Well, my last post was 10/04/10 and I guess there was an entire month in there. But that month is gone and besides going to visit family for Thanksgiving, we are just going to leave that month gone!!

I am very excited to be back in the real world and starting to decorate for Christmas. I will post pics once I get some done.

It has been about 4 years but today I ordered our Christmas cards. I am so excited to send those out!!!! Yeah!!!!

Gotta LOVE Shutterfly I know I DO!!

Welcome Fall ~~~

It has been an incredibly hot Aug and Sept. So with October comes the cooler evenings and the knowledge that it always snows around Halloween. Only a few more weeks if that if the warm. Welcome Fall, my favorite time of year. The colors, the crisp air, the pumpkins, the food/friends/and good times I welcome you all!!!

Update .... Part 5 ... Fourth of July

So this year for the forth of July it ... RAINED ... and bad!! Joey was in Montrose with my parents so that is why he is not in any of the pics. We ended up at my bother's Kendall and Cary's house. The video is of a huge rain puddle that my brothers dared Gavin and Ellie to go sit in ... Ellie won that bet, it was still fun and silly and we watched fireworks on TV to avoid the rain!

August Update ... 2010 ...Part 4 ... Eclipse

On June 3oth, eclipse (the 3rd movie in the Twilight series) came out in theaters. I had so much fun going with all of my Eastlake ward Pals. We even had werewolf cupcakes and had a ton of laughs waiting in line together. The movie of course was great and I am glad to have that memory! Thank you girls for a really fun evening!

August Update ... 2010 ...Part 3

The second week of June my three kiddos spent a week in Montrose with my parents. My brother Gordie's kiddos were there too and so my kids got a chance to get to know their cousins that live in Alabama. They had a really fun week, we were able to bring the girls back with us for a few days. They all had a blast and fun summer memory. Gordie's kids are Cortland "8", Sofia "6" , Eva "3".

August Update ... 2010 ...Part 2 ...06/04/10

Joey, Gavin and Ellie were in dance last year. At the end of each school year there is a big recital called the "Memories Show". Joey was in ballet, Gavin in ballet and Tap and Ellie was in a Tap/Ballet class that did a ballet number in the show. I was so proud of me little ones and bonus we do not have to buy any Halloween costumes ... LOL!

August Update ... 2010 ... Part 1

I have been the worst blogger this summer and I am truly sorry. I fell like this summer has beet the shortest/craziest summer ever. Between Joey being in the Montrose (it felt weird taking pictures of Gavin and Ellie without Joe Joe), the funeral, weddings and reunions there has not been much time for blogging . So I am excited to bring to everyone an August Update, I will chronic all the goings on this summer and get all caught up and back in the wagon. Oh did I mention Mike and I are trying to move? Our lease is up in less than a month and we will (if all goes well) be moving into a house!! That is a whole other post/craziness all together, I will keep all posted on that one. O.K ... here I go!!

First Day of School .... 08/18/2010

Joey and Gavin started school today. The summer did not seem long enough and all though I am ready for the routine and schedule I will miss the lazy days of summer. The boys and I were talking last night after back to school night. Joey is a very good reader and Loves to read to Gavin who says he is not a reader but a writer. And all though I tried to explain to Gavin that if you love writing you read what you and write and so he is a reader (somehow that did not work :(. Another year and another chance ror nightly reading ... Gavin reads well he just thinks too hard about it. I hope that this year the boys have an easy time and enjoy the class and teachers around them. I hope I can remember when they need to be encouraged and when they need to be reminded of their tasks. I hope they grow a litter taller but more so they grow in talents and friendships. I love my boys, I am proud of what they have done to get to where they are now and Hold much Hope for all that is to come. Good luck Boys!!

Britney Winkler .....

Britney passed away this morning (6/24/10) around 5 am, she was surrounded by family both here on this earth and in heaven where she was welcomed with open arms. I am a better person to have known and loved her ... she is the example to me on how I should live my life ... I miss you Britney, our long talks, and the things you have taught me. I will see you again love .....

On Matters of the Heart

I posted on FB this morning,

"Can a heart break and heal in the same moment?"

I do not know if I have an answer for that right now, I guess I will see. My cousin Britney is on life support right now and all though the plan is to let her go and take her off today (I have not heard yet if or when it will happen) I will know once I am there and know she is in a better place. You can read her story on her blog here

*** http://britneywinklerupdates.blogspot.com/ ***

I do not have time to recount everything. She has been sick for a year now and it seems finally time to let her go. I feel like I have been saying goodbye for a year and also holding so much hope for a miracle or change. Not seeing that the miracle was her being here with us for a year to say goodbye and the change being her getting sick so that the "letting her go" part will be quick and humane. I loved her like a sister, she helped me at so many points in life I can not count. She knew the right thing to say and when to say it, she was an example of the kind of wife/mother/sibling/daughter/friend I want to be and should be. Britney I know I will see you again and have faith that Heavenly Father has a greater work for you to do and need for you. Please tell Grandpa HI, take care of each other. It will but a moment to you, but will seem like forever to me until we are together again. I will love on your babies and tell them fun stories of you growing up and what a mother you were. Thank you for all you taught me in my life, I hope that I can feel you around me. Wish you were here right now to help me heal .... always in my heart, in my prayers, in my mind ... I love you ...

Please forgive me ...

I know that I have not had time to post lately but hold on to your seats because tomorrow brings so many fun moments and so much to share YAY! all worth the wait!

First day at the Pool

Meet ** BUDDY ** in the second grade they study bugs (thus the bug play) There were four lizards and you could sign a permission slip for your child if it was OK for then to be in the drawing to bring the lizards home as a pet. Joey did not even know I signed the slip, so when he won one of the lizards he was not sure if I would let him keep it .... LOL! Well he named him Buddy and we have had fun with him. We got a good deal in a tank set up and even got him a girlfriend :) Gavin wanted a lizard also and these were only $5. Gavin named his LIZABELLA (pics to come later) easy pets really. The second day we had Buddy Gavin got freaked out cause he pooped on him while he was holding him, so he tossed him on the couch, proceeding to loose the poor guy. I figured Beau ate him or I would find him in a dry shriveled hump. 2 days later Joey was eating breakfast and yelled because Buddy was climbing up the back of the couch. Crazy Lizard, he is safe and sound now, lesson learned .... he he he!

May 13th 2010 * Joey's bug play

Every year the 2nd graders do a bug play for Celebration of Learning at the boys school. Joey was an army ant, he had a lot of fun. Sorry the video is not great (we were in the back) but it was fun! Joey is in the front in the army green clothes, he has an army helmet on with antennae but I do not think you can see those .... ENJOY!

Easter 2010 Part 2

Easter morning the kids woke up to baskets from the Easter Bunny, and we got ready to head over to the Mike's parents. We had a lot of food, fun, candy and family. We even got a little birthday cake from Kaeli's birthday. It was a nice afternoon.

Easter 2010 part 1

This first collage is of the first Celebration we had. Joey was baptized Sat. April 3rd, and because we did it in Broomfield and because everyone made the trek North we decided to have the "Rowley" Family Easter dinner at my brothers Kendall and Cary's house. We had great food and even a mini easter egg hunt. It was a lot of fun and a beautiful day to spend with family.

Joey Got Baptized

Joey was baptized Sat. April 3rd. I can not describe the feelings that I had that day .... it is surreal to think that 8 years ago my sweet Joey was born 2 months early and only 3 lbs 7 oz. I am so proud of his choice, I am so thankful that he is such a fighter and I am grateful for his silliness. It was nice to be with all of the family and friends that shared that day with us.

Photo Shoot

Because Joey is being baptized with his cousin Kaeli, we needed to get some pictures of the two for the program. Joey tends to pay attention to everything else besides smiling for the picture so .... this is just a sampling of the funniness that was this photo shoot. I will post the ones we used for the program on Sat!!

Joey's Baptism Announcment

Joey for President

Joey had a project at school that he worked on for weeks. He had to research a president and choose three activities to do around that research, one of the activities was to dress like that president. Joey had to dress like John F. Kennedy, we bought him a new shirt and tie. He had a good day and walked around with a sense of pride that day. He wanted me to take a picture before he went to school and this is what we got ...... he he he he ......... love him :o)

he looks a little scared ... he he he he

8 is GR8

Joey turned 8 on Feb. 28th. He has had a couple of celebrations, but the biggest one is yet to come. Joey will be Baptized April 3, with his cousin. He was able to have a sleep over and then on his birthday we had our dear friends the Brassard's over for lunch and cupcakes. there was a lot of mess, but it was a lot of fun. Happy Birthday my dear Joey.

Ellie's Pink Eye

We are going through the winter crud. Miss Ellie Belle had the joy of pink eye. She did not seem to be in any pain, she disliked the anti-biotic eye drops more than her eye seemed to bother her. She is very good at sharing but luckily for us did not share this with anyone else in our family! I hope that we are on the mend with all of the winter sickies. P.S. it looks like we beat her up, I promise she was not :o)

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Gavin's Birthday Party

For Gavin's birthday we took him and his best buddies to see the new Chickmunk Movie. We ate lunch and opened presents at McDonald's. It was a lot of fun but it made for a long party. Happy 6th birthday Gav-a-lav!!

Ellie's Birthday Party

Ellie turned "4" on Jan. 25th, but on Sat. Jan. 23rd we had a "Fairy, Dress Up" party. We had it in the clubhouse and were able to use the big movie room to watch the Tinkerbell Movie. My lovely friend Lisa came to help do some face painting all and all the girls had a lot of fun! Mike and I did too really!!

Retro Wednesday ... Double Dose

It is a double dose tonight because I am posting about Gavin and Ellie's birthday's. Ellie turned four on Monday, wow I can not believe my baby is four all ready. Ellie is a girly girl, she loves princesses and fairies, anything pink, dressing up and looking cute. She is a lot of fun right now with all of the funny things that come out of her mouth. She started pre-school this year and loves it. At the beginning of the month she started in Sunbeams at church, she has even given her first talk :o) Ellie is so sweet and loving, she can be rough and tumble with the boys if the need presents itself, but can be so tender and loving too. We lover her to the ends of the earth and can not imagine our family without her.

sorry her baby pic is not the best ... they were on a hard drive that crashed, so this was the best I could do. Hope you all enjoy.

A little Dose of Gavin

Gavin turned 6 on Jan. 8th. He is in all day kindergarten at Hulstrom Options school (a k-8) He is really into mini skateboards, anything to do with art {painting,coloring,clay,cutting paper, etc.) He still likes to play with girl toys, but seems to be growing out of that more and more. He is very sweet and loving, he is very patient with Ellie and tries to be good and do what is right. School has not hardened him too much and I am thankful for that too. He can read and is doing really well in other subjects at school as well. We love him very much and know that our family would be very different with out him. We are thankful he was sent to be a part of our family.

Pray for Baby Scout .......

My Cousin's daughter Scout is very sick. If you have a moment please help pray for her. Bailey is Scout's Mom and her sister Aubrey posted about what is going on here is the link (http://thekekauohas.blogspot.com/2010/01/super-scout-is-sick.html) . My heart is breaking, we just saw little Scouty Pants around Thanksgiving when they passed through town on their way to Utah and back. We love you Scout and your family is in our prayers.

Sunday quote of the week ...

Ellie gave her first primary talk today. Mike wrote her talk, and I loved a couple of quotes he put in there. So I was "inspired" to share those will all of you!


Ezra Taft Benson once said,

"Nothing is going to startle us more then when we pass through the veil to the other side, than to see how well we know our Father in Heaven and how familiar his face is to us. Can you imagine how exciting it will be to return home to him one day?"

President Hinkley once said,

"Let us never forget that we are children of God at all times."

Retro Wednesday (on Thursday)

I have been slacking on the "retro Wednesdays" so a day late but here we go, back on track!! Today's is retro because it was yesterday {he he he he} and Wednesday because they were taken on wednesday. My brother Cary has been staying with us and I am so grateful for his help he has given me with the children. He has quickley become their favorite uncle. Cary climed on the counter and Ellie wanted in his arms, they looked so cute together that Cary and I decided to take some pictures. They were being so silly, Cary always makes Ellie laugh, and my big tough brother is mush in her hands too! In some of the pictures she is feeling his whiskers and in others he is giving her a hard time. They had some pictures together that looked really good. They turned out great, if you ask me {wink, wink}

thank you mandy ...

Gavin will officially be 6 tomorrow afternoon and I do not know who started the first giving of the treats to the whole class tradition, but I am tired. So thank you Mandy for posting your great Halloween treats. I was inspired to make similar ones for Gavin's class and finished them tonight. I think they are cute and also decided I am in need of some better birthday stamps. Hope Gavin's class enjoys the skittles inside. Here is the link to Mandy's original post in her stamping/scrapping blog http://lilbitoscrappin.blogspot.com/2008/11/halloween-favors.html .

Christmas trip to Montrose 3of3

{Girls just wanna have fun}Ellie and I had a lot of fun going out for a "girls" afternoon of shopping. For those of you who have ever been to Montrose you know that means {Target, J. C. Penny, Maurices, or mom and pop shops} We ended up at J.C. Penny's cosmetic department. Kayla walked the isles and helped Ellie try out any thing she wanted. So Ellie ended up with pink and blue eyes with glitter, blush and RED hot lip gloss! It was a lot of silly fun, even I tried on some makeup. Go J.C. Penny!!