X "Marks" the Spot

A month or so ago, I had my friend Reyna take some pictures of Lydia and Mitchell. I was feeling like a lame mother because the older three kids always had their pictures taken from sears/jcpenney/walmart (wherever was cheapest) on their birthdays and at 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and then each year after that. Well, to put it gently, I completely missed most of Mitchell's pictures and a few of Lydia's. I blame it on the move, but I knew those milestones were coming and then going and I still let it slide. I'm hoping these "real professional" photos make up for my laziness. Reyna did an amazing job!! Thanks Reyna, I owe ya!

I made this little "pillow case" dress for Lydia the other day. I don't enjoy sewing clothes, but this one was pretty easy. I borrowed a friend's dress and copied it. I've never done that before and I definitely learned a few things. One of them being, don't forget to add at least 1/2 an inch for the seams!! So this one is a little smaller and tighter than the original.

Years ago I used to make Easter dresses for my older girls and I was feeling a little guilty that I haven't made nearly as many things for Lydia. Life just isn't fair for our sweet Lydia. I'm not too worried about her, she'll make sure it all evens out.

A few weeks ago, we headed up to Mt. Lemmon. We have lived here for almost a year and haven't had a chance to check out the gorgeous mountain we live at the base of. It was breath taking to say the least! We had a great time climbing rocks and playing in the stream and eating fudge from the General Store. We definitely will be going up again soon! I'd like to catch some fall colors and then some snow in the winter. It's the best having a mountain to go play in the snow and then come back down to 70 degree weather in the winter. We are loving Arizona!

Ashley really got into the hiking thing, especially after she found a hiking stick. She climbed all over the hill and was never really interested in playing in the stream with everyone else. I think she has found something she really enjoys -- HIKING!! This is the place to live if you love hiking, we'll have to find a few more trails to keep her entertained.

This is a quilt I made for my cousin Sarah's first baby boy. She has four girls and number five was a boy, so to say this kid is special is an understatement. Sarah is my cousin I lived with in college and without her and my other two cousins, I wouldn't have had any fun. Those girls were the best and created some of my fondest memories. Here are a few:

-Driving in the borrowed convertible from Provo to St. George to go to Zion's National Park. The top of the convertible was broken and only stayed down, we didn't think it was going to be a problem, we'd love driving on the freeway with the wind in our hair for four hours each way, no problem. Let's just say it was memorable. Thanks Chelsea for letting us borrow that car, I'll never forget it.

-Sarah's cooking. So Sarah had a real job and I had no money and she basically fed me. Not only did she feed me, she fed me well. And the aroma of good food always attracts guys to the apartment. So thanks for all those great Sunday dinners that attracted those fun boys, good times.

-French Bread at Albertson's. Whenever we went grocery shopping, we would always buy a hot loaf of french bread and eat it on the way home. I think we ate that loaf in 2 minutes flat!! Everytime I buy hot bread, I think about that. I don't think I have found a loaf that is a good as that was.

-BYU football. So again, I was poor, and my cousin's weren't BYU students and none of us had tickets to go to the football games, so one week Sarah determined that we would go to a game (we lived across from the stadium for crying out loud). She found us some tickets and we went. I just have to say thanks because that was the only game I ever went to and I'm grateful because really, how lame is it that I only went to one game after being at BYU for four years!

-Hearts. Rasberry Ice crystal light. Enough said.

-Sunday evening on the lawn North of the Provo Temple sitting on the grass. So beautiful and peaceful. I loved when we did that. (I swear we were NOT trying to see any of our friends that were in the MTC).

-Laughing our heads off every night, we were funny. I can still hear Amy's laugh in my head. Music to my ears. I have never laughed so hard and so often!!

There are many more, but these are a few that stick out to me. To think we were footloose and fancy free and now we are both mother's of FIVE!! Crazy.

Sarah, I love your guts! You are one of my favorite people and I hope when you use this little blanket for your darling baby boy you'll think of me and all our ups and downs and craziness we had at BYU. I literally could NOT have made it without you. And I am so blessed to be your FAMILY!

Well, this was the first day of school! July 19th to be exact. They all look pretty happy here, but Mandy and Jason were pretty nervous. Ashley on the other hand just couldn't wait to get back to seeing her friends "on a regular basis," as she put it.

Jason has adjusted to the life of all day school. At first I was a little worried he would be quite and timid all year, like he was in kindergarten. He hardly spoke a word in class the entire year of Kindergarten, his teacher was always trying new strategies to get him to talk. However, this year he has jumped right in and has already been moved twice for talking too much to his neighbors. Sorry neighbors. At least he's not silent.

Mandy started Junior High, which officially makes me feel queezy. I cried the day she rode off on the bus, headed for who knows what in a world of clicks and boys and trying to figure out who you are. It's a tough time in life for everyone, but so far so good. She has made some good friends in her class and in band. So glad she those good girls to hang with, it's a relief to her mother.

Ashley, loves school with all her heart. Not necessarily the work (which she's great at too), but the people. I've always said Ashley would enjoy any activity as long as she had others to do it with. She's not much for individual anything. She has a great teacher and will begin ballet with her friend Rebecca this week. I know she will do well with ballet because she has a friend, if there were no friend, she'd drop ballet like a rock after the first day. Thanks Rebecca!

Well this is Lydia's first year of "pre" school and this was her first day. I'm doing JoySchool with some friends and so far so good. In fact, I love it. We switch homes each week and do a lesson for the kiddos. When it was my week, I was so nervous, but the kids all played well together and the pudding painting wasn't a mess at all. When I told the kids to put their hands in the pudding and spread it all over their poster boards, they looked at me like I was crazy. They have been well taught! But once they got going, they liked it and came up with some pretty good finger paintings.