Well it's been awhile again. Life, what can I say. Since spring break we have kept busy. Rusty's parents came to see us over Easter and that was fun to have them here. We went to the zoo with them and the park. Mostly we just hung around the house and played Uno and apples to apples. I've spent a lot of time at the school volunteering and I am even the secretary for the PTO board for next year. We found out we have to move in July. The owners of the house are coming back a year early. So it will be 10 months we've lived here when we have to move again. That is wrong, I hate moving. We are trying are best to stay in the boundaries of the school and church just so the kids won't have to do that all over again and since we aren't buying a house yet, just don't see the point of it. Brinkley had her last day of preschool last week and it has helped her so much this past year especially with her speech. She had some great teachers. The kids' last day is on Friday. Ashlynn broke her 3 toes at school. A desk fell on her foot. She was sitting there coloring a boy next to her, his chair fell out from him and he knocked over his desk on the way down. She was pretty miserable for about a week and now we are telling her she needs to stop and slow down and not put any pressure on her toes. She has to wear a walking boot for another 3 weeks then we have to have it re-x-rayed and the dr will tell us if she's better or needs another 2 weeks. The same day I got the call about Ashlynn I got one earlier for Brinkley because she had an earache. It was not a good day. Cade finished up a competitive basketball league here in the springs last weekend. He has been playing basketball since November. He gets to go to a week of basketball camp in June. He's getting better and better at it. Taylor and Ashlynn had a piano recital this past weekend and they both did such a great job. Taylor has a quite the natural talent for it and Ashlynn just enjoys playing. (most of the time) Rusty and I get to go the St. Louis Cardinals game on Friday. I'm excited to go on a date and do something other than going to dinner. It's his first MLB game. He got 3 row seats behind the cardinals bench. Well hopefully it won't take me 2 months before I update again.

The kids started spring break this week and well we've been busy. It started off Monday morning me getting to shampoo the carpet because as Cade was trying to take out 2 loads of trash at once he spilled the box that had salsa in it. Oh yeah it was my fault because I didn't tell him it was in there, not his fault for pouting and throwing a fit and trying to do it all at once. We went to the park that day for 2 hours, just played and played. Tuesday we went to the park and then to a friends house to watch MegaMind. Wednesday we went skating and then came home for ice cream with whip cream and sprinkles. Thursday was Ashlynn's birthday and my mom and sister Tessa came down. We played Apples to Apples and Guesstures. Rusty came home at lunch and we let Ashlynn open presents and had cake. Today we went to the zoo, it was so much fun. We got to pet the giraffes and the lions had just been fed so we watched them eat their giant bones they were given. The kids got to pet a snake and turtle. The girls painted shirts for the orangatang monkeys, we had lunch and came home. Not sure what we are going to do next week, that's right they have 2 weeks of spring break. Before break we threw Ashlynn a surprise birthday party with 2 of her friends, she thought it was the best day ever. We colored their hair and let them put make-up on and then they made a band and rocked out to some Miley. Life is good. Cade finished up winter basketball and now he's playing on a competitive team down here, we'll see how that goes. He could play basketball everyday. Take care everyone!

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Today we went sledding. The kids had another snow day and I wanted to do something besides be inside all day. We found a wonderful park with a great hill and started having some fun. Ashlynn of course tried it first since everyone else was a little scared, Cade saw what fun she had so he gave it a go and loved it. Taylor took her time and rolled down the hill several times, finally after about 15 minutes she finally tried and didn't love it, but kept on going again and again. After about 30 minutes I finally convinced Cade and Taylor to get in the car so we could go home. It was probably a negative in temperature, but it was fun. I even went down, can't even remember the last time I did that. We had fun and it made me wonder why everyday can't be fun, why it has to be clean your room, do the dishes, feed the dogs, oh well I guess that's life. I did get out of Ashlynn "this is the best day of my life." Cade is praying they get another snow day so we can go again tomorrow. It was a great day!

Below is the only way I could figure out how to upload some video, I'll probably post more videos this way and photos, but watch the rope around Cade's feet it gets caught on the way down the hill

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Taylor also got an award from her teacher. She has struggled with school this year and this award helped boost her spirits. She also got a 100% on her social studies final, she was the only one in her class. I was so happy because we studied for 3 nights. This is the first year she's had to work hard and study for good grades, but she's getting it.

Ashlynn got the principal award for her class. It was a special day. She has been trying to wear this dress of Taylor's for a year now, I let her for this special day. Along with the award she got a coupons for free homework pass, to eat in the office with a friend, a school bag, and a pin to put on her shirt.

Let's see, I know stuff has happened but sadly can't remember much of what that could be. January is over and on to another month. Can't think of any ha, ha, funny mom moments my kids have given me lately. The kids are all doing good. Taylor is getting better and better at basketball, she is enjoying it and plays hard. She tries to block shots and even had 2 last week, amazing since she is the shortest person out there. She and Cade will try and steal from each other out on the driveway. Cade is doing good too, I think it's his sport. Rusty is teaching him to dribble with his left and shoot with his left so that he is more versatile and not always going to his right. He was asked to play on a 3 on 3 team with his coach and some other boys. Was going to sign Ashlynn up for soccer since I think she has a knack for it, but they play boys and girls on the same team until 3rd grade, don't know why, but I don't like that. I'll have to pay more attention so next time I have a funny story.

On Sunday after I got up from my nap Cade and Taylor came to tell me that Ashlynn had been saying bad words. I asked what word that was and the told me A_ _. I called Ashlynn into the room and explained to her that what she was saying was a bad word. I told her that was her freebie she now knew that it was bad to say and if I heard her say it again she would be in trouble. Later that night we are doing our scripture study and I'm reading and the word A _ _ is in the scripture. I read it and when I'm done Taylor says, "Mom, you just said the word you told Ashlynn not to say." So then we have a conversation about what the word means in the scriptures and that if it's in the scriptures it's okay to say, but if you are just saying it to call someone that or for fun it's not a good thing. I think that word is in the book of mormon an handful of times and of all the days for us to read it, was then, thought that was funny.

Classic photo, man we were young. Look how grumpy Cade looks, I think he still makes this face.

Same weekend, but look close, you will see many young faces

This is the weekend Rusty proposed to me. (July 1997) Wow look at us we are sure looking good, ahh the memories

Well let's see since I last wrote not too many funny or exciting things have happened. Christmas came and went and we were all sick. It started off with Brinkley and Rusty the Sunday before Christmas and then slowly went through all of us, except Taylor. I got sick early Christmas Eve morning and stayed in bed all day long. So we didn't get to do any of our traditions and that made it not feel like Christmas. The kids were pleased and happy with what Santa brought them and they spend the whole day playing and eating candy. I still wasn't 100% but found the energy to make sure we had a nice Christmas dinner. I sadly don't have any pictures, everything I took was video and can't figure out how to upload a video yet, it takes too long. The following Monday we went up to see the newest addition to the family. My little sister had her baby at the beginning of December and since we weren't able to make it up Christmas Eve as planned we went up then. He was adorable and Ashlynn loved to hold him. We were able to see the cousins too and I thought it's nice to live close again. The next week I tried to make up for the disappointed Christmas week with taking the kids to the swimming pool and the skating rink. I believe they had fun at both places for a little while. Taylor and Brinkley never once came out of the pool for a break, Cade and Ashlynn were done in about an hour into it.It snowed the week after Christmas and the kids had a great time in it, sadly no pictures. They were out there so long each time they would come in crying because their toes were cold, maybe they were out there a little too long. New Year's Eve was just another day for us. We tried to let the kids stay up but instead of watching their movie they ended up jumping on the bed, so off to bed they went. New Years Day we had a family over and had a great time with them. Ate, played ping pong, watched football and talked. Thankfully the kids are back in school and our routine is back on. Not many funny stories to tell but this one did happen and of course it has to do with little miss Ashlynn. She was taking a bath and all I hear is "Mom come here, Mom come here." I of course am worried so I go running in there and she says, "Look I did it, I shaved my legs." I had left my razor in their bathroom and she had shaved her legs. Thankfully no cuts, she had smooth, but patchy legs. I told her that was her free one, next time she did it she would be in big trouble. That girl. Anyway, that is all from this ol' house.