First Soccer Game!

Before-- Sweating in the afternoon heat with Erik

During-- That's her kicking the ball with the pigtail in the face

After-- Capri Sun's make everything better! Boy was she tired after that game!

Mikayla's First Day of Kindergarten!

Here is Mikayla early on this chilly morning looking tired as can be! She was so excited for school she had a hard time falling asleep last night and could barely even eat breakfast because she just wanted to get there!

She picked out this way cute outfit and her new Tinkerbell backpack on her own and I thought she looked so cute!

Trying out the monkey bars on the kindergarten playground.

Me with my baby girl. I can't believe she is 5 and is old enough for the "big kid school" now. I did really well just smiling and staying behind the camera, but have to admit I let a few tears leak out as she waved goodbye from the rug and blew me kiss and said, "See ya after school!" I knew she was perfectly fine and happy and we'll just blame the tears on pregnancy!

They gathered on the rug to talk about rules and she was a little unsure at this point about was quite going on. Mikayla and Daddy after a good day at school!

They had a Parent Breakfast in the morning at the cafeteria for all K parents. I think it was to get the parents to actually say goodbye to the little ones so they could start school more than anything, but nonetheless, we had breakfast and Megan was quite happy to run around and play with her buddy Brock.
After a great day at school, this is Mikayla and Erik "pose" for more pictures together!

Such funny little nuts. I love my big girl so much and hope she has a fabulous year of kindergarten. And I promise I won't cry tomorrow!

Pros and Cons...

Oh the difference 8 months makes.... This is me before teaching at the gym pre-preggo and this is me the other day before teaching at 30 weeks pregnant.

Pros/Cons of the belly:

Pro: I went all summer not having to suck in my belly once around the pool or having to care what I looked like in a swimsuit.

Con: Knowing how many months of HARD work it will take to fit back into any swimsuit.

Pro: Get to go on maternity leave from teaching at the gym to give my body a break.

Con: Having to stop/slow down exercising for a few months when I love it so much.

Pro: Getting to eat (just about) whatever I want for almost a year and not worrying much about a calorie or what's in the dessert.

Con: Working off the 30 lbs. of ice cream, pie, and cookies that I so enjoyed eating.

Pro: Getting to wear elastic band stretchy panel pants that are soooo comfortable.

Con: Packing up the size 4 jeans at 8 weeks pregnant for a year or more.... that was a sad day.

Pro: Feeling this sweet baby kick, twist, turn, and move about inside knowing I only get to feel her inside me for such a short span of our lives together.

Con: Not knowing if this is the last time to feel a baby kicking and sitting on my bladder and trying hard to remember the feeling for it will be gone much too soon.

I'm trying to stay positive while pregnant. I mean, really, I have it easy. I don't get sick, I don't get TOO uncomfortable, I don't have any complications or anything to worry about. I was having a hard time teaching aerobics this week with my balance being compromised and my stamina lessened and my body temperature raising much too quickly while teaching. I started being very wistful for the body I once had, which I of course was never completely happy with, and found myself planning out how quickly I can get back to the gym after birth to get back to where I want to be. But I made this list to hopefully help me realize that this is a short span of time in my life and to love and embrace the big belly--cuz when it's gone, it's gone... and I will truly miss it...

Mikayla's Hula Party

Mikayla had a hula party for her 5th birthday. Magaw made this hula girl the night before, cut her out of wood and painted her up, as is tradition!
Magaw taught the kids a fun hula dance to Beach Boys music and they used rthym sticks in the dance. So fun to watch!

Then they all did the Limbo!

Our family!

Mikayla and her friends.

The cake that I made, a Barbie hula girl. It was fun to make!

Blowin' out the candles! Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Boating, Tubing, and Beachside Playing

We went to Lake Englebright with the Astle's and the girls had a blast playing on the beach in the sand and water.

Me and my girls on the boat, they wanted to sit up in the very front and everytime we switched riders or slowed down she looked at me said, "Wanna go fas!" She loved having the wind in her hair!

Mikayla and Daddy tubing together, I had to sit it out this year... :(

Mikayla got brave enough to go on her own! That's Daddy and Megan on the left, Gavin in the middle, and Mikayla on the right! I was so proud of her! She loved it until she caught a few bumps and swung out wide away from the others, then it was time to sit in the boat again for her.

Seth, Trent, and Garret having "guy time" on the tubes, they were smashing into each right and left and trying to tip each other over. So fun to watch!

This is the two-story houseboat they rented for the week. Trent had to climb up on the roof with the others and jump in--I don't think I'd be doing that even un-pregnant! No thank you!

Start of Soccer Season

Mikayla had her first 2 practices this week! It is so fun to watch these 5 year olds try to dribble a ball without using their hands to stop it and I can't help but laugh when they kick the ball and land on their bums! It'll be a fun season!

Birthday Breakfast

When Mikayla woke up I asked her what she'd like for breakfast and told her I'd make anything she wanted. She chose name pancakes. It was funny to me because that's what she chose last year, of course with Mikayla and the number 4 and we upgraded to a 5 this year! Funny kid, anything you want for breakfast and this is what you choose?! :)

Happy Birthday Mikayla!

My baby turned 5 today! She came into my bed this morning and curled up next to me and said, "Mom, we need to go through my drawers and get rid of all my clothes, because I'm 5 now and they won't fit me anymore." As if she grew 5 inches overnight or something!

She came to me with an epiphany and said, "I don't have to hold my thumb down anymore when I show people how old I am!!" She was grinning ear to ear and so excited to have figured this out.

Later she said, "Mom, I bet your'e sad today. Because now that I'm 5 I'm getting too big to fit in your lap or have you hold me." No, my sweet girl. You will NEVER be too big for me to hold. I love you more everyday and that's a whole lot after 5 whole years.

She is starting kindergarten in a few weeks, started soccer today, learned how to ride a bike without training wheels this summer, go off a diving board all by herself and swim half the length of the pool. She plays well with her sister and friends and loves to hug and kiss my belly goodnight and tell the baby that she loves her. She can be headstrong and independent sometimes, and totally tender, sweet, loveable, and fun at others. I love my little Miss Mikayla Belle and am so glad she is a part of our family! Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Pioneer Trek 2009

We have been preparing for Trek for over 4 months. We were so excited to finally be able to go on our journey with our awesome "family." We pushed a handcart loaded with supplies, clothing, and sleeping bags all day long for 4 days covering over 25 miles. We grew closer to the kids in our family, to each other, and nearer to our Heavenly Father through the many wonderful, irreplaceable experiences we had. I had prepared myself physically for Trek by constantly working out at the gym and teaching my aerobics classes and had prepared myself spiritually as well. I knew I would grow physically stronger from the hike, but had NO IDEA how much stronger spiritually I would grow as we had testimony meetings, saw vignettes performed of true pioneer stories that made me cry every time and as we witnessed small miracles all along the trail that bolstered our faith and helped us go on.

Some wonder how I did it, being 7 months pregnant. I hiked all 6 1/2 miles the first day with no problem. The next day, after 8 miles I felt as if I had pushed myself to the limit and my joints and ligaments in my hips and groin were spreading and loosening and I could barely walk. I had to ask for a ride in a truck for that last mile of the day and it was hard for me to do. I cried and was so embarassed and ashamed that I couldn't do it on my own. As I reflected later, I realized it's okay to ask for help. It's okay that I can't do it on my own and my Heavenly Father wants me to come to Him in prayer and ask for the help to make up the difference. He is there to help lead, guide, and carry me to my destination time and time again until I arrive at the end and can hear Him say, "You've made it. THIS IS THIS PLACE." I learned so many small truths and lessons along this Trek and was able to recover enough that night to finish out the rest of the Trek walking with my family and for that I am grateful.
We arrived and loaded up our handcart with our 10 kids-5 girls and 5 boys- and our Auntie Jan.

They worked together to get down this steep hill and up the other side. I was so proud of the many accomplishments like this that they made along the way.

My good friend Kelsey and I, we teach together at the gym and have kids the same age, I'm so glad she was there to talk with and laugh with me.

Trent and I, or Ma and Pa Dudley as we were called. (The first day, note I still have my hair done and makeup on! There were no showers on Trek and I was crazy dirty--as in WAY dirtier than I could have even imagined!!)

Becca and I, the two Trek preggos. I'm 7 months and she's 8 months along. We were both Ma's and were both so excited that they still let us go "in our condition." We were forbidden from pushing or even touching the handcart, but climbing those hills and walking the 25+ miles was challenge enough!

Trent, Me, Captain Dave, and Auntie Jan. We LOVE the Smiths!! Oh my goodness, I don't know how we could've done it without them! Every two families had a captain assigned over them and we got the privilege of having Janalee as our "aunt" and her husband as our captain. We learned so much from watching them and talking with them and think they are amazing examples of parents(to 5 kids!) that we hope to be like someday.
At the homecoming! I was soooo excited to see the girls and my parents! We rolled the carts into the homecoming spot and I immediately had tears streaming down my face (for the 100th time that trip!) and was grateful to see my little girls.

Our pioneer family!

Mikayla with Daddy. It was a wonderful experience and I would gladly go again if given the opportunity. We made it through the sun, rain, wind, and even two hailstorms (I know! In August, in California?!?!) but it was such an amazingly enriching opportunity and one I feel very blessed to have been asked to participate.

The Preggo Belly

Here's me at 26 and 27 weeks. Am I really as big as people keep telling me I am? A few have asked when I'm due and when I say the end of October they say, "Oh wow, that's a ways away. You're big for still having a few months left." Yeah, well, what can I say?

I feel great, I'm still teaching several classes a week at the gym and going to a weight/strength training class and am leaving tomorrow for a 4 day, 28-mile handcart trek with 275 other people from our church. So if I don't make it back you'll have these to remember me by. lol :) But no, baby's growing well and kicking like crazy and my belly button's stretching out and all that fun stuff. Just thought I'd give an update!

Yea!!! Thank You Josh and Chloe!!!

For getting a puppy so we don't have to now!! Haha! Just kidding. The other day Uncle Josh and Aunt Chloe, who live next door, got a 9 wk. old puppy and named her Shasta. The girls love going over to play with Shasta each day and have brought her over to our yard a few times to "babysit" her.

Mikayla loves holding Shasta like a little baby and carrying her around. She is just such a cute puppy and the girls are so good with her, it's been a lot of fun!