Sunshine & Happiness

Miss Aliyah's 8th birthday

2012-01-22T23:01:00.000-07:00

We threw Aliyah a birthday bash with a crazy cake, ice cream, balloons, presents and lots of fun! She has been so fun to get to hang around with. We love having her here and getting to know her better! Aliyah is a very special girl. She has a sweet but timid spirit. She is a very affectionate and loving little girl. She helps with her sisters and loves playing with Brooklyn. She is responsible and makes sure to always do her best. She loves sports, gaming, Justin Beiber, reading, games, playing with friends and family, hugs, chili, macaroni n' cheese, cookies and hot dogs. We really enjoy having her here with us and her sweet personality! She is one very special little lady!

FHE: Wise Man and the Foolish Man

2012-01-16T22:10:00.002-07:00

We had a Family Home Evening lesson on the Wise man and the Foolish Man. We talked about making righteous choices and following our lives after the Savior. We sang the Wise Man and the Foolish Man song from the Children's Song Book and did all the actions. Zack led the singing time in fast motion which we tried really hard to keep up with. The kids loved it! I also got all our wooden blocks out and let the kids build their houses. It turned out great and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!

Brooklyn is 3 months old!

2012-01-10T22:16:00.001-07:00

Our sweet baby is getting so big so fast! She has been growing so much lately! I had to change her up to the 3-6 month clothes a few weeks ago because the other size was getting a bit snug. Brooklyn is so mild mannered. She has been great at night which makes everything easier! She has worked out her very own schedule and makes sure we stick to it. We call her Brookie or Brookie Lou as her nicknames. Everyone loves to see her and she grins from ear to ear when she gets up in the morning as long as a bottle is on its way. Brooklyn loves to be around other people. She will coo and grin if you talk to her. She still doesn't like tummy time but is starting to grab at toys when she lays down on her back. She follows people with her eyes and watches everything going on around her. She is a definite Daddy's girl and spends her nighttime rituals with him. It is a good time for bonding with Daddy! We love our sweet baby and the wonderful spirit she has brought into our home. We feel so blessed to have her in our family! She completes us!

Cousins

2012-01-06T15:57:00.002-07:00

Our cute little nieces and their daddy, Ryan, have come to stay with us for a bit! We have enjoyed getting to spend so much time with them but having a house with 9 kids, 10 and under is quite the adjustment. Good thing they're so dang cute and obedient!

New Year's Eve 2011

2012-01-01T15:46:00.002-07:00

We threw a New Year's Eve party and had some friends over with all their kids! Ryan and his girls came to join in the festivities too! It was lots of fun with food, games, and movies! There were 24 children in all with 9 adults! We partied and partied all night. We brought in the new year with a bang! We are so thankful for good friends, food and fun!

Snowman shirts

2011-12-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

I love to coordinate my kids clothing and found a great idea for Christmas pjs online. Using freezer paper, fabric paints and a little artistic touch they turned out great. I bought them all fun jammie pants but made them the same shirt, I think we might try something like this next year too! I'm thinking snowflakes.

Alvey Family Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

After our family Christmas party, we headed back home to celebrate more! The kids were able to open their Christmas pjs, make cookies for Santa, read the Christmas story once more and have family prayer before being tucked in for the night! They were pretty restless but let us sleep until 7am.

Boy the excitement was all around! What did Santa bring? Look what he got! Oh yeah, that's just what I wanted! It really is fun to see my children's faces light up! Makes all the crazy shopping and wrapping worth it!

Brooklyn didn't quite understand what was going on but she was rather content to just watch everyone. Daddy held her while I took pictures and made sure everyone was getting their presents! The kids sure loved all the excitement of it all. Santa left them each a special kid size box of cereal that they got to eat for breakfast. We then all got dressed and headed over to church to feel just a bit more of that Christmas spirit. It was such a nice thing to be able to gather together and worship on Christmas day. I loved the spirit of it. The kids sang a few songs during our sacrament meeting and Zack sang with the choir. It was very uplifting!

Later we let the kids get back in their jammies before heading over to my parents' home for more presents, lots of food, visiting and playing. We sure felt the Christmas spirit this year and loved all the cards and Christmas wishes we received! I'm so thankful for this most special time of year! May the Lord bless you and yours. Merry Christmas!

Family Christmas Party

2011-12-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

For the past couple years Stephanie has hosted our family Christmas party at her home. It is always nicely decorated and the food is great! She keeps it well organized and every follows through with their assignments so there is plenty of food and activites for everyone. This year we had the kids dress up and act out the nativity while my dad read the story of the birth of our Savior out of the Bible. It was lots of fun! The kids had a blast dressing up and followed exactly what they were suppose to do. The spirit of the true Christmas story brings such peace to us. I am so thankful for my Savior and the opportunity to celebrate his life!

BFFs

2011-12-22T13:49:00.001-07:00

Katelyn and Emily are pretty inseparable! They are really close in age and both love to be together plus they are neighbors which works out very well. This fall they both got new baby sisters who are just 6 weeks apart. I hope Brooklyn and Sarah are as good friends as Katelyn and Emily when they get older! Don't they look so cute together!?!

Christmas Stocking Holder

2011-12-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have always decorated each child's stocking and had bought exactly 8 stockings just in case about 7 or 8 years ago so they would all match. I recently finished Brooklyn's stocking of a Christmas angel. Most the ideas I have gotten from the Bucilla felt stocking kits I've seen online with my own twist of course. Each one is very unique and special! I didn't really have a good way of displaying our stocking since we don't have a fireplace/mantel and my shelf isn't long enough anymore. I have seen this idea at lots of craft sites and finally got around to making my own. We just bought a long board since we have so many stockings, vinyl lettering cut by my sister Stephanie, paint, nails and picture frame backings to hold it up. Next year, I may change it up and add drawer knobs but for now I am sticking with the nail heads for simplicity. I love it!

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-17T10:17:00.001-07:00

We attended our ward Christmas party last night! The food was great and the entertainment was exceptional. Each group in the ward was assigned to give a performance. The little primary children dressed in the traditional nativity costumes and sang "Silent Night". We wanted to let all the primary children dress up but it was quite a bit of work scrounging to make sure everyone had a costume of sorts. We were planning on some of the kids bringing their own but only four did. I will need to add to my supply, I was over the primary children acting out the nativity last year and had costumes for only the senior primary but with help from our primary chorister we came up with just enough costumes. This included one girl wearing the background, I had made last year, draped over her shoulders to look like a robe. I guess I'll be making a few trips to our local DI and buying some material so my stock is better for next year. They all did a great job singing and loved being dressed up. The other groups all did songs too. The Elder's Quorum gets points for most creativity. They sang "On the First Day of Christmas" with a bit of a twist. It was LDS oriented with what the Savior gives to us, like one living prophet, two home teachers, and so on.

Brooklyn is 2 months old!

2011-12-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn is such a joy to have in our family! She has grown so much in the past two months. She responds with smiles when she is talked to. She loves being around people and gets upset when she is alone. Brooklyn adores her daddy and cuddles with him all the time. She has him wrapped around her little finger already! She is starting to follow Mommy with her eyes around the room and smiles at her all the time. The kids all love having their baby sister around. Matthew says, "She is here and she is happy!" She loves when they play with her. Brooklyn is very mild mannered. She is easy consoled which is a big relief. She loves her bottle. She wasn't much for nursing but has taken to her bottle quite well. Whenever she is hungry she will immediately stop crying if you give her a bottle and start chugging! Brooklyn loves bath time and being pampered. She rarely spends much time without someone holding her. Her newborn fuzz has all but fallen out and now she's bald like her grandpa. Brooklyn coos when we are all together eating dinner at the table.

Matthew and I took Brooklyn to her two month appointment. She weighs 12 lbs 9 oz and is 23.5" tall. She was not very happy about the shots but she endured them well. We sure love having our little baby girl here!

Brooklyn's Baby Blessing

2011-12-08T15:36:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn's baby blessing was beautiful. Zack gave her a very sweet blessing that made most everyone shed a tear. He blessed her to live up to her namesake Krystal, his sister who passed away earlier this year. We were blessed to have so many family members support our sweet baby. Brooklyn wore the same blessing dress as her sister, Katelyn. It was made by her grandmother out of the same material that was used for my wedding dress, very sentimental. She also wore a flower that her aunt Krystal had made for Katelyn last Christmas. It was so special and sentimental.

We had a luncheon at our house following the blessing where we celebrated Brooklyn plus added a little birthday celebration for Jed who turned 25! We are so thankful for all the support and love we get from our family and friends! Our little miss Brooklyn is well loved and adored!

Thanksgiving Weekend

2011-11-28T15:00:00.001-07:00

Our Thanksgiving was great! We got to start the festivities on Wednesday instead of Thursday which was nice. Charles and Erica came down with baby Reed to share in the festivities. Thanksgiving started with our annual turkey bowl at 8 am followed by food and more food. Black Friday events started late Thursday night. Before we know it, Black Friday will start late Wednesday night and the name will be changed. Zack loves the thrill and excitement of all of it! Charles joined him in the fun.

The rest of Friday and all day Saturday was for playing and cuddling little babies. The kids had fun playing with family. We ate and ate, played and laughed all weekend, I guess that's what happens when you have such yummy food ready after a moments notice. Aren't microwaves just great?!?

Coloring Contest

2011-11-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

Our little William took 1st place in his age group for a coloring contest from southernutahdeals.com. He was pretty excited to share his joy with everyone around him! He got two free movie tickets, a Jumping Jacks pass, a free cupcake from the Sweet Tooth Fairy and a Kit Kat bar. This is one excited guy! He did an awesome job too!

Time sure flies when your having fun

2011-11-14T22:27:00.002-07:00

Our sweet baby Brooklyn is one month old already! She is 22" long and weighs 10 pounds. She is such a joy to our family. We all loving her sweet spirit and content ways. She is a very easy going baby which is such a blessing. Brooklyn didn't take to nursing but loves the bottle instead. This was very discouraging at first but we are adjusting well. She was rapidly losing weight the first couple weeks and after supplementing she refused to nurse. Rather than fighting it, we succumbed to the bottle. Now she is more content and gaining weight steadily. Brooklyn loves bath time with her big brothers, Matthew and Joshua. She just relaxes completely in the warmth of the water and coos. She enjoys being surrounded by people and doesn't like to be alone. This is a blessing at our house as it is very full of happy and loving but loud children. Her brothers absolutely adore her and Katelyn is just like a second mother to her. Katelyn immediately goes to her with every cry. They have a sweet sisterly bond that will continue to grow as she gets older.

A couple weeks ago we were able to travel up north for two days where Charles and Erica's baby Reed's blessing took place in Roy, Utah. Brooklyn was a trooper! She traveled very well, now Matthew was a different story but she slept most of the trip. We were able to show off our little miss to lots of family who wouldn't be able to meet her otherwise. Traveling with such a young baby can be rather overwhelming. I'm thankful she was so relaxed and calm for the most part. We survived without any breakdowns just snow storms going to and from. It does make Saint George a little more appealing after traveling on snowy roads.

Brooklyn is adjusting to sleeping at nights but hasn't quite mastered that one yet. She is still getting up every three hours to eat and play. We'll keep working on it. She lets me know when she's hungry as she has a nice healthy scream that sends me in rush mode. She smiles all the time and loves kisses! She doesn't care much for being strapped in her car seat but is fine when it's all over. Brooklyn melts into you when you hold her, which I just love! We feel so blessed to have our sweet baby with us. She brings such a light to our family. I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father has entrusted this sweet little girl to our care.

Veteran's Day Program

2011-11-11T16:06:00.002-07:00

The whole third grade performed a Veteran's Day program for our local veterans. He worked hard at memorizing his part and learning all the songs. He did an excellent job and was so glad that we were able to make it and see him.

Katelyn's participated in the Veteran's Day parade and program in Washington City. Her class sang a few songs and participated in the flag ceremony as well as the parade. She always does a great job! She had several family members watching and cheering for her throughout the parade. She felt pretty awesome!

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-11-03T01:49:00.001-06:00

We had a great Halloween! Tim and Stephanie threw a Halloween kid party on Friday which got the kids in the spirit, for candy that is. The older kids participated in their Halloween parade at their school on Monday afternoon. We watched them make rounds on the field all decked out in their costumes. Daddy even was able to make it! It is a pretty big deal too! They all had great time in class partying until school let out! Joshua even got to participate since the preschool kids were included in the festivities. Daddy headed off to work but got home just in time to enjoy trick or treating; it is fun to see all their excitement! Matthew barely made it past our block before nodding off. The kids got more than enough candy. Joshua says he has enough to last him until next Halloween! We'll see...

Zack is a whoopee cushion, Katelyn a vampiress, Taylor a red ninja, William is Captain America, Joshua is Ben 10 (alien guy), Matthew is Superman, and Brooklyn is a kitty cat.

Pumpkin Carving

2011-10-28T01:15:00.001-06:00

We finally got the pumpkin carving in just before Halloween. Zack found two great pumpkins for us. The kids drew out their designs and we made two pumpkins with a little bit of all their ideas. Taylor wouldn't have anything to do with pulling out the guts. He thought that part was gross. The other boys and Katelyn didn't mind it too much. Zack was elected to do all the carving. Katelyn wanted to roast the pumpkin seeds after. We found a great recipe that turned out sweet and cinnamon instead of the traditional roasted pumpkin seeds. Everyone helped out to make our fun pumpkins except Brooklyn but she smiled lots for us while we worked.

Matthew's Photo Shoot by Aunt Stephanie

2011-10-26T09:27:00.003-06:00

Stephanie took these adorable pictures of Matthew and Jaerick at the park. He looks so grown up! Jaerick and Matthew love playing together. They are good buddies and loving cousins! Stephanie and Jaerick got to come stay with the kids while Daddy and Mommy were at the hospital with baby Brooklyn. Matthew loves playing with Jaerick!

Brooklyn's First Photo Session by Aunt Stephanie

2011-10-26T09:07:00.000-06:00

Welcome Home Baby Brooklyn

2011-10-26T09:02:00.000-06:00

All the kids were so excited to have their baby sister home and made her a banner which reads "Welcome Home Baby Sister!" Everyone of them colored and decorated it for her.

Brooklyn was born the day Grandpa Belt got home from the hospital from open heart surgery. He was thrilled to finally meet her. We brought her over to meet her great-grandparents right after they released us from the hospital. She is getting spoiled from all her extended family with well wishes, visits, gifts and kisses! She is a very loved baby girl!

Brooklyn enjoys her sponges baths! She loves to be cuddled, kissed and talked to. She smiles all the time and snuggles right into you when you hold her. Our family is quite complete with this little angel! We feel so blessed to have her here.

Introducing Brooklyn Krystal Alvey

2011-10-20T17:47:00.000-06:00

Our little miss Brooklyn was born October 10, 2011 @ 7:12 am.

She is 8 lbs 15 oz and 20.5 inches long!

She is a very happy little baby with all of us quite smitten by her!

We are so grateful that she arrived happy and healthy! My water broke just before midnight which I was so thankful for since that has always been how I knew to head over to the hospital. Stephanie came over to take care of the kids and we headed to the hospital around 1am. By 3 am I was ready for my epidural since my contractions had started getting a bit more intense. I didn't want to wait too long and experience the whole thing drug free. Zack went to sleep as soon as the epidural kicked in but almost missed the delivery since I couldn't get him to wake up very easily. He did wake up just a few minutes before she arrived at 7:12am.

She is absolutely adorable and all her siblings are so thrilled to hold, cuddle, and kiss her. Matthew was a bit confused at who this baby was or why I was holding her but after a few minutes, he was in love with her and wanted to hold her. She seems to have that effect on everyone. She has her daddy wrapped around her little finger already!

We are so thrilled to have her home with us and spending all the time we can getting to know her and love on her! She is such a blessing to our family! You can instantly feel Heavenly Father's love when you hold a new baby. The spirit they bring to your family is so strong and peaceful. She really does complete our family.

Raptor Romp 2011

2011-10-11T22:15:00.006-06:00

The kids were able to participate in our schools annual fundraiser the Raptor Romp. Each grade level does a dance and this year they added the preschool. Joshua was pretty excited to be joining the older kids. The preschool kids danced to "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!" As Joshua said it's a different one, which it was. He did a great job and performed very well without any discouragement. He is not shy at all!

The kindergarten performed a dinosaur song, "Don't go Dancing with a Dinosaur!" William was very excited to be able to dance to this song. He has been singing it at home for weeks before the performance. He really got into the dance and was a hoot to watch!

Taylor's group performed to the Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling." It was a basic box step repeated throughout. Taylor was so exact, he made sure he was always doing it perfect. He is a definite perfectionist! He did a great job and worked very hard too.

Since this is Katelyn's last year in Elementary school she went out to just have a good time. They danced to Taio Cruz's, "Dynamite." You could tell she was having a blast dancing and goofing around. It was fun to see her enjoying herself so much! All the kids did a terrific job and I'm sure the fundraiser made plenty of money since it was packed with people and the pizzas were being sold until well after the dances were completed. I'm so proud of my kids and all their hard work.

Joshua is in preschool

2011-09-19T16:20:00.001-06:00

Our little Joshua is in preschool and loving it! The kids elementary school is putting on a preschool this year during the same time William is in kindergarten so it works perfect for me. He only goes two days a week but looks forward to the next class as soon as he's home. He loves his teachers, Mrs. Frank and Mrs. Staheli. The best part is that it is FREE! I am always into FREE especially when that part is a surprise! With the new baby on the way this is a great break for Joshua and keeps him busy. He'll come home and color or practice writing his name for "homework" which is very cute! We love our little Joshua and all his spunkiness!

Little Boys' Room

2011-09-18T16:43:00.000-06:00

With baby on the way, we've been moving the kids rooms around a bit to make it all work out. We put the little boys downstairs and painted the walls a soft blue. It didn't quite look right with purple walls and butterflies.

Both boys seem to love their new room and adjusting quite nicely! I found quilts at TJ Maxx and the metal stars as a consignment shop. My grandpa was a manager for the Union Pacific Railroad and so we have collected a few trains along the way.

The picture on the wall is actually four little yarn pieces that Zack's mom had made for him when he was a little boy. He never wanted to part with them and so they've become part of the boys decor.

This room has plenty of sentimental value to it and will easily adjust as these little men grow up! It has been fun making this home feel more and more like mine as we change things to our family and not just what was here originally.

My, oh my!

2011-09-15T16:23:00.000-06:00

Zack was complaining that I don't take enough pregnancy pictures since Katelyn was born 10 years ago. You know first pregnancies everyone seem to take pictures of their growing bellies at least monthly but when you've had lots of babies it just isn't exciting to get fat! I decided to let Zack have his way and made him take pictures of me, right after he got home from church! This is my seventh pregnancy so there is no hiding this baby! We are down to the final countdown with only a few weeks left and weekly doctors appointments until she arrives. I am quite antsy to have her out and about but willing to wait for a healthy baby is worth it. Wish me luck!

Baby Shower

2011-09-12T16:40:00.006-06:00

Stephanie threw a baby shower for me since we are finally having a girl after four boys! I had actually gotten rid of all my baby girl items since it's been so long. Stephanie went all out with decorations and food; Jennifer helped out too! It was lots of fun and our little miss was showered with many gifts! I've been blessed living in a great neighborhood with lots of wonderful people who make sure I know they care. It has also been great to have both of my sisters so excited about this baby coming. They can get their baby fill without all the work! Thanks Stephanie for going out of your way for me. I really appreciate all you do!

William's First Day of School

2011-08-23T11:33:00.000-06:00

William enjoyed his first day of school. He was very nervous but came home excited about his teacher, Mrs. Mathews, and all his new friends! This should be a great year for him. Here's hoping for a successful new year!

Back to School 2011

2011-08-17T15:17:00.003-06:00

Katelyn and Taylor are back to school this week. William starts this next Monday since they are doing testing all week, he's all finished with his testing so just hanging out with us until Monday! I cannot believe the summer is already over and we are back to school! They are all very excited and nervous too!

Rain Gutter Regatta

2011-07-26T15:06:00.000-06:00

For pack meeting we had a rain gutter regatta which Taylor took third place in! You'd never be able to tell with his chipperness! He got a king-size candy bar as his prize, so picked on for sure! Zack was super busy with all of his summer work and teaching a certification course for the Utah Department of Education the week of. Taylor had to put up with a bit of pregnancy hormones while I tried to make it all work, maybe that was were his attitude came from. He does love cub scouts and has learned about all kinds of things in the short time he's been in it. Thanks to all the cub scout leaders who put up with a bunch of young, hyperactive boys and actually teach them a thing or two!

Pioneer Day Weekend 2011

2011-07-24T14:51:00.001-06:00

We headed up to Panguitch Lake with my family this year for the Pioneer Day weekend. Brandon and Goldie even came all the way from Detroit to join us. Each family was in charge of a time for games and my parents brought their 4-wheelers which most people used whenever a chance arose. My parents did a doughnut on a string competition, Stephanie and Tim had a relay, Jennifer and Cameron did another relay and Zack and I did several minute to win-it games. It turned out to be lots of fun!

The kids had lots of fun and were able to play with their cousins and have lots of fun just being kids. For me being pregnant and camping don't mix, my dad had brought a cot to make it a little more comfortable which helped. It was much cooler up in the mountains but July is hot pretty much everywhere!

We'll see where we head next year!

Brotherly Love

2011-07-10T14:18:00.003-06:00

These little men are all getting along so well this summer! It makes mama so happy when her little men can play together and not hurt each other. Boys are so much different than girls, at least mine are. These guys love to tackle and wrestle all the time. Everyone of them seems to enjoy it so it works for me. Matthew is into wrestling his brothers all the time, he wants to be included in everything the older boys do. Katelyn is our mama hen so if I'm even slightly busy I can always find Matthew clinging to his sister or wrestling the other boys. It will be quite a change having a little girl join the clan!

Riding a two wheeler

2011-07-06T14:00:00.000-06:00

Our little Joshua didn't want to be left out when it came to riding bikes this summer and a bike with training wheels just doesn't cut it! With a little help from Daddy our little man was riding down the street on two wheels only after just a few tries! He loves it and goes so much faster and is able to keep up with the other kids, if he wants to.

Happy Independence Day

2011-07-05T09:49:00.003-06:00

We celebrated the fourth of July with swimming and a BBQ at my parents' home. The kids love to get together with their cousins and just play. Grandma and Grandpa Belt were able to make it which was great. We love to visit with them. The food was good but the company was better! Matthew slept through most all of it but was able to enjoy a bit towards the end. Everyone had a good time and were ready to watch fireworks when we left.

We headed over to the Sunbowl to enjoy the evening festivities. Steph kept all the older kids busy with a game of Uno and the rest of us kept the younger ones busy with Otter pops until the fireworks started. As usual the fireworks were great and the mountain caught on fire! It must be a tradition or something cause every year that mountain is on fire shortly after they start lighting the fireworks even with all the watering by the firemen! We are so thankful to live in this great nation. We have been so blessed by our freedoms and the sacrifices of so many brave souls keeping those freedoms alive! We thank God for blessing us to be part of this great country!

Water Fun!

2011-06-28T20:26:00.001-06:00

I took the kids over to the library for story time and then played at the water park off main street. Zack started working during the day so we're on our own for activities. The park was lots of fun and Zack was able to join us while we played. Everyone enjoyed staying cool in this hot weather! The water park has a little river/creek that runs through the area and features miniature waterfalls plus a splash pad. They will open up a carousel starting on the 4th of July too! Main street has become quite the attraction here in Southern Utah!

Taylor's got his bobcat

2011-06-27T20:13:00.000-06:00

We had a swimming party for Pack Meeting and Taylor was awarded his bobcat. He has been loving cub scouts and keeps busy every week with den meetings. We are so thankful for such a wonderful program that was created to help these boys become great men!

PVC Kid's Sprinkler Run

2011-06-24T19:07:00.000-06:00

We've been coming up with fun ideas to keep the kids busy this summer. The heat is exhausting and sprinklers always are fun! This is super easy and Zack put the whole thing together in about 30 minutes including the shopping. The kids all loved it, we even put it in the driveway and let them ride their bikes through it!

Swimming Lessons

2011-06-23T17:39:00.004-06:00

The kids all participated in swimming lessons these past two weeks except Matthew, he'll start up a little later. Katelyn learned how to swim laps and different strokes. Taylor learned a bit about diving and all the different strokes you can use. William and Joshua both learned how to float on their backs, the front crawl and basics about water. Neither are scared to jump in and Joshua is really into diving into the pool off the side. They all did an awesome job and advanced quickly!

Mommy wow, I'm a big kid now!

2011-06-22T17:45:00.000-06:00

Our littlest man has joined the potty trained ranks! He decided a couple weeks ago to forego the whole diaper thing and use the potty. He's done a great job and very proud to be a big boy! The M&Ms have helped with a little extra motivation, he loves chocolate!

Katelyn's Piano Recital

2011-06-06T17:26:00.004-06:00

Our little miss Katelyn had her piano recital and performed excellently as usual. She works so hard to perfect her songs and skills. We are so proud of her! She has really grown in these past two years.

Taylor's Baptism

2011-06-06T16:19:00.003-06:00

Taylor's baptism was a wonderful experience for our family. There were many family members who came and supported Taylor and his decision to be baptised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was super nervous before the actual baptism but beaming afterwards. He really felt the spirit very strongly, as did the rest of us. It was an honor to witness his baptism and confirmation both performed by his father Zachariah Alvey. Taylor is a great kid and a wonderful example to his younger brothers and older sister. We are so proud of Taylor. Way to go buddy!

Those who were able to attend were: Great-Grandpa Belt, Grandpa & Grandma Bonewell, TJ, Cameron & Jennifer Turnbow with their children Braxton, Awsten & Hailey, Weston & Shenille Harmon with their children Isaac & Elli, Charles & Erica, Jed & Aubrey with baby Parker, Tim & Stephanie with Jaerick, Nate & Miriam with baby Allie and of course Katelyn, William, Joshua, Matthew and Mom (Alisha) & Dad (Zack). Thanks to everyone who came to support our Taylor, he was sure glad to have you there.

Think Pink

2011-06-04T17:53:00.001-06:00

We had an ultrasound taken recently and discovered that Katelyn will actually be getting a sister after all these years! It was quite a shock to all of us, after four boys in a row we weren't expecting this news. Katelyn is more than excited, Zack says he knew all along, Taylor thinks a little sister could be fun, William and Joshua are excited for a baby girl, Matthew has no idea what we are talking about and I'm just very surprised. Katelyn and I have already done a little bit of shopping since we are in short supply of baby girl things. Looks like we'll have to start thinking pink in this house!

The Big 33

2011-05-21T22:35:00.001-06:00

We celebrated Zack's 33rd Birthday! The day started with breakfast at Denny's because if you are a breakfast enthusiast like Zack, Denny's gives you a pretty good selection. He tried their Maple Bacon Sundae to celebrate; I would have been a little skeptical about bacon and ice cream but he loved it! After lots of playing throughout the day we gave him a traditional party with cupcakes and ice cream plus a few presents to enjoy! We all love Zack! He is a great friend, father, husband and provider. He is very dedicated to his family and it shows in all he does. Happy Birthday Zack! We love you!

Miss Brace Face

2011-05-19T13:52:00.003-06:00

Our little miss Katelyn got braces! It has been a much anticipated event for her but I think after she had them on for about 30 minutes the excitement wore off a bit and the soreness was more prominent. She was pretty excited to chose her band color but eating and talking were adjustments!

William's 6th Birthday

2011-05-16T12:02:00.002-06:00

We celebrated William's birthday at home Sunday night since Friday was the Father and Sons camp out and then Saturday we celebrated TJ's birthday. Everyone made it over except Grandma Belt for cake and ice cream plus presents. William was so excited about opening all his presents he forgot to enjoy them for a moment. Zack helped me make a Spongebob Square Pants birthday cake. It turned out pretty good and William was thrilled. Grandpa Belt did his traditional present of money wrapped up tight, William really struggled to open the package and when he finally did there were quarters wrapped in packaging tape. I guess it will take a little longer to get that one open. William had a great time and enjoyed hanging out with his cousins and eating sweets! We love our little man, he sure has a fun personality!

Fathers and Sons Campout

2011-05-14T11:55:00.000-06:00

Our ward put on a Fathers and sons camp out to celebrate the commemoration of the Aaronic Priesthood close by. The boys were thrilled to go camping with their dad. I sent them with tons of cupcakes so they could all celebrate our little William's birthday Friday night. The boys came home caked in dirt with huge grins on all their faces. I'm sure they had a blast! Zack said they actually all slept pretty well too!

Happy Anniversary

2011-05-13T15:12:00.005-06:00

This year I decided to make Zack a candy gram, it was lots of fun and quite tasty! It says:

Happy Anniversary Zack,

I love you to (Recess' pieces)! You are (Extra) special! I know this is corny but please don't (snickers). You are a (sweetarts). You have always (junior mints) so much to me. Be(twix) you and me, I am so thankful you (Jolly Rancher fruit chews) to be with me. Sometimes we drive each other (peanuts) but we have (mounds) of fun together. Being with you is a (almond joy). There are (Good & Plenty) of reasons I love you!
Love,
your (butterfinger) half

I cannot believe we've been together for 11 years! It has been a very fulfilling life that the two of us have lived! 5 years of college including a bachelors and a masters degree, #6 baby on the way, we own our own home, enjoying lots of fun events in life, we strengthen each other during the hard times and cheer each other on during the good ones. We love each other much more today than when we got married. Life is a definite journey, I'm sure glad that I get to have my best friend by my side through it all.

Our Mother's Day

2011-05-09T17:26:00.003-06:00

Our Mother's Day weekend started out with Braxton's baptism. It was nice but very busy. I asked Stephanie to take some pictures of us right after, we had a "fun" time getting the kids to all be looking. I wasn't too worried as it was just for fun but this picture turned out pretty good. The sun baked us all for the remainder of the day, the temperature was in the 90s, good grief! Sunday was great, Zack stayed at home instead of his usual bishopric meetings before church. He made breakfast burritos and smoothies, then was able to help get all the kids ready for church. I love having him around! If he would have sat with us during sacrament meeting that would have been ideal but I can only ask for so much. The kids gave me lots of fun homemade gifts and made sure to include lots of hugs. We visited with my family in the evening to wish all the moms a Happy Mother's Day. I love being a mom. It is definitely one of the hardest jobs but rather rewarding too!

Our little Cub Scout

2011-05-04T18:21:00.000-06:00

Taylor is officially a Cub Scout! He had his first den meeting today and was thrilled! They went to the park, where they collected trash and then rocks. Taylor is so excited and has already read a big chunk of his Wolf Book. I am thrilled with his excitement! He is paving the way for all our future scouts so the more excitement the better.

Taylor's 8th Birthday

2011-05-01T23:08:00.000-06:00

Taylor's 8th Birthday was a huge party! We invited 18 kids including my own 5 to party at Jumpin' Jacks, a party place with bounce houses galore. The kids all had a blast and we stuffed them with ice cream cake just in time for parents to come and get them! It was lots of fun and I am sure Taylor won't forget this birthday party anytime soon! Even the smallest of kids had fun!

My Uncle Cliff and Aunt Lisa came down with Clint, Sean and Luke to visit, so they joined in on the festivities! There was also family who live in town, my dad, TJ, Jennifer with Braxton, Awsten and Hailey, Stephanie, Jaerick, and Tim showed up towards the end, plus Taylor invited 6 of his friends to make the party even better! He was spoiled rotten with lots of fun gifts, a good time and friends and family too!

My Grandpa Belt put on a Thanksgiving type dinner at my parents' house on Sunday. We decided to include a little more festivities for Taylor since everyone was getting together on his actual birthday. He was again showered with more presents, great food and family to celebrate.

William lost a tooth

2011-04-27T21:40:00.003-06:00

This is one excited kid! William lost his very first tooth this evening! It took him a few apples, some serious wiggling and a little prying from Taylor but it's out. He was so nervous but once it was done he was bouncing off the walls. Hopefully the toothfairy makes it all worth it!

Our First Pinewood Derby

2011-04-27T21:34:00.002-06:00

Taylor will be turning 8 on Sunday and that means Cub scouts! Our Cub master invited Taylor and Zack to participate in the Pinewood Derby. There wasn't much time for creating since we have been traveling so much but they got them done just in the nick-of-time. Taylor created a BYU car and Zack made his a University of Utah car. They both had fun creating their cars and then racing them. Now Taylor is really excited about joining Cub scouts. It will be a new adventure for all of us!

Best Friends Forever

2011-04-26T21:47:00.006-06:00

Katie's best friend since we moved into our neighborhood Ilea just moved to Lehi. Both girls were quite upset having to be separated. Since we were up in Salt Lake we decided to surprise Katelyn and make a stop over to their house. Our visit was unannounced but both girls just beamed being able to see each other and Ilea's family was rather pleased to see us. We have been so blessed with great neighbors and lots of children our kids' ages. Several families in the neighborhood have girls Katelyn's age and then boys Taylor and William's ages. It is great letting them play in groups together. I still can remember some of my friends when I was 10. We moved around a lot when I was growing up which was hard but I had the chance to meet lots of great people along the way. I am thankful that my kids have been able to get to know lots of great people too. We are sad when friends move away but it gives us a chance to grow too. I hope Katelyn will be able to keep in contact with her friends as they move away, I know I've been able to make contact with lots of my friends from the past and enjoy them in my life.

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T21:59:00.000-06:00

While we were staying at Grandma Benson's house for Jed's graduation, Zack's cousin Julie invited us to do an Easter Egg hunt Saturday morning. There was lots of candy and kids galore! We were able to visit with lots more family after which was great. When we lived in Salt Lake we saw lots of Zack's family all the time but now when we come visit it is a hit or miss depending on when we're up north. We are thankful for families. Zack's Grandma Benson has always welcomed us to her home with open arms. We really appreciate her willingness to take us in. I know Krystal always thought of Grandma Benson's home as her home. It made me feel a little bit closer to her just being there.

We got home late Saturday night and by Sunday morning we all felt the strain of so much traveling. It took us quite awhile to even discover what the Easter Bunny had left for the kids and still Matthew was having a meltdown by then. The kids all got a Beanie Baby and a chocolate bunny, not very extravagant but still nice. It has been nice to visit with so much family the past several weeks but we all appreciate being home. Life will never be quite the same but being home just makes things feel a little better. I am so thankful for the atonement and resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ. This Easter took on a little more meaning, I had a miscarriage back in October and we lost Krystal in April. I know that this life is just part of our journey. We'll return back to Heavenly Father and those who have past before us. Jesus Christ loves us enough to make sure we have been given that blessing. I want to live worthy of it!

Jed's BYU Graduation

2011-04-23T21:33:00.001-06:00

We traveled back up north early Friday morning to attend Jed's graduation. He graduated with his bachelor's in mechanical engineering just like Charles did the year before. It was a big graduation for the engineering department, there were 500 graduates! The speeches alone took over an hour. Zack apologized to anyone who went to his graduation afterwards saying they're just too long. We are very proud of Jed and all his hard work! Aubrey has been a great support for him. I was there not too long ago and remember how much you sacrifice to support your husband through schooling. Jed's taking a break this next year from school and applying MIT the fall 2012. That should be fun for them!

Aubrey put on a party to celebrate Jed's graduation over at their house. There was lots of food, games and visiting. The adults really got into a four-square game, it started out for the kids but quickly became an adult game with way too many rules and no mercy! Aubrey kept the kids busy with a pinata filled with candy and some bean bag tosses. It was lots of fun and a nice break from all the sadness of the last couple weeks.

Krystal Alvey Egbert

2011-04-19T10:21:00.006-06:00

On March 6, 1983 a star from heaven came to earth. Krystal "star" Alvey was born, a beautiful baby girl, perfect in every way. Krystal was a loving baby who loved to snuggle and play. She was independent from the very beginning and always did things in her own friendly, loving way. She spent her time collecting friends and making them feel like family.

Her long brown hair was almost as pretty as her contagious smile. She loved her hair and wanted it to be as long as Crystal Gale's hair. Her Aunt Cheryl was combing her hair one day and told Krystal she was gorgeous. Krystal threw back her hair like a movie star and said "I dorgeous!" She was our only "dorgeous" girl.

Growing up little Krystal could be found following her older brother and sister riding a big wheel and wearing her favorite purple dress and leading her younger brothers on creative adventures while living in blanket forts.

Krystal was the middle child of 5 and some days she didn't know how she fit in our family. She always did things her own way and sometimes backwards for fun. She would dress up in nice warm clothes in the summer and shorts and t-shirts in the winter. She was the only one in our house who didn't like spaghetti, which I never understood. She came up with a fun game to help us understand where she came from by telling everyone she was from Mars. She even drew herself as a martian for a school assignment and her teacher commented "Krystal, you are my favorite martian." Krystal was always my favorite martian too.

Krystal loved all her family - aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins. Krystal loved all her cousins and spent lots of time with Faith E. and all the girls at the Crosby house. She was heartbroken when her Grandpa B and Grandma A died and she always kept a special place in her heart for them. She was always the best resource for knowing what was going on in anyone's life in our family. Krystal kept close track of all our cousins.

She loved her younger brothers and loved helping them get into mischief. She had a way of convincing her brothers to do what she wanted. She would dress them up in her dresses and she would get them to carry her bag home from school.

As she got older she became close friends with Charles and Jedediah - walking home from school, sharing friends, wearing their clothes, and keeping track of all the girls the boys were dating. The three of them took German in Jr High so they could talk to each other in a funny language, though it was harder than they thought.

She loved her older brother and sister very much. She looked up to them and always wanted to do everything they did. She shared everything with her sister Shenille, they were roommates and shared clothes, toys and friends. Krystal loved to boss Shenille around and their was a phrase that was heard more than once, that was a quote from a silly TV show about dinosaurs, "Not the Mama." As the girls got older, Krystal got jobs at Hogi Yogi and the pet groomers to try to be like her big sister. She followed her to Dixie College to be like her big sister too.

She adored her intelligent, humble, wonderful, smart, funny, handsome, big brother Zack. She always wanted to play with the boys. She would always humor him and laugh at his jokes and tease him about his school crushes. I would sometimes frustrate her with my teasing and if I really got under her skin she would suck in cheeks and pucker her lips and I would run for my life. Her journals showed that she really missed me when I left for my mission and got married. She took my wife, Alisha, under her wing as a sister and I have been flattered and proud to be Krystal's big brother as she tried to model her life after me and my family. I love her so much and I was not done being her big brother.

In Jr High and High school Krystal was crazy about boys. She was always talking about all the cute boys she had crushes on. She would talk with her little brothers about boys, she talk to her cousins about boys, she would talk to her best friend Stephanie about boys, and it was fun reading in her journal about all the boys she liked to hang out with. She chose Auto shop over Home Ec in High school because she knew that is where she would find the boys. She always knew where to find the boys. When she went off to college in Dixie she found one sitting in the boys dorms watching football waiting for her to come along.

Ryan and Krystal fell in love and were married in March 2003 for time and all eternity in the Bountiful temple. Ryan and Krystal were a perfect match and they brought three little angels into the world. Krystal finally got to be the mama.

Throughout her life Krystal saw the world differently than most people. She was much more interested in people and relationships and friends than she was in things, rewards and possessions. She made friends everywhere she went and always treated her friends like they were family. She was always sweet and kind and just wanted to play and have fun. She was a loving mother who tried hard to please her babies. She genuinely made you feel like she cared. She took notice of the little things and was full of compliments. Krystal loved all of her family and wanted to be loved unconditionally.

Krystal loved her Grandma Alvey and it was very hard on her to see her go. In High school Krystal kept a journal and on each page it started, "Dear Sharon." I would like to add one more short entry.

Dear Sharon,

Our precious Krystal Star is on her way to Heaven to see you. Please let her know that we love her and we are so thankful that we could have her in our family and give her a big hug. We miss our Krystal Star.

Love,
Zack

Katelyn turns 10 years old!

2011-04-18T23:26:00.000-06:00

Katelyn was very spoiled for her birthday. Grandma Benson asked if we would throw her a party up in Salt Lake since it was so close to her birthday. Saturday afternoon we threw a party for her. Sam and Lindsey brought her over to their house on Friday night and let her sleep over. The girls giggled and played until 3 am. Then Aunt Sid and Uncle Mark spoiled all the kids before the birthday party when they took them over to watch Rio, a bird movie, and then off to McDonald's for lunch and playtime. Lots of family came over to Grandma Benson's home for the party. She was showered with lots of presents and attention. My parents were kind enough to bring the cake and ice cream since they were in town for Krystal's funeral and a homecoming on Sunday. My mom picked out a cake that had blue and orange flowers which seemed to be a bit of a tribute to Krystal since she was attending Boise State University when she passed away. I think Ryan would have enjoyed the cake but he was spending some time with his side of the family on Saturday.

Monday night my family came over to our house and threw Katie another birthday party! It was pretty low key but she was showered with presents and cake and loved every minute of it. Since everything happened right before Katie's birthday, I wasn't quite in the mood but wanted to make sure she knew how important she is to us. I felt bad not making her cake but she picked out a great ice cream cake from Dairy Queen and got everything she asked for. Everyone seemed to pick up the slack for me and made sure things happened the right way. I sure appreciated that! We love all of our children and realize even more how important every minute counts. I hope that I can be a better mom to my kids and make sure that they know I love them.

The phone call...

2011-04-15T11:42:00.000-06:00

Life has really changed since I received the devastating phone call Friday morning from Kathy, Zack's mom, that Krystal passed away. She just didn't wake up in the morning. Aliyah went to wake her up but couldn't and then woke Ryan up to tell him. He tried but nothing happened. Ryan called 9-1-1 and the rest is history. Our sweet Krystal passed away sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning. She leaves behind her husband Ryan and three sweet little girls - Aliyah 7, Rylee 5 and Lizzie 3. I had to call Zack at the school to let him know. He actually dropped the phone when I told him. Within about 10 minutes of our phone conversation he was home sobbing in my arms. He called his parents and other siblings. Saturday morning we headed up to Boise, Idaho to be with Ryan and his girls. The drive was miserable, it snowed and rained pretty much the whole drive there. We stopped in Filmore for a potty break and a snowball fight. The kids hated being in the car as much as I did. It took us 13 hours to reach Boise at about 10 pm, we stayed in a hotel the first night. That was provided by my parents, we are so grateful for that. The kids were completely restless and got to let lots of energy out before crashing around 1am. Sunday morning we traveled over to my brother Brian's home and ate breakfast and visited for a little bit. We then headed over to meet up with Ryan. He wasn't home but talking with the bishop over at his ward building. We headed over to the church shortly after to meet up with him. He waited at the entrance for us. Zack and I both gave him huge hugs and told him how sorry we were. Lots of tears were shed. After sacrament meeting we headed back to Ryan's for lunch and then over to his cousin's home to see the girls. They all seemed happy to see us. Aliyah is really having a hard time and seems to be a little bit more reserved than the other two. After visiting with the girls and Ryan's family for a bit, we left. Aliyah really struggled with Ryan leaving so he stayed back for a bit longer to comfort her. I couldn't imagine what this little seven year old must be feeling. Ryan later said that Rylee was having nightmares and Lizzie was really clingy to him. My heart breaks for them.

We spent most of Monday waiting over at Brian and Kelsey's home for the coroner to release Krystal's body. They did an autopsy and found that she had an enlarged heart. All signs pointed to the fact that she had completed her mission here on earth and it was her time to return to her maker. She died peacefully in her sleep without any suffering. That is the best you can ask for, a little more time with her would have been nice but the Lord has His reasons. Maybe someday we'll know why but for now it just hurts. I am grateful that we know that families are eternal. One day we will be able to see Krystal again, she'll be waiting for us. Ryan will be able to hold her again and she will be able to hug her girls.

The rest of the week was super busy with taking care of her body, ordering the flowers, funeral arrangements and lots of traveling. Ryan asked Zack to speak at Krystal's funeral, he did her life sketch. A wonderful tribute to Krystal and all she has done here on earth. There ended up being two funeral services one in Twin Falls, Idaho and a second in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was buried in the Holladay cemetery right next to her Grandma Sharon whom she loved and missed very much. The final goodbyes were very hard. We are so sad about the loss of our Krystal. We are very thankful for the understanding that we will be reunited with our family members when we pass from this mortal existence. The hard part is the time we remain on this earth without those who have gone before us. I imagine Krystal is very happy, she is with her family that has passed on before her. I imagine she is looking over her husband and girls. She has fulfilled her time here on the earth. I am grateful for the chance I had to know her. I just wish it would have been so much longer. She will forever hold a special place in our hearts. I cherish her friendship.

Soccer season 2011

2011-03-26T10:24:00.000-06:00

This soccer season I decided to let someone else do the coaching and enjoy cheering for my kids. Katelyn is learning a little more about how to control the ball and run around for fun. She actual did a Hershey track meet for her school and placed in the 200 Meter. She is enjoying the sport and actually is on the same team as several of her friends which always helps.

Taylor decided to play soccer instead of trying out baseball this year but decided shortly after that he might have made a mistake. We've taught him to work his hardest to complete the season instead of just quitting. Next year he'll be playing baseball for sure but he is working hard to finish out the season. I am so proud he's going through with it!

Boys will be boys

2011-03-21T10:16:00.003-06:00

The boys were playing around with some glasses, they sure have a lot of fun together. It's fun to see their personalities come out the older they get. William is definitely the ring leader. Joshua likes to do whatever his brother is doing but is becoming more independent. Matthew is the little man on the totem pole but he can hold his own. I love these little guys!

Spring Break 2011

2011-03-18T13:36:00.001-06:00

Our spring break was rather blah this year! Matthew was sick with a fever for the first half but Zack managed to get our garden set up for the year since we didn't go anywhere. He had to work nights but played with the kids during the daytime. All the kids spent way too much time on the wii. It actually was to cold to go swimming when Matthew felt better so that was a bummer. It ended up being more for projects than play. The kids did get to go to the movies and play at the park so it wasn't too bad. Our original plans were a lot more fun but such is life!

Lunch with Grandpa and Grandma

2011-03-10T17:21:00.000-07:00

Recently, we have been taking the little boys over to Grandpa and Grandma Belt's home for lunch on Thursday afternoons. Jennifer and Hailey meet up with us there. The kids love playing together and the grownups love getting to visit so regularly! It has been lots of fun for all of us. I really have appreciated getting to know my grandparents better. Grandpa loves to share stories from his younger years and we usually all have a good laugh! Matthew seems to have Grandpa wrapped around his little finger. Grandma just enjoys watching all the kids play and sneak kisses!

Matthew's 2nd Birthday

2011-02-23T15:40:00.002-07:00

We celebrated Matthew's birthday on Sunday since the weekdays are pretty crazy at our house. Matthew is very into Sesame street so we included all the basic fun of sesame street. He even decided to wear his Elmo Halloween costume!

He loved his cupcakes and was quite surprised as I made a point not to let him see until the party! He was so cute about blowing out each candle individually. Matthew was showered with lots of attention and gifts. He even got excited about his "monies"!

The kids all got hyped up on sugar and played hard. A very successful party!

Cookie Monster and Elmo Cupcakes

2011-02-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

Matthew loves Elmo and Cookie Monster! I thought it would be great to decorate up some cupcakes to resemble his favorite monsters. They turned out great and super easy. I used a star/grass tip to make the frosting look like fur. We used squished mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips for the eyes. Zack made sure that Cookie Monster's eyes didn't quite look right. I used oreos cut in half for the mouths. We didn't mind any cookies that cracked, they still tasted great! For Elmo's nose we used peanut M&Ms, reminder if you attempt this you may have to buy a big bag since there weren't enough orange M&Ms in the regular bags!

Valentines Day

2011-02-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

Valentines Day is rather simple at our house. We definitely don't make it the huge deal like commercialism wants us to. We simply show love to each other. Make homemade valentines and eat yummy food together. This year I picked up some fun little things for the kids at the Dollar Tree and made Zack a coupon book. Katelyn and Taylor have decided that they want a coupon book for their birthdays! We had waffles with strawberries and whipped topping for dinner which was great! Zack went a bit more crazy; he bought me a blender and a box of chocolates! I love my family and appreciate all the time I have to be with them.

Hanging out with Daddy

2011-02-12T15:08:00.001-07:00

My kids love hanging out with their dad!

Growth Chart

2011-02-08T14:56:00.002-07:00

I decided instead of always just marking and drawing the kids height on our wall, I would make it look fun and more user friendly. I came up with lots of ideas. The one I liked the most came from an etsy store which was in vinyl lettering on a canvas. I painted all the alphabet on the wall after marking height lines on the wall. It turned out much better than I thought it would. The kids love getting marked on the new growth chart!

Taylor playing basketball

2011-01-31T13:41:00.004-07:00

Our little Taylor played basketball this year with the local rec center. He loved moving around and figuring everything out. Zack and I got lots of cheering and hooting in this season! Taylor was enjoying himself throughout the whole season. He made up to four baskets in one game. The whole season was really learning how to play the game. It was fun to watch the ones who were really focused on dribbling who had no idea where to actually take the ball. Many points were earned by opposing teams because the shot was made in the wrong basket. Our team tried hard and improved throughout the season. Zack plans on coaching next year!

Joshua's 4th Birthday

2011-01-30T13:52:00.001-07:00

My little man is 4 years old! Kids grow up way too fast... sometimes you feel like one phase will never end but then before you know it they are past it and on to the next thing! Joshua is a great kid! He loves his brothers and sister. He is incredibly smart and very creative. Joshua loves all things BOY! He has a great sense of humor and loves to laugh. He is a big helper and makes sure his mommy is happy! We sure love our little man!

We threw Joshua a big boy birthday party at home with family. He was very specific on what cake he wanted for his birthday "a toy story cake with a bed on it," this was the day before his birthday mind you. That was a little complicated trying to figure out how to make a bed frame but Zack helped save the day when I about gave up on the whole thing! Let's just say, I don't like fondant! Joshua was showered with gifts and attention. He wasn't much for phone calls this time around and kept trying to hang up the phone before anyone could wish him a Happy Birthday! He's a little stinker that way! He loved having his cousins over and caused quite the ruckus downstairs with all their adventures while parents were visiting! He was very excited about his birthday and counted down all month. He'd get up and say did another day disappear? The night before his birthday, we told him when he woke up he would magically be four. When he got up, he said "there was no magic!" Happy Birthday Big Guy!

Lowe's Builders!

2011-01-23T13:48:00.001-07:00

The older kids went to Lowe's and built some bean bag toss sets during their kids crafts. Matthew and I enjoyed reading stories at home while Daddy took the other kids to build some stuff! They all came back excited and ready to go for the next project. It is a great opportunity for kids to spend time learning something new and the best part is the cost: FREE!

Big Boy Bed

2011-01-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

Well to keep Matthew from escaping his big boy bed, we put him on the top bunk with an additional railing mind you. It worked great when Joshua first went on his own big boy bed so we decided to do it with Matthew since he was waking us up in the middle of the night by jumping on one of us or we would find him snuggled in between us when we woke up in the morning. It wasn't working very well when we first started doing it since he would just cry and cry. Joshua decided to take matters into his own hands since he wanted to sleep too. He crawled up on the top bunk and slept right next to Matthew who quickly calmed down and slept. We thought Matthew had finally just given up on the whole fussing all night long thing but were surprised to see these two snuggled up together in the morning instead! What a sweet big brother!

Flirty Aprons

2011-01-12T14:02:00.004-07:00

I decided for part of the new year I would focus a little more on myself. Not in the traditional self-centered role but make a little more effort to take care of myself and desires so I can be a better wife and mother. More like the usual getting to the gym on a regular basis, eating healthy foods, taking more me time, playing with my kids more, going on regular dates with Zack, attending the temple and other things that make me happy, so far so good! Zack bought me this flirty apron in sassy red for fun! It helps me feel a lot less frumpy taking care of my family than a traditional apron and it's really cute!

Our Makeup Artist?!?

2011-01-11T13:55:00.002-07:00

Each one of my kids goes through this mischievous stage, getting into about everything! This little man was caught in my bathroom putting makeup on. When I caught him he quickly got up off the floor and tiptoed out of the room, as though he was sneaking away. What a nut!

Frosty the Snowman

2011-01-03T14:05:00.002-07:00

We were showered with more snow overnight and woke up to total whiteness. The kids love playing in the snow, tracking in mud and drinking hot chocolate! We were actually able to build a snowman before the snow melts too far down. The kids were excited to build the snowman but more excited to destroy him! I got a couple pictures before Frosty met his demise. We used his remains to peg each other with snowballs so that was alright!

My little man is in Sunbeams

2011-01-02T15:39:00.003-07:00

Joshua finally advanced from Nursery to Sunbeams today! He even gave his first talk which he did without any hesitation! He was so cute sitting with his class in a suit coat. He is very mature for his age! William and Joshua wanted to take pictures in their suits cause they're so cool!

Snowing in Southern Utah

2010-12-30T15:28:00.000-07:00

It snowed last night! The little boys were so excited to play in it, Katie and Taylor were much more hesitant since it was literally freezing outside. It was lots of fun outside!

Bedtime Fun!

2010-12-29T15:21:00.001-07:00

These little guys are spoiled by a very loving Daddy every night! He likes to carry them on his feet to bed, read them stories and tuck them in with a goodnight kiss. Man are they spoiled!

Christmas Day 2010

2010-12-26T16:58:00.003-07:00

Christmas morning started early than last year but not too bad! Katelyn had set her alarm for 6 am but was swiftly put back to bed until 7:30. I am pretty sure Taylor and William had a peak when the house was all quiet, hoping that Santa had stopped by during the night to leave them some gifts. They weren't disappointed! They were all spoiled with treasures galore!

Matthew was not really into getting up early as everyone else so we opened a few presents before he joined the rest of us! Joshua got a little frustrated that he wouldn't open his presents but they all waited and watched when he finally did rouse!

Everyone was delighted by their gifts and us parents loved watching their reactions! Our grandparents sent us money for Christmas which we used to buy the kids a wii. It was hidden behind all the other presents so it wouldn't overshadow all the other fun things.

We headed over to my parents' house to join in the festivities there. We were all spoiled rotten as usual. The kids had drawn names with their cousins who live here in Saint George and enjoyed watching them open their presents.

After visiting for a little bit we went over to Grandpa and Grandma Belt's home to give them presents and have some lunch. The kids were a bit restless as they had toys and games waiting for them at home!

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas with lots of fun times had by all. Everyone was showered with gifts and the Christmas spirit. I am thankful that "God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son."

Christmas Eve 2010

2010-12-26T15:43:00.002-07:00

Our Christmas Eve was wonderful! We had all the gifts bought and our Christmas dinner was at Stephanie's house so cleaning up wasn't really my responsibility. Thanks Steph!

Jennifer and Stephanie hosted Christmas dinner this year complete with a full table spread including name tags. It was a regular Christmas feast with ham, funeral potatoes, raspberry pretzel salad, rolls and hot apple cider. We ended with the kids doing a white elephant gift exchange so they all ended with a present before the night finished off.

We started heading back home and went to the temple to watch the nativity and lights. Matthew was pretty tired and didn't last long. It seemed a little strange being Christmas and all but we weren't even in jackets. We got home to make cookies for Santa, read the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2 and let the kids open some pjs before heading to bed. They were so excited for Santa to come!

A visit from the man in red!

2010-12-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

The big man from the North Pole made a special appearance at our house! The kids weren't quite so scared of him since it looked so much like Grandpa. Unfortunately their lists for Santa seem to keep changing. Hopefully he'll bring them just what they like! He's pretty good about that at our house! Santa asked each of them what they would like, posed for a picture and then handed them a candy cane. They all enjoyed their time with Santa. Matthew even went up to Santa right before he left and gave him a great big hug. My sweet baby boy!

The best moment of the whole thing was right after Santa left, Joshua says "that wasn't Santa that was Grandma!" We all laughed at that one!

Playdough

2010-12-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

I am in charge of sharing time for Primary the whole month of December. I had the kids do an activity using playdough and ended up with way too much so the boys have been very busy creating with playdough. William said he created a sculpture of me and so I needed to take their pictures. Here is the results. They're pretty cute if I do say so!

Katelyn's Christmas Piano Recital

2010-12-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

Katelyn performed very well at her Christmas piano recital this year! Miss Amy, her piano teacher, had taught Katelyn a lot this past year and half. Katelyn works her butt off too! It has been a wonderful opportunity to have her take piano lessons. She is very determined! This year she played the Little Drummer Boy and Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Christmas Programs

2010-12-16T20:12:00.005-07:00

Taylor's class performed several Christmas songs for two local care centers here in town. We were able to watch the first show and see Taylor singing and dancing! He did a great job!

The fourth grade performed several musical numbers in the gym later that same day. She played her flutophone, sang and played the xylophone. It was a nice performance!

Rough Morning

2010-12-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Matthew has been rather sick lately with a fever and sores in his mouth. I took him over to the doctors to find out that he has a herpes virus! The doctor told me to feed him cold things, like pudding. I think Matthew would rather wear his food than eat it but he's happy and that's what counts!

Gingerbread Houses 2010

2010-12-12T23:13:00.004-07:00

We decided to let the kids do gingerbread houses but to let them make their own instead of just using the kit like in years past. We used graham crackers and a great frosting recipe to get things started.

They loaded up their houses with candies and each had a very unique house that showed a little more personality! Joshua's house is voted as the craftiest house and most heavy! William is voted most livable and colorful, as it is a very solid structure even though he kept squeezing the frosting into his mouth instead of the house. He was able to add the most candy to his roof, at one point we almost had a cave in with all the candy being put up on the roof.

Taylor's has the most snow as he poured the remainder of his frosting onto the paper plate and then sprinkles galore, he has the best looking roof! Katelyn's is voted as the most sturdy as she took it apart a few times to make sure it was secure with additional frosting. She added frosted windows and copied Taylor's roof with a little of her own flair!

They all had fun even Dad and Mom, we all ate way too much sugar and laughed most the time! I would say it was a great night! Too bad Matthew slept through the whole thing or maybe that was a good thing?!?

Meet with Santa at the mall

2010-12-07T20:22:00.002-07:00

Friday afternoon while Zack was at a conference in Las Vegas, we took the kids over to the mall to meet up with Santa. Jennifer, Stephanie and their kids met us there. First, Jennifer's kids bravely went up and told Santa what they wanted for Christmas things like an ipad, a laptop and a four wheeler, Jaerick sat up on Santa's lap for a picture but when it came to my kids...they wouldn't go. Matthew didn't have a problem with the jolly old elf but the other ones only went when they went together for a quick picture.

Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-11-29T15:33:00.002-07:00

We spent Thanksgiving with my family here in St George. Zack got up early and played a turkey bowl with the guys in our ward. I woke up to the leaves pouring off the tree, literally the all fell off within two hours. Pretty much all the trees in the neighborhood were coming off just like that. We raked a huge pile of leaves under the tree in our front yard and let the kids jump in them. They loved it! We then headed over to my parents house for a Thanksgiving feast. There was lots of good food and family to visit with. We spent all weekend enjoying being together and playing around!

This year we have been very blessed. We have good jobs, a comfortable home, a healthy family and good kids. God has been very mindful of us and blessed us abundantly.

Our little wrestler

2010-11-08T14:31:00.002-07:00

William is wrestling this year at PVHS on their junior wrestling team. He is definitely still in the learning phase of things but enjoyed his first tournament this weekend. He won his second match and would have won his third if he didn't keep rolling himself on his back. He thought the whole thing was great and was such a fighter. Once he figures out how it all works, he has a lot of potential and is built for the sport.

Most Embarrassing Moment

2010-11-01T11:00:00.003-06:00

See this kid? He looks cute and innocent right? Well, on Sunday morning we went to church and sat with Charles and Erica who were visiting. The kids were being just normal kids and behaving for the most part. Matthew pulled out all the charms for this young couple that were sitting behind us, he was grinning and chattering at them for most of the meeting. Zack was sitting up on the stand as usual with the rest of the bishopric. We were sitting about midway from the front of the chapel.

Nothing was out of the ordinary until the last speaker got up and started giving his talk. I was on the end of the row, Matthew was in front of my legs playing with cars on a hymn book. I leaned over to ask Joshua to quit ripping the paper off all of the crayons, when Matthew escaped up to the stand were his dad was. I don't let my kids go wandering around during sacrament meeting! This is a big no no for us! Matthew wouldn't sit still on Zack's lap so Zack told him to go back and sit with Mommy. Matthew got down from Zack's lap and walks off the stand about 3 feet from the stairs. I ask him to come back and sit with me, where he says "no" and turns around to head back up the stairs...

His little pants start to fall down his little waste as he gets back up the stairs. He gets to the top of the stairs with his little bum facing everyone in the congregation. He bends over and pulls his pants down to his ankles. Basically mooning everyone with his diaper still on of course! The speaker laughs, as well as the rest of the congregation, and tells Zack he's got a little problem over here. Zack gets up and brings Matthew to me. We were both very embarrassed, I was at least as red as a tomato. I went out in the foyer with Matthew for the rest of the meeting! We had several people come up to us after the meeting thanking us for a good laugh!

Halloween Fun!

2010-11-01T10:45:00.004-06:00

Our Halloween was very busy this year! Charles and Erica came to visit and join in the festivities. The kids had a Halloween parade at school and class parties on Friday. Our ward and another who meet in our building had a trunk or treat in the church parking lot with chili and cornbread for everyone! The kids also went trick or treating on Saturday night in my grandparents' neighborhood. We got lots of loot, way too much candy to be a good thing! They all had fun dressing up and eating candy.

Zack was dressed as a pirate. Alisha is wearing a shirt with tattoo sleeves and funky hair. Katelyn was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and loved her ruby slippers. Erica put makeup on her so she was feeling pretty fancy! Taylor was complete with the whole Harry Potter get up! He is so excited for the next Harry Potter movie to come out. We read all the books this past summer. William was a valiant knight! Joshua was the thing from the Fantastic 4 (he calls it "the Rockman") and little Matthew was Elmo including the Elmo slippers!

We had a great Halloween how about you?

School Pictures 2010-2011

2010-10-28T16:20:00.003-06:00

The kids finally got all their school pictures back!

Katelyn 4th Grade

Taylor 2nd Grade

William Kindergarten

My kids have grown up so much this past year. All the school kids are loving school and their teachers!

Raptor Romp

2010-10-13T21:41:00.000-06:00

The kids participated in a school fundraiser where they wore their school shirts and each grade level participated in a dance. William was thrilled to be doing the Dinosaur dance this year as a kindergartner. Taylor did a dance using a hula hoop and was rather impressive, he didn't miss a beat. Katelyn's dance was a square dance. She was even partnered with a boy! They all did great! I had surgery early that morning but didn't want to disappoint the kids so I went and sat with all the parents watching my kids and loved their beaming faces!

Labor Day Weekend/Parker's Baby Blessing

2010-09-08T16:11:00.003-06:00

We traveled up to Provo for little Parker Benson Alvey's baby blessing this weekend. Zack's parents and siblings all got together for the special occasion. We stayed at Zack's grandpa Chuck's and Grandma Karla's home. They were very gracious hosts! We went to Temple Square, the splash pad at the Gateway Mall, Liberty Park and then finally got to meet the little guy down in Provo. Katelyn loved holding little Parker.

Sunday was a very busy day with the blessing, visiting and then a luncheon later in the afternoon. We also traveled back up to Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Karla's home where we continued visiting!

We continued visiting with family on Monday morning. Krystal, Kathy, Katelyn and I went shopping over at the Quilted Bear where we enjoyed browsing all over the store. Soon we had to head back to Grandma Benson's home. She fed us some lunch and then we were on our way back to St George. It was a fun visit. We'll have to see what we can do to get everyone to get together and let the little cousins get better acquainted!

William's riding a two wheeler!

2010-08-24T15:54:00.003-06:00

Our little man, William is riding a two wheeler! He wanted his training wheels fixed since one was bent up pretty badly but I told him we would just teach him to ride without them! He was pretty excited and couldn't sit still enough to eat his lunch because of it. I took him outside, removed the wheels and that was the end of him riding with training wheels. He just took off! William told me later that he had already tried it on Hailey's bike and figured it out! The little sneak! Next we'll teach him how to tie his own shoes but he may already have figured that out too. Who knows with this little man!?!

Our little nursery guy!

2010-08-22T17:03:00.003-06:00

This little man is now 18 months and being such is ready for nursery! There is a little problem though, he's scared too death! He clings on mommy and daddy every time we go to the door of the nursery. He cries without even being put on the floor to play in the nursery. The two sisters in the nursery are very nice. He's been babysat more than any of my other children by this age but still refuses going to nursery! We did bring him back in for snack time and let him eat a couple crackers but he was still hanging on me. I hope he gets use to the idea soon but we'll see. It took Taylor a couple months when he was a baby but the others were all for it. Any advice?

Swimming at Grandma's house

2010-08-17T11:41:00.003-06:00

My mom went in for surgery on her tailbone on Friday afternoon. It was a in and out kind of surgery but her recovery is around 6 months. When the doctor got in there he was surprised to see she was missing part and the tail bone was split in two going opposite directions! This should make her much more able as she has been dealing with it for a few years now. We went over to their house Saturday afternoon to see how she's coming along and then swim. She's on her way to a slow recovery but it should make her much more able later on. The kids loved swimming! Matthew is a little fishy, he loves the water!

Going to the Fair!

2010-08-17T11:14:00.003-06:00

We took the kids over to the county fair on Friday night to see what it was about. They had a family farm exhibit with all kinds of farm animals plus pony rides, cow milking and a little petting zoo area. The kids had a blast playing with all the animals. Taylor struggled a little after riding the pony as his allergies got the best of him but he was still a good sport!

We saw all the carnival rides and thought the kids were old enough to enjoy a few. They loved it! It sure is expensive to ride those rides but they were loving it!

First Day of School 2010

2010-08-11T11:50:00.003-06:00

I cannot believe we have started another year of school! Miss Katelyn is starting 4th grade, Taylor is in 2nd and William is thrilled to be starting kindergarten. We took a little tour of the school yesterday to meet teachers and find out where their classes are. They were so excited this morning! No need for alarm clocks on the first day, they complained that we weren't leaving at 7:30 this morning! William hasn't truly began school, it was just meeting his teacher and filling out forms today and tomorrow he'll go in for an assessment. It should be fun! He will officially start on the 18th, I don't think his nerves can handle the anticipation!

This should be a fun year!

Cousin Sleepover

2010-08-10T21:47:00.002-06:00

We invited our little cousins to spend the night before school starts. The kids had a blast and really made it a fun night! As you can see they played games, ran around outside, played dress up and watched a movie. I hope we are creating some lasting memories for them!