All About the Argyles

I have been watching something unfold between this beautiful girl and a young man at her school and it has reminded me of some important principles lately. I mentioned this in fast and testimony meeting today so I hate to be repetitive to those of you in my ward but it is something I want to remember. I need to document it here or I'll forget. At the beginning of the school year, I noticed a boy who sits outside the middle school on a bench every morning. I typically have to drop McKinley off about 45 minutes before school starts because she is either having a student council meeting or guitar lessons. I noticed him there every day. He is always on the same bench. Alone. I have never seen him talking to anyone. I have never seen anyone acknowledge him as they walk in. I wondered why he doesn't join the rest of the kids in the cafeteria or gym before school. My motherly instinct told me it was probably because he didn't have any friends in there. One morning duri...

I've been busy coaching these twelve adorable girls. We have so much fun and I love each and every one of them. Especially that cute blonde fourth grader and that beauitful brunette fifth grader.

McKinley was given an assignment to choose a photograph from home and then write a paper about it. She chose this one.: I It is from an outing with her Great Grandmother that she affectionately calls, "Gigi". Gigi has had Alzheimers for many years now. Watching her progressively get worse, forget things, repeat herself and now have her personality changed in relatively drastic ways has been a real challenge for Kiki (as well as all my children, to comprehend. There were many summers we would spend taking Gigi out on "outings" to give her a day away from the group home setting she moved to in 2008. The kids loved to taker her to lunch and then to get her hair done or maybe window shopping a the mall. Gigi loved it too. Now, unfortunately, it is too hard to do even that. Here is a memory of one of those outings in McKinley's own words: Am I having lunch with Gigi or Alzheimers? Will she remember my name? Maybe I should just listen. I basically blocked o...

Ok. I REPENT . I have been so negligent in blogging. I know noone really cares because none of you are really sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for my next post. But I do feel guilty as this is my way of keeping my family's history. I have just been heavily bombarded by other things that have had to take precedence. Good things. Meaningful things. Time consuming things. Some of them that I will blog about lata....Fact of the matter is: I know my limitations and so I had to sit back and evaluate what was most important and blogging got put on the back burner. I hope to do better in the coming weeks and plan to blog several times a week until I get caught up. I have been compiling a list of all the things I want to blog about so that I won't forget anything. Anyway.... When I went to Brady's first grade meeting with his teacher, she mentioned how much the kids love to get notes in their lunch boxes to read. This is a challenge for me because most days ...

Brady turned 6 last week. We had a party with 25 kids at Pump it up. Brady with two cute boys from his soccer team, Jake and Raliegh. Alivia, Reagan, and Jocelyn Cole, Brady, and Taylor Is this no the cutest cake ever? I wish I could say I made it, but I didn't. A FOURTEEN year old cake decorating QUEEN made it for me. Isn't she amazingly talented? We went to Babe's Chicken after the party and had dinner and Brady was serenaded by three cute waitresses. Then we went home and opened presents from all his friends. I couldn't help but think that one of the best presents we have given him is moving him here 5 years ago to this area that has proved to be such a friend-filled area. Brady had a hard time picking which twenty five friends to invite. There are sooo many kids his age from church, the neighborhood, school, and soccer. What a blessing! Here are SIX things about this SIX year old that I absolutely love. 1. He wants so badly to do the right thing. He is a...

We have a family tradition of going to Joe's Crab shack every year the day before Father's Day. It is Brent's favorite and kinda pricey so we reserve it for special occasions. The kids have all come to love CRAB so it is a much awaited treat. Here are some pics. I couldn't let the day go by without expressing my love and appreciation for the guy who fathers the children in our home and does so magnificently. He is such a shining example of what a dad should be. He is so patient, kind, helpful, and I happen to think he is a hottie to boot!

Well. Tanner is back from a week on an island with his fellow survivors. The Varsity and Venturing troops decided to have a LORD OF THE FLIES expeience for their high adventure this year. They canoed to an island, took 25 (alive) chickens, beans, rice, and a 130 lb pig with them. All they were armed with were spears that they made themselves. The leaders had knives to help cut up the kill once it was grillin' time. Here is a picture from one of the leaders that went with Tanner, This was his bed for the week. Rest assured, more will be posted later this week.