Hickman Highway

Road Trip

2011-04-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

In February we took a road trip to Southern California. We had a fabulous time together as a family and crammed as much as we could into the 10 days we were gone. We have over a thousand pictures from the trip so needless to say I will only share a few of them. The car ride was actually somewhat enjoyable although I must admit that the last few hours home seemed endless. We made a quick loop through San Francisco to see a few highlights (I had never been and would like to go back) and then headed to Anaheim. We spent two days in Disneyland, one in California Adventure, one at Seaworld, and one at Universal Studios. We managed a quick stop at the beach and Hollywood Blvd. We took the long way home and spent a day in Pahrump, NV. with my sister, brother, and their families. It was great to see all of them and it was wonderful spending time together as a family just having fun.

The family at the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate.

Mollie & Megan at the bottom of Lombard street in San Francisco.

The picture says it all, did I mention he is 15.

One of the few that all three thought was cool.

A quick evening trip to the beach.

Driving a few extra hours to feed my nephew Josh was totally worth it!

Disneyland

2011-04-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

Disneyland was great as usual. We had so much fun just spending time together. The lines weren't too bad and we were able to do everything we wanted many times over. After years of not going on a vacation it was very fun for Mike and I to take "big" kids on vacation. It was great to be able to go and do whatever with no concern for a time schedule. We commented several times how weird it was to not have a stroller with us. I really enjoyed the time on the rides and the time in line. It was a great chance to just be a family.
The pictures are endless but here are just a few.

As always Thunder Mountain was definitely a favorite!

A little excited while waiting for the tram. After two days in the car they were ready to start the vacation!

We were in the right place at the right time and there was no waiting to get their picture with Buzz!

This one is for Jadyn and Kaylie

One of my favorites from the trip.

Killing time in the princess line. The only line Sam was willing to wait in. I could make a photo album of him and his princesses.

Mollie talked for weeks about having a turkey leg!

Destined to be a king!

Even the cold and rain on the last night didn't dampen our spirits.

California Adventure

2011-04-26T22:08:00.002-07:00

AWESOME! FUN! AMAZING! FABULOUS! I could go on with a list of words to describe California Adventure. We just had a great time being together and the Water Show was amazing. We saw it twice and loved it both times. Sam was on a mission to ride the rollercoaster as many times as possible. The nonexistent lines made this pretty doable. I rode twice, Mike a few times, Mollie and Megan quite a few, and Sam some crazy number. We also loved the new Toy Story mania ride. Megan wants to plan a return trip to visit the Cars land that they are creating. We also watched the live Alladin show as well, it was definitely a highlight. We laughed a lot!

Sea World

2011-04-26T22:07:00.001-07:00

The excitement!

The warning!

The aftermath! They were drenched. I couldn't help but laugh and laugh. I offered them ponchos.

Universal Studios

2011-04-26T22:07:00.000-07:00

We were a late getting to Universal Studios because of a flat tire and then terrible traffic. After a slow start we had a great day. I wish we could have had a little more time. Our morning put us behind two hours so we didn't get to see everything but I loved it. Very fun day!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas Holiday. We loved seeing and hearing from many of you and missed those that we were not able to spend time with. Happy New Year from our family to yours! Here are few highlights from our Christmas Holiday.

As always, decorating gingerbread houses with the cousins is a fun evening. I made the houses for the first time this year. What a sticky mess. I have to thank Mike's Mom, Lucy, for all of the many years that she has made the houses for everyone to enjoy, THANK YOU.

While I stood in line waiting for our Santa pictures the kids ventured with Mike over to the Toy Store, Sam was being a good sport about going along but it looked like he had a little fun!

Sam, Megan, and Mollie on their annual carousel ride at Westlake

Our favorite Gingerbread house at the Sheraton. It was a fabulous display and tribute to those that serve in the armed forces.

Waiting for Santa

Sitting with Santa
Having my picture with Santa, does this Santa look familiar??

Hanging out Christmas Eve at Grandma's and Papa's house

Some in my family questioned why Santa would give an "Air Horn" to a 15 year old boy.

Megan can't wait to go to school on Monday with her new sweatshirt.

Mollie taking time out to give her new Dolphin a squeeze, this pillow pet is her new favorite pillow in her room.

And finally, the highlight, I love this picture of sure joy and happiness. The kids were very shocked, surprised, and overjoyed when they learned that we are heading to Disneyland in February!

Family Prayer

2010-12-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

We have family prayer pretty much every night. Some nights run great and all goes smoothly and everyone is off to bed and some nights don't go quite as well and of course there are the occassional nights here and there when someone starts chuckling during the prayer. I have to admit that this week it was me who was laughing. Sometimes kids say the craziest things even when they get older.

Several days ago we tye dyed t-shirts. The girls thought is would be fun to wear the shirts for Santa pictures and Sam was talked into the plan. We have never tye dyed shirts before so it was a quick but entertaining few minutes because none of us really new what we were doing. We wrapped the shirts in saran wrap and left them to sit overnight. As we knelt down to prayer that night Sam said "please bless the shirts to do whatever it is they need to do."

Two days later as Mollie was praying she said "please bless that our Christmas budget will increase so that I can have everything I want."

Finally, Mollie has a good friend named Chandler who just had surgery. Sam quite frequently teases Mollie about her friends who happen to be boys. Well in the prayer Mollie said "please bless Chandler that he will recover quickly" just then we all hear Sam very quietly say "ooooooooooooooooooooooh Mollie." Megan and I started laughing and couldn't stop. Mollie quickly ended the prayer. Once we quit laughing we proceeded to get Sam in trouble for teasing his sister, especially during a prayer. His comment was "what, I did it with the utmost respect and reverance.

I love coming together for family prayer!

Another Year

2010-10-01T19:57:00.001-07:00

I have a love hate relationship with the month of september.

I hate seeing summer come to and end but love getting back into a routine.

I hate the endless amounts of homework but love hearing the kids talk about some great thing they learned or see their excitement when they grasp a new concept.

I hate shopping for endless amounts of new clothes and supplies but love cleaning out the dressars and cupboards to get ready for the new items that actually fit and don't have holes etc.

I love the morning routine when it runs smoothly but absolutely hate waking up (I have never been a morning person).

I love watching Megan swim, Mollie play soccer, and Sam play football. I hate worrying that they will be safe and I definitely hate the wet, muddy, and stinky laundry that goes with fall sports.

I hate filling out the forms and papers that have to be signed and returned to the school. I love that I get to work on my penmanship skills (yeah right)

I love listening to sixth graders practice their band instruments, I hate listening to sixth graders practice their band instruments.

I could go on and on about many more things that I love about my kids and about being a mom but I must admit that it is a little sad to see them growing up. After eleven years I no longer have a child in elementary school. It is kind of weird. One last thing, although I don't always love working I do love the fact that I have a job that is flexible enough to let me be a mom whenever needed.

Here are some pictures from the first day of school. Megan is a Junior, Sam a Sophomore, and Mollie started middle school, 6th grade.

Catching Up - Part Three - Megan

2010-09-17T10:46:00.000-07:00

First of all Congratulations to Megan's dear sweet friend Sammy, who has offically battled cancer and won. We are excited that she is in remission and doing well. Megan loves the fact that she will be back at school this year. Megan has been an amazing support and friend through everything. We have all learned alot from Sammy's strength.

Last spring she wrapped up her sophomore year playing softball for the school. They needed a catcher and she stepped up. It was fun to watch her play as always. She obviously loves the game if you get a grin this big when you get on base.

The High School band spent 5 days over Memorial day weekend in Disneyland. Megan had a blast spending time with her friends in the band and playing center court in a Memorial day concert. I must admit that I on several occassions I have mentioned how jealous I am of her many travels. However, it is exciting to see her live life to the fullest every minute of every day.

Megan with her Favorite Character. We often joke that we should put a life size Mater on her bedroom wall.

Afterer Disneyland she feverishly wrapped up her sophomore year. Constant excitement in the air as she studies for finals, planned activities with friends, and got ready for her summer adventures. Here is her group of friends at the "Mormon Prom."

The week after school was out she headed off for a week at EFY in Tacoma with her friend Whitney and with Sam. Of course she loved every minute of it and had a blast. She returned home for less than a day, just long enough to do her laundry and then was out the door to her cousins house in Pennsylvania. She spent a wonderful week with her cousins and was shown a great time. Thanks Jeanne and Roger for giving them such a great experience.

She loved her time in New York and DC and really enjoyed Hershey park and the church sites along with the pageant.

After months of nagging on my part I guess she decided that a street vendor in NY seemed like the perfect place to buy her first purse.

After returning home it was once again time for a quick turn around to get ready for a week at Girls Camp. She was a little tired when she headed out the door but as usual had a great time at girls camp. After camp she did return home and take a week to catch her breath and get a few other things done. And then it was time to get ready for TREK.

As I mentioned with Sam, what an amazing experience. They heat in easter washington was terrible the bugs and conditions gross but she loved it and learned and grew a lot. I love this picture of her brother giving her a little boost at the end the "womens pull." She enjoyed her trek family and the experience a lot.

The trek ended her adventures away from home for the summer and she managed to squeeze in a few more weeks of fun here at home before she had to start preparing for school and swim. Of course as always the lake is a popular place to hang out with friends and family. Tubing is one of her greatest adventures. She had a fun time being at the lake with all of her Hickman Cousins.

Catching Up - Part Three - Megan Continued...

2010-09-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the picture I made reference to of Sam and Megan at Trek. Sorry I could not get it to load onto the other post. :)

A short clip of Megan's band at their last performance. Megan is in the front row of the clarinets, third head in. This year in band she is playing the Bari-Sax. She is very excited.

Catching Up - Part Two - Sam

2010-09-08T12:21:00.001-07:00

Yes, we are still here. It is amazing how time gets away from you. Anyhow here are a few of the things that Sam has been up to (besides making his Mom laugh and bugging his sisters) Five months ago this week he had Elbow reconstruction surgery. It wasn't easy but all things considered it went well. He now has about 95% use of his elbow and the surgery was a success. Thanks, to everyone for your love and support and prayers. He missed less school then anticipated and rehab was easier than expected. He had a great freshman year of highschool in spite of having elbow surgery, oral surgery, and getting his braces put on.

After being cooped up for a while and not participating in very many activities he was very happy when he got the OK to start doing things again. Of course getting out on the wakeboard was at the top of his list.

Both Sam and Megan did a great job cheering on Mollie and her team throughout the all star tournament. After every win they would add a new item to their outfits. Much too Mollie's amazement all of the 10 year olds on the team loved Sam and Megan.

The last week of June Sam's cousin Ryan came for a visit and they had a blast. Sam only gets to see Ryan about once a year but they manage to cram in a lot of fun in a few short days.

Of course what fifteen year old boy wouldn't love anything that involves fire.

Sam went on the teachers quorum scout high adventure for a week and had lots of stories to tell. He loved the rock climbing and white water rafting. He wasn't thrilled with all of the hiking but I think a view like this would make it all worth it.
On August 1st he celebrated his 15th birthday (yes I know there are only 9 candles, what can I say). A few days after his birthday we went to the lake with two of his good friends and had a fun day. He loved having the guys to hang out with and I managed to get 15 candles on the 2nd cake. I don't have any pictures but Sam also went to EFY for a week down in Tacoma and had a wonderful time. I loved talking to him after he got home. It was great to hear about all the fun he had, the people he met, and the things he learned. He is already talking about next year. Next it was off to TREK. It is amazing to me that they take so little on trek and do just fine. He wore the clothes you see, had a five gallon bucket of various supplies and a sleeping bag. Despite the hot weather and all the walking he enjoyed it and even had some time to goof of with his friends and smile.

Finally as summer grew to a close Sam loved innertubing with various family members and friends over the summer. I love taking the pictures it is so great to hear all of the laughter. After one last weekend at the lake for the Hickman reunion Sam was anxious to get back to football and is somewhat excited for school and seminary!

Catching Up - Part One - Mollie

2010-07-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

Well lets see, so many things have been going on the last three months that I am not sure where to start. I thought it might be easier if I broke it into segements. So I will start with Mollie. Mollie has had a very busy and exciting spring and summer. She spent several months playing on her regular season softball team and had a fabulous season. Her team won first place in the league in her division and she did a fabulous job pitching. After the regular season Mollie tried out for the all star team and made it. She has loved being on a more competative team but sometimes gets a little tired with the rigorous schedule. If she is not playing short stop she is pitching and doing a great job. She pitched a fabulous four innings in 95 degree heat to win the district tournament. It was very FUN! The state tournament started today, GO Mollie!!!

Mollie graduated from elementary school last month and will be moving on to middle school. She was excited to leave elementary school behind and is looking forward to new adventures. She loves the idea of having a band class and getting to rotate teachers. I went with Mollie and all of the 5th graders to Camp Orkila in the San Juans for three days, what an adventure. Mollie and I both came home very tired. Since school has been out Mollie has enjoyed filling her spare time (when she is not playing softball) with friends, swimming, babysitting, cooking, watching movies, and of course wakeboarding and innertubing at the lake.

Mollie recently started collecting water bottles. We thought it was a little crazy at first but now that the collection is growing it is very fun to see all of the different places and different types of bottles she has. It is time for a bigger water bottle box in the pantry. She is always on the look out for the best deal and loves that the family has started picking out bottles from special locations.

Last week Mollie celebrated her 11th birthday. We had a great party here at the house with thirteen girls. It was crazy but fun.

TIME MARCHES ON!! (Way too quickly)

2010-03-23T20:02:00.001-07:00

I am still trying to figure out where exactly time goes. It seems to be ticking by faster and faster as I watch my little family grow up. Things are busy and crazy as usual but everything is going along just fine. Here is a glimpse of a few things that have happened in our family over the past few months.

In February the family took a trip to Montanan to visit my parents and my brother Tim and his family. We had a great time visiting and hanging out with everyone. We also had the chance to visit with my grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins. It was a quick but enjoyable trip. The kids had a great time sledding, playing with their younger cousins, and of course skiing at Bridger Bowl and Big Sky. I spent a fun day on the ski hill with the family. I rode the lift up to the lodge and because the lift was shut down I got a snow mobile ride down from the midmountain lodge. It would have been a fun ride if it hadn't taken two and half hours to get the ride. The next day I chose to stay with my Mom and go shopping instead. It was great.

Megan, Sam, and Mollie with the twins and new baby Brandon.

The gang heading out after lunch.

Megan is as busy as ever. Probably her biggest highlight was getting her drivers license about two months ago. Of course it makes me nervous but she is a great driver and actually ventured into Seattle on I-5 this last week. High school softball started a few weeks ago so that is taking a lot of her time but she enjoys it. She is playing catcher this year. She manages to fit in a little time for homework, church and of course always has time for her dear friend, Sammy, who is sick with cancer. Please send your prayers her way.

Sam is definitely a teenage boy. I love him but he can drive me crazy. I am not sure if it is his mission in life to annoy me or make me laugh but he is good at both. His latest crusade is to become my "trainer." I might have to take him seriously since he is now taller than I am. He decided to join the swim team over the winter and did great. This is the first time he has done any organized swimming and really enjoyed it. The coaches are attempting to turn him into a butterflier (is that a word?) He ended up swimming in some varsity heats by the end of the season. Remember that elbow injury that we posted a picture of last spring. Well it never healed correctly and he is having elbow reconstruction surgery. It sounds like a grueling surgery and a long recovery. He will miss several weeks of school. He will be very busy with physical therapy and homework but seems to be taking it all in stride. I better start brushing up on my geometry skills. Maybe send a few prayers his way as well.

Mollie played basketball for the first time this winter. In my mind she was a great little player but she found the sport to be very frustrating. She wanted to revert to soccer where she could sneak in some shoving and body contact or softball where she could have a collision at home plate. Not being able to grab (which she did several times) the person she was guarding was very frustrating for her. She started softball a few weeks ago and is looking forward to a great season. I am coaching her team and I love being on the field with her. She is dabbling with the piano but took time out to play the trombone in the 5th grade band. Tonight was the band concert. The family went and listened to 14 songs in 21 minutes. It was AWESOME! One last thing about Mollie, she has become a phone talker. When I can't find a single phone in the house I head to her room and usually find three.
Just for fun, the other night I took my shoes off on the porch after softball practice. A few hours later Mike saw something when he was going out to the car. A frog in my shoe. A little excitement before bed.

Lets see, as for Mike and I. Mike started his new job at American Seafoods March 1st in their IT department and is really enjoying it. He commutes downtown on the bus but doesn't seem to mind. He doesn't have much time for umpiring anymore but is hoping to find a little space to sneak in a few games. We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and my 40th birthday. Like I said time is marching on. I am basically just trying to stay sane as I jump between work, kids activities, church, and home. Needless to say I always have something to do.

Hope all is well with all of you! HUGS TO EVERYONE, DEBBIE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2009-12-24T07:44:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone, we hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend and a happy new year. We have been busy enjoying the bustle of the season but are all well and happy. Here are a few of the things that we have been up to...An evening downtown with the family is always a fun treat.

We also celebrated Megans 16th birthday yesterday and today, December 24th, she is off on her first double date.

CHAOS

2009-12-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

6:48 am, jump out of bed and throw on some sweats because I am late.
6:55 am, the neighbor drops off her 4 kids.
7:35 am, sneak upstairs for a fast shower.
8:02 am, race down stairs to feed the 4 neighbors plus Mollie breakfast.
8:20 am, jump on the internet to look for a christmas gift.
8:28 am, answer a phone call from work
8:30 am, pack Mollie's back pack.
8:35 am, get the neighbors on the bus.
8:40 am, grab my socks, shoes, jackets, purse etc., lock up and jump in the car.
8:48 am, drop Mollie off at school for AM Patrol.
8:50 am, drive to work while calling my Dad to see if he will pick up a gift. (Thanks Dad)
9:07 am, arrive at work and WORK, WORK, WORK.
12:15 pm, leave my office and stop at 4 different schools for work visits.
2:10 pm, pick up Meganat the high school and quickly drive her to drivers ed class.
2:28 pm, drop of Megan, turn around and head back the exact same roads I just traveled to the Swim meet.
2:50 pm, cheer loud for Sam during his events, give him a quick hug.
3:35 pm, run down the street to the corner store to get gas (hmmm, I wonder why)
4:00 pm, return to the pool and have Sam jump into the car as I drive through the parking lot.
4:07 pm, call to make sure Mollie made it home from school.
4:32 pm, pick up Megan from Drivers ed and fight the traffic home.
5:05 pm, visit with Mollie for a minute.
5:15 pm, print off a few things and prep for Pack Meeting (I was filling in as cubmaster)
5:30 pm, throw together dinner of some sort????????? and review homework.
6:02 pm, read the email about achievement days and realize Mollie needs cookies, of course she wants homemade.
6:15 pm, put the cookies in the oven, good thing I have the recipe memorized.
6:18 pm, run upstairs to change into my scout shirt while yelling at everyone to get ready.
6:26 pm, pull cookies out of the oven.
6:30 pm, get everyone into the car and instruct Megan while she drives to the church.
6:40 pm, set up for pack meeting.
7:00 pm, run pack meeting
8:15 pm, clean up from pack meeting
8:30 pm, leave the church for home, swing by the neighbors house to pick up a copy of the assignment Mollie left at school.
8:40 pm, help Mollie with her homework.
9:05 pm, make two quick phone calls to schedule tithing settlement and the church building.
9:10 pm, do a quick, I mean quick pick up so that I don't scream in the morning when I see my house.
9:22 pm, scour the house and car for the missing nintendo dsi. (which I found)
9:30 pm, call Sam to make sure he has a ride home from basketball practice.
9:40 pm, tuck the girls into bed and try to convince Megan that we can make birthday invitations tomorrow say a quick hello and goodnight to Sam.
9:45 pm, sit down to write this post to keep my sanity and put a smile on my face as I hear my husband coming through the door from school (he has been gone for 15 hours) and let him now he is the love of my life and that I am exhausted but love being the MOM.
??? pm, sometime in the near future, falling into bed (after a well deserved foot rub) so I can do it all again tomorrow.

Sorry for the length of this post but mostly it is a quick pat on the back and high five to all of us mothers.

HALLOWEEN

2009-11-06T07:36:00.001-08:00

Another sign that we are getting old. All three kids at the table with knives. Although we didn't help carve Mike was still recruited to help hollow out the guts.

Megan and Sam hanging out with their friends on Halloween night.

Mollie heading out trick or treating with her friend, Holly, and her brother and sisters.

Fall Sports Come To An End!

2009-11-06T07:09:00.000-08:00

As always Mollie loved soccer season. She spent most of her time in the goalie box and really enjoyed it.

Sam really enjoyed football and especially liked seeing more playing time the second half of the season. He did a great job and his mom even managed to watch most of the time without cringing.

Megan had a great swim season. The meets are incredibly loud but I love going and screaming for her.

PARTY!

2009-10-24T20:22:00.003-07:00

Saturday night Mollie dressed up for the ward trunk or treat and Megan and Sam dressed up for the multi-stake dance. A pirate, A princess, and Spiderman...Sounds like the makings of a great story to me.

Homecoming Game

2009-10-24T20:22:00.001-07:00

Friday night was the high school home coming. It was fun for Mike and I to watch the kids get caught up in the week long festivities, and prompted a few high school memories of our own. The weather was gross but the team won so I guess it all worked out. Megan played with the band and Sam had a great time hanging out with the other boys on the freshman football team. Mollie was a little disappointed at first that she couldn't go but her and Mike headed over and watched the second half of the game. Mollie joined right in with Sam and Megan and had a great time. Thanks Megan for making her part of the cheers.

MUD!

2009-10-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

This week reaffirmed what I already knew. Mollie loves mud. Last week at soccer she was covered in mud. The problem is this picture doesn't quite tell the whole story. She had on a goalie jersey which was solid mud. When she took off the goalie jersey this is what the under shirt looked like and the majority of the mud had been wiped off her face. The game on Saturday was suspended because of lighting and is to be finished this afternoon. Last night at family prayer she asked for the rain to continue, without the lightening because she wanted to "finish" getting muddy. Only for such a cute smile would I willingly wash these disgusting clothes and socks (although I have washed way worse).

Great Job Megan

2009-10-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago Megan officially earned her Young Woman Recognition Award. She has done a lot of great things with the Personal Progress Program and was very excited. At Young Women In Excellence they highlighted Megan and her accomplishments. She did a great job and also displayed the family 72 hour kit which was one of her value projects. I love knowing the kit is done and ready to go if needed. Thanks Megan!

A Visit

2009-10-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Last week my parents paid us a visit. It had been a long time since they had been to our house and it was wonderful to have them hang out for six days. I loved spending time with them and definitely enjoyed myself. It was great to have the extra help and to be spoiled and waited on just a little bit. The kids loved hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa. We had plenty of smiles and laughter. While here they were able to attend many of the kids events, go out to eat, and of course spend some time shopping and crafting. Thanks for the visit, come anytime, I Love You!

Survival Suit

2009-10-07T07:38:00.001-07:00

The company where Mike is doing his IT internship has a survival suit race every fall at the Fisherman's Terminal. Different companies compete along with the coast guard. This year Mike was asked to be on a team. There were 17 teams total and Mikes group of four finished 5th. It was kind of a crazy thing to watch everyone get in their suit (which was no easy task) jump in, swim, and then climb into the life raft (which was near impossible as well as hilarious to watch). Time ended once the fourth person on your team was in the raft. It was a lot of fun and there was a lot of hype and excitement for a two minute race. He had a great time and is already talking about how he'd like to do it again next year.

Mike has just jumped in the water down in the bottom left corner.

Here is his team swimming, he is in the 3 spot.

Tired and out of breath the raft looked like a wall. He is on the right about to climb in.

1st Day of School, 9/9/09

2009-09-09T19:18:00.001-07:00

Mollie had a great day, likes her teacher but is disappointed that not enough of her friends are in her class. She did comment that her teacher might be "too organized."

Sam had a long first day of high school but loved it. Mike dropped him off at school this morning and I picked him up 12 hours later after football. He is excited about his classes, teachers, and lucked out by getting 2nd lunch with his good buddy. If today is any indication of the year he should love being a freshman.

Megan is very happy with her very demanding sophomore schedule. But I'm sure she can handle the work load. She is only talking about one schedule change. We'll see if we can make it happen. She is happy to not be the "freshman" anymore.

Just for fun. 1st day of school 2005. Where does time go and how does so much change happen in just 4 years. Have a great year Megan, Sam, and Mollie, Love MOM.

Random Thoughts

2009-08-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

How is it that I "BRIEFLY" chose to ignore laundry and now I have 14 loads.

It is crazy to ride in the car and listen to my son talk about High School football. How did I get so old?

Even though it has been several weeks it still seems odd to me to see Megan in the drivers seat.

I'm looking forward to seeing Mollie wakeboard again. It is truly one of her current passions and fun to watch.

Why on earth would I mention to my husband that it would be better to spend the money on a new vacuum. Sometime practicality stinks.

It will be sad when the carrotts from the garden are gone. Straight from the garden, steamed carrotts is one of my favorites.

Why has the same church song been stuck in my head all day?

It is amazing to me that I can receive so much joy from my children every day even though they drive me crazy most days.

I am so grateful for good friends who will call and take me to lunch.

I am not looking forward to returning to work.

And my final thought for today: in trying to save money we opted not to buy bedding plants for the yard. Instead Mike bought two envelopes of flower seeds for less then $3. I am enjoying them very much, it is an 8 foot stretch of color and beauty.

Dedication of HICKMAN PARK

2009-08-09T10:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we had a very neat experience. Mike's Dad, Dr. Robert Hickman, had a park officially named after him in Edmonds. A little bit ago we learned that his name had been nominated and then we found out last week that it had been voted in by the Edmonds City Council. It is wonderful to see him receive this recognition in honor of all the amazing things he has done in the field of medicine over the years. It was a real tribute to Bob and Lucy for all of their time, service, and contributions to others. Congratulations!

The site used to be an old elementary school which some of the Hickman children attended. During construction they dug up a time capsule that had been planted by the students in 1963.

A Few of the displays at the dedication ceremony.

Sam trying out the basketball court which was built in honor of a young man named Tyler who lost his battle with cancer at age 11.

The park has a really great play area that is officially named the "J.P. Patches Play Area" J.P. Patches is also an Edmonds local.

Megan taking a turn in the play area. All of the kids loved spinning in this cylinder. Obviously fun for kids of all ages.

Mollie is relaxing for a minute in the jungle gym after climbing all over.

A large crowd turned out for the dedication. Friends and family of the Hickmans as well as Tyler's family and JP Patches family and many local residents.

A wonderful acceptance speech.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony.

Megan with Grandpa and JP Patches.

The Hickman group that was in attendance.

A few of the grandkids breaking in the park.

As you can see it is very beautiful.

The park has a great climbing tree.

Megan reading the official statement about her Granpa and Grandma and all the great reasons why the park was named after them.

HALLELUJAH for cooler temperatures

2009-08-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

After surviving last weeks heat wave I must admit that I was thrilled last night to have to sleep with a blanket and ecstatic this morning when I woke up and my house felt a little chilly. Now that the heat wave has passed and my house has cooled down I guess it is time to get to work on those cleaning projects around the house that were easy to put off because of the heat.

I didn't love the heat but I am loving all of the sunshine. What a treat. Mollie and I have stayed cool with the sprinkler, the lake, and going to air conditioned places. Megan and Sam had a harder time dealing with the heat at EFY but still had a great time. They were glad to get home and get into their swimming suits. Hope everyone is enjoying such a beautiful summer.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM!

2009-08-03T12:01:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, August 1, Sam turned 14. I can't believe how quickly time flies by. On Saturday morning he returned home from EFY, briefly got caught up, unpacked dirty clothes, grabbed a swimsuit and headed for the lake. He spent a fun day innertubing and hanging out with his cousins and friends. Sam is an awesome young man. It is a real treat for Mike and I to watch him grow up. Sam we are proud of you and all of the great things you are doing, we love you very much. Happy Birthday!
Carrot Cake, of course!
Flying high (sorry this is out of focus but I love the picture)

Tubing Mania

You know it is going to be a good wipe out when you land like this!

Displaying his new ties. He likes the ties but loves the $$$ he received as gifts.

MONTANA Road Trip

2009-07-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

On July 10th Megan, Sam, and I ducked out of Youth Conference early and headed with the family to Montana. We love going to my parents home in Bozeman. We always have such a great time. Everytime we leave we talk about the next time we can go back. Please forgive all of the pictures. We had so much fun, I wish I could post a 100. Someday I plan on having this blog put into a book so I wanted to make sure I had plenty of great photos from our trip. Besides the photos below we managed to spend a little time in my mom's craft room (store), hike the mountain to the "M", play cards with Uncle Mike, and spend a lot of time with family. Sam, I promise we will get you on the river fishing soon. Thanks everyone for the great memories and thanks Mom and Dad for hosting all of us.

Grandpa with the grandkids at Grotto Falls

Megan, Mollie, and Sam, enjoying the hike

Tons of laughter with cousin Ryan

I love the scenery and the beautiful pictures

You have to love a hike where you carry "bear repellant spray"
It was great to have Mike with us on this trip.

Hanging out at Great Grandpa and Grandma Coil's house

Sunset and Smores, HEAVEN!
Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Coil!

I loved spending time with my family

Dress up with Grandma's Nightgowns

My brother's Tim and Jeff, messing around like usual

All nine cousins (grandkids) together for the first time ever.

Me with brothers, Jeff and Tim, and my sister Kath
Thanks for all the laughter

Spending time with cousins
(poor Megan, it is rough being the oldest)

12 People

11 life jackets (not sure in an emergency who had to go without)

5 tubes

2 rafts

1 picnic lunch

unlimited sunscreen

and tons of laughter

equels one great day on the Madison River

With a little prodding the girls talked Sam into taking the "long" way home and taking time to tour the Oquirrh Mountain temple. It was wonderful to see and tour the temple, visit friends and family in the few short hours we were in Utah, and catch lunch at HIRES before hitting the road again. The ride home was uneventful but very long. Next time I'll make sure Mike doesn't fly home ahead of the rest of us, my backside was very sore after spending

20 hours (in a 36 hour period) in the drivers seat.

A Fourth To Remember

2009-07-07T22:29:00.001-07:00

We spent a very fun and event filled weekend at the lake on the 4th. It was great to spend time with the Hickman family and with friends. The weather was great and the kids spent a lot of time in the water. On Saturday a fire started on the hill at the end of the lake. It was very captivating to watch. On Sunday morning when we woke up to clean up and pack up the power was out around the lake. That made for a very interesting adventure that morning. We had a great discussion about "olden times" as we washed dished by hand with boiled water and hauled buckets of water up from the lake to use in the bathrooms. Already looking forward to next year. Sorry these pictures are so out of order but here are a few highlights.

The fire made for some amazing photos taken from our front lawn.

Lounging in the hot tub after a midnight swim.

Fireworks! Fireworks! Fireworks!

The smoke from fire made for an awesome sunset picture.

A plane dropping fire retardent.

Synchronized Swimming!

Tons of laughter and fun.

Mollie's one request, making homemade ice cream with Grandma

Adventures in tubing!

Finally, Mike's highlight. His friend took him out crabbing on Friday and he really enjoyed eating his catch. Yes, there was plenty for everyone in the family.

Mollie having a little more fun.

Kathy Comes For A Visit

2009-07-07T22:23:00.000-07:00

My sister Kathy, and her family came for a visit the first couple of days in July. We had so much fun spending time with them. We loved spending a day at the Lake and so did Taylor, Makayla, and Emily. We all got a good laugh about this picture of Sam on the rope swing. There were a lot of comments about his ability to walk on water. My kids had a great time innertubing with Uncle Joe, hopefully his fun was outweighed by his soreness. Come again soon, we love you, Deb.

The "ARM"

2009-07-07T22:22:00.001-07:00

Sam is still working on getting his elbow working right. Things have healed but they have healed "short" so, we are in the process of trying to fix the problem. Sam and I spend a little time every day doing physical therapy and then we strap on the "arm" before he goes to bed. The arm is slowly extending to try and get his elbow to straighten. It is working but progress is slow. Every night I yell to Sam "it is time to get your ARM." He has several months to go but will be very glad when he doesn't have to wear it any more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLIE!

2009-07-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today Mollie celebrated her 10th birthday. She has been busy with soccer camp and Mike had school tonight so we had our family party yesterday. We had family dinner, watched her new soccer moves in the backyard, had dessert, opened presents, watched her new movie all together and finished the night off with a good old fashioned spanking machine before bed. She had fun and is looking forward to her friend party which will be later this month. She keeps reminding me how old I must feel now that my youngest is in double digits. Happy Birthday Mollie, I love you, Mom.

Finally Some Rest and Relaxation

2009-06-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

The end of Megan's freshman year was a little tiring and crazy. She was so happy when finals were over and school was out. Time to relax and have some fun. I likewise am ready to finish up with work and try to relax for the summer. Hope you all have a wonderful, joyful, and restful summer.

Daddy-Daughter Derby

2009-06-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

It was a family effort to finish the car (about 20 minutes) before the race. We were all happy that the car held together and faired well.

Softball Season Comes To An End

2009-06-27T21:19:00.000-07:00

At the end of the regular season I coached an invitational team. It was fun to spend a few more days on the field with Mollie.

Yeah! 8th Grade Graduation, on to High School

2009-06-27T21:16:00.001-07:00

Returning home after the graduation PARTY!

Last Day of School, finally on to 5th Grade!

2009-06-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

Mollie's Turn

2009-05-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

As many of you know Mike gives me foot rubs quite regularly. Well, a few nights ago Mollie got home from a very long day that had ended in a long softball game. It was about 8 pm and her feet were hurting her alot and she asked Dad for a foot rub. Mike gave her the royal treatment on the couch with a pillow, blanket, lotion, the whole works. About fifteen minutes later Mollie was very relaxed, almost asleep and she said, "Now I know why you love him so much." It was pretty cute.

What else can I say about Mollie. She is great. I can't imagine our house without little Miss Mollie running the show. She definitely keeps all of us busy and engaged. She loves to hang out with Megan and Sam and complains quite frequently that they are not as much fun as they used to be. She also loves sports and right now is playing softball. She is pitching well but loves to play catcher. She does a great job and I love being out on the field with her. On most days she goes to school without too much fuss but is counting down the days to summer. She can't wait to see her cousins and go innertubing. Definitely one of, if not her most, favorite activity.

There are so many things I love about Mollie but lately the one that sticks out in my mind the most is her very sincere, honest, and intense prayers. There isn't anything that she doesn't thank Heavenly Father and not much she won't ask for. On the night she gives family prayer Megan and Sam make sure they are comfortable. Some of my favorites are please bless that nothing "terribly disastrous" will happen and please bless that "Mom doesn't get toooooooooooo stressed." My favorite though is the day she lost her glasses at school. I picked her up and she was on the verge of crying. She told me she had lost her glasses and I said it was OK we would find them and asked why she was crying. She then broke down and told me that she was upset because she had gone to the bathroom and said a special prayer and it wasn't answered. Of course I told her to keep praying and then said my own prayer that night that she would find her glasses. I have loved watching her realize the answer to many of her prayers and did not want this to effect her too much. She continued to pray and two days later the glasses were found. The giant smile on her face when I picked her up from school said it all. Her love for prayer, faith, and her intensity definitely make her the go to person in our family.

Mollie, you are amazing. I love you!

Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was wonderful. The kids pampered me with extra hugs and little gifts and Mike really went the extra mile with beautiful flowers and a delicious dinner. Him and his brother Bill out did themselves. His signature dish was the roasted asparugus and the caramalized onion asparugus salad. YUM, YUM.

As I was reading I came across a little something that I wanted to share that I have been thinking about this week end as I have thought about what a blessing it is to be a mother.

"Mothers are the heart of a home; they nurture and love; they create homes of harmony and warmth; they cultivate strengths and see potential. Motherhood is not merely a checklist of attributes. It's a description of a person who loves another more than life itself; a person who freely, lovingly gives her all for the happiness of another. No two mothers are just alike, and not a single one is expected to be perfect - or close to it. Mothers with eternal perspective know they do their best simply by doing a little better every day."

Last Monday, my dear friend Jody, wrote a 50 word paragraph to King 5 why I should receive their Mother's Day Award. I didn't win the contest but it was so fun to read what my great friend had to say as well as to have it read on live television. The experience became even better when Sam read the clip that aired on the news and said, "I don't need 50 words, I don't even need 10, 'you are the greatest mom ever'." He melted my heart as usual.

Anyhow, I guess I've rambled enough. Hope you all had a wonderful day.

Thank You, MOM!

I love being a Mom!

GARAGE SALE

2009-05-06T20:49:00.001-07:00

Last weekend we had a garage sale. Here are my thoughts for whatever they are worth...

Countless number of miscellaneous items: $50

Bag of girls clothing: $20

Pair of used skiies: $15

Pile of miscellaneous stuff: $10

DaVinci art book: $5

Blender: $3

Number of hours setting up, manning and taking down: 10

Number of hours spent going through the house: Unknown

Getting rid of all that STUFF: PRICELESS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATHY!

2009-05-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

It seemed fitting for me to wish my sister, Kathy, a happy Birthday on my blog.

Many of my family, including my parents, husband and daughter, love that I have a blog because it means that they get to read Kathy's comical and entertaining comments. I swear this is true. They are more interested in the forthcoming comment than the actual post. I have to admit that I love reading the comments as well. Kathy always makes me laugh and brings a smile to my face. Thanks for being such a great friend, example, support, etc. You are amazing! Keep those comments coming. I hope you have a great day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! LOVE YA!

YES, We are still here!

2009-04-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

My how time flies when you are having fun.

I can't believe how quickly the weeks fly by. We are so busy right now that I fall into bed and then wake up the next morning and start crossing more things of the list. Here is a very condensed glimpse of what we have been up to for the past six weeks.

Mollie started softball and loves it. She has enjoyed moving up a level and having live pitching instead of coach pitch. She is working on being a pitcher and does a great job playing catcher. I am one of the coaches for her team. I love being outdoors with the girls but sometimes she may wish her mom wasn't the coach. For the most part we enjoy our time together and she loves it when there happens to be a game on a night when Dad can come. Other than softball she tolerates having to go to school and is very much looking forward to summer.

Megan is playing high school softball and enjoying it. Their team has gone undefeated. She mostly plays second base but occassionally gets a chance to try out a different spot. A few weeks ago she hit a home run. It is definitely the highlight of the season so far. Aside from softball she is super busy with school and of course her social life. She gave a great talk in stake conference this past week and is practicing her clarinet in preparation for her tryouts for wind ensemble.

Sam tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow about a month ago at his last wrestling match. He is doing better and it appears that he does not need surgery but I am trying to figure out how to fit all of the physical therapy appointments into our schedule. It is healing and now he has to work on getting his range of motion back and rebuilding his strength. It doesn't seem to bother him too much when he is picking on (teasing) Mollie. Sam registered for high school a few weeks ago. It didn't phase him at all but it sure sent me into a frenzy. I can't believe he is that grown up.

Lets see, I have been busy at work as usual. This spring I ordered, received, prepared, packaged, and delivered over 15,000 living "things" to more than 150 teachers across the district. I am very tired of coming home feeling slimy and gross. Work will be busy this spring but at least the "alive" part is slowing down. Other than that I kept plenty busy this last month making sure everyone got to were they needed to be. I played the piano for a musical number in stake conference. It was great to practice and spend more time on the piano. It had been a long time since I had played. Thanks to a lot of prayers, and preparation, the number went great.

Mike continues to go to school and do homework. He has started umpiring "professionally" and enjoys it. He is doing high school softball and NSA tournaments. Occassionally he sneaks in a game of Mollie's (see picture above). A few weeks ago we had a real treat. We were able to go to a concert of Rhonda Vincent. Mike loves blue grass music. It was a fun evening.

The kids and I headed to Montana for spring break and had a great time. It was fun to see all of the family and get away from the chaos for a few days. It was unfortunate that Sam was hurt. He was not able to enjoy some of the activities, like skiing, but we still had a great time. We are hoping the next vacation dad can come with us.

Lets see here, what else. We had a fun easter. Jorelle, Andrew and the kids came up to color eggs and hang out. It was a great day. On Sunday after church we headed over to Mike's parents house for dinner.

I have had many opportunities over the last month to be thankful for the many family members and friends who do so many wonderful things to support us. We love you all.

She's Amazing

2009-03-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

After focusing on Sam the last post I decided to jot a few things down about Megan. She is pretty amazing and does so many great things. I love the fact that Megan willingly gets up on her own and goes to seminary when the rest of the house is still dark and quiet. She then puts in a full day at school, followed by practice, homework, church activities, friends etc. It is not uncommon to hear her on the phone planning or organizing an event or helping a friend with their homework. She always seems to fit everything in and keeps on top of everything despite her busy schedule (now, if I could only get her to clean her room.)

Anyhow, last week she officially made the JV team at Jackson High School. Jackson has an extremely competitive group of girls and we are very happy for her. She loves the game and I have always loved watching her play. Her years of hardwork have definitely paid off. I'm sure I'll be sharing pictures later on in the season.

For the past several months Megan has volunteered to help out twice a week with the 5th grade community band. She loved it and I loved the great attitude she had about serving. A few nights ago we dropped her off at the spring performance. We then left to run to the library and then were planning on picking her back up. A few minutes later the phone rang and she said she was ready to be picked up. It turns out the band played 12 songs that were approximately 30 seconds each.

Thanks Megan for all you do and for your great example. WE LOVE YOU!

PS: It appears that Megan is no longer the same height as Sam!

On My Honor

2009-03-03T21:41:00.000-08:00

Those of you that know me well know that Sam holds a special little spot in my heart, reserved just for him. However, I must admit that his teenage obnoxiousness has replaced some of his childish charm making it just a tad more difficult for him to win me over.

The other day I picked him up from wrestling and as we entered the house we had the usual exchange. He tells me about his day and his homework, I ask a few questions, then he asks what's for dinner and if he has time to shower first. I said, yes you have time to shower and then as he took off for the stairs he stopped and said "hey Mom, is Mollie home?" I replied "yea, she is upstairs." Then I heard him proclaim in a voice of complete joy as he headed up the stairs talking only to himself, "good, I'll bug her for a few minutes first."

On the flip side I was very proud of him tonight at the court of honor. He received his "On My Honor" award. I didn't even know the award existed. By the time I figure out the whole scouting thing he will be done with the program. Anyhow, he earned a few more merit badges tonight and has begun working on his Eagle Project. Way to go Sam, I love you.

What's Going On

2009-02-25T18:05:00.001-08:00

Once again Megan has informed me that it is quite lame that I have not posted anything for so long. I guess I just don't know what to blog about. So anyhow you'll just get a run down of our happenings.

Mollie is very excited about softball starting. She was so cute last week when she got nervous about trying out. I assured her it would be fine and to just do her best. She looked at me and said "you will give me a high score, right mom." It looks like I will be one of her coaches again this year. Mollie has also been fighting what I would call a chronic cold. It might be harder on me than her. Other than that she tolerates school and always is looking for somebody to hang out with.

In Sam's words, "I am a mess, can you bring me a get better pill." Last friday Sam came home injured from wrestling practice and was not feeling well. He spent four days with a blanket and pillow on the couch. Today he is feeling better and made it to school. He is not excited about all the make up work and was even more disappointed at wrestling practice today when it became obvious that the injury to his tailbone is definitely not better.

Megan was the last to succomb to the "bug" and finally had to give into the fact that she was sick. She fought it for two days and made a valiant effort but had to stay home today. She is now on the couch with a blanket. High school softball tryouts begin monday and she is worried about having her energy back. Band is still Megan's favorite class and she has spent hours after school volunteering with the 5th grade community band.

What else? Mike continues to go to school and study with a few other things mixed in. I am busy at work with all of the spring orders. I am getting a little tired of bugs, snails, cockroaches, crayfish, worms, etc. etc. etc. Oh, did I forget to mention caring for sickies, doing laundry, cooking, dishes, and so on. We did manage to to sneak away to the temple and a quick dinner last Saturday, it was wonderful.

To sum it up we are just up to regular everyday things. Maybe something new and exciting next week. We love reading all of your blogs so keep on blogging.

How tall are they?

2009-02-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

This week for a homework assignment Mollie had to measure the height of everyone in the family. We lined up against the wall one at a time and she took our measurements. A few minutes later as she was writing them down she said "Look, Megan and Sam are the same." That started a discussion about who is taller and guess what they are exactly the same. It was so close that we went out and got the level from the garage to see if one of them had a slight edge. Take a look at the air bubble. Its about as level as you can get. I am sure that Sam will pass Megan very quickly. His feet are two sizes bigger and is arms are about two inches longer. Can't believe how quick they are growing up.

SCHOOL!

2009-01-21T21:38:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I have not posted in weeks.

I can sum it up in one word, SCHOOL! I was sad to see winter break come to an end.

I returned to work for the SCHOOL district where I am frantically shopping and ordering supplies for 26 SCHOOLS, scheduling science field trips for elementary SCHOOL classes, and making sure my own kids make it to SCHOOL with their home work done, lunch, and clean clothes. (You know, I really do enjoy Algebra)

Mollie likes SCHOOL most of the time but would really rather not go to SCHOOL. She has been home from SCHOOL several days with a bad cold.

Sam is doing great but always has forms that need to be signed and returned to SCHOOL or something he needs help typing for SCHOOL. Some days he needs to be picked up from SCHOOL, or dropped off at SCHOOL. Once home from SCHOOL he is working on SCHOOL projects like "Why I Want to be a Peacock." (Don't ask)

Megan is discovering the "joy" of high SCHOOL finals. She has spent the last couple of weeks studying for SCHOOL and working on SCHOOL projects. She drags herself out of bed in the morning for SCHOOL, seminary first, and then sometimes falls asleep after SCHOOL. I know she loves SCHOOL but that does not change the fact that Mike and I hear all about the SCHOOL drama on a daily basis. (I wouldn't change this for the world)

Mike recently returned to SCHOOL. When at home he frequently spends his time studying for SCHOOL. He does manage other things as well like replacing the cracked disposal (Thank You) , sneaking in a game of Battle Ship with Mollie and wrestling with Sam.

So there you have it. Our life in a nut shell. It is a little scary that I feel like this is relatively calm time of year for us. With spring sports just around the corner I am sure things will be busier than ever.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-02T23:16:00.000-08:00

OK, so it is late and I am tired and it is time to turn the computer off. I wanted to unwind from a hard days work consisting of putting away the christmas decorations and cleaning house so a little over an hour ago I thought I would hurry and change my accent box from a christmas package to something new. Then I decided to mess around with a new background. After trying hundreds (probably 20) different backgrounds I decided I didn't like the one I had chosen. I tried to go back to my original set up but couldn't recreate it. So now, I am going to bed and until I have the ambition to work on the blog again you will have to enjoy the new picture and the somewhat interesting layout.

Hope you all had a great New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Wishing everyone the very best in 2009. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

19 Years

2008-12-29T21:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Mike and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. We went out together Saturday night but spent yesterday celebrating with the kids. Throughout the day we were asked quite frequently "what were you doing at his time 19 years ago." Over the day we shared with them a lot of the happenings of our wedding day. It was fun to think back. Mollie loved that we had the fancy dishes to celebrate and the "appling cider" made the celebration complete. I love having a best friend to share life with and am excited for the many years to come. Happy Anniversary Mike, I love you.

Hope You Had a Wonderful Christmas

2008-12-27T13:41:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve we had a wonderful dinner with family and then had a great program listening to the story of the birth of Christ, singing carols, playing with wind up toys and of course eating. I absolutely loved our cast who acted out the Christmas story for us as it was read.

The Three "little" Wisemen

Mary with baby Jesus. Yes, there is a real baby in there.
Ava, 2 weeks old, played the part beautifully.

The Angel and the Shephards

Megan, Sam, and Mollie hanging out in their new pajamas getting ready to head to bed and eagerly awaiting Santa's visit.

Christmas day was nice. Very quiet and enjoyable. Everyone loved their gifts and we had fun playing games and working on a jigsaw puzzle at Bob and Lucy's house.

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

One last picture. After the igloo the next project was a couch. Right in the middle of our front yard. It has started raining so the snow is quickly melting.

Happy Birthday Megan

2008-12-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Megan celebrated her 15th Birthday. Although Mike and I are amazed that we have a 15 year old we are more amazed by Megan. She is a great kid and a wonderful example in our family. I am continually impressed by the many things she does and accomplishes. We went to lunch at La Palmera and then to see Bolt the movie. We had a fun day together. Happy Birthday! WE LOVE YOU!

A New Home

2008-12-22T21:30:00.000-08:00

What started as building a snow wall with an old laundry soap bucket turned into a five hour project and one great igloo. The kids spent the better part of the day in the back yard creating their masterpiece. It was great to see them work together and have them out of the house for so long. They hauled snow from the side yard, front yard, and neighbors yard. After they were finished it seemed the perfect place to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate.

YES, we live in SEATTLE!

2008-12-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

What a crazy week. More and more snow. The kids are loving it. Lots of fun things to do. I have enjoyed being hunkered down at home. Pretty much everything has been cancelled since last Tuesday. However, I'm not sure that I enjoy the extremely lived in house with all of the dirty/wet snow clothes.

2008-12-19T09:32:00.000-08:00

For FHE on Monday night the kids decorated gingerbread houses. It is one of their favorite traditions. Every year Grandma Lucy makes the houses from scratch (THANK YOU). I get the easier part of glueing them together. Megan, Sam, and Mollie love picking out the candy, decorating, eating the candy, and hanging out with their cousins. We already have talked about delaying gingerbread houses next year one week so that the older BYU cousins can come after school is out. Very fun memories.

WOW!

2008-12-14T19:04:00.000-08:00

After the Santa photos we walked over to the Sheraton to look at the gingerbread house competition. The theme was "Super Heroes." the houses were amazing. Our favorite two were the Nintendo DS with a cool rainbow road and Batman's house. It was a very fun few minutes that I would highly recommend.

Sitting with Santa

2008-12-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday afternoon after school we took off and headed downtown. We were hoping to beat the crowd because it was early dismissal. Unfortunately a lot of other families had the same idea. The line was long but Mike and I took turns standing in line while the others window shopped and rode the carousel. Sam was being somewhat of a bah-hum-bug and I kept getting after him to change his attitude. I found it funny that we finally got a real smile out of him when he was joking with his Dad about his "pink horse of awesomeness." Mollie loved visiting with Santa and Sam and Megan did a good job of accommodating their Mom's wishes. HO, HO, HO.

Little Brothers

2008-12-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

Last Monday and Tuesday we had the opportunity to have Nate and Ben stay with us while my cousin Jorelle was at the hospital having baby #3. A little girl named Ava who is adorabe. I have to admit that Nate and Ben melted our hearts and wore us out. It was very fun to have little ones in the house and the kids loved it. Megan, Sam and Mollie had a great time playing with them. Mollie was a huge help. At one point Sam even said, "wow, Mollie will be a great Mom." On Tuesday night after we dropped them off at the hospital Mollie was so sad. She missed them terribly and just "really, really, really, wanted to be a big sister." Obviously that is not a realistic option but we are looking forward to spending more time with Nate, Ben, and Ava.

2008-12-05T22:21:00.000-08:00

OK, so it has been a long time since I posted so I decided I needed to write something. We enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing Thanksgiving with family. It was good for me to take a minute a think about the many blessings that I have in my life.

Thanksgiving was great but I really, REALLY, enjoyed the Friday after Thanksgiving. I stayed home ALL day long. Yes, I "putzed" around all day. I didn't brave the crowds for shopping and almost felt a sense of relief. I must admit I got a little nervous a few days ago when the realization hit that I hadn't purchased a single gift for Christmas. However, I did manage to pick up a few things this week so I think it will come together.

Last Monday for FHE we finished setting up our tree and were getting ready to place the ornaments on the tree. We have an artificial tree and I kept insisting that everyone needed to help me "fluff" the branches. I guess my insisting became too much because Sam proceded to tell me that I needed to be more "insouciant." I was surprised, almost shocked, to hear Sam use this word. I said what does that mean. He said, it is one of my vocab words and it means "carefree." A few minutes later when I was insisting that we keep repositioning the tree until it was perfectly straight Megan informed me that I was "CDO" Apparantly this is her extreme definition of OCD because it puts the letters in alphabetical order. I really don't think they minded fluffing the tree or making it straight but all of them loved the opportunity to raz me. When we finally got the tree finished it was beautiful and we had some great laughs.

Other than that not much to report, we had a quiet week. Just for fun I thought I would share a few things I enjoyed this week...

Mollie describing her gooey messy burger (sloppy joes) as "yummalicious"
Having a 2nd christmas tree in our family room for all of the great homemade ornaments
Watching Mollie play indoor soccer
Hearing Megan playing Christmas carols on the piano
Seeing Sam's excitement when he brought home his Honor Roll Certificate
Listening to Christmas Music
Taking time to go to the movies w/ Mike (it's been a while)
Setting up my favorite two nativities, hand made by Megan and Mollie
Not working any extra hours
Having great friends who helped us solve our computer problems, picked up my kids when I couldn't, and dropped off some heartfelt gifts
Listening to Mike sing carols
Receiving christmas cards
Having a chance to visit with so many of my cousins via email
and finally being able to talk with my sister, brothers and parents.

I am sure I could go on but I won't. Like I said it has been good for me to recognize all of my blessings, big and small. Thank you everyone for being a part of our lives.

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2008-11-18T21:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday after a busy day at work I frantically pulled into the school parking lot to pick up Mollie. I asked her "what was the best thing today?" She quickly answered and then asked me a question. Little did I know that it was to be a day of questions. Mike was gone late so he was not around to field some of the questions here is an outline of what I remember:

Are we going to Walmart? (Mollie)
Can Jaime Come? (Mollie)
Are we ordering me new glasses? (Mollie)
Are we still going to Walmart to get my glasses? (Megan)
Can I get some make-up? (Megan)
How far is Kennelly Keys from Walmart? (Megan)
My clarinet broke, can we drop it off? (Megan)
Can I go to the basketball game tomorrow? (Sam)
Can you pick me up? (Sam)
Can I paint my face blue? (Sam)
What's for Dinner (Mollie)
When is Dad going to be home? (Mollie)
How long will you be gone? (Sam)
When is Dad going to be home? (Sam)
Have you seen my shoes? (Mollie)
Is my jacket clean? (Megan)
What's for dinner (Megan)
Why won't the insurance buy the glasses? (Mollie)
How long is this going take? (Mollie)
How much does this cost ? (Mollie)
Can I play select soccer? (Mollie)
Why not? (Mollie)
What's for dinner? (Sam)
Mom, can you help me with this? (Mollie)
What does this word mean? (Sam)
How to you do this? (Mollie)
Can you quiz me for my test? (Megan)
Can I play Wii right now? (Mollie)
Can I watch 24 when it starts? (Sam)
Can I call Lydia? (Mollie)
Can she come over tomorrow? (Mollie)
Can we get a gym membership? (Sam? Megan? can't remember)
When is Dad going to be home? (Megan)
Is the orange bottle Motrin? (Sam)
Can you braid my hair? (Megan)

Yes, we finally ate dinner and Dad finally got home. OK, so now the final question after a very long afternoon/evening. The kids, after being asked five times, and yelled at a little bit, are finally in bed. It is 9:48 pm and I am saying good night to Sam and he asks "Mom, we were just messing around while we brushed, WHY ARE YOU OVER-REACTING??????????

Happy Birthday!

2008-11-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

I can't go to bed tonight with out officially saying Happy Birthday to my best friend. Thanks for being a great husband, friend, and dad! I love you!

Yesterday was Mike's birthday but we celebrated for two days. His idea of the perfect birthday present was loading up in the van and driving to Cabela's in Lacey. I rented some movies for the car ride and we headed out. The store was awesome and we had a great time. Unfortunately we couldn't eat lunch there because we ran out of time and the line was way too long so we had to settle for Wendy's on the way home. The conversation on the way home was pretty much the what if game... If you had $1000 dollars what would you have bought today?

Last night Mollie's gift to Mike was a wrestling match. After confirming that Sam and Megan would not be participating the match began. I'm pretty sure that Mike was still able to take her. Today, Sunday, we had family over to officially have dinner, cake and sing. It was a fun day and a fun visit with everyone.

Nineteen years ago when I went shopping for Mike's birthday for the first time I had no idea what to get for him. So I decided to be funny and bought him an outfit from Goodwill complete with a pocket protector. I thought it was hilarious. If I remember right he didn't think it was too funny. Since that Birthday I still have a similar problem. What to get for him that is "in the budget." I would have loved to have come home with a stand up jet ski, a new pair of snow skiies, a flat screen TV, a new lap top, etc... Well, I actually came home with a couple of books and an arm-band for his ipod. He also bought a few things at Cabela's. He thought it was a great birthday weekend.

Sam's Football Season

2008-11-08T16:09:00.000-08:00

He is number 66 in the above picture.

On the line he was usually matched up against someone bigger than him. I love this picture of him getting to be the bigger kid.

Ok, so I should have posted this a week or two ago but it never quite happened. As many of you know the debate at our house over whether Sam would play football this year for the first time ever got very heated at times. I obviously lost and Sam played on the 8th grade team. He absolutely loved it. When football first started I worried about him everyday after school (yes, I am just a little protective of my boy). After a little bit of time I relaxed. I started looking forward to picking him up because he was always all smiles. There must be something about being a guy and being able to shove people around and knock them down. For never having played before he got a lot of time playing defensive tackle along with being on both kick off teams. He played offense a handful of times with the highlight being in on a few plays as full back.

The very first game was just starting as I was walking up. The night before Sam had told me he was not on the kick off receiving team. But as I was walking up I saw him on the field and thought I must have his number wrong because he shouldn't be on the field. A few seconds later he received a short kick and ran back about 12-15 yards and then got pummelled. I was cringing the whole time and hoping that it was not him on the bottom of the pile. A few seconds later he ran off the field and pulled his helmet off. It was indeed him and he was all smiles. Well by half time I was very relieved when Mike showed up and I left to get the girls. I was literally sick to my stomach from watching him play.

By the end of the season I had definitely calmed down and could watch the game without feeling ill. By the last game I only slightly cringed when he was hit hard or ended up on the bottom of the pile. It was pure joy watching him have such a great time. Not sure that I am ready for next year but we'll see how it goes.

Girls Night Out?

2008-11-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

Last night after dinner, which was at Arby's, Megan informed me that I am somewhat "lame" or maybe it was "pathetic" because I was so excited about the price of dinner. Thanks to some great coupons the entire family ate dinner out for $12.88. It was pretty exciting, the price was right and I didn't have to cook or do dishes.

I am hoping that I have now changed her opinion. I just purchased movie tickes via the internet for the 21st to go see Twilight. She and her friends have planned a mother/daughter girls night out. I can't imagine the number of girl's night out parties that are taking place on Friday the 21st. I am sure we will all have lots to say after the movie.

District Swim Meet

2008-11-03T21:01:00.000-08:00

Other than the fact that the District JV meet was 4 1/2 hours long it was fun. I picked up Mollie early from school and headed to Marysville. We watched her first two events then went shopping to Fred Meyers and to dinner at Ivars. Mollie and I then went back over to the Pool and watched Megan's last two events. She did a great job. Over 100 kids swam the 50 free. She took first in her heat and finished somewhere in the top 25. The exciting part of the night was watching her win her heat in the back stroke. She shaved over 4 seconds off of her best time. I couldn't take it. I had to put the camera down so I could watch and cheer the remaining three lengths of the pool. She credits her increased speed to the fact that her coach was following her along the edge of the pool yelling at her the whole time. It was very exciting. She is done with swimming for this year and is trying to figure out how to occupy her time after school.

HALLOWEEN HOOPLA

2008-11-02T15:24:00.000-08:00

For the ward halloween party Sam decided to return to his roots and be a pumpkin again. I couldn't resist including pictures from his first and second halloween.

After the ward party his pumpkin costume was pretty much a goner so he decided to go for a different bag on halloween night. He was just a bag of garbage. He didn't trick or treat just headed over to a friends house. Megan was at the highschool football game on halloween night so no dressing up and no pictures.

For the ward halloween party Mollie was a vampire. I think she has been a vampire five or six times. She loves it. I also had to do a flashback to the first time she was a vampire at age 3. Mollie and her friend Lydia always coordinate costumes for the ward party. The vampire and the vampire cat. They looked great!

Mollie decided to switch costumes on Halloween night. She was a beat up soccer player. She loved having a black eye and a bloody nose. Jorelle and Andrew brought Nate and Ben over to go trick or treating. Mollie loved spending time with them and I loved having little ones in the house. It was a fun night!

TO DO LIST

2008-10-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

Quite frequently I get teased by my family for all my lists. I could possibly have five to ten lists going at any one time. I have grocery lists, project lists, work lists, church lists, christmas lists, errand lists, etc...I even have a lists right now of appointments that need to be scheduled. Anyhow, last night Mollie and I were talking about our busy day today and where she needed to be when, what she would wear to her field trip, and what time I would pick her up. This morning about 7 am I was helping Sam get ready for crazy hair day at school. I could hear Mollie upstairs and wondered why she was up so early and what she was doing up there. About ten minutes later she came down with her to do list and my to do list in sequential order. I don't think I had made a list before of my morning routine but Mollie did. Complete with showering, hair, make up, breakfast, brush teeth, pack lunch, etc. It also included me going to work and the afternoon/evening activities. She missed a few things but did a pretty good job. I have enjoyed crossing things off the list as I do them. Yes, it is true, I love my lists!

FHE at the Corn Maze

2008-10-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday things fell into place and a small miracle may have occurred. It was only 5 pm and everyone was home, the sun was shining, the homework was light and we had no other committments. So, we grabbed a quick dinner of leftovers, our canned food donation, and headed to the corn maze. On the way there both Mike and I commented that neither one of us had ever been to a corn maze before. The weather made for a beautiful evening and the crowds were extremely light. We had a great time exploring together and splitting up to play hide and go seek. After dusk Mike and I bowed out and let the kids spend a little more time roaming the maze in the dark. It was a fun evening and great to spend a little bit of time all together. Next step, a haunted house (maybe next year).

Carving Pumpkins

2008-10-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon we spent a little family time carving pumpkins. Time definitely goes by too fast. Mike and I were saying how different it was to sit back and let them do it all by themselves. They didn't need us at all. It is great that they are older and more independent but also a little sad. Luckily I had dinner to make and Pat and Colleen to visit with so it wasn't too bad staying out of it. I guess if I want to carve my ideas I will have to buy my own pumpkin next year. Grandma Lucy and Papa stopped by and the kids lit their pumpkins and showed off their hard work. They look great!

Medal Count

2008-10-21T10:22:00.001-07:00

At the end of summer Megan decided last minute that she was going to go out for the high school swim team. She has never swam competitively before so this was a big undertaking. The first several weeks she was exhausted and sore but stuck with it and is now really enjoying it. I have learned a lot about swimming. Until last month I don't think I had ever been to a swim meet. When the season started she was in the early heats but she has worked hard and done an awesome job moving up the ladder. She is primarily swimming the 100 backstroke and in a medley relay. Last week it was exciting because for the first time she swam the 50 free. She was placed in heat 3 of 4 and finished third which was a great accomplishment. I loved it because for the first time I saw her start off of the block instead of in the water. Her time was good and I think the coaches are looking ahead to the future because yesterday they pushed her to keep pace with the varsity work out. I have really enjoyed watching her and Mollie and Sam have been a great support. Sam has been keeping a "medal count." Every night after a meet when he gets home from football (they always overlap) he asks about all the heats she raced in and what events and then does a medal tally. I'm not sure but I believe Sam's #'s are 4 gold, 1 silver and 9 bronze. Next week she will be swimming in the JV Divisional Championships. Way to go Megan!

Miss Smartie Pants

2008-10-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Megan needed a costume for the stake dance, I guess she found this idea on the internet and it worked great for me. Her and Sam walked to the drug store while Mike and I were gone, bought the smarties, and did all the work. I loved that it was inexpensive and did not require colored hair spray. The kids at the dance loved it too, by the end of the night most of the smarties were gone.

TWO UPDATES!

2008-10-06T22:18:00.001-07:00

Saturday night I was laying on the couch reading an Ensign article when Mollie came and sat down next to me on the couch and said, "Mom, my phase is over." I asked her what she was talking about and she replied, "we can fold up the blankets." I could hardly contain my excitement but tried not to smile as I asked her if she was sure. It could almost be considered a joy to help her clean her room this week without having to walk all over them. The blankets/comforters are now off of the rough carpet but unfortunately I now have to wash them all because they have been walked on and played on for over two weeks.

Today I picked up Sam from football and was once again reminded of how gross football clothing is. The combination of the smells in the car caused me to roll the window down during a rain storm but I did chuckle a little at the same time when he asked if I was mad about his shirt. Believe it or not when he packed his bag the night before his pants and shirt were white.

I've Learned to Love Soccer

2008-10-06T22:05:00.000-07:00

Over the years we have supported and watched as our kids have played in hundreds (perhaps thousands) of sporting events. Megan and Sam dabbled in soccer but it never really caught on, partly because Mike and I had never really played or gotten into soccer. In the early years of Mollie playing soccer Mike and I fully admitted that it was our least favorite event to watch. A pack of kids running around together while parents stood on the sidelines in the lovely fall (rainy) weather in Seattle. However, over the years Mollie has developed a passion for soccer. I love her enthusiasm and I have taken the time to try to learn the game. I love watching her excitement build on game day. Watching the games has gone from drudgery to fun and I can honestly say that I truly enjoy watching her "take" the ball and dribbling down field. The rainy days still bother me some but she doesn't care. Bring on the wind, rain, snow, and mud. The more elements the better. She loves to play goalie and does well but her coach really needs her at forward. It amazes me that she can go from the dead serious player with clenched fists to the best friend mode during timeouts. Check out the pictures and you'll see what I mean. Way to go Mollie! Play Hard!

Mollie Loves Soccer!

2008-10-06T22:03:00.001-07:00

A Few Things I Learned Last Week...

2008-09-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

Football gear and clothing is way more stinky and gross than baseball.
If you have a child on the high school swim team it is not long before the car, the clothes, the bedroom, etc. smell like chlorine.
Do not attempt to reason with a nine year old who has decided that her carpet is too "rough" and has covered her entire floor with comforters and blankets. (How long will this last?)
I do not function well at 5:45 am (OK, this is something I already knew but has been reaffirmed). Thank you Mike for taking Megan to seminary.

Summer Recap

2008-09-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

We jumped into summer very quickly. Sam, Mollie, and I left for Bozeman, Montana two days after school got out and Megan left with a group from her school for a trip to Washington DC. After we returned home it was one thing after another. We spent a great 4th at the lake followed by a fun trip to the water slides in Birch Bay. Megan then attended EFY, Youth Conference, and Girls camp. The girls spent 3 days in Portland for a softball tournament and the boys hung out at home doing guy things. Sam attended scout camp and loved it. Sam and Mollie both celebrated birthdays and we had the chance to visit with lots of family from both sides that came into town. The kids loved spending time with their cousins. Before I knew it I was back to work. Not many things were crossed off of my summer project list but we had fun. We ended the summer by spending Labor Day weekend at the lake, and then visiting with family that came into town for the Husky vs BYU game. Take a look at the slideshow below, it contains a small amount of my favorite shots from summer.

Congratulations Tim!

2008-09-16T16:12:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to my younger brother Tim and of course his wife, Kacey. He found out today that he passed the Montana State Bar Exam. Way to GO!

Back to School

2008-09-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a whirlwind. This is the only year that I have three kids in three different schools. I cannot believe the amount of papers that have been sent home. I believe we have managed to sort through it all, fill it out, send it back, pay for it, and I am attempting to remember the essentials.

After a rough start Megan is settling into a new high school (and seminary) routine. The first couple of days she had an incomplete schedule. It was crazy. Sometimes she just sat in the hall because there were too many kids that needed help and not enough adults. She is enjoying most of her classes, especially band. Alg 2/Trig is definitely her least favorite. I can't believe my oldest is in even in high school.

Sam is off to a great start. He too had some schedule problems but it has all worked itself out. I'm not sure of his favorite subject but on day two I picked him up and he had a sheepish grin. He told me that they had been given the writing prompt "what is the most shocking thing you can imagine..." He proceeded to write an essay about his Mom losing 150 lbs and becoming a swim suit model. Yes, that would be shocking.

I haven't heard much from Mollie about the curriculum but I have heard of everything else. Her and her friends had a rivalry game of boys vs girls in soccer by day three. Everyone in their class gets an assigned job. They rotate every trimester. For the first trimester she is the morning Weather Woman.