This fall Michael started to drive his Grandma's old car. He was driving our old suburban to work everyday and gas isn't cheap. With many memories from his high school days, he will now have many more memories driving this to work....

....including the first week. He cleaned some of it out at his parents but when he got it home it needed ALOT more. The smell was horrific. So he starting deep cleaning.... he didn't stop and neither did the mouse smell. When it was all said and done...not much was left in the car. Here are a few pictures of the couple days of cleaning and working. Don't ask me how he could remember where everything went.


Here is the picture of the mouse nest that was built in the front end. Disgusting!!! It makes me sick looking at this pictures.

Nothing left inside. Thank heavens for a Shop Vac and Bleach.






Now it's just like new...Kind of.

This year was fun for birthdays. Brody and Brekka get to share birthday fun because Brekka's birthday is the day after Brody's. Brody had a awesome unforgettable birthday this year. He turned 10 on 10-10-10. Because his birthday was on a Sunday, we wanted to still celebrate so we had a little party with a few friends and family. At 10:10 a.m. we sang and celebrated. We had an AWESOME brunch, visited, and then went to church. After church we had lunch and celebrated Brekka's birthday.
I forgot to take pictures, so this is the only one I have of Brody on Sunday.

Brekka opening a few presents... and no we didn't plan the matching outfits, Cari and I are just really good at that.

Later that week we celebrated both the kids birthday's with friends. Thank goodness Michael was home for Harvest Break. I was really busy with beads and he really put on good parties for both of them. FYI...he is in charge from now on. I am done. =) He did such a great job decorating, planning games, and helping cut out REALLY cool princess crowns when they needed help. I will just be a really good helper.
Brekka's Party: She had a simple princess party.


Brody's Party: We had everything in 10's. 10 Adventures/Activites, 10 toppings for dessert, 10 Friends invited

Brekka's Surgery
In June Brekka had a little surgery...she had a herinia fixed. It was a simple fix and all went well. The day before the surgery, we went in for a check up and she some blood work done. I didn't know that they were going to do it so I didn't prepare her for it. Note to self..... prepare her next time. She DID NOT want to go back the next morning and be there by 6 a.m.
This is her is the waiting room. She was terrified, and her face shows it.

When I got her back to the bed, I had a hard time trying to get her settle down. Thank heavens for a AWESOME Anesthesiologist who knows how to deal with children. He was amazing with her and she was ok with things. All she had to do was try to blow up the balloon when she put on the mask and she would fall asleep.




As I was posting this and she was looking the pictures, she said "mom I was scared. Now I am not and next time I have to have a hernia fixed I won't be scared. I will just blow up the balloon."
She didn't wake up very fast. But once she did, she was good. A little sore but she was playing in the back yard later that afternoon. Wow. I wish I could bounce back that fast.

One day when it was raining.... oh yeah... we had a lot of that in May and June =) We decided to go to Idaho Falls for the day because Michael couldn't work on the outside project (the swing set). This is a once a year event for our family (even though it is so close). Here we are at the Musuem of Idaho:
Brekka loved this dog by the garbage can so she had to have her picture by it.

Brody brought along his notebook so he could take notes and write down facts. Brae just loved looking around. Brekka just wanted her picture taken by everything.

Brae took our picture (this is the second one he took. I asked him if he got a good picture. He said "yeah, but I cut your head off".) Not the best picture of us but it is one of only a few.

Brody having fun in the cave.


Brae loves horse so we HAD to have a picture here.

Then we decided to go the Idaho Falls Temple Visitors Center to see the Awesome pictures. Before we went inside, Michael took a couple pictures of the kids smelling the tulips. I guess we will have to work on the modeling.


On the way home we saw this awesome site. If you look really close you will see a double rainbow over our Rexburg Temple.

As we got closed we saw the "True" pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

The kids took gymnastic in May and loved it. It was the first time for all of them. This is them at their recital. They did such a good job and learned very quickly. They were a little scared to get on the big stage but they did awesome.

I have video of the boys but not a very good still picture. Here is Brekka in the middle getting ready to do her hand stand.

Yeah School is out for the summer. Michael and Brody are home all day and we are trying to get the summer off to a good start. Michael is really looking forward to getting a lot done this summer..... Organize the "storage shed" so that it will be "the shop" again, finish the swing set for the kids, finish the kitchen after two years, and LOTS More. We will see. He has been doing good so far!

On Memorial Day we went fishing with his brother. It was a fun day. The kids loved it. After they finally caught some fish, we went back to Grandma's house to eat them. Brekka and Brae fell asleep before dinner was ready.... and my camera die so I don't have very many pictures.
The Kids getting ready to go

Brody waiting with Princess and Yeller

After just a half hour of being out of the car, Brae managed to find the mud.

The Family Fishing

The fish the boys "helped" Mori and Dad catch

How do you celebrate 45 degree weather in Idaho? This is what we do.


Ok. Seriously.....I can't believe my children. Brekka has gone out two different days in her swim suit. Today Brae decided he better try it out. They played out there for about 15 minutes. During the summer it isn't much more time than that. Wow! Bring on the Sun!



Brody wasn't so excited about the swimming so he made a boat to float in the pond

Joann.... this one is for you!
The other day while I was putting prices on some new beads, Brekka was out in the store with me and just doing her own thing. Next thing I knew she was all dressed up in my NEW, AWESOME, and jet lagged beads. Not just one or two, yes all 16 leis and 10 braclets. Lets just say we are starting a new fad.

I sent her in the house to show Michael and she came back only a minute later looking like this! Michael got these from one of the students in his class.

Gotta Love Life! Thanks Joann! You are soooooooooooooooooooo Awesome!!!!

OK so its been a LONG time since I have posted.... A lot has happened and we have been really busy. I will try to catch up on our lives for those of you that do check on us....

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS
Brody and Brekka have birthdays in October so when we went to Nana and Papa's for Conference, we had to have a cake. Brekka picked it out and the kids loved the frosting.

SOUTH FREMONT HIGH SCHOOL

Michael Started teaching Health, PE, and Weights at South Fremont High School this past fall. He is enjoying it and is finally getting the hang of teaching school. This job came at the right time and we felt this was the right thing to do. He is still trying to get over his injuries and I think for the most part he is doing better teaching school. He is having fun playing sports, working out, and lifting weights with his classes. He still gets VERY sore but he stills tries to be very active.

DAVID COOK CONCERT-Sept. 2009
This was SOOOO Fun! Girls Night out with awesome Friends! Can't ask for much more. For those of you who know me, know I love American Idol, when David Cook came to Idaho Falls, I HAD to go. Thank girls for an awesome night. Next time he comes we have to go.


We were able to meet him, well not me because I was parking the car and just as I got there, he left.

LOVE YOU!

This Video is Amazing!!!!