Fun at Jumping Jacks!

The kids were bored one day during Spring Break, so we decided to go to Jumping Jacks! They had a lot of fun jumping and bouncing!

Having fun with the Gillies Boys!

Avery playing in the Kid's Zone!

Me and Dylan taking a break!

Jaret and Colby Gillies!

Sweet action shot of Tyler!

Avery playing Hide and Seek!

INTRODUCING........

Tyler is a Freshman at Mapleton Jr. High this year and is going to be going to the new Maple Mountain High School next year! (It's killing us to not be Red Devils ... but oh well!) He has been a straight A student for...ever! He is such an overachiever in everything he does in life. He makes me exhausted just watching him! He is on the MJHS basketball team and is also training hard for upcoming baseball tryouts. He has recently started going to the gym with his dad for weight lifting. He has grown up a lot this year and is becoming a very handsome young man! He can't wait to get his braces off though. Tyler is very sociable and has many, many friends. He attends parties, and social get-togethers every weekend. He is very athletic and excels in all sports. he is a very responsible kid and helps out a lot with his little brothers and sister. Thanks Ty, for all you do in our family, and for being such a great example to all of us! You Rock!


Jaret is 12 years old and just became a Deacon in December. He loves all the duties this requires and is excited for a few upcoming scout camps this summer. Jaret is in the 6th grade, his last year at Mapleton Elementary. He is an excellent student and his teachers are very complimentary about him and his behavior in class. Jaret is the type of kid you don't have to ask him to do things more than once. He is so obedient and is so easy to raise. He just does what he is asked and doesn't rock the boat! Jaret is very busy this year with sports. He is on 2 different basketball teams this year and is doing very well. He is also on a superleague baseball team for the past several years and is planning to go to Cooper's Town, NY this summer with the team.....GO CANES! Jaret is very well rounded and not only enjoys sports, he also appreciates the arts too. He loves to go to plays with his mom and wants to be an actor when he grows up. He is currently in the cast of a play in our stake and is so excited to perform for us. He also loves to go to movies and eat lots of popcorn! Thanks for being such a great kid, Jar! We sure love you!

Dylan is 8 years old and is the sweetest little kid ever! He is in 3rd grade and when it comes to school he could really just "take it or leave it"! He does well in school but would much rather be playing with friends. He has the cutest freckles, or angel kisses we call them, all over his face and is so stinking cute! He is my most loveable child! He loves to give hugs and kisses, and still loves to snuggle with mom everynight! He is very affectionate and tells us he loves us about 100 times a day! He loves all sports, especially football. His favorite team is the Raiders and even has a Raider's bedroom. He is currently playing city league basketball and is starting on a superleague baseball team this spring. He loves cubscouts and is doing really well! He loves hanging out with his best friend and cousin, Cannon. They are BFFs! Thanks for choosing us to be your parents, D. We wouldn't know what to do without all of your lovin'.

Avery is 5 going on 15. She is definitely the Princess of the household! She usually gets whatever she wants, if not from mom and dad, then her brothers come to her rescue! She has the cutest little personality and keeps us all laughing with all of her silly faces, voices, sayings, and dance moves! She loves school and can't wait to go to kindergarten next year. She loves to color and write and wants to do "homework" everynight with her brothers! She loves everything girly, like clothes, shoes, dancing, dressing up, but she isn't afraid to get dirty. She also likes sports too: softball and soccer are her favorites to play! She loves boardgames, cards games and puzzles! She keeps our family hopping to keep her entertained. We love you Princess Avery, and are so glad that you graced our family with your presence!

CHOOSE THE RIGHT

One of the reasons I wanted to do a blog, was to be able to journal our family's experiences and to document events and funny things my kids say or do. You know how when kids say really funny things, and you think "I should write that down somewhere, so I won't forget it" and then you forget to write it down? Well, Avery was full of those "funny things" today. So, I thought I could write (or type) them here.
This year in primary, the presidency has encouraged all the kids to bring their scriptures with them to church, no matter what age they are. Well, Avery has been obsessed with her Book of Mormon ever since. She talks about it all the time: "Was this book written by Mormons?" "Is this book all about Mormons?" and so on. So she was asking these questions as we were on our way to church, and when Kirk went to open the door for her to enter the church, Avery said, very loudly "Thank You, Mormon!" Everyone around her laughed, hysterically!

Then during sacrament meeting, as I was reviewing my lesson on Adam and Eve, I showed her a picture and asked her if she knew who these people were. She replied, "Oh yah, that is the boy and girl that lived in the forest, naked, their names are Adam and......and....EVIL" I busted out laughing, and got the stares from others around me!

Then on the way home from church, she was walking with me, holding my hand, and asked me "Mommy, what would you choose: To go with Jesus and choose the right, or would you follow that other bad guy and NOT choose the right.....cause I TOTALLY want to follow Jesus!" Gotta love this child!!!

Then later this evening, her brother Jaret was getting mad at her for messing up his Wii game (heaven forbid) and pushed her out of the way! Well, the little girl drama started up, with the BIG tears and everything and she came to the top of the stairs and yelled down to Jaret at the top of her lungs "JARET, YOU DID NOT CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!"

It is days like this, and little words of wisdom like these, that make my job as a mother even better! My kids are such good examples to me and I know that they have taught me WAY more about life (and choosing the right), than I could have learned on my own! I love my little "Mormons"! And, like Avery, I TOTALLY want to follow Jesus too!