The Ravens

 

Josh played flag football this year. We registered him in the spring and he was looking forward to it all summer. He absolutely LOVES to play. He was so hard working and did anything his coaches asked. In the league here the flag rules require each player to play half the game on offense and half on defense. Josh started out on the O-Line on offense and the d-line on Defense. Half way through the season his coaches decided to let him try to play Quarterback. They moved him to the position and after only 2 practices he played the next game. I was nervous for him, even though he wasn't nervous at all. The hardest thing for them at this age is snapping the ball and they did pretty well with it. Josh went in at QB in the second half. This was game number 5 and although the games had for the most part been close, we had yet to get a win under our belts. Josh took his first snap, handed it off and it went for a touch down! Steve and I were cheering and then had a good laugh. Next time the offense hit the field he handed off for another touch down. I don't remember how many snaps he ended up taking, but they scored 4 or 5 touch downs and won the game. It was fun to watch him play and have so much fun. His team barely made it to the playoffs with a record of 3 wins, 5 losses. They won their first playoff game and then lost in the semi-finals last week. It was a fun season with some good coaches and a great little team. Next year he will start tackle......

 

 

Grandma and Grandpa and Nana and Granddad came to see him play!

 

We had some really wet and very cold weather one weekend and these two were troopers in their 'shelter'

Love this picture! 

Love this one too!

In the huddle with Coach Rogers. 

Josh also picked up a great new hobby.  He draws up his very own football plays.  He saw Steve and Tyler going over plays one week and decided he wanted to do the same.  He got a binder full of paper and I often find him working on his plays.  He names the plays, draws the routes, names the routes and even breaks them down for us.  It is priceless!  He is awesome.  My favorite route he has come up with so far is called the 'Wiggle' Route. 

Halloween

I have to be honest - I don't love Halloween.  I don't like having the candy in my house, I don't like finding costumes and I don't love carving pumpkins (its messy).  I DO love how excited my kids get though, so it makes it all worth it.  I also LOVE the excitement and fun they have trick-or-treating.  This year I had the pleasure of carving both of our pumpkins, we left it too long and Steve was not able to help.  Here is what I came up with......

The Bat

Perry the Playtapus

 

As for the kids this year - they dressed up as.....

 

CAPTAIN AMERICA



 

 

IRON MAN

 

 

BYU CHEERLEADER

 

 

 

CRAZY DODGEBALL PLAYER

 

 

They had so much fun collecting candy and in my opinion they were the cutest crew out there.  Last year our street was very empty because so many homes had not been built yet.  This year it was jam packed with houses and kids and it was great.  The best thing is that with the nice fall weather many of the neighbors just set up their lawn chairs and sit in their driveways to pass out candy.  LOVE IT!

 

 

A few Fall Happenings!

 

Fall has been busy....really busy.  Here are a few of the random happenings of our Fall....

 Josh used to fall asleep in the hall at least a couple nights a week.  Noah had never done that.  He is a night owl and Steve and I always hear him creeping out of bed to get toys and books.  When we go in to check on him before we head to bed, he is usually laying on all kinds of things.  This night he didn't make it back to bed after playing in the hall. 

 

 

 

Things happen, always the unexpected and usually if Steve happens to be gone for work somewhere overnight. It had been a long day, I had been taxi, chef and mom.  I was ready for the kids and me to all be in bed.  Everyone was bathed, we had just finished family prayer.  The kids and I were upstairs chatting and Noah had started to head for bed.  He was dragging his blanket (sauce) along with him.  I'm not sure exactly what happend, but he somehow tripped and spun and did a header into the cedar chest.  He immediately started crying and I jumped up and grabbed him.  I am one of those moms who can't look first.  I swept him into my arms gave him some love and then pulled him back to look at him.  I knew at the very least he would have a HUGE bump on his noggin.  Tyler had already headed down to get some ice.  At first glance all seemed ok, but when I took a better look, right below his eyebrow was split open.  Brooklynn got a cloth to stop the bleeding and someone grabbed the phone.  I would have to take him for stitches and I neede to bring Ty with me just incase it started to bleed again in the car.  I am so thankful for great neighbors and friends who came to the rescue and stayed with Brook and Josh while we headed off to urgent care.

 

Once we got to urgent care the Doctor recommended we head over to the ER at the Children's Hospital - he clearly was not comfortable dealing with stitches or glue around the eye.  Off we went again.  The childrens was fairly quick, we were in the waiting room only 10 minutes.  They opted to glue my baby back together.  They put some numbing gel on the wound first and then cleaned it and glued it with little problem and no pain!  Noah was a trooper. Ty was great to come with me and be my helper, but boy was he ready for bed by the time it was all over!  

The next day, you can see how swollen his eye was.

After most of the glue came off, it looks even better now.

 

 

MY HERO'S

 

 

The kids elementary school has a monthly award they give out each month.  It is called the Hero award.  Each month they focus on something different and then awards are given to one student in each class. 

 

In September the focus was Responsibility!  It was no surprise to me that Brooklynn was given the award for her class.  She is so responsible and an excellent student, she loves school and even better she loves to do well and get good grades (yes she does take after me Heather Woo).  She was very excited about the award and I went to the assembly where she was recognized. 

 

 

In October the focus was on Sharing and Cooperation.  It was slightly surprising to me that Josh was selected from his class.  He was thrilled to be picked and so I went over to see him recognized.  I wasn't sure what kind of student he would be, but he seems to really try to do his best and is enjoying school this year.  After the first few weeks of school he told me he wanted to go back to Kindergarden and when I asked him why he told me it was easier.  'First Grade is alot of work mom!" Haha, I love him so much and I'm so proud of his hard work.  His cute teacher adores him (who wouldn't) and he is really starting to get reading and math!

 

 

 

 



Tyler's Big 12 Birthday!

It has been over a month and I am finally blogging about my most wonderful 1st Born's Birthday!  I cannot believe he is 12 and how we are on the downhill slide of him living in my house......

His Birthday was what seemed like one celebration after another.  It started on his actual birthday.  We had cake and ice cream and presents, even though Steve was out of town for work.  I made a most delicious Chocolate Coke Cake - it was really good. 

This was first thing in the morning.  I had to get a picture of him all grown up.

OH Yes, this was a delicious cake!

 

The Celebration continued on Thursday and Friday when Nana and Granddad and Grandma and Grandpa arrived.  The only damper put on the weekend was when Ty realized that he accidently threw his wallet away - the wallet that had ALL the money he had been earning for months so he could buy himself an Ipod touch.  It was traumatic and Nana, Grandma and I spent hours looking through every corner of the house but to no avail!  It was important lesson for Tyler and in the end he got his Ipod and is learning about borrowing money and paying it back!


Saturday started with Tyler and Josh's Football games.  The timing of the games was not the best, but the Grandparents were able to go to the first half of Josh's game and the second half of Ty's.  It was so fun to have them come and watch the boys play.  It is a rare occurance for the boys since we live so far away, but it is such a treat when they can come!

Saturday continued to be fun as Nana, Granddad, Grandma, Grandpa, Steve and I all took Tyler to a Rangers game.  It was Tyler's, Grandma's and Grandpa's first Major League Game.  Sadly I didn't get very many pictures and the Rangers Lost, but we had a wonderful dinner at Kenny's burgers and we had a good time at the game! 

 

 

 

The weekend ended on Sunday at church when Tyler was given the Priesthood and ordained as a Deacon.  We were so glad that his Grandparents were there for such a special occasion.  I'm so proud of the wonderful Young Man Tyler is!  (and he's super handsome too)

 

Ty with Grandma and Grandpa Empey

Ty with Nana and Granddad Miller

The family looking good.

All, I can say is what is wrong with me???? And Brook and Josh and Noah - haha.
 I just had to put this picture in.



I have to say I feel so so lucky and blessed to have Tyler.  He is so amazing and smart and such a good kid.  I always tease him about whether or not he will turn into a punk teenager and he assures me that he won't (here's to hoping).  I am grateful for all the help he gives Steve and I around the house.  I'm pretty sure his birthday was fun for him and although my heart ache's a little that he is getting older and I always want to freeze time, I love to see him grow up and become more responsible. I love this boy beyond what I can put into words!  

First Day of School!

Yay for the first day of school.  The kids were most excited and I was more than ready for the structure school provides us! I'm always shocked at how quickly time is passing and how grown up my sweet children are getting.  Josh and Brookie were both pleased with the teachers they got this year and Tyler liked all of his teachers at middle school too. 

It was fun to get Ty all set up for middle school.  I was most anxious about him moving on, but the transition has been good for him and he has been on top of all his school work so far.  Learning how to get into his locker was a bit of a trick and he and I even had it get jammed when we took all his supplies over to put in his locker - Ty had to go in search of someone with a master key to get it unlocked for us!  Overall the school year looks like it will be a good one!

6th Grade

4th Grade

1st Grade

Noah had to get in on a picture too!

A little Mom/Sista Time.....

My mom and my sisters decided to come down and visit in the middle of August.  Marilee and Julie had not been to visit me in the great state and we determined that it was the perfect time! (aka. Right before school and fall sports started for the kids.)  Initially they were coming to help me paint the little boys room, but I determined that would not be so fun.  Instead we spent the time hanging out, shopping, eating and just having fun.  We also headed down to a fancy Four Seasons Resort for a couple of nights so that I could have a vacation too!  It was a wonderful weekend and I am very lucky to have such wonderful sister's and mom!

My Big 3 Boy.......

Tomorrow is a very important day.......It is Noah's 3rd Birthday!  Where does the time go?? I cannot tell you the sadness it gives me to see my baby grow up so, so fast. He is the perfect caboose for our family. He is sweet, sassy, funny, and keeps us on our toes all the time. He has each one of us wrapped around his fingers and really takes advantage of it! He particularly adores his Big Sister and she takes amazing care of him. I really am blessed to have him as one of my kiddos.  I will never forget the sweet baby he was and the adorable toddler with his curls and now the talkative sweet boy he's grown into.  I decided for his birthday post I would put a few picture from each year of his life.  LOVE YOU BIG BABY (he would say, 'I not a baby, I'n a big boy').  And he is a big boy.....

Happy Birthday Noah!  We love you! 

 

1st Birthday

2nd Birthday

 

This morning as we were getting ready to get the kids off to school, we sat down to read scriptures and he said, 'Are we going to read The Book of Norman?'  Boy I love this little man, he melts my heart!