A Recap - January to April!

Ok, so Jake tells me I am the worst blogger ever. I do a great job keeping up my Krafty Blog, but when it comes to the family one I kind of suck! ;) So while he's out enjoying 18 holes of golf with the guys, I thought I would surprise him that I finally got our blog-o updated! So this is seriously PICTURE HEAVY, but so fun going back through everything! Enjoy!

So, recap of the last few months!

January

Brady turned 7 on the 21st!

Brady got a new bike

Skateboard, helmet and pads (along with some clothes and toys)

Brady's actual birthday fell on a Thursday, which happened to be Senior Night for the wrestlers! So, the other coaches arranged for the Cheerleaders to sing to Brady! It was so cute, but he told me he was so embarrassed after! ;) (PS - the one side where its not full is the visiting team, the other side of the stands was packed of course!)

Here are a few pics of Jake coaching that night. Man, he is such a hottie! Love my cute husband!

Then there was the Little League wrestling club the high school hosted. They only did one tournament, but it was sure fun!



February

State Wrestling! Just one pic of the arena Jake took. He was gone for three days and we missed him a ton! They had I think 6 or 7 kids qualify for State, and their Freshman 103 pounder was the only one to place. He took 6th. They had a blast though and are really excited for next season.





Jake had a fancy work party that was a Black Tie Event, so we got all dressed up and had a blast!





Monster Trucks! After State Wrestling was over we took the kids to Monster Jam. It was kind of their reward for being such awesome kids through everything!

I forgot to take a pic (bad me!), but Gwynie did her Science Fair Project on lava lamps, and how they work, and the experiment, etc. She did incredible on it! Her teacher even asked if he could keep her board as an example to show future classes what it should look like! ;) I helped a little, but it really was all her! Just helps to have a crafty momma right? I do have pics though that we put on her board, this is one showing the bubbling. (Oil, water, food coloring and alka seltzer)

March

Disney on Ice! Grandma Deb and Poppa Wayne bought all the grandkids tickets (except for Sydney, she's too little still) to go to Disney on Ice! Gwynie and Hannah did't plan on wearing their twiner shirts, but it was too cute!

Deb and Wayne got Brady a bow for his birthday, so once it finally warmed up he got to practice in the front yard!

April

Snow! BOOO SNOW!!! April 1st - not kidding!!

Easter! The kids love dying eggs, their baskets and egg hunts. Just booooo snow!!

And our doofy dog Bridger. He has gotten HUGE since December! His paws are bigger than Brecken's already! Breck turned 3 this year too, crazy! So our little pup will be bigger than his big brother soon! This is one of his typical positions on the couch, weirdo.

And, I chopped off lots of hair again! ;) Super short, but I'm getting used to it! Gwyn also chopped her hair, I'll have to get a pic of her cut to post soon!

I also started a new job! I wasn't looking to leave, but an opportunity came up at Jake's work, and one thing led to another. Within a matter of a few days I had a brand new job! I gave my two weeks notice, and started my new job last Thursday.

Freestyle Wrestling Club

So the other thing that's been going on is the Freestyle Club. Jake is the chairperson for the club and has been running everything!! Since mid February we've had 3 day a week practices (Tues-Thurs) and then Friday night and Saturday morning/afternoon tournaments. Next week is our last tournament, and its State for both Freestyle and Folkstyle. Jake has been coaching not only Brady, but their other kids that signed up. So nice that a few of the highschool kids came and did it, too. They will definitely have an advantage next year! I have a folder where I'm putting all those pictures (and videos). Not counting this weeks tournament, I have 1079 photos!!! I have picked out 25 so far to post to the blog. I have a feeling I will be scrapbooking those for ages. ;)

Speaking of scrapbooking...I have fun news in that area, too!

Kandi's Addiction, erm Hobby

I was so excited to have a some fun opportunities come my way! Not sure if I'd mentioned it or not on the blog before, but I was choosen to be on a Design Team for Skipping Stones Design. I get free stamps (can't beat that), and create cards with them weekly. I LOVE their stamps, so funny and sassy! I've been doing that since December.

Last month I also found out I'd gotten a spot on the Staff Reporter team for Craft Critique! I've had one article published so far, and have a few in the queue. I have assignments based on what I currently have, or plan on buying, to write my articles on. I've also been fortunate enough to be selected to review products, and have them sent to me by the vendors! Woot! :)

I've had a few more cards picked up for publication as well, and have loved seeing my cards in an actual book! It was kind of surreal, walking into my scrapbook store and seeing my two cards and MY NAME in a book! Then, next month I was in Hobby Lobby and saw that months mag with a card of mine. Wow, talk about cool!

And the end...

Ok, well I think that's about it! My plan (HA!) is to get a post ready after next week of all the Freestyle Wrestling stuff going on and a recap of that. After that, well I think we are MORE THAN READY for a break! We felt like we've been going a million miles an hour...wrestling 5 days a week, working, kids homework/school stuff, then just trying to have fun every now and then. ;) Spring Baseball/Softball starts mid May though for the kids (Jake's team starts next week), so I'm sure we will be ready after three weeks of boring-ness and nothing to do. ;)

Better late than never....right?

So my parents have been telling me that its been ages since I've updated our family blog. They would be very correct! ;) I honestly couldn't even begin to tell you everything we have been up to, but its a ton and we have been super busy! But of course, we all are, our if you have kids you are in the same boat! Last month I really wished for the remote from the movie Click. I just wanted to pause time, and spend that extra time just hanging out with my kiddos and super awesome hubby. I just had to remember to tell myself to breathe and relax and enjoy. Easier said than done of course!

So I decided today that I better update the blog-o and then call Mom to tell her the good news! :) Because I hate having things out of order I'll be back dating things so the "oldest/newest" post will be from October 15, and hopefully I can work my way up to now! (Please cross your fingers and wish me luck, I think I might need it!)

ETA - DONE!! I'm updated from October through this month!!!

A boy and his dog...

Bridger has definitely adjusted well to life around here. Take a look...

Brado gets so tired some nights after wrestling practice and his warm shower that he'll crash on the couch. Such a sweet little man...when he's sleeping. ;)

Side note...the blanket is one my Dad's Grandma made for him! It is Dennis the Menace (which was so fitting for my Dad!) and my Grandma found it, patched it up, and gave it to Brady. He loves this blanket because it was Poppa David's. Brady has definitely been my Dennis the Menace so its funny to see this all come full circle.

The Coach - AKA my hottie husband

I'd mentioned before that Jake applied for and was offered an Assitant Coaching position this summer on the blog-o, and now I finally have some pics to share! Thanks to my in-laws who took a ton of pictures at one of the Home Duels in December, and a few I took at a duel on the 2nd of January, I can show off my hottie husband in action! ;)

Jake goes into work early every morning so that he can leave early for wrestling practices. He drives out to Stansbury every day, does practices for 2 hours and has tournaments on the weekends and duels on Thursdays. Then there's Little League practices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays that I bring Brady to, and Jake runs those as well. Despite that hectic schedule, Jake has still managed to take care of things I need or ask from him, and balances it all. Sometimes I pick up a little more of his slack (hehe you know its true babe!) but I honestly don't mind because I know Jake is doing what he has dreamed about for years. This all started late October, and will wrap up next month at State which is also during his birthday! ;) Then after the high school program is over, the freestyle wrestling club starts! Yep, I know we're in it for the long haul! ;)

My in-laws took so many great pictures that I had a hard time narrowing it down! So I just picked out my favorites or the ones that stood out to me.

Jake starts out in the coaches chair...

And ends up on the floor where he can really watch, and coach, and yell!

Showing a Senior Wrestler how its really done. ;)

This wrestler is also named Jake. Apparently at a recent tournament Jake gave my Jake "knuckles" for having a hot wife. ;)

In the center of all the Varsity wrestlers giving them a pep talk before the final match.

These are a couple I took at the duel on the 2nd. This was actually at the high school Jake went to and wrestled for. I was able to get a picture of the "wrestling wall board" that Jake is on three different times. Its for State placers. :) Yeah, my baby rocked it in high school!

Obviously I'm still learning my new camera as I'd had it on the "Sports" setting so that it wouldn't show the display and I could snap away, so this is a little blury. But, this is Jake yelling something about elbows. Now, I know a fair amount of wrestling terms and moves, but I can't quite tell you what this is all about. I can tell you all about single and double legs, and cross faces and cradles, and how they calculate points, but I can't tell you the finer points of wrestling. Sorry, that's what I have my husband for to explain that to me. ;) Oh and my in-laws. They of course had two boys who wrestled so they know ALL about it. I love listening to them yell and cheer at matches. They crack me up!

And I just like this one. Jake is so focused during the matches. He loves this sport and is having an amazing time coaching. Just think, in a few years he might be a head coach. Wow, I can soooooo wait for that day! :)

New Years Eve

Today is MY BIRTHDAY! I'm always asked how I feel about having my birthday so close to Christmas, and especially on New Years Eve. Honestly, my parents made sure everything was kept seperate so I always had plenty to go around! ;) They would even take all the ornaments off the Christmas tree and decorate it with balloons and streamers! That's probably one of my fondest memories of growing up, actually. I knew my parents wanted to make my day special and they always did! They never went out on New Years Eve either, even though I told them it didn't matter to me, haha! My husband also makes sure I'm treated extra special on my birthday too, thanks babe! I always say that everyone celebrates my birthday too...you didn't know it, but really you are! Cause I'm a cool kid, and you're all celebrating that I'm here!So this year I decided that since its been well over 10 years that I've had a "birthday tree" I would do one for myself! ;) Here it is! This one is for you Mom and Dad! :D

Christmas Re-cap

Well the kids got spoiled again this year (as always) and loved every minute of it. I just wish it all didn't pass by so fast!

Christmas Eve the kids got their traditional jammies and of course loved them. Because I'm a good mom and totally know my kids! ;) Gwynie loves penguins (we called her 'Pen-gwyn' when she was little haha) so her jammies were penguins with a little seal friend! Brady got some skull and cross bones fleece jammie pants so he was diggin them! And of course a blue thermal shirt to go with em!

The kids also got a movie and the new Super Mario Brothers game for the Wii. All four of us played their new game before bed and it was a blast! Holy crap we laughed soooooo hard and had so much fun just playing and hanging out together! ;) Man I just LOVE these kids to pieces!!

Cookies and chocolate milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Brady made it a point that Santa HAD TO HAVE chocolate milk this year. Thanks B! ;)

Christmas morning was a blur we just had a blast and I loved seeing the kids faces light up as they got everything they asked for and more. *sigh* I love these guys!

Gwynie with her vanity from Santa! She got little make-ups (from Claires), more jewelery and perfumes in her stocking. I found a hot pink blow dryer and straightner so she was in heaven with all her girly stuff Christmas morning!

Brady with his new tv and dvd player from Santa!

I just love this picture! My Mom and Dad got Jake and Brady some remote control Monster Trucks. Like the REAL ones that are super heavy duty! They were high fiving! :)

Christmas morning we went to Dustin and Erica's and did Christmas with his parents there, too. After that we packed up and headed up to Idaho to visit my grandparents and my Aunts family that made the trip from Colorado Springs. Coming home Sunday afternoon...everyone was worn out and exhausted!