Holiday craze!

I tried getting some pictures of the kids for the Holiday cards. WE got a little crazy! What do ya do?

Manner Candles

Jim and I decided to start manner candles for the kids. The idea comes from the Walker side. The basic concept is each child has their own candle stick. At each dinner meal we light the candle, they are to chew with their mouths closed, have no elbows on the table, say their please's and thank you's and talk in an appropriate manner. If they make it through dinner without having bad manners their candle stay lit. If they have a slip up their candle is blown out. But when they are done with their dinner, they asked to be excused and blow out their candle. We told them who ever has the smallest candles in two weeks wins an awesome prize. We will see how it works out.

BreeAnn's Shower

Aunt Anita, Beth, Lindsey, Nikki, Aunt Judy, Jen, Liann and Drew.

BreeAnn getting a little sum then sum then.......

Opening presents and fill out advise cards.

BreeAnn and Savannah hangin out.

Karcie and her lovely girls, Andee, BreeAnn and Cathy.

I can't believe its has come and gone already. Denise and I planned BreeAnn's shower and it turned out great. The food was good and the company even better. We missed those who couldn't be with us. On to the wedding. :-)

2nd row vs. 7th row!

I got two tickets to go to the Jazz vs. Bulls Basketball game. Jim had too much homework so I took Rylan. He was in heaven. The tickets were waiting in will call, so I had no idea what great seats we were getting until I picked them up. The lady handed me the envelope and I looked inside and glanced at the tickets. I looked up at Rylan all wide eyed. "Mom what's wrong?" Rylan said. I said nothing how would you like to sit on the 7th row behind the hoop? Rylan was so excited we started laughing and talking about how awesome it was going to be. Plus we received two tickets to the halftime munchies’ lounge. Basically you get popcorn, nachos, desserts and all the soda pop you can handle. We stopped by the concession stand and bought Rylan and Jazz baseball hat. He proudly put it on his head and we headed down to our seats. I have never sat so close. I could hear the player's talking smack, grunting and I could see the beads of sweat on their foreheads. Holy cow what a fun experience for Rylan and I. The folks who invited me had seat on the 7th row and on the 2nd row. After halftime Rylan took a turn sitting on the 2nd row. He loved it. But he said after the game that he could see better on the 7th row. Thanks Bobbi, Teresa and Chris for taking us to the game.

Dylan's Killer Season!

I have posted a little bit already about Dylan's awesome season. He made the D team. At the beginning of the season the boys were all a little (lets just say out of control). But the coaches were really positive and upbeat. I honestly beleive this is what made the team work as a TEAM! Dylan far exceeded my expectations. He really dug his heels in and learned every thing he could. The coaches were amazed with how quickly he picked up the plays and how well he tackled. I loved seeing how much he focused. This not only helped him in football but his grades are up. WAHOO! The season ended with 7 wins and 2 loses. Dylan's team was the only Copperhills team to make it to the playoffs. (this includes the Highschool) **let's hope that the football program gets better by the time the boys are old enough to play in highschool** Dylan's team took 3rd place in the 5A district. What an awesome season. YAY DYLAN!

Rylan's Football Adventure

Football season is finally over. Wow what an adventure. I have to admit I am secretly glad it's all over. For the first year the boys did so awesome. Rylan made the A team. This is supposed to be the best of that age group. In Rylan's case the best of the 10 yr olds. I am so proud of him because all of the other boys on the team have played football for 2 years going on their third. He had a lot of ground to cover in a short time. He definately held his own. The team ended the season with 3 wins 6 loses. At the award cermony dinner the coaches had each of the boys stand in front of everyone as they said a few words. The coaches recongized that Rylan made the A-team his first year and said how awesome that was and how well he did. YAY! RYLAN!!

Halloween!!

Here are the kids ready for trick 0r treating. The boys went out with their friends this year. Savannah and I went out and got loads of treats. Yummy! Savannah won a prize at the ward Halloween party. I think it was her personality that won not the costume. We had lots of fun.

Rylan at the school Halloween parade. We had to paint his face since the school won't let them wear masks. Obviously, some kids didn't listen to the no mask rule.....

Here is Dylan. He got mad that his helmet wouldn't stay on his head, so he took it off.

Savannah with her friend Lindy. They are so cute at this age.

Grizzlies POWER!!

I couldn't wait....DYLAN"S TEAM WON!! WAHOO! The stress relieved for now. Here is a recap of what happened. We were in a three way tie for third place, us, Brighton and Riverton. Basically each team had a chance to play offense and defense on the 20 yard line. If both teams scored a touchdown and the extra point (we don't do field goals we run a play for the extra point) than we continue until someone doesn't get a touchdown or goes through 4 downs without scoring. The winner of the first game watches the other two teams battle it out and the winner from the second game played the winner of the first game. So first up Riverton and us. We blew through their defense scoring up the middle for a touchdown on the 1st play. Riverton didn't know what hit them. So they were on offense, us defense and they did 4 off sides and got pushed back 20 yards. We then sacked the QB twice. It was awesome we won. Then Riverton and Brighton battled it out. Brighton came out on top. So it was between us and Brighton, since Riverton lost both games. Brighton definitely brought their A game. We started on defense on the 4th down Brighton scored a TD. But we stopped their extra point. Our turn on offense and on the 3rd down we scored our TD. Dylan helped knock some guys out of the way so the other running back could score. We made an all team push forward for the extra point. We win!!!
It was a long night we had to wait our turn. We had three groups in front of us and it took forever. But the wait was well worth it. Dylan played awesome! He played a running back which he normally doesn’t play. He plays QB and Tight End. I was so fun to see these boys win. They worked their little hearts out. GO GRIZZLIES! Next on our defeat list ALTA!! Game on.

I am so StReSSeD!!

I never thought that I would stress about this dumb football stuff. Dylan's team has made it to the play off's. Kind of. I am stressing.....I can't sleep. I know that I can't do anything about it.

We are fighting for third place. KILLER! I have never experienced this before and I am worried on how Dylan is going to handle the pressure. I am trying with all of my might not to show him that I am stressed. But I am encouraging him to do his very best. Cross your fingers, toes, and hair what ever you can. GO DYLAN!!

Cheerleader Savannah

During all of the craziness of the boy’s practice and football games, I signed Savannah up for a cheerleading camp. Our neighbor Haylee, is a cheerleader at the high school, and invited Savannah to do the camp as a fundraiser for the cheer program. The first day was really rough, but we met some great people. Carlie and Heather. This made all the difference in the world. The girls learned a couple of cheers and a dance routine. Savannah was thrilled when the cheerleaders told them they were dancing/ cheering to "Kiss the girl" (one of Savannah's favorite songs). The camp lasted three days. They practiced for two days and preformed at the high school football game during half time. The stands were filled that night with parents, highschoolers and kids. I forgot how crazy it gets at the games, a lot of shoving and pushing to get where you needed to be. UGH! But the girls did such a great job on their performance. I managed to get it taped, but since my camera is broken I didn't get any pictures. Alas, Heather took some pictures for me and emailed them to me. Thanks so much Heather!!

Gillis Girls

Carlie

Why women should vote!!

A friend at work sent this to me. We shouldn't take it for granted that we have the power to vote in this day and age. I wanted to share this with every woman out there to get out there and vote.

WHY WOMEN SHOULD VOTE
This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.
Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.
The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.
(Lucy Burns) And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic'.
They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.
(Dora Lewis) They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.
Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.
(Alice Paul) When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/suffrage/nwp/prisoners.pdf So, refresh my memory. Some women won't vote this year because--why, xactly? We have carpool duties? We have to get to work? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?
Last week, I went to a sparsely attended screening of HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels'. It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that I could pull the curtain at the polling booth and have my say. I am ashamed to say I needed the reminder.
All these years later, voter registration is still my passion. But the actual act of voting had become less personal for me, more rote. Frankly, voting often felt more like an obligation than a privilege. Sometimes it was inconvenient.
My friend Wendy, who is my age and studied women's history, saw the HBO movie, too. When she stopped by my desk to talk about it, she looked angry. She was--with herself. 'One thought kept coming back to me as I watched that movie,' she said. 'What would those women think of the way I use, or don't use, my right to vote? All of us take it for granted now, not just younger women, but those of us who did seek to learn.' The right to vote, she said, had become valuable to her 'all over again.'
HBO released the movie on video and DVD . I wish all history, social studies and government teachers would include the movie in their curriculum I want it shown on Bunco night, too, and anywhere else women gather. I realize this isn't our usual idea of socializing, but we are not voting in the numbers that we should be, and I think a little shock therapy is in order.
It is jarring to watch Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she could be permanently institutionalized. And it is inspiring to watch the doctor refuse. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. The doctor admonished the men: 'Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity.'
Please, if you are so inclined, pass this on to all the women you know. We need to get out and vote and use this right that was fought so hard for by these very courageous women. Whether you vote democratic, republican or independent party, remember to vote.
History is being made.

Tagged

Okay so my sis-in-law tagged me awhile ago. I finally have had time to get to it. Here it goes.


Seven things that I love.

1. I love M&M's. I love almost all of the little morsels except for the almond M&M's. My nickname for them is "My happy pills".

2. I love to laugh. Sometimes life gets to serious and daunting. I love those little moments that you can just have a good laugh.

3. I love going to movies.

4. I love the smell of clean babies.

5. I love to dance. I love to watch anything about dancing or watching my nieces dance.

6. I love my friends. They are so much fun and they help me through difficult times.

7. I love going on vacations. Come to think of it I need one right know. :-)

Seven things I hate.

1. I hate not being able to sleep in late on Saturday's.

2. I hate to go grocery shopping.

3. I hate filing paperwork.

4. I hate when I have to repeat myself more than three times.

5. I hate mushrooms.

6. I hate eggs. Let me clarify, I like eggs when it's incorporated with a recipes like cookies. :-) But to eat a scrambled eggs. YUCK!!

7. I hate liars.

That took me a long time. Phew I made it through. I tag anyone who wants to try this out. Good luck.

I feel old!

Over the past several years I have had my niece's and nephew graduate from High School. I always pictured myself being much older than I am for these events. Needless to say there is another event to make me feel my age. DA DA DAAA!!!

Looks who's engaged!!!! click here

Although this does show my age just a little, I am so excited about the news! Congrats you guys.

Update

I haven't updated for a while. I have been crazy busy. Plus my trusty camera broke. (So sad)Here are a few of the highlights/lowlights of what's been going on with The Walker's.

* Football season has begun. The boys have been doing so well. Since I am not the greatest with the positions on the field here goes nothing... Rylan plays tight end, safety, corner, and x receiver. Dylan plays quarter back, running back and tight end. (I didn't ask the boys either)

* I was released from Primary. I have been in for five years. But I love Primary!! My new calling is with the Young Women's as a Mia Maid advisor. Cross your fingers and wish me luck.

* I have had Mono since July 24th. It's awful. I have never been so sick in my life. I was really sick for the first two weeks of August started feeling kind of better and have had two colds since. Doctor says I will probably get everything that comes around this winter. UGGG!

* Jim and I are another year older. BOO!

That is all I can think of right now. More to come.

Bombs Away!

Today Dylan participated in the 4th grade egg drop. He decided to make a parachute for his egg. We attached the parachute to a small box and crumpled new paper around the egg to help cushion it. The whole 4th grade was challenged to make up ways to prevent the egg from breaking. The contraptions were lifted to the roof of the school and released to see if the egg would survive the fall. Dylan's egg made a successful landing. The parachute open only partially opened but it was enough to break most of the fall allowing the box to land gently. Way to go Dylan!!



Waiting his turn.



His parachute making it's final approach.



Dylan holding his award for no broken egg!

Miss V.I.P.

This week Savannah was chosen as the V.I.P. in her Kindergarten class. This is such a fun thing for all of the kids to be spotlighted, and for the others to learn more about their classmates. On Monday I brought in this poster of her and spoke about all of the fun things about Savannah. I even brought in Gunner for the kids to pet. Here are some of the things I told her class.

Savannah is the only sister in our family. She is the youngest. Her favorite food is peanuts. Her favorite color is PINK but she does change it sometimes when you ask her. Her nickname is Banana. This is because her younger cousins can't say her name. She is really fun to be with, and she is a great friend. She got her name partly because her Mom loved to watch "Savannah Smiles" as a kid (a great Disney classic). Her favorite movie is Cinderella. Her favorite songs are: Kiss the girl by Colbie Caillat. and Mr. Roboto by Styx. (When I said this she busting out singing Mr. Roboto along with her robot dance moves.) It was hilarious. All week long she wore at school a special V.I.P badge the teacher made for her and she got to be the line leader and teacher helper all week. At the end of the week she received a cool award and she met the Principal Mrs. Easton who gave Savannah a stuffed animal.

Lego Mania

Dylan has found some extra time to build this Lego "The Destroyer" machine. Which blows me away because he is so busy with school, homework and football practice. He is my most imaginative child. He loves to build things with Lego’s. He has a couple of friends that talked him into entering an online Lego contest. This is what he came up with. Apparently, the theme is battle ship/machine for Mission Mars. I think he did an awesome job.

How CUTE!!!

YAY! The newest member of the Walker Family, Shawn! Isn't he so cute.? My nephew decided to come into this world early, but we couldn't be happier. There were some scary moments during his delivery but Mom and Shawn are doing wonderful.

Bragging Moment!

Many of you that know me well know my nieces compete in pageants. Well I am so excited for my niece Dani. She won the "Miss America's Outstanding Teen in Idaho" I am so proud of her, yet so nervous and excited for her national competition going on now in Orlando. This is supposed to be televised but I haven't heard when it will happen. Anyhow I am sending out "Good Luck" vibes to her and her family. No matter who wins the national title, I am so proud of Dani for going for it.

Savannah's 1st day of School!

Savannah started school on Aug. 5th. She is in Kindergarten, her teacher is Mrs. Chandler. She is such a cute teacher. I hope Savannah behaves in her class. She is so excited to go with her big brothers to school.

Standing in line waiting for school to start. Of course wearing her signature color PINK!

Sitting at her table.

1st Day of School

The madness begins! The boys started school today. Rylan started 5th grade with Mrs. Ketcher. Dylan started 4th grade with Ms. Ryan-Davis. They did so great this morning, right back into routine mode. This was a huge help to me since I am really sick. I had a doctor’s appointment right after we drop the boys off to school. (Thought it was strep.... but not so lucky it's a virus, so no meds to help. :-( )
Savannah has an appointment with her kindergarten teacher tomorrow. She is excited to meet her teacher, I am so excited that she got the teacher I wanted her to have. I am really excited to see how she tests tomorrow. She officially starts Aug. 5th.

I hope that I survive this year. Between football practice every night, homework and working full-time, I hope I don't kill over. Plus Savannah will probably start dance lessons. I think I might be crazy.

Kids being kids...

Last night the boys picked up their pads and practice uniforms for football. Of course the first thing they do is try them on. They look so little. They are anxious to get started. Savannah was feeling left out so she decided to put her crown she made at her party on Gunner and the new one she made at the library on her. Of course I snapped a picture. Kids are funny.

And so it begins.....

It's official; the boys are going to play football. They are so excited they can't stand it. They can hardly wait to see which position they will be placed in. Needless to say I on the other hand am a little apprehensive. I am your average Mom that worries about injuries. I told the boys as long as they run and run fast I will be okay. I am sure that there will be plenty of more posts in the future.

4th of July

We were lucky to have Brynlee spend the night and join us for the annual 4th of July parade. I have been going and riding in this parade since I was a little girl. It's fun to pass the tradition on to my kids. This year the boys decorated their bikes and rode in the parade. They did such a good job on their bikes. We also saw some of my classmates from high school. It was fun to catch up with them and to see their kids. We then enjoyed a yummy lunch at my mom's house. Later that evening we had all of the friends and their kids over and did our spectacular firework display. Equipped with illegal fireworks. Sorry no picture. I can't have documentation. Luckily we didn't get caught. We had a great time eating, talking and having a water fight. Thanks to everyone for an awesome day.

Happy Birthday Savannah!

Today Savannah turned 5. I can’t believe my baby is 5. I was so excited to have a girly party. My oh my was it ever girly. This morning I told her "Happy Birthday" you are officially five. She said no i'm not. I don't turn five until I get the "Happy Birthday" song and I blow out my candles. Who can argue with that? She invited all of her friends from church and her cousin. We asked the girls to wear a princess dress. They did such a great job, they all looked beautiful. And Sam looked handsome as always. We decorated crowns and played “kiss the frog” a spin off of pin the tail on the donkey. Savannah helped me make the cupcakes and decorate for her party. She had such a great time. Thanks beautiful princesses and handsome prince for a fabulous party.

Savannah favorite cereal "Barbie".

Chadda Mantana!!

Calling everyone to vote for Chad!!! He is trying to win tickets for his girls. Please send this to everyone you know! Here is the link to vote. http://www.971zht.com/!!!

GO CHADDA!!

Uncle Nick this is for you.

Uncle Nick and Aunt Angela gave the boys these Air Force hats for their birthdays. Uncle Nick joined the Air Force about 8 months ago. The boys think that it is so cool. The hats comes in handy when the boys play airforce pilots. Thanks Nick and Angela for the awesome hats.

Hole in my head

It never seizes to amaze me how klutzy Savannah is. I could swear that she has had more wounds then the boys combine. Tonight is no surprise. For some reason she still gets so involved with playing that she forgets to get to give herself enough time to get to the restroom. You can always tell. She starts dance and tapping her feet really fast and talking to herself. Well this time she made it in time to take care of you know what but in the process she fell against the corner of the counter top. This punctured a hole in her head. She started crying and I went in to see what the problem was and I found blood dripping all over the place. She was really upset. I have to strip her down and put her in the shower. I finally got her cleaned up and settled down.

We got her jammies on and she wanted her Hello Kitty ice pack. She made herself a camp out bed on the floor so she could watch TV. She was so proud of herself that she figured out that she could prop up the pillow and lay on her ice pack. What a character.

OUCH!!