4th of July 2009

It may be over a month late, but I couldn't not post about the best family holiday of the year! And this year was better than ever because everyone was together (except for Joel) for the first time in years! The cousins played all day long, we ate tons of yummy food including homemade root beer, we had a great patriotic devotional, our traditional tank wars were a hit, young and old played steal the flag for hours and hours (and kept playing until sprained ankles, blistered feet, and a broken nose finally forced a cease fire), stadium of fire fireworks were enjoyed up on the hill across the street, but had nothing on the 2 hour non stop cul-de-sac of fire that all the family pyro boys put on to end the day. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, enjoy the millions of words that are about to follow. Thanks to everyone for all the fabulous memories!

Allison loves her cousins little and big. Pictured here with Lynlee, Solei, & Kate.

Brendan and Jordan doing their GQ model photo shoot.

Allison and I don't mind sharing our Prince Charming.

Most of the cute girlies. ............All 21 cousins with 1 on the way. You gotta love Cannon's face! I wish I would have taken a photo when Jordan got desperate and held him upside down to see if that would help. No luck.

Brothers and Sisters Forever: Sarah, Jessica, Pam, Debbie, Chris, Brian, Brendan and Joe. Yep, that's all of us minus Joel and minus Dan and Pam's baby coming to our family in just a few more weeks!

You know Tank Wars is serious stuff when boys use Glue Guns! After hours of planning, plotting, and glueing, the boys headedout back to crown the 2009 Tank War Champion. This year Brian had the ultimate tank, but all the smaller battles were just as fun. Next year, the competition won't include Jordan as he will be on his mission, which will be really weird to not have him with us.

After hours and hours of watching everyone play steal the flag, this is the only measely picture that I came up with? Shame on me. We'll have to remember the fun in our memories I guess.

How lucky are we that we get to walk across the street to watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks fom one of the best spots in town...the hills by Timpview High School. How lucky are we to live in this wonderful land of freedom and prosperity? How blessed are we to be surrounded by so much family where we can create such great memories? How truly blessed we all are indeed.

Organized at last...

Besides the kitchen, I spend most of my time in the office paying bills, doing my bow business paperwork, scrapbooking, and of course, wasting valuable time on the computer. Everyone that knows me knows that I can't function in chaos. I have to have things organized and put away. So how in the world did I let the office get this bad?!!!!!!

I know, I know. I can't believe it either, and no, I didn't mess it up on purpose for "before" pictures. This is how I lived in my cluttered office for years! When the kids had a school project we moved to the floor. It drove me nuts, but everytime we looked into doing something in there the estimate was in the thousands $$$$ and we couldn't justify it when there are so many other demands on our resources for example, 3 teenagers. Enough said.

Well, one day we happened to be at Home Depot and ran across some nice looking cabinets that were being clearanced out for $100. We both did a double take and quickly tried to find 4 matching ones. After searching the whole store for the 4 cabinets they showed in inventory we got down to business. Just emptying the office was a two day project. Then Brendan painted it, hung the cabinets, we changed our mind and he pulled them off one wall and rehung them on another wall (I know, he's a saint sometimes). Then the fun part began. It took me 2 to 3 days to put everything back and ORGANIZE all my crap! But at the end of the whole thing, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief and sit back and finally enjoy being in the office. Now I can waste even more time on the computer because it feels so much better being in there.

June 27, 2009

While on the subject of home improvement....let me introduce you to a couple of my new best friends....

I got a new washer and dryer for Mother's Day and let me tell you how much my life has changed with these two beauties!!! 8 to 10 loads of laundry are now done in 3. A load full of jeans takes only 30 minutes to dry (all at once) and so does a load full of towels!

HEAVEN!

Welcome little munchkin!

Congratulations to my brother Ed and his wife Maria. They welcomed baby number 4 to their family last night at 11:49 pm on 7-8-9! It was a wild house as we waited for his arrival. I brought their 3 little ones and Maria's sister's little Ellie over for the day and added them to my kids and two other cousins on Brendan's side who are spending a week with us. Not sure I would want 9 kids of my own anytime soon.

The little one doesn't have a name yet so we are anxiously awaiting that announcement. What sounds good with Noah, Taya, and Ian? Decisions! Decisions! To me he looks a little bit like Ian, a little bit like Taylor and even a little bit like Jordan did as a baby. It will be so great for him to meet his grandma and grandpa Sanches for the first time exactly two weeks from today! So grateful that Maria is doing good (well, as good as can be expected following natural childbirth) and that the baby is just perfect. What a blessing!

Lots of fun times just ahead. Lots of fun times just had too! The 4th of July was one of the best ones ever! Plus we have two different cabin trips to blog about. One of these days I'll have to stop having so much fun and actually sit down and document them.

How lucky are we to have Jake!

Today my little boy turns 15! I love that I can still call him my little boy.

I guess he is taller than me. I guess his voice is deep like his dad's. I guess he does drive us home from church. I guess he is starting high school this fall.

So how come I still feel like he's my little boy?

I guess it's because he still gives me a hug and a kiss every morning when he gets up and each night when he goes to bed. I guess it's because he doesn't mind snuggling with his mom on the couch every once in a while. I guess it's because he loves to play all day (sorry, I mean "hang out"). I guess it's because he loves to tell me all about his adventures and enjoys life like a two year old at the park for the first time!

For the 2nd year in a row, Jake is at scout camp during his birthday so it makes me even more sentimental toward him. I can hear his infectious laugh in my head as I imagine him having the time of his life with friends.

I don't know how we have raised three children who are so completely different from each other. Each so unique. Each so special. Each making our family whole.

So many reasons why I adore my Jakers:

---I admire Jake's love and loyalty to his family and friends.

---I'm in awe of Jake's fearlessness in adventures of any kind. He's definitely the bravest of our kids.

---I'm so proud of Jake's high level of integrity in everything that he does.

---Jake is extremely competitive. He relishes a win to the fullest, but it doesn't get in the way of his being gracious to another he knows outperformed him.

---Jake's dimples KILL me every time!!

---Jake is one of the hardest workers that I know. Whether it's practicing in a sport, studying for school, working alongside his dad in the yard, doesn't matter. He puts 110% effort all the time!

---Jake's devotion to the gospel and doing what is right humbles me everyday.

---Everything about Jake reminds me of Brendan. They are so much alike in so many ways, which is yet another reason why I love him so much.

It's hard to not sit down and count my blessings each day. Jake is at the very top of my list for today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE!

THANK YOU FOR COMING

INTO OUR LIVES AND FOR

MAKING OUR FAMILY BETTER

THAN WE COULD HAVE EVER

IMAGINED!

All Done

It happened.....nothing I could do about it......I am the mother of an official adult! So weird!!! Graduation wasn't as sad as I had anticipated. The days and weeks building up to it were much worse. Either that, or I had run out of tears by that night.

Seminary Graduation May 17, 2009.
There were so many students that a separate graduation was held by each Stake.

I just had to post the photos of Jordan's get-up. This is what he wore as his evening wear for Mr. Lehi the week before. He borrowed it from a friend who seems to have a costume closet in his house. He insisted on wearing it to church and to seminary graduation. I figured he might as well get it out of his system now. Seriousness takes over soon enough

Jordan and Savana
Kari and I have been best of friends since 5th grade. Our kids have been friends (more like cousins) since we took 6 month old Jordan to meet newborn Savana at the hospital. We lived by each other in Orem and shortly after we moved to Lehi, they moved to Eagle Mountain. Jordan and Savana have gone to school with each other their whole lives, but did not have a single class together until the last semester of their senior year. They both graduated with honors and in the top 10% of their class!

Jordan and Eythan Barney, his soon to be BYU dorm roommate.
I see "party all night" written all over their faces...oh boy!.

Our whole family is growing up! I have heels on and Allison is still almost as tall as me! We celebrated together by going to dinner at Tucanos with Grandma and Grandpa Howard and Brian and Lauren, Jack and little Miss Kate.

Then it was the all night Graduation Party at the Legacy Center. I was on the committee for that and helped out with the "So You Think You Can Dance" competition and other prize giveaways. I stayed until 4 am! It went till 6.

Jordan decided that he and his friends needed to go to IHOP for breakfast and watch the sun come up. Then it was time to watch Star Wars. Are you kidding me? He came dragging in just after 12 noon the next day!!! He showered and went to work at the carwash from 2 to 7 and then to another party. I guess you only live once, but I'm surprised he's still alive after all that.

Jordan's life has had so many life altering events happen in the last few weeks that we're still trying to adapt to them all. As if graduating from seminary and high school weren't big enough.....

1. He decided that being "single" was the right thing to do as he prepares to go on a mission. Mom had to have a little therapy to make it through that one. By now she had become a part of our family and my daughter.

2. Two days before graduation he was offered a full time job working as a teller at Western Community Bank. He'll go part time once school starts. Great hours, great pay, great experience (especially since he plans on majoring in Finance), great practice wearing a shirt and tie everyday :)

3. We'll be one short on Sundays as he is planning to attend our Stake's Young Single Adult ward.

4. Already had his interviews with the Bishop and Stake President to be sustained and ordained and Elder. An ELDER!!! That will happen later this month and then he'll start on his mission papers before he leaves for BYU at the end of August.

I need to go stock up on my year's supply of tissues!!

Where did the years go?

Friday is going to be a bittersweet day. Jordan is graduating from high school! That's two days away!

Did I really just say that....GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL!

Growing Up!

Becoming an Adult!

Moving away from home!

Leaving a big hole in our day to day family!

Of course I couldn't be prouder! He's accomplished so much. He's had a very full life while under our wings. I look back with a thankful heart for every (good and not so good) memory that we have shared with him. I know that it's not over, but it won't be the same. He's off to a great start into the big world and I know the best for him is yet to be!

But a big part of my heart will be breaking. The years went by way too fast. What a blessing he's been. What a privilege I've had.