Is it just me, or would everyone agree that I might be nuerotic if I can't eat jelly bellies unless they are separated into individual flavors?

Way back in March, Jim organized a pack trip for our ward's Priest and Teacher Quorumns. They had to pack all of their gear, cooking equipment and food through some pretty treacherous country. In all, Jim said they had about 18 hours in the saddle. They even had one horse fall off one of the switchback trails and roll all the way down to the switchback below, barely missing the others kids and animals below. Luckily, everyone returned home, uninjured but very tired. In all there were 5 adults, 12 boys and 23 horses. Crazy, huh?

Look Out High School!

Colt, who is my oldest son, graduated from 8th grade last night. While I don't completely agree with the HUGE deal that the school makes out of it (why graduation? why not promotion?) I am proud of my boy and just a little freaked out that he is old enough to begin his high school experience. Colt is an amazing athlete and for that reason alone I am sure he will completely LOVE high school. I'm sure all the cute girls that this town seems to grow will be an added bonus for him!

Can you believe how tall he is getting?

When your mother-in-law gives you lemons . . .

Jim's parents have a lemon tree and every year they share! I think that I am the only one who actually asks for any lemons and by so doing, end up with about 100. I use about six over a weeks time to squeeze in my diet coke and then about another 6 to make lemon bars and unfortunately the rest go to waste. Oh waite, my boys have lemon wars so it's not a total waste. Well this year I was determined not to waste one lemon so JJ and I spent one whole Saturday juicing lots and lots of lemons. We got enough juice to make about 10 pitchers of fresh lemonade. But during the spring ice/wind/snow storms we didn't seem to have much use for fresh lemonade. So we froze the juice. I can't wait for summer when I can sit on my front porch and sip the fruits of our labor!

These are the conditions that Savannah played her softball game in yesterday. As you can see, I am safe inside my car. (see my hood in the picture?) Savannah claims the wind was the reason they lost to RV. She claims it was the wind that carried RV's hits up and over the fence for out-of-the-park homeruns (twice) and caused one of their hits to bounce over the fence for a ground rule double. Funny, the wind didn't help St. Johns at all. :) This morning Savannah was still trying to unpack the dirt from her eyes.

I bought these shoes for Savannah because they were so amazingly cute! She wore them to school today so I asked her to take a picture of them and send it to me. It looks like she just held the phone under her desk and snapped the photo, but I don't care. They are super cute even from this angle! Don't you think?

Welcome Spring!

This is what it looked like dropping JJ off at school this morning. . . . I wanna go back to bed.

JJ"s Birthday Party

And the winner is . . . . . KJ! JJ had decided to have a "family only" birthday party this year. For an activity we made little heart-shaped cakes and let everyone decorate them. Though it didn't start out as a contest, it soon turned into one (you know those Mineer's). We had some interesting cakes when we were done, but in the end, it was decided that "simple" was best and KJ took home the prize. (Even though there was no prize because it wasn't supposed to be a competition)!

R - E - S - P - E - C - T

The final score of the superbowl yesterday was such a disappointment! Several people at the party we attended kept saying, "It's ok. It was a good game." My response to that was "IT IS NOT OKAY! WE DIDN'T WIN! (People tell me I'm competitive). When we got home last night I couldn't watch the news or any post game coverage because I was so upset for the team. It wasn't like it was a blow-out game. I mean they played their hearts out and ALMOST HAD IT! Even this morning I got sick to my stomach when my MSN homepage popped up on my computer screen with the big, fat, ugly Steelers holding their stupid trophy! (People tell me I'm competitive). Well, I've decided that it probably isn't healthy for me to have such strong feelings over a game that I had NO control over and NO part of. I don't personally know any of the players, coaching staff, trainers, etc. or even their families. So why let it bother me? After sending that thought through my brain a few times I finally felt a little better. Then I decided that the Cardinals may not have won the super bowl, but they DANG sure have better won the respect of this country's football fans. They are a great team and I know we haven't seen the last of them in playoff situations!

Tuff's Birthday

Look who's 10! Tuffy didn't want cake. Only rainbow sherbet. He was excited to finally be 10. This year he will be old enough to do a 4-H project. He has a steer and can't wait to show it in September. Happy Birthday Tuff!

I haven't posted for such a long time. Sometimes I just feel like I am too busy and before you know it weeks have passed without a new post. Also, part of th reason I haven't posted is because I haven't been taking any new pictures lately and I am all hung up with the idea that you shouldn't post unless you have new pictures to go along with it. Well, finally today I found a minute and had to force myself to post even without new pictures!

We enjoyed a great holiday and new year. My baby, JJ turned 8 just after Christmas so she will be baptized tomorrow. Wow, my last baby getting baptized!

Savannah is super busy in school right now. She is the junior class president, so all the responsibility for prom falls to her. She is putting fund raisers together and picking out themes, colors and songs for the big shin dig. Hopefully she can accomplish most of it before softball season starts because I swear that sport eats up every bit of her time.

Colt and Jake are practicing with their basketball teams. Their first games are on January 22nd and they are both really excited. Jake's foot is all healed up and Colt is perfecting his jump shot.

Tuff is finally old enough to show a 4-H steer. Last week we went to the sale and bought four steers for our four older kids. Tuff treats his steer like a puppy. He is so excited! I hope his steer maintains his demeanor through the end of the 4H sale. It is hard for me to imagine my little Tuffy being drug around the arena by a 1,200 pound animal!

ALL THE WAY TO STATE!

Last weekend we made the trip down the mountain and through the canyon and emerged into the desert to watch the St. Johns High School football team play in the semi-finals of the state tournament. Our opponents were the Valley Christian Trojans. The Trojans head coach is a brother to our head coach. The banner that was proudly hung from our stands "OUR MORGAN IS BETTER THAN YOUR MORGAN" rang true when we beat them soundly to move on to the state playoffs this weekend in Flagstaff at the NAU skydome where we will battle Phoenix Christian for the state championship. GO REDSKINS! Here are some of our family who were there to cheer the Redskins on to victory.

THIS IS TUFF

For those of you who know Tuff, you know how interesting my life is as the mother of such a boy. He is one of the most stubborn and determined spirits I know. There are days when I am completely exhausted by the time I lay my head down at night from parenting him. He goes against the grain most of the time, simply to go against the grain. We used to think that Savannah was the queen of stubborn, until Tuff slipped in and took over the crown. His best buddy is Uncle Kirby (that should tell you all something). He is always a source of entertainment for our family. (And anyone who sits near us in church on Sundays). And just about the time when I find myself wondering how I will survive the next 11 years with him at home, he will crawl up on my bed with me and tell me that when he grows up he is going to build a house right next to mine so I can babysit his kids. That is when I realize 11 more years just isn't enough.

Look who got their first elk! Didn't even let a broken foot and crutches stop him! Jake was determined not to have his hunt ruined because of his "stupid broken foot". Thanks to a willing dad, Jake was able to hunt like a normal guy. I thought for sure that after the first day of hunting on crutches Jake would shoot the first thing he saw the next day. But nope, he was patient even after "crutching" for a mile.

Field Trip

JJ has been so excited for her field trip to the pumpkin patch in Snowflake today. She had a hard time falling asleep last night because she was all jazzed up about going. Can you see all the stuff she packed? How many bags does it take to walk through a corn field maze and pick a pumpkin? I know the reason she was so excited was because big sis went with her. Thanks Savannah, for making it such a special day for Little LuLu.

Sadie Hawkins 2008

Savannah, Jorden and Skippy took Steven, Cade and Tromaine to Sadie Hawkins this year. Unfortunately for their dates, Savannah's Uncle Mark was in town and at our house when they all came over before going to the dance. Not only did they receive the inquisition from her dad but were raked over the coals by Uncle Mark. I wonder if Savannah will ever get another date?

Jimmy Got an Elk!

Jim has been so excited ever since he found out that he drew this elk tag. As the hunt got closer he started getting frustrated because he wasn't able to put as much time into preparing for the hunt as he had planned. Even during the actual hunt he had to choose between helping the kids with their 4H animals or hunting on opening day. He obviously made the right choice and stayed in town with the kids at the fair and that sacrifice paid off when on the very last day of the hunt he bagged this monster! Good job honey!

UNDEFEATED!!

Colt's 8th grade football team went undefeated this year. In fact, only two teams scored on them! This grade has played recess football everyday since Kindergarten and all that practice paid off. They are a bunch of talented boys! I can't wait to watch them in high school! (Colt is 2nd from the left. Not the best picture taken from a friend's cell phone.) GO REDSKINS!

Can You Say Yuhummie?

My sister Terri had extra peaches and gave me some. This is what I did with them!

SEPTEMBER 2008

This is what we did in September. In between work, school, football, volleyball, dance class, family reunion, broken foot, surgery, hunting and church work we found the time to get the 4-H animals all shined up and pretty for the county fair. Colt and Jake had both a hog and a steer. Savannah had a steer. It turned out really well but we are all glad it is over for now. January comes too soon!

We also put up vegetables from the garden. They look so pretty!