Mini Blogger

Just wanted everyone to know that now that Sadie has a camera she also wanted to blog.  So you can see her new blog on the sidebar here or you can go to noheasworld.blogspot.com .  I can't believe that my little girl is big enough to blog on her own, but there you go!

Thanksgiving in Pocatello

We spent Thanksgiving in Pocatello this year.  It was kind of a surprise, last-minute visit so I'm glad it all worked out and we were able to come.  Here are the women on Thanksgiving Day...

...and here are the men.

Just sayin'.

We had loads of good food!

Then we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Mattox and met the new kitty.

Look at that cutie! :)

I am so grateful for my good husband, for my kids, and for family all around me who love me and support me and put up with me even on my bad days and let us crash in at the last minute!  Love you all so much!

Halloween 2012

Here are our Halloween pictures...finally.  Katie Belle and Maia wanted to be butterflies.  Katie Belle designed her dress and Maia told me what she wanted her skirt to look like.  Grandma has spoiled them but I was happy to make their designs (since they were simple) and even more happy when they loved them! Phew!  So much pressure.

Luke was Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.

And Sadie was Arwen from Lord of the Rings.  

She looked great in her wig of long black hair!

Casey and I just put on some old costumes.  I put on my poodle skirt and Casey was Captain Kirk. (That's from Star Trek in case anyone didn't know. And I say that because there were people who didn't!)

We had a great time and I was so grateful for Jeanie taking pictures for us.  My camera died in the car on the way to our ward trunk-or-treat so she saved us! 

Luke's 11th Birthday

I can't believe I have an 11 year old!  We watch the home videos we have of the kids and I still remember the crazy little boy with the big gap in his teeth but here he is now.

Okay, well...he's still crazy!

But now he's also responsible, funny, smart, kind...and ELEVEN years old!

And moving on from kid toys to big kid toys. :)

I'm so grateful to have you in our family, Luke.  You've always been a kid I could count on to help me out and you've always been able to make me laugh.  Keep making good choices and being good to your sisters.  They need a big brother they can look up to and I'm glad that you get to be that for them.  You're awesome!  

Love you and Happy Birthday! :)

Katie Belle's Baptism

 Katie Belle's baptism day finally arrived on September 8th.  She had been anxiously waiting and was SO excited to be baptized.  My mom made her the white dress she had picked out and all dressed up she looked beautiful and all grown up.

All ready in her baptismal clothes that Sadie and I have worn before her.

Here she is right after coming out of the water.  She came up the steps of the font jumping up and down and saying, "I'm baptized! I'm baptized! I can't believe it! I'm baptized!"  I was so happy for her because she was so happy you couldn't help it! :)  

I remember being nervous with Sadie because she was nervous, but with Katie Belle I was just so happy for her.  So happy as her mother that she wanted so badly to be baptized and that she truly felt a joy in being baptized.  It was just such a special feeling of happiness and joy.

It makes me so happy I cry just thinking about it again.

Her grandma and grandpa Mattox gave her a lei for her special day.

All the cousins.

All the family that could come.

Congratulations to my Katie Belle!  I know how happy I was for you as your mother and I know that your Heavenly Father is just as happy and proud of you as I am.  We ALL love you! 

A New Tradition!

We got up early to go and see the hot air balloons go up in Boise.  I guess they do this every year but we hadn't ever made it out there.  Trying to get my family excited to go do something new is tough sometimes!  But I got them moving this year and we made it.

Balloons were everywhere, all around us. 

The kids got excited every time one went up.

We even got lucky and got to see the Mickey balloon.  I guess here in Boise will be the only time this year that the Mickey balloon will go up in the U.S.  I'm pretty sure it was their favorite.

We loved it so much that we decided that it will be our new tradition and now we'll go EVERY year!  Hurray for trying something new!

First day of school 2012

This is the first year that all my kids will be in school ALL day long.  I've had mixed feelings. While I'm excited to have some time to do things I haven't been able to do for a long time, you know, like sew, it's also sad to think I won't have anyone around me during the day.  Or maybe it's just that they're growing up so fast and I feel sad to think it won't be long before I'm begging them to stick around home a little and hang out with mom. :)  Hey, at least I love them. 

Here's my crazy bunch.  

A first grader, a third grader, a fourth grader and a fifth grader.

Hanging out at the bus stop.

Waving to mom, dad and grandma and grandpa Rawson.

Ah, but this is what I love...so happy to be home!

I don't have to beg them yet!  Enjoy it, mom.

Katie Belle is 8!

Katie Belle had been asking for a birthday party F.O.R.E.V.E.R.  But we don't do birthday parties.  But did that stop her?  No.  Not a bit.  She poured over every Oriental Trading catalog that came and she began planning her own party. I couldn't help admiring her persistence and I finally gave in and helped her plan.  She wanted a Carnival Birthday party.  My friend had thrown one for her son and she had gone ALL OUT.  We're talking pony rides and everything!  Yeah, that's what Katie Belle wanted. So the plans began.  Luckily, Katie Belle is easy to please. :)  Although my friend offered to get the pony from her dad, we didn't have to have the pony. Thank heavens! :)  

We borrowed games, we made games (PLINKO, anyone?), we got prizes, we got food and we had a party!  It turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. The big hit?  Shooting the dollar store bow with suction cup arrows at the stuffed tiger target!  Who knew?!  Katie Belle and the kids loved it! And actually the boy who'd had THE party went and told his mom ours was better. Woo Hoo!

Oh, we love you Katie Belle!  Thanks for being persistent, crazy, fun and happy.  Thanks for being a party planner and taking your mom out of her comfort zone every once in a while.  She may not love it, but it's good for her.  She definitely needs a Katie Belle in her life! :)

Happy 8th Birthday, Katie Belle!

Exploring Yellowstone Park

 We finally got the chance to go to Yellowstone Park.  We'd wanted to go for awhile since Casey had never been and I knew the kids would love it.  I'm so glad April was on top of things and got it planned for us to go with her and Casey's grandpa Stark.

Here's the bunch of us starting our adventure.

What was Maia here to see?

Ah, yes,...the ANIMALS!

And we DID see animals!

Here are some elk right up close.  

We also saw an eagle, deer, buffalo (one walking in the driving lane right next to us!), and even a bear, although it was far away.  But I'm good with bears being far away.  :)

There was a little bit of a downpour at the end of the day.  We were SOAKED before we got back to the car.  But Maia decided it was a good camping shower. 

We walked a bunch of the trails... 

And FINALLY made it to Old Faithful.  

The kids had been impatiently waiting to see this.

But they saw it right up front!

Then we explored the Old Faithful Inn.

What a neat building!  So glad they were able to save it from the fire.

Maia decided she liked her great-grandpa.  She'd hold his hand and move her camping chair next to his.     I even heard her run up to him and say, "I love you!"  He didn't hear her and said, "What?"  "I LOVE YOU!!!"  He smiled and told her he loved her too, and she ran off.  

So I guess it was mutual.  :)

We rushed back the last day so the kids could swim in the lake we camped next to.  They found they could catch minnows with their hands and had a blast.  Of course, Maia also caught a leach in her bathing suit!  Ewww!  At least it didn't catch her!

We ate a ton of smores, held our breath as we went in stinky outhouses, cursed the squirrels that woke us up early, saw a good chunk of Yellowstone Park and had a great adventure!  Isn't it always fun to be with family in the great outdoors?

Arrow of Light

Luke has been quite the successful cub scout.  He worked to receive all kinds of awards during his three years there, just look at that shirt!  (Yes, mom read the books and kept him on track and absolutely forced him sometimes so I'm pretty proud of that shirt, too!)  Since his 11th birthday was coming up and he'd be going to Boy Scouts, he worked hard and earned the highest honor in cub scouts, the Arrow of Light.

Here he is receiving his award from his Webelos leader, Bro. Zechman.

Two other scouts received it, too, (James Law and Ethan Wilhelmsen) and they had a small ceremony as they presented them with their arrows that showed all that they had accomplished in cub scouts.  

Congratulations Luke!  

We're proud of the young man that you're becoming and excited to see you progress and learn and grow.  We love you!

Pioneer Day 2012

Our ward planned a Pioneer Day celebration again this year.  Every year they've had one, there has been a bike parade where all the kids decorate their bikes and get to ride together in a "parade".  So they announced they'd have it again this year and that the kids had better get their bikes decorated.  But my kids decided that they wanted to make a wagon for the parade.  I gave them some materials and they spent a couple days working on it...themselves! 

Here it is in progress.

And here it is all done.  

Somehow Luke got wrangled into being the horse.

Awww....just had to post that picture.

Luke beat every boy that he played the stick pull with.

So mom stepped in to keep him humble.  (And I did!  Hahaha!)

Then the Maia gave it a try.  GO MAIA!!!!

Well, she gave it a good effort!

And then the parade!  There's Luke pulling all his sisters.

He must've gotten tired because next time I looked they had a ride. :)

The cutest pioneers EVER!