Mikayla's Choir

Here are a few pics of Mikayla's choir!

Greta's School Awards

Greta finally read and wrote a report on 60 Caldecott books and received her medal. This is a big feat for the child as well as the parents. She was so excited to finish such a huge goal. Five other kids earned their medals including Diane Prestwich's daughter Natalie (good family friends).

Greta also had two pieces of art picked to be showcased at the District Art Show. Pictures will come. She's had a busy year being involved in many other school activites such as art club, student leadership club, and the green club.

Finally, she got to perform one last time with the Silver Singers. The music teacher is phenomenal! I am going to miss my girls schools so much. You get in a rhythm of how everything works and you know people and teachers well. It's a hard thing to leave behind. Again, here's hoping for greatness in Longmont.

The Flood!

I love rainy days........but not this one! We had this big storm that produced large amounts of rain. Spence called me from work and asked if the basement had any water coming in because it had a little the night before. I go down to check and it's pouring down in from the window all over the place. So, I start freaking out and I run to get some buckets to catch the water while Spence drove home to help. As I am sitting on the chair gathering the water, I look up and am face to face with a family of toads! EWW, YUCK! After awhile, it was pretty fascinating to watch them until I realized that the water running all over me was frog infested grossness. Spence got home and started barreling water out of the window well and the flooding ceased! Turns out the drain spout was clogged and pouring out the side into the window well. HALLELUJAH it happened before our framers came to start our basement!

Made me realize how truly blessed I am to have my husband still here to rescue me!

Easter

My mom came to visit over her Spring Break and we got to have her for Easter!

Thornton House

We are so sad to have left our Thornton house! We had everything you could hope for, great neighbors and friends, excellent schools, only a few miles from everything and the most amazing ward! The only thing missing was space for growing, with soon to be teens. Our new home is beautiful and wonderful! Here's hoping for great memories, friends and neighbors!

Pics of our old house. I don't have the professional ones back yet so here are a few that I took. For all who knew our home, the color has been neutralized (Thanks Matt!). The first picture is all about the "friendship tree" and it brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. What a beautiful memory that we will carry with us forever. We couldn't move the tree with us so we may just have to buy the exact same tree for our new house!

Moving sucks every bit as much as I was told. Did I chose to listen......no, of course not. I mean really, is it that hard to pack up some boxes and stage my house? WOW, what an adventure! First of all, moving your house a car load at a time is insane! Second, preparing your house to be sold just reminds you how bad you were at finishing all of those unfinished projects!! And last but not least, keeping the house in perfect condition for sellers to walk through at a moments notice is ridiculous! I have learned that I never want to move again which means that I will because life is cruel that way.
On a happier note, I LOVE the house we bought in Longmont and I really look forward to living there and making only one house payment. However, I will miss so much about our Thornton home and all the good things here.
My kids have been so patient and super good at helping to keep the house clean. In between all of the stress, we have continued to live life and have fun doing it. Spencer and I went to a play at the Boulder Dinner Theater with our good friends Christine and Rob. We attended Singing in the Rain and had a wonderful time. The best part was watching the front row guests get soaked during the "Singing in the Rain" song. Of course, they were wearing rain coats but it was still fun to watch.
Christine and I got together for a girls afternoon and went downtown to Legally Blond. I was worried it would be a little on the lame side but I was pleasantly surprised. It was hillarious and followed the movie pretty well.
Spence has hung with the guys and had some movie nights but I'm hoping we can find him some additional hobbies since hiking is out for a little while. He has his last appointment with the prosthetic specialist tomorrow and he will get his new eye. Barbara is the lady who designed and created the eye and she has done an amazing job. I'm excited to see the final product.
My girls are amazing and my three joys! They are staying busy with school and clubs. Mikayla pulled another 4.0 and I'm so proud of her. Middle School is a big adjustment in so many ways and she has conquered it all. Soccer is starting up soon and HALLELUJAH my kids will have something to do on the weekends!

Wow, I can't believe it's been 2 months since I blogged last. Lots of things have happened since then so I will make a short update:

* Halloween! I hate this holiday but the kids had a blast!

* We attended the musical Wicked and sat in the most incredible seats! It was as awesome and amazing as I thought it would be.

* Installed wood floors and carpet in our home.

* We drove to Utah for Thanksgiving with my family. My mom did a great job preparing a delicious meal. We got some great Black Friday deals and I wonder ever year why I am insane enough to go through this ordeal. The picture below is of Chewy trying to have fun with John's cat.

* Endured two months of sickness including the Swine Flu.

* Spencer had his final reconstructive surgery on his eye. The doctor did a really nice job and we are happy to check another medical appointment off the list. Next we go back to the prosthetic specialist.

* Kayla got a 4.0 in school and Shawn Johnson attended that assembly. Attended many other school functions with my other kids as well. Love being a mom and being there for my kids.

* Katie started orthodontic appointments. She inherited my mouth and will be a huge work in progress for her orthodontist! Not to mention, all the $$$$$. Kayla follows in a year! Picture is of Katie practicing for the molds with pudding.

* I love Young Women's and the girls I work with.

* Sad to have had another two deaths occur (a wonderful man from our ward, and Spencer's co-worker). We can't wait for this year to end! I can only take so much more sadness, sorrow, and pain.

* Then, to top it all off, we decided to move. We are closing on a home at the end of this month and moving to Longmont, Colorado. Yes, yes, we are insane!!!