Briley

I took these pictures for my photography class. I don't think I posted a picture of her after she got her braces off a couple of months ago so I thought I would share. She is growing up way to fast!! She is a sweetheart!

McKendrie's first Deer

Russ has been on outage since October 15 which means working 7 days a week, 10 hour days. for the first week then 6 10s the next weeks. McKendrie had a deer tag but not a lot of time to hunt either with a lot of school activities going on, so she and Russ went out today for one last ditch effort to get a deer. Efforts paid off (even though it was Sunday) She shot her very first deer!! with it on the run even!! ( I think her dad had a bigger smile than she did!!!) Way to go old dead eye!!

Our Little Band Goes Big Time!

It has been 25 years since Delta High School has had a marching band. They have a really great new band instructor who has taken the band program to a whole new level and is so great with the kids! He started last year with teaching them field formations and marching at the football games, and this year applied and was accepted for the band to march for the first time ever in the Days of 47 Parade in Salt Lake City.
The band went to Lagoon on Friday as a reward for working so hard. Russ, Briley and I took a little mini vacation ourselves and got a room a Little America just 2 blocks off the parade route. We went out to dinner and Russ and Briley took a dip in the pools and had a nice relaxing evening. The next day it was so nice to just walk up two blocks to enjoy parade.

The Band looked so sharp and sounded so awesome!! McKendrie was a trooper! It was a long march on a very hot day, with a very heavy set of drums, and she is a pretty small girl! I was a very proud mom! I think it was fun for McKendrie to be a part of a first for the band.

Flaming Gorge Camping Trip

Once again My Blog has been seriously neglected! I really need be better!

McKendrie's friend Cody is working in Flaming Gorge this summer along with his Grandparents who are camp hosts there. Their family was getting together for a river rafting trip and he invited McKendrie to come. Now 16 year old girl and 17 year old boy for 5 days, well you get the picture! so like it or not Mom, Dad and sister tagged along and made this a 5 day family camping trip. We had a wonderful time and Cody's family were very gracious hosts!

We left Wed. morning and arrived that evening in time to get trailer set up in camp and fix some dinner.

Our camp mascot that showed up every day!

Thursday Russ, the kids and I went on a tour of Flaming Gorge Dam.

After the dam tour and taking some dam pictures (ha ha) Cody had arranged for some 1 and 2 man Kayaks, so Russ and the kids hit the River. I gladly volunteered to take pictures and be the shuttle driver, (Ok, really I was chicken to go in the Kayaks.)

Friday we spent most of the day swimming & cliff jumping at the reservoir. I was pleasantly surprised Briley who is afraid of heights got in on the action, she had a blast! I proved even fat old ladies can still jump off cliffs! I will spare you the picture of me to prove it. (SCARY!)

Saturday was the big river run in the rafts. It was one big water fight with five 8 man rafts and several other rafts that ambushed us going down!! I don't think I have ever been so wet in my life! Unfortunately no pictures , I couldn't figure a way to keep my camera dry.

Little Hole where we ended the river run.

We had a great time! We appreciate Cody's family's hospitality and letting us tag along.

The Cat Crisis

Disclaimer: No animals were harmed in this crisis.

I came home from work last week, got out of the car and could hear the cat meowing. Following the sound I looked up and saw Briley's very pregnant cat precariously perched quite a ways up in a tree. After trying for a minute to talk her down I realized she was stuck. Front legs over one set of branches and back legs over another set with her belly high centered between. Of course my first thought get the camera!! After taking some pictures I found her meow was not quite as perky as when I first got home so I better do something to help. I started to climb the tree and found I am not as young and skinny as I once was so I came back down thinking ok its time to go get Briley from school and she can climb it and help her. We got home and the meow was even less perky so up the tree Briley went. Did I mention she is deathly afraid of heights! She got up a ways looked down panicked and climbed down as fast as she could yelling " Mom I can't do this".

Now things were getting serious so I did the only thing I knew to do. I called my brother- in -law who is part monkey, who I knew could climb the tree. They live in Hinckley about 5 miles away, the conversation went something like this. "Matt this is Shelly, I feel so stupid asking you this but Briley's very pregnant cat is stuck up in the tree. Neither one of us can climb it to help her and her meow is kind of sick sounding and I am getting kind of worried about her. Can you come over? Matt: ( snickering I'm sure at the crazy lady on the other end of the phone)( just kidding)

" I have the baby, but Austin will be home in just a minute. I will leave him with him and come."

" Thanks Matt" ( again feeling like an Idiot!) Mean while back in the tree unbeknownst to me Briley had recruited the neighbor girl and together they thought to go get the long bamboo pole out in the garage, the neighbor climbed the tree until she could reach the cat, braced herself then took that pole and boosted the cats tail ender over the branch and got her unstuck! I ran back in the house as fast as I could, called Matt back luckily catching him before he left. Whew!! Crisis over! I am happy to report that she had 3 healthy kittens just a couple of days later.

Twinderella

Oh!!! what a cute enchanted gerbil I have! On Thursday Briley's Drama class performed the play they have been working on for most of the semester called Twindercella. A comedy spoof on Cindrella having a twin brother named Bob. I think this was really a confidence booster for Briley!! She did a great job as well as all of the kids!

We spent last Thurs., Fri, and Sat in Cedar City at Summer Games Water Polo, then on to St. George for some family bonding time for a couple of days. The kids fought hard and ended up in the Bronze Medal game, and dang it! if we hadn't lost some of our key players to State Solo & ensemble I think we could of won it. They had a lot of fun, played their hearts out and took 4th. I have really enjoyed watching this team who started out with some kids who had never played Polo before, and some who even had to learn to swim to play, blossom and grow! They have come light years and just keep getting better and better!

We took the kids on to St George for a little get away. Saturday we spent some time with McKendrie's friend and his Grandparents who are camp hosts at Sand Hollow State Park. We had a great time riding 4 wheelers, wading in the lake and picking up little shells on the shore. We roasted hot dogs and had a great visit.

We had a lot of fun at Fiesta Fun riding go carts, bumper boats and miniature golfing. It was awesome to spend some time together as a family!! It seems to come so few and far between with every ones busy schedules these days.

Growing Pains!

I knew this day would come, but it came way to fast!! I was OK with the turning 16 and getting the drivers license thing, but today as I watched her leave for her first official date and get ready to go to the prom I suffered some serious growing pains! I sat here in the computer room and cried for awhile. I blinked and she grew up and Briley is right behind her! This too shall pass until the next big thing that leaves me saying wow when did that happen!

She looked beautiful! Hope they have a great time!!

Warning!

Warning! Warning! For your own saftey please stay off the sidewalks! McKendrie passed her drivers test and offically got her license today! (You think I am kidding but she failed yesterday and had to retake it today) Wish us luck!

Sweet Sixteen!!

Holy Cow!! McKendrie is 16 years old today!! When did I get this old? I blinked and she went from crusin around in her diaper to crusin around in the car!! I am so grateful to be her mom! and so grateful for her sweet birth mom who so unselfishly gave me the chance to be her mom and give her the things that she could not at that time.

I am proud of the young woman she has become and the choices she has made! Many happy returns sweetheart! I Love You with all my heart!

ps. She already has a date lined up! And so it begins!

Life Happens

For the past few months life's events have left me wondering if my very ordinary every day life events were really worth writing down. Thus the big gap between posts.

Other events have happened and I have begun to realize how important the everyday things are. I also find myself recognizing the miracles that happen everyday in my own very ordinary life. I began blogging because we have been asked to keep a family history. It is the easiest way for me to do that and at the same time keep in touch with people that I love! I write because I want my kids to remember and appreciate the things that happened in every day life both big and small.

Here is the last 2and 1/2 months in a nutshell.

We spent Thanksgiving in Anabella with the Sanderson's and Aunt Peggy's Family. We had a wonderful dinner, played games and enjoyed the company!

The next day was our annual trek up the mountain to find that perfect Christmas tree. We hiked all over with snow up to our waist's. I love the snow in the mountains.


The Christmas season was filled with Christmas concerts

party's and other activities.

Keeping with tradition, Grandma Sanderson came over for our annual gingerbread cookie making,

then Christmas at home this year, kind of looked forward to it after being away to Disneyland last year. We had a party with the Wrights on Christmas Eve. We played a hilarious game called Stuff Santa.

Mom and Dad came to spend it with us, the first time in ten years! It was so fun to have them!! The kids were spoiled (as usual!) we had an awesome Christmas! We have so much to be thankful for!!

Yesterday the girls and I gained a new appreciation for the Men and Women who serve our country as over 900 flags were held by High School & Middle School students and other members of our community on both sides of the road 3 and a 1/2 blocks long for the funeral precession. At the end of all the flags was the National Honor Flag the flew over Ground Zero after 9-11. We were there to honor and pay our last respects to Officer Josie Greathouse Fox, killed in the line of duty protecting others. I was truly proud to be an American, and gained even more respect for the people who are in harms way serving us as citizens.