Ryan's date

Corsage as modeled by Courtney

A little bit blurry!

Ryan and Lisa

Ryan's Dance date and flowers

boutinerre I made, she brought him one too.

Ryan and Lisa

Ryan and Lisa

Look out holidays here we come!

Well I am glad October is over and now into the hectic season of Thanksgiving and Christmas and Craig's and my dad's and the girl's birthday's and Christmas break and everything that comes with it - shopping, decorating, baking, traveling (that will be the nice part!) cleaning and entertaining, etc., etc, etc.!!! I do love this time of year and everything that comes with it - Christmas letters and treats from friends and family, wonderful homemade gifts and the look of snow and Christmas lights.

Ryan was asked to the Fall Co-ed by a girl named Lisa from his school, it;s just slightly FREAKING me out!!! I want to go with him and make sure everything is perfect - that he behaves (doesn't burp and do anything embarrassing for her), that she behaves (she's a senior!!!), but I know I can't do that (and it's killing me!) so I just have to trust him and all the advice that I can shove into him in the next couple of days!!!

Craig got SOOO much accomplished on Saturday I can hardly believe it!!! He got all of the rain gutters up in the back, (he did the front last week), the garden tilled with manure and started a compost pile with leaves and compost starter and got all of the new windows in!!! Of course then it has rained like crazy all day!!!

I SOOO need to start Christmas - but I don't know when that is going to happen - Craig's surprise party is STRESSING me out! I am working everyday and have no time to even sit down, let alone cook or bake! But I'm sure everything will get done or at least the most important things anyway!

I Love Fall!

Well it's been a while since I blogged and a lot has happened!!!

Ryan's soccer team went to state and took 4th place! He is starting wrestling open mat this week - YEAH! He is going with some friends to a haunted house for Halloween.

Courtney and her Beehive class went Halloween caroling tonight and took cookies to some people, last week they painted pumpkins.

Joslyn and Chad each had two parts to say in the Primary Program this last Sunday and Joslyn sang in a quartet also. They enjoyed the school Fall Carnival with games and prizes, we won a box of scrapbooking scissors and a pass to the skating rink.

Chad is loving Red Ribbon Week at school - Patriotic Colors - Monday, Crazy Hat Day - Tuesday, and today was the Candy Sale!!! He jumped out of bed this morning when I told him.

Craig is going non-stop working and then coming home and putting in new windows. He has 3 trips to Boise scheduled next week!

I am working and trying to keep up on the housework and LAUNDRY (with the World Series now over, more of it might get done!)

We met the rest of Craig's family and helped to clean up his dad's yard and garden on the 25th, we had stopped and done the same for his mother earlier in the day.

We are enjoying the nice fall weather - cold in the mornings and evenings and just beautiful during the day!

Here Comes the Holidays

Well we have already had our first snowfall, and it was a doozy! It's all melted now but they had to cancel the district soccer game and pretty much anything else you wanted to do this last Saturday! I sat in bed and watched TV all day under the quilts!

Soccer was rescheduled for Monday (yesterday) and Ryan's team WON! Now onto Jerome Thursday and then State next week! Ryan is taking the PSAT tomorrow.

Courtney is dying to learn sign language, she already signs to me at church but it's usually too fast and I don't always get it - especially the g's, h's, p's and q's! She babysits a little boy whose parents' are teaching him, so she knows "cookie" and she knows a lot from her special needs cousin Stephanie. I am going to have to get her into a class!

Joslyn is learning all about Idaho history and counting money at school. The counting money is TOUGH! Her piano teacher says she's doing great and getting lots better at reading the music!

Chad is still just Chad! We are in the process of digging out his room - the last child always has the most toys - they inherit them! His teacher says he's good at listening and talking!

OCTOBER

Well it is finally fall here, I shouldn't say that though, it was fall/winter until June this year! I am dreading turning on the heat, so we are just going to have to bundle up in the mornings & nights.
Craig got a LOT of work done in the backyard and it is looking better every day!

Work is going along smoothly, working in the bakery department "pinching buns" all day!

Ryan's soccer team won home field rights for the district tournament this Thursday - yeah, we don't have to travel! He played goalie against Blackfoot and didn't get scored on at all! He got his 6 week report card and he has A's in his AP classes, a high B in his honors Trig class and a C in pottery! I ask you, what is wrong with this picture?!?!

Courtney is working on her choir performances coming up and her English class on setting another record for everyone turning in all of their assignments - they made it to 25 (the old record was 10!) and then 1 kid didn't turn in his book report, so they have had to start over again! The teacher has a treat system for them - they got root beer floats for 25 days.

Joslyn is excited for Activity Days this Saturday, they are planning games and songs for the Primary kids on Sunday!

Chad finally wore through the knees on his jeans I bought him for school - 6 weeks is a record for him! So we went and got new ones today.

October is FLYING by, but we are ready for Halloween - Courtney decorated - and almost ready for snow!!!

Brand New Year

Well we just returned from another End-of-Year and it was quite relaxing and fun! We went to downtown Boise, their downtown is awesome - lots of things to visit - restaurants, cafes, stores, farmer's market on Saturday, theaters, etc. We had a recruiting and retention military ball and some fun raffle prizes - we won a basket of things from Sportsman's Warehouse. My friend Amy and I went and saw Mamma Mia - GREAT show, bought a new dress at the mall, ate and ate!, had a good time with my husband and relaxed! Craig's dad, Ralph stayed with the little people for us - he's a GREAT sport!

Now back to work and real life!

Ryan as goalie

Chad McKay's 7th Birthday!

Chad with his Spider-Man bubble bath

Reaching in the bag for more goodies!

His Marvel comics super heros poster

blowing out the candles!

Chad's 7!

Chad with his Spider-Man toothbrush, he's been wanting this ever since Ryan got one for his birthday!

Chad with his new cap guns - YEAH!

Indiana Jones Lego set

He loves LEGOS!

First Day of School - August 21st, 2008

Chad - 1st Day of 1st Grade

Courtney - 1st Day of 8th Grade

Joslyn - 1st Day of 4th Grade

Chad with his Spider-Man lunchbox, he insisted on a metal lunch box, I don't even ask why any more!

Ryan didn't get his picture taken, but he started 11th grade, maybe that's why!

New Baby

Craig and I are once again a GREAT aunt and uncle! Our nephew Nathan and his girlfriend, Cheyenne had little Eden Jade Ockerman tonight in Kennewick, Washington. She was born at 5:53 p.m. and weighed in at 7 pounds and 12 ounces and was 20 inches long! She's beautiful!

New Job

Well I finally went back to work, well at least the paying kind of work, and it has been an adjustment! I need to better manage my responsibilities, but it's getting better. My new job is with the school food service, I usually work from 8:30 or 9:00 to about 2:30 to 3:00, then come home and do all the things that need to be done here! I've learned to shift my laundry, dishes and cleaning to afternoon/evening instead of morning, but Craig has really pitched in! He is great about getting as much done in the morning before we all have to leave. I think the effort will finally pay off when that first paycheck comes in!

September Days

Well we have a crazy couple of weeks with school, soccer and work! I think we fianlly got all of Ryan's schedule changes done and he's back to the original!!! He's is on the varsity soccer team, but they have so many seniors this year, he has decided to play JV, as a forward and part-time goalie. He's liking school so far and doing well in some tough classes. Courtney is now in choir and will start cross-country sometime soon. She and Joslyn started piano today, so now we have to find practice time. Joslyn is liking her teacher and doing carpool with her friend, Amara. Chad likes to play football at recess and trading sandwiches with Zhigy! I started work on Tuesday and am slowly catching on to work again. It's hard work but am glad for the hours - 9 - 3 for training. Craig and Ryan helped his brother, Kevin put up a fence this last Saturday and we just relaxed the rest of the weekend. The weather has turned off cold here - high 50's to the low 70's, we're suppossed to be back up to the mid 80's by the weekend, but it has been a nice change and made us start thinking about fall and all of the fun associated with that. Courtney wants to put up the Hallowen decorations (it's her FAVORITE holiday), and drink warm apple cider and carve pumpkins.

School Days

Well it is that time of year again - early mornings, homework, practice and early bedtimes!!! Let me update you on everyone - Ryan is going to be a junior!!! He goes to Century High School and is on the soccer team, he will wrestle later this fall. He is in National Honor Society and had a 3.8 GPA this last year. He is taking 3 advanced classes - history, english and math. He couldn't get the French 2 class he wanted so he is taking pottery - a nice break from some tough homework I think. He is in his 3rd year of seminary and really likes the teacher - Bro. Ferrar.

He is 16 now and a priest.

Courtney is going into the 8th grade at Irving Junior High School. She is 13 1/2 years old. She is going to run cross country again this year and maybe track in the spring. She has 1 advanced class - literature, which she really likes! She is hoping to earn straight A's again this year.

She will be starting piano lessons again soon also.

Joslyn is starting the 4th grade at Tendoy Elementary School. Her teacher is Mr. Hyde, she is really excited because he's lots of fun. She is 9 1/2 now. She will also be taking piano again.

Chad McKay will be in the 1st grade! His teacher is Mrs. Lewis and his friends are going to be in his class - Zhigy and Jericho. He is looking forward to doing art projects and eating lunch in the cafeteria. Chad will be 7 on the 5th of September.

S'mores by Sunlight

We made our very own solar oven and "cooked" s'mores!
It was only 85 degrees here today so the chocolate melted but the marshmallows wouldn't soften enough, so the kids put them in the microwave!

Grandma's Camp 2008

Courtney's ( you don't think she likes Edward do you?!?!)

Joslyn's - Horses Rule!

You can't read the signs but they say Grandma Camp 2008

their mug shots

Chad's

Ryan's

Ryan's

Chad's

The kids working on their pillowcases

Ryan

Courtney's pillowcase with one of her favorite sayings

Joslyn's pillowcase

Grandma Camp 2008

This year we are doing long-distance Grandma Camp, Mom sent us the pillowcases and doorhangers to decorate and we all did them at the same time - us in Idaho and Mom in St. George with Kim kids - Kierra, Cordell and Noa and Aaron's boys - Bryan and Jacob.
Joslyn and Chad making their pillowcases.

Chad wrote his name in every color.

Joslyn wrote her entire first name (As if someone else is going to use it!)

Courtney

Breaking Dawn

I just finished the Breaking Dawn book and I LOVE it!!! Courtney did get to read it first, we went to the midnight party (I am way to old to be out at 12 midnight - 1 am any more!!!) and then the next day (or was it the same day!) she went to spend a few days with her friend, Samantha, in Dayton. So I let her take the book and Monday evening I started reading and finished this morning about 5 am. It's the perfect sequel to the other 3 books and makes you laugh a lot and cry sometimes. Loved, Loved, Loved it!