Happy Birthday RJ

It is hard to believe that 4 years ago RJ came to be a part of this family. It just seems that he has always been here amongst all the chaos. This year has been a big year for him. He started sunbeams and it took us until August to get him to go to class all by himself. He also started school in August, at Head start in LaVerkin. It took him a good month to adjust and think that school was a good thing. But he has great teachers and they have been very patient with him trying to make this big step. In November he started one more pre-school at the Intermediate school right close to our house. He attends there 3 day's a week for a couple hours a day. This school has been great for his cognitive delay as well as his speech. He has grown up so much in the last few months.

His favorite things are still being in the outdoors with his dad. He has yet to get tired of riding around on the 4 wheeler with his dad. It doesn't matter if it is freezing out, if the 4 wheeler is turned on then he is on it.

He is great to play all alone with a few cars and his imagination. (If his brothers would leave him alone for more than a few minutes.) He loves his animals. Sassy and French Fry (the cats) are his favorite little cuddle toy's. We got him a bird for Christmas which he was so excited about. He named it Chewy! Unfortunately, Sassy thought Chewy, looked . . . CHEWY. So the bird is no more. I don't know how soon we will try another bird.

There truly is never a dull moment with RJ around. We are so lucky to have this sweet boy as a member of our family.

Happy Birthday RJ

Santa

Santa has just left the building . . . but he will be back shortly with the (forgotten) bird for RJ. Hope you all have a great Christmas Morning!

Thanksgiving '08

Bradley, Luke, Khloee, Payton, RJ

Christmas is just around the corner but I wanted to make sure I jotted a few fond memories down from Thanksgiving this year. We had such a fun time and I am so glad that we took the chance to travel to Layton this year and spend time with family that we don't get to see as often. The kids were so excited they had a calendar in Tanner's room counting down the day's till we left. The only problem was that Tanner would X out a day and then Luke would go in and X out a day so the countdown was going faster than the actual days were and they were getting perturbed at me that I kept moving the date back!

Here is my gratitude list from the pictures I took this THANKFUL weekend.

I am so Thankful for . . . .

These two cute girls that I hope will grow up loving each other and being the best of friends.

A husband who is still a kid at heart and thinks he can keep up with them. (Which I think he showed them he still had a few moves, but oh my, did he complain later about muscles that he forgot he even had.)

Kandice, Misti & baby Julia all bundled up.

Cute sisters to share the drive and the weekend with! I didn't get one of Trudi but I was glad she was there and I think she is cute too! We missed Cheri but we did get to share a few moments together across the phone lines as we tried to get the hot deals on Friday Morning. And once again, super cute sister!

Kyla, Payton, Porter, RJ

Cousins to share memories of some first experiences with, like our first exciting train ride! (can you feel Porter and RJ's excitement).

The trip to Temple Square to see the beautiful Christmas lights. I don't ever remember seeing the lights at temple square so I was excited to get the chance to go, even if there were a thousand other people there. Being surrounded by the masses is not exactly Kory's idea of a good time so I must thank Dave (Kandice's husband) for cheering his spirits by letting a STINKER in the middle of the visitor center that had people screaming for the exits. So yes, I am thankful Dave has rotten gas! (Typical Kory, to find a "bomb" worth the trip.)
I am thankful for our first family picture this year. Not exactly professional, but it will have to do . . . until next year I am sure.