Life is good! :)

I haven't posted in a while. It is hard when you have four kids and a life to make time to write the good stuff. It's easier to just put a little note on Facebook! :) I do love looking back at my blog and seeing stuff that I may have forgotten! So I am going to try to do better.
Life has been pretty good around here. My kids are healthy, besides the occasional cavity (boo)....We are going to be so busy in June that I almost don't want summer to come! Although half the craziness should be fun vacation! We are doing Lake Powell with my family, Roosevelt Lake with Jon's family and my husband is doing Scouts and Football Camp...... I love summer! Jon has been so busy getting his truck and boat ready...I have to admit..................... Boats are fun! We have had so many fun memories going to the lake. I am so glad Jon forced a boat on me! :) Red Neck Yacht club! :) It is getting warm and I am loving that Summer will be here! I am so excited to have my kids home all day with no dance, ballet, tumbling or wrestling!
Evanna had her ballet recital and looked so cute! We couldn't help smile ear to ear to watch her! She is so full of life and joy! She makes me proud every day! And she didn't even fall in her recital! :)
J.T. got first place at the last wrestling tournament! We couldn't be prouder... That little boy has his Daddy's strength for sure! He sure loves wrestling, even though it makes me so nervous to watch him!!!!
Avery has performed with her dance class several times and is so cute to watch! She actually has coordination! And can I tell you that girl should be a track star! She was running the other day and Jonathan's and my jaw dropped open..... She has great form and can jump higher than anyone I know! 
Alyvia just makes us laugh everyday! She was so proud when she learned how to flip the bird (no one taught her, she just realized she can hold fingers down..) She makes everyone laugh! Although she is so sensitive that when people laugh at something funny she did, she cries because she thinks people are laughing at her... :)
Can I say how much I love my family?! I have moments where I actually step back and look instead of plow through, and lately I see how great my life is. Jonathan and I recently had our Anniversary. I cannot say how much I love my husband. I am sure every couple feels like every other marriage fails in comparison...I am sure just like everyone else that mine is the best. I never feel alone being married and loved by my best friend. I am so grateful for the last 9 years. Some days have been hard, some harder and most wonderful! Jonathan has never once made me feel less important than anything or anyone. He has never once fought back with me (I have tried to get that man to fight! Come on look at my hair.....Fighting runs in my blood :)) All the strengths I have ever lacked, I have found in him... Most days I am blinded by the craziness of life and I don't see or just don't stop to acknowledge what a good husband I have.....I hope I always stop at least every once in a while to see my life for what it is.....
My kids are smart, happy, fun, wild, needy, independant and amazing. I cannot believe that four little people depend on me! I am so glad my Father in heaven sent me good ones so far! :) It is not hard to love those little tiny persons! They are my world. I learn something new everyday from them. They are making me a better person. I hope I am doing the same for them!
Life is good right now.... :)

Albuquerque Zoo was a Blast!!!

We went to the zoo in Albuquerque and had so much fun! We got to ride a train (not that cool for jon) lol... but we rode it to the aquarium and the gardens! These are some pics of the fun time we had and some of our kids favorite animals! J.T.'s favorite was the Cockatoo that is clawing the cage. It talked to us so much and J.T. was floored! He has wanted a parrot or a bird to talk to forever! Avery's favorite was the Zebras! She had such a blast! She was ahead of everyone the WHOLE time. She was practically running to see the animals. Evanna's favorite animal was the Koala bear. She loved seeing it in the tree. She also love the seals that we only got video of. She loved being Lacey's buddy! She held her hand and walked by her the whole time! Alyvia's favorite was the Polar bears and the Giraffes. She definitely did not like the seals. She would SCREAM when they would swim toward the glass at us. She would run and scream! It was kind of funny and kind of sad.
They all loved the train ride and the aquarium! It was so fun to go with my sister Lacey and her baby Amrielle! I would totally recommend going!

Jonathan gets BAD DAD AWARD! :)

I help with a play here in town. I had practice on Monday. I asked Jon to make sure to get Avery to dance on time....4:45.....That he did, that he did....
I get back from the play around 5:40... Jon was at his parents working on his new/old truck :) I go looking and find all my kids except Avery. I go in the garage and ask him where she is. His eyes get big and says "What time was I supposed to pick her up?" "5:15!" I say. I run out the door as fast as I can....I am calling her teacher while driving and I get up the street and I see Avery walking....:( I stop the car. She had no coat on and her arms and face were red and freezing. She walked like a mile...I grabbed her and held her and said over and over how sorry I was. She just kept saying "my eyes are only wet because it's windy." I asked her why she didn't just tell her teacher I wasn't there and she said that her teacher was busy and so she walked.
She was so sad but wouldn't cry. I felt like BAD BAD MOTHER AWARD...And I wanted to PUNT my husband! I am so so proud of my daughter who knew which way to go and made it safely home. I am so glad we walk as a family a lot so she knew the roads a little bit. She did say "I almost went down one road but it didn't look right so I kept going"
Some parents probably think that is so stupid of me to worry, but when my Kindergartner is walking all the way across town by herself without a coat during winter, it makes my heart hurt. Those are the moments I am grateful I prayed for my kids to be safe and protected that day!

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!!

I read my sister Lacey's blog and I almost cried! It was so sweet and I am so excited to say she is going to have babies almost as close as my first ones were! I am so excited for her and Patrick! But reading her blog inspired me to write how I really feel. She was so honest and I think she is such a good mom and friend.
I realize that I only write the surface things on my blog. I must totally come off as lame and boring- when in reality my life is wonderful and fun! I always worry about writing all the good stuff and having people think I am bragging and stupid.... Or write the bad stuff and have people think man her life must stink! But I guess I may as well be what I am right?! And plus I haven't blogged in so long that I am pretty sure no one reads it any more...So now is a good time...lol
I am trying to be a better person this year. I am trying to be more kind and more outgoing. Those are my New Years goals...I am working hard to right the wrong I have done in my life. It feels so scary but so good to actually write a meaningful letter to someone I should have a long time ago. Or to say sorry to people when I was too scared to say it before. I truly want to be a good person. I want to know God and Jesus Christ. Not just know about them like I have done before...but truly know THEM. Through my search to find God in my life I have realized the many things that I do or have done that led me away from Them. I also see the things I do that bring me closer to knowing them. I am so not perfect and never will be. I am sure I will screw up and people will see it and think I am not Christ-like at all....But I am trying. I am trying to be the person God intended me to be. Hopefully this year I can be more kind, more outgoing, more helpful and more Christ-like!
If I have offended anyone who may read this I am truly sorry. I can and have been immature unthoughtful, insecure, and unkind.... Hopefully (cross my fingers) I won't be anymore!

Anywho....That is what is new in my life! My kids are still healthy, fun, sweet, ornery, screamy, lovable and smart! Here are some pictures from the last 8 months that I never blogged! And of course I wrote first so when I added pictures it totally messed it up! Oh well... my life!! :)

Hmm....It has been...8 months! Holy smokes! Where to start, where to start?!
1. Evanna did brake her arm and she broke it again falling off my mom's trampoline. A week after that she climbed up her dresser and fell off and hit her head. She started throwing up and I had to take her to the ER by my self because Jon was gone for football. She ended up just having a concussion. (just?!) Needless to say, I am making her do balancing exercises at home. :)
2. Halloween was fun. Our family was the scooby gang. Jon being Fred, me being Shaggy, J.T. being Scooby, Avery being Daphne, Evanna being Velma and Alyvia being scrappy doo. It was fun to see Ashley and her family since they moved. My moms party was great this year. I think Micah won being the hulk! lol
3. Thanksgiving was great. Jon was working that day but the trains didn't show up until later so we actually had dinner together at my moms and his moms...(We have learned to ration our food)
4. Christmas came and went. Jon was working Christmas Eve and Christmas but the trains didn't show up until night so he was home for both of those! I can't believe Christmas is over. It makes me so sad because I have to stop listening to Christmas music! lol
5. The new year came...Jon worked and was gone for New Years Eve so I put the kids to bed and cleaned the house and watched 300.

Ok, so that in a tiny nutshell were our Holidays! The other things happening were:

1. Alyvia potty trained herself right when she was two! A little sad that my baby wants to be big but also happy it was so easy! And soooooo happy I don't have to buy diapers anymore. Can I get a WHOOT WHOOT! lol
2. J.T. started first grade! How in the HECK did that happen? He is so smart and loves his teacher and his class.
3. Avery started Kindergarten again and is doing great! I decided I didn't want them in the same grade so she is doing another half day of K. She has the same teacher and is still loving school.
4. Evanna gave me grey hair...lol...not really but if any kid will do it, it will be her.
5. Jon still works for Midland and still loves it.
6. I am getting ready to go to Hawaii in March! I am trying to work my butt off. (literally) I am finally back to normal from having Lyvi, so I have no more excuses...
7. Birthdays!!!...Jon first, Ave next, J.T. after that, then me, Lyvi only a week after me and then Evanna!!!
Well, thats about it... Yay, I posted!