Today's the day!

Our cute little 8 year old is getting baptized. We are both excited and nervous for the day's events. Stay tuned to hear all about it!

8 Great Days: Day 8 Scriptures and a Hot Date!

For his last "8 Great Days" gift, Sugar brought over the scriptures. They are absolutely beautiful. I have to say I'm a little jealous. Brody was thrilled and immediately began looking through them using the new tabs. Brody looooves to ready and I hope this book will become one of his favorites.

On Friday night, Jeremy and I took Brody on a little "date" to Modern Steak to talk with him about his baptism and to answer any questions he may have. We loved being with just him and watching him get so excited about the cherries in his Shirley Temple. He is ready for his baptism day and excited for it to finally be here. We are proud of you Brody! Can't wait for tomorrow!

8 Great Days: Day 7 CTR

Tonight Brody received a towel to use at his baptism for after he gets out of the font. My Mom cut the CTR out of fabric and sewed it to the towel. I loooove the way it turned out and Brody was so excited when he opened it. The best part about this towel is that his buddy Jackson brought him a baptism towel over to our house right before he opened the one Sugar made him. Now he has 2 cute CTR towels to use. I hope he will always remember to Choose The Right!

Second Grade PJ Day

Last week Brody's second grade class earned enough classroom dollars to have pajama day. Brody was so excited as he walked to the bus in his pajamas. Thank goodness his friend Mason was there wearing his pajamas too.

Ledger thinks his new Spider Man pajamas are waaaaay cool.

He asked me to take this picture of him. How could I say no?

8 Great Days: Day 6

Tonight Brody received a journal for his "8 great days of baptism." I pulled out my first journal and read to him what I had written about my baptism day. He giggled as did I about the things I had chosen to write about. I explained to him the importance of keeping a record of the good and bad times in his life. I told him how I turn to my journal often to express my thought, both happy and sad. He was eager to write about today but it was late and he needed to get to bed. I hope tomorrow he will wake up and get some thoughts written down. I hope he grows to love writing in his journal like I do!

8 Great Days: Day 5

We never know which direction life will take us. If we follow the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ, we will be able to return to our Father In Heaven again. By choosing to be baptized, Brody is taking the first step necessary to return to our Father In Heaven.

Brody's Eight Year Check Up

Last week Brody went to his 8 year check up with Dr. James. Here is some,

"To Remember" info:

Height: 49 inches

Weight: 48 pounds

Hearing: Excellent!

Can you believe Dr. James was both Jeremy and my pediatrician? He knows all about us and our medical history which is nice. Keep growing big and strong Brody!

8 Great Days: Day 4

Tonight Brody received a hymn book as part of his "8 Great Days". We talked with him about the importance of music and how listening to good music will help him to feel the spirit. We discussed all the wonderful things we have been taught about the Savior through the primary songs he has learned over the years. I hope that as he grows older he will always remember the power of good music.

A Lesson From My 5 Year Old

The other night, we were sitting around the dinner table eating and talking about the days events. Brody was at Cub Scouts and I was complaining about the recent news of Brody not making it on the baseball team with the boys he has played with for the past 2 years. Case and Ledger were listening in as I complained about how I was unsure how I would be able to get 3 boys to practices and games along with the fact that Jeremy agreed to assist another coach which means he would always have to be at Brody's games. So I am ranting and raving more and more when my little 5 year old says to me, "Mom...Brody has been on this team for 2 years now. Maybe it would be good for him to be on a new team so he can meet new friends." He then goes on to say, "Think about it mom, it's not gonna hurt him to play baseball with a new group of boys." WOW!! Jeremy and I looked at each other from across our little table, he had been complaining too. Case was right and we both knew it! It is not gonna hurt Brody to play on a new team with new boys. It will be difficult for me as the mom to not be able to carpool with the other boys to practices and games. It will be difficult for Jeremy and I to work out the schedule with who will be doing what, but it will all be o.k. How often does this happen to us as parents? We think we are doing what is best for our kids when really we are hurting them or hindering them from moving forward. Case put it so clearly to me. Although comfortable and easy for ME, it is probably best for him to stretch himself socially AND athletically. After all, he's not trying to become a professional. He is there to learn and have fun. His new coach will be fantastic I'm sure and the new friends he meets will be ones he will know for years to come. I am so grateful for these daily lessons...even when they come from a 5 year old! Thanks Case for putting it all in perspective!

8 Great Days: Day 3

The Holy Ghost is like a warm blanket because he will comfort you when you need to make hard decisions in your life.

Because you would never believe it

My little lady looooooves having her hair done. Every morning before we leave the house, she grabs my hand, pulls me into my bathroom and pounds her hand down on my make-up bench. When I ask her if she wants me to make her hair pretty, she giggles and shakes her head up and down motioning, "YES!!" I put her up on my bench, wet her hair down and start round brushing it. After a little thermal active spray, she is good to go. Her little head of hair looks so pretty and full and she is giddy and happy. I loooove it and don't mind the 3 minutes it takes to do it. I've waited a long time for this!

8 Great Days: Day 2

Today, Brody got "The 3 bears" gift to help remind him about the baptismal covenants he is about to make. We gave him gummy BEARS to remind him that after he gets baptized, he will BEAR witness to His name (D&C 18:21-25). The Teddy Grahams were a reminder to BEAR one anothers burdens (Mosiah 18:8). The Polar BEAR Magic Treehouse book was a reminder to Always BEAR your testimony.

An exciting thing about being 3!

Last week Ledger was able to get his teeth cleaned from our family dentist Cory Giles. He was so so excited to have the assistant clean and floss his teeth. He was mostly excited that he was going to get to spit into the suction tube like he has seen his big brothers do year after year! Poor guy couldn't stop gagging when they tried to get x-rays, but for the most part he was pretty cooperative.

Excited but secretly a little nervous.

Trying to get X-Rays.

Wow Ledger!! Those sure are some white teeth!

Now go get a prize from the treasure chest!

8 Great Days: Day 1

In 8 quick days, Brody will be getting baptized. Jeremy and I wanted to do something special for him so we decided on doing an "8 Great Days" countdown. Today was Day 1 and we gave him a Baptism Memory Book. He will be able to start recording his thoughts, feeling and testimony in this book. Our hope is that he will always remember this special day and the covenants he will be making.

Happy Valentine's Day!

For Valentine's Day this year, we celebrated at home with dinner and Smore's. I set the table all fancy with candles and heart plates. We had sparkling cider and enjoyed toasting to all the things we love! It was the perfect way to celebrate the day. Hope your Valentine's Day was full of love and happiness.

Our fancy Valentine's Day dinner included salad, mashed potatoes, asparagus and filets.

The boys love making smores. Brody is the only one who enjoys eating them.

Blue and Gold

One of the most exciting things about turning 8 is that you get to start going to Cub Scouts. Brody has actually been attending since the beginning of January so he could get to know the other boys and get started on the Bobcat award. His Den Leaders are the Masons and they are just wonderful. They really want the boys to do their best and have fun. Well last week Brody was able to attend his first Blue and Gold Banquet. The theme was Mexico which was perfect since my job as the Assistant Cub Master was to help with the food. Jeremy let me use some "Mattas Money" and I was able to feed all the boys and their families tacos, beans, rice, chips and salsa. Leslie Smith is such a great Cub Master. She had arranged for a mariachi band to play while we were eating which set the tone for the whole night. With homemade fried ice cream for dessert, the night was perfect. I love my church calling for so many reasons. First, I think Primary is the best place to serve. I love teaching every third week and helping the children learn the gospel in a way that is fun yet meaningful. Since I am the second counselor, I get to help with Cub Scouts which is a whole new adventure. I love that I will have 3 boys go through Cub Scouts and that I will know a little about how it all works. I hope that I get to stay in my callings a for a long while (especially since I now have my badges sewn on my scout shirt.)

The mariachi band was a huge hit. It set the tone for the whole night.

Mattas taco bar...does it get any better?

When a boy in our ward earns his Bobcat award, the parents get to come up and paint his face as the Cub Master tells a story about what each color and symbol means.

Then the boy gets to paint the mom and dad to show that we are all in this together. Oh did Brody think that was fun!

Our little bobcat! (He even has the Bobcat teeth!)

We love our 8 year old cub scout!

After the awards ceremony, we let the cub scouts break open a pinata.

Boys+bats+hitting+candy=FUN!!

Yes, I know you are all jealous of my scout shirt, but secretly...I Love It!! Thanks for coming tonight Sugar!

A Little Bit Clueless

Brody and Case are both playing basketball right now and I have to say, they are both a little clueless about the sport. I do realize that this is their first time playing, but I feel a little guilty that I haven't been able to teach them the game a little more. The good news is that they both loooove playing. Case mostly loves the new Target basketball shorts we got him. He struts back and forth across the court like he is the MAN! Poor Brody is on a team of boys that has been playing for a few seasons now, so to say that he is a little behind would be an understatement! Hopefully by time it's over he will have learned a thing or two and want to play again next season!

You da Man Case!

Kim and Katlyn came to watch Case play his game. Sugar, Miss B. Ledger, and I were there too!

Brody taking the ball out.

Pass it Brody!!

It's Great To Be 8!

Especially when you get breakfast in bed a week after your birthday.

The Imperial Flagship

Brody just finished the Lego he got for his birthday. It took him 1 week to complete, but the way he worked on this one was far different then I've seen him work on the others. He really seemed to enjoy this one. He casually worked on it each day but wasn't "obsessed" with it like he has been with the others. It was nice to watch him really have fun putting this one together. The Imperial Flagship has 1664 pieces and is loaded with lots of detail. This may be my personal favorite!

Brody's 8th Birthday at the Cabin!

Still can't believe Brody is 8. For his big birthday he wanted to invite some friends to the cabin for a weekend of fun in the snow. Sounded great to both Jeremy and I! My Mom ended up taking my kiddos and Brody's friend Mason Thursday after school so I could help Jeremy with his open house. Jeremy and I got up Friday morning and headed up to meet the gang. Jackson and his family came up Friday night along with Nanny, Papa, Kunkle, Nicole, Presley and Cave. We were a full house but ready for a weekend of fun. On Friday we played in the snow and built a snowman. Thank goodness Brody didn't want the Mesa, AZ snow party cause there was not enough snow for even a trailer! There was enough for a great looking snowman however.!

Since Brody picked the menu for his weekend long birthday celebration, I wanted to share what we ate while at the cabin. Friday night: Mexican Food. Homemade green chili, bean burros, tacos, tostadas, rice and salsa. Delicious choice Brody! Saturday morning we woke up and made a huge breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, and toast. Yummy! Saturday was the day we celebrated Brody's birthday so our day was jammed packed with fun and games. First off: SLEDDING! Since there wasn't much snow, we headed over to the golf course and found the perfect sledding hill. It was tons of fun. Of course no sledding adventure would be complete without hot chocolate and lunch when we got home. On the menu: Mexican food leftovers.

Mason, Brody and Jackson dragging their sleds up the hill after a fun ride down!

Jeremy and Miss B. sledding in the cold.

Jackson, Jefferson and Brody racing down the icy hill.

Mason kept catching air on one of the snow jumps.

Brody was loving the jump too.

Presley, Aunt Nicole and Cave taking a break from sledding

Jackson is just hilarious at everything he does!

Almost to the top Case!

After lunch we loaded up the Rangers, broke up into teams and went on a treasure hunt. Can I just say, "AWESOME!!" Each team had a list of things they had to get their picture next to. Some examples were: Find someone wearing a purple hat. Take a picture next to the tallest snowman you can find. Find someone shoveling their driveway. Sounds easy right? Not so fast. Pinetop in the winter is crazy slow and quiet. Not many people choose to vacation in the snow when they can enjoy the beautiful winter weather here in the valley. Needless to say we were knocking on doors to find anyone who could help us with our treasure hunt items. It was HILARIOUS!! Of course our team won the treasure hunt (H's team cheated as expected) so the boys got Silly String as their prize (as did the cheating team!) Silly String is waaaaay fun in the snow!!

Mason, Brody and Jackson all loaded up ready to win the treasure hunt!

On the treasure hunt, each team had to take a picture of their team on the highest snow mound they could find. Good job team! Libby, Kunkle, Jordan, Presley, Case and Jefferson.

Brody, Mason and Jackson next to "The Tallest Snowman" they could find.

How lucky were we to find this random man working in his garage as we drove past. How fantastic that he had a snow shovel standing right next to him since one of the treasure hunt pictures had to be next to someone shoveling snow! Below is Kunkle, Libby, Presley, Jordan, Case and Jefferson next to a tree with snow. (Too bad they had to place the snow on the tree before taking the picture.)

After dinner Saturday night (on the menu: Flank Steak, funeral potatoes, salad, garlic bread and broccoli) we had a scavenger hunt in the dark all around the cabin. The kids put on the flashlight goggles and away they went collecting prizes at each stop. By time they were finished, they had collected the best party favors on the planet. At the end of the scavenger hunt, each kid got a dart gun. Dart guns are the BOMB at Sugar's cabin! After the scavenge hunt, Brody opened a few gifts from his friends, family and Jeremy and I. He had been wanting an RC car since his friend Mason got one for Christmas, so that is what we got him. The kids all headed outside to test the car out. Man that thing can fly!! We sang "Happy Birthday" to our 8 year old and enjoyed ice cream cake, root beer floats and ice cream sundaes. It was the perfect day!

Getting ready for the scavenger hunt through the cabin.

Are we trying to scare the kids Kunkle?

Collecting the final prize, dart guns, by "the place we get warm."

Jordan and Ledger looking at all the prizes they collected during the scavenger hunt.

Darts were flying all over the cabin after the scavenger hunt. The little boys thought it was fun to go upstairs and shoot down at the Dad's. The Dad's had just as much fun shooting up at the boys!

Jeremy and Case taking a break from the gun fight!

Ledger, Sugar and Cave dodging bullets .

Nice shot Jackson!

Watch out kids!

8 crisp one dollar bills from G-Pa.

Opening another Lego from Sugar. This time it was a pirate ship.

Thanks for the fun gift Mason! Below: Singing, "Happy Birthday" to the 8 year old!

Sunday morning we woke up and made french toast and orange Julius. The Dad's took the boys sledding again. Brody ended up wiping out on his sled and got a HUGE ice burn on his cheek. Poor guy! Lunch was super yummy. Hamburgers, hot dogs, beans and homemade french fries hit the spot. Of course no cabin trip would be complete without Smores for dessert. After an afternoon of playing, we headed out back for a game of "Find the colored ice cubes." This game is soooo much fun in the snow! We actually ended up playing it twice because the boys (Brody) kept wanting to find the ice cubes. It was a super fun way to end the weekend birthday party. I have to say, this was the best way to celebrate Brody's 8th birthday. All weekend long he kept saying, 'THIS IS THE BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!" It made me so happy.

Gooey Smores are the best on a snowy cold day!

Mason, Jackson and Brody making Smores.

Presley and Kunkle eating Smores.

Good Smore making Jefferson.

Brody counting his colored ice cubes.

The boys getting ready for round 2 of finding ice cubes in the snow.

Jeremy and I ended up leaving late Sunday night to come home because I had a laproscopic surgery first thing Monday morning. My Mom kept my kiddos (and Mason) and brought them home Monday night. I can't believe she did that, but it really helped me out. I am so happy Brody chose to spend his 8th birthday at the cabin. I know he had a great time and we did too. I love this boy so much and really can't believe he is 8 already. I am so lucky to be his mama! Love ya Brody Man! Happy Birthday!