Birthday sign in the kitchen.  Ty was anxious to open his presents before 9:30 church and got ready for church really fast.

 Kate bought Ty a journal and CTR tie-tack with her own money.  Ty also got a set of "big" scriptures and a case, John Stockton book, Lego City, and scout book.

He was extra lucky to have his baptism be on his birthday.  Grandma and Grandpa Judi gave him $20.  Grandma and Grandpa Cox & Emmalee gave him a hymnbook with his name on it.  Melinda & family gave him a lego set.

Lissa and Aubrey, Alex and Gareth went to church with us.   Grandma and Grandpa Judi came too.  The kids got to go to primary with their cousins.  Ty told his class that it was his birthday and he was going to get baptized in the river after church.

After church we met at Mike and Maggie's house for Ty's baptism service.

 Grandma and Grandpa Judi, Grandpa Cox and Emmalee (Grandma wasn't feeling well and had to stay home), Melinda and her boys (Norm was flying to China), Mike and Maggie & their kids and Lissa and her three kids were all there for the baptism.

We set up extra chairs in the family room.  And Uncle Mike conducted since he's in bishopric in his ward.

After Kate's talk on baptism we all walked through the backyard and the field to the Weber River.  There were a few men fishing (visiting from Texas).  Grandpa Judi went down before we started and talked to them to see if it was ok if we did a baptism in their fishing hole.

 The baptism went well.  Ty said that the water was kind of cold.  It was hot outside, so he didn't mind.  Everyone else was wishing they were wet too while they were walking back to the house.

Ty said that he felt "cold and happy" during his baptism.  He wasn't really nervous and was excited.

While Ty and Dave were changing into dry clothes Grandma Judi led the music while everyone sang primary songs a capella.  It was pretty neat to listen too.  Everyone was very reverent, not like our usual "Uncle Mike's house" behavior.

Uncle Mike gave the talk about the Holy Ghost.  He shared some experiences of when he felt the Holy Ghost help him.  Once when he was at college and was tempted to skip church and another time on his mission.



Here's a little more about Ty at age 8:

Height: 4' 2"
Weight: 54 or 55 lbs
Favorites:
  Food: salmon, meatballs, texas sheet cake, quesadillas
  Friends:  Nathan Thomas, Brigham Stromburg, Jacob Johnson, Henry Davenport
  Things to do: read, read, read, basketball, football, legos

I interviewed Ty and this is what he said:

1.  Who is your favorite person in the whole world?  I don't know

2.  What is your favorite color?  black, blue

4.  What's your favorite outfit?  BYU shirt, and green/black shorts

5.  What sport do you like best?  basketball


7.  What's your favorite cereal? lucky charms

8.  Who is your best friend?  ...in which place?  nathan tomas,washington

9.  What do you want to be when you grow up?   a baskettball player

10.   What is your favorite book? dragon masters

11.  What are you really good at? basketball

12.  Where do you wish you could go on vacation?  utah

13.  What is a memory from this past year? getting baptised

14.  What would you buy if you had $1000000000? a machine that would give you anything

15.  What vegetable do you hate the most? nothing

16.  If you could have a wish, what would it be?  to have a machine that would give you anything

17.  What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? chocolate

18.  Who is your biggest hero? alma

19.  What do you like to do best with your friends? ?

20.  What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday? 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000dallors

Jack is 11!

Jack got to go to school on his 11th birthday since it was a Monday.   He got to open presents before school.  

Nick and his friend, Isaac, went to Cottonwood Elementary to have lunch with Ty and Jack.  I made cookies that Jack shared with his class.

After school he had soccer practice at White Bluffs Elementary.  I mentioned in a text to his coach, Markus that it was Jack's birthday and they sang to him.  

Dave and I took him on his birthday dinner date to Bruchi's.  He got a hamburger.  

He helped me make his birthday cake. He decorated it with the Utah Jazz note and his initials, JJ.  

 Jack this year:  

• in 5th grade at Cottonwood Elementary in Mrs. Selland's class
• currently plays on a competitive soccer team, 3 Rivers Black 06\
• plays on Trever Davis' AAU basketball team (with Carson, Jackson, Porter, Rocco, Kyle, 
• just finished up Cub Scouts with JanaRae Blaser serving as one of his leaders most of the time
• friends:  Logan Blaser, Jackson Farris, Jon Lemire, Jack Zettlemoyer
• is a hard worker, especially outside
• super strong and very fast!
• taking piano lessons from Angela Jacobson.  Loves taking a song that he likes and memorizes it and plays it over and over throughout the day.
• likes listening to music on his ipod while doing other things
• awesome at mowing our lawn with the riding lawn mower
• prefers playing playing basketball to reading
• got the most laps in the school in the Jog-a-thon
• has the highest pacer record at Cottonwood (in PE class)
• won the free throw contest at one of his basketball tournaments
• participated in the Ribbon festival, learning several piano solos and a trio with Kate and Ty
• favorite foods:  pizza, steak, quesadillas, cereal, etc.  He's not too picky with main dishes, but just doesn't love vegetables.  

Kate Turns 13!

Happy 13th to this sweet little lady!  She happily survived her birthday on a Fast Sunday!  She shared her testimony in sacrament meeting.  She requested pulled pork sandwiches for dinner.  She's beautiful inside and out, a great big sister, amazing breadmaker and the best daughter ever.  

 Kate made her own Texas sheet cake - her specialty.

I posted a birthday picture of Kate on instagram and she got tons of sweet birthday wishes and compliments.

Favorites:

• food - pizza, pulled pork sandwiches, salsa, funeral potatoes, ham
• friends - Kaylee Memmott, Claire Z, Claire C., Ivy, Brianna, Abby, Whitney, Jaynie, Ellyce, Keira, Hope, Audrey, Emily, Sophi, Anni, Nina, Ada
• things to do - read, run, swim, bake bread and sweets

Things Kate did this last year:

• Went to girls camp
• Went to the temple for the first time and have gone seven or eight times to do baptisms
• ran cross country
• played 7th grade basketball
• took piano lessons at 7 am every Thursday
• first piano adjudication
• first 7th grade band adjudication (playing flute)
• made bread every weekend during the school year (about 15 loaves each week) and bread multiple times a week during the summer
• made "Kate's Bread" famous
• took a six hour babysitting course and have had many babysitting jobs
• first youth dance (Pixie Dance in February)
• went to Camp Zarahemla with ward youth (and mom) for overnight sledding activity
• got glasses
• 8.5 mile walk with Stake Young Womenq

I interviewed Kate and this is what she said:

1.  Who is your favorite person in the whole world? mom and dad (someone besides your family --> Sophi

2.  What is your favorite color? blue...and purple

3.  What's your favorite television show?  Great British Baking Show

4.  What's your favorite outfit?  GAP sweatshirt, jeans, random shirt

5.  What sport do you like best?  cross country

6.  What song do you love?  It's Going to Be OK (by Piano Guys)

7.  What's your favorite cereal?  cinnamon LIFE

8.  Who is your best friend?  ...in which place?  Sophi.  Claire & Kaylee.

9.  What do you want to be when you grow up?  a baker (bake bread and sweets)

10.   What is your favorite book?  Land of Stories the Wishing Well

11.  What are you really good at? making bread

12.  Where do you wish you could go on vacation?  Hawaii and Los Alamos

13.  What is a memory from this past year? girls camp

14.  What would you buy if you had $1000? put it in the bank

15.  What vegetable do you hate the most? squash

16.  If you could have a wish, what would it be?  go to Los Alamos

17.  What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? chocolate moose tracks

18.  Who is your biggest hero? mom 

19.  What do you like to do best with your friends?  play games (like Egyptian Slap Jack)

20.  What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday? ...besides see Sophi?  go to Los Alamos

Kate had a friend party on April 15th.  

She invited a bunch of girls over (Keira, Abby, Claire, Aleah, Whitney, Janie, Brianna, Kaylee, Emily, Bethany, Ivy, and Ellyce).  They did a "favorite things" exchange instead of everyone giving Kate a present and played some games in the basement.  Then they roasted hot dogs and ate a big green salad for dinner and a smores bar for dessert.  

March 2017

Desert Hills Basketball

Kate played 7th grade basketball.  They practiced after school and sometimes at 6:15 am.  Their team won all of their games.

Nick had preschool for three weeks at Gabe Wolfey's house.

Gabe Wolfey, Nick, Micah Taff, Isaac Mohlman

We went to the old Desert Hills Middle School (that Kate attended last year) to see if there was anything we wanted to buy before they demolished it.  We bought these cupboards ($20) and put them in our garage.  We also took some big signs (7th grade Hall, 8th Grade Hall, boys, girls, electrical, security, etc.) off of the walls and doorways.  We got those for free.  We also bought a chalkboard, but gave it away.

We've been cleaning our friends, the Hernandez's office while they're on their mission to Peru for over a year now.  We clean it every weekend  Sometimes the kids draw on the white board in the conference room.  nick drew a person with red marker.  We couldn't get it off.  I tried every trick and cleaning product we had at the office, but it was still there.  You can see it faintly in the picture.

in singing time, Sister Curnutt taught the kids the verses to Nephi's Courage.  Nick got to be Laban and Ty and Weston Farris got to be Laman and Lemuel. Nick got a little braver with his sword the longer that they stood there and poked the wicked brothers a little bit.

I got to babysit my friend, Gina Davenport's brand new baby girl, Madeline, while she took the other twin baby (boy) to the doctor.  Kate wanted to see her so I took a few pictures and videos of her.  Nick was not impressed with the smell of her poop but was pretty interested in her.  

 Kate participated in her first piano adjudication.  She did great!

Nick loves playing games, especially memory.  He found the "stunk" skunk match.

March 14th - Pi(e) Day - we had chicken pot pie for dinner.

Jack helped make and decorate a cake for the Blue and Gold Banquet.  The theme was "In the Wild".

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day with Lucky Charms.  That's about as festive as we got.

We had a day where is wasn't raining or super windy, so we headed to the park a mile from our house.  Nick smiled the whole time as he went down the slide and threw his little C3P0 lego that he named "Chewy" off of the side and down the slide.  

Ty had football games two Saturdays in March.  It's two hand touch and is a high school development program.  They practice 25 minutes away (at Eastgate Park) twice a week.  We carpool with Ty's friend, Nathan Thomas.

Things are finally greening up.  It's one of the few weeks of the year that the hill behind our house is green.

We planted eight fruit trees in the field.  Four apple and four peach.

We spent a few days cleaning up the yard and mowing the lawn.  

We finished trimming the big window in the living room.  We were finally able to hang up the blinds that we ordered months ago that have been sitting on the floor in the living room.  Unfortunately they're not exactly the same blinds as the other ones we ordered for the smaller windows in our house.  

After months of not letting anyone comb his hair, Nick told me one day that he wanted a mohawk like Jack's.  So he got one!  He wanted one the next day and has let us comb his hair almost every day since.  He is very particular about it not getting messed up as he plays.  This is huge progress from the boy who would rub his hair on the carpet or a towel after I combed it because he didn't like how I combed it.

Kate and I went to the General Women's broadcast at the stake center.  We took a quick picture together but it didn't turn out very well, but we snapped this picture of the temple too.  The broadcast was wonderful and very short (less than an hour and a half).  After munching on a cookie, we went to dinner with Ellyce and Jessica Gowdy at Frost Me Sweet in Richland.  Kate and Ellyce each had Italian panini's.  Jessica and I split a greek salad and butternut squash macaroni and cheese.  The girls got a cupcake afterwards too.  Then Kate and I cleaned the office and hit Fred Meyer for milk on the way home.

Temple Visits:
I went to the temple two Wednesday mornings and did endowment sessions.  The temple was closed the first two weeks of March.  Kate and Dave went with the youth from our ward to do baptisms for the dead.  The next night, Dave and I went to ward temple night (the 7:30 session).

5th Grade Choral Festival (March 26th):
All the fifth graders in the school district learned the same songs.  Five or six of the schools performed them together.  They got to go to Kennewick High School the morning of the performance and practiced.

Nick helped me clean out our neighbor's raspberry patch (the Mailloux's).  The previous owners hadn't cleared the dead canes before he sold the house last year.  The new owners are a bit overwhelmed with all the yard work that their yard requires with fruit trees, etc.

Nick made this snack at preschool and told Sister Mohlman that it was a baby carriage.  Their unit is about imagination.  When I asked Nick about it he told me that it was a baby "cage" not carriage.

Track season started.  It was very windy and cold at their first meet (March 28th). 

 She ran the 100, 200 and 400.  She hated the 400 and liked the 100 and 200 more.

Nick stole Jack's glasses and thought he was funny.  I called him "little Jack."

2nd Grade Music Performance (March 30th):

Ty was the dragonfly in the Bug Performance.  He had his lines memorized for weeks.  It was fun to watch him sing all the songs and say his lines.