How Do You Sum Up 4 Years in 1 Post?

Like this, I guess....

•  In 2011 Brooke Miller and I bought Tavaci, a children's show choir, together. That was such a choice opportunity. I learned so much about life, music, myself, how to run a business etc. It was such a FUN opportunity. I loved teaching the children and having my own kids there as well. I've always thought life should be a musical and for a few years my life basically was! We sold the business to Amy Dawson in 2014 when Brooke and I were both offered  teaching positions.
• Summer 2012 Kendon took up running again and participated in a Ragnar and did a half marathon all in the month of June. He won first place for his age group and 17th overall at the half.
  
• December 2012 we got the sweetest Christmas present. Cindy had her first baby. A sweet little girl named Rosie Marcella.
• 2013 was a HUGE year for our family. We completely gutted and remodeled our home. The kids and I moved to Boise for the summer and Kendon stayed here and worked (his buns off)  on the house. Dave Sanderson was our general contractor and did an AMAZING and beautiful job. We are SO very happy in our "new" home. We documented the whole thing on Instagram and turned it into a book. 
• July 2013 Kim had TWIN babies. A boy named Miles and a girl named Adele. It was such a blessing to be in Boise the summer she had the babies. I was able to help out with her two older kids while she prepared to have the babies (Though she didn't need me. She's super woman. She even taught her spin class until she was like 36 week pregnant.) Then we got to spend a few weeks with the new babies before moving back to Rexburg. The summer of 2013 will go down in history as my favorite ever! Spending so much time with my sisters and all the cousins being together was the BEST EVER!
• In August of 2013 we had a 5 and 10 birthday party for Sirri. Five years CANCER FREE and ten years old! Oh, what a celebration and happy day it was to reach that five year mark!
• October 2013 I started working part time at Kershaw Intermediate as a Title 1 aide. 
• February 2013 My nephew Luke, Kim and Richard's son, was in a sledding accident and had to be in a speca cast for6 weeks. All the while Richard accepted and started a new job in Seattle and Kim was home with twin babies packing up a house on her own. See, Super woman!
• April 2014 I was hired full time as the new Achievement Specialist for both Central Elementary and Kershaw. My responsibilities include running the Title 1 program and facilitating the RTI (Response to Intervention) process at both schools. I LOVE my job! The transition from full time mom to working mom went much smoother than  I had hoped and expected. Don't get me wrong, I still live for the summer!
• Summer 2014 Sirri was in her first big production with Rexburg Community Theater. They did Seussical the Musical and she was a jungle animal. She had a lot of stage time and it was so fun to watch her in her element. She loves the stage and it loves her! 
• Winter 2015 Meg played basketball this year and was really good. Her coach wanted to know "where she learned to be so aggressive!" I guess that's what happens when you're the baby of the family. A couple months later at one of Connor's games a ref recognized her and said, "hey, I remember you! You're the girl who always stole the ball from the other team!"
• Spring 2015 Connor has really taken a liking to basketball and has played the last few seasons. This last season he had a fabulous group of boys on his team. They had a fabulous season, only losing one game. They played with the best team work of any young team I've ever watched! I was so proud to see the sportsmanship that Connor has. He always cheers his teammates on and works so hard. It's paying off as he's becoming quite a little baller.

Spending a day in the mountains before the kids and I loved to Boise. Summer 2013

Our finished home! Fall 2013

Back to the Blog

I recently read through some of our old blog posts and had such regret in my heart that I have not kept it up.  For the last few years I've been trying to document our life's "journey" on our Instagram account but some days I just have too many thoughts to fit an Instagram post. Our family has seen its fair share of trials and tribulations but we have also seen and felt the hand of the Lord and his tender mercies present in our lives and I'd like our family to be able look back to those memories and have them carry us through when life gets tough.

Family Pictures Fall 2013 * Picture taken by Shelli Chambers

Short and SASSY!

Meg got a new haircut recently. It is a little bit, "mini me," and I love it! So does everyone else. She is constantly getting compliments and I didn't think it was possible for her eyelashes to look any longer than they are, but the short hair has done the trick. She has the most darling, perfect features for a short do and it just fits her personality to a T. It just might fit her personality too well!

Kendon: "I'm thinking we might need to grow Meg's hair back out. Boy is she ever SASSY lately."

Me: "I know. Seriously. She is Miss Sassy Pants."

pause
pause (thinking of MY haircut and MY personality.)
pause

Me: Wait a minute.....Oh well, I guess if the shoe (or hair) fits, wear it!!!!

M-E-G

Here is another post that was in the deep dark depths of my draft folder. This one is 2 1/2 years old and warms and breaks my heart all at once. I forgot all about singing this song to Meg. I wonder when I quit. I can remember though, just how much she loved it. I might have to try singing it tonight and see if she remembers.

Was she the cutest baby or what?
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We LOVE the musical Annie at our house. Lately I've taken to singing M-E-G, instead of N-Y-C. Meggers loves it when I sing her, HER song!

Here's a little reminder of the tune, just in case. Plus, you can never get enough of Annie!


And here's my version.

M-E-G

What is it about you?
Your small.
Your cute.
Your tough.


M-E-G
I went years without you,
Now I can't get enough.
Enough of kisses all over my face
with lots of squishes too.
Enough of boogers all over your face,
Oh Meggers you know you're

my
M-E-G

Too busy
Too stubborn
Too fast
Too cute
Too fun
I'm sold
Again
On M-E-G

M-E-G

The loving at sundown
The hugs
That reach
my heart

That other house may have kids that are great
And a dog or cat or two
But, No other kid in
The whole forty eight
Can half compare
To you

Oh M-E-G

You make 'em all love ya

You're sweet
You're fun
You're still
The one

Amen For M-E-G

Don't forget to read the fine print....

Here's an, "out of the blue," question Sirri posed to my sister's THEN boyfriend.

"So....when are you going to sign up to be my uncle?"

Apparently Sirri thinks that finding a spouse isn't any more difficult than obtaining, say, a cell phone contract.

Well, Travis, we're all so glad you decided to sign that dotted line.

HAPPY FIRST ANNIVERSARY, you two.
We love you both and are so happy you are so happy!

Chosen Family

Last Fall, Kendon and I attended Connor's Thanksgiving feast at his school. There was one little girl from his class who's dad couldn't make it and her mom had passed away in a car accident earlier in the year. She was SO sad that no one was there to have the feast with her. Kendon and my hearts were broken and we included her in our little family feast. She still sobbed for her dad the whole way through the lunch because we were practically strangers to her. I only know her through helping in the classroom a few times a month. I remember being so distraught that there was no one there who knew her well enough to console her. As I looked around the cafeteria that day, I saw so many familiar faces. People that I know well. People that my kids know well. People that would have taken my child under their wing if necessary and would have been able to make it alright. People that are friends, but that we consider family.

Today, I was visiting teaching while Meg and Connor were at school. Somehow, two hours had passed. It was 11:20, and I was supposed to have picked Meg (and friends) up at preschool at 11:00 and Connor (and friends) up at kindergarten at 11:10. As soon as I realized what time it was I ran out to my car and started zooming down the street. I called Loretta (one of the preschool kid's mamas) to ask if she happened to have gotten the preschool kids. She hadn't, Ms. Tammie was keeping them, but she DID have the kindergartners. While I was busy chatting away, oblivious to the time, these two good friends took care of my "stuff." (Namely, mine and others' children!) Even though the minute I realized what time it was, my adrenaline began racing-mostly because I really dislike being undependable-but I didn't worry about the kids for one minute. I KNEW that they would be taken care of. I knew that someone would figure out I was MIA for some reason and take care of them. And they did.

What a blessing to live in a community and have such amazing friends that watch over me and my little family. I've been struggling with living "far" from my family lately and I'm thankful for a loving Father in Heaven that knew I needed a reminder that I have friends that ARE family.

I thought of making a list of all those who are my "chosen family," but the list would be long (and that seems a bit like junior high!) but those of you who are on "the list," know it. Thank you for being you and taking care of us.

I love you all.

Typical

TYPICAL!
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This is a picture that has patiently been waiting in my drafts folder for three years. Oh man, how things can change in that amount of time. It's funny the things you forget about raising toddlers. The things you think you'll never miss, but looking back, you kinda do.