Random pictures....of Kassi and Nathaniel

Nate is telling his sisters... "I do NOT want to be a pirate... I do not want this and you cannot make me do this... I will not have a tattoo, my body is a temple and you are not going to put one on me!!!"

Nate climbed up on the bed and grabbed my phone... I asked him why he had my phone and he put his hand over his mouth and said, "Uh ohhhhhhhhh!" He thought if he played cute he could get what he wanted... he acts like he is texting every time he gets the phones!

He kept cheesing at me for the camera... he is a ham, he sees the camera and just starts making faces... he's a character!

Kassi and Kenah went down on the grass at graduation to get some closer pictures of Tallin... they did get several pictures.... but when I got the camera back there were tons of pictures of them making funny faces of themselves!!!!! Silly girls!!!!

Graduation pictures....

We had a fun party today to celebrate Tallin's graduation... It's hard to believe he's done with high school. Time has gone by so quickly it is amazing! What a great kid he is too! He's a great example to me all of the time and I love his amazing talents! Here's the cake to celebrate the big day!Yep... he's done! For some reason I can't rearrange the pictures so they are all backwards...this is after he received his diploma!

Stepping beyond high school and into the real world (turn around and run... hurry!)... ready to take on the world!

The wind started out light... just enough to blow in some clouds and take the heat of the day off to a nice, comfortable temp... and then it started blowing harder and harder... and harder! It was kind of fun... and will definately keep graduation day 2009 in our memories! :)

Just trying to keep the caps on while the wind blows and blows and blows... before the night was over some of them just gave up!

Anxious for it all to be done... excited at the prospect of finally being grown ups and looking forward to all that lies ahead of them!

Both the principal and the vice principal are retiring this year. The vice principal was the key note speaker... he had the seniors stand up and look for their families and those that helped them succeed and take a moment to acknowledge them...

What a great night... what great memories made with friends over the past several years. Tallin and Tiffany walked together... they have been really great friends for many years, since their family moved here when Tiffany and Tallin were little kids! It's amazing to see them all so grown up!

Are we done yet? Are we done yet? Are we done yet?

All smiles waiting for the big event!

Ready to go! Ready to take on the world... He made it! WHEW!

I told Tallin to smile for me... he asked how he should smile... with lots of TEETH? Love ya buddy! You did it!

Letting go of expectations...

I have thoughts of what is ideal... I always have. It's not always realistic to think of what is ideal... but I always have anyway. I guess I am getting better at expecting to be disappointed in some things in life. I guess it's too much to hope that some day others may actually live up to my ideal. It doesn't take away the frustration, and even the hurt when others don't even make an attempt to put someone else first... or that other things are always more important. But I am getting better... I don't expect much out of some people most of the time... sad, but true. Even more sad is that I am almost to the point where there is no disappointment... one day maybe I just won't care at all or even give it a thought. I doubt it... but I can hope. That would be ideal!

And the wind blew... and blew....

Tallin is a high school graduate with a diploma to prove that he did it! Yeah Tallin!!! The ceremony was outside, on the football field. It had been hot all day. The kids had played outside in the water and we were worried it might be too bright and hot. But nope... the clouds came in and the wind started blowing. And it blew. And blew... and kept blowing for the entire ceremony. Hats were blowing off. The usual graduation beach balls that are normally thrown around during the ceremony just got blown onto the track, but it kept kids busy chasing them. It was just fun... they won't forget their graduation because the wind blew!!! :) Tomorrow there will be pictures of our recent graduate. Tonight Tallin is at the senior party they put on to keep them off the streets and sober! :) Not that I was worried about Tallin, but it's their last time as a class, with lots of prizes and fun and he has the camera which is why I don't have pictures of him tonight! He looked so handsome, and so happy. When his name was called there was a spring to his step like a man who knows he worked hard and earned that reward! It was tough, but he pulled it together and he made it and we are so proud of him!

Congratulations Tallin... you are amazing and we are so happy for you!!!!

How much laundry can we fold in 30 minutes???

How many loads of laundry can one person fold in 30 minutes???? Well... I folded this much but the socks I am afraid are going to take a little bit longer!!! I got so mad at the laundry mess that I had Kailee and Kimi take it in and do it at the laundromat last night... it's a relief to have it done... but seriously these socks make me crazy!!! I feel like quiting my job today!!! The migraine doesn't help, but gotta get it done so we can enjoy the graduation festivities!

Just minutes away...

Just minutes away from it being May 29th... the day that Tallin graduates from high school! It seems so strange. I know that 4 other kids have gone before him, but for some reason this feels very strange. Tallin has always seemed like my little boy, like everyone else grew up but he stayed my little boy. He did grow up... but my heart is just not accepting it. Every time I had a new baby, I grew a new heart. I don't love my kids with just what is left over after loving all of the others... I love each one completely... with a heart all their own. And my little Tally Bop is so special to me, so amazing when I think of all that I felt for him before he was much more than a thought to me. We had gone through some really crazy times before I got pregnant with him. In fact as much as I wanted to have another baby, we knew it wouldn't be a good idea since we were living in motels (with 4 babies 3 years old and under) and didn't know from day to day if the contract jobs Thayne was working would be done... yet I found out I was pregnant and as much as I was afraid, I also was thrilled. We moved from Utah to Wyoming for work and again was living in a motel... and as luck always seemed to be ours, Thayne worked nights while I tried to figure out how to entertain 4 babies everyday while he slept. And then I started bleeding. And it went on...and on... and on. 10 days of heavy bleeding a doctor said there was no way I was still pregnant and just wait out the miscarriage. It looked like I lost a twin with him, but I still felt like I was still pregnant.... and I felt HIM... my son! We prayed a LOT. I finally asked Thayne to just give me a Priesthood blessing so I could get it over with since they told me I had no hope. That blessing told me that this child needed to come to our home at that time... and while the Lord understood all that we had been through, and understood our circumstances, if we had faith He would bless us in ways that we couldn't understand fully at the time. We had just had in a years time, two very sick babies, hospital bills threatening to drown us and we didn't know if this baby would have complications also. The job finished, we had no more work and didn't even have a home to call our own. We finally decided that we would go to Milwaukee where Thayne was promised a job as soon as they went back to work (the union was on strike at the time) Somewhere in Iowa I stopped the car and Thayne pulled up behind me in the truck and asked what was wrong. I asked him what we were doing. He just smiled and said it felt right. Weeks turned into months without the job coming. Finally Thayne said if we haven't heard from them by December 7th we were moving back to Utah. That morning he was getting ready to leave to pick up a U-Haul when the phone rang asking if he could be at work at 2pm... that afternoon! Over the next few months I had some serious ups and downs with the pregnancy. I had mono, pneumonia and was so sick. I went to one doctor after another without finding one that was any good. I was so worried. Finally my best friend told me to try her doctor. She said he was usually really full and you had to wait weeks to get in, but maybe they could work something out. I called, and they told me they had an unexpected opening that day and could I come in! 6 weeks before he was due. Our insurance hadn't picked up yet so we told them we didn't know what insurance we would have yet but they weren't concerned. Within minutes the doctor told me I was a strep carrier and that my other kids had probably had strep when they were born and that was why they had gotten sick. Within days, our insurance started, and my doctor was on the list if I were an existing patient! Because I had gotten in to him 2 weeks earlier I could use that HMO and my entire pregnancy would be covered 100%. He was my only completely natural delivery. The others I had been somewhat forced to have an epidural because they thought I would need c-sections with them each time. This time I was started on pictocin and was doing really well, until we couldn't get him turned right. After over 2 hours of pushing pains while I was on hands and knees breathing through the pain, I told the nurse I wanted an epidural or I was going home. She laughed and told us that anyone that could laugh through transition was not going to get anything for pain...and that she knew I could handle it. To be fair, I WAS laughing during transition but only because Thayne is so entertaining. Finally I told the doctor that I was pushing that kid out right then, or I was going to get up and go home until he turned the way he was supposed to on his home. 2 pushes later this adorable boy stole our hearts forever. He was so adorable. All 9lbs 9oz and 22 1/2 inches of him! He had his eyes opened wide and just looked around and took in the world! He was so precious. So calm, so unassuming... just there, and happy to be!

Tallin has worked hard for this day. There were times we were afraid it wouldn't happen. Tallin is so smart, but school work has never really come easy for him and he had a lot to accomplish to make it through this year. The last few weeks have been nerve wracking and scary... but he pulled it all together and showed us what an incredible young man he is and is becoming! He and his friend Tiffany will be the 3rd ones stepping onto the stage and getting their diplomas! I guess that is even worth the $113 I had to write the check for today to pay for the missing book! And Saturday will be his graduation party at the house... lots of family and friends here to celebrate this amazing day with him. He is such a great kid and I am so blessed to be his mom! What a day... soon he graduates and then next week he turns 18... what a great and exciting time... he's ready to soar!!!

Love you so much Tally!!!

Ronald Reagan said:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children, and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

Thank you to all of the great men and women who have fought for the right for us to be free!

Memorial Day get together!

We had a great long weekend. Thayne actually took Thursday off to ride over for Jace's graduation and it was so wonderful to have him home around for 4 full days! It was great!! We signed up to feed the missonaries on Monday and then dinner kind of grew. From the missionaries and one of our neighbors, to many friends, Garrett and Tiffany, and even several of Tiffany's family came! It was great! We ended up having a wonderful meal, some seriously good cheesecake and brownies w/ice cream and chocolate syrup for dessert and a great time visiting, playing basketball, volleyball and in the end, it all came down to Kailee, Katie and Kassi taking each other down! We are so blessed to have wonderful friends and we were so happy that Tiffany's mom and dad came out to eat and visit too! It was a really great day with lots of laughing and joking and some pretty bad singing too! And we also celebrated Elder D's birthday too.

Katie and the girls wrestling on the lawn!

The wild volleyball game... no rules allowed!

Lots of great food and great friends!

The kids just ran around and played... nobody bothering them, just hanging out and playing and doing their own thing!

More eating and visiting....

Happy Birthday Elder Davis... happy birthday to you!

Kimi and Kassi trying to sneak off with the cheese cake!

Kids game before the adults got crazy involved!