The middle is how old?

It seems to me that every year that goes by 

it goes by faster and faster.

I hear that a lot from my friends 

My older three kids are now over 18

Now that's just crazy

 When Logan turned 8 

I made him this frame with all the things he loved placed around his picture

I noticed there is no stickers of footballs

This is before his love of football was discovered 

He use to play soccer and basketball

Logans birthday was Friday and we celebrated all weekend

Since there was no school on his actual birthday 

I took him and his friends pizza and root beer for lunch on Thursday 

I also bought him a happy birthday balloon but he wouldn't take it

I almost tied it to his wrist but he's stronger than me

his friends look excited

I think Logan just wanted the pizza and for me to stop taking pics

I had this plan to go to Costco and get him the combo pizza that he loves but it was a hour wait at 11:00 already so scratch that 

Little casers was faster

Friday my boys had a opportunity to go camping in the desert and watch car speed up to 220 miles per hour. So Logan again not to happy with me because I asked him to go instead of having a party.   I told him that he wouldn't  get too many more chances to camp with his little brother so thankfully he understood and went. Honestly he would rather of hung out with his friends and celebrated his birthday differently. I was very grateful he understood what I was trying to tell him. 

 of course they had to build a bonfire taller than themselves

 Logan took all these pics of different vehicles going very very fast

 Lowell would tell me over and over how loud it was

 I had to send cupcakes and candles 

I found out that a cake was brought for Logan also

So awesome they thought of him

 Sunday we fed the missionaries in our area and we celebrated Logans birthday that day as well. 

Trying to get pictures is always so much fun

 I wanted a pic of Logan and his cousins that came for dinner and every time Isabelle or Lowell would pop in at just the right time

Stinkers

 Whatever

I'll take it

Dinner menu:

Logan wanted smoked ribs

scallop potatoes 

asparagus

and root beer floats for dessert

I would say it was a very successful birthday weekend

We love you Logan 

The Last One

Last night was Logan's final football game ever. It was exciting and sad all at the same time. I tried to soak it all in thru the night.  I asked him this morning how he was feeling as I was looking at his million bruises. Ouch! 

Even though I complained about the busy schedules, traveling far for games, and driving back and forth for years with all the practices. I will miss it all so much. I know Logan will miss it even more. 

When your child loves something so much its hard to see it come to a end. 

Last night Logan tackled the running back and took him down. 

#62

Go Mustangs!

 At the end of the game the team gave the seniors and each other emotional hugs for the final time.

 #62

 Coach Ivy and Little Ivy

it all started 9 years ago

I respect this coach so much. 

He has been a big inspiration to Logan and he's someone he looks up to. 

Im so excited for what is next for Logan and what his future holds. 

Fall Festival and Football

Logan’s 2nd to last football game was last night. It was also senior night (sadly no pics of that). Logan has enjoyed his last year of football. Thinking about how it’s all coming to an end it’s a little sad. After a lot of begging from Logan when he was 8 years old we signed him up for youth football.  It was the best thing we ever did for him. He has absolutely loved every single year he has been able to play.

I remember Logan taking this picture and thinking this boy is so dang happy that his grin couldn't get any bigger.

9 years later and all grown up. I will absolutely miss going to football games and cheering him on. I will miss the unity and togetherness it brought. These are all good memories that Logan can carry through his life. The cherry on the top is that the same coach that he had in youth football he has his senior year.
 Logan is #62 and was one of the captains this season. This is the beginning of a chilly night

Yesterday was our annual fall festival held at our high school. Our football team had a game  booth and our boys did a great job.  So one of our schools  had a cake contest for different age groups and Isabelle wanted to enter the contest. She has been on a baking kick lately so I thought it was a perfect opportunity for her. She  wanted to make a black cat cake. So I helped very little but she made the ears out of melted chocolate/peanut butter and gold candy sprinkles. Then the whiskers were sucker sticks dipped in candy peanut butter and gold candy glitter and same with the nose.

Making black icing isn't as easy as I thought. We used A LOT of black gel food coloring.  Isabelle kept saying my arm is getting so tired mom. I would tell her keep stirring. It was a fun and very busy day yesterday with all day fall festival and then senior night and football game. Whew!

Since 2

We had the best day today

Lowell had a  appointment with his Orthopedic Dr today in L.A.

The last time he saw Dr. Kessler was 2 1/2 years ago. Before that he was seeing him every 6 months since the age of 2. 

Lowell was diagnosed with Legg Calve Perthes Disease at 2 years old in both hips. Lowell was always in a lot of pain. It was like growing pains and I thought that is all it was but we found out it was something we never heard of. 

Lowell has been in pain most of his life but nothing ever stopped this kid from enjoying life. 

He still enjoyed sports and running and playing. There was no stopping him. 

Since school started back Lowell has been experiencing a lot of pain again. When he would kick a ball or jump or pretty much any activity he was feeling pain. The first thought we had was oh no its back and something is wrong. 

Finally I made him a appointment and that is where we were today to get X-rays and answers.

Lowell knew what was coming
First off to take the billionth Xray then 

He knew Dr. Kessler was going to have him lay on his belly and move his hips all sorts of ways then also while on his back.

Then have him walk the hall then run so he can watch the movement of his hips.

We remember the routine well

then Dr. Kessler breaks the news and we were nervous

The X-rays look beautiful
His hips look great

WHAT!!!!!

He said if someone didn't know you have Perthes they wouldn't notice anything different in these X-rays.

Wow! Thats the best news ever.

He doesn't expect to see Lowell agian and Lowell is probably feeling ligaments that he didn't use very much in summer and he's working them out. 

That we can handle.

I was so increadilby happy because at one time we worried about surgeries and all kinds of what ifs

Then I asked the Dr

Can Lowell play football if he chooses

and he said YES

YAY!!!

Best day ever

We love Dr. Kessler

6 months already???

My sweet daughter has been out on her mission for almost 6 months now. So 1 year to go! 

She is so incredibly happy and loving what she is doing, serving God. 

I love her letters because she always includes her sense of humor and I love that the most about her. 

She has had some doors slammed in her face and some laughs and jeers from strangers and people wanting to challenge her to try to prove her wrong but it doesn't stop her from finding those that need her the most. 

Its really funny that this thought came into my mind after hearing about these challenges she was facing. 

I remember long ago in Junior high school I was in track and field and I wanted to compete in the hurdles. I also competed in discus and shot put but hurdles is what I wanted to do the most. 

When I practiced at school I just couldn't get over the hurdle but when I set up a course in my backyard I easily could jump over them with no problem. 

I don't know if I had them lower than the ones at school or if it was because nobody was watching. I'm not sure but I would practice and practice at home and never mess up. 

The day came when it was time to compete and the stands were full of my classmates. We lined up at our spots to start and I look ahead of me and think I cant do this, there is no way I can make it over the top of the hurdles. I'm going to embarrass myself for sure. The shot rang out and we all took off and here comes the first hurdle and I slow down and walk over the top of the hurdle then the next and the next. I walk over every single one while everyone easily goes across the finish line. I hear cheers from the stands or maybe laughs but I keep walking over every single one. I hung my head in frustration that I couldn't make it over the hurdles while running. I look at this experience now and think my life is the same as these hurdles. They were hard for me to get over but with enough practice and confidence you can do it. 

We all have challenges and trials

how are we going to get over them and endure them. 

With our Saviors help that is how

I have gained so much strength and joy with relying on the Lord and trusting him. Because of this I've been blessed with mighty miracles that I hold so close to my heart. I know there are big things to come in my life and I will walk forward with faith and I'm excited to do so. 

My sweet friend and I went to the Women's Broadcast over the weekend and oh my the talks were amazing!

Go to lds.org and look up General Women's Session

I took notes and was so inspired by the speakers

they will lift you up and give you the strength and guidance you need

I cant wait for General Conference this weekend

The Letter

The past few years I have really focused on working thru past traumas and realizing I'm a daughter of God. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that we have a Heavenly Father that loves us more than we can ever know. I don't think I really understood this until recently, like really took the time to understand this. For a long time I felt lost, confused, and just really down all the time. I thought this can't be it, this can't be the life I lead. I loved being a mom and a wife but I just couldn't get it together how I wanted. I wanted to feel joy, peace, love, and happiness. I couldn't figure it out until I got on my knees and pleaded to God for help. I decided that if I wanted to change how I felt then I needed to work on it and put effort into it then God could certainly help me along the way. Since deciding this for myself I believe that things have gotten much harder and more challenging in many ways. I had to face head on things that were hard and difficult and I didn't want to do it. I was so ready many times to throw my hands up and say forget it but I didn't and I pushed thru. If I want to be happy then I need to do the work. Now don't get me wrong I have had so many wonderful joyous moments in my life but if you have lived thru trauma half of your life then it takes a tremendous amount of work to get passed them and to be able to let them go. Its not easy and you are not alone in your trials I can attest to that. The mighty miracles that I have experienced lately are more wonderful and joyful than I can express into words.  Over a year ago I felt a prompting to write one of the 12 apostles Elder Jeffery R Holland and I always had the thought come into my mind that no way am I going to bother him, I can work all this out on my own. The prompting never left and recently I finally said "OK" and sat down prayerfully and wrote him a letter. I just expressed my gratefulness to him and his service and a little bit about my life and trying to work thru letting go and forgiving. I received a letter back from Elder Holland just 2 weeks later and it was one of the happiest days of my life. He gave me wonderful encouragement and I felt love, compassion, and tenderness from him. I felt the Saviors love for me thru this letter. I didn't mind if nothing came of the letter I sent and I thought I was just doing my part in following thru with a prompting I was trying to ignore. Im so incredibly grateful and I know without a doubt that I'm not alone in anything that I'm trying to achieve. I will follow thru when I receive a prompting( this I have learned).
Look this up:
Book of Mormon
3 Nephi 27:29

School is in.....

Back to a schedule, I particularly don't like schedules. I love summer to come and go as we please. But it is good to get back into a routine and the kids like routine. This summer we went to Arizona to witness a best friends beautiful daughter get married and we swam A LOT (I love swimming and can't get enough of it). Then we ripped out all flooring in our home and spent the whole summer installing new flooring. Not Fun! Then we filled in with movies, swimming, and playing. I was surprised with not doing much this summer but it was actually nice to take it easy. All my kids wanted to do was go to Utah, they love Utah like their momma. So future Utah trip in the works