Texting

So why is Matt texting on both phones. One night Matt's sister Jenni was texting him and asking a question. Well, being him he told her something strange so she texted me. Well, he was by my phone and he started giving her another strange answer. Well, Jacoy brought it to my attention and when I came in this was what I saw. The funniest part was that he couldn't keep up with his sister and she didn't know he was on both phones.

Crayons

So I am sure you are wondering why I would take a picture of these crayons. Well, this is what Bridger brought home from school with him. They were getting new crayons and were told to bring home his old ones. I had to laugh at how poor they looked. All except that nice new one on the far right. Apparently that is not his favorite color.

Everyone likes the funnies!

Jacoy likes to read the funnies and when she does Taft is surely close behind. He was actually sneaking up on her. Later he was pouncing her. Oh, what fun times.

Sunset

Matt called one day on his way home from work and wanted me to take a look at the sunset. The funny thing was I already had and took this picture. I took it to show him. I guess after 8 years we still like to share the little things. I love you Matt and look forward to many more sunsets together.

How we love IMAGINATION!

This is how I find our kids all of the time. Whether it is in boxes or like this they are always finding anything to sit in and pretend they are flying or whatever it may be. Oh how I LOVE these THREE!

Carving Pumpkins What a Task!

The annual pumpkin carving and I am still not sure why we do it. This is Bridger digging out his pumpkin guts, but as you can see he is pulling a face. Well, it is because he was gagging. We had to make him at least touch it and he gagged until he almost threw up. Jacoy did better. She even smiled while scooping out the guts.

Taft followed after his brother. He hated it.

Matt was just thinking he was too cool. Okay he was really trying to get out of having to finish Bridger's pumpkin (even though Bridger didn't even get one seed out).

Here is the final product. Bridger's is on the left and Jacoy's is on the right. Yeah, one more year done.

Halloween

I know this is late but I thought that I would post a few Halloween pictures. We have been keeping busy. To be quite honest, I just don't know where the time has been going. We were happy to celebrate Taft's first Halloween.

This was Bridger being a cowboy at the parade.Taft was the cutest Lion in the whole world. He would growl just like a lion.

Jacoy was in a Halloween Parade. She had a ton of fun while boys and I cheered her on:)

Okay, so we did paint their faces before we went to the church for the Halloween party. It wore off by the time we got home and I didn't get prior pictures. I would say that Halloween was fun.

Tree Tag! Your IT!

Almost every morning before the bus comes, our kids play tree tag. There are three trees that make a triangle that serve as the bases. The kids have learned to take and place their backpacks in a line (because of course that saves your place) and then go and play. As more kids come they just join right in. There is never a fight that so and so can't play, or that someone is playing unfairly. In fact it is just the opposite. When one of the little girls gets tagged and is it for a long time, one of the older boys will the little ones get them. Bridger will even say, "just touch me and you will not have to be it any more." The kids don't ask if they can play because every one can. It is wonderful. As I was watching this go on this morning I was think about how as adults we should try to be a little more like the kids and just play tree tag. We don't have to know each other, but by interacting they are getting to know each other better. They are much more Christ-like then most adults I know. They are sharing kindness and love even though they don't realize it. I am sure that none of these children are even of the same religion, but none of that matters at this age. It is wonderful.
On a side note... I have noticed that as the kids get older (like the 8-9 year old kids) they tend to start to be a little more sly at getting something they think is better. I am not sure why getting on the bus first is such a big deal because I think my kids sit in the same seat everyday no matter when they get in line, but I think that it is the idea of being first. Well, today I noticed that one of those older boys was bringing his backpack to put in line and he looked around to see if the other kids were watching (which they were all to busy playing tree tag) and he realized that they weren't and so he nonchalantly took and dropped his bag at the beginning of the line. Does it really matter?! No, but that is what happens when we get past that age when we are held accountable for our actions. Has he witnessed his parents get ahead that way, or maybe a brother or sister. Who knows, but he learned that behavior.
I guess that means that I really need to make sure that I am being a better teacher especially in those time when I think no one is looking.

We Made It!

Ok, we made it to Pennsylvania and I finally have internet. I have tons of fun pictures and events to post about, but not tonight. But I will tell you of some events that have happened.

This is how you know that you are not in Utah anymore:

Event 1: I have been looking for an electric wheat grinder and I didn't buy one before we left Utah. So, Matt has been wanting wheat bread and is tired of grinding it with our small hand grinder and so I went to a kitchen store out here and this is what happened....
I asked them if they had a wheat grinder and the lady got a puzzled look on her face and said "does it do anything else?" I said "Well, it grinds all sorts of grains." She asked, "WHY?" So, I so politely said, "So I can make wheat bread." She looked at me like I was the strangest person ever. She then took us over to the part of the store that had spoons, spatulas, and egg cuters. She said, "If we have anything like that I am sure you will find it here." Now I am looking puzzled and I said, "Well it is more like the size of a coffee maker." She quickly replied, "Oh it is that big, we for sure don't have anything like that. But maybe you could just go buy wheat flour." HMMM

Event 2: Matt was given at work a thermos and he said, "Do you have hot chocolate outside the mines?" Apparently he was laughed at and then they said, "No it is for your coffee." Well, the Utah mines have both hot chocolate and coffee.

Event 3: Hanging on lines by the city parks are what look to be kegs. Since Matt nor I knew why someone would hang a keg up, he asked a co-worker. They laughed and said that it is a game. Two teams have fire hoses and they spray them at the container to see who can get it to the other side. They said that they are usually drunk or have been drinking when they do it. They couldn't believe that it wasn't normal to see that. We couldn't believe that it might be normal out here.

Event 4: Fireflies....They are wonderful and our kids love to catch them. They are actually a really slow bug. Kind of easy to catch. Still cool.

Event 5: People keep giving me directions and they always say go up the hill. Really have they not looked around. Everywhere is a hill. AND which way is UP???

Event 6: The garbage collectors are a little behind the times. They still hand pick up all of the garbage. They don't have the automatic truck that reaches out and grabs the can. On the same note we have to have our own cans and I hate taking out the garbage because we have a group of wild cats that knock it over and scatter it everywhere. UGH.

Event 7: Matt met himself a real hillbilly. Matt had to deal with him everyday for two weeks. I told him not to feed him because we didn't need him following him home. This guy would follow Matt to the bathroom, outside, and would stay right by him. Matt (who ususally can deal with anyone) was ready to scream and pull out the last of his hair.

During this training Matt was told that Pennsylvania had the best "mountains" to ride motorcycles on because they had such steep inclines. He was then told that they are better than Utah since there is only hills out there and too much catus???!! Ya some people are a little out there.

Even though we are not in Utah anymore we are still enjoying our time. Things are just different and that is just how it is. We have to drive just over 20 minutes to get to our wardhouse. We have just over 100 people in our ward. By moving in we added almost 5% to the ward. Isn't that funny?! Our temple is the Washington DC Temple. It is somewhere around four hours away. Not sure yet. It will be a lot tougher to go to the temple, but we will still make it. (hopefully fingers crossed;)

We have met some wonderful people. We have had a few get togethers with great friends, seen BIG fireworks over the Monogahela River, went to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, and a few other things. We are staying busy and still unpacking. The boxes here are multiplying like rabbits, and when you open one the stuff inside multiplies too. We are glad we made it and will have pictures and stories to come.

Update and some Silence.....

This is an update and then I am not sure when the next post will be. I may have time to make some quick updates to let everyone know what is going on but more regular ones won't be coming until sometime in June..:(

YEAH Matt has until THIS Thursday and then he is done....super excited and he is definitely done....unfortunately he wishes it was today. Sorry Honey you are close but you need to kick some Butt this week. It is kind of like an outer body experience with all that is going on. I can't believe that it is here and at the same time that we have been wishing for this day to come it is super crazy. I cry just typing this...I know weird huh.

Jacoy is coming to the end of her school year and is excited for summer. She will be missing school a little bit soon but with all that is going to be happening it is understandable. I can't believe that when we moved here she was just a little over 2 and now look at her!

Bridger is quite the kid. He asked me if I would consider moving their bedtime. He said he would like it to be 12 and I said how about 7. After that we agreed that it will stay the same at 9. He also said something that wasn't the best and I told him not to say that and he said well it is not my fault I can't see my mouth talk. What was I thinking. Then he was supposed to be eating and when I looked at him and said you need to have food in your mouth to be eating he said "I do" and then rubbed his tongue in his cheek to make it look like something is in there. Bridger saw a high chair and told me that we needed to get one of those so that Taft doesn't have to eat my belly any more. Ours happens to be currently in storage. YES, we have some long years ahead of us.

Taft is turning 6 months in a couple of days and I am sad. I cannot believe that he has been here that long. When you tickle him he growls, but he laughs the most at Jacoy. He loves when either kid will play with him. He LOVES his toes and LOVES to eat his hands. He has for quite awhile. He reaches for me all of the time...could be because I am his food. He smiles a lot and then gives you the most serious looks. He can sit up for the most part but gets excited and tips over. He LOVES toys. He scoots everywhere. Give him five minutes and you don't know what he will be doing.

Me, well I am hanging in there with all of the changes happening. I am Stressed. I wished that our house would sell......now that the 8000.o0 incentive is gone, I am a little weary. We are finally getting the correct information on our relocation package. That is stressful. Matt says that this HR is as bad as dealing with an insurance claim agent. UGH! We have a start date in June and have to be there before then. The moving company should be calling us this next week to make all of the arrangements for pick up and packing. Yes, they will be packing for us since we live more than 800 miles away. Both cars are being shipped now instead of only one. YEAH.

This month we Taft will turn 6 months and have his final appointment here in Utah, Matt graduates, my sister Graduates high school, watching Jamee Rodeo, we will be packing and shipping our life over 1800 miles away, we have to still find a place to live, and we WILL be visiting family as well as just wrapping up all of the loose ends around here. I do not believe that there will be a day that there isn't something going on. Yikes.

So, when I am able to post more updates I will, and for all of our families...the posts will be better soon. Being so far away this will be the means to keep everyone up to date.

Good Night and pictures will come soon....I promise. I am sure that I will have a lot of catching up to do.

BY the way DAD HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!