what's goin' on

Since Burke & Kaleb have gone back to school it's just us girls again. So we do what the girls like to do. The girls love to dance around to music - Katelin dances and then out of the blue chases Kaiya around like a mad woman - it's hilarious. Then other mornings we like to go to the park after we drop Kaleb off at school. It's nice and shady in the morning. Kaiya likes playing with Katelin there since she's mobile now and loves doing what she does. The funniest was in that pic where Kaiya helped her up the stairs then just let her fly down the slide all alone. Usually she goes down with her, so I was surprised and Katelin loved it and didn't fly off and get hurt. That was great.

Anyway, the school year is starting great. Kaleb is loving school - except for the day everyone was talking and the teacher told them they couldn't go home...yet. He came out a pretty sad guy, but got over it quickly - whew! Burkes volleyball team has played three different teams so far, none of them counted though. They just do practice games at first. It's too bad they didn't count too because they have won them all so far! It is really fun to go to the games.

Kaiya starts pre-school on Tuesday. I'm helping out with the little kids Katelin's age while she's there, so she gets to go for free. I like free. I'll update more about pre-school next week.

Tricky little guy

The other day I was in a bribing mood and told the kids if they cleaned their room right then I'd give them a dollar. So Kaleb ran to his room and cleaned it up so quick! I was so surprised and happy. So I gave him his dollar. A couple of days later while he was at school I was in there for something and I saw a toy sticking out from under his dresser so I kneeled down to get it and I find a lot more than one! I pulled out all of these toys and books from under that tiny space under his dresser! And then I looked under his bed and there too were tons of papers and things. He's in trouble. :) hahaha.

Jeremy

I just wanted to post this picture my brother Ryan drew of my oldest brother Jeremy who passed away 15 years ago today in 1993. It is a perfect picture of him doing what he loved best. He was 19 years old and everybody's friend. He still seems older than me because of how much he did while he was here. He played the guitar and wrote songs and sang very well. I always loved listening to him sing and play. We all sure love and miss him. I'm excited to see him again and hear about all of his experiences while we were apart. Love you Jeremy!!!

I've never been so excited...

...to do the laundry!!!!! Woohooooooooooooo!!! Our washer was dying a slow and ugly death and was trying to take our clothes with it, so we had to put her under and replace the washer and dryer with these:

I am really having FUN doing the laundry and Kaleb even wants to help everytime I need to load it up again too. Who knew this laundry thing could be exciting?!?!

Dinner idea

At Bunko last week the dinner was really good so I had to share it with you all.

It was a Southwestern salad with lettuce, tortilla chips, beans (any kind you like), olives, corn, grated cheese, grilled chicken. Then the dressing is Ranch mixed with Taco Seasoning (just mix it in until it's as strong as you like it). I made a packet of Ranch dressing with the mayo and milk and then added about a half of the Taco Seasoning packet. It was so good so I made it for my family on Saturday and we all loved it, yah - even the kids! Give it a try girls. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Katelin has been tagged

Here's ten thing about our cute little Katelin:

1. Her favorite "toys" are remotes (as pictured above), phones, Wii controllers, computer's (we have a cordless mouse and she'll go get it and walk around with it until I notice and take it away) ya know, anything we don't really want her to play with. Oh, she also loves anything she can find in my bathroom drawer while I'm doing my hair, like tampons. So funny.

2. When we're eating dinner I have to give her a fork or she won't eat. Then when she gets it she uses it for a couple of bites then puts it down and uses her fingers.

3. She loves to turn around in circles and then fall down. Her and Kaiya spin for quit a while together.

4. Whenever she hears a train or a dog barking she looks at me with her wide eyes and her WOW mouth and breaths inward loudly. She has to go look out the window at the train as it passes. I wonder how long it will last because tains pass like a few times a day. It's so adorable.

5. She doesn't like anyone to hold her if Burke or I are in view. Even Kaleb or Kaiya, she just tells them NO and screams until they put her down. So many girls at church just want to hold her and she's got a little attitude about it. She loves to play with them, but heaven forbid you pick her up!

6. She loves to play peek-a-boo/hide and go seek around the couch. We hide on one side of the couch and she comes around to find us and we jump out and say boo and she cracks up. We do it over and over, she loves it.

7. She is my chocolate chip snacking buddy.

8. Sometimes Katelin will go and get a tissue and scrunch her nose and blow in and out of it to pretend she's blowing her nose in it. It's so funny. She'll make the face sometimes too, but won't let me get a picture!

9. We've been teaching her how to say the different parts of her face and point to them. She has always grasped "eye" and calles every part of her face eye. The funniest one she loves to do it stick her finger up her nose or ours and say "eye".

10. She has followed in Kaiya's footsteps as a shoe lover. she tries on all of our shoes or when people visit - right when they take their shoes off, she has to go try them on.

We're lovin watching her grow and learn, she's such a sweetie with an attitude.
OK - we're tagging: Clark, Ethan, Aliza, Cameron & Owen

First day in First grade

I have a first grader. Kaleb's end of summer came to a reality last night and he got a bit sad about going back to school. But this morning he was fine and went without a fight. I was proud of him. His teacher wasn't in the classroom right at first so she had them just go in and color this little popsicle stick person. I love the picture of Kaleb holding it up to me and smiling even though he doesn't really look like he wants to smile. He just let me have my picture anyway. He had a great day and loves his teacher. I'm so glad!!!

Just what the doctor ordered

Yes, our summer has come to an end! We start back to school this Tuesday the 19th. So our good friends Brian, Abby and Eli came to visit us this weekend. It was really nice to play one last time before school starts. They brought their brand new four wheeler also and we went into the canyon near us and played around with that. It was such a pretty day. Then on Saturday morning Brian and Burke decided to go rabbit hunting. They left and were back within minutes it seemed and they had got one already. So they read up on how to do all of the good stuff before you cook it and then they went out for more. They were gone forever and didn't find a thing. So then Abby and I got a turn to go play. Since we don't think killing rabbit's is a good time, we went shopping in Grand Junction, CO. We went to Real Deals and got some decorating stuff and mostly just looked and looked. It's such a great store and this one is huge! Just before we left I saw a sign that said - Your husband just called and said you can buy anything you want- we thought that was great, wish I had brought my camera on our adventure. We had a great time with them and are SO glad they drove 5 hours - from Logan - to see us! Thanks you guys!!!

Primary Activity

Our primary activity was last Thursday. They did games from around the world. The kids had a lot of fun...after they were there for a minute. They always take a little while to get excited about they activity, then they enjoy it. The game they liked the most was called Cat and Mouse. One child is the cat and this child has a bunch of little toys in front of them on the floor and the others start to try and grab at the toys - they are the mice. If the cat smacks their hand while they're grabbing a toy then they have to leave the toy there. They game is over when all the toys are gone. They loved that. The older primary girls love holding the babies there. They're such good helpers.

Ottley Reunion

We got together with all of my dad's siblings (only one couldn't come)and his parents and all of us grandkids and our kids. It was really so much fun. It was in Provo at a campground/RV park. We went swimming an the kids played on the playground. We had yummy food and then did a talent show and a raffel. My sister Juli sang a song and my other two sister's Robyn and Tiffany sang a song together. They are so talented, it was really fun to stand back and watch them and be a proud sister. Then all of us girls and Burke and my dad sang Stand By Me and Burke brought along some tambourines and stuff for us to add some more sound to the song. He played a little drum type thing and Juli played guitar. It was really fun singing with them. My dad and his siblings always sing songs they grew up with also and Ellen plays the piano and sings with them. Grandma Ottley even sang a song with the grandkids who wanted to. It's a funny song that we all just laugh as we sing. It's great. I love getting together with everyone. It's nice to catch up on life and enjoy time together. We also make something to bring and raffel off to raise money for our next reunion. I love to see how creative everyone gets. It's great! Love you family!!!

Let the games begin...

We have the Olympics Nintendo Wii game and have been playing it with the kids. We told them that these games are real and that they were going to be starting soon in China and that we'd watch them on TV. They were so excited! So we decided to have some friends over on Friday to have dinner, play some Olympics on the Wii (Burke projected it on the wall - it was huge!) and then watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. It was lots of fun. I think we need to make it a tradition. We had slush and I made my Dad and Gail's Chicken Chili, and found an Olympic cake recipe. I even used my Cricut to cut out Olympic rings to decorate the table with. What a fun night.

Creative kids

Here's some pictures of my creative kids lately.
pic #1 - One morning Kaleb and Kaiya just decided to decorate the fan that was in the corner waiting to be brought out to the shed. They found all sorts of blankets and toys and kitchen stuff to add to it and then they would turn it on and watch the monster move. It was interesting.

pic #2 - Kaiya has a princess activity book and this mobile was one of the projects in it she wanted to do. So we all sat down together and made one for Kaleb and Kaiya. It took longer then I thought it would, but it was a fun, quiet Sunday project. Oh, and just a side note about the HUGE flowers in Kaiya's hair - she did not wear them to church, she was just doing the girly dress up thing when we got home. haha, they're huge!

pic #3 - Kaleb was getting a kick out of spiking Katelin's hair up in the air with water. She didn't seem to mind, she was busy brushing her teeth.

pic #4 - These are the bird houses my step dad helped the kids make. He cut the pieces all out and sent them home with us. Burke put them together yesterday and then took the kids to the school into his art room and let them paint away. Kaleb has gotten really excited about the Olympics lately so he decided to paint Olympic circles on the side of his. They're cute. Thanks Opa!

1930's quiz

I saw this on my sister Juli's blog. It was funny to read the questions and see what we would be like back then.

91 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Here's Burkes':

130 As a 1930s husband, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Time flies!!!

One year ago today our family moved here to Green River. It has really gone by fast and a lot has happened in between. I remember when Burke came down here for his interview and to check out the place. His mom came with him to be a driving buddy since I had just had a baby the day before! Yah, we had Katelin, then he went for the interview and I hung out in the hospital waiting patiently for him to return the next day. It was a hard night all alone, but I pulled through it. I remember talking on the phone with the very nice principal about the job and he would ask how I felt about it being such a small town and everything and I told him the idea was growing on me. Then I called my sister Tiffany and cried my eyes out telling her we might move here and she cried with me (thanks tiff). Then Burke and the kids and I (Katelin was almost 2 weeks then)drove down so I could check out the place a couple of days before we had to make our decision. I just kept crying out of the blue, it was so embarassing - we even went to church here to check out the ward and I cried there too. Then we went home to Logan (about 4 1/2 hours away). We talked and prayed and made our decision to take the job...and I haven't cried about it since. Hahaha. It really has been so different, but still enjoyable. We're glad we're here and that we're still close enough to family that we can visit every once in a while and they even come and visit us sometimes - especially for Melon Days!!! Anyway, that's all for now. Til' next year - just kidding, I'll post again way sooner than that. :)
I thought I would leave you with this family picture of one year ago. It's right after Katelin's baby blessing.

so sad

I'm a big SO You Think You Can Dance fan. Last night I was SO shocked that our Utah girl Chelsie Hightower got voted off! I was sure she was going to win it all. BooHoo. Oh well. I wish I could go to the show coming in September, but it's on a Tuesday of all days - there's no way I could make that with school schedules. BooHoo again. One of these years I WILL GO! That's all. :)