Special Day

Today is December 13th. This year that is a really big day for us as a family. First and foremost it is my Grandpa Dans birthday. Oh how I loved this man. Not only was he the only papa joe I knew, he was my favorite. If you were with papa joe you were the only person in his whole world at the time. Plus he raised my dad, how much more perfect can he be. I love you Papa Joe, and I miss you everyday.(yes his name was Dan, but I always called him my papa joe, don't know why, just did)
Then it was our annual Shop with a Cop Breakfast. For about 5 years now our family has cooked breakfast for about 100 plus police officers and 100 plus kids. This is a program that our local officers in Utah county do with Kmart where kids who need help for christmas get paired with an officer and given a $100 gift card to Kmart. They go in the cop cars with lights and sirens on at 6:00 in the morning and go the the Festival of Lights at canyon view park. then they come the the Jr. High school and we feed them breakfast. They then head to Kmart with a christmas shopping list and do there shopping, with help from their officer. The helpers at Kmart then wrap the gifts and the kids are ready for christmas morning with gifts for their families and usually something special for themselves. For years my sisters and I have gotten our kids up and drove down town to watch the parade of cop cars with their lights and sirens on heading to Kmart. We have always talked about how we would love to be apart of this neat experience. But none of us wanted to become an officer and we were to old to join in with the kids, I quess a Kmart employee was always an option, but then Gatlin needed an eagle scout project. So this is how our story began. We have it down to a fine art know. We have lots and lots of help, We cook sausage and eggs and pancakes and this year we added hasbrowns. This was our biggest year we cooked for 148 officers and 148 kids. It is so much fun. We start at about 5 in the morning and we are done by 8. Everyone is so helpful and every year someone hears we are doing it and they come help. It is neat to watch our kids serve less fortunate kids. Thanks Mom and Dad for teaching us to care about others and to want to serve.

Happy 24th Birthday

Today is Danielles 24th Birthday. I can't believe it. She has been gone 18 years, but sometimes it seems like yesterday she was with us. I can still remember the day she was born and every minute of her life. Our family was changed forever on this day 24 years ago. She made us all better people. She taught us unconditional love, acceptance for those who are different, how to be strong in any situation, enjoy the little things (like egg cartons) because they become the big things. Danielle touched the lives of all who knew her. Danielle displayed amazing courage and had an enormous will to live life to the fullest. Danielle taught us what is truly important in life and to appreciate the little things. By example, she taught us about patience, endurance, faith and love. She taught us to smile when life is hard and to fight back even harder. She taught us to have hope, don't give up and to continue believing in miracles. We've learned the preciousness of every second we have with our children. Though we miss Danielle terribly, we will be forever grateful we had the chance to know and love her. Danielle changed our lives and will remain in out hearts forever. And She will be back. I am so greatful for eternal families and the fact that we will be together forever as a family.So today I thank my Heavenly Father and my earthly family for making her experience here on earth everything it could have been and then some. And thank you Wellie I wouldn't have missed this for the world. I Love You.

Photo Shoot

Here is the link to KelLees photo shoot. They are pretty amazing. Good Job KelLee. kelci

Bra-Less Weekend

Every November we have a girls weekend in Birdseye. In the dark ages when we all did "paper" scrap booking, that is what we would spend our weekend doing. But now that we have evolved and we all (well most of us but Teresa) blog and we don't get to excited over the paper stuff, we all spent this year sewing. We show up at moms armed with lots of projects. Every year everyone has lots to work on. Some get more done than others. But a great time is had by all. We get into our P.J's and we stay in them all weekend. Thus "bra-less" weekend. It is so much fun and every year our group gets bigger and bigger. This year there was Mom, Teresa, Abbie, Mandie, Kelci, Me, Vanessa, Suzee, Kristina, Lauri, Tiffany, Lindsey, Her friend from work (sorry I forgot her name).Thats a lot of female hormones in one house. Lauri and Tiff each made three quilt tops, Suzee was whipping out aprons, Kelci helped Grandma with her page for the Branch Scrapbook. Vanessa even made an apron, and I finished an apron and a baby blanket. Teresa made an apron, Lindsey made her mother in laws christmas gift. Abbie and Kris worked on hair bows for their girls. See we did get a lot done. I can't wait til next year. Thanks girls

Wrestling Season

It's that time of year again. Wrestling! I love it. Right now things are a little tense at our house because Traven is trying to make official weigh-ins. Not easy. He has to be at his wrestling weight AND be hydrated. Not Easy. But he can do it. HadLee has been practicing with the High School but is going to wrestle with the Jr. High. They had their first dual last Wednesday, HadLee did pretty good, he lost 2 to 1. HadLee has been lifting weights all summer at Buds Gym. I don't think he has realized yet how much stronger his arms are. I think after a few matches he is going to find out all his hard work this summer is paying off. So for the next few months we will eat, breath and sleep wrestling, hope to see ya on the mat.

KelLee and Kelci

Mckielle signed up for a makeup class with her school. It was a three day class where they learned many makeup techniques. She had a blast. She is really loving her classes but she especially loved this one. On the last day they got to do a photo shoot with a professional photographer. Kel took Jakes wife Kelci. I don't know who had more fun. Jake and I rode over and watched the photo shoot. It was awesome. Mckielle did an amazing job. I think she had found her hidden talent. Way to go KelLee, and thanks a bunch Kelci. P.S. Kelci said she has been watching Americas Next Model on T.V. to practice, can you tell? They were both naturals.

Thanks Paula

Sorry this is late. I got my Winter Sassy Apron swap package in the mail. I love this game! I met a very nice lady that works as a school nurse. She told me all about her family and she sounds like a great lady. Did I mention I love this game! Here are pictures. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of her very first homemade apron, some fun striped socks, and two yummy cookie recipes, cookie cutter, perfume, etc. LUCKY ME. I loved it Paula, THANKS. P.S. Incase I haven't told you I love this game! I have a new friend and a great new apron.

IT"S HERE

Ok my package arrived today. I'm so excited. When I opened it, I was on the phone with Kristina and I just started laughing. My partner had sent me a thank you note last week telling me I had hit the nail on the head with her package. She said it was like I knew her. Well let me tell you SHE really hit the nail on the head. I got a really soft fuzzy blanket, soft socks, a candle, bath bubbles, a bath pillow, homemade soap, and a cup with hot chocolate and cider mixes. I love it. Little did my partner know I bath about 3 or 4 times a day, I am always cold. I love socks. and I love to have a hot bath and snuggle under a blanket and read a good book. Please tell me, is it the weekend yet, cuz I know what Im doing this weekend. Thank you Audra. I love everything.

Sad News

Today we found out that a good friend has cancer. Our families have been friends for along time. Our kids are close in age and like the same sport, WRESTLING. They are the kind of friends you don't have to talk to or see everyday but then you see them and its like no time has passed, like you just talked to them yesterday. We want them to know that they are in our thoughts and prayers.

New Friend

I got the nicest thank you note in the mail today. (Well I had to pick it up at the UPS store, somehow my address got replaced with the UPS store address on the return label on my package that I sent to my swap partner. but UPS called and said they had mail for me so I ran and got it.) My partner was also new to swapping and she did not give alot of info about herself, thank goodness this swap was about my favorite things of fall. I sent her the Hello Cupcake cook book, all the supplies to make the cutest pumpkin cupcakes, I made her a fall apron and then one for her 1 year old daughter, and then some yummy pumpkin potpourri. I was so excited when I sent it. To my surprise she is a former Home Ec teacher, she LOVES to bake. She also loves to quilt and sew. (Hope she doesn't look to close at the aprons). I think we were a perfect pair. I can't wait to get my package and I will post pictures as soon as my package comes. Here is the picture of her package. This was so fun I think I will do it again. The best thing is I just made me a new friend, and you can never have to many of those.

My budding photographer

At the first of November our local Maceys store held a photo contest. It was called the Colors of Fall, and HadLee entered 4 pictures. Then all day on Saturday the public could vote on their favorite. We called all our friends and family and asked them to vote for HadLees picture. We all voted for the same one. Later that day Maceys called and HadLee had won 2nd place. I was thankful for all our family and friends that voted to help HadLee win, but when we went down to pick up his prize the picture that won was not the picture we all voted for. HadLee won a $25.00 gift card to Maceys and he used some money he had been saving and bought him a nice digital camera that the photo department at Maceys was selling. (that was what 1st prize was) He really loves taking pictures and he seems to get better and better.

Chicken Little

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. This year Boston was a chicken. He was so cute. Suzee always makes the funnest costumes for her whole family, and this year they were Alice in Wonderland. Her family looked so cute. We always meet at my house and all us girls make a pot of homemade soup and mom gets bread bowls. This is one of our family traditions I LOVE. We went to our ward trunk or treating with the Andersons and the Taylors. It was the first thing we have done as a new ward. It wasn't as successful as it was in our North Park Ward but I think it will catch on.
We also go to Grandma and Grandpas Birdseye Branch Halloween party, and trunk or treating. They are all so nice up there. They always make us feel like we really belong there. The kids ended up with way to much candy, but had a great time at all the parties. To bad HadLees old enough and smart enough to come home and hid his candy from Chad and I. It sucks to have your kids grow up.

The Dance

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I the king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance

This is our song that explains everything we felt about our time with Danielle. My kids love to listen to it. When we hear it playing on the radio I tell my kids that their sister is thinking about them and that is her way of letting us know that everything is all right. It is amazing to me how old this song is and yet they still play it on the radio, and at all the right times. I had a really bad day at work one day and left the hospital in a pretty down mood. I climbed in MAXX and turned the key and "The Dance" was playing on the radio. Oh how I needed to hear that song, it was almost like Wellie was there putting her arms around me and letting me know everything was alright. I could almost feel her. I haven't heard that song in a while and tonight as I got in MAXX after my computer class, there it was playing on the radio. I missed the first few lines, but that's OK. I just sat in the parking lot and listened. Boy do I miss our girl. What a great way to end my night tonight. It was like getting a good night hug and kiss from her. So I came home and passed that hug and kiss onto my other kids.I know I will sleep good night.

Completed Project

My wall quilt is done and hanging up on my wall, and Halloween is still almost a week away! I am so proud of this project. I found the wall quilt hanger at a craft fair a few weeks ago and Chad hung it for me this weekend. The lady called on thursday and said that my quilt was done.(yes I paid someone else to quilt it.) It will only be hanging for a week (or so) but at least its finished and hanging. I even binded (probably bound) it myself! Maybe I can get my Thanksgiving one done before Thanksgiving.

OVERLOAD

OK my brain is on overload tonight. This morning I went to a sewing class with Teresa. They taught us how to use our sewing machines.(yes, I have had my machine for 3+ years and I have only known how to sew a straight stitch.)Now I know how to do all kinds of things. I can write names, do decorative stitches, even sew button holes and sew on the button. I almost just sit there and the machine does all the work. Then tonight I went to my last computer class. I made this layout all by myself. I am so excited, I just hope next time I want to make a scrapbook page I will remember how to turn on the program. HA HA. I hope when I wake up in the morning I will remember at least one thing from both of these great classes.

Thriller

Tonight we went to Thriller at Kinsbury Hall. We have been going now for about 10 years. Our group gets bigger and bigger every year. Every year we all love it. When we first started going it was just the girls, then a few years ago Jake decided we needed the boys with us, so now everyone goes. We first go to the PIE for pizza,(great pizza). This year there was 49 of us. Aunt Cleo came from Vernal with some of her kids and Kelcis mom and brother came, even Calees family was with us. Traven even went on his first date tonight, hope we all didn't scare her. I don't know who can be more scary Thriller or the Evans Family! (all 48 of us). This is one of our traditions I hope we keep doing for along long time.

All boy

Grandpa Blaine gets a few cow elk tags each year. This year he gave one to each family. He gave ours to HadLee. Mckielle had just finished hunters safety and it was to late to get a tag, so HadLee gave her our cow tag (thanks Had). Jub took her hunting one night, her dad and Jub both told her not to shoot a big one. She spotted this one in her scope and swears it didn't look that big! She dropped it in one shot. What a girl, I guess that's what happens when you are raised with all boys. Good job Kel.

Package sent

I'm so excited. I got my fall swap package mailed today. I hope she likes it. I can't say much yet, but I have pictures and will post as soon as I know she got her package.

Getting the Big ONE

Hadlee did it today. He got the big one. (Well really it is. not that big) but to him it is the BIG one. His dad was out of town and so Brock took him up Diamond Fork and that is were they shot it. Don't you just love the Big CHEESEY Grin. That's my hunter.(well one of my hunters)

I want a Boston

A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.Ok if you haven't figured it out, our extended family is growing again. Ever since Boston was born he cast a spell over Jeds wife Calee. She would hold and cuddle him and say I want a Boston. I could have a Boston. Well we found out last night that Jed and Calee are going to have a baby!!!! We are so excited for them, they will be such a cute little family. Way to go guys!(Calee already posted on her blog and I am to excited to not spread the news)

5 years ago today

5 years ago today was one of those days you hope to never experience. I was at Walmart with Suzee when Chad called my cell phone and told me to come home, now! He then hung up. I called him back and asked what was wrong, and he said to come home now and to hurry, our garage outback was on fire. Then Gatlin called and said HadLee had been burned really bad. Due to Gatlin and some neighbors smart thinking, they had put HadLee in the tub with cold water and things out of my freezer. The cold stopped the burning, but some damage had already been done. Suzee and I hurried and left Walmart and as we were driving over the overpass to get on the freeway,looking toward my house you could see this big cloud of black smoke. I said "thats my house",and the optimistic little sister said "oh I don't think so". WHATEVER! As we rounded the corner to our house the street was filled with firetrucks and people, everywhere. Suzee and I ran into the house Suzee grabbed HadLee out of the tub and we went running out of the house. Just outside the door was our good friend Chris. I asked him to give Hadlee a blessing and he did an awesome job, the ambulance had not got here yet so Suzee with HadLee in her arms went running out of the house. I remember saying to Chris, I can't do burns, Chris, I work at the hospital I know how they take care of burns, and I can't do this! Chris in all his wisdom told me that WE would take care of what ever WE had to. In the driveway was the ambulance, so we jumped in with Chris in tow. Gatlin had been burned trying to get HadLee out of the fire and so we took him with us in the ambulance. Chad is outback trying to fight the fire. At the hospital all my friends that were working were waiting for us. They took such good care of my boys. Gatlin had burns on his hands and his hair had been singed bad, but he would be ok. They sent HadLee to the U of U burn unit in Salt Lake City. BY HELICOPTER! He still says that was worth every penny we paid for that ride. He spent 4 days in the intensive care unit and then 3 weeks at home recouping. He was burned from the top of his shoes to the bottom oh his shorts on both legs, both arms from his finger tips to the sleeves of his shirt. His face was like a flash burn or a really bad sunburn. When he came home the words Chris had said to me about WE would take care of what ever was now easy to understand. WE meant a whole lot of people. My family was wonderful, the cousins would come by every day and make sure HadLee went for his walk. Our friends brought lots of gifts and food and lots of love. Now 5 years later you can hardly tell. We were so blessed.

My favorite holiday... HALLOWEEN

I LOVE Halloween. When I was first married and lived in Vernal, my best friend Cleo was a Halloween freak. When I met her she was in her 30's and still dressed up for Halloween (no wonder we became instant friends). I love to decorate my house and yard and I still love to dress up. (Im not really big on parties but I love to wear a costume on Haloween day.) I love passing out treats and seeing all the neighbor kids dressed up. Last year when I bought Hadlees costume I was kinda sad thinking that this would be the last year I bought a costume because my kids were getting to COOL to dress up. But this year we have Boston and his mom has the cutest costume and idea for their family. So it doesn't have to end. This year I bought the stuff to make a cute halloween wall quilt ( I really bought the stuff for a couple of wall quilts) but I did get ONE finished. and it is at the quilters. I am so excited to get it back and hang it on my wall. ( I usually get my projects have done and then I never finish them so this is BIG) I hope to post pictures soon of it hanging on my wall!

Where are my little boys?

It's thursday morning at 8:30 and my house is quiet. Not really that unusual because by this time every thursday it's quiet, but this one is different, today there is no school. My boys are still asleep. Kel's up and gone to school, Brocks left for work, but the boys are snuggled in their beds. No cell phones to their ears, no ipods in their hands, just both of them sound asleep. I love just watching my kids sleep. I haven't done this since they were little.(and that feels like yesterday) How come they are so cute, sweet, and innocent when they are asleep. Be careful, don't blink because if you do those little boys turn into teenagers. Where are my little boys?

To Much Info

I am taking a computer class. It's for photoshop. It is so much fun, but tonight my head is swimming with to much information. I just don't know what to do with it all. Hopefully it will soon get organized and filed into a place where I will be able to locate it and pull it out and use it when I want to make those cute christmas cards, or party invitations, or baby announcements. but for tonight it just feels like it is floating aimlessly around in my head.... Hope when I wake up in the morning I will remember just a little bit of what I learned tonight. Maybe I will take the beginners class again.

Sunday Football

We love football. This has been an exciting year at our house. We have always been Greenbay Packers Fans.(I am really a Bret Favre fan) We have followed Bret's career forever. So this year when Greenbay wouldn't take him back after he prematurely retired, we became New York Jets fans.(still it's all about Bret) Sundays can get really roudy hoping the Jets win and that Greenbay loses. This is a picture of my two favorite guys(Chad and Boston) watching my other favorite guy (Bret Favre).

Need a Tattoo?

This is what is going on at our house after mom and dad think everyone is quietly in bed. We are running a tattoo parlor. Brock (the artist) gives the boys tattoo's.(thank goodness it is just with markers) Hopefully they will all soon out grow this and we wont have any permanent Tat's.

Am I CRAZY?

Ok I did something totally out of my realm. I signed up for an apron swap. Crazy or what? But I am really excited. I will get a partner and then I make her a holiday apron, some goodies, and a little note and then I send it to her, she does the same for me. I can't wait to get my email about her so I can make something special for her. Hope this is as fun as it sounds. I will keep you posted.

Playing Catch Up

OK I'm a terrible blogger. I'm a better stalker than a blogger. Please be patient and I'm going to play catch up for the next few days.

High School 2008

August 20th was Travens first day as a JR. in high school. Isn't he good looking.

First Day of School 2008

This year Hadlee is in the 9th grade, at the Diamond Fork Jr High. This is the first day of school August 20th 2008. Isn't he cute?

KelLees New DO

This is how Kel came home from school today!! I hope we all get used to the NEW DO'S. Just as long as it will wash out at the end of the day I can live with it, but Justin keeps telling her she looks like her brother Gatlin. Lets see how long she keeps it this way.

Kels First Haircut

KelLee took the plunge and did her first hair cut at school this week. Jubs
haircut does look pretty spiffy. Not bad for her first official cut. After a few more practice cuts she will be doing cuts that people will actually be paying for. Until then look out because you may be asked to be her next practice dummy. She passed her written test with a 89, and passed her practical test with a 100. She also got a 100 on her haircut (maybe it was her cute model, huh Jub).
Keep up the good work KelLee, we are proud of you.

Bostons Bath Time

Boston had to have his shots today. So tonight Grandpa and I went to see him and got to watch him have his bath. Except he slept right through it. He loves his bathtime! (where does that come from). I have a saying in my bathroom that says, "There must be quite a few things a hot bath cannot cure, I just don't know any of them." I hope I never find any either. Nothing is better than a hot bath, right Boston.

I finally caved!

If you know me you know I have never liked anyone to do something that I couldn't. Well I am usually just a blog stalker, I have loved reading everyone else's blog. But I finally caved and decide I wanted one (if everyone else was going to have one then I needed one). Our live is just like a real live 3 ring circus all the time. I probably wont have a lot to say, and be careful because what I do say is probably not for the weak. But we will see how it goes.