Family Home Evening

Last week we had the opportunity to go to a park in Provo and enjoy dinner and Family Home Evening together. Kyle taught the lesson on the beauty of the Earth and how we have a responsibility to nourish and take of it. We were really glad to be able to spend this special time together as a family. Monday nights are really special.

Gabbie was playing with her feet and hands the entire time we were eating and having the lesson.

A picture of Kyle during the lesson.
Then we were off to play in the park. It was a first for Gabs because she hasn't really had the chance to be out and playing on the stuff at playgrounds, usually she just watches.

Here she is being very tough and climbing up the wall to get to the slide.

We had fun swinging together. She got really into the ride and at one point she was actually pushing her legs in and out just like me.

Kyle decided to give Gabbie a ride over to the playground right after she had eaten. It was a bouncy ride and she couldn't keep her food down. So she threw it up all over her dad's hair. I couldn't help but laugh, a lot. Kyle had to go dunk his head in the water fountain to try to get the spit up out of his hair. Luckily it was warm enough to do that.

Gabs, with the help of Daddy, climbed up the rock and posed for a few pictures. The wind was blowing a little bit and she kept turning her head the other way. She also really liked the texture of the rock.

A family picture on top of the playground.

We wanted to get a picture of Gabbie 'driving the car but she didn't want to cooperate so instead we have me driving it showing her what to do.

Kyle had more fun than Gabs I believe.

I can't wait to explore the parks around our new apartment. It's really nice to be able to get out and do something like that with the family. We are really lucky to be so close to some pretty cool parks.

Kickball

Every year at the end of the school year, there is a tradition in my school. The faculty must play the oldest kids in the school in a game of kickball. Usually the rules are completely unfair and there is no chance that the teachers can win. So for this year, the rules were changed. Both sides got to kick all the way through there team of 16 or so and no outs were counted. We were excited about these new rules. Now there was a chance. I surprised myself with how well I was able to play. I really thought I was going to be bad. Playing this simple game of kickball made me nostalgic for the days when I used to play softball and get to get down in the dirt after a ball. Those are some good memories.

I'm getting ready for the ball to come or I've already kicked it. I can't tell. Kyle took these pictures because he came to show me moral support.

Right after he got there, I get this pitch that I want to hit really bad, so bad in fact that I completely miss the ball and it rolls past me. It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to catch that in film ;)

Trying to catch the ball or something.

We all got decked out in these flame headbands and put war paint on our faces. We determined to have fun. The rest of the kids from 2-5 were sitting on the hill watching and either cheering on the teachers or the sixth graders. There were numerous times where I overhead the chant "Sixth grade rules, teachers suck!"

Our fearless leader, Kristie Nevins, tracking the score to make sure we knew what was going on.

Gabbie came with Daddy to watch me play. She really enjoyed it because tons of kids came up to her and were trying to play with her. It was really funny because one of my kids looked at her and asked if she was my baby. (they haven't seen her since she was about a month or two old). Then another one told me that he was talking with his mom the other night and told her that he thought chubby babies were the cutest. Then he said "so your baby is really cute!" I couldn't help but laugh.

Some sort of argument was going on. Sixth grade weren't very gracious losers.

I'm running in to home for the final point of the game. We kicked their trash but according to their score, they were tied when we went up for the last inning. So I guess if you look at it that way, I scored the winning run.

Our second grade team: Nicole Busch, Kate Bailey, Leslie Ewell, and me.

Running the bases after an awesome hit.

And one final picture of me decked out in my full gear for the game. I had a lot of fun playing. I pulled something in the last run that I did but after a few days I felt fine and am ready to start my new exercise program come Monday morning. (Moral support and encouragement would do wonders for making me stick to it:) )

Memorial Weekend

Memorial Day was a great break from work and school this year. We had the opportunity to spend some time with family and do some service for Kyle's Grandma Robbins at the same time. First we attended the Spanish Fork Cemetery where Kyle's sister Natalie was performing the National Anthem with her choir group. Then we went up to another cemetery in Provo to visit Kyle's little sister Lacey's grave site. Finally, we went up to Salt Lake to visit Grandma Robbins and help her move her old fence out of the way so she could get her yard ready for the new fence to come in. It was a really humbling experience for me because I had thoughts about not wanting to help and wanting to just relax. Then while we were working, she came outside to watch us and broke down in tears. She told RaeAnna and Chelle, Kyle's mom and sister, that we were an answer to her prayers. She was going to get out there the next day and do it all by herself.

I realized once again how important serving others is. You never know when something as simple as moving a pile of wood can mean the world to someone else. I need to make sure that I keep this experience in my mind so that whenever there is a service opportunity, I will remember how important it could be to someone else.

So here are some pictures from our fun weekend....

Gabbie just looked too cute in this outfit. I loved how her hat matched her shorts outfit.

We are waiting for the choir to start singing and Gabs was a little fussy so she went for a walk with her Uncle Jake and Aunt Lydia.

We found this cute jacket at Kid to Kid for really cheap and were really grateful that it was packed in the diaper bag as it turned out to be a cold, rainy day.

Visiting Lacey's grave site has meant a lot to me on the occasions that Kyle and I make it up there. I know from all the stories the family shares about how special this little girl was and is. She means so much to Kyle and has helped him through some really tough times. Gabbie has a picture of Lacey hanging in her bedroom, over her bed and we like to tell her that she is being watched over by her aunt. Here I am talking to Gabbie about her Aunt Lacey.

Daddy wanted us to pose for the camera (this doesn't happen very often as I am still uncomfortable with the way I look after having a baby).

One of the most exciting things about this special weekend was that Kyle's little brother Jake was able to be home for a few days during the weekend. We love when he is around and have sorely missed him. He and Kyle have a very special relationship that I at times do not understand, but I am so grateful that they can share things with one another and just listen.

Kyle was practicing some of his defense moves he learned from his training for his job. Jake was her practice partner.

We sure love it when we get to spend special times like these with our family!

Ode to Second Grade

Today was the last day of my teaching career. It was a great two years and I learned a ton of things that will definitely help me as I prepare to teach my own children. It's hard to believe that all the work I put in to getting my education and doing well in school has finally come to an end. I will always be grateful for the time I had as a certified teacher in a public school. One of the things that I treasure the most about this experience is how much I have changed and grown as a person.

Wednesday the 28th was field day for my kids. We spent almost the entire time outside (I have a lovely farmers tan to show for it). Here we are at our first rotation waiting for the game to be set up. I asked the kids to give me a normal picture and then we would take a goofy one. (Notice the one in the back middle who forgot the type of picture we were taking)

Now for the goofy one...

We had to play the human knot at one of the stations. At the beginning of the year, we played this to try to work on our communication. It's funny how the kids completely forget what they learned earlier in the year because they acted as if they had never played the game before....it could have been the candy they had just gotten from the last rotation though.

This was probably my favorite rotation of the day. The kids had to use teamwork to get the water balloon from one towel to the next with the end purpose to see if I could catch it. Let's just say that they were not very good at this. But the cool thing is that after they finished, the lady who was doing this station had them come sit down and talk about what they learned through the experience about teamwork.

A part of me will miss teaching but I am so grateful that I get to stay home with Gabbie this next year. Thank you, Kyle for letting us think about and eventually make the decision for me to stay home.

Smart Girl

After I get home from work during the week, I have a ton of things to get done around the house. Lately, Gabs has wanted to be held the entire time or at least have me in her sight (not a lot gets done because of that). One day I just had to do something and couldn't sit and hold her while she ate. She knows how to hold her bottle all by herself but sometimes she will refuse to do it. Hoping that she would cooperate, I put her in her chair, gave her the bottle and went in the kitchen to take care of stuff. When she was unusually quiet, I walked in the living room to make sure everything was okay.

This is what I found...

She is such a smart girl. Instead of holding the bottle up with her hands and letting them get tired, she propped the bottle on her arm and curled her hands together to hold it in place. We sure are proud of our girlie.

New Toy

Kyle's sister Natalie came to visit a few weeks ago. Gabbie loves her Aunt Nan because she is so much fun and plays with her. We were all sitting at the kitchen table discussing an upcoming dance and Gabbie saw the red plastic cups we use (no dishwasher so we buy the plastic throw away stuff) for drinks. Whenever she has tasted anything really yummy, other than her baby food which she loves, it has come from a red cup. Now when she sees one, she kind of freaks out and has to see what is inside it.

We had left an empty cup on the table and she kept leaning over to try to pick it up so Nan just gave it to her and let her play.

"Mom, what are you doing with that camera? Can't a girl play in peace without any pictures?"

Then she caught sight of the cat, Lucy, sitting on the windowsill and was temporarily distracted. However, she wanted to get that cup in her mouth so bad so Lucy was soon forgotten.

Almost there...

So close...she started to get really frustrated.

Oh!!! Finally all that hard work paid off. Too bad there was nothing in there to drink, just another toy to chew on.

Favorite Position

Gabbie has a favorite position that she likes to get herself in when we are sitting on the couch. We will be sitting up together and then she will literally fling herself backwards so she can lay down with her head upside down and look at the tv or anything else on the other side of the room.

Kyle was watching tv or reading a book and Gabbie decided that she didn't like the seating arrangement so she came up with one of her own. Pretty interesting I'd say.

Gabs loves to be sitting in between our legs with her head resting on our legs. For some reason, it has become her favorite spot and is really comfy. So nice in fact that she regularly falls asleep in that position. She definitely surprises us every day with the things she comes up with.

It's hard to believe she will be six months in a week. Time has really gone by quickly.