TIA'S ENGAGED!!!!

Is it really any surprise to you who have been following her blog this past year? Yes, it has finally happened... Ben popped the question!

They surprised us with the news last night and we are thrilled! Tia was floating around on a cloud (probably still is :) )

Ahhhhh.... love is so grand!

We will let you know when the date is (hopefully not Christmas weekend, hahahaha)

{ I'm serious Tia... not Christmas weekend}

Love to all the family!!!

No more injuries...

I know it's back to school time, because all of my kids are back to sports too!!!

Naomi is sporting a beauty of a bruise on her hip from playing volleyball. (We've since determined that she is most likely diving wrong) She broke some blood vessels and it looked... colorful!

Presten started in with football pads and had to ice some swollen and sore shoulders.

Austen was going for the goal, slipped and landed on a previously injured elbow.

Isn't Larson sweet? Tying big brother's shoes?

I am hoping that we'll get all the injuries taken off right off the bat and we'll be good for a while!!

Post script.... Since this was written Austen has jammed his thumb a real good one and sprained his Achilles Tendon. Oh joy... it continues!

First Day of School!!

I am really not happy that school is already starting. The summer just went by way too fast. I didn't play enough. It might be because of the fact that my kids aren't little anymore. They were working, working, and working, plus scout camps, swimming lessons, volleyball camps, football and basketball clinics, etc.

It's a good thing that we didn't try to schedule a real family vacation, because I seriously don't know when it would've been "squeezed" in.

Nevertheless....

First day of school is always such a bummer for me, but the kids are mostly excited to get back!

Cutie pies... I miss them!

Presten's new wheels

I know some mothers out there would freak out, but I am actually really excited for Presten to have his new wheels.

He has been waiting for a long time and has gone through a lot of garbage just to get to drive his motorcyle, but finally everything is all in place and he has a new sense of freedom and independence.... and I get my car back!!

She's leaving me.....

Tia hates to pack!!! I hate it too!! It just means that there will be one less person at my table, one less person to wait up for at night ("there's a double meaning in that:)", one less radiant, fun, laughing, child home.

She is so happy to be getting back to college and with friends, late nights, music classes, etc. etc. but I will miss her terribly.

Good thing she is only 1 hour away, and I can talk her into coming home pretty easily!!

For not liking to pack she sure has a lot of stuff!!

Panic to Beauty

Tia came running into the house shouting "Mom...., Mom..., Everybody...turn off the video, hurry up!"

My heart fell to my shoes, I instantly went into worry mode. Was she hurt??? Did she crash??? Did someone give her a ring???? (sorry, can't help myself)

Her excitement was over this amazing sunset in our very own backyard. I am so glad that she is a lover of beauty. She sees it everywhere and wants to share it with everyone.

We were talking about it later and Presten told us that during "heck week" for football, when they were practicing in the evening... Coach Pearson would halt practice and have all the players turn and look at the sunset while commenting that we have the best sunsets in our part of the country.

Being an Arizona girl I would almost disagree, but this particular one was out of this world!

Like Father... like son

Anyone who knows Rick, knows the many stories of head and mouth traumas that have occured in his lifetime. Our oldest son is following in his footsteps by having his own series of head and mouth traumas. Can you remember the post about Presten breaking his tooth at basketball practice? Well, Dr. Hatch miraculously repaired the tooth and all was well. Then....

Presten was celebrating one of the few times he wasn't working this summer and actually had time to hang out with friends. They were swimming and having a great time. Presten has recently learned to do a "gainer" and was demonstrating it when the board that he jumped off of came up and whacked him in the head mid flip. This caused a jar to the head (obviously) which slammed his mouth shut and broke off the tooth that Dr. Hatch had so marvelously replaced.

When I got the call from Presten, I told him to walk next door to Dr. Hatch's and ask if he could help. Once again it was after hours, once again Dr. Hatch had company and plans for the evening, once again Dr. Hatch's assistants were unavailable, and once again he came to our rescue.

There was no finding the broken tooth this time so that we could put it back on, so he "built" a new one for Presten. Boy, did he do a great job. Amazing! You can't even tell. He will have to get something more permanent in the future, but we are going to wait until football season is over!!

Before.....

After....

By the way... Presten had this huge gash in the top of his head... I wanted to go get stitches, but he said "No Way". I think the tooth trauma was enough for one evening! Besides boys like scars right?