OOPS!

I accidently deleted all of my friends blog addresses from the side bar on my blog. I was able to remember some of them, but not all of them. Please leave your blog address in the comments or e-mail it to me at 46kings@cox.net. I love seeing how everyone is doing and reading about your lives. THANK YOU!!! (I can't beleive I did that!)

Addy-Bug-A-Roo turns 11

Addy got to celebrate in style with her really good friend Marley whose birthday is the day after hers. They had a combined party with 20 some, cute, 9, 10, and 11 year old girls! We BBQed hamburgers, had lots of cake and ice cream, and set up the Matthew's awesome, GIANT slide for a GREAT time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our Addy-Bug-A-Roo and to Marley too. We LOVE you!

Halloween 2009

Alyssa and her good friend Emily dressed up as 80's prom queens. They wore my old prom dresses from 1985 and 1987 (the 1986 dress was not their style) . They were decked out with BIG bangs and all! I had so much fun helping them get ready!

Amanda surprised us all when she borrowed a football uniform from their friend Jacob and went as a football player. She usually searches out the most fancy costume she can find! She was a very cute football player though!

Addy was a princess and Tanner was Snake Eyes Ninja.

Post of Halloween's Past!

I love getting everyone all dressed up and doing the perfect hair style for their Halloween costume! I can't wait for Saturday- Alyssa and her friend Emily are going to wear 2 of my 1980's prom dresses! And I get to do their hair 80's style! Oh yeah! I can't wait! It's going to be GOOD!

Last year Alyssa couldn't decide what to be, so she called herself a "Hot Dog Walker"

2008

2007

2006

Rising to the occasion

Our school had the annual Family Fun Fest on Oct. 17th. Because I am in the PTSO I had to help plan and organize the event. The dunk tank is always a BIG hit, so I volunteered the FBLA club (Future Business Leaders of America) to be in charge of it. Amanda is the president of FBLA so I came home and told her about the assignment. She got right to work on it. The only thing I told her was, FBLA is in charge of the dunk tank. By the next day, she had gone around the school asking teachers, students, and the principal to take a turn in the tank. She then made a schedule and turned it into her leader. She decided to charge $1.00 for 3 tries, and then she made a poster to hang up.

Also last month, during the school ice cream social, FBLA had a table set up to promote their club. Amanda came home from school, made a few cute posters with the cricket, got out a school colored table clothe, a few easel's, and a nice glass bowl for a big bag of jolly ranchers. She then set up a great display for the club. When her leader got there and saw the display she was so impressed, especially since Amanda had not been asked to do this. Then last week Amanda, planned, organized and promoted a membership drive with a scavenger hunt and prizes.

Early in the school year when Amanda announced that she wanted to be the president of FLBA, the leaders were a little hesitant. Now both leaders, at different times, have come to me and complemented Amanda, and told me how impressed they are at how she has really stepped up and taken charge. She has really risen to the occasion! I am really proud of my young leader!

FINALLY, It's not SOOO HOT!

We actually had an outdoor fire Thursday night! That's the great thing about living in Arizona, it cools off to 85 degrees and some of us think it's cool enough to have a fire!

Maybe it's a package deal?

Addy and Tanner were both "Student of the Month" at school this month. It's funny because last year they were both student of the month the same month too!

This is what their teachers each had to say about them:

Adyson continually demonstrates exceptional character and citizenship by being courteous. reliable, dependable, and highly respectful of peers and adults. She thinks before she acts and is a good role model to her classmates. Adyson is a great attribute to the classroom environment because she is a joy to be around and exemplifies integrity.

Tanner demonstrates self pride and cares about being honest and trustworthy. As a student, Tanner is always dependable and responsible when faced with a task to complete; with this responsible behavior, comes trustworthiness. If asked a specific question, I have total confidence that Tanner is always truthful, without hesitation. When taking on special class responsibilities, such a being "THE TOP DOG", Tanner is most responsible and always trustworthy. If the class is asked, "Who knows what to do without being reminded?", I know I can always count on Tanner to follow through and to try his best. In general, Tanner simply takes pleasure in showing strong character because that is what he values; not because he's seeking personal recognition or because someone is watching. Whatever the task or behavior expectation, I know I can always trust in knowing that Tanner will always strive to "do the right thing." Tanner, congratulations for being selected as our "Trustworthy Citizen of the Month!"

SHEEEESH THAT WAS LONG!

Way to go Addy and Tanner! We love you and are proud of you!

OFF and RUNNING!

The cross country season has begun!  Our school has participated in 2 meets so far.  Everyone is doing a great job!  The girls are even thinking that they might want to start training to run in the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in January!

Tanner is in the black shirt, coming up on the finish line!  He took 12th place!

Addy coming up on the finish line.  She took 6th place!

Amanda heading out with a whole pack!  I'm not sure what place she took, but she was first from our school in the 7th and 8th grade girls!

Definitely my Daughters!

Friday night Amanda and Alyssa planned a SURPRISE Birthday Party for their friend Emily. They did a great job!  There were about 30 teenagers that kept the secret and surprised Emily!

Amanda announced to me later that she wants to be a party planner when she grows up!  I think that is a great idea!

4 Handsome Dudes!

Yesterday we attended the baptism of 2 boys in Tanner's primary class.  There are 6 boys in Tanner's primary class!  One boy (that may or may not be Tanner) started wearing a suit to church about a year and a half ago.  Now all 6 boys wear a suit to church.  They look so SHARP!  I love that they feel church is important enough to look their VERY BEST!  Notice I didn't say always acting their very best!  I know their teacher has quite the job keeping 6 boys on task, and we really appreciate her!

Our Last Good Lake day for 2009

Again for Family Home Evening five boats full of people from our ward headed to Lake Pleasant for an evening of visiting, wake boarding, tubing, and dinner.  It has really become a fun time we all look forward to!  For the first time ever I got pictures of all four of our kids wake boarding on the same day!

Amanda

Alyssa

Addy

Tanner

I say our last good lake day for 2009, because the following Monday when we were all enjoying our time at the lake, the engine in our boat decided it was not enjoying the lake like we were.  So we bid our boat farewell for 2009, and say we will see you again in action next year! 

Toys?

Who needs toys, when you have a bag of 240 red cups from Costco!

Or the blanket off everyone's bed! 

JUST BECAUSE

This is what I found on my kitchen counter the other day,  just because, I have an awesome husband!

CERTIFIED SCUBA Divers!

This weekend my three girls and I did our 5 open water check out dives, and are now certified SCUBA divers!

It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be!  And the girls loved it!  I have to say that I had a panic attack Friday night, just thinking about going under water at Lake Pleasant!  But I conquered one of my fears, and did it!  When you become neutrally buoyant underwater it almost feels like you are flying, which is a really cool feeling!

We can't wait until we can go somewhere tropical and apply our new skill!

Our class. The 4 of us, a 13 year old boy named Josh, and our instructor Chris.

Amanda underwater at Lake Pleasant.

Alyssa underwater at Lake Pleasant.

All of us getting ready to enter the Lake.

Getting ready to go under!

First Day of School

One in High School

One in eighth grade  

One in fifth grade  

One in third grade

One mom that can't believe her little girl is already in high school

One mom that now has two teenagers

One mom that can't wait until 2:20 each day to pick up one in high school

One mom that can't wait until 3:40 to pick up three in grade school

One mom that feels extremely blessed

Back to School

SO I am completely bummed that on Monday my four favorite kids will be leaving me behind and heading back to school!  I LOVE summer vacation!  I love being able to go on as many vacations as we want, going to get ice cream at 11:00 at night, sleeping in until 9:00 am, and stay up until midnight!   I love not being on a real schedule, having friends and cousins sleep over any night of the week!  I love being the mom ALL day! I wish summer vacation was a little longer.  I am NOT excited to start making lunches, doing homework, making projects, buying stuff for school at 9:00 Sunday night because someone forgot to tell me they needed it Monday morning!  But until next summer, I will smile and do my best!  Happy New School Year to all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNSHINE!

Amanda turned into a teenager while we were at Lake Powell.  We celebrated in style with decorations, presents, cake, ice cream, steak and shrimp for dinner, a big green birthday hat, and to top it off we taped glow sticks to all of the kids so they looked like stick people and they walked on the rock hills!  The celebration was grand!

We call Amanda "Sunshine" because she has such a big bright beautiful smile!

Glow stick, stick people on the hills of Lake Powell.  It was really fun!

It was a great party with 21 people on the houseboat!

Amanda is really good at talking her dad into things, like driving the boat herself!

Amanda became a yellow belt in karate, and was named hardest working student of the month for the whole studio!

Amanda has run cross country for the past 2 years, and has placed 10th and 12th place in the district finals!  Way to go Sunshine!

Amanda loves to go go go!  She will try just about anything!

Amanda is our first kid to be able to jump the wake on a wake board!

Amanda loves to drive - go carts, golf carts, mini racers, jet skis,  and the boat.  She has even tried to convince me that I should let her try driving my car!  NO WAY!!!!  Is always my answer!

Amanda loves to spend as much time as possible at Lake Powell during the summer.  This year is the first time we were actually there on her birthday!

Amanda's love for the (cell) phone started early!

Amanda is a great snow skier!  She started skiing when she was 3 1/2.

Amanda is a great sister!  She is very creative and likes to think up fun games to play, which usually include everyone getting dressed up!

Amanda is the queen of making great, funny faces!  She is always making us laugh.  She is also very quick witted and silly!  We would be bored without Amanda in our home!

Amanda is very loving and loves to give hugs and snuggles!  When she was little she would just melt into who ever was holding her.

Amanda was the sweetest, easiest, happiest baby!  She was always smiling!  We love her so much and are grateful to have her in our family!  HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY SUNSHINE!