The BIG Move

The day finally arrived - the day to load up the trailer for Jeremy and Jo's move to Idaho!

They thought there was no way they would fill up this huge trailer.

Hmm - we'll see.

The guys hard at work.

Some man mistook Doug and Jeremy as brothers.

Imagine that.
Does that mean Jeremy looks older or Doug looks younger?

Two of Jeremy's best friends - clear from Jr. High days - helping out.
Here they are - the happy family.
They were so excited and happy about moving up to Rexburg so Jeremy could go to BYU-I.
Jo taking a break.

Like mother - like daughter!

Almost competed and they did fill the ENTIRE trailer - front to back, top to bottom.

Saying their good-byes the next day to leave.

Dani with Emma.

Jo had to show that she is taller than Dani now.

How long will that last?

The crew that's leaving - and the one's who came to say good-bye.

Kristi got home from school just as they were about to pull out.

Jeremy and Jo left on Wednesday, Apr. 1st.

Doug left on Friday to pull the trailer to Vegas.

Jo's parents took it from Vegas to Idaho.

We were all glad to help.

Not so happy to see them leave us though.

So - who will I miss the most?

Jeremy?

Jo?

or EmmaLee?

My Birthday Present

I got this for my birthday - one month ago.

Canon Powershot SX10 is

I LOVE it!

It's perfect for me.

I'm not a professional photographer

so I don't need a SLR

but I am

a proud mom who takes LOTS of pictures.

Thanks Doug for the new camera.

You are the best!

Postings

"I am so far behind I think I'm in first!"

That quote - and this one- describe my life

"God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things.

Right now I am so far behind that I will never die."

(quoted by Elder M. Russell Ballard)

I am so far behind in my picture posts.

I'm getting there though.

Still to come with pictures.....

Mikel's birthday celebration

Jeremy/Jo's move to Idaho

Matt/Jo's wedding

Jason's baseball

Kristi - NJHS

Misc. pics of Emma

Hmmm - maybe even more!

Be watching. I'm trying to at least move forward out of last place in the race!

Easter

Just a few pictures of Easter at our house.

Carson - barely awake - with his Easter basket.

He wasn't quite sure what to think about it.

All dressed up in the Easter best!
The Egg hunt (in our backyard)

Still looking for those eggs

The Egg hunting crew.

Jason didn't want to hunt eggs - just to have them share afterwards.

Mikel - counting Carson's eggs to see if he got more than his share.

(We count the eggs at our house and divide them equally. Don't want any of that "no fair - he got more than me!")

Carson enjoying the candy in his egg.

Sweet Dani

Dani is my sweet, social butterfly.

She did decide - however - to take a break from dance and piano these last few months.

Which is fine- we all need breaks once in a while.

That means she gets to spend a lot of time after school with me and Carson.

Here she is in her Easter dress after the egg hunt

She and I went out there one afternoon and had a lot of fun teaching her to fly a kite.
She got it way up high!

Jason's Spring Concert

Jason's choir had their spring concert in this really neat Methodist Church. (It was hard getting close enough to get a good picture). It was a really neat place to have a concert.

They sounded great! By the way - Jason made the honor choir for next year.

Way to go Jason!

At the end of the concert they have all former choir members who attend stand - hold hands - and sing. It was way cool. Here's Jo - one of the former choir members.

She has a beautiful voice!

Amazing Jakes

A month before Jeremy and Jo moved to Idaho, they took Doug, Carson and I to Amazing Jakes.

Kristi and Dani came to. I must say - it was amazing! The kids all loved it.

We started with the buffet. Salads, pizza, pasta, potatoes, desserts to choose from.

Emma and Carson enjoying their food!

The Merry-go-round
Emma and Carson loved this little car.

Dani and Kristi enjoyed the rides too.

Father - son battle

Jeremy tried to show Carson how to drive the semi-trucks.

Dance girls dance

Love those teacups!

This was Carson's most favorite game. He loved throwing the balls into the holes.

It was a lot of fun. The older kids - and Jeremy and Jo - also did the bumper cars. We never did to the bowling or miniature golf. And all of it is indoors. Amazing!

Thanks Jeremy and Jo for a fun night out.

New Blogs

I've started 2 new blogs! Yes - you read it right - 2 new blogs! Crazy aren't I!

I wanted to keep this blog for pictures and updates of my family.

My other 2 blogs - well.........

1st blog is of things I make/create. Could be crafts, food/recipes, just anything. It's called

Created by Mich. Original aren't I!

It is at: http://createdbymich.blogspot.com/

2nd blog is one of just my opinions and thoughts.

It is at: http://ponderingandwonderingthoughts.blogspot.com/

So, if you are interested in any of this stuff from me - check it out. I won't be offended it you don't want to.

For Those of You...........

That didn't get this invitation..

I apologize

But

We only had so many to send out.

The reception is

TOMORROW!

Aren't they a cute couple!

Welcome to the family Xyonane!

We are excited to have you in our family.

Don't you love this invitation?

My beautiful, talented daughter-in-law,

Jeremy's wife - Jo

took the pictures and designed it.

She's a great photographer.

If any of you need pictures - here in Arizona,

in Utah, or in Idaho-or anywhere else-

She's willing to travel.

(Besides - any time she comes back to AZ - I get to see her and my granddaughter! and Jeremy too sometimes.)

Check out her website and blog at:www.photographybyjo.com

Time for.............

KRISTI!!

Here are a few of the things Kristi has been doing.

This is February and March for her though.

At a band concert. She loves playing the flute.

Here she is with the author of the Fablehaven series - Brandon Mull.
She waited hours to get her books signed by him.

For any of you who don't know - Kristi is a veracious reader.

She's a fast reader - and very advanced for her age.

She loves to read series books. She's read all the big ones.

I just had her read "The Work and the Glory".

I think I'll have her read "The Fisherman" series next.

Science Projects.

I don't know about any of you other mom's out there - I really don't like science projects.

I like the part where they have to study hard to learn about one certain thing.

I HATE the doing of the project itself. I think it is because of the procrastination and it is me always staying up late and helping to finish the thing.

Actually - Kristi is the only one who has had science projects - and she is the world's biggest procrastinator when it comes to finishing it up.

She likes the research and studying part. Just puts it all off - like I said - procrastinator!
In fact - she put even coming up with an idea for the science fair until a week or so before.

Here she is with her board.

Up close and personal.



The next two pictures are of ones she had on her board.
She observed parking spots at a local grocery store.
First - without her little sign. She had to see how many people actually parked in the
handicapped parking spots without handicapped license plates or hanging ones in the front window. She had a certain number of cars she had to watch for without the sign - and then
a certain number of cars to watch park after putting up her sign.
Of course - it wasn't just her left at this parking lot. I was there too. Both days....
for hours......and hours.
Her sign said "These handicapped spaces are being observed for a school project."

She did have a few funny things she saw while watching - you'll have to ask her about is sometime.

Just a little sidenote about Kristi.
Easter Sunday she and another girl in our ward, Haley Thomas, played a piano duet.

I must say - it was amazing! They did such an awesome job. I wish I could have recorded it.

Good job Kristi! On all that you do. You are very talented and smart. You just need to learn to not procratinate so much.
(I won't tell you who she got that from!)

Wrestling Finale

February was the end of the wrestling season.

Both Kendall and Jason were on varsity.

It was nice to have to only go to one wrestling match and see both boys!

Jason struggled a little bit this year. He hurt his shoulder in football - had to do therapy - so wasn't able to start wrestling until January. Even so - he still beat out other guys in his weight class to be on varsity.

I think of all the sports - wrestling is the hardest for me to watch. It is so personally, physically demanding. You can see the intensity on the boys faces as they wrestle. The pain on their faces at times is hard on a mom.

Here's our little sports fan. He loves to go watch - well most of the time he does.

He is pretty good at paying attention to the sporting event, whatever it may be.

In his Westwood orange!

Kendall observing and waiting for his turn.
Jason on deck.

Jason getting encouragement from his team before he wrestles.

Jason again.

This is Kendall at state. He didn't do quite as well as he hoped this year as a Senior.

Blood time-out

oops - replay of last picture

State was at the big hockey arena in Glendale.

They had 10 matches going on at a time in the semi-finals. It was crazy trying to follow and see which mat your boy was going to be on.

We went to the finals that night. It was a little less crazy - only 6 mats.

Of course we had to take Carson!

And we were babysitting EmmaLee that night too.

Congratulations to Kendall and Jason for a job well done in wrestling.

They both worked so hard.

Kendall had a record of 30-9 going into state. That's was great!

Though he didn't place liked he hoped at state, he still had a great season, one to be proud of.

Jason did too. He beat out a senior to be on the varsity team - which is great to do as a sophomore. (Our high schools in Mesa are only 3 years. Freshman are in Jr. high)

I love you both. I am proud of your hard work and determination. Great job!