Farewell 2009

Here is a summary of our year. 2009 was full of fun and laughter and great memories, but also tears. It was full of ups and downs, and I am kinda glad it's over. 2010 should prove to be equally exciting, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

January: Tristan turned 8. He started Cub Scouts and received his Bobcat badge at his first Pack meeting. We went to Arizona for a National BMX race. We went to 3 wrestling tournaments, including one in Utah.


February: Hunter got potty trained. We took the boys to Red Rock and got snowed on. Cahl and Tristan went javelina hunting. The boys' wrestling championship tournament. Jasen took 4th and Tristan took 2nd.


March: I turned the big 25. Tristan attended his first scout Day Camp. Tristan had his first football game of the spring. We went to Monster Jam. Cahl and I had our 7 year anniversary.

April: The month got off on a bad note when Cahl's grandma Betty passed away. We had a good Easter. Cahl's sister came to visit from Hawaii. Jasen's soccer season started. Many soccer and football games. We got our backyard planters done. The Pinewood Derby. Tristan took 2nd place, and Jasen got 3rd place in the open category.

May: More football and soccer games- what else is new? We got a new car. Cahl and Jasen went to Fathers and Sons overnight camp. Tristan and Jasen had their wrestling party and got enormous trophies. We went camping in Utah for Jasen's birthday. Tristan played Theodore Roosevelt at school.



June: Jasen turned 6. Tristan got baptized. Tristan's football party. Tristan earned his Wolf badge in scouts. The last soccer game of the season. Cahl's dad came to visit from Thailand. We left for Salmon. We were lucky enough to be able to go visit my grandma this summer.


July: We spent a wonderful 10 days in Salmon. Cahl had his 10 year high school reunion. We lost Buddy, but got Angus. I became a scout leader. Tristan did the Raingutter Regatta and took 2nd place.


August: Cahl turned 28. Jasen graduated from kindergarten. Tristan graduated from 2nd grade. The boys got a trampoline. We found out baby number 4 is on the way! The boys began the new school year.

September: Spent a very nice weekend at the cabin. Cahl went pheasant hunting in Colorado. My sister, her family, and my mom came to visit. My grandma passed away.

October: We went up to Idaho for my grandma's services. Tristan and Jasen started the fall football season. They got to play at a UFL game at Sam Boyd Stadium. We had a very fun Halloween.

November: We found out we are finally getting a baby girl! Lots of football games. Wrestling started, the first tournament was in Indian Springs. Tristan and Jasen got their library cards. We had a great Thanksgiving, and spent a long and very fun weekend with family.

December: Hunter turned 3! The fall football season ended. Another wrestling tournament. Jasen made the straight A Honor Roll at school. The boys' football party. Our beloved grandpa Del passed away. We took the boys sledding, and had a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year. The boys got spoiled as usual! Tristan got a drum set, some Bakugan stuff, clothes, books, games, a camera, and more. Jasen got a guitar, Wii game, books, clothes, games, and more. Hunter got a couple of trucks, clothes, books, coloring books, and a bunch of toys. Cahl and I did pretty well ourselves- he got a GPS, a Waterpik he wanted, cologne, "Generation Kill," and some other stuff. I got some jewelry from the boys, a digital photo frame, perfume, and a sewing machine.


After we had our morning at home, we went over to Cahl's uncle's house for a big family dinner and get together. After we ate and played all afternoon, we also did gifts there.

It was a great day, and I am so blessed to be surrounded by such an amazing family.

Tristan's drum set

Jasen with his new guitar

Hunter in his new Tonka truck

Cahl checking out his new GPS

Future Rock Star!

Sledding

We took the boys sledding up at Mt. Charleston this morning, with our neighbor and 4 of his kids. The kids had SO much fun! We started a campfire, had hot cocoa, hot dogs and s'mores. We got there as soon as it opened, so there weren't a ton of people there at first, but by the time we left it was pretty crowded. Cahl spent all week designing and building a sled, and the kids loved it! A bunch of other people came by and asked about it and thought it was pretty cool.

Hunter

Hunter

Tristan

Jasen

Cahl and all the kids taking the sled up the hill

All the kids coming down!

The sled Cahl built

Grandpa

Last night Cahl's grandpa, our beloved grandpa Del, passed away. I felt like I had been kicked in the chest when I found out. Cahl's grandparents have been my own for the last 8 years, and they have taken me in and treated me as one of their own always. Cahl and I and our boys have been very close to his grandparents since we moved here almost 5 years ago. I have been thankful every single day that my kids have able to spend so much time with them and get to know them so well. It was very difficult to lose Grandma Betty in April, and now to lose Grandpa Del too. I knew he wouldn't make it very long, but it still hurts all the same. I have been hoping and praying that he would be able to see my new daughter in the spring, but I know how much he already loved her, and how happy she made him. I take comfort in knowing that he is not hurting anymore, and he is gone to see his Betty Lou.

My very favorite photo of Grandpa, taken about 2 months ago

Sunbeam

Today Hunter graduated from nursery into Sunbeams. All the nursery kids did a short Nativity program, and then there was a graduation ceremony for the older ones going into Sunbeams. They each got a hat and a diploma. Hunter is SO excited to be a sunbeam!

Football Party

The boys' end of season football party was last night. We all went down to Graziano's and had pizza and played games, then the coaches gave out the trophies and awards. The boys were both really happy to get their trophies, especially Jasen since this is his first football one! Tristan got the Best Lineman award, and Jasen got the Best 1st Year Effort award. Jasen was especially excited to take his pictures. He even directed the photo shoot!

Winter Program

All of the 1st grade classes put on a Winter Program today at school. There are 5 classes all together, and 3 of them recited "Twas the Night Before Christmas," and then all 5 classes sang several Christmas songs. It was really cute, and you could tell that the kids had worked hard.

Jasen

Today the school had the award ceremony for the first trimester. Jasen got 2 awards, perfect attendance, and he is on the straight A Honor Roll!! We are so incredibly proud of him!

Receiving his awards from his teacher and principal

Checking out his awards

Hunter

Happy 3rd Birthday to our favorite Hunter!

Hunter has been so much fun. He is definitely the most headstrong and defiant boy we have, but at the end of the day he is always full of love and hugs.

My 3 favorite things about Hunter:


1. He is always where I am. He follows me around and hugs me and sits on me all the time. He loves to sit on laps and snuggle. And he loves to be tucked in and sang to.


2. He has a lot of friends, and he gets along well with everyone. He loves going to playgroup every week, and he even loves playing with Tristan and Jasen's friends.


3. He is a sweet brother. Not always, but mostly! A lot of nights and early mornings I find him in bed with Jasen. Or snuggled up on the couch with Tristan. He loves it when they read to him, and he just loves being with them.

Tree

We finally went down tonight and got our tree. It took a while to decide the the right one, but we finally found it! After we got it home and in it's spot, Cahl and I put on the lights and then the boys hung all the ornaments.