I'm grateful for... Kinzee Jo

A young woman who knows who she is, knows what she wants and figures out how she is going to do it. She stands for the right and has the desire to lift others around her and always wants to help others. Is smart and talented and fun and funny! Always so willing to help and give...May you always love others the way you do now, always accept others for who they are and that you will always have the desire to keep learning.... you are amazing and I love you!

I am grateful for... Kassi ShyAnn

Her bubbling personality lights up the room the moment she walks in. The one that we can always count on to bring a smile to our faces and to lighten the mood and lift us to a better place. I see so much of myself at that age in her and smile knowing that she is making the most of every moment and living life to the fullest. She is so rarely unhappy and brings joy to all that meet her. She makes me laugh until I want to fall over when she tries to wrestle her dad to the ground and gives the best massages EVER! She is an artist, and it's amazing to me to see the art she creates. She is firm in her faith and stands strong in her beliefs... who loves people ...unconditionally and is always willing to bring others under her protective wing. Who doesn't judge others by worldly standards but sees in them their potential. May you always find reasons to smile, always see beauty to draw and always love others even when there is little to love about them. You are a gift beautiful girl and I am blessed to call you daughter!

I am grateful for... Kailee Anne

She was the prayer come true for Kimi who prayed every night to bless her with a baby sissy... and for me, who wanted another daughter so badly! Who seemed to haunt me before her birth and became my side kick after birth... My right hand man, my friend, my joy. Who is wise beyond her years and who has a mother's heart....In my most desperate hours I knew that she would be running my home like she was born to do it and who more often than not keeps me from losing my mind. Whoever said you couldn't be friends with your children, must not have had a child like Kailee. Who makes roadtrips so much fun, who loves to turn up the 80's music with me and laugh and dance and sing. Who is vibrant and happy and enjoys life so much, who has taught that you can be a friend to all without lables. Who has the most unselfish heart and knows that true joy lies in your service to others. May you never settled for less than your equal and may you trust in yourself enough to know that you are a rare find, a woman of virtue and your worth is far above rubies and gold. Thank you for being so amazing. I love you sis!

I am grateful for... Tallin Scott

Who proved once again that miracles happen in our lives. I remember looking into your eyes when you were born and feeling like I was meeting a giant of a man in that little person they put on my chest and there wasn't a dry in the room because they felt like someone really special had just entered the world! Who willingly let his brothers play 'forts' with him when he was only days old and watched with facination as the madness went on around him. His artistic abilities just blow my mind and his love of goodness has always amazed me. His love to talk rivals my own love of talking and his sense of humor is fantastic and his vibrant personality just shines whenever he is in the room....May you always see within yourself the great man that I saw the day you were born and that you will never be afraid of doing right... people are watching, and you have great things to accomplish in this life! I love you so much and miss you even more!

I am grateful for... Tanner James

Another one of my miracle children. His compassion is at times overwhelming... he sees in others what most cannot and always fights for the underdog. Who sees my deepest struggles and often lifts them when I think I cannot go another step. Who has taught me that by my faith I can move mountains and see miracles and that everyone is important to the Lord! May you find the faith within yourself to fly among eagles... you have so much good in you and the Lord is just waiting for you to soar!!! I love you son, you are a blessing to me!

I am grateful for.... Kimberli Nichole

A beautiful young woman who has a gift with children unlike any I have ever seen... like the Pied Piper, wherever she is, children want to be. Who has overcome so much, always works so hard and cheers others on. She sees the best in others and loves to watch them succeed! A beautiful, sweet, innocent daughter who has brought me joy since the day she was born... she showed us she was a fighter from birth and defied the odds to show us that she was going to take on the world on her terms... May you always keep the innocence about you so that you can always see the best in others and lift them to where you already are! I love you sweet girl!

I am grateful for...Gordon Jace

The protector of my heart. A man with more strength than he understands. Who has an understanding heart that can see into the soul of others. Who has the ability to lift others higher, though has yet to learn the power that he truly has within.... who's unselfish heart blesses our lives daily...and has taught us that while he may not be bullet proof, he is still our superman and he has the courage to fight his darkest fears and will come out on the winning side! Has taught me again that miracles happen and prayers are answered. May you always have the courage to be right with the Lord so that you may continue to raise others higher than they believed they could be. I love you.

I am grateful for.... Garrett Lowell

He taught me first how to be a mother, and made me realize that I had a mother's heart with the ability to love another human being so completely that I understood how you could lay down your life to protect another. Who made us smile from the moment we knew he would join our family. His strong will and desire for truth has always made his want to do right. His love of family and devotion to them has always amazed me. His willingness to take on anything without fear an example to me. May you always have enough humility to bring others to truth! I love you!

The Monster We Created....

We couldn't help ourselves, we really couldn't. It was just too easy and we couldn't help ourselves... we created a monster and we aren't sure that we would do anything about it if we could. It's just too easy to give in to our little man. It's not just one of us either.... it's ALL of us. We just can't find it in our hearts to say no to him. And he is so funny about it,like he knows that somebody is going to tell him yes even if he can't manage to convince one of us to give him his way. He even picks his favorites on any particular day... some days it's one of us, other days it's somebody else. Once in a while Thayne and I will leave him with the kids and when we come home he runs up and hugs us, and then 'spits' at us to punish us for leaving... not really spit... but stickes his tongue out and blows to tell us he wasn't impressed. He doesn't really talk, starting, just barely, but he can make his point perfectly clear in his very own sign language. Or he comes and takes you by the hand and leads you to wherever he wants you to be to show you what he wants. He loves loud music and will come into my room and say 'up' and point to make us turn it up. Every time Tiffany is here he will come and get her hand and make her come with him to turn up the music, or help him do whatever he wants her to do. He loves Kimi too... and runs to her when she comes to visit. Of course Kimi loves him and will take him with her to run errands or even spend the night. Even the ladies at the bank got the 'Dum Dum' suckers back because those are Nate's favorites and they love to give him one when he goes in with the kids. It's funny to see how others love him too. One lady that works in the grocery store scoops him up as soon as she sees us and takes him behind the counter to get him a cookie... or follows him around and gives him a treat from the deli. He has something about him that makes people really protective of him. And it's hard to tell him no! Like yesterday he had showered with Wyatt early that morning and then then I had him in my room while I was getting showered. He was playing but tried to get undressed when he saw I was getting into the shower. I told him no, that I would hurry and then we would go. He stomped his foot but I said no. I had shampoo running down my face when he was telling me off and trying to open the shower door. I kept telling him no but he yanked the door open. I grabbed it while my eyes were closed and hurried to close it... got my hair rinsed and looked down to see him standing fully dressed in the shower with me! Rotten boy!!! :) So, in the end he got another shower!

Last night he was being so cute with his Jazz Bear (Caitlyn made it for him at Build A Bear before he was even born). He LOVES this bear and carries it around with him, puts it in his high chair with him, sleeps with him, makes us take him with us wherever we go! He was posing with Jazz Bear for Kailee and Kimi. The this morning after eating breakfast TWICE.... he got up to the counter with a bowl he got himself out of the dishwasher and poured himself more cereal dumping it all in a big pile on the counter... then got Thayne's hand and pulled him to the fridge and showed him he wanted to get the milk out! I am afriad we have created a monster.... but I am not sure we even care, or would do anything different. He is truly a gift to our family and we can't imagine how much richer our life is because of him!

Kim and Nater's with Jazz Bear!
Loving on Jazz Bear!

At least he pushed the cereal into a nice pile for me!

Showing off!

Working Together

We have always tried to teach the kids about family unity and we have always worked together because well... if you work together you have more time to play! I have always loved watching Thayne work side by side with his kids... he has given them a great work ethic and they have learned to do just about everything because of it. Over the weekend Thayne wanted to get the garage cleaned and organized but knew he needed to get the wood split and stacked before the weather changed. Garrett is always so willing to come out and help with anything so he and Tiffany showed up and Garrett and the little boys went to work! (They usually have to split it with the ax but our friend has a splitter he let us use and as a mom I am much happier to have them split it this way because I always hold my breath when they are chopping with the ax even though their dad says they are good at it!)

Nate got in on the action and wanted to help... it was so cute watching the boys let him help them and he thought he was doing such a great job helping split the wood.... We start 'em young around here!!!! It's funny to watch the kids learn how to work before they even realize they are working, they just think they are having fun and hanging out with the family.

Nate can do it....

Nate loves to be in the middle of the action... and his brothers are sweet that they let him help!

Wyatt stacking the wood....

Garrett, Hyrum, Willie and Wyatt....

Hayden and Garrett hard at work....

Now it's Willie's turn....

Check out the wood... makes for a WARM winter with the wood stove going!

Bummy working hard... he knows just when to lower the blade to split the wood.