Mega post-JUNE

 So much has happen it is hard to recap it all in one post so I will caption most of the photo's. Ben and I were called to serve the youth for Youth Conference, so I planned it all and Ben hosted, ran it, he was there to help the day of. He has a lot on his plate and of course I didn't mind, because I knew a talk that I had listened to recently that I felt like would be a good theme for YC. Of What Matters Most, by The UchtdorfIt is such a good talk and it was easy to relate to on many levels. DAY numero UNO the youth showed up at the church for an opening devotional by the Bro. Whidd is what I was calling him. He did a great job, all the YW that were there in my car commented on how well he did and they really liked the devotional. We then headed up Provo Canyon for some river rafting, followed by lunch in the park some frisbee  golf and then an amazing "fireside" by Chad Hymas I heard him speak in a training video for work and knew right away I wanted to try and book him. The whole conference was scheduled around his schedule so we could hear him speak to us. We ended the day having dinner and just playing in the river and doing some karaoke:)

DAY TWO was opened up with a devotional by Dan Parks, a Captain at a regional airline that lives in our neighborhood. He did an awesome job too, he spoke about the five rules of aviation and it was simply amazing and appreciate his time he took to come and speak to us. He had to switch his schedule around to come and speak to us and I am so thankful. We then headed over to UVU aviation at the Provo airport and the youth were all able to take a intro flight with an instructor for about 30 min. We all flew, even the leaders......we had one little hick up Ben forgot the permission slips for the youth. So we had the youth go on a tour while Ben drove home and picked them up and that also gave the leaders a chance to fly first since we didn't need a parents signature. It was surreal, it was hard to believe I was in such  tiny little airplane and we all took different flight paths, some youth flew over BYU, some over the Payson Temple and some over our neighborhood. From the youth's reactions I think they had a good time. After UVU, Ben decided we would go boating instead of playing games at the park.......ok? so we hooked up the boat and took everything to the Saratoga marina instead of the park. The youth seemed to love that as well, and the leaders too, while Ben was out on the water for a few hours entertaining them, we got to sit in the sun and visit.

I have been working a lot now that Youth Conf is over I have 4 in a row a day off and then 4 in a row. I had to plan it that way because of YC, Bauer's Baptism at the end of the month and girls camp as well.  I ended up not being one of the leaders for girls camp I am having a minor surgery on the 19th (lady parts) and so I don't have to take a leave from work I am working a bunch of days in a row.

Tired mamma after a stand up with hardly any sleep

 I FINALLY got the kids passports, oh my gosh!! we don't have anything specific yet, we want to go to Canada in August and are hoping to make that a real deal.

 First fishing of the year has been fun, we have a trip planned to Flaming Gorge after Bauer's baptism.

 Camping shenanigans 

 All the pets/animals/whidden zoo are doing good, this is what we have to date. This is Ben's fault btw....
4 chickens, one is rooster and so he has to go, 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 fish, 4 bearded dragons.....Ben's mini pet store. I just live here?

 The school year is over and it is SO HARD to believe that I will have all four kids in school next year, very bitter sweet, I think more bitter right now, maybe my thought process's will change. I am hoping to not be lonely and not just lay around and be a lazy bum. It feel it's a new chapter and I don't know if I want to turn the page?

 The boys are doing well, Cooper is coming off all medications (currently weaning him off them) this summer, we all need a break and I am curious to see how he does, so far so good.

 Free hair cut coupons means a lot of pampering for these three, Cooper was the funniest he kept commenting to the lady, that feels good, thank you so much, he would occasionally giggle.......I wish I could afford to take them there everytime!

 Cooper is my Geek Chic boy, I love this pic. He is such a sweet innocent boy, and tries to be nice to everyone....except Alivia??

 Ben got his trolling motor up and working and it makes me happy because he works so hard and loves to fish and it is his "escape"

 Mother's day was mother's day.....thank goodness for teachers and the nice notes they send home. Ben is very thoughtful when I tell him please don't forget my mothers day card:) I would like a bracelet....he pulls through and even makes dinner. Tuna casserole.....yum?

  The round pool died, and onto the rectangle pool. Nice thing is it is right next to the play house and so it provides hours of entertainment for the neighborhood. Jumping, swimming, sliding. Fine with this mamma, play, play, play!!!

 We took a afternoon trip to Blackridge reservoir in Herriman with some of my SkyWest friends.

 And speaking of SkyWest, this is a big year for Ben and I, 15 years married, 15 years at SkyWest and Ben's 40th Birthday!!!

A few treats for the 15 years, a flight in a two seater (for youth conf) but on my SkyWest anniversary and below is a scrapbook page from my class in 1999. I think there is only two of left

 A little gift from the kids

 A little gift to myself, for every year hear after I am going to buy a charm, I am also SUPER excited to get my 15 year wings, pics posted later!!

All is well, we are blessed, and thankful for all the blessings in our lives. Someone recently told me it takes 10,000 positive thoughts to change one's negative thought process's. I liked that, and have been trying to think more positive lately.....especially now that we have 4 bearded dragons:)

Mega Post

I thought I was going to be a better blogger this year not a worse one?? We have lots going on so I will subtitle the pictures first and then add updates so I don't confuse myself or anyone else.

Random photos of the kids borrowing my ponytail and taking pictures... they thought they were pretty funny.

 We have had quite a few birthdays, Alivia's in Jan, Cooper in Feb and Kessler just had a birthday the end of March.

 Coopers birthday cake:)

 We went to a hockey game in PHX, it was the Coyotes vs. Canucks. The kids had a great time, it was  beautiful weather and nice to get away for a few days.

 Our first airplane ride in a while, the kids reviewing the safety card:) Good little passengers.

 The kids don't care where they sit on the airplane, they don't even care if they sit by each other, Ben or myself. They just want to sit by a window. I love looking out the window as much as they do.

 Miss Liv got her braces off for now, she has about a 12-18 month break and will get them back on, once all of her other teeth grow in.

I have been slightly obsessed with the missing Malaysia flight, I don't ever use twitter but I tweeted a question to the program AC360 and my sister text me and told me that used my tweet. I luckily had it recorded! it is not really that big of a deal but I am a news junkie and it was funny to hear them say Andrea and then my picture popped up....woot woot!!

 Been able to hang with my niece Addilyn, she is so funny, she has the craziest personality, she loves to come and sleep over.

Ben's new truck, we also have a new Suburban, not really what we planned but it financially works out good. We had a lot of equity in the Suburban that made it all possible! The older suburban was my "baby" I loved that car and was religious about taking care of it. The new cars come with 4 years and 3.5 years of maintenance free which is nice. 

 We got chickens, we have four, their names are Buffalo, Cloudy, Macho and Nacho. They are a little over a month old and have been fun so far, we kept them in the house for a few weeks in a large fish tank and it was fun to watch them. As they are getting older they aren't as friendly as they were as chicks except for Coopers, he doesn't run from you he will let you walk right up and pick him up.

Kessler's Birthday Cake, I can't believe my youngest is 6. It does not feel like it has been 6 years since we had a baby in the house, it really feels like yesterday. Kessler chose his cake, he loves hockey just like his dad.

 He also loves fishing and loves the color green so we got him a fish balloon, he loved it.

 We officially kicked off the fishing season, the boat isn't ready yet, so we went shore fishing up to Deer Creek on one of our days off from Spring Break. We didn't catch anything and didn't even get a bite, but that's ok, we asked the kids if they still had fun and they asked if we could go again the next day.

 Picture below looks like a fish is on, but it was one of the many snags we got all day!

 Ben attempting to get one of his lures back, Bauer really wanted to learn how to cast him self and was practicing and was doing an awesome job, it is fun to see them get more independent and want to do things on their own and be proud of it.

Ben is doing well, he has been a walking time bomb lately, he rolled his ankle got a really bad sprain, got pneumonia, then has had horrible allergies, and during our week of yard work marathons he sliced the inside of his ear while trying to move something in the back yard. One night when he was sick he woke up at three in the morning and had this horrible breathing fit, it was wicked scary he couldn't catch his breath and I was just about to dial 911. He finally was able to catch his breath after he had a breathing treatment.

I am up to the same, being a wife and mom, flying, YW's, organizing Youth Conference, trying to exercise and doing lots of yard work. Just living the dream as I say often.

Alivia like I said got her braces off, and is excited that it is getting warm outside, she is still our animal lover, she takes really good care of the chicks. She is in 5th grade and loves her classmates and teacher. She and Cooper are in a musical and she loves playing the "nerd" while Cooper plays the "popular kid's friend"

Cooper is doing really well, I have been helping in his class and it is good to see how far he has come. He is funny, has lots of energy and loves to be a nice big brother.

Bauer is super excited to start soccer this spring he has been asking me forever and I would always forget to sign him up, so to save my sanity I made sure that I got him signed up in time. He also loves to fish and like I said is doing a great job with it. He is a mini Ben that is for sure.

Kessler loves kindergarten and isn't so much of the "baby" anymore. He is getting so independent and loves playing with friends and laughing and giggling with his brothers at night when they should be sleeping.