Gardner Village

We went to Gardner Village yesterday to see the pumpkins and witches. It was ReAlLy windy but they all had fun looking at the Peking ducks, riding the ponies and running from pumpkin to pumpkin!

Love the Utes!!

Jackson's football team had the opportunity to meet several of the University of Utah 2008 Sugar Bowl Champion football players...Louie Sakoda, Kepa Gaison, Sean Sellwood, Justin Taplin-Ross, Mike Wright, and Brad Clifford came to talk to his team and sign some autographs! Louie Sakoda even took some time to punt the ball to the boys and guess who caught every one...yeap Jackson! It was so much fun and I am sure Jackson will never forget it...GO UTES!!!

33 days until....

HALLOWEEN!

Ayden's Day...

Ayden's 8

Ayden was born on September 25, 2001,today he is 8....where does the time go? He weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and was 21 inches long. He was a very good baby. We decided on the name Ayden because we both liked it and he was Ayden from the moment we laid eyes on him. When it came time to fill out the papers at the hospital we found that there were several ways to spell it and we decided on A Y D E N. Ayden’s middle name is Michael. He is named after his late uncle, Michael Todd and his grampy, Michael Patrick. Ayden’s initials are AMC, which always reminds me of going to the movies as a child and seeing the AMC logo at the beginning. Ayden’s dad calls him the “A Train” because Ayden can always get to where he is going and nothing stops him. Ayden Loves to do art projects, cook and tell stories. He has a wonderful imagination and we think he will write children’s books when he gets older. His favorite thing to do is go swimming…he is a fish and loves the water. Ayden has been to Mexico, California, The Bahamas’, Florida, ST. Thomas UVI, Samana in the Dominican Republic, Tortola BVI, and many more fun places, he loves to travel with his family. Ayden has a sensitive heart and a smile that can light up an entire room. He is a very good son, brother and friend. We are so blessed to have Ayden in our family and look forward to his baptisim on October 10th, he is so excited. Happy 8th Birthday Ayden we love you so very much!!

ghosts of halloweens past

beauty in the storm

During the crazy rainstorm last Friday evening the boys spotted a rainbow that seemed within our reach and they asked if we could for look for the pot of gold at the end *lol* We didn't find the gold but did get some beautiful pictures!!

getting so big

This morning Landon rushed in and said "mom hurry come see, come see" I gulped wondering what mess he was about to show me. We went in his room and he smiled this huge smile and said "see I am getting bigger, I can make my own bed can I be 4 now!" I laughed and gave him a hug and told him how happy it made me that he made his own bed but he replied "am I 4 now?" I asked him why he wanted to be 4 and he said "mom, I am done being my number 3!" Ahhhh, they want to grrow up so fast guess I better not blink ;)

worth preserving

After a weekend of being elow deep in tomatoes in a hot kitchen I am finally done! I perserved 15 jars of stewed tomatoes for spagetti sauce, taco's and chili and I also made 5 jars of regular salsa and 5 jars of peach salsa....YUMMY!! I look forward to being able grab a jar whenever I need it for a recipe knowing that it was made by me with love for my family. I think next fall I will probally need to double my batch but for now I will just enjoy to fruits of my labor.

September 11 in Utah...

On September 11, 2001 I was 9 months pregnant with Ayden and very sleep deprived. I received a call from my mil early at 7:00 AM saying "are you watching TV?" I told her no but turned it on just in time to see United flight 175 hit the "south" tower. What was going on I thought as fire and smoke billowed from the towers. I continued to watch in complete horror unable to turn the live coverage off as two more jetliners American flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon and United flight 93 crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. I started having contractions at about 10:00 AM as reports began to say that the events were no accident, it was a terrorist attack against the US. I later watched as the towers collapsed in a shower of debris and plume of thick dust. I like most American's was in utter disbelief at what had happened not wanting to think about what if anything else was going to happen next. I continued to watch the coverage as tears streamed down my face praying that my contractions would stop because I didn't want to have my beautiful baby boy today, not on this very sad day. My contractions eventually slowed with some help and lots and lots of prayers, the day turned to night as my heart filled with grief and sadness. I lit luminaries in my yard for an entire week I thought that was the least I could do if nothing else. Jackson was 2 years old and didn't understand why I was sad, he just came to give me a hug and kiss every time he got up to go play with something else. I sobbed as I held him thinking of all the parents who had lost a child and would never be able to hold them again. Over the next week as the reports surfaced I was dumb struck at how meticulously the attacks were carried out as the toll of the lost American mother's, father's, sister's, brother's, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and children continued to rise. When the Olympics came to Salt Lake City in February 2002 and the flag that was flying at the WTC was presented tears rolled dwon my cheeks, it was a very hollowed moment one I will never forget. In March 2005 I went to ground zero with my mil and truly felt and saw the utter pain and magnitude of the September 11 attacks. Bag pipers played as our eyes filled with tears remembering what had happened here just 4 years earlier. Jagged pieces of metal still buried in the rubble as workers still sift through the destruction. My heart still aches for all those who lost a loved one on September 11 and I am so thankful for all the men and women who leave their own families to serve in our nations military to protect our freedom and for all the American lives we have lost in the Iraq war. I am so proud to be an American and will never forget the events that took places on September 11 and all those precious lives that were taken away from their families so suddenly and violently. I will never forget September 11, 2001 and if you drive by my house on September 11, 2025 you will still see my luminaries lighting the night for all those that were lost......

sooner than later

 

It was bound to happen sooner than later but it came sooner than we expected.  Ryan will have to start traveling again weekly for work......he will be commuting to California starting this coming Sunday.  It has been nice to have Ryan home this spring and summer and we knew at some point he might have to start commuting again but  it is still going to be an adjustment for us all. We are thankful for the time that he has been home and look forward to the adventures ahead.

fall

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." ~Stanley Horowitz

1st game of the season

Jackson's 1st game of the season was yesterday vs West Jordan. He was so excited to have such a huge fan club at the game. Grandpa Russ even got off work early to come cheer him on and Grammy and Chanelle came up form Woodland Hills :) Thank you Grandma, Grandpa, Grammy, Chanelle, Cam, Ginger, Cohen, Craig, Natalie, Taylor and Brenna for coming to support Jackson......it meant so much to him. Jackson's adorable cousin Taylor made him a sign to help cheer him on...You ROCK Tay!! Taylor, her sweet little sister Brenna and their cute mom Natalie painted their faces Bengal orange & blue and put Bengal ribbons in their hair....thanks you guys you made Jackson's day!!

Jackson caught the opening kick off and ran 50 yards for the 1st touchdown of the season...it was awesome! He threw some awesome passes and had fabulous kickoff's during the game. His team won 44 to 6 and it was such a fun 1st game. The big hit of the game were Ryan's new orange shoes...all the boys (and parents) LOVED them. Way to go Jackson and the Brighton Bengal Orange Gremlins...You are Awesome!!

Jackson always love's a fan club so mark your calanders for next saturday at 9:00 AM when they take on Olympus and come cheer on the Bengals...see you there!!

poka dots

....on my toes!!