Bring on Summer

Are you ready for the longest post ever???? If not, scroll down for pictures! Thanks for checking in! My cute little preschool class!

Well, hello! I apologize for my long absence. I have a lot of explaining to do and this is a bit personal, but I feel like this blog should include the happenings of our family. (exciting, stressful, whatever it may be) This year has been a year of change and the changes have consumed me. Like previously posted, we moved into our home in October. We moved after 6 months of living out of boxes and as welcoming as our circumstances were, renting a cute home and living with our friends, it was a period of transition and well, a bit of chaos. We became accustomed to eating out, got out of our routines and just felt like we were on vacation. We started school, Noelle in kindergarten and Corom with our preschool that we opened. Life just went on. We moved from a 1000 square foot apartment to a 3 story home, without landscape. I feel blessed and pinch myself often, as I recognize that we are very blessed to have found employment and to be living this new life and step as a family. As we have settled into our home, I have had a really hard time adjusting to the added responsibilities. I never knew how much work a house could be. (All of you homeowners are laughing) That coupled with living in a new community and getting used to having a husband who works long hours. It has really affected me. I feel really stupid admitting it because I know that people have REAL trials and change isn't a trial for everyone, but it is for me. It has made me pretty miserable to be around. This, is why I haven't posted. I have just been hiding. With that said, lets get on with this post. We are here. We are healthy and a LOT has happened and I have had some really neat experiences in the last few months. After a year of praying to know our purpose in Idaho, I have finally found the comfort I have been seeking. I just had to be ready to receive and accept it. I KNOW that this is where we are supposed to be. I know because as I have prayed, I can feel the warmth and comfort of the Holy Ghost confirming to me that this is part of the plan for my life. I can feel the guiding hand of the Lord in things as little and big like raising my children, budgeting, making decisions regarding our preschool, decisions about the yard, etc. We have also been blessed with wonderful people who have taken us in and befriended us and helped us. I know Heavenly Father is mindful of me and my life as a mother and wife. We have been blessed to be a part of the creation of a brand new ward. We have had over 700 people in our ward. We are now down to 400. Its been a few weeks and already, with smaller numbers, I feel like we have more of a ward family. Dan has been called to serve as ward mission leader, and I have been asked to continue serving in the youth organization, this time as a councilor. We love, love, love our callings! I feel like I have missed out on documenting many wonderful details and as I document, I am going to go out of order. Thats just how my mind works, so bear with me! In March, we celebrated our 10th Anniversary! I am a lucky woman! It has been a decade of serious growth and learning, but I have an amazing husband. He works so hard for our family and devotes his time to taking care of us and loving us. He is devoted to teaching our children and living up to his role as patriarch of our home. With the celebration of our anniversary, we were able to go to Sun Valley. The week prior, Dan's parents drove up and got Noelle to take her back for her spring break. She spent time in Sacramento and as well as at their condo in Santa Cruz. She got a bit homesick, but really enjoyed her time with her grandparents. They made the 9 hour drive back to Idaho and tended our children while we went to the mountains. It was soooooo refreshing to spend quality, quiet, time with Dan. We stayed in a cute studio condo, ate lots of yummy food, took walks, watched General Conference, shopped and snow shoed. We drove up to Galena Summit and a little beyond. It is truly heaven up there. One of the masterpieces on this earth. A great way to celebrate our time together. When we returned, we came home to happy children and sick grandparents. It happens every time. They returned home and we prepared for our next round of visitors. Callie, my mom, Eden and Riley came up over my mom's spring break from the school district. I had been so looking forward to this visit and we all got sick, like really sick. Nonetheless, we played and enjoyed our time. We celebrated Easter with our preschool Easter party, an egg hunt at Dan's work, (Eden found the golden egg!) and decorating Easter eggs. The Easter Bunny even managed to come and bring a huge egg hunt to our house and darling baskets. We visited the Shoshone Falls and had a yummy ham dinner. I would give anything to live closer to my family, but cherish the time we do get. Thanks to all of our family who made the trek to see us! We feel so lucky! April was a crazy, busy month! We celebrated Dan's 32nd birthday with a BIG birthday bash! We had a bunch of families over, had a BBQ, cupcakes and a pinata! We love birthdays here and I can't believe Dan is 32! It's been 14 years since our first date. HAPPY Birthday to Dan! Again, there are a million details I am missing out on because I didn't document...a bummer for me. MAY! May brought Mother's Day! Mother's Day I awoke to breakfast in bed, really excited kids and lots of homemade gifts! I LOVE being a mom and seeing the pride of giving homemade gifts! It was a very special day. This was also the first day of our new ward! This last week was our last week of school. We completed our preschool year with a preschool graduation at the church. Brenda made wonderful refreshments, the kids wore their graduation hats and the children performed their songs with singing and instruments! It has been a lot of work, but as always, whenever I teach, I feel so good about stretching my talents and working with children. It has been a very fulfilling year. (We have committed to next year and have 6 sign-ups already!) I do, however, look forward to a bit of a break and a chance to write lesson plans before the year begins. Noelle graduated from kindergarten!!!! I know, when did she grow up? She is SO grown up! She has really enjoyed her time with Mrs. Makings and has made wonderful friends. The last few weeks of school, she took field trips to the Rock Creek Growers, to visit the greenhouses and plant a flower, went on a bus field trip to Rock Creek park for a picnic and play, and had a big BBQ picnic/potluck on the last day of school. Noelle's teacher has been teaching for 26 years and has teaching kindergarten down to an art. She is so good at what she does and Noelle has developed by leaps and bounds this year. Her creativity has blossomed as well as her interest in music. (Which has always been present) She sings most of the day and has been memorizing 1-handed Primary songs on the piano. She really has a talent for it. We are going to begin piano lessons in the fall. Dan surprised Noelle with pink and brown cowgirl boots for graduating kindergarten. (REAL leather ones from the farm supply store) She has been wearing them proudly! It is an Idaho thing! The little girls wear cowgirl boots. She is in heaven! Congratulations Noelle! She has thrived in school and we are so proud of her! We had a really fun visit a few weeks ago. Dan had to go to Boise for a conference, and I was bummed he missed out. My longtime friend, Jordan Bartlett, (since we were 5) his wife Natasha and their baby came to stay with us! EEEK! I was so excited! They are attending the University of Idaho, a few hours away. We had such a nice visit. So refreshing to be around someone who knows me and all the same people as me! As for my cute boys, they are doing well...growing like weeds. The boys wrestle and play like bear cubs. They fight like crazy, but can't seem to be away from each other. They love each other so much. Corom is seeming more and more like a 4 year old. He is such a tender heart, it often makes him seem younger than he is. Dan was doing his monthly interviews with the kids on Sunday and commented that he would have 10 kids if they were all like Corom. He has a heart of gold and is very affectionate and snuggly and eager to help. He is always in the thick of things when we are working on projects and keeps a tidy room and a made up bed. He is a good boy. He spends his time playing legos, playing with Gavin and riding his strider bike. He likes to be read to, likes art and is really into his bathing suit. Elijah is quite opposite of Corom, or should I say, just has a different personality. Elijah is really, really independent. He is going to be a chief! He is my sidekick, likes know where I am, what I am doing and wants to help! He talks like a 5 year old, he has a huge vocabulary and is always surprising us with new words. I spend most of my nights snuggling him, because I can't get a hug while he's awake. He's too busy. He knows where everything is in the house and gets into things. He dresses himself (even without being asked) and likes to do everything by himself. (brushing teeth, buckling seatbelts, etc.) There is a pecking order in our home, but Elijah tries to keep up. I love these ages! I hope all of you are doing well and thriving! I have felt very overwhelmed by the support and love that has been shown to us! And for the record, I officially passed my Idaho driver's license test today! (It only took me a year to get in there!) Enjoy the pictures!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY COROM BENNETT!

Happy Birthday to our sweet Corom Bennett! I look at Corom everyday and wonder how I have been so blessed to have been given this child to raise. Corom has such a beauty about him. He is sweet, innocent and loving. He LOVES to snuggle, loves his family, likes preschool, but is still a bit wiggly, looks forward to sunbeams each week, wakes up extra early each morning to watch cartoons, loves his trains and anything with wheels, runs with springs in his toes, looks forward to playing with his friend Gavin everyday, but also enjoys playing with Noelle and Elijah. Corom has a grown up spirit and determination in a little body. He is a determined little boy, with growing opinions and understanding about the world around him. He is always game for trying new things and learning new information. Corom also enjoys art. He can spend hours coloring pictures, writing his name, cutting, painting, etc. I am so thankful for the time we have had with Corom in our home and look forward to watching him grow.

Corom turned 4 a few weeks ago and we had quite a celebration. We kicked off the festivities with cupcakes at preschool. The next day his Nana and Papa arrived for their annual birthday visit. We hung out and played, ate lots of yummy food (restaurants and at home), went to the movies and did birthday cake. On that Sunday, Nana and Papa attended church with us to hear Corom give his first talk in Primary. He did such a good job! That afternoon Corom discovered his hidden present, "Um, there is a green bike in the basement." After a little teasing about it belonging to someone else, Dan wheeled it up the stairs and let him play with it! Such a big bike for such a little guy! That's where training wheels come in to play. Corom was showered with gifts from relatives and was excited about his spiderman chocolate cake! We were lucky to have Nana and Papa for a whole week, as weather conditions kept them from making the drive home. Friday, the roads cleared enough for them to make their trek home. We had such a nice visit.

This past weekend, the Pierces came to continue the birthday festivities! Dan had to work Saturday, so we lounged around while the children played. Amazing how kids pick right up where they left off. We made the terrible mistake of taking them to our only city winter attraction. The one and only bounce house place in Twin Falls. It was nasty...dirty and crowded, but of course, the kids loved it! We followed the bouncing with Happy Meals and a movie night for the parents! A fun, fun weekend!

This week has been a quick one. We have all had colds and are seeing the ends of them now. Thank goodness. Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for checking in! Here are pictures in no particular order! ENJOY!
Can you say, "Little Dan?" "GO UTES!"


It's only 35 degrees outside! They were so excited about their new swimwear. They were dancing all around the house. Only 5 months to go!

This is how Elijah is all day, every day. He is always right by my side! Great company and funny too.

THE BOYS! Can't we just find Jeremy a job up here? Don't these boys look cute together?

The LADIES!

"Just think Taya, in 20 years we can date!"

Crazy kids!

This birthday boys loves his Papa!

Gina, Josh, Nana and Papa fed into our mustache fetish! For those of you who don't know, Elijah is obsessed with mustaches. He uses vegetables, pencils, etc. to make mustaches. These were classic!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COROM! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Still Rolling

Hello blogging world! Sorry about the lack of posting. Life seems to be flying by faster than I can keep up with. Any time that would usually be spent on the internet (after kids go to bed) is spent on preschool lesson plans. Last night, for instance, I was up until 1:00 laminating superman shields and compiling packets on how children can develop good (super kid) habits. It is a lot of fun! The kids really enjoy our time together and I love that I can use my creative brain. 2012 has been good to us so far. Noelle is thriving in school and despite runny noses, we have been healthy. This last weekend we made the trek down to Salt Lake to spend a relaxing weekend with friends. On Saturday we took the kids to the Gateway Discovery Museum and later had a girls-night-out with with student apartment friends at the California Pizza Kitchen. (YUM!) Sunday we had a game night with some of the families. On Monday, Dan and I took the kids for a drive, went to Trolley Square, to lunch and to the temple. The kids really enjoyed temple square and the visitor's center. Such a peaceful family day. That night we went to Chucky Cheese with the Pierces. We ended up battling the stomach flu, but it didn't stop the kids for long. (Just made for some sleepless nights for the parents) The kids played and played and played. I have a bunch of photos and will post later. Hope you are all doing well. Thanks for not giving up on me...even though I am terrible about keeping in touch.

Christmas Magic!

How do I express our appreciation to all of those who helped make 2011 Christmas and New Year's events so precious? Where do I start? Three cheers to my family who endured the arduous journey across Nevada in the nearing 0 degree temps to spend 5 awesome days with us in our new Idahoan home! Kudos to my sister, Gina, for busting out wicked beanies with her thread and needles on the way (btw nice shot of the stockings!). The kids love their new headwear and I'll put out the word as to their origins. Thanks to Uncle Josh and Papa for the elvish help in the TKO room, I would've been sunk if I had to do that by myself. Special thanks to Nana for keeping the family Christmas breakfast tradition alive. Man, Christmas with kids is such a cool time of life! What better way to get them to behave than to bribe them with presents? If only that would work year round... We really had a great time this year. It started off with Noelle's party the week prior - princess motif, of course. Then her actual birthday was on the 24th. That afternoon we went to get her ears pierced! Dan, what were you thinking??? She looks very pretty with her new earrings, and took the piercing quite well, I think. On Christmas day we took the kids and Nana and Papa to Sacrament services, but allowed the kids to open their gifts prior to church. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the train table, and Noelle will move into her doll house next week, yes it is that big!















Unfortunately we didn't have a white Christmas this year, but let's consider it a blessing - Could you imagine Dad driving in snow on the way home??? We're glad the family made it home in one piece, and without killing each other :)
I shall ne'er forget New Year's eve! We went to our friends house out in the country (yes, more country than where we live) to enjoy an aerial fireworks show. How he is able to light off fireworks comparable to those on the 4th of July at big venues is beyond me. I'm bummed we didn't take any pictures of the event, but seriously, I think the camera's components would've froze. Oh, and thanks to Dave, the pyrotechnic, for the up close and personal finale - there was a foundation malfunction, and the firework went and blew up horizontally towards the crowd instead of vertically like all the other good little fireworks! Like I said I would ne'er forget the evening. The kids crammed and snuggled in the back of the Audi to keep warm, and then crashed on the way home.
Just as quick as the fireworks blew up, it seems like the holiday season is behind us. Let's keep the spirit of giving alive, and look to lend a helping hand. People need our help. Let that be our year long Christmas gift! Enjoy the photo montage:

Noelle's Birthday Party




Our 6 year old girl (going on 16!)



The kids are ready for Santa to come!!



Hey Santa, you better get those cookies before I do!



Traditional Christmas breakfast



Taylor Swift meet Fancy Nancy