Syrek Family 8

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-12T20:14:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas

Girls Just Want to Have Fun...

2010-06-18T23:47:00.000-07:00

We are grateful for a mother/wife who isnt afraid to

stand up and embarrass herself!!

We thought your friends and family would get a kick out of this

video clip taken last month. (If they can stomach it.)

Watch at your own risk and thanks to Karen & Corrin for singin' along!

Moral = Let's never get too old or too busy or too uptight to stop and laugh at ourselves. So, thanks for keeping us loose!

Happy Birthday 6/19 to the best mother/wife around!!! We love you!

Wayne's Commercial

2010-06-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Wayne's commercial... Ok... Ok... So it is just a cameo!!

We are proud to support our close friend and business partner, Kirk Adams!

"like" Kirk on Facebook at Facebook-Kirk Adams

Toro Camp

2010-06-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

Summer time around here means Toro Football Camp. This time Channel 3 was there. If look closely you can see our "Big Toro" and "little Toro."

You are loved.

2010-05-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

I was fine all day until my sweet girls surprised me. They have been practicing this

song for a while each time I would leave the home.

This is a very special song to our family. It reminds us of Michael (my brother). This song is on his life DVD. Today it has been 3 years since he passed away. Amazing how time heals a broken heart. Just seemed like another day. I was busy with my kids and didn't feel sad at all, until my girls pulled this on me. I lost it pretty good. They wanted to share this song with everyone who loves Mike! Especially Grandma and Grandpa.

Thanks girls....just what I needed.

Where does the time go ? :(

2010-05-14T15:19:00.012-07:00

I can not believe he is leaving my side. I can hardly stand it. Kindergarden is no big deal. Once they go to school all day I feel like I have lost them in a way that will never be the same. I can't even sleep at night.

It just breaks my heart. I have tears is my eyes just writing about it.

Today we celeabrated at Jungle Jim's.

Jason read 100 books! I am so proud of him. He has been such a joy to Wayne and I. What am I going to do with out him around next year.

  1. No more Star Wars.
  2.   No more complaining when I need or want to go the store.
  3.   No more days cut in half, waiting for afternoon kindergarden.
  4.   No more telling him to get off the computer.
I am trying to find something positive here....... It's not working. I am still sad:(

A mothers work is never done.

2010-05-05T17:30:00.002-07:00

Monday morning I said to Wayne that I needed to do laundry today. He was a little taken back and said, "no you don't, I just did it on Saturday?" He was feeling pretty good about cleaning the house and doing the laundry while I was gone. I said to him, "that was two days ago." ??? was the the look I got. 2 days, 8 of us, that is 16 outfits, PJs for the boys, and towels. He will never totally get it. And that is OK. That probably would have really bugged me a few years ago, but not any more. I run this house and I know what goes on. I would hope that nobody else would really know. This is the life I have created for myself and I LOVE it. Yes I could be replaced by Alice (you know form the Brady Bunch), but I do it all in a loving, serving way. When I was a little girl all I wanted to be when I grew up,was a mom. Well all my dreams came true.

I did this on my own!!!!

2010-05-02T20:27:00.001-07:00

I went to Womens Conference this weekend with my mom and had a great time. I came home excited, and I have a lot of goals to work on...one of which is doing my own blog. Wayne has been doing the blog for a while (pretending to be me) and it is time for me to figure out how to use a computer.

2 cold old ladys waiting for a ride.

My cousin Cassie

I also spent time with my" favorite person in Utah" Anna. We had a great time catching up. I had a picture, but I am not really sure where it went. Back to life as a mom and wife....I almost fainted when I stepped on the scale this morning, BACK TO THE REAL WORLD. See you next year Womens Conference!

Danger

2010-04-21T08:28:00.002-07:00

Danger--- High ~~Voltage~~ Maintenance!!!

I have never purchased a shirt at Walgreens.

I will probably never buy a shirt at Walgreens again.

But a 30-minute wait for a prescription led me to this great $5 find.

Perfect shirt. I think it sums it him all up!!!

(Wouldn't trade this kid for anything though)

My Three Sons

2010-04-20T14:18:00.002-07:00

My Three Sons

Lunch break on our 4-mile hike last Saturday

2010-04-04T21:01:00.006-07:00

Syrek Easter Traditions

Egg Dyeing and Saturday Easter Egg Hunt at home.

Saturday Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and Egg Hunt

Our 16th year at the Easter Pageant & Easter General Conference (an added bonus this year)

Grandma's house for a wonderful traditional Easter ~~meal~~ feast with all the fixins.

Grandma LeSueur's for relaxation & some more family time.

We testify that He is Risen!! Luv, The Syreks

For our non-member family...

2010 LDS First Presidency Easter Message:

"At this Easter season as we contemplate our own mortality and remember loved ones who have passed from this life, our hearts turn to Him who promised: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Jesus Christ is the literal Savior of the world, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the Holy One of Israel, even the risen Lord, who declared: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world. … I am the light and the life of the world."
"I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father." This Easter season, as His witnesses, we testify that He lives and that through Him,we too shall live."

The Happiest Place on Earth... even when it is crowded :-(

2010-04-04T13:34:00.003-07:00

~Spring Break 2010~

Lots of fun and lots of smiles...

Derby time....

2010-04-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

~The 1st of many Syrek Pinewood Derby Cars~

The best Den Leader....ever!

Anxiously awaiting the start of a race....

Sand... sand... and sand some more....

Am I done yet....?

The fun part... PAINT!!!!

Not bad for our 1st derby.. Middle of the pack... Watch out next year!!

Joey turned 8!

2010-03-03T21:45:00.001-07:00

Lazer Tag party... every boys dream

We surprized Joey with a trip to the Renaissance Festival. He thought is was great (besides the cold rain and no jacket).

The best part about turning 8..... Getting baptized

I love my boys!!!!!

What a special day.

Super Sunday!

2010-02-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

The world may call today "Super Sunday"

because of a football game...

But the 1st day of Nursery makes this our SUPER SUNDAY!!

Congrats Mikey!!

(We will miss you during Sunday School. (ha ha)

The Pasta Monster....

2010-01-21T17:43:00.002-07:00

He's only 1/4 Italian----but this kid lovessssssss pasta.......................! Can ya tell??

70 degrees... What a great day for a hike!

2010-01-02T22:31:00.006-07:00

Over the last year or so we have done alot of fishing (lots of fishing!) and started doing some family hikes in the mountains. So, we decided to keep it going and start the New Year off with a nice 3 mile (roundtrip) family hike up to the Wind Caves at Usery Pass. What a blast!!!

worn out by the end and he didn't even walk!

what a nice big sister to help a worn out 5 year old brother

view from the top...

Enjoying a nice (and much needed) lunch break at the top

Happy New Year!!!

Christmas Break 2009

2010-01-02T17:31:00.004-07:00

Christmas morning--- our 7 angels
Mikey's favorite toy--- The family drum set... He loves music. He even conducts the music in sacrament meeting. (From the congregation of course)

Christmas dinner at our home

What every kid (and dad) needs---- a .22 rifle... They screamed with joy when they opened it.

the annual "sleep upstairs and can't come down til mom and dad are ready" photo

grandpa & mikey up in showlow. it was cold all week but grandpa was cold indoors too.

Mikey loves his Uncle Russell

Ash and bud Lena. Nice snowman, girls... An "A" for creativity

with grandma jenny on Christmas night

mikey's 1st homeade ravioli-- he loved 'em. (making grandma very happy)

in showlow. 17 and a high chair please!

the cutest snow baby ever

But an even cuter Santa

Cousins

more cousins

Ho Ho Ho!!!

2009-12-11T09:23:00.003-07:00

Not sure we have ever had a smile on Santa's lap at this age.

Mikey was no exception.

Merry Christmas to all!

Happy 12th!!!!

2009-11-05T18:58:00.004-07:00

a happy happy 12th birthday to haley

where is this thing called "time" going??

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T19:30:00.006-07:00

what a fun bunch!

jason and his buddy nico while trick-or-treating. they are usually all smiles together...

ashley and her two buds from our ward at the trunk-or-treat

getting the "trunk" ready

the cutest monkey ever

the bride of frankenstein at a friend's party. (had a great time!)

gramma's annual halloween party. our children (and cousins) look forward to this every year. thank you!!!!

before the storm ...

one scary scarecrow---- aka as grandpa

also celebrated jake and grandpa's birthday this week. scary spider, huh???

grandpa and mikey on grandpa's birthday. hope u had a great birthday dad!

Halloween is over. (Yea!) Now on to Thanksgiving.

What a wonderful time of the year. We have so much to be thankful for.

3 Girls----1 clogged drain

2009-10-31T11:01:00.008-07:00

3 girls. 1 clogged drain.. need i say more????

(Yes, that is exactly what you think it is.)

We didn't call a plumber...but mikey was walking around with a plumber's crack. close enough!

--dad

"City Beautiful"--- Nauvoo, Illinois

2009-10-17T13:43:00.003-07:00

A long awaited trip to Nauvoo... Kids voted for Disneyland over October break, but they lost the vote!!

Started out in St.Louis... That is us under the Arch. Can u see us wayyyyyyyyyy out there??? (Gotta look close. We are lined up with the silos across the river.) Wayne thought he could get a family photo under the arch but didnt realize how far back he would need to go to get us in.. Duh???

A great trip to Carthage Jail on Sunday. Joey pointing to the hole in the door where the bullet that killed Hyrum Smith went through.. He thought it was sooo cool that it was still there in the door after 165 yrs.

Outside the jail and under the 2nd story window where Joseph Smith fell.

The beautiful temple...

Some chilly fall weather... And some cute kids!

On the steps of the Mansion House.. One of the Prophet Joseph's many Nauvoo homes.

Learning how life worked in the 1840's. Was a great learning experience for our children as we visited the old shops & houses.

Had to take some fall pictures. (Temple is in the distance over Ashley's shoulder.)

What a wonderful place for a family to visit!!

I am pretending that it is fall...

2009-09-29T19:36:00.005-07:00

Well it was 104 degrees out today, so we are pretending that it is fall, the beginning of all the holidays. I love this time of year and I really love Halloween. It is all fun. No real meaning to worry about, no gifts to give, no parties to get to, just all fun. I do love all of that, but I really enjoy just having fun with the kids.

I am really excited to wear my Halloween necklace. I just need to find me an orange shirt to go with it. If you can't tell, there is a haunted house on it.

My favorite find as I was out looking for Halloween decor is this cake plate(those of you that know me know I love a good cake plate). I really like my new vulture up in my window too.

Happy Haunting!

Cupcake fun!

2009-09-22T20:52:00.001-07:00

My girl Kate turned 10. We had a cupcake theme party. We kept it small to keep it under control. Katie is blessed with really great friends. Andi, Brynn, Kourtney, Navy, and Emma. Aren't they all so cute?

I love to have parties and make the kids day special.

We started out tie-dying...

did cupcake crafts....

more cupcake crafts.....

decorated cupcakes....

and ate LOTS of cupcakes......

What a great day!

This one is for you Grandpa!!!

2009-08-30T20:22:00.009-07:00

Tonight my dad told me that he looks at our blog everyday to see if I have a new post. Like many other fellow bloggers, I haven't been blogging as much. I have missed it. So I am going to try to do better.

1st DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!

I was so excited.....

Ashley grew up this summer. At 5'9'' now she is now a freshman. She is enjoying seminary, AA classes, friends, and boys. She had a great summer going to Washington D.C., EFY, cabin trips, and Hawaii. Now it is time to get back to working hard and start planning for college.

Haley started Jr. High. WOW 2 teenagers is making me feel old. She has a new found love of the Violin. I love to listen to her play. She is enjoying going to school an hour later than the other kids, and having more time to decide what to wear to school (it takes about five outfits tried on to finally decide what she will wear.) I am enjoying watching her experience a whole new world at Poston.

Katie is in 5th grade...going on 11th grade..... She loves her friends, talking on the phone, and SHOES. What more can I say. She has been having a really hard time deciding on what to do for her birthday party. Anyone have any ideas?

Joey is so happy to be back to his 3 recess of the favorite sport of the week... he is doing so well in Math and working hard in every other subject. He is so much like Wayne in so many ways it is amazing to me. I am enjoying him sooo much and I really miss him during the day.

Well it finally happened.... Jason after years of yearning FINALLY gets to ride the bus. He was so excited. He was excited about every part of Kindergarten. He loves it so much and is already counting to 60. He has been our most outgoing and has been telling me all about all his new friends. His only problem is he has to wait till 11:45 to go which makes a long morning for him and for me.:)

The Chocolate Monster...

2009-08-01T18:23:00.005-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday Michael!

6 kids and this is definitely a 1st... Do you think this kid likes chocolate???

"Mom, I am ready for Kindergarten!"

2009-07-29T08:52:00.015-07:00

Happy 5th Birthday!! I was sooooo worried that Jason wouldn't be ready for Kindergarten this year since he has an early summer birthday (July) and would be just barely 5 when he started (Wayne kept saying, "He'll be fine.") but..... he has grownnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn sooooooooooo muchhhhhhhhhhhh this summer in soooo many ways. He is such a sweet boy with such a sweet disposition. He is also our 'class clown' always trying to make people laugh at home and wherever he is. (He usually succeeds.) We love you.

Anxiously waiting....

1st swim team ribbon. He carried it around for a week.

Look Mom.. no hands!

A beach bum. He always asks, "But, why do they put all that salt in the ocean? I don't like it."

We were all wondering where Jason was at dinner one night and then he comes back to our table with an ice cream cone so big that he needed a plate and an escort back to his seat by the gal at the restaurant. The gal said she watched him make it and knew he would never make it back to the table alone. He loved every minute of it. (the ice cream and the attention)

Even a small fish makes him happy. He is soooo proud of every catch.

I have never met a treat I didn't like.. (I wonder where he gets that from??)

Dancing at the bowling alley. Entertaining all of us and anyone that would watch. I guess every family has at least one "ham."

"Hang loose" is his new favorite thing...

We have now declared him 100% ready for Kindergarten.

10 yrs and counting.....

2009-06-03T18:56:00.013-07:00

Just 10 yrs until he walks on the sacred ground (aka Toro Stadium) for real but his 1st Toro camp was a huge success.

Look at the form... Wow, a chip off the ol' block. Nice hit, son!

He'll be ready...

The "Toro Tradition" talk by Toro legend Todd Shell . I had goosebumps..

It's gonna be a long wait...

-Dad

My aMaZiNg daughter

2009-05-25T05:01:00.006-07:00

Well it all started 1 year ago today! We made a challenge to our kids that if they didn't eat candy for 1 YEAR that we would give them $100 dollars. Ashley said no way (she is like me and addicted to chocolate). Katie lasted about 4 days (money just doesn't interest her yet). Then there is HALEY! I am so proud of the . SHE DID IT!!!! Haley is 1 disciplined person. (Yes, that meant NO Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's or Easter Candy!! Amazing!!) I already knew this about her, but this shows me more about her. GREAT JOB SWEETHEART!

2 Years Later :(

2009-05-17T08:51:00.004-07:00

I can hardly believe that it has been 2 years since my brother Michael passed away. It is like he went on a mission and I am ready for him to come home. I miss him so much. There is nothing better than a good Michael story. For those of you that knew him, you know that Mike was one of a kind. He was so funny and did crazy things. One thing that helps when we are feeling sad about him is to talk about him and tell funny stories. So I am asking all that knew Michael to leave a comment, tell a story, share a memory, or anything would make this week a whole lot better. (Please!!) It would be much appreciated! Help us keep his memory alive. You have no idea how much my family would love this (especially my mom). THANKS!!

Charity

2009-04-21T13:59:00.004-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about this quote lately. I try to read it everyday with the hopes of being a better person. I really do feel this way, but it is easy to let my mind and mouth do otherwise.

" Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisiting the impulse to become offended.... Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and be willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other." (author unknown)

Just a little something to think about :-)

TRADITIONS

2009-04-12T19:17:00.006-07:00

I love this time of the year. We have established a few traditions in our family. One of those would be the Easter Pageant. We figured out that this was our 16th year of going . (One of our 1st dates was to the pageant.) I love it so much that I have decided that next year me and my girls are going to try out. I am so excited about it! Wish us luck!This is Ashley's bff Karen. She was in the pageant. She was the one sitting on the rock when Jesus was telling the story of the 10 virgins. Pretty cool.

This is Haley's bff Chantel. She also was in the pageant. My girls are blessed with great friends.

Saturday the Easter Bunny comes to our house. After the fun, we go to eat breakfast with the bunny and have a great Easter egg hunt. Mikey wasn't so sure what to think.

Jason is petrified of the bunny. When we were eating breakfast and the bunny came by, Jason headed straight under the table.

Sunday is our day to think about the Resurrection and what Our Savior did for us. We love that day to enjoy church and spending time with our families and of course.....to eat.
Mikey loves both of his Grandmas. He is such a pleasant little guy and full of love. What a joy he is to us. We are all so in love with him.

HAPPY EASTER to all!!!

Craftie Katie

2009-04-02T20:36:00.003-07:00

My little girl is a girly girl. I love it. She loves bling, pink, and shoes. Last night she cleaned the kitchen and mop all my wood floor, so I decided to do something nice for her. She has been asking me for a while to go to the ribbon store get stuff to make flowers for her hair. As you can see we did just that. We also made something to hold all her new clips. She has my love of baking. I think all my girls do. Katie just loves to work with her hands. I think she looks pretty cute in her Chefs coat and hat. That's my baby girl!

My obsession

2009-03-29T20:29:00.002-07:00

I have become obsessed with cake pans. Why I have know idea. I want them all. I look at them whenever I am out shopping, and I search the Internet for them. I think I watch too much cake challenge on food network. I need to just go sign up for a cake decorating class somewhere. My other obsession is cake stands. Especially Holiday cake stands. I look for them when I am out shopping, and I search the Internet for them. My dream is to have a big hutch to set them on in my kitchen. Then I can look at them every day. Weird I know.

Modest is Hottest

2009-03-06T08:31:00.003-07:00

Ashley and I went to a modest prom dress fashion show. My favorite neighbor Anna was modeling. It was so fun. There had to have been at least 50 beautiful dresses they showed that were so stylish and modest. I think our world is way too desensitized to looking immodest. I was so glad to have been invited and to have brought Ashley. It was nice for her to see at 13 what true beauty is...... Anna is a great example of true beauty. She is such a cute girl, but what I love most is that she is so kind, always sweet, funny, happy, and true to herself, and I love how she always has a smile on her face. She is a great role model for my girls.

To my surprise, I had 2 cute (really cute) cousins escorting the girls. I got pictures! I am sure he will be surprised if he was to ever look at my blog. I just couldn't resist.

My girl is growing up. (all of a sudden I have tears in my eyes) She is such an amazing young women. I wish I could just freeze her right now, but it is so fun to watch her grow and mature. I am amazed at all that she can do. I was looking at my pictures on my camera and found this silly face. I not sure when it was taken, but it made me smile.

Happy 7th Birthday to you!

2009-02-21T07:20:00.006-07:00

Happy 7th Birthday Joey!!

Your family loves you!! You are a JOY and a BLESSING!

1 more year til baptism & Cub scouts.. Wow! (He can't wait)

(Is this not the cutest smile ever??!!)

2009-02-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

Win, Win, Win!!!
I Won And You Can Too! Pay It Forward

The Rules...

1. Be one of the first three bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which entitles you to a handmade item from me.

2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway.

3. The gift that you send to your friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It's the Spirit and the thought that counts!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Please take the button and post it on your blog; start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

Making Valentines

2009-02-10T16:05:00.004-07:00

This year we decided to make our own Valentines. It was so much fun. Ashley helped Jason with his . I love when my kids work together and enjoy it.

My Valentine brought me this. Yesterday we made and frosted sugar cookies. I was sooo happy. Never in my life have I had sugar cookies turn out. I have been going to cooking classes and they are helping me a lot. My first ever successful sugar cookies. :) I can now add them to my list of accomplishment in my domestic life. Some of which are....... killer brownies, french bread, chocolate chip cookies, pecan logs, chocolate candy, pumpkin rolls, whole wheat bread, Texas sheet cake, and now sugar cookies. I am not saying they are the best, just that I could make them for someone and not be too worried. Next on my list is Cinnamon rolls......

The kids all got to pick a friend and doorbell ditch a plate of cookies at their house. We had so much fun running and hiding.....HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

6 months already!

2009-01-31T18:55:00.006-07:00

My sweet little guy turned 6 months old today. Where did the time go? Having 6 kids isn't always easy.... but definitely worth it!! We are sooo in love me and my boy. His brothers are pretty crazy about him too.

Book Review

2009-01-19T12:26:00.003-07:00

I just got done reading this book that my mom gave me. I found it very interesting and really enjoyed it. Ever since my brother Michael passed away I have thought a lot more about life, and where we go when we die. I am grateful to have such a need to understand more for myself. I really loved "The Message" of this book. SERVICE. Service is the action of LOVE..... and loving our neighbor is what we are here for. I think this is one of those books that will change me for the better. How can I not after I read this. Service is our new family motto.

Who does she think she is????

2009-01-10T19:16:00.004-07:00

There is something really wrong with this picture, and something wrong with the fact that I am blogging about a dog again. This is her new favorite nap spot. Let's just say that I wasn't too happy. I don't know what else to do. She does as she pleases. If my kids didn't love her so much she would be gone by now.

She also like warm clothes straight from the dryer. No more piles of laundry at my house. They are getting put right away. Best thing about a dog, my sweeping has been cut down a lot.

My Saturday Warriors

2009-01-03T17:40:00.004-07:00

Yesterday while I was sick in bed I got up to find that Joey and Jason had turned Mikey and his walker into an army tank. My heart melted to see all 3 boys playing together. Even with 3 big sisters Joey is my best helper when it comes to Mikey. He is always willing to take care of him and always has a big smile on his face.

Meet Roxy

2008-12-26T15:37:00.007-07:00

Well, I can't believe we got a dog. Never did I think this day would come. After years of begging(mostly from Haley) we broke down and got a dog for Christmas. I have made it very clear that this is not my dog and I will not be taking care of her AT ALL!!! I kind of like her, though. I even touched her. We will see in time. Just do not call me her mom!! She is a dog and I did not give birth to her. I really love my kids.

We make our kids sleep upstairs on Christmas eve. They had to wait til 6 to come down. That was a whole hour after they woke up. It was fun to get them all worked up.

We got Grandpa an Old Maid card game. He loves to play this with his grandkids. They love when he loses and has to kiss the Old Maid.

Everyone (except Wayne) thinks that Mikey looks like my brother Russell. I think they like each other.

We went to breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa in the morning.

Then we went to dinner at our other Grandmas. Her and her husband Jay are amazing cooks. We always look forward to her Italian meals. These are all her grandkids together. THANKS GRAMS!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2008-12-21T15:43:00.004-07:00

I HAVE TO LAUGH THAT ALL THE MOMS ARE OUT DOING CHRISTMAS AND NOT BLOGGING. I AM GLAD TO HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP ME BUSY THAN BLOG STALKING. MERRY CHRISTMAS! I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE EVERYONES BLOGS ABOUT CHRISTMAS AND WHAT SANTA BROUGHT.

Happy Birthday Wayne

2008-12-13T14:07:00.006-07:00

Last year this is what my husband opened up at 12:00am on his birthday. He really didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night, but I told him he would really want to see his gift. He was more than pleased to find out that we were having another baby. How could I live up to last years gift......

This is what he opened up this year..... He had tears in his eyes. Almost as good as last year.

It is crazy how fast 1 year goes by. So much has happened yet so much is still the same. I am sad how quick my kids are growing up. I wish I could just freeze them right now. I want my baby to stay a baby forever. We are enjoying every little moment with him and all the other kids. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WAYNE!!!

P.S. Hope I didnt freak anybody out in thinking I was going to have another baby. (Not yet:))

Our fun week

2008-12-11T20:05:00.004-07:00

We have had a very fun full week! It started out at Terese's Christmas party last Friday night. What a fun night. The best part was my Rudolf antlers and red nose for my car that I won. I am having so much fun driving around as Rudolf. Saturday morning we went with Grandma and Grandpa to their ward party. It was a breakfast with Santa party. Grandma Jenny bought Mikey a Santa Suit. He makes a cute Santa! Joey was really excited to tell Santa what he wanted and Jason was hiding under the table and said he will take whatever Santa wanted to bring him.

Saturday Night was Wayne's office Party. We really look forward to this every year. We always have a good time.

Sunday night we went to G and G LeSueur's and watched the Christmas Devotional. It was wonderful as always.

Monday we had G and G LeSueur over for a Piano/Violin Recital. I was very proud of my Girls. They have been working really hard and it is starting to pay off. After our little Recital, we made gingerbread ornaments and decorated sugar cookies.

Tuesday was our "Winter Sing" for school. First we went out to eat to celebrate Waynes birthday witch is on Saturday. Can you believe how much fun we are having, and it I haven't even told you about Wednesday.

Wednesday Haley and Katie had their first Orchestra Concert. Well we had a big problem.... I had my "chocolate and candy making" class, that I had been looking forward to for a whole year, at the same time. I was feeling sad about which one would I miss. Well lucky for me I found out that they had an assembly at school Thursday morning so I got to go to that and not miss out on either one. So while Wayne had all the kids at the concert, I was with some friends (enjoying every minute) learning how to make homemade chocolates and pecan rolls. I will attempt this next week.....

So this is Thursday morning. These girls brought me to tears. They did such a great job. I am so glad I didn't miss anything this whole week. I love having my life revolve around Christmas. I am happy to say I finished my shopping and I wrapped all my gifts today. I am going to sit back and enjoy the next 2 week. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Just call me Sandra Lee

2008-12-05T16:24:00.006-07:00

I am loving the Christmas season. I am almost done with my shopping. My house is all decked out. My baby has a really cute Santa suit. We have been working on helping others. We have been listen to Christmas music. I have my pine tree candle burning. I love it all.

Lately I have had this desire to be very domestic. This is something that does not come naturally to me. I really try to bake and sew and decorate. I have this dream to be Martha Stewart. Well it is just not happening. No matter how hard I try, I just am not cutting it.

Today I was baking for a party I have tonight and it hit me," I will never be Martha Stewart." Making everything from scratch, sewing, having original ideas it is just not me. As I was baking everything that is semi-homemade I realized I can be Sandra Lee, you know the Lady on Food Network who makes food by buying things pre-done and throwing it all together, on a cute plate and dressing everything up, I thought "THAT WORKS FOR ME"! I am so relieved. My expectations for myself are in a different place now. I don't feel so frustrated. What a load I just took off myself. Why do I do this to myself ? Why do I think I have to do it all. Well not any more. I can relax a little bit more and enjoy the season. By the way Sandra Lee is my mom's first and middle name. I guess I take after my mom.
After looking everywhere for stockings this year, and realizing that to get new ones I would spend $200. So I decided that I would make them. Well since sewing is not one of my talents, I bought these plain red ones for $1.50 and ironed on initials and rick rack. I was able to semi-make my own stockings for $25 the price of 1 stocking that I wanted to buy. They are not the cutest, but they match my house and I saved money. Just call me Sandra Lee!

Merry Christmas!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy GrAnDmA !!!

2008-11-26T19:08:00.004-07:00

Today is Grandma LeSueurs birthday! We went to Rosa's to celebrate:)
We love our grandma. She always makes us feel special on our big day, so today it is her turn.

Ten thing we love about grandma!

She has great parties (especially her halloween party).
She babysits whenever we need her.
She always makes us laugh.
She is always happy and kind.
She cooks for us.
She is always there when we need a listening ear.
She sews for us.
She is a good example to us (she works in the temple).
She give us treats that our dad doesn't like us to have.
She loves grandpa!

Hope you had a great birthday! We love You!

I have been Tagged by Chad....

2008-11-20T10:51:00.003-07:00

My cousin Cassie married a guy (that I ditched with a few times) from my pottery class in High School. I still think it is kind of weird that they are married, even now after so many years. I still see him as Chad from High School. Well, he tagged me. I think tags are fun to read. I always learn more about a person from what their favorite restaurants is, or what TV show they like. So maybe I will surprise you.....

CRAZY 8's

8 TV SHOW I LOVE TO WATCH
1. Flipping Out (I love reality tv)
2. Ace of Cakes
3. Devin Design
4. House Hunters
5. Spoken Word
6. O'Reilly Factor
7. American Idol
8. Throw Down with Bobby Flay

8 OF MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS
1. The Willard (Wash. DC)
2. NOLA's (New Orleans)
3. Tia Rosa's
4. Maestro's
5. Mike Thai (closed down:( )
6. Cafe Mozart (NYC)
7. Finalle (Boston)
8. Cheesecake Factory

8 THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME YESTERDAY
1. Went walking with Wayne
2. Nursed a lot
3. Did a little Christmas shopping
4. Read books with Jason
5. Rocked and sang song to Mikey
6. Missed my mom (she is in Mexico)
7. Took my kids to the dentist
8. Renewed my temple recommend

8 THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
1. Seeing my twin brother Michael again
2. Becoming a wonderful baker of bread, cakes, candy, and chocolate
3. Taking more walks with Wayne
4. Working in the Temple when all of my kids are in school all day
5. Getting into my size 8 jeans again
6. Watching my kids grow up(slowly)
7. Another baby
8. Going to my candy making class at Shar's with some friends:)

8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST
1. Wheat grinder
2. Joey's face not to scare
3. Good husbands for my girls
4. My baby never to grow up
5. Birthday Cake stand at Orange Patch
6. New beds for Joey and Jason
7. Obama out of office
8. Someone to mop all my wood floors really good every week

8 PEOPLE I'M TAGGING
1. Katie (my sweet girl)
2. Marci
3. Nikki
4. Terese
5. Becky (it has been a long time since your last post)
6. Michelle Tyler (I want to find your blog)
7. Michelle K (you need to start a blog)
8. Wayne (I would like to see what your crazy 8's)

My Hero!

2008-11-16T12:35:00.004-07:00

As you can see we had an accident at our house. Boys will be boys and well we made a trip to the ER instead of the MVT Football Game (which is huge at our house). 7 stitches and a black eye and not 1 cry. This little guy is one tuff kid. He was so brave, but nervous. My Hero! You would think it was his birthday. Aunt Nat and Grandma brought him presents. He thought that was pretty great.

I told him that if he didn't cry we could go do something really fun. He chose Goofy Golfing. On the way home he said that he was glad that he got hurt. Then he said, "Well maybe not." We had so much fun and the weather was perfect. We hope he doesn't have a bad scar.

HaPpY bIRthDaY tO hALeY!!!!

2008-11-05T08:58:00.005-07:00

Happy 11th Birthday Sweet Haley!

Where has the time gone??

(Care Bears to Ipod went way tooooo fast!!

Stay 11 for a few years, please!!!)

You are a Wonderful Girl!!

We LUV U!

Love, Mom & Dad

Halloween Fun!

2008-11-02T16:08:00.003-07:00

I was in charge of Joey's class party. We had a crazy time. What a cute mummy!

We love Halloween at our house. We had another fun filled time. My husband has been working out lately. Can u tell?? Would you believe he wore this to the office???And, how many dads would wear this while trick-or-treating?. Wayne had a great time scaring the neighbors. Some still don't know who was under the mask.. :-)

Pumpkin carving on Halloween Eve...

Haley hasn't eaten ANY candy since May. And she still went trick-or-treating. (We bought her candy stash for $20.) She is going 1 year without candy for $100. We are very proud of her & her will power!

Joey's stash...

What a cute bunch!!

Jason and his BFF Nico at our neighborhood block party!! We had a great time!

Boston 2008

2008-11-02T14:32:00.013-07:00

Had many requests for a Boston post..

Some fall colors near the visitor's center at Lexington, MA where the Revolutionary War began.

One of many (many) meals with our close friends and business partners. We all LOVE to eat! Always some of the highlights of our trips!!

On the road to Tunbridge, VT (outside of Sharon, VT) Beautiful!!

The road to the visitor's center. 100 yr old Maple trees.

Visitor's Center at Sharon Vt. (Birthplace of Joseph Smith) Beautiful place! A highlight of our trip.. We had a great trip up thru New Hampshire and into Vermont. (Sorry to JaNae who got stuck in the back seat for the drive.)

This should be a postcard!! Wayne is pretty proud of this shot!

The guys pondering around Walden pond.. Hope they got some inspiration!!

Ok, raise your hand if you always thought Plymouth Rock was bigger than this??? Wow!

We tried and tried to get this kid to smile for the perfect fall leaf shot.. This was the closest we could get.. Where did that hat come from?? The 1st of 3 nights in a row of lobster.. Hey, we were so close to Maine, right?

Our little sailor man... He was such a great traveler. Slept thru most of the trip..

Looks like Mesa, huh??? Yeah right!

On Boston Harbor.. We threw some tea overboard just for fun...

With Otis, our Freedom Trail tour-guide. He was great.

The view from our hotel room.. The green belt is the Boston Commons. (A mini Central Park and the oldest public park in the U.S.)

Boston is a great place to visit especially in the fall. We had a wonderful time!

We need more carrots at our house!!!

2008-10-19T17:08:00.002-07:00

How did I get 3 kids with glasses! I haven't even checked 2 of them yet. Joey does look pretty cute in them. School has been better already.
Joe was so excited to find camoflage glasses. He is all boy. He has had fun showing everyone.
He looks older. I am glad that he only has to wear them for school and homework.

Let Him Do It With Simplicity...

2008-10-14T20:52:00.002-07:00

Today we walked around Walden Pond (outside of Concord, Mass) where Henry David Thoreau once lived. It was beautiful! It was also extra special since L. Tom Perry just spoke at Conference about Thoreau's experience in solitude at the pond. Elder Perry spoke of Thoreau's search for simplicity in life as he counseled us to seek it in our own lives.. We pondered that as we walked around the pond. A highlight of our Boston trip... More to follow...

I love Conference

2008-10-07T16:50:00.004-07:00

One of my favorite time of the year is the fall. One thing that comes with the cooler weather and the start of the holidays is Conference. This weekend was AWESOME ! ! :) I was very uplifted and ready to do a little better. I loved every talk. My Top 3 were.....

1. Elder Bednar on Prayer.

2. Elder Oaks on The Sacrament.
3. Sister Dalton on Virtue
My kids were a tad noisy and I missed bits and pieces. I decided that I will watch all four sessions again at night when I am up with sweet little guy. What would I do without my Tivo?? I feel so uplifted and cannot wait for 6 months to come again!

My little pumkin pie

2008-09-28T20:53:00.004-07:00

With great sadness I have lost my new born baby. He is now 12 lbs. The only thing that helps me through this is the sweet little smiles and rolls on his thighs.

We are so in love, me and my boy.

Life couldn't get better!

Happy Birthday Katelyn!!!

2008-09-19T08:32:00.002-07:00

Tuesday the 16th was Katie's 9th birthday. We had a great day with her even with no party. I give my kids a party every other year. This to me keeps them a little less spoiled. I still like to do fun stuff with them on their birthday. She got her first pedicure. She is my girly girl and loves all the bling. I am so sad I forgot my camara at the nail place. She was smiling the whole time! We Love you Katie.

Grandma's (and Mike's) 1st trip to DISNEYLAND!

2008-09-14T13:38:00.009-07:00

We went to Disneyland last week with Grandma and Jay. We had a blast! (No lines!!!) This was Grandma's 1st trip there.

Joey found a new best friend. He held Jay's hand much of the time. I never worried that he would get lost. He had to sit next to him on most of the rides.

Michael was so good. We all took turns holding him.

The Bugs Life is always a family favorite.

I love to the caterpillar ride in Bug's Land.

Cute matching shirts. We had such a great time!

What a good big sister. Michael just about slept through Disneyland..

Space Mountain was a blast!!

Grandma said it was one of her favorite rides. Can you tell by the picture? (And, nice face, Ash!)

Grandma and the girls in the Matterhorn line..

Jason was so much fun on this trip. He was at that magical age and height. He was so happy and could ride almost everything. (He loves Thunder Mtn)

You know you been on a ride a lot when you pose for the cameras... Nice one, Haley.....

Grandma made it on just about every ride except this one... Tower of Terror!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTEN!!!

2008-09-14T12:58:00.003-07:00

Kristen was at Disneyland the same 3 days we were! Tuesday was her birthday and we got to spend some time with her. Kristen is the Biggest Disney fan ever. She goes all the time. The girls and I took her to lunch that day. We meet all the princess and the waiters sang Happy Bithday to her. She also got a special Micky Bucket filled with prizes. She was thrilled. We had a great time going on some of the rides with her and Dan.
Kristen is the BEST aunt and sister. The kids love her so much. She is always willing to help me whenever I need her. We are so lucky to have her in our life.

10 REASONS WE LOVE KRISTEN

1. She is really fun to play the Wii with

2. She always is there when we need her

3. She is so fun to hang out with

4. She Loves Disneyland

5. She babysits when mom is out of town

6. She buys great birthday gifts

7. She is like a big sister to my kids

8. She always knows what is going on when it comes to TV shows

9. She never gets angry with anyone, ever, even when my kids are being bad

10. She is married to Dan, and he is pretty cool too

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTEN

WE LOVE YOU!!!

A rare post on politics from a concerned mother...

2008-08-29T11:48:00.005-07:00

I have to admit that I am really starting to get into the race for President of the United States. With a new baby and lots of time nursing, I find myself on FOX news alot. The other night I watched a story on Obama and how he was the only one in the Illinois Senate to vote for a bill on something to do on abortion. I was horrified. The story was about a couple who found out their baby boy had Downs Syndrome. This couple decided to abort the baby at 22 weeks. After the killing, the baby survived for 45 minutes. This couple did not want to see this sweet baby and someone put the baby in a storage closet to die all by himself. Lets just say I was in shock. This really happens? A nurse in the hospital went to this baby and rocked him till he died. She didn't want the baby to be alone. I still am in shock just telling this story. This could be our future with Obama! I am scared of our country. I find myself liking him and his family. They can really put on a show. When I think of what he stands for and how liberal his views are... I cringe. There is so much more to him than the news lets us see. I think he is a decent guy with way different views on life and taxes than I have. I try to look at every side and be fair. Today when McCain announced his VP choice I had chills come up and down my body. Sarah Palin seems perfect. The more I learned about her the more I liked her. When they talked about her having a 6 month baby with Downs I just started crying. I was so glad she kept her baby. The older I get the more I know what is important to me. It is nice to feel so strong about something in life and not have an "I don't really care" attitude. Who knows what I will do with my new found passion?

Who does he look like???

2008-08-27T16:19:00.007-07:00

Our baby is growing so much. I am so sad. I wish I could freeze time. I am very excited for him to smile, though. We can't figure out who he looks like. He is looking different every day. What do you think?

1st trip to Church!!

1st time in the doll bed. :-) (sorry michael!)

all the kids want to hold mike...

Memories

2008-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

Some friend of mine had this on their blog. It was so fun to read. Leave me a comment a give me a laugh. I know there is alot to laugh about in my life. Thanks! :0 lol

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together (or my husband). It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

First Day Of School!!!

2008-08-12T17:14:00.003-07:00

Just had to throw this picture in. They are so sweet together!

Here we go again. Another year and they just keep growing. Haley is in 6th grade this year. She is happy to be one of the oldest. Katie is in 4th and is so excited to have such a fun teacher. Joey is in 1st and loving recess and eating lunch at school.

My teenager! She is growing up way too fast. We started thinking when Michael goes to kindergarden Ashley will be in Collage. That really freaks me out.

Welcome Baby Michael!!

2008-07-31T21:44:00.004-07:00

Michael Don Syrek

came into this world at 2:49 p.m. Thursday 7/31/2008

8lbs. 10ozs. 22" long

Life just gets better.. Captions/Words cannot express our joy so I will let the pictures say what I cannot...

We are grateful for 6 beautiful children!

We love you Michael!

ps. Ashley, we miss you!!! See you soon!! (And Mel you did awesome! And the end of July just like you said from Day 1. Thank you.. I LOVE You!)

2008-07-25T17:23:00.003-07:00

Family times in July!

We have had a very eventful July. We started out in Show Low for a week over the 4th, went to a LeSueur Family Reunion in Manti Utah, and spent a week at our favorite place... Aspen Grove.

Dad and the boys on Sunday at Aspen Grove...

At our cabin on the 4th. What a treat to sit around a fire in July and enjoy some smores. An even better treat to watch the fireworks from our backyard!

Girls turn to go fishing... NO fish, but we had sooo much fun..
(Especially jumpin in with clothes on!!)

Hours of fun on the new b-ball court.. Who knew Uncle Dan was an animal on the court?? Especially when we had the hoop at 7ft.. whooaahh!

For those of you that say Wayne has a big mouth... Here is proof!! (Hey, he took the photo!)

Nothing better than Grandma's pasta on a Sunday afternoon. (Even better when she delivers it from her cabin to ours!!) Mmmmm...

Grandma's place in Heber on the 5th.. Great ribs and some great fireworks.. Much much better fireworks than ShowLow. A treat to see two shows, though...

A good chunk of our reunion group at the Manti Cemetery across from the Manti Temple. Many LeSueur relatives are buried here.

Ashley and her LeSueur cousins around Funk's lake (Palasaids State Park) outside of Manti. Our ancestor Daniel B. Funk made this lake from scratch at the request of Brigham Young.. Great place for a picnic!

Grandpa and his favorite son-n-law ;-) on our balcony at Aspen grove.

Ever seen a pregnant gal do pottery?? It wasn't pretty..the bowl that is...

A new addition this year.. a rock-climbing wall.. Maybe next year, Haley :-)

Dad & his little girl at the family dance.. (a great substitute for mom)

Grandpa enjoyed visiting with cousin Dave LeSueur throughout the week at Aspen Grove. We enjoyed our distant LeSueur cousins too.

Haley & Joey teamed up on this nice catch out of the Aspen Grove pond.. Biggest one in the pond says Dad... Priceless girl face Haley!!!

Haley defended her title and took home 1st place for the 2nd yr in a row! Whoohoo.. Joey & Katie held their own too.. We eat a lot of watermelon in our home.. Practice makes perfect!

We always love the speakers at Aspen Grove.. Professors Steven Harper and Michael Cheney from BYU were a real treat! Our relationships and testimonies were strengthened throughout the week!

Dad loves pictures in birth order....

Hawk Woman... aka Katie....

Scenery like this always makes leaving Aspen Grove tough.. (nice postcard shot Wayne)

What a blessing to have Grandma & Grandpa with us all week.. We are so grateful for them...

We are grateful for our family (and extended family) and for so much quality family time this summer!

Now it's baby time.... Stay Tuned...

Happy Birthday!!!!

2008-07-20T21:18:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th Birthday to my sweet Jason! We had a fun day today. It doesn't take much to make this kid happy... Just his new green shoes, Indiana Jones whip, and his Hulk smashing hands. We love you Jason! You are one of a kind! You put a smile on everyone's face that knows you.

My little FISHES

2008-07-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

We just finished up another fun year of swim team. Joey did so good. He worked so hard and would push himslef. He loved every second of it. He got the trophy for MOST IMPROVED BOY.

Dad was their number 1 fan. He was the best, I only survived 1 meet. He took them to the next 4 without me. These meets are 3 hours in the heat. What a Man!

All their hard work payed off. They all got medals in the Championships!!
Another year down. Maybe next year Jason will be in this picture. GOOD JOB KIDS

#14

2008-06-25T07:29:00.000-07:00

Happy 14th Anniversary to my best friend and Sweet wife today!! (Where has all the time gone & who are those younger lookin kids in these photos??) It has truly been the best time of my life. We have come so far and grown so close.... You are a wonderful wife and a wonderful mother! I wouldn't change a thing! My life has been blessed in so many ways and it all starts with you!! I Love U!! Wayne

Best Friends

2008-06-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Our kids have spent so much time together that they are becoming the best of friends. Jason has gotten so attached to Haley. It is so sweet to watch them. She is a wonderful big sister and always willing to help or play with him. Last night he wanted to sleep with her, Ashley let them use her full size bed so they wouldn't be so crowded. We are enjoying every minute left of him being our baby... (and he is loving all the attention!) I am sad to have him get bigger. He has been such a sweet little guy. I know when Michael is born Jason will seem so big. There isn't anything I like better than when my kids love each other and enjoy being together.

WE ESCAPED!!!

2008-06-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we escaped from our world in Mesa. We got out of the heat, left our summer activities, no work for Wayne, got away from friends, left our worries behind ,and went to the mountains. I love having Wayne and my kids all to myself. We have had so much family time. The girls have been reading, learning to sew, playing cards, and sleeping in. My boys have been enjoying play outside in the cool weather and being with dad. I really needed the rest and quiet time. As I am getting closer to having my baby, I am getting very uncomfortable. The Dr. told me to slow down so I don't have this baby too soon. It has been so nice to have Wayne slow down. He is a very busy guy. It has been so great to have his full attention. He has been going for walks in the morning, playing with the kids, taking naps, reading and working in the yard. My family gave me a great birthday day yesterday. They always know just what to do for me. Just a few more days and back to the real world.

Musical Theatre

2008-06-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Haley and Katie have been working sooooo HARD for 2 weeks going to Musical Theatre Workshop. Last night was their big performance!!!!! They did so good. I could not beleive how much they learned so fast. 20 songs with actions!!!! Everyone had solos and speaking parts. It was all Disney. Count us in for next summer. They had sooo much fun!

HaPpY bIrThDaY Teenager!!

2008-06-12T21:57:00.000-07:00

1 month 1 year

2 years

kindergarten
10 years old
Easter 2008 (almost taller than mom. mom has heels on)

We have officially reached old age.. We have a teenager!!!

Happy 13th Birthday today Ashley!!!

(13 on Friday the 13th.. whoooaaaah) You are a joy and blessing to us. We love you!

MY 3 NEW MOST FAVORITE THINGS!

2008-06-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

My life is a little better with my new finds. The Ped Egg works so good for me. My feet have never been so soft. Just in time for summer.

Thai-go is a juice made out of mangosteen fruit. I feel like a new person since I started drinking 2oz. of this a day. I would recommend this for anyone with varicose vain problems. It also helps in other ways. Wayne take it for his shoulder that he hurt during his football years. It is full of antioxidants which will always help. I also have more energy.

I found these PJ's at Macy's. The brand is Alfani. They are the softest, stretchiest most comfortable PJ's I have ever found. I have 2 pairs and going back for more. They work with my big belly. I am pretty sure they will fit after the baby too.

The Full Swing of Summmer

2008-06-03T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is here and we are having lots of fun! It's so nice to leave school behind and have a good time. The kids are busy with swimming, tennis, golf, volleyball, musical theater, primary softball, being with friends, and reading.
It has been great to be together and play. I have been feeling really good(thanks to my mangosteen juice). It is nice to be able to keep up with everything. We are looking forward to a week in the mountains starting on Fathers Day. I am planning on finally putting together a scrapbook for Haley. For some reason she is the only one without one. I love summertime!!!

I'M IN LOVE!!!

2008-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a 3d ultrasound. The second we started this cute little pumpkin face appeared. Wayne and I had tears in our eyes. It was love at first sight. I can not believe how much I can love another child. I think he has Katie's chin and Joey's head shape and lips. I am hoping he has Haley's dark skin, Ashley's smartness, and Jason's sweet personality. He has big hands and feets like all my other kids. (they get it from me ) Well, we'll see soon. I can't wait to kiss those little cheeks!!!

1 YEAR LATER

2008-05-19T21:08:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can not believe one year has past since my twin brother Michael died. This has been one of the worst and best years. It is amazing how a broken heart can change you. I miss my brother so much. Michael was an AWESOME person. There is no one else like him. (maybe my dad) He was the most lovable, kindhearted, funny, all around nice guy. Everyone who knew Mike loved him. It has been strange to lose my twin. I really don't understand why, but I know my feelings are normal. I have felt like a part of me is gone. I have had some pretty sad days. I know I will have more. I have never pondered more about life, what is important, what I want out of my life, who am I , and where are are loved ones that have passed on. I am so grateful for what I have felt and figure out for myself. I think a broken heart can really be a good way to grow. I feel very blessed to have gotten to a really peaceful content place that feels good. I have never felt so much love from others and have had so much love in me. I have been changed in ways that could have never happen if I had not gone through so much. I have to be so grateful for that. I have so many good friends that really helped me through this last year. (Anna, Michelle, Stacie, Jennifer, and the Girls Nite Gang) It is so nice to have friends to call when I needed one. Wayne has been the best. He takes such good care of me. I am so glad to see my mom and dad doing so well. I can not even imagne how they have gotten through this. I NEVER want to do what they have had to do. They are wonderful parents, and grandparents. I know there are so many of you that miss and love him too. We all have great memories. I am happy to name my new baby Michael Don Syrek. His name will live on.

Working Hard

2008-05-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

Today my girls had a piano recital. They did a great job! This is their teacher Sharee. She is a good family friend. This was Katies first of many recitals. A friend of mine told me a very wise quote that she heard from her mother growing up. I use it on my kids all the time.

"taking piano is not about learning to play the piano, it is about working hard at something and learning to play is a bonus."

Piano is hard on moms, but days like this makes it all worth the nagging. I think hard work is so important. Wayne and I look for ways to teach our kids to work hard. If any one has any good ideas let me know. We start swim team next. That will keep us busy in June. I know one day they will thank us for pushing them.

My big boy!!

2008-05-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

This year Jason has been in preschool 2 mornings a week. This has given me more 1 on 1 time with Joey. I am so sad that he his growing up and moving on to 1st grade. The more kids I have the more I realize how quickly they are gone. Once they go to school all day that is it. I think I am in mourning about it. Today, I let him decide where to go to lunch. He picked Burger King. I will not miss the gross food, but I will miss our mornings together. Sometimes I wish I could freeze time. I Love You, Joey!

2008-05-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today was my pre-Mothers Day day. Wayne and the kids cleaned the house really good and then they went off for 4 hours for some mothers day surprises. I stayed home and watched a movie and enjoyed some quiet time. When they came home the kids were so excited to give me cup cakes from Sprinkles (they waited in line for 45 min.). I was very happy. We shared our treats with Mckenna my sweet little neice. She liked them more than anyone else. She was SO funny and was saying CAKE! I love that kid. I feel so loved. Who needs tomorrow. I love my family.

Summer 2008

2008-05-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

ONLY 10 MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL!!
Summer is almost here. I can't believe how quick this year has gone. My baby boy will go to 1st grade and leave me all day. I am so sad about that. He is so excited to have 3 recesses. (if only life could be that simple again). At least Jason will be home with me and the new baby.

Top 10 Reasons We Are Excited 4 Summer!

10. Sleeping in (til 7.. Well, maybe not the boys who are up with the sun)
9. More helpers at home for Mom!!
8. Aspen Grove, Cabin trips and Girl's camp
7. Swim team
6. No t-ball, gymnastics, preschool, piano lessons, swim lessons (which of course occurred on the same day each week!!)
5. No bedtimes or schedules!
4. No School! (or grading homework or vocab/spelling quizzes or studying poems, etc...)
3. Playing with friends everyday
2. Tons of family time!!
1. Baby #6

Top 10 Reasons We Are NOT Excited 4 Summer!

10. Back and forth to swim team everyday!
9. No bedtimes or schedules!
8. "Mom, there's nothing to do." (Need I say more?)
7. $450 electric bills
6. "It's too hot to play outside!"
5. Messy house from too many kids home
4. School starts in just 95 days.. (Are you kiddin me?)
3. Another summer without a pool :-(
2. It's hot!! (duhhh)
1. Being pregnant (Again!) during the months of June and July (See #2)

2008-04-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

HaPpInEsS iS....

a quad that seats your whole family

a little boy spending time with his dad

spending time with good friends

(and a boat that didn't sink like mom feared)

a girl's 1st pedicure

1st (and only) catch of the weekend... (Priceless!)

A family that plays together stays together.

Clowning around

2008-04-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

Today our new hometeachers came over and brought us clown noses. We had them take a picture of us. They also shared a magic trick and a great lesson. Thanks Brother Jensen and Brother Arnett! We are grateful for those who don't take life to seriously.

Attitude

2008-04-19T19:59:00.000-07:00

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our Attitudes.

Today was a very long day. My feet are swollen and my body hurts. I feel disabled. And I have 17 weeks left(14 if I am 3 weeks early). My attitude could be better. When I heard this quote I loved it. One day I came home and found it on my pillow. Wayne was kind enough to make a copy of it for me. I read this every day in hopes that my attitude will improve. I beleive in the power of our subconscious mind and how it will change you for the good or bad. I am very blessed to have my 6th baby and would go through anything to bring a child into the world.

t-ball

2008-04-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

I don't know who is having more fun, Wayne or Joey. This is the start of many ball games. With 3 boys in a row I better get a really good lawn chair. This was Joeys 6th home run this year. Wayne is loving being the coach. If Jason could just play. He can't wait!

The Bread Lady

2008-04-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

one of my goals in life is to be a baker

now that I have a bosch and have spent some money at shars, there is no

turning back

I also want to make cakes and cookies and be famous

one problem thing don't always go as I hope

maybe with lots of practice?