Riley, Christina, Boston, Phoenix

A Bunch of Randoms......

2011-09-18T23:07:00.001-06:00

Bear Lake Triathlon! This was my first triathlon and probably my last......(we'll see).....I don't know why the swimming part scared me so bad......oh yeah.....probably because I DON"T KNOW HOW TO SWIM...... Sarah and Michelle also participated in the triathlon!

I know.....We look pretty sweet......

Boston started Preschool!! He LOVES preschool and has so much fun!! I love it because he is learning so much and tells me all about it when he gets home. Also, Phoenix and I get to have girl time while he's gone:)

On Bostons first day of preschool he brought home the "Super Strawberry" which means that you were so good in class that day that you get to bring home and take care of the super strawberry! I was so excited for him when I saw him with the "Super Strawberry". His teacher took me aside and said "another kid in class earned the super strawberry and Boston started crying and didn't understand why he didn't get it, so the little boy offered the strawberry to Boston"......I thought this was so nice of the boy in his class!!! I was so worried how others would treat him at school but after learning about what happened I am reminded that there's some really nice kids that he can make friends with!!

This is what I mean by girl time..........LOL

These two are such good buddies!! They have a lot of fun playing together:)

Riley and Boston had a guys night and went to a baseball game:)

Campfire's up Big Cottonwood Canyon:)

Hanging out with Tasha and her cute little girl Koi.....

Riley's cousin Kazdan and his mother Beth came to Utah and went to dinner with us! It was really good to see you guys!!

Boston and Phoenix got new bikes:) They ride them EVER DAY!! Literally....

Phoenix had 6 cavities and she had to be put out for the procedure!! Poor girl, she woke up screaming!!

Boston went to a friends birthday party and had fun playing on the Bouncy House!!

My little brother Richard turned 21! We all went camping to celebrate!!

I got BRACES!!! Yes!!! My brother-in-law Ben has a practice in Orem, Utah called "Frandsen Orthodontics". I have been wanting braces for quite a while now and even though they look funny, I am way happy to have them!!

Before:

And AFTER:

We Love Movie Nights!! Boston and Phoenix get so excited.. We warm up some popcorn and we all cuddle together as we watch a movie.....It's so cute to see how happy they get!

Riley turned 30 years old!! I have thrown him surprise birthday parties pretty much each year we've been married and this year he took me aside and said "I Hate Surprise Birthday Parties, do not throw me one this year." So what did I do??? I threw him a HUGE PARTY!!..................Just kidding.....It was just a nice night with ice cream and cake and one of his favorite home cooked meals:)

Love you hun.....Happy 30th:)

Utah State Fair! This was a fun night out with my friend Monique! We went on the "Big Yellow Slide", bought some sweet jewelry, and ate a delicious funnel cake:)

Shaw Family Weekend at Bear Lake!

One year done in my Master's Program!! A few of my classmates went out to celebrate!

Boston started T-ball again!! He is getting the hang of it the second time around:) I think it helps for me not to coach this time so that I can focus on Boston. He hit the ball each round and even ran all the bases!! (this is a BIG improvement from last year...LOL)

First Meeting.....

2011-07-17T19:17:00.000-06:00

We flew into Oregon and had to drive up into Washington to meet the family at a Ranch. Throughout the entire drive, which was about 5 and 1/2 hours, I kept video taping Riley! I was continuously asking him how he feels and how excited he was to meet his birth mom for the FIRST TIME!! I made him so nervous and he kept asking me not to video tape. Although I listen to him, I kept video taping every ten minutes. When we were three minutes away from the Ranch I kept video taping and saying things like "oh my goodness we are so close to meeting your birth mom!, this is crazy!! aaaaahhhh!!" I pretty much made him as nervous as he had ever been his whole life!! I built it up pretty high that he asked me not to video tape when they meet. But of course, I video taped when they met!! And now, he is so glad that I did!! Here's a few pictures of that special time we had getting to know Riley's mom, sister, grandma, mom's husband Mark, and cousins!!

Here is Riley's sister Shaylee as she runs to meet Riley for the first time!

Here is Riley and Shaylee's first hug! I couldn't help but to tear up! This moment was so special!

And of course, I definitely couldn't hold the tears back when I saw this:

Here is Riley and his mom's first hug!!

They definitely had a lot of catching up to do from morning...

Till Night...

Don't they look alike? I think they have the same eyes!

Riley is SO HAPPY to have Shaylee as his little sister!!

The kids had a lot of fun getting to know Shaylee!

Here is Phoenix's first time riding a horse, and she held on all by herself!

Boston and Phoenix picked flowers for Nana Julee! They would find flowers in the mountains and call out "Nana Julee, we got flowers for you." It was so cute!

I think our kids are all vacationed out! They are so exhausted!

We stayed at Riley's grandma's house in Oregon which was a lot of fun! We had lots of good food and a swing set in the backyard for Boston and Phoenix to play on! Thanks for letting us stay with you grandma!! We love and miss you!

Here is Riley and his mom giving their good bye hugs after a wonderful reunion!!

The reunion was everything we could've imagined! We are excited to have more family in our lives! (the more the better) We love you Julee, Shaylee, and Mark!! Can't wait to see you soon in Hawaii!!

Miracle...

2011-07-01T16:49:00.001-06:00

I have put off writing about this event in our life and can’t quite figure out why. I think it’s because I don’t know how I can fully do this wonderful event justice. So here goes…Riley is adopted, for those of you who didn’t know this about Riley. He has been looking for his birth mother his whole life. Through much disappointment, Riley finally found his BIRTH MOTHER and we are flying out to meet her next week in Oregon!! We areEXTREMELY EXCITED to say the least.

Here is a verySHORT version of how we found her…

After years of searching for information of his birth parents, Riley received a phone call from Oregon (where he was born) on Wednesday, April 20, 2011. They told him that they have his pre-adoption birth certificate and that it may contain some information to help him search for his birth parents. On Easter Sunday, Riley received the pre-adoption birth certificate in the mail and after 25 minutes of staring at the envelope, he opened it. To Riley's surprise, it contained his Mother’s name on it! We immediately Googled her name and found her on Facebook of all places. Riley’s best friend Joe, contacted her through Facebook, asking her if she wanted contact with Riley. Much of what was said is private, but what I can say is that it was a miracle! Riley and his mom made contact for the first time with each other on Easter Sunday 2011! This is the perfect time in both Riley and his mom’s life that they found each other. Also, to our surprise, Riley has a SISTER! Through this miracle, it has been testified to us that Heavenly Father knows each one of us and he loves us so much. We truly believe that things happen for a reason and we are very very blessed! Emotions have been high over at our home and Riley is still grasping the notion that he actually found his birth mom. We are flying out to Oregon to meet his mom, sister, grandma, cousins, and all of those who are important in his mother’s life. We are so happy and excited!

We were able to fly out to Texas this last week and meet his Uncle and his family for the first time! This event was pretty crazy, I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when we meet his mom for the first time!! Thank you Batey family for welcoming us into your home!! We are so happy to have you in our lives now and are so grateful for all that you did for us. Here is a picture of the first day we met them.

Also, when we were in Texas, we stayed at Chant’ee and Bretts home! We had so much fun and it was really good to see them again!! Although they moved three months ago, we have missed them so much. We have always been really close to them and we are so happy we got to see them! We did so many things and I took hundreds of pictures that I feel overwhelmed trying to figure out what to post!! Here’s only a few of the many things we did in Texas!

Corpus Christi Beach:

Seaworld:

Schlitterbahn Waterpark:

Hooks Baseball Game:

Riley and Brett were chosen to go down on the field and play a game. They had to spin around in circles around the bat and then it was a race to the finish line. It was so funny to watch. Brett fell down twice and Riley couldn’t take his hand of the ground without losing his balance. The crowd cheered and laughed because it looked so goofy!

Thanks for having us over Chant'ee and Brett! We love you guys and miss you already!

Especially this little girl! Love you Isabel!

Look Alike????

2011-01-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

I've always been the artist of the family, so to prove I am still the best, let me know what you think of my art work:)

Sorry Chant'ee, I think I got you beat:) LOL

Girls Weekend...

2011-01-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

A week ago my sister in laws and I got together for a GIRLS WEEKEND:) It was full of pampering and of course shopping. I'm so thankful to have such fun sister in laws. I love them:) Thanks Shelsie and Sarah for a fun weekend:) Can't wait to do it again:) Also, thanks Riley for watching to kids, even though they went to the Dinosaur Museum in their pajamas with their hair all crazy:)

Photo Shoot

2011-01-06T14:33:00.001-07:00

Here are some fun pictures I took of Boston and Phoenix:)

Aren't they fun?

2010-12-22T08:57:00.001-07:00

Boston turned 4 years old on November 26th and Phoenix turned 2 on December 15th! They are growing up so quickly but I LOVE the age they are at:) They just keep getting more fun as time goes by. They are better able to have conversations, play games, do activities, and they are a lot more independent.

Riley and I celebrated our 5 year Anniversary! We went shopping at the mall, went to dinner in Salt Lake and walked around Temple Square to see the lights! I LOVE how Riley makes me laugh and makes me feel as though he loves me more and more as time goes by. He makes me feel very special and shows that he loves me every day:) To sum it all up: He's Perfect for me!!

I finished my first semester of my Masters Program!! I am very happy with my grades and am relived that the semester is over. I LOVE the program and enjoy being there. I have made great friends and have had a lot of good experiences. I have really enjoyed this program so far and can't believe how fast time goes by... I have never really ENJOYED class throughout my undergraduate program but in this program I really do like it a lot. I learn so much and find the material very intriguing.

I LOVE these two girls!! They are in my Masters program with me and also my carpool buddies:)

We are looking forward to family, friends, food, and a lot of laughs this Christmas Holiday...I hope you all have an AWESOME CHRISTMAS!!

Brownie Maker

2010-12-03T13:28:00.004-07:00

From the moment Boston woke up, he asked me to make some brownies. I told him "maybe at lunch time we can make some brownies." Every hour after my response, without fail, Boston asked to make some brownies. Finally I gave in and let Boston help me stir in all of the ingredients:

I put the brownies in the oven and waited for the timer to go off.........

3 HOURS LATER........... "oh no........the brownies!!"

Yup....ROCK HARD brownies!

This is why I shouldn't be going to school and being a mom at the same time....... I tend to forget things easily!!

Isabel Chant'ee Wyatt

2010-11-22T23:37:00.003-07:00

My sister Chant'ee and Brett had their little girl Isabel on November 15th:) I'm so happy for them and grateful that mommy and baby are healthy! I love you sis.

2010-10-17T21:28:00.000-06:00

Boston's T-ball Season has ended:) I'm not sure if he was quite ready to play T-ball.....all he really did throughout the season were things such as: throw his hat in the air, running around on the field, looking up at the airplanes in the sky, play in the trees, pick the grass......well... you get the idea. I volunteered to coach his team because I want to be involved in his athletics and activities, little did I know it was quite the challenge for me. Overall I'm glad we signed him up, but I think when he gets a little older he will like it a lot more!

Big 29!

2010-09-12T22:04:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday to my hot babe! Riley turned 29 today:) He is a great husband and dad! We LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!

Just a heads up: posts from now on will be very brief considering my lack of time for the remainder of the next 3 years:) Yay for studying.......

Summer Fun...

2010-08-23T11:29:00.000-06:00

Chant'ee and Brett came to stay at our house:) It was fun and I hope to do it again soon!

We headed up to Idaho for Chant'ees graduation! I'm so proud of you Chant'ee!! You will be a great PA.

Splash park in Riverton!

In Cottonwood Heights they showed a Movie in the Park! It was a lot of fun! They provided free entertainment with an animal show and bouncy houses for the kids to play on!

Michelle, Ben, and Peyton moved to Utah! Michelle and Peyton along with the rest of my whole family came to watch me play in a 6v6 soccer tournament in Logan. We didn't win a game but it was a lot of fun!! Thanks for inviting us to play Ashcrofts!

Riley's brother Reagan came home from his mission! We all picked him up at the airport, went to lunch in Salt Lake and walked around the temple. It was great to have the family together and celebrate Reagan's 2 years of service!

Juliette's Mountain Crest soccer season has begun! I love to go watch her play and cheer her on and so do my parents!! Both of my parents LOVE watching their kids in any of their activities they are in:)

LOGAN POOL

Camping in the Logan Canyon

THE ZURCHERS AND THE SHAW FAMILY AT BEAR LAKE!

Reagan's homecoming

2010-08-04T07:30:00.000-06:00

I am SO HAPPY! Late last night I finished my last final exam. Summer classes are over!! YES! Now I can enjoy these next three weeks with no school!

Our lil Shaw Family:)

2010-07-30T11:14:00.002-06:00

Boston + Phoenix= Best Buds

My weakness...

2010-07-29T13:20:00.003-06:00

One of my weaknesses are taking the MAT, GRE, ACT, and SAT exams. On the MAT exam I had to get into the 40th percentile or above to become accepted into the School Counseling Masters Program. Two weeks before the exam I started to get anxious because I didn't study for this exam yet! I went out and bought a prep manuel which I studied until midnight the night before I took the exam. I took this exam a total of 3 times to get into this program and all I can say is that I REALLY, REALLY, don't like these type of exams....

But to end on a good note, I got accepted into the program:) Yay for 3 more years of school.........NOT........but seriously........

4th of July Weekend:)

2010-07-06T11:21:00.000-06:00

What's the best part of the 4th of July Weekend?? Family, fun, friends,food, and a lot of laughter! Here's a few things we did this last weekend!

USU Fireworks

Barbecue at the Allen's

Cruise in on Main Street

Fireworks at Aunt Jackie's

Day at Hyrum Dam and Camping

Swimming at Hyrum Dam

Before we headed home to Salt lake we topped off our weekend by eating at El Toro Viejo...YUM

Of course Boston is happy eating his favorite food:

At the beginning of the day this is what our kids look like:

At the end of the day, this is what our kids look like:

Now it's back to reality...

Run, Run, Run...

2010-07-06T10:12:00.001-06:00

Juliette, Shelsie, and I ran the Freedom Run on Saturday. All I can say about this run was OUCH! I'm just glad I could entertain Juliette and Shelsie with a six miler side ache:) Thanks for running with me the whole way, even though we ran like 20 minutes per mile:)

Go SUNFLOWERS!

2010-07-04T12:59:00.000-06:00

We put a team together ( the SUNFLOWERS) and played in the Logan Fiesta Cup soccer tournament last weekend! We played about seven games in two days and took 2nd place! This tournament brought back many memories of when I played soccer in high school and on my club teams. In the semi-final game we ended up going to golden goal overtime, then shootouts! I was tearing up because I was so nervous to kick a penalty shot. Luckily it went in for Riley's sake and mine. So many fans came out to watch our team play! THANK YOU!

Big Cottonwood Canyon

2010-06-28T10:26:00.000-06:00

It's so nice to have this place just five minutes from our home.

Colorado

2010-06-28T10:13:00.001-06:00

One thing I do not recommend is flying solo on an airplane with two children! It makes me laugh so hard when I think back about everything that went wrong. Seriously, everything that could possibly go wrong, pretty much did:) Therefore, taking pictures was the last thing on my mind as we flew to Colorado!

Erasing the memory of the flight, the Colorado trip was a lot of fun! There's so many things we did I don't know if I can post them all:)

The Butterfly Museum, which the kids LOVED:)

Walked around the Lake and played at the Park.

Hanging out:

Denver ZOO:

SWIMMING:

Amusement Park

Camping

Yes, I know Boston's pajamas are pink:) Thanks Izzy for letting Boston borrow your pajamas!

Swimming at the Lake

Airplane ride home. One trick on having a smooth trip home is giving Boston and Phoenix a lot of treats:)

Thanks Caroline for having us over!! We miss you guys!

Moving!

2010-05-24T11:09:00.002-06:00

We are moving! Riley got a job in Salt Lake City and starts June 7th!

2010-05-24T11:04:00.000-06:00

Future Soccer Player!

Women's Region Champions... oh yeah! I LOVE SOCCER!

More Preschool Pic's

2010-05-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

Ogden Marathon

2010-05-24T10:53:00.000-06:00

Over a week ago, I ran in the Ogden Marathon with my sister-in-law Shelsie, brother in law Ryan, and good friend Kate. I'm amazed at those who run the full marathons such as Shelsie and Ryan! My knees physically could not finish a full marathon! Kate and I ran the half marathon and had a great time. I loved this race and found myself smiling to myself as I ran, saying out loud "this is so fun." . I can admit that I am addicted to running half marathons. I know I have only ran two but I am planning on running many more to come:)

Preschool...

2010-05-11T16:06:00.001-06:00

Boston had his first day of preschool on Monday! He has had a lot of fun and has made some new friends:) I'm very excited for him and know he is going to learn and grow so much! My little boy is all grown up:(

2010-05-11T16:00:00.000-06:00

I usually don't write a lot when I post because I don't know a better way to show what we've been up to than posting pictures!! Here's a few things we have been up to...

I love going on bike rides...

Phoenix Loves her blanket:)

Boston holding a little frog...

Hanging out with Ashley and Chant'ee...

I love this picture...When Riley was around Boston's age he wore this same shirt that Boston is wearing in his own pictures... Boston's middle name is Riley like his papa...

Boston and his cousin Logan...

Boston and his cousin Joshua...

Good Times:)

2010-05-11T15:14:00.005-06:00

Cute hair huh?

One thing about Riley is that he LOVES shoes. He is very picky about his shoes that he buys and they usually have to be at least over 100 dollars. Taking into consideration about his shoes, Riley and Brett went fishing at Willow Park. I noticed that Riley was wearing a pair of his basketball shoes while he was fishing. I asked him why he wore those shoes and he said "It's not like I'm going to get them dirty." About two hours later when we were just about to head home, Chant'ee and I were watching Riley fish and all of the sudden, he was too close to the edge and fell in the water! It was so funny. He not only soaked his shoes but the water went as high as his waist. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or feel bad because he ruined his shoes and he looked pretty mad. When he got out of the water, Chant'ee and I said "so your not going to get them dirty huh?" Looks like they became his fishing shoes after all.

If you look closely at Boston's face you can see the terror he felt as the fish was flopping around!

Boston fell out of the stroller and landed right on his head

Confession...

2010-04-09T09:36:00.003-06:00

I have to confess that Riley and I finally gave in. After a month of trying so hard not to give Phoenix her binky, we broke down and bought her a few binky's. On the way to California, after four hours of driving, we got desperate and didn't want to listen to Phoenix crying anymore. We stopped at the first store we saw and bought her two new binky's. Ten hours later, when we arrived in California, we lost the two that we had bought, went to another store and bought two new binky's......again. Now we can't seem to take it away again.

2010-04-09T09:18:00.015-06:00

This was by far the funnest day that Boston had in California. We went to the Folsom City Zoo, went on a train ride, and played at the park! Thanks Holly and Josh for showing us around Cali! We also went to a candy shop and bought chocolate and candy. Yum!

Phoenix wanting to follow in Boston's footsteps!

Another Baby on the way!!!

2010-04-09T09:04:00.010-06:00

I know what your probably thinking but.....No we're not pregnant again. We are, however, very excited for my sister Michelle who is pregnant!

Michelle came to Utah for week and we had a baby shower for her! She's having a little girl named Peyton:)

Bob and Lou Shaw

2010-04-09T08:49:00.002-06:00

Here's to a couple that have been married for 60 years. Riley's grandparents, Bob and Lou Shaw, celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in California this last weekend. It was a lot of fun and we're grateful that Boston and Phoenix got to meet their great grandparents!

60 YEARS LATER...

This gives me so much hope and confidence that marriages can last forever! Bob and Lou are a great example of love and devotion:)

My kids were just soooo happy! :)

Lil Phoenix

2010-04-09T08:32:00.004-06:00

Two years ago while Brett, Chant'ee, Riley and I were driving to grandma Lou's home in California, we passed by a sign that read Phoenix. I was pregnant at the time and we were trying to decide on a name for our little girl. As we passed by the sign that read Phoenix, Chant'ee said "hey why don't you guys name your girl Phoenix and I'll name my future boy Fox?" This comment stuck with us as we were deciding on girl names.

This is the exact sign that we got her name from.
Two years later...

Sacramento Temple

2010-04-09T08:20:00.007-06:00

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

2010-04-08T11:14:00.009-06:00

Riley and I are huge A's fans. We've been to four of their games so far and hope to watch many more in the future:)

HAPPY EASTER

2010-04-08T11:09:00.002-06:00

LOVE LOVE LOVE these two...

2010-04-08T10:39:00.009-06:00

Best Buds...

2010-04-08T09:34:00.002-06:00

We can't wait for SUMMER!

2010-03-18T13:51:00.005-06:00

Boston, Phoenix, and I went to the Logan Regional Pediatrics Institution for Rehabilitation. Boston had casts made for both of his legs. When he walks his legs are turned inward and he walks with his feet inverted. He will have to wear the braces for about 6-8 hours a day and Boston will have to do a few rehabilitation activities everyday to strengthen and tighten the ligaments from his knee to his foot. Poor Boston trips over his own feet and totally falls on his face when he runs. He also sits on his feet and stretches his ligaments out. I feel as though I am constantly telling Boston not to sit on his feet:( I'm trying to bring his entertainment up to his level so that he wont have to sit on the floor so much! Any Suggestions???

2010-02-11T17:08:00.006-07:00

Sunday was a great day: Superbowl Sunday and Jen and John's baby blessing! Congratulations Jen and John, Brooke is too cute!

Wow, these last few days have been a trial for us. One of the main lessons I have learned is that it is okay to ask for help. I know that a lot of mom's out there can relate when I say that we try to be Supermom's all of the time and do everything the best that we know how. I've been humbled this week and realize that it's okay to admit that we need help every now and then. On Monday, I went to the Logan Hospital and had Lithotripsy for my 12mm kidney stone. It's a medical procedure that uses shock waves to break up stones in the kidney. After the procedure, the tiny pieces of stones will eventually pass out of your body. I'm feeling a lot better and appreciate all of those who have expressed their concerns.
Thanks to those who have brought us dinner, helped clean our house, and to those that have helped us with our kids. A Special Thanks to Shelsie and Cody for sacrificing your time and patients (watching the kids every day:))!

Random Events:)

2010-02-06T20:21:00.016-07:00

I love Boston and Phoenix:) They do the funniest things:) As we were helping Chant'ee and Brett move into their new place, Phoenix and Boston entertained themselves while playing under the sink.

I love going to Young Womens each week and hang out with all of the girls. Winter Olympics was a way fun activity:)

Thank you Riley for surprising me on my birthday this year:) I love you and had the best birthday! Riley pretended like he was going to work and got ready in his shirt and tie, said goodbye to us as usual, and left to work. About a half an hour later, he showed up at the front door with my favorite kind of birthday cake. I was shocked. He took the day off of work and we went to lunch together. It was very meaningful to me and I love how he put a lot of thought into my birthday this year:)

My sister Caroline and her daughter Izzy flew in from Colorado for a few days:) It was so fun to watch our kids play and interact together. I wish you could come more often Caroline:) We miss you guys.

I just have to say that Life is full of many surprises. All we can do is learn from our experiences and become stronger as a person for having gone through our trials. Another thing I have learned lately is how much courage it takes to say you are sorry for something you have done wrong. It shows me what kind of person they are and it says a lot about their character. Letting someone know that you are sorry shows that you are able to humble yourself and put your pride aside and I have learned that I have a lot more respect for those that are able to do so.

Time for a MUCH needed update

2009-12-17T15:36:00.044-07:00

I thought about writing every detail of what has happened throughout these last five months but that would be a VERY long post. So, to save you and I time, I decided to post a picture and a little comment about each event that has happened. Also, I need to thank all of you that has helped out with our kids throughout this Fall semester. Each of you know who you are and I hope that you know how thankful we are for your help. We couldn't have gotten through the hardest time of our life these last five months without your help. Thank You.

My brother Richard, my sister Juliette, Riley and I, ran the Top of Utah half marathon! Can't wait for next years half marathon!

Shaw Family weekend at Bear Lake

Riley turned 28!! Happy Birthday babe!

Fun at Lagoon! Boston LOVED going on the rides!

Riley's brother Randon received his mission call and left in November. Watch and see where he was sent!! We love and miss you Randon.

Riley had an umbilical hernia surgery in October and he also had his first hernia surgery repaired, that he had on his mission in France. He's a trooper; he went back to work 3 days after surgery!

Playing in the Fall leaves:)

Halloween!

Chant'ee made all of these costumes! She's talented:)
Riley and Boston as Fred, Phoenix as Pebbles and I'm Wilma.

Boston turned 3 Years old!!

Jennifer had her baby girl Brooke on December 7th. She's way cute! Congratulations Jen and John!

Chantee had her ACL surgery! She is recovering so fast!

And yes, I FINALLY graduated from USU! This has been the hardest five months because I took 19 credits and studied A LOT........and managed to get the only 4.0 in my collegiate career!! Don't worry Keith, I got that A not A-!:) It's crazy what you can get through when you have so much support from the family and guidance from our Heavenly Father.

Phoenix turned 1!

We finally cut Boston's Hair!
BEFORE

AFTER

Just Kidding:) Here's AFTER:

Today is our 4 year anniversary! I love you Babe!!

2009-08-10T13:26:00.003-06:00

Phoenix is now rolling over!! It's a good and a bad thing I guess.... I have to be a lot more cautious of where I set her down but it's nice she can play and be a little more independent. Boston loves playing with Phoenix, but I feel like I'm always telling him to "be soft" because he likes to give her rough hugs and puts all his weight on her so they both end up falling over:) Boston is still learning and is a good big brother, I love my kids!

2009-08-10T12:32:00.004-06:00

hmmm.....i don't know where to begin... These last two weeks have been BUSY, but a lot of fun at the same time! My sister Caroline came up from Colorado for these last two weeks and my sister Chantee had her summer vacation from PA school this last week so she was in town also! We had my whole family together except for my sister Michelle, who lives in Missouri:( We enjoyed going to Bear Lake (even though many of us got whip lash from tubing), enjoyed going to willow park, the logan fair, the beach area at Willard Bay, the logan pool, making another goofy music video, having barbecues, eating lots of GREAT tasting food, and of course taking many many pictures! I'd post pictures of all the activities we did but there are way too many to choose from!
Here's Caroline and her Cute baby Izzy.

2009-08-06T12:09:00.009-06:00

The Logan fireworks were actually pretty good this year. I remember the fireworks lasting only a few minutes last year:( It was fun to get together with Riley's family and just chill at Willow park.

Grandpa, Grandma, and Phoenix

Boston and Daddy

Shelsie and Cody

Grandpa and Boston

My Hubby and I

Hanging out at home with our kids... It was nice to relax and watch the sunset.

2009-08-06T09:47:00.012-06:00

We are definitely loving the summer, but it's going by way too fast! Less then 3 weeks till school starts.......dang! For now, we are just enjoying hanging out with our kids..

Goofing around with my brother Richard and my sister Juliette! They're so fun.

More HOT soccer games!

Joshua and Phoenix

Watching the Logan parade. Boston and Joshua had so much fun!

2009-08-03T21:19:00.005-06:00

Riley's Cousin, Nikki, came up to Logan for a day and we went to the logan pool. It was so fun to catch up and see her cute kids! We'll have to get together again soon!

Nikki, Shelsie, and me

Lil update

2009-08-03T19:43:00.015-06:00

Just thought I'd update what we've been up to these last couple of weeks...

Chillin at my sister, Juliette's, soccer games, then eating at Red Robins. We love their Whiskey River Barbecue chicken wraps! YUMMY

Spending a day at the Logan pool with my family Chant'ee, Jennifer and Joshua, Juliette and Richard.

After a few hours of fun in the sun........
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Pictures!

2009-07-14T13:05:00.019-06:00

Anyone who has been around me long enough, knows that I LOVE taking pictures! I seem to always have a camera hanging around me neck or it's in my hand ready to take pictures. My beautiful sister, Juliette, just got her braces off and I loved doing a fun little photoshoot for her!

Haha, Psyche. Sweet photos huh?!! I meant these photos!

And, of course, I take many many pictures of my kids!

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-06T18:09:00.020-06:00

We LOVE LOVE LOVE holidays, because it's a time when our family gets to hang out together. Family is very important to us and we couldn't ask for anything better than to spend time relaxing and catching up with everyone. Here's a few pictures of our weekend!

2009-06-29T18:07:00.012-06:00

Saturday night we went to watch the Nibley fireworks! Boston loved it! After every firework he would cheer with excitement! It's really fun to watch our kids when they are doing something they enjoy. It makes us happy to see that they are happy! Phoenix just stared at the fireworks with wide open eyes! I think she was trying to figure out what was going on. We can't wait until this weeks fireworks at USU!

2009-06-29T16:57:00.014-06:00

On Saturday, Riley and I went to one of my best friends wedding! It was such a spiritual experience to witness Erin get sealed to Jared for time and all eternity. I am so happy for them! The day was full of happiness, celebration, family fun, and the weather couldn't have been any better!

Erin and her Beautiful family!

Tiffani, Kristin, Erin, and Christina(me)

Me and my friend Kristin Balls.

Being there, reminded me of the time when I got married. It has been such a great 3 and 1/2 years of marriage! During that time we had two healthly, wonderful kids, and I am thankful for them! I'm so grateful for Riley and I love him sooooo much. He is my best friend.

Provo

2009-06-29T15:44:00.010-06:00

This last weekend we stayed at Ryan and Sarah's house for two nights down in Provo. We had so much fun! Ryan and Sarah-thanks for letting us stay with you guys!

While we were there we went to Bridal Veil Falls up Provo Canyon, which was beautiful! It was a weekend of fun, adventure, and lots of food!

Ryan and Sarah are going to be such good parents! Our kids had so much fun hanging out with Uncle Ryan and Aunt Sarah!

2009-06-26T10:12:00.002-06:00

This last week Riley's cousin, Melinda Losee, passed away. She was loved by many and I felt that I got to know her a lot better by what her loved ones had said about her at the funeral. There was a poem which I just loved and it really touched me, so I just wanted to share it with you all.

Don't grieve for me for know I am free,
I'm following the path god laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard his call,
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I've found that peace at the end of the day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah, yes, these things too I will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.

Author B. B.

Logan Pool

2009-06-23T14:27:00.005-06:00

On Monday, we went to the Logan pool. Finally it has stopped raining and we were able to enjoy the nice weather!

Nibley Parade!

2009-06-23T14:00:00.005-06:00

Boston LOVED watching the Nibley Parade! It was fun to see him so happy and excited to get candy and wave at all of the floats and cars that passed by! Here's a little video of Boston!

5K Run

2009-06-23T13:11:00.010-06:00

Saturday morning my mom, dad, Juliette, Riley, Boston, Phoenix, and I, ran a 5k for Nibley Heritage Days. It was a lot of fun! Juliette got second place in her division and I'm just glad I finished it! This is only the first step because Riley, Richard, Juliette and I have signed up for the Top of Utah Half Marathon in August!

After the run it was nice to relax in a hot tub!

Weekend Fun

2009-06-23T12:39:00.010-06:00

Chant'ee and Brett came down to Logan over the weekend. They celebrated their 3rd year anniversary! Congrat's Brett and Chant'ee!!

We went and walked around Summer Fest and I was surprised at how many of our friends we saw there! It was a lot of fun!

I am so excited for one of my best friends Erin, who is getting married this Saturday!! I am so happy for you Erin and can't wait to watch you get sealed to Jared for time and all eternity!!

Girls Camp

2009-06-17T13:57:00.000-06:00

Being in Young womens has been a lot of fun! Last week was Girls Camp and Riley watched the kids while I went up to Testimony meeting night! It was such a great experience. Listening to all of their testimonies really helped my own testimony grow and I felt the spirit very strongly. I am so thankful I have the opportunity to work with the young womens and hopefully I can help make even the smallest difference in their lives.

Boating!

2009-06-17T12:59:00.000-06:00

Chant'ee came down from Idaho over the weekend and we went boating! Brett, Chant'ee, Brandon, Kira, Riley, Boston, Phoenix, and I spent the whole day on Saturday boating and eating food! This is one of my favorite things to do in the summer time! We had so much fun! This was Phoenix's first time boating and she didn't even cry once on the boat!

Softball

2009-06-17T12:04:00.000-06:00

Shelsie invited us to come and play softball with her Stake. Riley and I were thinking definitely NO at first, because we aren't good at softball! This was the first time I have ever played in an actual softball game. I loved it because I felt totally out of my element and it was great to play a sport where I had no idea what I was doing! Riley actually did really good. He hit a home run and really surprised me on how well he was at softball!! It was a lot of fun, thanks Shelsie for inviting us!

Basketball league

2009-05-28T15:41:00.000-06:00

My sister Jennifer and I put a team together and played in the Logan Recreation center league. Though we didn't win many games it was a lot of fun!! Last Tuesday was tournament play but we ended up losing to the first place team, so we are out! Thanks for all those who played with us! We'll have to put another team together when the league starts up again!

Fun at the Shooting Range

2009-05-28T14:02:00.001-06:00

Camping!

2009-05-28T13:45:00.000-06:00

Boston and Joshua have a lot of fun together. They were inseparable on our camping trip!

They had fun throwing dirt all over themselves! haha

2009-05-28T13:28:00.000-06:00

Over Memorial weekend we went camping in the Canyon. It was a lot of fun! One thing that I was nervous about was how my kids would handle the cold night, but luckily both of our kids slept great and kept pretty warm! This was Phoenix's first time camping but definitely not the last!

Great way to start the weekend!

2009-05-19T14:31:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking about my family a lot lately and one of my favorite times of the day is when Riley and I say a prayer with Boston. We kneel by the side of his bed before he goes to sleep each night and take turns saying the prayer! I want Boston to know that Riley and I have a testimony of the gospel and that this is the true church. I know that our kids learn a lot from us by example. I find Boston saying and doing a lot of the things he sees me saying and doing. It's kind of scary because kids are so smart and they pick up on everything you do! I love the time Riley and I get to spend together after we put the kids to bed. The house it quiet and we just said good night to our precious little angels. This is the time when we get to catch up because our kids really take up a lot of our time and attention. One thing that Riley and I are working on is reading the scriptures each night. I know that by reading the scriptures together it strengthens our love for each other and for the gospel. I know...... all of this sounds really cheesy, but it has been on my mind a lot lately and I am just so grateful for my family!

2009-05-15T15:18:00.000-06:00

Riley FINALLY graduated from USU! Yay! It felt like he was going to school for a very long time because, as most parents out there know, it is a lot harder getting through school when you have kids! I am so proud of him and I am very grateful that he stuck with it! We went through some hard times trying to raise kids, working full time, and going to school full time. I know that we couldn't have gotten through these past two years if it weren't for our families and the gospel. Thanks to all those who have watched our kids and helped with passing my classes(Jennifer) :)