Happy Birthday Chase!

Chase is now 4 years old! My how the years have flown by! I can't believe my baby is 4! It almost makes me want another baby, almost!

He had 2 birthday parties this year and it really confused him. The first was shared with his cousin Sofia who also turns 4 in August. So we did their birthday party half way between each others birthdays. So at his birthday party, he wasn't actually 4 yet, that is what confused him. They decided that they wanted a Toy Story party.

Don't you just love the cake!!

I kept trying to get a good picture of Chase and Sofia together and this was the best one.

His next party was actually on his birthday. He wanted to invite some of his friends from preschool and the YMCA. He had Mathias, Lydia and Lakin over and we just did a backyard party. The weather is getting so nice here and the humidity is leaving us, yay!

Chase and Mathias

Chase and Laykin

Miss Lydia enjoying her cupcake

Blowing out the candles

Happy Birthday Buddy! We love you!

1st Day of School 2010

So this year I have 4 kids in the same school! Trey and Emma started school on Tuesday the 24th of August and Leah and Chase started school a couple of days later on Thursday, August 26th.

Emma started 2nd grade and Trey is starting 4th grade.

This is Leah on her 1st day of Kindergarten.

Emma is talking to Leah about what to expect on her first day.

This was Chase looking back at me and he said, "Aren't you going to give me a kiss?"

Chase is starting Pre-k. In Maryland they go either in the morning or in the afternoon, 5 days a week. He goes in the afternoon.

Everyones 1st day was great, the kids all love their teachers and I am excited for this school year because I will have the afternoons to myself!

Daddy had a Birthday!

We got home from Utah just in time for Dons Birthday! I thought I would share some pictures of his special day!

Dons Lemon Cheesecake

Reading his homemade cards from the kids. They always love making cards for Dad on his birthday and Fathers Day.

Make a wish!
I know this is cheesy and a bad picture, but we always seem to take a picture of ourselves on each others birthday. So for posteritys sake, here you go!

Dons World Soccer Cup game for PS3 that he wanted.

I love that man and all he does and his sacrifice for our family! I know its not easy getting up and going to work everyday, but he does it without complaining. He is my spiritual rock and foundation and brings joy and laughter to my days! I love you!

Football and Cheerleading!!

So this year Trey decided to forego his usual fall soccer(he has done it the past 4 years) and proclaimed that he wanted to play football! Yes, football! Don was more than excited for this day to finally come! haha. Anyway, football started the first week of August with 4 night a week practices for 2 hours! It's crazy! The cheerleaders practice at the same time and Emma and Leah would sit over by them and watch and copy all the cheers. Emma had some friends from school on the squad too. The second week of practice started and once again, Emma and Leah are watching the cheerleaders. The advisor came up to me and asked if Emma wanted to cheer due to some girls that had quit. So she is doing that and really enjoys it.

Don was asked to be the assistant coach for Treys team and I am a cheerleading advisor for Emmas squad. It keeps us all busy, but I feel like this has been a great experience so far for our family. We all look forward to going to practice in the evenings and being together. Leah and Chase have made friends with younger siblings of football players and cheerleaders and enjoy taking their scooters and running around for 2 hours getting totally filthy and wearing them out!


Here is a picture of Trey and Emma in their uniforms. They play for the Cumberland Raiders.

Go Raiders!!

Our Summer Trip to Utah 2010

So I know you all have been on pins and needles, checking religiously everyday and longing for the day that I would blog again...So without further adieu(is that spelled right??)

Our laptop broke on the 17th of June. Apparently the screen cracked from the inside from opening and closing it so much. Since we were leaving for the whole month of July, we decided to not fix it until we returned. We left for Utah on Saturday, July 3rd. We were going to visit family, but mostly to throw my parents a surprise 40th wedding anniversary party. My siblings and I have been planning this for almost a year! Of course I left my camera at home, so I will have to copy pictures from my neice Katie who took some great ones.

This was the morning we left for the airport. I decided to dress my kids alike and in bright colors so I could find them easily in a crowd and also be able to tell someone what they were wearing if they got lost. Luckily, there was no need for any of that!

This was all of us watching a 'surprise' video message that my brother John sent. He is on a mormon mission in Northern Virginia and couldn't be with us. It was awesome to see him and I think this was probably my parents favorite part of the night!

This is a great picture of my mom and dad with their longtime friend, Barbara Sherman.

I love this tender moment of Megan and Mom!

This was the food table that was situated in the middle of the room. My parents and I have lived all around the world since my dad was in the Air Force and we thought it would be fun to have food from all the different places they have lived. For Ethiopia we did hummus and pita bread. It turned out so unique and cute!

These were the cupcakes that my wonderful Sister-in-law Sarina and my sister Megan made. Aren't they pretty?

Megan and Ben Passey

Aunt Valerey and Mickaela

This is a great picture of my dad and nephew Tafton. He was blowing bubbles in grandpas face!

We went to the park one day and Leah loves to swing!

We went to a small zoo in Logan, Utah. It was nice and shady and I love this picture of my family.

Chase at the zoo.

Emma posing in Grams yard.

Chase and Tafton would often be found tinkering on the piano together, so cute!

We had such a great trip and I really want to thank my sister Megan for planning alot of the fun things that we did. You are so awesome! We did the usual Temple Square and took the kids to the planetarium in SLC, went to the splash pad in South Ogden several times, stayed up way to too late playing card games and talking, gave each other pedicures, saw lots of fireworks and just enjoyed being with family. We were all so happy to be home. 3 weeks is a long time to be gone from home, but I am glad we made the trip nevertheless.