My Big Girl

This is my big girl practicing her balance points with her flute.  Round pinkie, bent thumb, comfy chair, lips.  She is actually balancing all of this with a D size battery to help her strength.  She has been a joy to work with daily at practicing  She is enthusiastic about practicing and she is the one reminding me that we need to practice.  It's been a great experience so far.  

Today was her first day at Preschool.  She and five others had their first day today.  It turned out really well I think.  I was pretty exhausted afterward but Samantha said, "That was so fun!"  So I'm glad we are doing this and it's been great to brush up on my guitar playing, planning, and charting.   Three boys and Three girls in the Mon-Wed. class makes a really balanced class.  Tomorrow we have five girls and one boy.  This will be interesting.    

Megan's Wedding

We had a great time at Megan and Calin's wedding.  The kids and I went down to Farmington.  We showed the Ford Focus to two different people and both decided against buying it in the end so I was a bit disappointed.  The first one thought it was an automatic and it is a stick shift and she can't drive a stick.  That was a deal breaker.  The next one already put an offer on a newer car, less mileage and a better deal.  The owner was looking for a quick sell since she was needing money for college.  Even though we didn't sell it yet I know we will I hopefully sell soon.  

The Knights (I think Angie and I look a lot alike, if I had darker hair)

Megan (my Titensor cousin) and Calin.  Dave (My dad's baby brother) and Lisa (look way to young to have a married child!)

Samantha went right up to Grandma and Grandpa Titensor to eat her treats

Danny and his princess Emily (They danced so cute)

Samantha and Emily were in the running to catch the bouquet-a bit young but they had fun =)

Yes Conrad catched the garter!  There were only like four boys out there.

Playing a fun game on Saturday.  

First Day of School

Today was our First Day of School.  The kids did really well this morning getting up to practice their instruments and getting all their jobs done before they left.  Devin was able to give them Father's Blessing before they went to school.  I remember looking forward to this as a kid and I'm sure our children will treasure these blessings as well.The sacks they have are their school supplies that will stay at school.  Cheese!

Abi was feeling left out so she ran out their to pose.

Then Samantha had to join.  Exciting day.  The boys came home so happy with how their day went.  They both love their teachers.  I actually haven't met them yet because I was in Salt Lake during back to school night last night so Devin took them.
I loved having quiet time today and it actually was quiet.  I got some preschool planning done, cleaning, and paid bills.  Tomorrow I get to run errands during the day without 4 kids.  What will I ever do with myself!  =)

Our Money Makeover

We have been reading Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and have loved the money principles he teaches in this book.  I really wish we had read and applied it 10 years ago but we are starting our Money Makeover now and getting excited about working towards Financial Peace.  This is not a get rich quick book, it is a very practical money management program that helps you use your income-large or small to get out of debt, have an emergency fund, save for retirement, and be able to give back to your church, and community.  I highly recommend getting a hold of this book and reading it cover to cover.  

Photo Time

The Swim Gang.  We carpooled with some friends and all the kids did really well at swim lessons.  Even Abi and I did a class together.  She is a fearless swimmer so this really helped her be more careful.

Traeden holding his Trophy that we so happily got at the Cache Cup!  2nd Place!

Abigail looking so big!  She is getting potty trained.  She has been doing so well but it's still not easy.  I've been cleaning lots of carpet, and do laundry much more!  But I'm happy that we are on our way to no more diapers!

We had Brock and Brynn to stay for a week.  The kids had so much fun with them here.  They got to go with us to all Traeden's Soccer games.

Pure summer entertainment.  The kids got a kick out of watching them redo our street out front.  Then after it was all done the smooth road was a blast to ride bikes on!  Unfortunately Samantha tried stepping on the wet asphalt and got her foot covered in tar.  Not fun at all.

Camping with the Titensor.  This was a great campground called North Fork Park.  The kids rode their bikes round and round, we had some great fires and even did freebie goal at Snow Basin.  It was a fun trip except the flat tire on the way home.  

Extraordinary service

This week we had two experiences where people went out of there way to come to our rescue and serve us.   Sunday on our way home from camping we decided to go the scenic route and go over the canyon via Avon Pass.  We were almost to Avon when Devin looked out the window because the car felt different and noticed we had a flat tire and one tire was low.  We stopped and unloaded all our camping gear on the side of the dirt road.  Got the spare tire lowered down and not easily put the tire on the van.  After we had the spare on the tire we noticed the front tire now was completely flat.  Devin then thought we better call someone from the ward to see if we could get a pump so we could at least get the van home.  No cell phone reception!  Then he said well lets walk down the road a bit until I get reception.  Traeden then said, "Lets just ride our bikes home."  Great idea!  We had Devin ride ahead and he was going to grab the truck and then come back and find us to take us home.  The kids did really well, Conrad and Traeden were on their own bikes and I had the girls in the trailer.  We went about 7 miles and stopped in Paradise to get some water on the church lawn.  The kids were hot and tired.  It was noon and the sun was hot.  As we sat there a neighbor drove by and saw us.  He quickly turned around and asked us what we were doing.  He could tell we were in trouble.  Could it be that I was dirty, and Abigail was still in her pajamas covered in dirt?  He was out to move a sprinkler at his farm so he returned to the farm house, got his car and some cold drinks.  When he got back Devin had another neighbor with him ready to load our bikes and a tow dolly to get our van.  The kids and I got home in time to get showered and dressed just in time to go to church so I could play the organ.  We were so grateful to our good neighbors who stopped and helped us in our time of trial.

Tuesday we saw a dresser that would work perfect in the girls bedroom on KSL.com. We sent an e-mail to see if it was still available and we got a phone call later that said we were first in line if we still wanted it.  $20 for a little white dresser.  We were excited.  They lived in Layton and the lady gave me some rough directions to her house.  I switched cars with Devin so I would have the truck to get the dresser home and the boys went to Deonne's to play.  I thought I could drive with the girls to Layton and then pick up the boys from Wellsville on the way home.   I met a lady at the Target in Riverdale and she bought Conrad's 1/10 size violin for $100.  Then we started to Layton and followed the directions to Layton.  We made a couple bad turns and got back on track.  We got really close to the address and we were making circles.  We did find the house number but the wrong street.  I stopped and asked for some directions to one family and they didn't really know but sent me in another direction.  The girls were hot with no air conditioning in the truck and all our water we brought to drink was gone.  After a half an hour or so of searching I was ready to give up thinking I must have wrote the address down wrong.  Then I saw a man in his yard and stopped to talk with him.  He saw the girls who looked really hot and offered them a cold drink from his fridge.  He told me to put up ahead to some shade while I called on his phone and he left to get the girls some "Powerade".  The phone number was written down incorrectly so all I had to work from was the address.  The man asked to look at the address and then he said he was pretty sure he could get us there, so he hopped in his truck and we followed him right to the house.  Then he saw we were picking up this dresser and offered to help put it in the truck for us.   He then used some of our tie downs and got the dresser securely in the truck and sent us on our way.  All I know about him was he was a retired firefighter, his name is Dan and he has his own business of doing handy work odd jobs.  A perfect stranger to us went completely out of his way to help us.  I so appreciate his Christlike acts.  Would I do the same?  I sure hope so.
We never know when we will need help.  It's humbling to accept help but when we do it renews our faith in human kind.  Their are wonderful people, sometimes strangers who care to serve. Today Devin will speak in church about how we are the Lords Hands, based on Elder Uchtdorf talk in conference.  Kind of ironic that we had these experiences the week he gives this talk...humm...I don't think so.   Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God