Gold Cup

Saydee received her first gold cup on March 30th.  To earn a gold cup you have to receive superior ratings on your violin pieces for 3 consecutive years.  Saydee did it!!  She has played the violin for 2 years and 7 months and  this was her third year participating in violin festival. She played Minuet by Boccerini and Old Joe Clark.  Boccerini was a very hard piece and she worked really hard on it.  We are so proud of her and all of her accomplishments.  She also got a new full size violin, she has out grown her 1/2 size. Great job Sayd!!

My Lover boy!

Ridge loves his cousin Miley..he loves to hug her, he loves to hold her hand, he loves to play with her kitchen, he loves her dogs and he loves to go to her house.  She is one of his most favorite people in the world.

 Ridge also loves his brother.. he loves to play hunt with him, he loves to wrestle with him, he loves to watch movies with him, he loves to share everything with him and I am pretty sure he wants to be just like him.  And even sleep in his bed!

It makes me feel good inside

Ryder got up and got all ready for church.  We don't have church until 1 o'clock this year, so I asked him why he was getting ready so early and he said "It makes me feel good inside".  He is such a great kid, I love him so much!  What a handsome little dude!

Side note:  We were asked if we would like to fast today for Kamrie, she is having a couple of surgeries in the next couple of months.  The girls were so excited to fast for their cousin, they both kind of forgot by morning and ate on orange first thing but when I reminded them, they went in their room to pray to started their fast.  Before church they were really having a hard time being hungry and I asked them if Kamrie was worth it and they both agreed she was.  They went to church and listened to the testimonies and all of a sudden Skylar (7) stood up and walked right up to the stand and bore her testimony.  She was so sweet and so brave.  A few minutes later Saydee went up and bore her testimony.  Zach also bore his testimony.  After church, before the superbowl, we all prayed and broke our fast as a family.  It was a such a wonderful day.  I am so thankful for the gospel in my life and all the true joy it brings into my life.  I see the hand of God in my life each and every day and so thankful for the wonderful children that Heavenly Father sent to me.  I am also thankful for a rightous husband who honors his priesthood and is such a great example to me.  I am so blessed!

Ok so that wasn't really a side note was it??  Oh well!

2012 Curriculum Night

Can I just say East Elementary is the best!!  And my two girls are even better!!  Every year East Elementary has a night where the parents come into the school and see what their kids have been learning.  Saydee showed us a power point presentation that she has been working on showing us what she has been learning about this year.  She has 10 computers in her classroom because her awesome teacher, Mrs. Stokes wrote a grant and got it!!  Mrs. Stokes was Iron County's teacher of the year this year and we have loved having Saydee in her class.  Saydee has been challenged so much and has learned a lot.

 Saydee and Zach worked on making a simple machine (I cannot believe I didn't get a picture)  They made a pulley.  It turned out really great. 

 Ryder can't wait to go to Kindergarten next year, he loved looking at all the girls work and checking out their classrooms.

Skylar did some research on Latvia.  She loved learning about where Zach served his mission.  They looked things up on the computer and she knew exactly how she wanted her project done.  She has done AMAZING in school this year.  She has moved up 5 reading levels and gets 100% on her spelling almost every week.  Skylar loves school and had perfect attendance until she broke her toe a couple of weeks ago and missed 2 days :( Mrs. Farnsworth is another great teacher, we love her and know that we have the best teachers ever this year!!

Great Job Girls, you are both getting so smart and we are so proud of both of you!!

Family

Well here are some of our almost 20 pictures we had Sonia and Camille take for Christmas cards.  I cannot wait until the kids will all look at the camera and we have a great picture.  The girls did awsome but the boys still have a hard time.  Oh well, these are my very favorite people of all time and I am so glad they are mine forever!!

Thanksgiving 2011

 This year for Thanksgiving we went to St. George and as always had a wonderful time.  Grandma Sherratt had prepared a "Thankful" Bingo game for the kids to play while they anxiously awaited dinner. Here they are showing off their full cards.  They all have so much to be thankful for, I am not surprised all their cards are full.  (Ryder and Carson must be off playing the WII)

 Here are the women who slaved all morning to prepare the feast....haha I didn't do much, I think Sonia slaved for days before so we didn't have much to do.  Camille did slave to make her famous yams.

 Saydee is eating her yummy dinner.  Silly girl, she didn't ever get some of the yummest stuff!

 Here is the beautiful table.  Sonia always has the most beautiful table set ups.

 I really don't know what Trey and Skylar are doing here, but I know they are enjoying whatever it was!

Ridge can't smile and keep his eyes open for some reason but he is pretty cute.  Notice he hasn't touched a thing on his plate, oh well I guess I can eat it when I clean up.  HAHA
We had a great Thanksgiving and had so much to be thankful for.  We spent the day with our wonderful family, had plenty to eat and just enjoyed the day. The day after Thanksgiving Grandpa Wooley got out of the hospital after being there for 4 1/2 weeks.  We are so thankful that our prayers were answered and he is recovering from his heart attack.

Thought for the week

If we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us. Never stop striving for the best that is within you, but don't close your eyes and hearts to the simple and elegant beauties of each day's ordinary moments that make up a rich, well-lived life. The happiest people I know are not golden ticket holders, but those who while in pursuit of worthy goals discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of everyday moments. -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I am so thankful for the gospel in my life!  I am so thankful that I went to the General Relief Society broadcast on Saturday even though I had been running since 7:30 AM and had no one to go with.  The talks were so inspiring and the spirit was so strong and once again I felt my Heavenly Father's love for me.  I am so blessed!

Ryder goes to Preschool!

 On August 29, Ryder had his first day of preschool for this year.  He is attending SUU's lab preschool where all the students earning their Early Childhood degrees put in their hours.  He has been so excited to go to school this year which is a big change from last year when half the time he didn't want to go.  As we pulled up to the school I asked him if he was ready for this and his response was "Of corse I'm ready for this, it's not like it is the biggest day of my whole life."  He is such a character and I get the biggest kick out of him.

 The school is full of so many fun things to do and everyday I ask him what his favorite thing he did at school and he tells me he loves to play outside. He is lucky to have his friend Easton going to school with him again this year.

This is him signing in for his first day of school.  I hope it is a great year!!

The best 10 Years!!

I cannot believe that I have been married to my best friend for 10 years!! Where did the time go?  Of course I cannot remember my life without him either.  On August 11, Zach and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary.  I thought we would go on a cruise, go to Hawaii or something really big for our ten year but we went to dinner at the Pastry Pub. lol  It was really good.   We were able to go to Las Vegas and stay at the Grand Desert for the weekend and it was so nice and relaxing. 

We went to the Hard Rock Cafe and had a very unhealthy meal, for old times sake.  Zach and I ate at the Hard Rock shortly after he returned from his mission. 

 This is Zach relaxing in the hallway....I didn't get one picture of me on this trip, I have got to make a point of it, I am not in very many pictures at all.

I feel so blessed to have Zach in my life.  He is such a wonderful husband and a great dad.  He is kind and I don't think he has ever raised his voice at me, EVER and I know there has been plenty of times that I have deserved it.  He is a great example to those around him and he has a strong relationship with our Father in Heaven and leads our family by a great example.  There is no one in the world I would rather have by my side in our little journey we call life.  Thanks for the best 10 years of my life!!  I can't wait for the next 10!  I LOVE YOU ZACH!

First Day of School 2011

As the girls got ready for school, they were so excited for the first day!  They talked and talked about what it was going to be like and what they were going to wear and made sure that they would sit by each other at lunch and see each other at recess.  It made me so happy that they are such good friends and such good girls!!  I hope they always love school and always love each other!

 The girls were so excited for school to start, they could hardly sleep the night before!

 Skylar is in Mrs. Farnsworth's 2nd grade class.  We LOVE Mrs. Farnsworth!  She is a great teacher and we are so excited to work with her this year!

 Skylar standing outside Room #1

Saydee is so EXCITED to be in Mrs. Stokes' 3rd grade class!  I have never met a teacher that LOVES to teach more than Mrs. Stokes!  She is so full of enthusiasm that it is contagious! It is going to be a great year!

FiShInG

This summer we made a list of 50 things were were going to do together as a family and needless to say
we didn't get them all done.  The Monday before school started we decided we needed to knock a few more things off that list.  Fishing, Roasting hot dogs and making smores. (How sad, usually we do that numerous times a summer) So we loaded up and headed up to Wood's Ranch and the Kids pond.  There were a lot of people up there so we got set to fish a little before dinner.  Before we got a chance there was not a firepit left for us, so we had to come home and roast the hotdogs and smores on our firepit but we had a great time.




The kids trying to be patient while dad gets everything ready

 Ridge just being the cutest kid ever!!  Before he found the bag of chips.

 Saydee posing for the camera, still being patient

Ryder sporting his new way of wearing his hat, the cool way??

 Ridge found the chips and he was not letting go!  I think he ate most of the bag :)

 Ryder hoping to catch the big one

 Saydee was the only successful fisherman but it was a big one and it tasted pretty good too!

 Skylar might not of caught a fish but she was playing the part really well and pretty cute too!

Ridge has a death grip on those chips, what a funny kid

I am so sad that summer is coming to an end....I stuggle with it every year and I think the main reason is my babies keep getting bigger and I don't want them to.  Zach keeps reminding me to enjoy every stage but it is getting harder as I see them get older and they are never going to be little again.  I love my kids!!

Thought for the day

"all of us remember the home of our childhood. interestingly, our thoughts do not dwell on whether the house was large or small, the neighborhood fashionable or downtrodden. rather, we delight in the experiences we shared as a family. the home is a laboratory of our lives, and what we learn there largely determines what we do when we leave there."

-thomas s. monson

"I'm not doing nothin"

Zach was watching the boys and he was in the other room and asked Ryder what he was doing.  Ryder just kept responding "I'm doing nothin, Dad, I'm doing nothin"  Zach knew at that point he was up to something so he came around the corner with the camera to find Ryder with his binos and acting like he was looking for deer.  Ryder is such a joy in our family.  We love it when he is doing nothin!

Ryer doing nothing!

Just what a mom wants to hear!

 Yesterday I went to a class to make this temple picture and today I set it by the side of the couch.  I walked in the room and heard Ryder telling Ridge "You can get married here too and we can always be buddies."  And then Ryder said "Mom I am just teaching Ridge about the temple."  Then he told Ridge "This is the most Holiest Place in the world".  I love my kids and it makes me so happy to hear them talk about the truth.  I love being a mom!!

Mother's Day 2011

Mother's Day was such a great day this year.  We got up and went over to Parowan to go to church with my mom.  Not very often does she get her kids to go to church with her because we all live so close.  It made her day!  Zach had shopped for mother's day this year and he did a great job.  He ordered flowers for both our moms and some for me too.  They are so beautiful.  Thanks honey!

 My mom with all the kids after Church with the flowers we gave her.

Zach also surprised me with Chocolate covered strawberries.  They were great but the kids insisted that I share with them.  After Church we headed to St. George for  a delicious dinner at Zach's parent's house.  His parents had gone all out for Grandma Hiskey.  I didn't take any pictures but it was a great day with all the moms.  I am so blessed to have so many wonderful examples in my life.  Our moms do so much for us and we are so lucky to have them.  Happy Mother's day!!

It's a good thing he's cute!!

Today at church was just one of those days.  We got there about 10 minutes early (because we have to, or we don't get a bench)  Ridge would not sit still, he just wanted to wander and I thought that might be good for him to get his wiggles out.  When Brother Ford gets up to start the meeting, I go to get Ridge and he starts running from me right up on the stand.  So I have to go up on the stand to get him.  I take him out in the hall and try to get him to settle down.  Right before the Sacrament I go back in.  We make it half way through the Sacrament and he is crying again because he wants to run around, I tryed everything to entertain him and he would have nothing to do with any of it, so I get up and take him out in the hall again.  I would not let him get down in the hall, I was just whispering in his ear about how we are a church and we need to be reverent and all that stuff.  I ask him if he is ready to go sit with Dad and he says yes.  We go back in and he starts screaming again!!  Zach asks if he should go out with him and I am at my wits end so I just set Ridge down on the floor and he starts to run!!  Zach gets up and heads to the back of the Chapel thinking that if he is not chasing Ridge, he will stop and come back, but no!  I look up and Ridge goes right up on the stand, gets on the Piano bench and starts to play!!!  I could of died!!  The high council speaker, stops and makes some joke about he needed to wake everyone up and the whole ward is laughing!!!  I bury my head and Zach walks up there and gets him as the whole ward is laughing.  The closer Zach gets, the more Ridge POUNDS!!  It was so embarrassing.  Zach went out in the hall and never came back.  He said it didn't get any better out in the hall.  Ridge made it into the Women's restroom two times and Zach had to find someone to go in there and get him.  Holy cow, who's kid is he???  HE IS A HANDFUL!! But we wouldn't trade him for nothing!  (If we don't go back to church for awhile, does anyone blame us??)

Mess of the Day

Proof that Ridge has been here

 While I am busy cleaning up this...........................

Ridge is busy doing this!!  I really cannot keep up with this kid and the pictures don't even do it justice.  LOVE HIM so much!!