Oakley = Sports ....okay, and Academics

Wow....Oakley is a freak about sports...hmmmm....I wonder where he got that!?

The other day (on his 1st day of soccer practice), I walked into his room to see this....


What's so hilarious is that Brent did the EXACT same thing when he was that old too. Except Debbie said he also layed out a piece of gum with his uniform! :)



And today he had his 1st game and they won 4-1.....he was so happy!!!


And then I was in Walmart the other day, just walking down an isle, when a man dressed in head to toe Pittsburg Steelers clothes walked by.

Then Oakley says, loud even for him to hear, "How could you be a Steelers fan!?" Oh man, the guy was laughing just as hard as I was! I don't know how he knew that!


I mean...come on! This kid wakes up every morning before all of us and turns on Brent's DVR football or basketball games from the night before, just to rewatch them and ask us, "Whose the bad team?" or "Who do you want to win?" then he'll cheer for the other team!

AND.....he is amazing at school!

I am so proud that I just have to boast a little.....Oakley got chosen for Student of Month for the 2nd time this year at Ben Franklin! The 1st month was for Music and then December was for his class with Miss Arnold. He makes me so dang proud!!!!

Come What May...and LOVE it!

When life hands you lemons.......Make LEMONADE!

Yes...I love my lemon tree!)
Jack just LOVED this.....he actually could do it all by himself!



When life hands you a bag of flour, dump it out, and make some yummy paste!


And then laugh while you're doing it!
When you find pretty shoes.....wear them (or you could apply this to...buy them!)
When Daddy has good shoes to fill.....fill them.

Wherever you can find water....drink it!

When you have orange trees.....WATER them....it actually worked this year...we had wonderful oranges!!!

When life gives you pics like these.....grab the camera!

Top 10 Random Pictures of November & December!

Just some highlights of my crazy life!...

#10... A wonderful and FREEZING Thanksgiving with Curtis & Aimee!

#9- A grand week with Grandpa Rob here! Jack just loved him! And the kids loved stealing his walker!#8 - Brent's SLADE Christmas Concert when Oakley loved the "snow" machine...or bubbles basically! (To see more pics from that visit the SLADE blog linked up top)

#7 - At the same Christmas Queen Creek event...Jack was a little leary of Santa! Why do we torture our small children like this!?

#6 - I sure LOVED when Jackson would untie or tear off every bow on the presents under the tree! That was definitely the best part of the month! :)

#5 - Jack at a petting zoo at Desert Mountain Park...it was the sweetest thing I've seen! A little pig comforting a rabbit who was scared and shaking! (And of course Jackson just scaring the poor rabbit even more!)

#4- Livi is a natural ham! At the ward talent show (after) when she was sad that she didn't get to perform...so I found her after she grabbed the mic and started singing!

#3- Again....my LOVELY daughter at the talent show....she would only make that face right when I would try to take a picture of her!

#2- The greatest act of all times....Mormon Synchronized Swimming....Brent was hilarious! (They dive on matresses on the stage!)

#1 - and my number 1 picture.....my random kids! And Livi actually put Jack there by herself and drove him around!

Tagging....a new world to me!

Okay....so Megan Hastings tagged me....so I MUST follow through! But it was kind of fun! She has an amazing blog!

Here are the guidlines for this tag:

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

All righty then! Here are six random things about Yours Truly...

1. I have extrememly bad proprioception....(that means that always cut my fingers or I run in to the corner of my piano bench (or a wall) all the time!)

2. I absolutely HATE cleaning bathrooms- always the last chore to be done....dishes are right before that!

3. I formed a "Babysitting Club" based on my favorite series when I was 10. We held weekly meetings even, after passing out flier, and didn't get one call! (Go Cindy & Callie!!!!)

4. Then when that club failed, we formed "The Beastie Girls" club and met on top of my slide.....but I don't remember what we ever did!? Who was in that? Annie, Cindy, Callie!? Thank you dear brother Zach for the inspiration!

5. My favorite food of all time......fresh squeezed orange juice...and it's not even a food! (That is due to Brother Phelps on Christmas mornings!)

6. My favorite smell.......fires! (Like campfires....mmmm! love it!)

Doing some "blog-hopping" I found and tag the following people:
1. Annie L.
2. Cindy W.
3. Stephanie K.
4. Krystall L.
5. Jami B.
6. Annie J.

Happy blogging!

I need your blog address!

Hi friends!
I know it's been a LONG time since I've blogged- so I'm sorry. I have a lot of catching up to do, so bear with me! But when I did a makeover on my blog a while back, I lot all my friends blog addresses on accident.

SO..........if you are reading this, please leave a comment with your blog address so I don't have to search you down!
Thank you!

He is in a better place....

Hi everyone,

Wow.....I didn't realize that my very last post was to ask for help for my dear friend Lorin, and now I am here to ask for more help, in a different way. His family needs prayers.

My dear friend Lorin passed away last night, after a few very difficult months of fighting cancer. They literally told him just one day before that there probably wasn't any more hope, and that they were going to be sending him home with hospice. And then, as soon as Heavenly Father could, he relieved him of his pain and brought him home to him.

I was so sad yesterday, thinking of his poor family, his poor parents who have this trial to endure, but I am so happy he is in a better place. On Sunday he got to be set apart as an Elder, and I know Elder Merkley will be preaching the gospel in heaven.

On our trek, and just in his life in general, his nickname was Lorin "The Magnificent" Merkley- and he truly was. For him to be taken back to his Heavenly Father so early in his life, he must have truly been a magnificent young man. He was ready.

I think of our Stake Youth Trek motto and know it will apply to Lorin's life....

"The Legacy Continues"

I love you Lorin and I will miss you!

My friend needs HELP...

Hi everyone....

You may have heard, and you may know him, but one of my dearest friends, who is like a son to me....Lorin Merkley....is enduring through cancer right now, and all the trials that come with that. He was my "son" on our stake youth trek back in March of this year, where we came to love him and care so much for him. He was all ready to go on his mission when he found out about his cancer.

He has been fighting cancer for a couple months now and his family is in need of help.


They are selling Gold Canyon candles (which I know we all LOVE) to raise money for his medical bills. If they raise $2500 by November 22nd, they will give half of it to the Merkley's, who desperately need it.


So PLEASE....this is a good cause, and it's a wonderful time of year to buy one of these wonderful candles- for yourself or for a Christmas present.


You can see more at Lorin's blog ....... http://www.lorinmerkley.blogspot.com/


Or you can order directly through Josie Penrod at penrodfam@yahoo.com or 987-3210.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

Brent with Lorin on the far right