Pine Wood Derby Time!!

Last night was our annual ward Pine Wood Derby. It is always fun, because this pine wood derby is a no rules or boundaries. It is always fun to go and see all the creative people we have in our ward and have great laughs. We won the award for the car most imitating a political figure. We call it our Shamoooove hot rod! The kids painted it and Jason cut it out. It was a lot of fun!

Shamoooove hot rod!

A line up of all the entries.

All the cars that raced.

Jason getting ready for our first race. Unfortunately we lost the first race.

Our cheering squad. Megan's friend Mattie holding our towel that says, "Shamu rocks".

Sierra and her friend Erin holding the other towel.

Lindsey and her friend Hailey getting ready for our Shamu cheer.

Hunter, Lindsey and Hailey.

Some of our competitors.

The yellow car was shot with the bow. It won this race and left a yellow spot at the other side of the gym. It was pretty hilarious. The red car has a fan on it and is ran by a remote control. It was very inventive.

Shamoove going on its second race. We won this one because the other car ended up falling off the track.

Our third and final race. How will it end?

It's a Tie!!!!

Ready for Spring!!

It has been a while since we blogged. It has been a little crazy busy. We had a week of beautiful weather in the 50's. It really gave us spring fever. Since we had the nice weather, we decided to make the most of it and played outside. Gage found the mud puddles and for some reason he stood on his head and put his nose in the puddle. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. He only got mud on his feet and nose. Hunter loves riding his bike he got from Santa. Every time the garage door opens to leave he has to take it for a quick spin down the sidewalk and back before we can leave.

Gage with his muddy feet and nose.

Abigail and Hunter playing on their bikes. I hosed off the driveway so they were having a ball riding in the water.

A close up of Gage's nose.

For a family home evening Lindsey had a recipe for homemade ice cream in a bag. We decided to make that for our treat. Everyone had a blast and it tasted really good too. Hunter fell asleep at the dinner table and was out for the night. So, unfortunately he missed out.

Gage with his bag of ice cream.

The girls shaking their bags of ice cream. Hunter asleep on the couch.

Enjoying the finished product.

Gage trying on my swim cap and goggles.

Hunter wanted to try them on too and bust a move.

Sierra and I went to California this last week for her biopsy. We were really hoping for a 0 rejection. If she got a 0 that meant that we could go 3-4 months before her next biopsy and we could start going back to Boise for her in between echo's. Unfortunately it was a 1a, which means there are some white blood cells lurking around, so they want us back in 6 weeks. We were able to meet up with our dear friends the Thornton's. We went to the Discovery Museum on the Bay with them. It was the highlight of our trip. We ended up not being able to leave until Sunday due to the weather. Giving us an extra day to enjoy the weather in sunny Cali and Jason an extra day of stress with tax season and 4 kids.

Our angel flight home from California. It was a 8 passenger plane. Our first time on one that big.

Last Friday was our last day of skiing. We are so very sad. It has been sooo fun! Jason decided he was going to be an AWESOME father and come with us for the last day. We got up to the ski resort and it was terribly windy. They were not even opening the chair lift, which left the bunny hill our only option. We made the best of it and even learned to ski backwards. It was fun! Thank you Jason for sacrificing your morning for us! That is all we have to update for now. Until next time....

Jason and I on the bunny hill. Proof that he did ski with us this year. Even though it was windy and only on the bunny hill.

Student of the Quarter!

Lindsey received the "Student of the Quarter" award this past week. It is where she had behaved and was the most helpful and doing the best, for grades K-4, all quarter. I believe each teacher placed a name in from their class and Lindsey's name was drawn. She went to the school board meeting and was presented a metal from the school board. Her teacher was there to tell about how she earned student of the quarter. We are so proud of her. She is really starting to grow up and be so helpful.

Lindsey getting the spotlight from her teacher.

The presentation of the metal.

Proud owner of a "Student of the Quarter" metal.

A cute picture of Sierra, Megan and their friend Madison up skiing.

New Year Resolutions

Originally at the beginning of the year I made a silent resolution that we would stay clear of the hospital this year. Unfortunately little Gage broke my resolution yesterday. He has acquired RSV again and it hit him a little hard. He was having to really work hard at breathing and the breathing treatments we were giving him at home weren't working. We took him into the ER and they admitted to the hospital.

Luckily, he did a great job of keeping his oxygen saturation up so he didn't need oxygen. As the day went on he was doing better and better. We were able to go home at 4:00 pm yesterday making it a 14 hour admission to the hospital. Probably one of our shortest stays. I will take that. He is doing better today, a little miserable, but has no problem keeping up with his siblings.

We haven't had much to update. Jason and the girls basketball season ended Thursday with their last game, unfortunately, a loss. Megan is already planning on a better season next year and is practicing out in the shop daily with our new basketball hoop. Sierra on the other hand is fine not touching a basketball until next season.

Two more weeks of skiing and the girls are really getting fun to ski with. They are loving it! Hunter is his funny self and Lindsey Lou is starting to grow up. How I wish I could stop time!

Happy Belated Valentines Day!!

Hunter loves his hair spiked up, especially for church. It is one of those battles I have to chose whether or not to fight.

Lindsey in her typical position. Looking at herself in the mirror and admiring the view. We 3-barrelled her hair the other day. She came home from school all ecstatic because a girl told her she looked like Taylor Swift.

Having Fun and Staying Healthy!

January has been a fun and busy month for us. However, we are proud to say that we ended this month without anyone being in the hospital. We were reminiscing this past week of what we were doing a year ago. When our little Gage decided to surprise our lives with another medical miracle. We are so glad he is here with us today!

On a more positive note, Megan qualified to attend the Baker City Hoop Shoot. All the elementary schools in the area hold hoop shoots. Whoever gets the most baskets qualify to go to Baker to compete, then on to districts and state. Megan took 2nd but we are really proud of her and her love for basketball.

Jason is coaching Sierra and Megan's basketball team. He is a great coach! They have 3 more games left to learn Jason's favorite, the "double pick" and the "pick and role." Sierra had a check up in California Thursday. We received an all clear on her. The doctor's are very pleased with how she is looking and we will return in March for her next biopsy.

And finally, it is ski season. Sierra and Megan are doing the ski program in school. A bus takes them up to the local ski resort here and they get lessons and ski for half the day. They LOVE it!! Parents that want to volunteer their time can go and help and ski for free. It has been 12 1/2 years since I have been on skis but I decided to go ahead and attempt it. We had a blast, and it is a lot like riding a bike. You never forget! Thanks for checking on us. Bye for now!

Gage a year ago in the Boise, ID PICU.

Megan at the Baker Hoop shoot.

There was a change in coaches at the last minute before the season started. Jason ended up with purple shirts. So, if you can't beat em, join em. Thus, the purple bandanna

Megan very intense in the basketball game.

One of the very few times you will see Sierra with her tongue in her mouth. She is fun to watch. She dribble with her tongue out and defends with her tongue out. What would she do without that thing!

My running buddies, Garrity and Ronda. Ran a 5k last week. The red cheeks are when we found out it was actually 4 miles not 3.2. We still finished!

Sierra waiting to see the doctor's in the heart clinic. So artistic!

Sierra, Megan and I hitting the slopes at Anthony Lakes.

New Years Eve in St. George, UT

Finally I am to 2010! A belated Happy New Year to everyone. We were a little crazy and left at 6:00 am on the morning of the 30th to go to St. George for New Years. My mom had reserved some condos down there for my whole family to go and spend the week of New Years. We left thinking we would get there at about 7 or 8 that evening. A storm came in that night and made the roads very slick from our place to Jerome, ID. Then everything was great and the roads cleared. Until, just after Spanish Fork, UT. We would pass all the signs that said speed limit 80 mph, and there we sat going 40-45mph. Luckily, our kids did awesome, and we made it there safely at 10 pm. We were never so glad to get somewhere.

The next day was New Years Eve. It was really fun! We hiked, played kickball at the park, had a picnic and ate and swam a lot. By 8 o'clock that night, most of the adults were ready to go to bed. However, we toughed it out and made it to midnight to ring in the New Year and watch fire works.

We left Saturday, and drove on clear roads to Idaho Falls where we got to visit our favorite Yeck family. We also were able to see Josh and Tara and their family. We really enjoyed our visit with them. On with the New Year!!!

A hot air balloon right outside our hotel room balcony.

Broadee, Keaton, Sierra, Lindsey, Megan and Stetson watching the balloon land.

Lindsey and Hunter on our hike. As you can see, coats were required. The weather was chilly. Not exactly the "St. George" weather I had envisioned.

Keaton, Megan, Brindee, Stetson, Haylee, Sierra and Broadee striking a pose after their exploring.

Megan, Broadee, Lindsey and Haylee in a hole in a rock. Lindsey is crying because she really didn't want to go up there but her daddy shoved her in there anyway.

A cute picture of Brindee and Sierra.

A look from afar of the holes in the rock they were playing in.

Hunter yelling at his cousins to come see the hole he found.

More fun holes to climb into at "Dixie rock."

A cute picture of Stetson and Broadee.

Jason, I and Hunter and Lindsey overlooking St. George.

Lindsey, Haylee and Jason. (Notice the arm in the glasses)

New Year Eve, so far everyone is awake and doing well.

Everyone preparing to play another game.

Sierra attempting to stay awake with a sugar high.

10 o'clock and they are starting to drop.

The few remaining, "must stay awake!"