She's out the door running!

Lexi was chomping at the bit to get out the door today for her first day of kindergarten. Aren't most little 5 year olds a little timid, a little scared, a little something? Not my little Lexi. She's ready and willing to face whatever comes her way.

At breakfast Sage was telling her that all the big boys sit in the back of the bus and Sage said they like to squish you if you sit next to them. Lexi in all seriousness said to Sage, "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it!" What does that mean? I know she's in Tae Kwon Do, but does she think she can take out the big boys? Man, she is so funny! Shane then proceeded to tell her that she can't punch kids at school. She argued a little and I think she began to understand the concept so I sure hope I don't get a call today from her teacher. :)

She waited to be the last one on the bus, so I got this great photo of her. She also didn't want me to come to the school to see her, but I ended up tagging along with my friend Camille to see our little ones before they went into school.

Lexi had to fill out a get to know you paper for her first day. Check out some of her answers:
Favorite food: Broccoli soup (so most 5 year olds like broccoli?)
Favorite color: Black (Really? Black?)
Favorite thing to do in spare time: Relax with my mom (No coaching by me on this one. She really is tenderhearted and my biggest snuggler)

So she's out the door running off to her first day of kindergarten. No looking back for Lexi!
Love you Lexi Lou!

2nd Annual Amazing Race

This last weekend we participated in our friends' 2nd annual Amazing Race and it was so incredibly AWESOME! I must first say that my friend Caran and I should receive the award for looking the most ridiculous(okay, maybe Brian Byrge out did us with his orang mohawk), but what the heck, we weren't going to win, so we were out to just have fun! We were paired with our friends Scott and Caran Leeds and we had such a great time.

We started the race in Daybreak and had to complete a really challenging mind puzzling game. rom there we were sent to the lake at Daybreak where we had to canoe in pairs to different docks around the lake and find sticks at the dock with our team color and numbered 1-4. The catch was the first pair out had to bring back sticks 1 and 2 and the 2nd pair out had to bring back 3 and 4. I don't think I've been canoeing since I was 13 at Girls Camp, so it was great! From there we headed to a pool and we had to jump off a 30 foot platform high dive. Talk about YIKES! I so wish I would've had my camera for that one. There's a real fear of heights out there and it was amazing to see people TERRIFIED, but yet force themselves off the ledge. It was Awesome!

The next clue took us to ride horses through these poles in less than 30 seconds and 2 members of our team had to rope the steer. Who knew that my husband knew how to rope? He nailed the first two he tried! He's a natural! I was on the horse and he kind of had a mind of his own...or maybe I just didn't know how to ride him...either way, it sure was fun.


We had to ride bikes along the Jordan Parkway, find garden gnomes (btw, what's with gnomes and the Amazing Race? They were apart of our Amazing race at our family reunion too?:), we had to go to a house and play Rock band. 2 people had to play on medium and 2 people played on easy. Then we ended the day out at Utah Lake. We had to ride a water weenie and stay on for a total of 60 seconds or ride wave runners and find things out in the lake and bring them back. AMAZING!!!!
This was a truly amazing race with so much preparation put in by those who put it together for us. We had such a great time! I love having such fun friends and creating these lasting memories with them. We did come in last, but hey, there's always next year!


Aren't we a couple of hotties? lol

Back to School

Summer has come and gone and wow...the kids started school this week. We are in the boundaries of a new school and so this year is full of changes for our kids. New school, new friends, buses, and school is now from 9-4 instead of 8:30-3:30. All in all, we can't complain!

Shelby has adjusted quite well. She has lots of friends from our neighborhood in her class, which has made the adjustment smooth for her. Sage on the other hand has had a little more anxiety about the changes. She was great the first day, but when the second day rolled around, the alligator tears began rolling. I felt so sad for her that morning as I had to watch her walk onto the bus while she quietly wiped those big fat tears off her cheek. And then I could just see her silhouette through the tinted bus windows as she continued to wipe those tears. Talk about a heart breaker as a mom! It appears that everyday is getting a little easier for her. Let hope so!

Lexi Lou starts Kindergarten on Thursday and that will have to a post in and all by itself! Although, she has already informed me that she will be riding the bus to school and back and that she doesn't need me. Is that true? She doesn't need me anymore? (sniff sniff) I guess I've come to expect that from little Lex. We'll see how brave she really is.

July 4th fun

I have promised the girls since last year that I would take them to participate in the Riverton Fun Run for the 4th of July. I was exhausted from being at TREK all week, but stuck to my promise and took Shelby and Sage and Libby because she was awake. I threw in the stroller and we were off. I should have known, but just after the first 200 feet Sage started complaining about her legs being tired. "We just started," I would say to her, trying to show compassion, and then tried to encourage her to keep running. Then I made her sit in the stroller for a second but Libby was getting mad and began screaming and kicking her. I'm sure we were quite the site! Sage ran for a little more and then we made it out to Redwood Road and I had her sit on the front of the jogging stroller and I started running and pushing the stroller. She for some reason decided to put her legs down and BOOM- Sage did a face plant right there on the road and since I was running, Libby and I ran right over the top of her. Are you kidding me? I couldn't help but laugh a little. Thank goodness she wasn't that hurt, just a little shook up. So being the competitor I am and realizing that we had ended up in last place at that point, I was determined to finish the race not in last place. I told Sage to pick up her feet and to start running. We were getting so close. Then of course, she got a bloody nose.(She gets them all the time) I luckily had one tissue in the stroller and I told her to park it in the stroller and we were going to finish, bloody nose or not! So off we went and we finished that stinkin' race with a bloody nose, scrapped knees and screaming 2 year old that just sat in the stroller the entire time. That's how we started the 4th! Good times, good memories! I was proud of Shelby for running her little heart out and for Sage for pushing to the end. We will prevail, right Sage?

We hadd breakfast over in Daybreak with Shane's family and then we were off to run some errands, clean up some more from TREK and do a little yard work. We saw "Ice Age"at the movie theater with the Besses and then came home to get ready for the fireworks. I love going to Riverton Park to watch the fireworks. It's so much fun to be there with family and friends.

Shelby and Grandpa just chillin'!

Sage and her friend Emma.

Me and my two buddies, Laney and Libby.

Again, good times, good memories!

TREK

Shane and I had one of the greatest opportunities this last week. We went on TREK with our stake as part of the food committee. I have always wanted to go, but when I was YW Pres a few years back they didn't allow the youth leaders to go and I was so bummed. So this year we were asked to help with the food so we jumped on board. Being a part of TREK was such an awesome experience for me. It was something I needed spiritually.

The picture above is of our 5th wheel loaded to the max with 40 coolers and bread and rolls and paper towels and everything else that we needed. We also had our 4 wheeler trailer there with boxes of potatoes and apples and cantaoupe and watermelon and whatever else you need to feed 300 people in 4 days.We cooked 3 meals a day. Some were for all 300 people and some were just for the support staff of 60. We were exhausted at the end of the day and slept out under the stars and we were woken every morning by cows mooing or the seagulls. It was beautiful! There were 4 couples in our committee and we had so much fun together. Good times!

We participated in the women's pull and I gained a new appreciation for the pioneer women and all that they endured with their journeys across the plains. I pulled and pulled with a family up this enormous hill and was completely spent when we got to the top. I walked to try to regain my strength and breath when I saw Shane walking toward me and I broke down. I began sobbing like a baby. It was such an emotional experience to push myself to such a point of exhaustion but to think about those women who did this with their little children along the way, without the support of their husbands and sons. My tears were for them and it was then that I knew for myself that I can and will endure anything that comes my way. Those pioneer women give me strength to endure! My struggles are simple but I will always remember this experience and will always draw strength from this experience and these pioneer women.
I'm thankful for the time we spent on TREK. I loved being with my husband and our friends and enjoying the outdoors together. If I get a chance again down the road, I will definitely go again!

Camping- rain or shine!

Have I ever said that I really love camping and being in the mountains with my family? I do and every time I'm with them in the mountains I remember why. I love the fact that it's just us. Us playing games, going on hikes together, riding four wheelers, fishing in the rain and creating memories that will last forever! I love my little family!

It rained Saturday most of the day. It didn't stop up most of the time, but we did spend some time in the trailer and that's when Shane busted out his automatic BB gun and taught the girls a thing or two about shooting. Pretty good shots, I must say!

The girls were determined to fish, rain or shine. So we did and would you believe that Lexi caught a fish. Shane and I thought for sure that it was a lost cause but decided to go with it since the girls were so determined. We learned our lesson!

We played a little whiffle ball and ate smores. I taught the girls how to roast starbursts and laughed and shared stories. I love the memories! Can't wait for the next trip in a couple weeks!

Wow, time flies when you're having fun!

Where do we begin...

Shelby...
Shelby is almost done with the 3rd grade. She's grown up so much the past little bit. What's happening? She did great in her piano recital and finished off another great soccer season. She's helping her dad design and finish the last room in the basement which will be her bedroom and she can't wait.

Sage...
Sage also played great in her piano recital and finished another awesome soccer season. Sage is graduating from the 1st grade and all of the girls will start at a new elementary school next year.
Sage was sick for about a week and was diagnosed with the swine flu. She had a high fever, headaches, stuffy nose, and felt nauseated off and on for a whole week, poor girl! Needless to say, she stayed home for a whole week, spent lots of time in her room and wore a mask around the house. She's so excited to be feeling better and to be back at school. So am I!

Lexi...
This little girl graduated from preschool, finished her first soccer season, and wants to do nothing but have fun. She also turned 5 which was a huge milestone for. She had a Scooby Doo party and loved every minute of all the attention.

Libby girl...
This girl is along for the ride! She's now 2 1/2. Should be potty trained, should be sleeping in her own bed all night long, should do what her mom asks her and shouldn't be throwing tantrums. But she is the 4 child and she is the product of our busy family. We sure love her!

We have a busy fun summer planned so hopefully I'll stay up on my blogging!

I finally had "that moment"...

I have known since Libby was born that she was our caboose and our family was complete. I've always felt good knowing that and never questioned my feelings about it. Even today I didn't. Although, I had a moment in Gap Kids today.
Let's just say I don't get out much, as far as shopping goes. It's just difficult to go to the mall or to the store with kids. I just assume send Shane or I go alone when Shane is home with the kids or we go together. It's much easier. Besides, I spend way less money when I do it that way! :)
But today I dropped my kids off at Mindy's house while I went out Easter dress shopping alone. I headed to Fashion Place mall where I had something on hold for the girls. I ventured into Gap just to look around. As I walked into the store, I was hit by a wave of girl clothes that are the cutest, most darling things you have ever seen. Of course I started looking through some sizes and then I realized as a ton of bricks hit me, that I was in the baby section and my baby would no longer fit into any of those baby clothes. I had to move up to the "toddler" and even "little girl" section. Then the faucets turned on and I began to cry. There I stood in Gap in the midst of the baby clothes crying. I kept saying to myself, "C'mon Lyns, get a hold of yourself!" What was happening to me? Was I baby hungry? No. PMS? No, that was 2 weeks ago. I came to the conclusion that I had finally had "that moment" that I've heard so many women talk about. Up to this point, I had yet to feel these emotions. I see my kids growing up every day, but for some reason, it hit home hard today. It was a sadness that came over me at the realization that my little babies were growing up and I was headed into a new phase of my life... No more babies. It's a phase that I've looked forward to, but also a phase that I'm sad to leave behind. I have loved having babies in our home. It's been such a great time in our lives!
So as I come to this realization, I cry for the mere sadness of not having these sweet little babies in my home that are my own, but I'm thankful that I have had 4 precious little baby girls to love and snuggle and even if they do get older, they'll always be my babies! (sniff, sniff...the tears just won't stop today...)