Concerts

In October, we had a few concerts that I have to catch up on......

Erin is in Choir this year! I think she's enjoying it. It was really fun to watch her sing and she said it was fun.

Jamie also had an Orchestra Concert......

and Choir Concert! They did a great job!

School Pictures 2011

We had just gotten family pictures taken, so we didn't really want to get school pictures this year, but I want them to have their class pictures, and then they all match if we do a collage or something.

Erin - Sophomore

Ethan - Freshman

Jamie - 7th

Laura - 4th

Kelcie - 2nd

Talin - preschool

Sweet Sixteen!!!!

ERIN IS SIXTEEN!!!!!!!!!

We have a daughter old enough to date.......and drive........THAT'S CRAZY!!!!!!!!! I think she had a good birthday, though. We had a great time :) One of her friends at school gave her a bouquet of balloons to carry all day - he, he. We made her open our presents after school, because we had to take the kids to pick their present out - hot wheels! She got 7 cars for her 16th birthday - spoiled kid!

Grandma and Grandpa Starr gave her beautiful flowers all the way from Wyoming! (well, sort of - they had little elves to help)

That weekend was Homecoming for her school, so we decided we'd have a little party before the big game and then head over to the game. The kids came for subs and cake and just hung out and talked. Great kids! We loved having them around. Here they found the kittens - they were a hit!

When Erin blew out her candles and we were singing to her, the kids dropped a bunch of balloons from upstairs - it was so fun!!! I couldn't get a good picture of it, though.

Best Friend, Hannah, from Mesa - so glad she would come out!

Silly girls!

It was a really fun night and I'm so glad we could celebrate Erin's birthday in a fun way! She has great friends, works hard at everything she does, is responsible, helpful, and I'm so happy to have her as a daughter! WE LOVE YOU, ERIN!

Young Womanhood Medallion

Erin finished her Personal Progress Program for Church a couple of weeks ago, so last night she received her Young Womanhood Medallion at the Young Women in Excellence Night. (wow, that's a lot of words! did you get all that?) I was so excited that she's been so motivated to work on this and able to finish it already!!! It's been so fun to work on things with her to pass things off. I'm so grateful for such an inspired program for our young women - I feel like it truly leads them through the process of gaining their own testimony.

Getting her Medallion - new YW President Dara Ratliff
Erin with Sister Earl - YW Pres. that was just released - so glad she came!

So beautiful!!!! I don't know if it's come off since she got it - maybe for bed....

CONGRATULATIONS, Erin!!!!!! We love you!

Powder Puff Derby

Our Stake had a Powder Puff Derby for our Activity Day Girls (girls 8-11)! Erin was so jealous because she's wanted to do this forever. Laura figured out her design and worked on it with her dad - I thought it was very creative!!!

Laura's Ladybug Car

The tray of all the cars in our ward - girls are so different from boys, don't ya think???

On your mark.......

Our stake has an incredible set up - electronic, computerized, organized - man, I was impressed!!! It was a really fun activity for these girls and they loved it!

If you give a dog a .......

Sunday evening we finished a jar of peanut butter and Erin and I were commenting on how much the dogs would love it. So, we decided to try it - it was hillarious!!! Toby immediately pick it up with his teeth and took it to his "spot", so I make him take it outside. He was very determined - I don't think he let Dixie near it!

Who me?

When the picked it up the next day, Lafe said it was clean all the way down except for where his tongues couldn't possibly reach. He got a lot further than I thought was possible! So.......if you give a dog a jar of peanut butter.......

Student of the Month

Kelcie was our first Student of the Month this year!!! It was fun to surprise her -she didn't know until I stayed for Flag Ceremony. I think this month's virtue was Respect, and her teacher wrote some very nice things. She's enjoying 2nd grade so far - even though she pretends every morning when we pull up to the school that she's so sad - whatever!
CONGRATULATIONS, KELCIE!!!! Thanks for being a good example!

Alaska!

So, Lafe went up to Alaska a week ago to go fishing with his partners at work - I was actually really excited for him! He wasn't too sure - rainy, cold, wet, luck with fishing, etc. But, I think they had a good time. I want to go!

Alaskan Temple in Anchorage

The first couple of days they went river fishing for the Salmon, etc. swimming up the river. But, I guess the "prime time" had just finished because they didn't have any luck! I kept telling Lafe he cursed the boat because we never catch anything when we go fishing! In fact, Randy started calling him "Jonah" - he was going to through him over!

This was the big catch on the river - 2 tiny trout!

I think this was in Homer - look at the beautiful mountains in the distance!

Then, they went deep sea fishing - without Dramamine, he has a whole new appreciation for my kids that get car-sick! Finally, they caught fish!!! They each brought home about 40lb. of fish!!! YUMMY!!! This is the Silver Salmon that he caught.

And, these are the Halibut - that's mostly what they caught. Halibut is really good, by the way!

I was so impressed with my husband, though, because he brought home little gifts for the kids and they were perfect! He KNOWS his kids, and I think how few Daddys could do that! Love my man!

Braces!

Jamie got braces this morning! That puts the metal-mouth count at our house up to 2! Misery loves company???
She was actually SO EXCITED to get braces - reminded me of me :) She got them early this morning and then was able to go to school (and get tylenol from the nurse). She's feelin the pain tonight, but I keep telling her the first time is the worst, then it gets better. She's lucky, though - she's only looking at 15-18 months! Ethan's one year into his 2-2 1/2 years.......

First Day of School......Round Two

School started today..........hooray!!! I think they were REALLY ready to go back to school - the boredom was getting EXTREME! Except maybe Kelcie, but that's just the age (I hope). Jamie starts Junior High and is really excited. She's doing both Choir and Orchestra this year - so fun! Laura is in 4th grade! Hard to believe - that's just such a jump into being a big kid! Kelcie's in 2nd grade - still little but well established in school - she got Laura's 2nd grade teacher and we're all so glad!

The "girls"
Oh, yes, and Kelcie did lose that other tooth - about 2 weeks ago or so! I've been meaning to get a picture because I absolutely LOVE when they have no top teeth!!!

AND.......Talin started preschool today! REALLY, REALLY excited and could hardly wait for his class (it's in the afternoon). He had no problem leaving mom - didn't even remember I was still there. Yep, he was ready. It's really quiet around here, but luckily I'm used to Talin going to play next door for extended periods of time, so it doesn't seem too weird. I think I'll get lonely, though............

First Day of School......Round One

Erin and Ethan started school on Monday.......yes, Ethan is in High School this year! ( I keep getting that question!).......and, yes, Ethan is now taller than Erin.......
Erin was really ready and so excited for school to start. Ethan was excited......not so ready for school to start again. But, they've had a good week so far (knock on wood) and I really hope they enjoy the year! GOOD LUCK, guys!!!!!!!

Cute smile!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE when kids lose their teeth!!! She was so excited to lose this top tooth. We were having ice cream bars for FHE, and when she bit in she started to SCREAM! So, I offered and she finally let me pull her tooth out - hardly a pull, fell into my hand. She looks SO CUTE!!! The other one is pretty ready, too - hanging lopsided, gray, etc. But, even the corn on the cob tonight didn't pull that one.

Our big trip!

Sooooooo........... for our summer vacation this year, we decided to head north.......WAY north! My parents are on a mission for our church at Martin's Cove, Wyoming, so we decided it was the perfect time to go visit and see the sites in the area. We hit 9 states in 11 days. This is how we did it......that trailer hitch thing was GREAT!

First stop: My brother Rick's house in Centerville, UT

We stopped at Walmart in Idaho Falls to get groceries for the next few days, and since we couldn't get into the "cabin" we were staying at until 4:00, we decided to go see the temple. It was under construction, but we thought it was neat because the exhibit in the Visitor's Center was on the Martin/Willy Handcart Pioneers, which was the very reason for the trip.

We had never seen this Temple - it was so beautiful with the Falls

And, who knew that Idaho Falls actually had major falls right in the middle of town? They're so pretty!

Yellowstone!!!

Yellowstone is SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!! It was just so cool! We loved it!

Old Faithful!

Lower Falls

Buffalo Stampede - COOL!

Leaving the Park because we kept forgetting every time we went in! I have SO MANY pictures of Yellowstone, so I tried to only grab the most interesting.....