Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Dear Family and Friends,

First and foremost, from our home to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  We love to get letters from family and friends during the holiday season and get updated on their lives and truly never think that people are bragging or boasting about themselves.  So, if you feel that way, we are sorry but only want to share the joys, highlights and wonderful things that mean so much to us, with you!

This year was to say the least a busy one.  We became foster parents in 2010; however, we never received a placement until early this year, when we were asked to care for a 10 week old baby girl.  Our lives were changed, our schedule and everything now revolved around this precious baby.  She was such a blessing in our lives. We truly needed to have her, all of us healed in so many ways due to her simple presence.  We had her in our home for 7 months and enjoyed every single minute of it.  We forgot how much time babies take and how much gear they have too, but we wouldn’t have traded that for anything in the world, it was so much fun.  We felt truly grateful for the opportunity to raise her for that time.   

Austin will be just two months from turning 18 when you receive this letter and is a senior in high school.  He is preparing all his college applications and getting ready to graduate and begin the next step in his life.  Leah, on the other hand is not sure she’s ready for all this to happen. Wasn’t it just a short time ago that he was a young boy getting ready for a full day of school in first grade?  Austin decided to forego swimming this year so he could have a little more free time in the winter.  He’s playing rec basketball, will probably do a little snowboarding, and will have more time to get ready for spring baseball.    

Colton hasn’t changed much and as we pulled out the baby books this year, he was a strong personality from the start!  He fortunately has channeled it into sports and loves wrestling at the moment, although I am not sure I do!   He loves about every sport, depending on the season.  He loved having a baby around the home and was always doting over her and if she even cried one second he was there tending to her every need and want.  He was a terrific diaper changer too and he has very protective instincts. 

Kaden has gotten to be a bit sassy and bossy in his advancements in age.  He will say something to us and then say “alright?” while shaking his fists down at the ground. It is so hard not to laugh at him because it is truly hilarious but if you do that it will turn to the opposite extreme and he will then run into his room crying!  He too has enjoyed the wrestling gig and often times he will be at a match and look over at us to see if we are watching and give us a great big grin!  He’s a solid kid and doesn’t have much fear of anything.  He really likes the skate park, doing tricks on his scooter, playing football, etc. 

Steve is still working at Zion’s Bank.  He enjoys raising these boys and watching them become the independent individuals they are.  He loves watching them participate in their activities and teaching and coaching them. He really enjoyed golf this summer.  It’s the most he’s gotten out for some time now, since the boys are getting older.  He even bought Colton a jr set of clubs for his 8^th B-day.   

Lastly, Leah kept busy exercising and training for to run a half marathon in February on behalf of children with heart defects. She is training to run another this year, she says it keeps her winter weight off.  She still coupons like crazy and we now have 456 razors on hand!  In case of an emergency, we’re hoping we can barter toiletries, soaps, razors, shampoos, etc for food, since these are what we have most of in our storage. 

It was truly a wonderful year of just enjoying our home, friends and family nearby.  Life sometimes gets so busy you don’t realize all the fun and excitement you need are right in front of you, and it truly was.     We also are so grateful and thankful for our health, family, friends, jobs and our faith!  Sometimes the simplest little things are often the most profound. We wish for you and your family a happy holiday season and prosperous new year.                                             

 Love, Steve, Leah, Austin, Colton, and Kaden

Elfy has arrived!

Elfy made his debut a few nights ago and the kids have been so excited to see the tricks and funny things that he has in store for them this year! Elfy was caught watching TV when the boys woke the other morning!  They left him a note telling them what they wanted and he wrote them one back telling them to keep their room clean!  Of course Elfy doesn't spell very well, so Kaden wrote him a not back telling him ever so bluntly how to spell and at the end of the note he writes in his bossy tone "all right"!  I wanted to tell him that that was spelled incorrectly too! 

 Elfy must have been thirsty last night and didn't know what that white stuff was in the jug, so he magically turned it green, we caught him enjoying his normal beverage almost.  Later that day we found him with his feet up in the air diving into the homemade chocolate chips cookies I made!  

 I was accused of possibly touching Elfy and he looses his magic when touched by humans.  Last night Elfy protected himself from the many hands that might encounter him "accidentally" and hid under a drinking glass!  I am pretty sure he is safe inside there at least for today anyway!   

 My tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and truly this picture doesn't do it justice, it really turned out super nice and is 12 feet tall but this picture makes it look skinny and small....sure wish pictures did that to me!  hehe  I love the holiday season and thankfully the snow has NOT come yet,  I hope it doesn't slam us all at once! Most of my shopping is done too! 

Halloween and Perfect Weather = lots of candy for me!

The weather on Halloween was superb!  It truly was lovely,
and the amount of candy was very evident of the weather.  Grandma Sally gave out her traditional big candy bar, of course my boys went there a couple times and a few days after to get their special candy.

Colton has the same tongue action as his Dad does when he is intently doing something!  The pumpkin carving was fun this year, but next year I am getting my own pumpkin, I wanted to do my own thing and the boys wouldn't let me! 

Colton was a dead or hurt dirt biker but, his costume ideas and mine naturally were very opposite!  I did all his makeup and he went into the bathroom and rubbed most of it off!

 

I thought he looked fantastic????

See all the make up is now removed!

Kaden of course is much more amicable with things!  He let me do a dry run on his makeup on Saturday and I shouldn't have because the first time it looked way better!

Kaden was Dracula and I must say a might good looking one!

A few friends who live elsewhere came to enjoy the trick or treating in our neighborhood along with the rest of Heber Valley!  I bought 18 bags of candy and when we got back around 7:15 there were cars lined up in front of our house and I was done!  I shut the light and we had dinner!  My mom was with us this year and we sure enjoyed her time with us over at least one holiday! 

Summer fun happened so fast!

I had all these fun things we did all summer long on this post and for some reason it all got deleted, now I am wiped out and will have to add it another time!  That is frustrating!

Yes, Kaden is wearing Austin's swimming speedo!  He thinks he is a stud in it too! 

We bowled one day and they loved it, just wish it wasn't so expensive for each game....we could have bowled all afternoon if they let us.

We had endless fun this summer, we loved having our sweet baby with us too, she is such a sweetheart and has brought a spirit into our home that was greatly cherished and loved.  My boys all three of them, dote on her like nothing I have seen.  If she even begins to fuss or cry, she is picked up immediately! 

FIRST day of school!

Colton is going into 3rd grade and his teacher is Mrs. Mellen!

Kaden is going to be a first grader and his teacher is Mrs. Limb!

They get to go to school together....well that lasted for a day or two anyways.

It happened so fast!  My baby is in school all day now!  Austin is a senior and is graduating!  Why do they have to grow up? 

Presenting the next son in the family's sporting gigs!

Colton is truly an athlete although he gets easily bored and doesn't like the practices!  I know just where he got that from too!  It was baseball season and so the kid can sport the attire full on whether it fits him or not if its the sport he is into that day, he is wearing it, no telling him otherwise.  Often times Austin is like where is my baseball jersey, I say go look in Colton's room, yup its in there hiding in his sheets or something.  He so looks up to his brother. 

He sure does dress the part but, really wasn't that interested in playing after the first couple of games.  He got hit with the pitches the first couple times at bat and that didn't feel that great, apparently!  We had to bribe him to go to the games!

So sweet!

He did manage to get a few good hits!

So on with the next sport, I think golf is a lot less dangerous!

Or swimming in the sink works for us too, the parents and team members are great in this sport!

Colton got these clubs for his birthday and he is so proud of them, and is ready to go! 

Kaden's Kindergarten Graduation

This is a little late and so will some of my upcoming other posts but, I am doing it. 
I like the concept a ton but I get so distracted with lifes things and the to do list!



Kaden looks so handsome he sure has grown up a lot! 

He was peeking out the door and he was the first in line!  He is unlike his mother in that regard, I hate being in the spotlight and he loves it.

Precious is all I can say to describe this, well sad too!  My baby is going to be in school all day long now. 

It was a long day of fun and he just couldn't bear to take that off.  To this day, he still puts it on and wears it in the house.  I am going to have to hid it so I can save it in his treasure box! 

Kaden's Golden Birthday

I can't believe my baby boy is now 7!  Seven years ago I had this sweet boy on July, 7th!  He has brought so much joy and laughs into our home, he is a treat to have and call our son. 
Usually I have the boys parties together since their friends are the same but with it being his Golden birthday, I wanted it to be all about him. 
He choose a repitle party and it truly was the best party as in it was really educational as well as being different and fun.  There were 12 kids and our adopted grandma Sally.

Kim and her son, from Kim's Creatures brought us 20 different reptiles to explore.

Kaden got to be their personal assistant for the party, he loved every single reptile!

All the reptiles were named and were very well cared for.

This Dragon was my fav, he would just lay on your chest or shoulders like a baby!  Too bad they smell in their cage or I would get one.  She would eat right out of your hand.

This cute turtle was the size of a half dollar! 

I am deathly afraid of snakes, apparently it doesn't run in the family!  Kaden loved them! 

And no matter the size either!  By the end of the party, I held one in my hands that was all coiled up.  I have come to realize its not the snake I don't like its the way they move that creeps me.

Sally on the other hand, was in love with the snakes, even resorting to kissing the princess!

This is Kaden's love, Lexi Vought, she babysits for us but, he just has a special connection to her.  I think its so neat how our boys have such great relationships with our friends and neighbors, I always was that way too! 

Colton was a bit more reluctant and cautious of the reptiles, but he loved the dragon too!

One was not enough for Kaden!

I have made this cake before but this time I did some cool things with frosting and freezing the cake first it turned out great if I might say so myself.  The cake tasted amazing too.....I used the cake mix that you add butter instead of oil and what a difference it tasted way better.

Kaden wanted his own cowboy hat so that is what we got him....he loved it!

I am sad to see my babies growing up but, I am enjoying them more and more as they get to developing their unique personalities.