Morgan's Birthday

When our kids have a birthday we take them out for dinner alone with their parents so that they get some mommy/daddy and me alone time. This year I was too busy to throw Morgan a friend party, even though it is a big birthday. I felt bad so I told her she could bring a friend with us. She decided that she wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese's and eat/play (emphasis on the play). So here are the pictures of Morgan and Hannah at Chuck E Cheese's. It was nice to have Hannah there because Morgan and Hannah went running off to play leaving Troy and I alone. It was almost like a date if we hadn't been at Chuck E Cheese's and surrounded by kids and creepy animatronic animals. Thanks to Kara (even though she won't read this because she doesn't have the Internet) for watching the kids for us. Thanks to Hannah's parents for letting her come with us we loved having her with us. We have decided that she is Morgan's twin from a different family. We love you Morgan and hope you had a great birthday party.

Morgan and Hannah off roading.

Morgan and Hannahstopping long enough for me to get 1 picture and no more

Morgan and Hannah on their way to the slide.

Happy Birthday Morgan

Today is Morgan's 8th Birthday. I am so excited and a little bit. . . not sad but a little emotional I guess, because it just seems like time flies so fast when you aren't paying attention. I swear it was just yesterday that she was so small and warm in my arms and that it was just last night that she was keeping me up all night crying because her tummy hurt so much. (poor thing) Morgan is such a blessing to our family. She is fun and energetic and she love to give hugs and she will still sometimes crawl in bed with me in the morning. She is our little social butterfly with lots of friends. She is the one that will finish all her homework and then start the phone calls until she finds one of her friends that can play. She loves to do gymnastics and to jump on the trampoline next door. She is a great reader and she is very smart. She is a wonderful big sister and is always reading to her brothers. She is a great help to me and I love her so much! I am so excited to see what she will do next. I know that she will have a great future and I am so happy that I get to be here to see it and share it with her.

Happy Birthday Morgan!!

I love you!!

Morgan with Troy, Me and Mikayla at the hosptial

Morgan's first birthday

( I had to convince her that she wanted to eat the cake. I don't have to do that anymore)

Morgan had the best curly hair!!!

Morgan has the best smile

Morgan's first day of preschool

Morgan loves gymnastics

Morgan's next big step

The Ward Halloween Party

Last night was our ward Halloween party. I have to say that we have the best activity committee I have ever seen. They are great. They set up a spook ally to walk through just to get to dinner and then a haunted woods for the brave ones. (just a side note we are not among the brave ones) Every body dress up so fun although there are some that looked a little scary and the kids were a little bit nervous. We are so grateful for our ward and all the friends that we have made here. I especially want to thank Katie Lott for dragging me kicking and screaming out of my practically inactive funk. I am truly grateful. Here are some pictures of some of our friends in their costumes

Bishop and Sister Gray

Megan and Brent Castagnetto

Brandon Vonk (not the vampire I was looking for but oh well)

Me (my hair is done "Hairspray" ish) and Jaryn (the witch from Wicked)

Have you ever?

Have you done any of these? I thought this was neat. I kind of got to see what I have done in my life and the fun memories from doing them and then I kind of have a list now of the things I would like to do someday. I got this from my friend Mennifer ... Just copy and paste this to your blog and highlight or Bold the ones that you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. (ok most of the way)
18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run . (does it count if it is in your back yard with a plastic ball and bat?)
32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke . 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (Twice)
47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie 56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business . 58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check . 68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt. (Will never do that again!)
73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job . 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (many) . 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House .
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Never, not even a fish)
88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (she was a really old oscar winning acress and she Hated me)
92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

What do you guys do on a Monday night?

So I ask you, What do you guys do on a Monday night? Family home evening (we do ours on Sunday, when we get it done) after school activities, play outside with the kids, go for a nice family walk? These are all things that I think would be a good way to spend a Monday night. Here and the humble Baxter home. This is what we ended up doing on Monday night. That is right, we play Guitar Hero. It seemed like all fun and games until riding in the car and I think it was Ozzy Osborn, could have been Black Sabbath I am not quite sure but both of my girls were singing along in the back ground. And then on Monday night my little Samuel started to play air guitar and head banging to the music. I am thinking now that we have definitely exposed our children to too much Hair Metal. I am sure that my husband would disagree, but I guess there are worse things, right? (please say right!)

Mikayla Playing Guitar Hero

Morgan Playing Guitar Hero

Samuel Playing Guitar Hero

Owen had already had his turn when I started to find this funny enough to take pictures of it.

Look What I Woke Up To This Morning

As I am sure most of you already know the weather people here in Utah have been saying that it was going to snow this weekend here in Utah. Saturday was cold but dry (we packed Troy for the worst when he went to the BYU game!) I was thinking that the weather people must have been way off!!!! Well much to my surprise when we woke up this morning. SNOW!!! And not just a little either!! I was really surprised how much it snowed. Usually the first snow storm is just like frozen rain that doesn't stick to the ground. The kids were really excited to see the snow this morning and then equally as disappointed when we came out of church today and it was gone. (ahhh fall in Utah) I love when the weather turns cold and all the family traditions start. I love to snuggle in the blankies and watch a movie with my family and make hot chocolate and bake anything and everything I want too. I am super excited for the holidays. This month is a big one for us with Morgan's Birthday and Baptism and then Halloween. So you will be hearing a lot from me towards the end of the month. Until then, enjoy a warm blanket and a cup of hot cocoa for me.

My Realization

So I don't have any pictures that go with this post but, I wanted to, I guess, say my piece. So on Sunday I was (unofficially) released from my calling as a primary teacher at my church. If you had asked me a little over a year ago when they called me to primary, how I would feel at this moment, I would have told you that I would be so happy. When they told me that the bishop wanted to meet with me. I knew what was coming and I have to say, I was really sad. I have learned to love my calling. I love both of the classes that I have taught. Some were a little rowdier then others but they were still good kids. I have enjoyed answering their questions and learning the answers sometimes as we went along. I loved to watch their testimonies grow right before my eyes. I am so grateful to Monica Sanborn for giving me this opportunity. I will miss being able to spend Sunday with these kids. Singing primary songs with these kids and listening to them bear their testimonies through words, song and even just in a look they give you. I will miss all of the wonderful people that serve in the primary and hope that they don't forget about me. Thank you everybody for helping me to strengthen my testimony too.

Look What I Did!!!!!

I have to say that I am pretty proud of myself today. I know you are not supposed to have pride but. . . oh well. On thursday I canned peaches and tomatoes with some of the ladies in my ward. Our relief society thought it would be a good acitivity to teach those that wanted to learn. Over the last two or three months I have heard so much from leaders and friends about food storage and 72 hour kits and being prepared. I have decided to work on that. So when they announced that we could learn to can, I jumped on it!!! My mom canned when I was little and I even helped her a little bit. But, this is the first time I have done this on my own. (by on my own I mean me and the 5 other women that were there) I am so excited, I think that I might even be able to do more. Someday maybe I will even get brave and have a garden. We will see. But for today I am pretty proud. I do have to give thanks to Mellissa Dickson for letting us do this at her house. And for her guidance and patients. She is truely a remarkable woman.

High School Reunion (of sorts)

On Saturday night my family and I went to a high school reunion (of sorts). The friends that I spent every waking moment with every day my junior and senior year in high school and I (and our families) got together for the first time in about 14 years. I have seen a few of them more often then that. Lisa and I (being "bestest" friends) I see pretty regularly. I saw Jeff last when he got on an airplane leaving for his mission. Stephanie, Ryan, Jen, Conrad, Lisa and I got together about 4 months after Jeff left and took some pictures and sent them to him. That is that last time I have seen any of them. To be blatantly honest I have no idea how it is that we all stopped talking, we just stopped. . . I don't know, looking for each other. When I signed up for "facebook" and saw that all my old friends were there it was neat but at the same time made me a little nervous. When Steph decided to have us all over I was nervous that things had changed too much and that we would sit there in awkward silence. In thinking about it though I decided that I really wanted to see my old friends again. To hopefully reconnect. I wanted to see my good friends that were with me through good times and bad. I have to say that it was really nice to see them. It was like we just picked up where we left off. Except there are now 33 of us instead of 10 (5 boys and 5 girls) . We have lost a few friends along the way but we are still for the most part the same. I was glad to see that everyone turned out ok. They all seemed happy and doing really well. It all seems to be ok now. I am kind of having a hard time putting it all into words. I will just sum up by saying that it was really nice to see everyone, and nice to know that even though a lot of time has past a lot of things are still the same.

Here are their pictures from high school (don't kill me guys!)
Lisa (my bestest friend)

Me (had to include my picture to be fair)

Stephanie (our hostess)

Candice (Seriously, look how long her hair was I was always jealous of her bangs)

Melanie (she wasn't there but she was still part of the group)

Conrad (he was a year older then us and therefor not in the group pictures)

Jen (She had/still has the longest hair I have ever seen I was so jealous in high school)

Those are all the single pictures I have

Here are some of us as a group

This is what we look like now.

Not that much different (that's my story and I am sticking to it)

Front Row: Ryan, Conrad, Jeff Back Row: Me, Lisa, Candice, Steph, Jen

(for those who are wondering how it is that I look so tall, Iam wearing really tall shoes and standing on my tippy toes)

Bus Stop Babes

So I am a little surprised that I haven't talked alot about my awesome friends that I met here in our new neighborhood. I will give you a little background (because I want to and because I can it's my blog). We met last September when we all converged on a corner here in the neighborhood to put our children on the school bus. All of them, but me, were first timers with Kindergarteners. This is why there were so many of us. This year they all got smart and just let the kids walk themselves. No, no not me I of course, I am too paranoid. That is a whole other subject. Anyway so we met at the bus stop (hence the name, Thanks Kymber) We are Kymber , Katie , Megan, me, and Renee. These cute ladies have been my saving grace. With Troy out of town so much, I used to close myself in and not talk to anyone. I was very lonely and miserable. Troy was not a fan. These guys have befriended me and made me feel like there was someone that I could go to anytime. We have said that we have been in the past a bunch of misfits that somehow found eachother and just fit. It is so true. They bring out the best in me. They have opened my eyes to new places and things and most importantly new foods. These girls are very special to me and I am so thankful that I am able to call them my friends. I love you guys!!!

The pictures are of our "Girls night out" We went to IKEA and they walked around with me and dreamed of all the furniture that I want to have someday. Planned my kids future rooms and just had a blast.

We then went to the Cheesecake Factory.

My first time there and I was really impressed. I dont really know why we ordered food. We were really only there for the cheesecake. Which, by the way, we were too full to eat and ended up taking it home with us. Although I did try Avacado Eggrolls, Lettuce Wraps, and a Portabello Mushroom Burger for the first time. Believe it or not. I have photographic proof.