Well let's see. I FINALLY posted some pic's of Bryce on his first day of 3rd grade. He has another really good teacher named Ms. Udy. We have really been lucky with the teachers Bryce as had. He can be a handful at times and we have been blessed with ones who instinctivly know how to handle him. And that results in him loving school. Complete opposite of his sister! Ha ha. Taylor is actually loving Jr. High. We hadparent teacher conferences and she has 7 A's and 1 B. (she has A and B days. 4 classes on A day and 4 different classes on B day) All of her teachers say what a sweet girl she is and they all seemed to really like her. COMPLETELY different from ME!!! I had horrible grades, and was there for social reasons ONLY!!! Hee hee She is on the 7th grade basketball team and is coached by the girls high school bball coach. So they will play together and in high school they will be ready to go. Her P.E. teacher calls the girls on the team "The Chosen Ones". The girls get a kick out of that. She is playing with the same girls she played with last year. They are such an amazing group of girls. I went on the 7th grade science trip to the State Fair (I road the bus and everything) and I got to hang out with Tay and 3 girls from the team and WE HAD FUN!!!!! They are definatly girls you want around your own children.
Marc is in Denver this weekend with one of his brothers for a fun get away. I am proud of him for going. He never goes out unless with me. They will be going to a Rockies game (I miss those) and I think a Bronco's game. So we have been hangin without him. :-( Today I went to a Michigan (Livonia Ward) reunion and it was so fun.... I love seeing people years later and catching up. It's funny that the older I get the more sentimenal I become. I saw Sister Balls today and wanted to hug her FOREVER!!! The Stringhams were there. Kristi Freeman, Alison kolojasniak (she is remarried now) one of her daughters, Amy Snow (CUTE as ever!!) Darren Balls.... it went by to fast!
So now we are back in the swing of school schedules, Bball practice (3 times a week), Scouts (Bryce loves that) and just enjoying our life. I am very blessed.....

Tay and I at the Zoo
Bryce at the Zoo..
First day of 3rd grade.
Bryce home from school...
Bryce (8)

Jr. High....... (sigh)

Today my world changed a little. More than I would like it to actually. My baby (shhhhh.....don't tell Bryce because HE thinks he's my baby)has entered the world of Jr. High. My first born. My beautiful 12 year old who fights me about make~up (I want her to wear mascara), who has the best boys in our ward wanting to hang out with her, who made the 7th grade basketball team (her new gym teacher asked if she was one of the "chosen 12" and I had to keep from bursting when I said "yes!")and who now wears a shoe size bigger than mine. She has begun a new journey. It will be a fun and exciting one. Also mixed in will be tears and heartache. I PRAY she has good friends and the not so good ones from last year will go a different way. She has ALWAYS been such a good girl her entire life. I don't think she has ever even been grounded. NOW.... let me say she is a COMPLETE opposite of me!!!!!!!!!!! By 12 I was a BRAT!!!! I LOVED boys, make~up (fighting with MY mom to LET me wear it.. haha)and was ALWAYS getting grounded. So HOW did I get such a great kid? Well either the Lord REALLY loves me alot.... OR I am in for it with Bryce!! Ha ha So today as I watched her walk up the street (we live about a block away from the Jr. High)I was filled with joy and love and a bit of saddness for me. Time is slipping away and my children are becoming young adults WAY too fast. Then I think.... WHEN did I get to be alost 42????? And I remember when I was her age 42 was SOOOOOOOOO OLD!!!!! Lol (Sorry mom and dad). So I am going to sit back and enjoy this new ride with her. Let her know I am ALWAYS here and love her little guts out!!!!!

My baby is growing up too fast!
She is a bit nervous...

There goes my baby......

Manti Temle
Driving down south in Utah....
I LOVE fluffy clouds!
Bryce fell asleep...
Another cute one of my niece..

We had a great time camping at Cherry Hills. Swimming, Putt Putt, good food and family..... S'up hottie....
Grandma cooking breakfast...
Bryce
Sweet Kari Ann

Catch up again.... random pic's

Marc and Grandpa camping..
Bryce and Kari Ann camping....
Doing stickers
The fort made by Taylor and Bryce from boxes and duct tape....
Bryce ready to sleep out front

So pretty.... The Great Salt Lake....

Sunday Drive

We took our Sunday drive today out thru Eagle Mountain to Tooele (too-will-a)stopping at Saltair on The Great Salt Lake..... the water was warm and STINKY!!!!! It was funny to walk out to the water. The ground had so much salt on it, it was crunchy when we walked. It sounded like broken glass. I love our Sunday drives. I look forward all week to them! And we never know where we will end up. That's the part I like!
Last night we went and watched fireworks outside the BYU stadium. Carrie Underwood performed and we could hear her from time to time. I LOVE her. But not enough to sit for hours in that stadium. I did it years ago when Tay was a baby and it was the LONGEST time EVER!!!!! So I am more than happy to just watch the fireworks at the end of Stadium of Fire. The kids love going. Last night they kicked the soccer ball around and Taylor and Marc threw the football. I love to sit and people watch. It is a tradition we do every year. And I love July because the 24th is Pioneer Day and we always head to SLC and watch the parade. We go to the same spot every year.
I can't believe we are already into July. June flew by! Bryce did a great job at reading camp. He LOVED Scout Camp. Taylor went to girls camp (first year) and had so much fun. We missed her but knew she would have an amazing time.... and she did.
Other than that we are still plugging along with day to day summer stuff. I am still hitting the gym Mon. thru Fri. Tay babysits her brother and makes a little extra cash in the mornings. We bought a summer pass to the rec pool and have gone a few times. That is always fun. We are going camping in a few weeks with some of our in~laws and we can't wait. I am still trying to make it back home to Michigan with Taylor before she starts school... Looks like Aug. will be the month. I am teaching the 12 year olds Sunday School and absolutly adore my kids! Marc is in young mens and the boys LOVE, LOVE, LOVE him!!! He is also staying busy with work. And again, with so many out of work we are truely greatful and feel so blessed. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer as much as we are!!!!

Basketball......

Ahhhhh Bryce.
Taylor listening to the coach after the game...
Shire, Taylor and Alexi
Taylor




Taylor played in a basketball tournament Thurs., Fri. and Sat. They won their first game and FOUGHT hard for the rest. I LOVE the girls on her team and they are becoming great friends as time goes on. They are playing so well together and it is so fun to see how far they have come from when they started. Next yer in Jr. High they will be all going to the same school so that will be fun. I am SOOO proud of Taylor.....

I love seeing the sprinklers on when you drive by farms....

Park City....

Bryce.....
Tay is PASSED OUT!!!!
Still asleep....
This can't be comfortable!!!!
I love these kids!!!



Well a day trip to Park City was had by our family. I love it there. Going thru the canyon to get there, windows down, county (yes I DID say country) music playing.... just being with my family. For me I love to look out the window and just think.... I think of when I was a single mom with just Taylor and how we struggled but had such an amazing bond that has gotten stronger over the years. I look back and am SO thankful for the few years I had with just her and I. Then I think about dating Marc and how exciting that time was. Staying up late every night and NOT being tired the next day (WHY is that soooo different when you are married??) the little moments that are so new and exciting and yes I will say it..... MAKING OUT FOR HOURS!!!!!!! Then I think of when Bryce joined our little family and how I LOVE that whole newborn baby phase. Nursing in parking lot's, women's lounges and even discretely in booths in resturants. Oh how I miss those times. Now my children are older and time seems to fly by. But new experiences.... and the bitter sweet that comes with watching them gain their independance from me.....warms my heart. I never knew I could love another human being SO much until I had children. There is just something different when it is your child.... I think I love Prove Canyon so much because I do so much thinking everytime we are in it. There is something about the beauty of that canyon that touches my soul EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!!! It never ceases to amaze me of the gift that beauty.....

Bryce's big day...

So today is a special day for our family. Our youngest son was Baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is a big and important event in our lives. I can't believe my little boy is 8. WHERE has the time gone. We had family and good friends there to support Bryce. It was a really sweet day and you could feel the Spirit. I held my breath at times because I swear I NEVER know WHAT will pop out of his mouth at any given moment. After we had light refreshments and Bryce opened cards and gifts. His dad and I got him Scriptures (quad) with his name engraved. He also got a Journal, and a great Baptism book from our sweet neighbors. It was an awesome day!!! Now we have cousins over to play and are hanging out and just enjoying today.... I love my family SO much and am thankful we can be a family forever.

Memorial Day.....

My new bike and I will be hanging out alot this summer....
Memorial Day was also my husbands birthday. So what else to do than go to the ZOO!!!! With 2 extra 12 year olds. And we had a BLAST!!!!!! Of course I forgot my camera, dang it. But the new pic on here was taken via cell phone. Gotta love modern technology. We then went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse for dinner and ate and ate and ate! It was yummy for sure.
The kids are out of school and we are just waiting for some summer weather. I am not going to complain because before I know it.... it will be 97 degrees. But I AM ready. Summer pool pass is bought, sunblock is waiting and I hear my bikini begging to come out and play... I MUST have patience. Bryce is taking a reading camp for the month of June and he will also be going to Scout Camp AND get Baptized June 12th. I am so proud of him. Tonight we walked around the neighborhood picking up trash and he was telling us how it is important to respect our planet. (for Scouts) It was really cute to hear him explain. Taylor will also be going to girls camp this year in June (her first girls camp in YW). Time is moving WAY too fast! So June is going to be a busy moth for us! I am trying to make a trip home this summer..girls trip with Tay and I. So we are aiming for July. I hope you all have a wonderful summer!

How cute are they???
Ready for Field Day.
Today is Field Day at school for the kids. Bryce's grade will be doing a dance to Monster Mash and Taylor's will be doing We Go Together from Grease. I may shed a tear because the words to that song are perfect for my little 6th grader moving into Jr. High next year. And sad because I think little things like next year they won't be in the same school building any more, or they won't ride bikes to school together anymore... What can I say??? I am a BIG mushy ball of sap when it comes to my kids!!!!