~How could I not be proud~

I have the most wonderful fantastic family!!! Toby turned 8 this year and was baptized!!! There were many times I wasn't sure he was going to make it to this special day....So happy for him and so grateful!! Then Kyle turned 13! I can't believe how grown up they both are! Kyle is an absolute life saver in my life....again, grateful!!! Then Lexi turned 9 (although I think she's tall enough to be 12)!! Then Brandon turned 16.....driving?!?! Brandon is a huge help around here too :) Then Lily graduated from Kindergarten! She sure is sweet! Then Jahde graduated from High School!!! Grateful for his example. Dave's birthday is Saturday, and then in August Jahde turns 18!! Where has the time gone? In between the milestones we have a few pics of 'awesome grandparents and family 'Lily getting an award in school' A visit to Hill Airforce Base' Gangsters' A tourist gone bad' Kyle playing violin (he has such an amazing ear)' Lily and DJ getting awards for taking a gymnastics class' Toby getting the Gold Medal in Math (very few ever get this, so it was a big deal!)' Super cute kids in trees' and MONKEYS haha
I recently had a biopsy on a lump on my thyroid. Scary stuff. But I am ok. Can I just express my sincerest gratitude for not having cancer! I kept telling myself I could face whatever was placed before me, but it was usually through tears. It's hard enough keeping up with 7 kids and super busy lives without adding even more meds and hospital visits!!! Yeah, grateful! Dave is traveling to China a lot, and really enjoys it. He serves in the Young Men's when he's home :) I might be bias, but I think we have the most amazing kids in the world!! :) Ahhhh grateful!!!

~months of ketchup~

I have soooo much more to ketchup on, but it's overwhelming, so here is my short n simple update.
Lily turned 6. She loves Panda Bears (thank heavens they aren't too complicated...I've gotten quite lazy with my cake making these days.... junior mints, ding dongs and flavored tootsie rolls). Lily is so grown up. I'm her mom, so I can go on and on and on, right? She amazes me though! She sat down at the piano and taught herself 3 songs.... jingle bells, heart and soul, and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas (which she played in harmony with both hands! She also sings wonderfully, and draws amazing pictures, has such a great eye and memory. She is smart, sweet, talented and beautiful! What a privilege to be her mom!

And Toby is about to turn 8! He gets baptized next month! I just updated his caringbridge..... it's just hard for me to believe where we are, how much we've gone through, and somehow, I seem to be kinda sorta semi-normal? Toby's a good kid..... all my kids are good kids! And I'm so grateful for each and every one one of them!!!
And just to sum up everything....After vacuuming and sweeping the floor today, someone (I wont say who) spread peanut shells all over the kitchen floor and living room carpet. I wasn't very happy about it. I started mumbling and complaining and said something like "Doesn't anyone care how much I do around here, or how many times I have to vacuum and sweep?" and DJ said calmly "No. No one". haha you gotta love it!

~Beware, I'm angry with the world~

1. Read at own risk
2. Remember that I am emotional and sleep deprived

I'm here to vent... I'll try to make it short and sweet (sweet venting? I'm a dork)

Anyway, it all started when I looked over the school lunch cost. We are well within the limits to get reduced lunch...... yay! NO! Dave makes good money, yes, but we don't keep even half of it......but does the state take that into consideration.... NO! We get penalized on our mortgage rates because we don't make enough, but we can't get reduced lunch because we make too much?!?! MAke up your minds..... either we make enough or we don't, but you can't choose, depending on the situation, and make it benefit you, and hurt us, both ways! Really hate it!!!
Then Kyle had his first day of Junior high, and his first time having to ride a bus to school. I was going to walk him to the bus stop, but worried that he is too old for his over-protective mother to walk him to the bus :) (I should add that my worry and want to accompany him came because the bus routes has our house in the wrong location, and we were given a different time than some other students in our neighborhood). The bus never came. First day of school.... late for school! A mom in my ward took Kyle and a few others from our ward (thank you!) and when she asked the office they said that the bus driver forgot. She then made sure the bus would be there to pick them up from school. The school says that there is nothing they can do about it. The transportation department says there is nothing they can do about it (they need two tardies before they report someone) SERIOUSLY?!?! Is there anyone who is looking out for our kids??? I suppose I went into this too trusting. The bus did not come to pick them up from school, but luckily a friend of mine was passing by and saw Kyle and brought him home (thank you!) Fortunately, Kyle wasn't too upset with his experience, and actually had a good day at school. I, on the other hand, was so upset, that Kyle asked me to please settle down, for fear that I would take my anger out on him (he was very cute about it :)
So I haven't fully recovered from Kyle's experience, and it's Toby first day at school, and first ride on the school bus. I send him off, and assume all is well. When he arrived home and got off the bus I expected to greet a smiling and excited boy. When I asked him how his first day was, his response was 'horrible, no one even cared about me'. That hurts a mother's heart. When the bus arrived at the school, one of the children behind Toby stood up and threw up on him. When the kids told the bus driver, she said she knew, but did nothing to help. The teacher greeting the kids off the bus did nothing. It wasn't until someone who knows Toby saw him and helped get him cleaned up. And I was never informed of any of this, until my son arrived home from school, feeling like no one cared. :(
I know life isn't fair, and I know there are bad days and good days, but we need to take care of each other. We need compassion. We need to be responsible. We need to be good human beings!!!
*couple days later*both Wed and Thurs morn at the bus stop, the unhelpful, unaware bus driver shouted 'if you get car sick, sit in the front of the bus' when Toby got on, while glancing over at me. Oblivious and rude....... but I'm too chicken to say anything to her for fear she'll treat Toby even worse. UGH*
*several days later*I finally got up the nerve to say something to the bus driver on the 3rd day..... she apologized. Lily's bus was 30 minutes later than the time I was given, 3 days in a row, so hopefully that will get figured out too. So frustrated with our transportation department!*



So on to better and happier moments!!! Jahde turned 17! We had a lot of fun celebrating his birthday with a doughnut cake, cuz he loves Krispy Kreme! :) We also got to go to the Lindon Aquatic Center and swim and mingle with other families we love at the Make-a-Wish Rubber Ducky Derby. Then we went to a fun ward activity, joined by our lovely friends, the Kimmings. It was a great weekend. Jahde, you're awesome. You have a gift of making others feel appreciated, welcome, and happy! You are thoughtful and helpful. You have set a wonderful example for our family. We love you!

~I've fallen (behind) and I can't catch up!~

I suppose I'll start with Brandon's birthday..... Brandon turned 15 in May. He got a giant chocolate cupcake cake topped with mint chocolate chip ice cream frosting!! :)

Brandon, you are awesome! You are always such a big help. I really appreciate it when you offer to help of your own free will (which you do often). I think it is such a great quality to be aware of those around you and want to help/serve them. I also think you have a great worth ethic and are a hard worker. You are so fun to be around! You are an amazing brother and son! You make our family complete. I hope you know how wonderful we all think you are!!!!! We love you!!!


And speaking of Brandon.... he made me a really cool Mother's Day gift. I love it, use it, and truly appreciate that he made it for me!!! (no it's not the candy! It's the wooden bowl with turquoise in it..... so cool)
For Mother's Day, I also received this from Kyle:
I Love You Mom, The Bluest
I love you the color of the wonderful blue sky that brings on the beautiful color of rain. I love you the color of the waving or calm sea, the color of blue eyes, with a piercing blue gaze. I love you the color of grass, the grass beneath my feet. The color of a tree leaf, that waves in the breeze. I love you the color of fire, that blazes anything it touches. I love you the color of the rainbow.
The blue, the red, the orange, the green, the yellow, the purple, all descirbe you. The orange color of a basketball, that has endurance to keep on doing what you do. The beautiful color of flowers, the wonderful daisies, that are as yellow as you. I Love You Mom, The Bluest.
This is so sweet to me. I truly love it.
And speaking of Kyle.... He won an award for being a Mathlete! He's way above his grade level in math and is doing awesome!
He is growing up so fast! He officially graduated from the 6th grade aka elementary school. It was a bitter sweet day - he was happy to move on, but oh so sad to be going to a different junior high than all of his friends (our neighborhood goes to a different JH). Bitter sweet for me too.... I'm not ready for him to grow up!
Here he is with his 6th grade teacher on graduation day.
And speaking of graduating.... Lily graduated from pre-school. She loved pre-school and had fabulous teachers that started her off on the right foot. She will be starting kindergarten in the fall and is so excited!!
Toby also graduated, although First graders don't get quite same hullabaloo as pre-k and 6th! But you gotta love his toothless grin!!! (speaking of toothless, it's been months since he lost those teeth and tooth fairy still hasn't come..... she's awful!!!)
Here he is with his first grade teacher.


The three older boys were able to attend youth conference together and had a great time!!! They spent time up in Park City and their theme was CTR, Choose the Rock. I know they did a fun 'Iron Rod' type experiment and really enjoyed it (while learning :) While they were gone, Dave and I took the little ones to the CCCF (Children with Cancer Christmas Foundation) Summer Luau! They had yummy food and lots of fun games for the kids. It's always fun to see, and visit with our cancer family friends as well.

Lily and Toby were also able to attend Camp Hobe up in Tooele at Camp Wapiti. Camp Hobe is a camp for Children with Cancer, and their siblings. Kids are elligable to attend camp for up to 3 years after treatment is complete, so Toby still has one more year. This camp was amazing! I want all of the kids to go next year... it's such a great experience for them! I also got to spend time with some other cancer moms (although I think it made me emotional!) and spend time with Vicky (a fellow cancer mom) and her family which was a lot of fun. I am so glad we were able to go.

Oh and this picture cracks me up!! Lily was dancing with a top hat and a cane and asked me to watch her..... she said "Mom, watch me!!! I'm a chippendale dancer!" Chip n Dale..... the chipmunks on Disney.... yeah, scared me too for a second haha

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but just in case: DJ managed to climb to great heights to get a hold of this corn starch aka baby powder. I found him atop of Lily's Dresser, having a wonderful time! When I walked in with the camera, he gave me a huge cheesy grin! What a proud moment! Then I used the vaccum to get the mess (including on him) cleaned up. I opted for the vaccum because he hates it, and I thought it would be a good deterant. haha



And this picture is PRICELESS!


I still have more to update on, but this post is already too long to keep anyone's interest :) I will update again, and try to stay ahead of the game!