Sun Valley 4th

**Happy 4th of July!!!**

Tyler arrived just in time for the 4th of July festivities! We took him to Sun Valley to our timeshare at the Habitat where the Nelsons had their annual huge family gathering as well. It was an eventful yet relaxing weekend full of antique shows, eating, riding bikes, shopping, and of course, fireworks! We sat underneath them, and the booms echoed off the mountains. So cool.

Definitely a weekend we'll repeat.

The Rattlers

Gabe has done soccer and T ball this year, 1st time for both.

When he started T-ball, at first he wasn't so sure about the whole thing, but he got into it. He's got a powerful line drive. I'm looking forward to when they eliminate the tee.

His coach, Jeremy Watson, did a good job. He was actually the soccer coach too! We somehow ended up on his team again for Tball. An extra plus: he got a medal!!

MS RIDE 2009

The Logan Temple at night. We met my mom and Chad at our Italian restaurant for dinner (the name escapes me right now). The kids probably ate 12 breadsticks each. Yummy! I LOVE pasta (and so does baby).

I loved this photo. Miss Ava is a daddy's girl!!

Greg rode 100 miles this year! It was exciting to recruit a few more cyclists to the Leilah Bike Team. The team this year consisted of: Bob & Tami Charlton, Bret & Jo Davis, Jerry Crozier, and Greg. It's always entertaining for the kids to watch the variety of riders come in at the finish line. This year I watched ALL 6 kids (Davis' + Schroeders) during the race. I can't WAIT to ride next year!! 100 miles...

One Week Only

Gabe is lucky enough to have a mohawk for one week at the beginning of summer. We buzz the rest off after a week... EXCEPT this year, I let him go 2 weeks. Tonight it will be gone before church in the morning! He loves it, and waits for this special 'do' all year!
My little boy is not so little anymore. He acts and talks more like he's a grown up. I am in complete shock that he enters Kindergarten this year!!

For the record

Preparing our home (and ourselves) for changes in home location and family members makes me think about what I might miss about our lives now! I LOVE our flowers and blooms that lived here before us! The variety of roses, the sweet peonies, the bright daylilies (we added), tulips, bleeding hearts, daffodils, rhubarb, peach (YUM) and pear trees, and the grape vines. Love it all.

My Little Stargazer

Ava's dance recital with Nielsen's School of Dance was June 5th. She did a great job. She LOVES dance. She's always pointing her toe in the hot tub and twirling around the kitchen, tapping her church shoes on the floor. Love it.

Orange crystal light mustach...oops! But what a babe??!

Stargazing runs in the family!

An Update

Gabe is loveing T Ball! He finished up with soccer and ended up having the same coach from soccer plus a few kids from our ward on the team. It's nice on warm evenings to sit and watch him play! Greg helps coach, which is nice for me, because I know he's saying to the kids and especially Gabe, what I would if it were me. There are some little bully kids out there once in a while and I want Gabe to have all the encouragement he can get! I wish he were more tough and aggressive sometimes. I'm not ready (but he thinks he is!) for him to go to Kindergarten!

Summer is here...

We began our summer with a birthday party for Gavin down at Bass Lake. It was pirate theme complete with swords, a pirate flag with crossbones, a pirate cake, and a pinata in a boat shape, and of course, CANDY! We all had fun, including adults. Jo and I were talking about how we think we hold birthday parties just so the parents can get together!

Gotta love this cheese from Gabe!

Ava's turn at the pinata: she'd lighty tap it; too worried she'd break it!


My favorite baby: Bret Annalese. She's helped me survive the past few years without my own infant! :)

My sweeeet Ava Lou.

Crazy May

The month of May was busy, busy! (It always is!) Gabe graduated from preschool, Greg completed the Bear Lake race, we visited the Shoshone Falls, Greg's birthday (we ate at the newly opened CAFE RIO with the Jensens and Heiders), and adjusting to Greg's new calling (I've only made it to church twice on time!!).

Gabe has grown up so much this past year, and learned a lot. He loves his teacher, Mrs. Lisa. She's awesome. Vera Redman (she runs the preschol, and has been on the school board for YEARS) retired this year; we're lucky to have had her a part of our preschooling the past two years!

Gabe and Brayden+sisters. We met Brayden in Pocatello when Greg was going to school. Gabe and Brayden were just babies, then we all graduated and moved away. The first day of preschool I was surprised to see Mary Clark, Brayden's mom there! Mrs. Lisa asked me one day if the boys were previously friends before preschool started, because they acted like best friends! They're pretty goofy together.

Shoshone Falls is bigger than it's been in a long time. What a blessing to have too much water!! Ava fell asleep in the car on the way, and Greg was in his spandex (he rode his bike down), so he opted to be the photographer. It's not that often it's just Gabe and me! I'm hiding it pretty well, but there IS a little belly. I can't button my pants anymore. I'm sporting the rubberband.




This is the group (Greg, Tami, Bob, Bret, Jo, Jerry) that participated in the Bear Lake ride. It's all the way around the lake- 52 miles I think. We stayed in this room (right next to the beach!) with the Davis fam. Of course, Greg SNORED and Bret Annalese woke up early 'screaming' at everyone, and bed- hopping, so we were all wanting more sleep than we got! Loved it though. We can't wait for next year... hopefully I'll be racing too!!!!

This is Gabe's teacher Mrs. Lisa. He only had good things to say about her!

Bittersweet

Just a few weeks ago, Greg was asked to go talk to President Holmstead, and to bring me along. He's only been in the high council for about 6 months, and so we were both pretty nervous about what this 'visit' could be about!! Greg has done a really good job with the missionary work, and together with Abraham Montalbo in our ward, they have really made some changes for good. We took our kids with us to our meeting, and they sat outside in the chairs with Dave Wilcox, who entertained them with magic tricks (They now call him the Magic Man)!
Ok.... so Greg was asked to be...drumroll... in the 20th Single Adult Ward bishopric as 1st counselor!! Crazy, right? Well, Don Chandler is the bishop, and a dentist in town, Rob Adams is 2nd counselor. Greg had mixed feelings about it, since he LOVED the high council and missionary work, and that he'll be even busier now... but I can go to anything for his ward, and we plan FHE's, etc. I will still go to our ward, since there are no kids or a primary in the 20th ward. Anyway, I am thinking I'll be single at church for a while, so I am really glad Leilah is there to help out a little. I'm pretty lucky! It's going to be fun serving and getting to know this ward and making new friends!

This was all in effect beginning April 26th, and just yesterday he was actually released from the high council; Abraham was called in his place! Pretty neat.

A visit with the fish

In March, Leilah, Tana, Grandma Thornock and I visited the fish hatchery in Buhl, then saw the alligators and snagged ice cream cones at Smith's Dairy on the way home (in the previous post our detour home took us right by Mater).

Gabe fishing with a stick. Above, the kids all got on their bellies to get a closer look at the teeny fish swimming around.

Grandma Thornock showing Sawyer the lazy alligator.

These alligators are pretty scary up close. He crawled really slow toward the fence while Ava stood there!


I had to get picture with Grace and Ava together, but of course Ava refused to let me take her picture without hands in her mouth. She was embarrassed I guess.



The boys. The grass looks warm!

We had to get a picture of the kiddos after feeding the fish bread. Grace loved throwing the bread in!

Gabe and Jake rolling 'down' the hill at the fish hatchery... Gabe didn't quite get that it's easier to go downward instead of sideways! I love the simple things that kids do to find fun.

Good News

Before I leak the news, I wanted to include this picture of the kiddos with Mater. We took the 'scenic route' -no, we were NOT lost, and had to get a picture with this remake of Mater (in Filer, Idaho) from 'Cars'. Too cool.

After trying for almost 2 years, we are pregnant! About a month ago I thought I should take a test, and after MANY negative ones, I really wasn't up for it. I had been late almost every month.

I was invited to go with my good friend Jo to spend the night with her and her kids in the new Ameritel Hotel and play in the pool and relax. She convinced me I should just go buy like 10 tests at the Dollar Store and jut see if I was regnant or not, since by then I was about 2 weeks late. Sure enough, that following Monday the 23rd I think, I took two tests: POSITIVE!!

I surprised Greg outside Ava's dance studio. I had him come watch her for a bit and pick up Gabe (he's not so keen on hanging out with a bunch of little girl dancers), and I told Greg I needed to show him something. He asked, "Am I in trouble?" I opened the door and showed him the two tests. He got teary eyed, and we hugged. We visited Dr. Coleman Tuesday April 7th, and we did an ultrasound to make sure the baby is where it's supposed to be. Sure enough! I'm 8 weeks along, due November 19th. We're SO STINKIN' EXCITED!

We told the kids and showed them the little U.S. pictures. Gabe thinks it's so cool, but can't understand why my belly isn't huge yet! Even before Gabe knew we were expecting he has been carrying around a little baby he's named 'Baby Jack'. It's so cute. Crazy how kids know things before they should sometimes.

Our Little Model

I had gone to Hancock's to buy some fleece to make Ava leg warmers, and saw this! All I had to do was sew it to her size, and added ribbons! Too cute. Can you tell she loves to be dolled up?

SNOOOOWW!

In January, we received a good amount of snow, and it stayed for a while, so the kids made good use of their time! Ava layed right down to make an angel, and Gabe automatically had his big trucks out of the closet and into the fresh snow. Ava's snow suit is SO old, but I love it. I wore it, and I'm pretty sure all the girls got the opportunity too! We attampted to make a snowman when it snowed in December, but the snow didn't pack, and Gabe was quite disappointed. The snowman wasn't even a foot tall! It sure was cute though! Maybe next winter... you never know. We may get awesome snow here in April!