Alivia's Special Day

Alivia was thrilled to have people come for her special day at school. We could see who she was most excited for as she ran past the rest of us yelling DADDY!! She jumped up in his arms like she hadn't seen him in months, it was so precious. She wanted Sierra to be the one to sit by her and help with the All About Me book. It worked out since it was Sierra's lunch time. It was so cute to hear the kids answer questions about Livi at the end. I love Kindergarten, the kids are still so innocent and sweet! Aunt Michelle and Aunt Kass were able to squeeze in long lunch breaks to be there for Livi.

Livi and Mrs. Gooch

Parade

Grandma Kathy and Livi

Ryan and Sierra so excited!!

Colter, Trent and my dad

Liv so happy :)

killing time with thumb wars

We haven't been to the parade for years so we decided it was time. I talked all the kids into coming and they didn't complain....until we got there and they were cold! Ryan thought it was so cold he might die. Livi didn't mention being cold once, she was anxiously awaiting Santa Claus :) It ended up being really fun! After the parade we went out to dinner, by the time we went back to walk around Christmas Village, most of the crowd was gone. It was nice to have hot chocolate and wonder around looking at the little villages.

First Thanksgiving

One thing I think is really cool about Plain City Elementary is how they celebrate and teach about the first Thanksgiving. The whole school, teachers and all, dress as Pilgrims and Indians. They eat scones, pie, cornbread, have a hayride around Plain City, and learn all about the reason we have Thanksgiving.

My little Indian

Cherish the mornings

I am so grateful that this little one is still home with me half of the day. I am going to be broken hearted when she goes to first grade, but lets not talk about that yet! I love her creativity, she has been a great artist since the day she could hold a crayon. I love that she will sit for hours and create amazing things. If she has paper, crayons, scissors, and tape, she is set! Today she made this huge tree and then made the blanket into a nest and sat in it and played. There are not words to describe how priceless these little mornings are with just her and I home together.

Happy Birthday Mom

My mom is what I am grateful for today and everyday. She is an amazing lady who always has put everyone else before herself. She is always the life of the party and people are drawn to her and love her. I am so lucky to have her as my mom.

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Livi helping Grandma blow out the candles

Michelle, Troy, Randy, Trent and Grandpa Dan

My dad and Cole

The kids and our MAMA :)

Randy, Kass, Livi and Jazzie

Cell Phones!

Oh the convenience!! I have a love-hate relationship with mine :) Most the time having my cell phone around makes my life easier and less stressful because I can track my kids down at any time! Sometimes I want to let it go for a swim so that I can have a little peace and hide away from everyone and everything. I do have to say though.....what did we ever do without these! I think it's funny how Sierra cherishes her phones and keeps all her old ones just in case she needs them again someday. Ryan...I don't even know what to say about him and phones but somehow they last a week in his hands!

Work

I will always be grateful for LWE. Trent has worked for this company for almost 15 years. We are so blessed that he has this nice company vehicle, they always have had work during the roughest times, and he really likes his job and the people that he works with. I think they are lucky to have him as an employee. He is the hardest worker I know! I love that guy and am grateful that he works hard to support his family.

Teachers

I am so grateful my kids have great teachers! Livi and Cole always have stories about their teachers. I love that Colters teacher always shares personal experiences with his class about life in his younger years and just everyday things, like forgetting his wallet when he went to pay for a whole cart of groceries :) Livi thinks her teacher is so smart and nice. I worry that she might think I am a bad mom for letting Livi get her way and go to school one day without a coat! Liv and I had argued about it and she won...she is always so hot when everyone else is freezing so I decided I would let her win the battle since she had a sweater and long pants. When she got in the car after school, she said, "my teacher found me a coat to wear because you didn't send me one." I was sooooo embarrassed!

I don't want to forget the Jr. High and High School teachers who teach my kids way more that I ever could. I can't even help with homework very often, it's hard stuff!

There are many teachers in my family and so I have an appreciation for them in a huge way! My mother in law is a teacher, my grandma and grandpa Favero were both teachers, I also have an aunt and a cousin who are both teachers. I know it takes a lot of time, energy and patience to be a good teacher, I am very grateful for all of the ones in my life.

Food!!

We are grateful every day for food! We LOVE food and it seems like it's hard to keep it around. The minute kids are home, the fridge door and pantry are open non stop! We go through a serious amount of food between our own kids and friends :) Even though it's not the time of year right now for a garden, I love having one! It is so much fun to go out each day and see what has grown or ripened. Fun stuff to have a garden and usually fun stuff to do canning....I hated it this year and I think I only ended up with a little salsa and spaghetti sauce! Maybe next year:)

Good Health

I am so thankful everyday for the good health that my family has been blessed with! So far, we have not had any major illness or injury strike our family. I am almost nervous to write how blessed we've been (knock on wood). Through 16 years and 4 kids, we have only had one minor surgery, one broken finger, thanks Ryan for both of those. We had a few other random injuries and close calls like the time with Alivia and the baseball bat to the forehead, Alivia and the bike handlebar to the head, and last but not least, Colter and the out of control four wheeler. I truly believe we are so blessed and I am so so grateful! Oh yeah and don't forget....Sierra had the swine flu for 10 days!! Although these few illnesses and injuries were scary and awful, I realize they are so minor compared to trials that many people go through.

Together forever

I am so grateful that if we live worthy and do the things that are right, we can be a forever family. I am so grateful for this knowledge, it helps me get through adversity. I love my family!

Random Gratefulness

I couldn't help but feel grateful when I came across these pics of Livi and Riper. I think it is hysterical how she would lay there and watch a movie with the lizard just chillin on her shoulders! This was an amazing lizard, we miss the old thing. We took for granted how nice it was having an elderly creature until we got a baby one after he died. That thing was crazy!

Sadies

The Wizard of Oz has been a favorite of Sierra's since she was two years old. It seemed perfect to go as Dorothy, the theme was Hollywood. She made just as cute Dorothy at 16 as she did at age 3 on Halloween! She had a good time with all her friends and thought it was hilarious that she hardly saw her date the whole night. She said the fun part was that everyone danced with everyone and just had a blast. Between Flowrider and the dance, she and her friends had sore bodies the next day.

I LOVE Sierra's happy personality!!

Scarecrow and Dorothy

Banana splits at the end of the night :)

Seasons

I am grateful that there are four seasons. I think each one has something good about it, but change is always nice. If I had to choose one that I love the most... it would be Fall :) Too bad it doesn't last a little longer, it's getting dang cold!

My Car

I'm feeling grateful for my car today!! I had to park it for a couple days because of some problems it was having. I am so glad to have it back in business ;) I am in and out of my driveway at least 10 times a day running kids around so I am very,very happy to have a car to get us around.

The Big Game

Wahlquist made it to the championship game and played at Weber High. They all played so hard! After being tied in the fourth quarter, South Ogden Jr. pulled off the win. It was so sad to see the boys hang their heads and walk to the bus :( I think it's awesome that they made it all the way to the championship game.

Home

When I saw this saying, I thought about how true it is! I was raised in a home where I knew I was loved and I hope that my kids feel the same way about our home. At our home, you will be loved forever, for always, and no matter what! I am so grateful for our home...it's not new, in fact it's over one hundred years old, it's not big and fancy, but it's ours and we are very grateful for it :)

"That house was the perfect house, whether you like food or sleep, or storytelling, or singing, or just a mixture of them all. Merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear, and sadness."

-JRR Tolkien

I hope our home is a place where family and friends always feel loved and welcome.

Freedom

I know I take for granted how blessed we are to be born in the United States of America. I am so grateful for the freedom we enjoy and for the brave men and women who fight for our country.

So grateful.....

I've been feeling so grateful for my many blessings and so I thought that November would be the perfect time to share some things that I am so very grateful for.

I feel like the luckiest person in the world to be the mother of these four awesome kids. They each are so different and unique. They are each amazing in their own way. I am so grateful to have a husband who helps out with everything, is hilarious, and would help anyone with anything. He has a huge heart and is a very hard worker. I don't think life gets better than this.