Hiking

This past week we decided to go hiking up near Yosemite. It was a beautiful day, nice and warm. The sun was shining. The dogs were full of energy.

Because of our new year's resolution to NOT eat at restaurants, we decided to pack lunch and snacks. It would have been so easy to stop at subway and grab sandwiches- but we packed lunches and had ourselves a fabulous car picnic (meaning that there were no tables to eat at, and I was not going to sit on the rocks and dirt and have bugs climbing all over me and my food). The kids are no allowed to eat in the car, generally, so they were excited to have a picnic in the car!

The hike was not too long, although that was our choice. The trail went on for quite a few more miles, but we picked a nice mid-way destination, and then spent some time playing there. The dogs (Max) were so excited that it got a little scary at some points. Max is still in training and he has a ton of energy, so he would pull at his leash and drag me a little. There were several steep edges on the trail and sharp turns and I was a little scared that I would get pulled over the edge. I didn't. But I was scared!

It was a great day. We had a lot of fun. We will be trying to fit more of these hikes into our year. We are so close to so many beautiful areas and we are going to try to appreciate them more!

Tenaya Lake

Yesterday we took the opportunity to head up to Yosemite National Park. It was a great day. The weather was beautiful and the scenery was even better.

We headed up to Lake Tenaya to play. This is a very rare event where you ice skate on Tenaya Lake. The road is usually closed due to snow and the lake is usually snow covered. This year the lake has no snow and there are extremely low temps enabling the lake to freeze.

It was so much fun! The kids found ice blocks and Travis would hold up their feet and run 20 or so feet and then let them go and they would FLY across the Lake! The kids LOVED it. We ran into friends while we were there. This was truly a neat experience, and even though we had to miss a birthday party of a friend, we are all glad that we were able to go spend the day in such a beautiful place and be together doing something as a family and creating some wonderful memories!

Foster care update

I had blogged previously that we are in the process of trying to bring foster kids into our home with the hope of being able to adopt. Just to keep you all updated, we have had about 6 calls and, unfortunately, none of them have worked out. I am ok with this. I know that I have done what I can. We have gone through home inspections, trainings, certifications, and so many hours of preparing for this. It has not worked out so far, but I know that we have done all that we can and that we are ready to help a child (children) when the time comes. I am sure that you will all hear when something happens (if it ever does). I feel like we are walking in faith and that something will come of this. So, whatever happens- happens!This is the route we feel inspired to walk along right now. I just wanted to keep you all updated.

New Years

It is a new year and I am so excited for it!! I really worked hard on putting together my goals for the new year. I spent most of December finalizing my list of New Years Resolutions, mostly because I was trying to decide if I had the will power to follow through my resolutions. I really tried hard to assess my life and decide what area's most needed improving. Deciding what I want to change about me and how I can help my kids grow into better people. It is fun (and embarrassing) to look back on my life and see how much I have changed, mostly for the good. I could name numerous bad habits that have been broken. I could tell you how my point of view has been changed numerous times. I feel like each new year is a great time for me to assess and evaluate and make a plan for a change. I look back to the girl I once was and who I am now, and can say that I am a better person. I am thankful for a husband who has helped me become a better person. With him I have become so much more than I ever thought I could. He always encourages me and cheers me on. With his blessing and his consent and help I am making some pretty tough changes this year.

I grew up in a family with parents who really did a great job of being responsible with money- more out of necessity than choice, I think, but they were very responsible. I respect them for that. We knew that if we NEEDED something (clothing, shoes, toothpaste, etc.) our needs would be taken care of. But if we WANTED something (name brand clothing, electronics, etc.) that we would need to save up for it or ask for it for our birthdays or Christmas. Consequently I feel that I have over compensated in that area for my kids. If they WANT something, they get it. If they NEED something, they get the name brands WITHOUT EVEN ASKING for it. Now I am starting to notice how little they take responsibility for their clothing. They have no respect for their clothes. Or shoes. Or jackets. Or toys. They have been given too much without any thought for where it comes from or how lucky they are to have what they have.

This year my first resolution is to help my kids learn the value of clothing (and stuff). I have decided that this year I will not spend ONE SINGE DOLLAR on NEW CLOTHES for my kids!! Yikes! I love shopping for my kids clothes. I love having them all match and look cute all the time. It is FUN for me as a mom. But my FUN has cost them their sense of responsibility for their clothing. So, this year, if they NEED clothing, we will look take them to the thrift store and find them what they NEED. If they WANT something, we will let them SAVE THIER MONEY and purchase it on their own. If it is important to them, then they can save up and purchase those items. But not me! I won't buy it for me or for them. The only exceptions are underclothing (ewww..... I am not going to buy USED underclothing) and shoes (although if they want their name brand shoes they will have to save up the difference and pay for them, I will not spend my $$$ on expensive shoes). No new dance clothes, no new jackets, jeans, shirts, shorts, dresses, skirts, etc... I can do it!! My kids will benefit from this, I hope.

My next New Year RESOLUTION is going to benefit our health and our budget. We are not going to go out to restaurants this year (more exactly, we will not spend any $$ at restuarants). I feel that our going out to eat is usually just because of a lack of planning....for instance, when we go to soccer and we don't have enough time to pack lunches in the morning, so we decide we will take the kids to subway or little ceasar's pizza. Or when we go to town for the day/night and don't think to bring food for the kids so we stop at Denny's or Red Robin thinking that it will make it easier when we get home to not have to cook anyway. Instances such as these occur about once a month, additionally, Travis and I always feel the need to go out to a restaurant on our date nights. This usually means that we leave mac'n'cheese for the babysitters to feedthe kids (no nutritional value there) and then we eat more than we should at a restaurant and usually get a dessert to share....AND it costs as much as a WEEK OF GROCERIES and our bodies are not healthier for eating it. Not to mention, I remember when I was a kid that it was so EXCITING to go out to eat, but for our kids it is not a big deal! They don't usually even eat what we order them and then everyone is hungry when we get home anyway. So, with the exception of vacations (you can only prepare and plan to a certain extent) and the exception of gift cards (we have quite a few that we receive from dental specialists that we don't want to waste) we will not go out to eat, no spending $$ at restaurants.

The third one is mostly for my benefit. Last year I really focused on learning the New Testament and gaining a strong testimony of it. I read the entire New Testament from front to back, taught it in my institute class, learned it in my class at church and really grew to love and understand it. I grew so much last year. My testimony did, too. Consequently my family did also. This year I want to grow to love and have a stronger testimony of the Book Of Mormon. I will read it from front to back. I will prepare for my class at church by pre-reading my assignments and really focus my studies on the Book of Mormon. I will be teaching Book of Mormon in the fall in my institute class. That will really help me in my learning.

Lastly, I am going to train for a radnar race. The kids are in school and I have time to run during the day, which I have not had before. So, I am really going to start training and run a Radnar race this year.

There we go, those are my resolutions for the New year. They can each be measured and I hope that all of them will help me and my family become better people.

On a fun note, I decided to give my kids chores for a YEAR!! I love it. I am focusing on each of the kids really learning their specific chore and that way they will all become PRO's at their chore. Then, I will know when I ask them to do their chores that they are being done well. We will be switching at the beginning of next year. For future reference (we all know my memory can play tricks on me) here is the list of chores for the kids.

Gloria= Kitchen

Grayson= Living room/ TV Room/ Dining room

Cami= Bathrooms/ Windows

Olivia= shoe box and stairs.

Now it is written down so in 3 years we won't wonder who has done what... there is the list right there!!

Grayson's baptism

Grayson turned 8 in December. He was baptized on January 1st, 2012. Grandma and Grandpa Kendall and Grandma and Grandpa Murphy were able to make it for his baptism. His cousins, Jarren and Ron were also here. It was a really special day. It was so neat to have my son finally get baptized. He is growing up so fast. It's hard for me to see him as an 8 year old, I keep picturing my chubby 6 month old with his big cheeks. I see him as a 2 year old, waddling around with food stuffed in his cheeks. I see him as a 5 year old, going to preschool. But as an 8 year old? Maybe I will start adjusting to him being 8 when he turns 12 and is receiving the priesthood? Or maybe he will always be my baby boy. I am so proud of my son. He is a good kid with a big heart. Congratulations, Gray.

Grayson turns 8!

Right after the hustle and bustle of the Christmas, Grayson turned 8 years old. He was pretty excited for this birthday. On the day of his Birthday Grandma and Grandpa Kendall came to our house. We had a carrot/pumpkin/apple cake that Daddy talked Grayson into (Grayson initially requested chocolate, but daddy convinced him that the carrot cake would taste so much better). It was pretty yummy. It was fun for him to our grandparents there. Grayson has been asking for an accoustic/electric guitar for the past year. Travis and I decided that this year he is finally ready for one. It was a great gift. He was so excited about it and still is. It sounds great and he really is becoming quite the good little guitar player. I also got him an electronic tuner.... that way I can help tune the guitar. We got them a pik sampler pack (Gloria and Gray to share) and they have had fun trying the different pik's and seeing how they sound different on their guitars. Gloria is kind of in love with Gray's guitar and even though she just got a new accoustic guitar for her birthday, I have a feeling she will be asking for an accoustic/electric for her next birthday.

Here is a bragging list on my big 8 year old:

1. He is like a chipmunk. He likes to stuff his mouth full of food, hold it in his cheeks for a later date, and then eating it later. He has always done this, since he was a toddler.

2. He is brilliant. He is really taking off this year in the 2nd grade. He loves school and loves learning.

3. He loves non-fiction books more than any other type of book. He comes home each week from the school library with a new non-fiction book. I wonder how many more weeks he has before has checked out every non-fiction book they have. He has been doing this since Kindergarten. I do not believe that he has EVER checked out a fiction book. He loves books on the earth especially. He loves learning about climates and Oceans and Volcanoe's and tornadoes and the atmospere. He really loves books on Animals. He loves learning about the human body. Any non-fiction book he will read and re-read. He also enjoys fiction books. Right now he is reading Eragon and he just finished "The Tiger Rising". He has read every magic tree house book (atleast every one that we own, which is around 55 of them).

4. He is a great speller. He get 100% on every spelling test, and he is in the HIGHEST reading level in his class. He is great at memorizing.

5. He is the best brother in the world. Olivia idolizes him. He will carry her for me, read to her, hold her hand and play babies with her. He will play with Cami for hours. He and Gloria are best friends. They really are. The love each other so much.

6. He is very helpful. He is my kid that will ask me several times a day if there is anything he can do to help me. And I have NEVER had him complain when I've asked him to take the trash out. He can put the dishes away faster than any of my kids and he is great at setting the table.

7. He is compassionate. He is so kind to everyone. If he sees a kid that is getting made fun of, he will go and tell the kids to stop picking on him. He will ask someone to play with his group of friends if they don't have friends. We have had several parent's and teachers call or meet with us to tell us how impressed they are with his compassion and how sweet he is to other kids.

8. WILLPOWER. This kids has a ton of it!! Our kids have been doing a "no sugar" plan since last Summer. We pay them to NOT EAT SUGAT (kids are offered sugar everywhere they go, school, church, friends, soccer.... EVERYWHERE) so we talked to our kids about the importance of eating healthy. We pay the kids every week to not eat sugar. They get ONE SUGAR day each week. We usually decide as a family every Sunday which day of the week we should make our sugar day (Thanksgiving, birthday's, Christmas, parties, etc.). Then if the kids can go the rest of the week without sugar they get paid. Grayson has not missed even ONE DAY since we started. He has been doing PERFECT. He has amazing will power, not just in this area, but in most every area. What a great skill that will help him the rest of his life.

9. He is our Jokester. The kids loves to tease and joke and make others laugh. He has joke books memorized. He makes funny voices. He keeps us (and his school class) laughing.

10. He is respectful to his mom. REally, what else could a mom want than this?

We love our boy! Happy 8th birthday, Gray.

Christmas

This year for Christmas we got to stay home. It was bittersweet. It was wonderful to be home and celebrate in our own house on Christmas day- usually we designate one day before or after Christmas for all of our "mom and dad" gifts. Then when we travel on Christmas day we leave a note for Santa to let him know where we are going to be on Christmas day. Santa brings his one present and fills a stocking. So, on Christmas morning the kids have only one present from Santa and a stocking with a few goodies. This year was nice because the kids got to open ALL of their presents, mom/dad and Santa, on Christmas morning. The kids were so excited. It was a lot of fun.

On Christmas Eve we opened our gifts from our brothers and sisters- earlier in the season we put each child's name in a bowl, then each of the kids draw a name and that is who they buy a gift for for Christmas. Gloria had Cami's name and bought her a Barbie (Cami loves Barbies more than anything). Grayson had Olivia's name and bought her a cute Fairy costume (Olivia loves to dress up). Cami had Gloria's name and bought her a mood watch (the face of the watch changes colors depending on her "mood") and Olivia had Grayson's name. Olivia bought a pellet gun for Grayson.... (let's just say he was super excited, too bad he is out of pellets, she did not buy any extra- but how's a 3 year old to know about buying extra pellets?). The kids loved their sibling gifts. They were also allowed to open one gift from mom and dad. Of course all the kids said "we know what this gift is.... pajama's!!! " and they were right!! They all got a pair of jammies and slippers. We read the nativity and had egg nog mixed with sprite and went to bed. The kids were excited about going to bed- Travis pulled me aside and asked if we should let the kids watch a movie before bed (he asked me this at 6:00 at night). I said "No Way!! This is the ONE NIGHT of the WHOLE YEAR that every one of these kids will be excited to go to sleep!!". Needless to say, the kids were in bed and asleep by 7:30. The best part of Christmas morning was the fact that the kids ALL SLEPT IN until 7:00am! I was shocked. I was expecting our usual 5:55am wake up call from Olivia, but she did not wake up. Gloria was the first one awake at 7:00am on the button. The rest of the kids soon followed, except Olivia. We debated waking her up and ended up deciding that we should. However, we soon discovered the reason she slept so long. She was sick. Poor girl. She had been so excited for Christmas and she was so sick. It was sad. She would open a present and then throw up in her bucket, open a present, throw up, and back and forth all morning long. She would open a present half heartedly. Cuddle for a few minutes and puke and then open another gift. Thankfully the bug was a short one and by that night she was fine and excited.

Gloria and Grayson both received POGO sticks from Santa..... They are so cool. The kids love them!! I don't have pictures because we were too busy videoing them and I forgot to snap a few shots. But they were a big hit and their "big present" this year. They have been spending a lot of time outside on our sports court practicing their bouncing. Grayson held the record for the first week with 315 jumps, but Gloria recently broke the record with 400 jumps. Travis does pretty well, but my record is only 35. It's a great workout. Travis and I were both sore for the first few days.

Cami got the Barbie from Santa that she asked for. She loves it and has been playing non-stop with her barbies. I also got her some Xia-Xia's thinking they would be a huge hit because she loves Littlest Pet Shop and Polly Pockets, but so far they have not been played with a lot.

Olivia's big gift was a pink horse. She thinks it's cute and sometimes she plays with it, but her favorite gift is a drill set that she got and the play dough.

I got Travis a wake surfer and I am sure that we will be posting a lot of pictures of it this Summer. It is really cool. I know he has wanted one for a long time. I saved my spare money for the past 4 months to get it for him. I know our family will love spending time on it this summer. It is basically a surf board for the wake behind our boat. You even throw the rope into the boat once you get up and just... surf.

Travis got me a trip to a fitness conference. I will go with my girl friends who are also fitness instructors. It should be a lot of fun.

Christmas was a lot of fun this year at home. We missed spending time with our family, but the timing did not work out with Travis's work.... maybe we will get to visit next year- who knows?