10 Year Old Birthday Girl!

Last week Emma turned 10!

I always think of her as older than she really is. Seems like she should have been 10 a long time ago. But 10 she is, and I am fine with that. She's growing up too fast as it is.

Here are a few things about Emma at age 10.

Q: What's the best thing about turning 10?

A: That I'm in the double digits!

Q: What is your favorite book you read this year?

A: Sheep

Q: Name your best friend/s.

A: Kaitlyn, Melia, Annalisa

Q:What is your favorite hobby?

A: Reading

Q: Favorite Food?

A: Pizza Hut Cheese Pizza

Q: Favorite Treat?

A: Anything Minty...Jr. Mints, Oreo mints, York peppermint patty's, Party mints, any yummy yummy mints

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A: I want to run a daycare or be a really smart Professor.

Q: What do you think is your best quality?

A: That I always keep trying. I don't give up.

Q: Favorite TV show?

A: The Suite Life

Q: Favorite Movie?

A: 101 Dalmatians

Q: Who is someone you look up to and respect? And Why?

A: All my past teachers, because they have all taught me one or more good lessons in life. And most of them were funny.

Poor Emma had to endure her birthday photo shoot in the midst of a snow storm. It was clear when we left home, but it didn't last long and it didn't let up much. Emma is a trooper. She is fun to take photos of. And I think she is just LOVELY!

Happy Birthday Sweet, Emma!

TWO Cute!

Aftyn turned 2!

Today is actually Emma's birthday but since I haven't yet posted about Aftyn and Zachary's birthday, which was last Thursday I thought I better get caught up.

Let's just get right to the cute baby girl birthday photos...

I can't get enough of her cuteness.

Aftyn, singing a song to the neighborhood.

Aftyn is our little resident sweetheart. She gets us all twitter patted. She can be ornery and she does have some wicked sharp fingernails that she used to her advantage often, but mostly she is just a great little lover girl. She gives the best hugs and kisses. She has become Ken and my nighttime snuggler since she learned to climb out of her crib a few weeks ago. She is hard to resist. She is working hard at talking but it's coming along slowly. She doesn't say a whole lot, but she keeps us laughing all the time with the funny/cute things she learns each day. I'm a little sad that our baby is two. I guess I'll have to let her grow up, but man, she has been one sweet, precious, little angel baby.

Speaking of angel baby...

we have TWO of those... Aftyn & Zachary.

For Zach's birthday we released two balloons up to Heaven. I made a little banner that said " Happy 2nd Birthday, Zachary", but it was too heavy so it will go in his memory box. On Saturday we delivered baby blankets to the hospital where the twins were born. This year we did both girl and boy blankets. By next year my goal is to deliver handmade blankets rather than store bought. Either way it is a tradition that each of us looks forward to.

Happy Birthday Aftyn & Zachary, we love you both so much!



Once Upon A Time...

Once upon a time we lived in a very small apartment. While standing in the center of that very small apartment I could see every ounce of living space we owned, correction...rented.

That was not too many years ago, but much less children ago.

Back then...there was no place to hide.

At a single glance I knew where my children were at any given time.

With the arrival of more children came the need for more space. We soon graduated into a duplex with TWO levels. We were moving up in the world. Keeping track of children became slightly more difficult but still doable. No problem. In that home I only lost Todd once or twice and he didn't get far. If you knew Todd back then you would understand that that was very commendable, indeed.

With the increase of even more children came the need for our present home which contains THREE levels. Now I'm not complaining, but for a split second yesterday I yearned for that very tiny apartment we lived in once upon a time.

Why?

Because kids can get lost in this house!

It's hard to know where 8 kids are all the time.

Let me give you an example...

Say...you get a call from the school secretary one day and she wants to know if you are at the school, a little baffled you reply, "No, why"?

Then she proceeds to tell you that your 4 year old whom you thought was quietly down stairs watching TV is in fact actually sitting at the school office waiting for his mother (who wasn't there) to come out of a classroom so he could tattle that his sister hurt him.

Seriously? How did that happen? I didn't take him there and forget to bring him home.
HE WALKED THERE BY HIMSELF!

What was he thinking?

The school is probably 1/2 a mile away. He had to cross a very busy street to get there.
My heart nearly plummeted to the floor. Not cool. Not cool at all!

I had left to go to the school to pickup Todd about an hour before I got the phone call from the school. After picking up Todd I ran an errand and headed home. When I got home I thought everyone was home and doing good. The silence should have been an indication that Daric wasn't home but I was busy thinking about birthday stuff and just glad that I could finish a few things up uninterrupted. In the meantime, before I got home my little tank set out to find his mommy.
Sigh...
I guess I better start roaming each floor more often taking a head count, always remembering that "silence is golden" only applies when kids are out of the house...for now "silence means trouble" is a more appropriate statement.
SO THANKFUL MY LITTLE GUY IS OKAY!

Birthday Boy turns TWELVE! 12!

Tyler recently turned 12!

Twelve is big news...

Twelve means we now have two Priesthood holders in the home.

Twelve means Young Men's activities and Boy Scouts.

Twelve means only one more year till Tyler's a TEENAGER.

Twelve is BIG!

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

Since Tyler's birthday starts a whole new year of birthdays I thought I would start a new tradition this year and include a birthday survey just for fun. Here it is...

Q: What's the best thing about turning 12?

A: Getting the Priesthood and getting to pass the sacrament.

Q: What is your favorite book you read this year?

A: Titanic:Voices From the Disaster

Q: Name your best friend/s.

A: Wyatt Lane, Karl Reynolds, and Ferron Prete

Q: What is your favorite hobby?

A: Coin collecting

Q: Favorite Food?

A: Pizza pockets, Top Ramon 

Q: Favorite Treat?

A: Double Stuffed Oreo's

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A: A U.S. Marine and a 4th grade teacher.

Q: What do you think is your best quality?

A: I'm a hardworker.

Q: Favorite TV show?

A: Phineas and Ferb

Q: Favorite Movie?

A: Tooth Fairy 2

Q: Who is someone you look up to and respect? And why?

A: Chris Hartley (Deacon's Quorum Adviser)...because he can be serious, funny and adventurous.

This is one proud father.

And one proud Momma.

And finally, pictures from Tyler's birthday photo shoot.

Isn't he just a good lookin' kid?

I sure think so!

Happy Birthday, Ty Guy!

Love you so much.

Roberts 2012...Year in Review

Here's a quick glance at the events of our lives (the ones that made it to the calendar, anyway) of 2012!

 

January

* Ty turns 11!

* Aftyn takes her first steps.

* We celebrate Aftyn and Zachary's birthday -Aftyn's with cake and ice-cream. Zachary's by donating baby blankets to the hospital.

* Ken was released from YM's and called to seve with 11 year old scouts (with Tyler, yay!)

 

February

* Emma turns 9!

*Ken travels to Oregon on business.

* I turn 37!

* Kaylie goes to the district science fair, once again.

 

March

* Sydney sings her heart out at her school choir concert.

* That's all. Apparently, this was a slow month!

 

April

* Ken spends a week in Texas

* Spring semester ends at UVU for Ken and I

*KEN GRADUATES!!!, from UVU with his bachelors in Business.

 

May

* I start summer semester at UVU - I get a new camera for my photography class. It's been a good friend ever since!

* School gets out for the kiddlets - lots of end of the year activities - most notable, Kaylie graduated from 6th grade and gave a speech at her graduation.

* We send balloons up to heaven for our angel baby, Zachary.

 

June

* Ken's Grandma Gurr dies - We travel to Elko, Nevada for the funeral.

* The flu bug hits...before, after, and DURING the funeral.

* Todd starts summer school to help improve his mad reading skills.

* McKenna turns 5!

* Kaylie gets braces.

 

July

* Sydney and Kaylie spend a week at girls camp.

* We spend 5 glorious days together as a family at Bear Lake.

* Ken takes Sydney and Kaylie on a business trip to Denver.

 

August

*Sydney turns 14!

*Attended a family picnic. Visited with a childhood friend.

* Tyler and Dad go on a scout campout.

* Attended another family picnic and visited with cousins that I've missed so much!

* School starts for kids...grades 9th, 7th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, and kindergarten.

 

September

* Dad turns 39!

* Ken takes another business trip to Oregon

* Ken and I celebrated our 15th Anniversary (while he was in Oregon, not cool!)

* More camping for Dad and Ty

 

October

*Todd turns 8!

* Kay shares her violin talent at her orchestra concert.

* Ty plays flag football

* Sydney and Kaylie play volleyball

 

November

* Todd gets baptised.

* Kaylie turns 13!

* Daric turns 4!

* Ken and I spend day in Las Vegas

* Enjoyed a dinner date with Craig and Julianna.

 

December
*Ken bought himself a new toy...a Toyota 4 Runner

* Attended Ken's work party

* Attended "A Christmas Story" party with good friends.

* Had a fabulous Christmas day and later evening with Tami and Darren.

*Spent New Year's with games, cards, food, fun, and our good friends, the Throckmorton's.

 

Our year was also full of weekly date nights, thanks to Tami. Lots of babysitting for the girls. Dog sitting for Tyler. Lots of books read, and school work done. Many home repair projects. Good times and bad times and plenty in between times. All the stuff that makes life real and wonderful.

 

We have much to thank our Heavenly Father for, most of which is the gospel of Jesus Christ, our family, and friends!

 

Hope you all have a BEAUTIFUL 2013!  



Snow is Falling all Around...and LOTS of it too!

Last night I went out and shoveled the walkway and driveway, boy was that a waste of time. By morning is was all covered again as if I'd never touched it.

 

 

I think this may be the year to invest in a couple more good snow shovels, or maybe a snow blower, or even better maybe a four wheeler. After the tiny bit of snow we got last year I think this year will make up for it.

 

The kids love to play in it. Kaylie was even out so long today that she got herself a sunburn.

 

 

I didn't measure but I think we got about 10 to 12 inches.

 

 

Kaylie, Emma and the neighbor boy spent the day building a snow cave.

It may be months before I see my front yard again, but it's fun and keeps them busy.

 

Tomorrow feels like a sledding kind of day. Yay!



The 12 Days of Christmas - Nativity Style

 

Years ago when the kids were all young we received a fun Christmas gift.

Every night during the 12 days before Christmas we would receive a knock on the door, then we would find a single piece of a nativity set.

On the first night we received the stable and this note...

 

Then each night following we received a new piece to add to our stable, along with a special note to go with each new piece.

 

 

 By Christmas Eve we received the last piece to the set; the baby Jesus.

It was a really fun treat for our little ones, something that they could look forward to each night.

 

This year when I asked the kids what ideas they had for us giving to others this season, Sydney suggested that we do our own 12 days of Christmas-nativity. We selected a family in our ward with 6 young children. They reminded me very much of our little family 7 or 8 years ago when we first received the nativity.

 

We scoured Utah County looking for another 12 piece nativity set. We did find one hideously painted one at Walmart buy opted instead to give away the one we received those many years ago.

Sydney spear-headed this service project. She recreated the letters and notes, and for the 12 days before Christmas each night the kids would go door bell ditch our nativity scene one piece at a time.

It was fun and memorable for all of us.

 

 

Now I must go on a hunt for a new 12 piece nativity because we can't wait to do it again next year.

I already have a family picked out! Yeah, fun for us!