The Tyler Six

Going, Going, Gone...

2012-01-27T20:52:00.002-07:00

For a year now Madison has requested a room makeover. I have been dreading the thought because of her beautiful wall my Mom and I painted about four years ago. Part of me was excited for the new task but part of me was quite sad to think that my little girl was no longer little and now a tween. So for her 12th birthday she got what she has been wishing for. A new room. Out with the mural and in with new bright, bold, colors.

So long horse and girl.

Hello Pink! That's right she wanted her girly colors to shine forth. She picked out the paint colors and I got to work. She wanted a bright pink wall and polka dots. She wanted a zebra print bedspread. And a big body pillow. We had so much fun picking out the colors and decorations for her room. The lamp is so cute. She has talked about wanting one since the time she saw one in her cousin Megan's room.

Madison also wanted a new dresser and vanity. The old vanity she had was my Great Grandmother's from Kansas. She wanted something small and fun. The bed came from her Aunt D. That was also my Great Grandmother's frame that came from the farm in Kansas.

The black wall was a surprise for her. It's chalkboard. She had no idea I was going to do that. If you know Madi you know she loves to doodle, and draw on everything. Her walls were so marked up that as I was painting I kept thinking that I needed to do something for her. I saw the board on the Today show and decided to try it. We have to let it cure for at least 3 days before we can use it. So I will get back to you on whether it was a good thing or not.

And Finally We Are Done! So cute, so fun, and so exciting. Happy 12th Birthday Madison! I LOVE YOU!

A Day To Remember

2011-09-10T22:59:00.005-06:00

Ten years ago we saw our world change. We saw those who sacrificed, those who ran in when others came out, those who fought, those who cried, those who mourned, and those who lost. I will never forget that day, and I knew then that my life; our life had changed. We knew immediately we would go to war. That anytime soon Chris would be called to duty. We knew at times we would not feel safe or secure.

At times I was hoping we could forget and never remember. I wanted to move on like nothing happened. I wanted to know things would be the same. You would be able to travel safely and not look at someone and question their true intent. You could go to the airport and walk up to the gate to welcome someone home. You could see someone of another religion or race and not question them. But that was not to happen.

This past week I have reflected a lot about that day and how we have changed. How I have changed. What has happened to our little family. What we went through to secure our city, state, and country. To know that Chris has left to fight for our freedoms. To take the war to them.

We new immediately that the little spirits waiting to come to our family would have to wait longer. I remember now why there is a big gap between Madison and Abigail. We wanted another child. I could feel her, hear her. I knew she was ready. Yet, on that day I didn't feel safe bringing antoher child into this world with such chaos and not knowing. Just not knowing.

Little did I know that Abigail would be my life saver. She got me through the lonely nights, the long days between calls from Chris. She took care of me and yet she wasn't even able to speak at the time.

Tonight as our family watched a beautiful documentary about a photographer who followed workers at Ground Zero days after the attack a reverence entered the house. The spirit was overwhelming. Preston and Madison were so young. So innocent. So pure. Abigail and Luke were still in Heaven waiting to come. They have heard us talk about 9/11 but I don't think they fully understood what happened until tonight and seeing the pictures and hearing the stories.

I hope they understand now why Chris left. Why he needed to serve. Why he needed to help those that couldn't help themselves. He didn't serve for gold, or oil, or for selfish reasons. He served because they brought the war to us. He serves because of the compassion he has for this country and the beautiful freedoms we have. He serves because of the love of his family. He serves because of the love of God.

May we never forget. May we remember those who died for us. Those that sacrificed on the planes, ground, and around the world. May their families feel the love and peace knowing they will be remembered.

So as we go through the day tomorrow may there be a reverence, and peace in knowing that yes things have changed, but they will never get our freedom, or break our spirits. That we as a family and a blessed country will do what we can to honor those who have fallen, honor those who have served and still serve.

Chris may you continue to know that what you are doing is right and that we will be next to you supporting you on.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

It came and went...

2011-08-23T10:01:00.002-06:00

Summer that is. It flew so quickly it's sad to see it go. I have enjoyed the kids so much. We had a great time going to Ohio, camping, playing in the muck and mud and just being a lazy summer.

So as they all go to school today; Preston in Junior High, with the hottest gym teacher; Maddie ruling the school; Abbie enjoying the new teacher; and Luke getting used to school lunch and a full day; I contemplate what to do.

There is so much I am excited to do. I can't wait to start painting. Starting with the laundry room. Slowly working my way around the house. It will take a while but I am excited. I can now go to the temple and not worry about picking someone up from kindergarten or pre-school. That's a first in over 8 years.

But mostly I am excited to find me again and do what I need to for my family. Here's to a great new school year and the new adventures.

P.S. Lala is Preston's gym teacher. I think it's awesome that my little Sis is teaching my child. Go here to learn about her adventure and how she got the most awesomest job! http://calebnlauren.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-10-20T19%3A22%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=3

15 Years and Counting

2011-06-21T10:36:00.002-06:00

June 20, 1996 was a special day. The day my new life started. The day I married my sweetheart. Chris and I have now been married for 15 years, we have 4 children, a dog, and a house. You would think it sounds like the typical American family. Yet, in these past few weeks I have learned we are not the typical family we are special. We have made it through challenges, heartache, trials and separations. (Not marital separation, but military.) If there were ever times where life would get rocky we would come closer together as husband and wife and endure the challenge. Life without Chris would be so hard. (I know I did it for 2 years.) I can't imagine my life without the father of my children being by my side.

So here's to Chris. The man who makes sure I am home with my children. The man who will come home from work late because he is picking the kids up from swim. The man who proudly puts on a white shirt and tie every Sunday and sets an examle for Preston. The man who treats me like a lady and let's Madison and Abigail see how they should be treated someday by their future spouse. The man who proudly wears his military uniform and loves our country so much that Luke knows what it means to be a true soldier. The man who laughs with me, cries with me, listens to me, but most importantly loves me.

Love You Chris more and more. May the next 15 years be as adventerous and funfilled and exciting as the last 15 have.

My Time

2011-02-26T22:38:00.005-07:00

As she peacefully lays there I could feel her slipping. I quietly tell her "Grandpa is here. He is waiting for you. You need to go and dance with him." No response, no smile, no tear, she grunts. I know she hears me. I tell her about the kids. I tell her to say "Hi" to Grandpa. I tell her about the things we did as kids. (D, I even tell her a little secret.) She grunts when it's something funny, but mostly she is just trying to breathe.

For three days I have lifted her, cleaned her, brushed, rubbed and layed with her. I help to dress her. Thinking of how life can play unfair at times. Wondering why? Why this way? Why not quickly? I realize then it was not for her, it was for me and my mom. I know that my mom could not do this alone. She needed me. She needed me to lift Grandma. She needed me to hold both their hands. She needed me to reassure her it was okay. She needed to hear that Grandpa was there. And he was.

So as she detoriates day by day I wonder. Will my time with her matter? Will she know I love her? Does she know she will be missed? Who is going to call me and say "Are you here yet?" As she waits on the front porch. Oh, how I will miss coming around the corner and see her sitting there. But I can't focus on that now. I have to be strong. I have to sit and listen to the nurse because Mom can't.

So tonight my time comes and as quickly it goes. I am laying there with her. Carrying on as if she is responding. Then silence and peace. The spirit quietly whispers, "You need to go now, you need to leave. Your time is done." The spirit is telling me my time is done. I need to leave the room and let my Mom sit with her Mother.

I can't leave the area. I go into the next room knowing what is happening. Knowing that her time here on earth is done. I quietly go into the room and see her. I know. I look over and it is 5:02. I quietly slip out go to the top of the stairs and say to Dad 5:02. He asks what do you mean? I again say 5:02 and go back to the room. I hear them come. As we circle around her I feel them.

She knows. She knows she is loved. She knows she will be missed. And she knows everything will be okay.

My time will never be forgotten. My time will be cherished. My time to show her the love she has always shown me.

"Love You More." I hear her in my mind. I will never forget my times she tells me that.

Got You!

2011-02-25T19:05:00.002-07:00

You guys are so easy to trick. Man, it wasn't Madison, she's grounded. She couldn't get on.
It was Me, Preston.So I got you!
(: (: (: Ha, ha, ha!

What needs to happen...

2011-02-24T17:30:00.001-07:00

Is that my mom needs to make more blogs. To me it would be nice.
Sincerly,
Madi

The Tyler Fish...

2011-02-13T21:21:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, 12 February 2011, Preston AND Madison participated in a swim meet in Hyrum, Utah at Mountain Crest High School. Sadly, both Aubrey and I forgot to grab the camera so we don't have any pictures from this meet. Preston competed in three races, and Madison competed in just one. Preston swam in the 50m Freestyle, Breaststroke, and Backstroke for the 11 & 12 year old boys. Madison swam in the 50m Backstroke for the 11 &12 year old girls. Both did very well. We are very pleased with how they did.

Preston posted 47.41 seconds in the 50m Breaststroke, 39.33 seconds in the 50m Freestyle, and 47.33 in the 50m Backstroke. All three times are personal bests for Preston.

Madison posted 1:31.23 in the 50m Backstroke. She swam her heart out and her arms moved just the way they were supposed to. Now she just needs to work on her kick. She did well for her first ever meet.

The next meet is coming up the first weekend in March and we expect Preston, Madison, and Abigail will all compete this time around. We also expect that Preston and Madison will improve their times and Abbie will swim beautifully in her first ever competition.

The Tyler Fish... will Luke be next? Stay tuned.

My Weekend and our Special Guest...

2011-01-10T11:17:00.005-07:00

My weekend consisted of puzzle making, donuts and the smell of coffee. I had such a wonderful time. It was a treat and honor for me to have our special guest come and stay. The kids were wonderful and Chris was very patient.

Friday my mom called and asked if Grandma could come and stay with us for the night. I was so excited I couldn't wait for Chris to get home so I could go and get her. There are many things my Grandma loves but her two faves are donuts and coffee. I knew where to get the donuts but not sure what to do about coffee. So we stopped at her favorite store and I ran in for the donuts. While there I decided to look in the coffee aisle and see if they had individual packets. Sure enough, Folgers her favorite, had a box of packets and I was excited. The smell of coffee brings back so many memories of our trips to Kansas. We always knew that when we arrived after a 15 hour car trip that Grandma would have dinner ready for us. It didn't matter how late we got there the mashed potatoes and fried chicken would still be warm and fresh. Sometimes I swear I could smell dinner all the way from Cimmaron. (About 20 miles away from Dodge City.) We would be so excited. My favorite though was waking up in the morning to the smell of bacon, eggs, and coffee. Even though I don't drink it I do love the smell. The memories I have had while visiting her I will always treasure.

Now it was my turn to host her. I wanted it to be the best. When I showed her the coffee she just laughed her little laugh and said "How did you know?" She's my Grandma and I will always know.

So off we were to my house. We pulled up and she immediately came in sat at the table and pulled out her puzzle. (Another of her loves.) She had been saving it because that is what we got her for Christmas. So she and I sat down Friday night to a puzzle and donuts.

Saturday I got up and fixed her coffee and got her a donut and away she went on the puzzle. It was so much fun. I have missed spending time with her and just talking. It was nice to have her stay with us. This past weekend is something I will treasure. Her and me with a box of donuts and a new puzzle.

She has taught me the tricks of cooking along with my mother. She has given me a love for reading. She is patient and very observant. She cares for anyone she can. For the last 5 years she has knitted hats for my children and all their classmates at school. I figure she has made about 500 hundred hats for neighbors, friends, family, and anyone else she can think of. She has taught me about compassion and love for others. I always enjoy the times we get to chat and be together and this weekend couldn't have been better. Love You Grandma. (Love you more.)

Firsts

2010-12-22T17:19:00.004-07:00

I thought that once the kids were older and in school most of our firsts would not be as frequent. I know that we will have a first license, Preston; our first teen accident, Madi; first date again, Madi; first wedding of kids again, Madi; first to graduate school, Preston. But I never thought I would have so many firsts in a short amount of time at this stage in their lives. So let me begin.

Preston had his second swim meet in Salt lake. See below. The next week at practice his coach handed him a ribbon for first place. That's right he took first in the freestyle! Awesome! He not only took first he beat all the kids his age range who have been swimming for a very long time and it was only his second meet. It was also his first swim where his goggles stayed on. SO there are two firsts for him.

Madison and Abigail. It was their first to go to a concert. Mac Christensen the President of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir asked my Dad if he wanted tickets to the Christmas concert. The one with David Archuletta. The one everyone was trying to apply for tickets. So my Dad told him that Chris was flying in that night from Afghanistan. Mac said not a problem I will send you six for him. (This was before people even found out if they had tickets back in October. And no I didn't apply for tickets. That's another story.) SO anyways last thursday Dec. 16 we went to Salt Lake with Abbie, Mads, my mom, my sis Lala, and Chris. It was also Abbie's first time at the Conference center.

Luke's first was actually two in one. He lost not only his first tooth but his second tooth thanks to Dr. D. They gased him up and pulled away. The toothfairy brought him $4 bucks. Thanks to Aunt D. she has instilled in the kids that when your tooth is pulled by the Dentist you get pain and suffering. I can't wait for Sammie's first tooth to fall out. It was also Luke's first to outspell Abigail. That's right, the kid who refuses to say the alphabet and refuses to read because I read him stories at night out spelled his smarter 2nd grade sister who is at a 5th grade reading level and taught herself to read before she was out of pre-school.
SO here is how it went down. The boys are huge BYU fans. One day we were all in the van talking when they saw a dreaded U sticker. They started talking about how wonderful the Y is and they will go there because their Grandpa did. When all of the sudden Abbie pipes up and says:
"How do you spell BYU?" (Chris and I were Totally stunned that she said that. I thought she was having a Lala moment.)
She was dead serious.
Luke responded by saying "B-Y-U! Duh!"
His first time out spelling his big sis. Way to go!

Swim meet

2010-12-11T18:46:00.006-07:00

Saturday was a great day! Preston had a swim meet in Salt Lake at Cottonwood High School. I was amazed that at 7am he was up and ready for the day. So excited to go and race. He has really enjoyed being in a swim club.
A lot of the swim meet consists of sitting and waiting around. He competes in 3 strokes. Breast, back and freestyle. He does an amazing job. His coaches are surprised at how skilled he is at the breast stroke.

All three of the kids were such troopers. They were very well behaved for having to get up early on a Saturday.

Preston is so ready for this.

He did a beautiful job. He was in 4th place at the wall. He then turned and kicked off and glided ahead of everyone.

He took 1st place for his heat. It was awesome! I am so proud of him and his accomplishments he has made.

Thanks Mom and Dad for coming and waiting with us. Mom thanks for the pics.

Disney!

2010-12-08T12:25:00.012-07:00

We made it! Finally, after a year of feeling guilt, sadness and failure. I helped Abigail finally fullfill a dream. A week after Chris came home we went on our celebratory trip to California. Five days of parks, walking, sightseeing, climbing, riding, eating, shopping, and more walking. Very exhausting but very rewarding. And the very first thing we did was for Abigail. A year ago we missed her most favorite character at Disney. (Mom was in a rush to see everything and bypassed this place.) So here is to Abbie and her favorite cartoon.

The excitement is building. She can hardly stand it. For a year everytime we talked about our trip Abbie would remind me of who we didn't see.

Tinkerbell! That's right Abbie finally met her and loved every minute of it. That was the first time I have seen her this speechless. I don't think she even giggled.

She loved every minute of this precious moment. So here's to Abbie and her hero. Way to go girls.

Abigail also had the chance to duel with Darth Vader. She had the force. Again, all 4 kids were picked to train as Jedis. It was awesome. I so loved that they were all picked. Abbie, was picked as the the special Jedi in training to fight Vader and knock him down. The Master couldn't get her to stop giggling long enough to knock over the troopers. She had the whole crowd laughing. It was great. If you look at the pic above you can see the clone troopers falling back as she uses the force.

What great parents we are. One of my favorite rides is Splash Mountain. I love long log rides. We made all the kids go on this ride. If you know anything about our kids it is that Prest hates rides. IF it goes higher than about 15 feet he won't go near it. Well, our luck is that has rubbed off onto fearless Lukers. He was at one point fearless, and now with the great influence of big brother he has no desire to go on "BIG" rides. He squeezed the life out of my arms on this ride as he clung to me. At the end Chris got this great pic of him. I am sorry but it was well worth it.

This is the first family trip that I actually let Chris take pics of me and not erase them. I have thrown a few in. Finally getting over the feeling of ugly pics. Might as well enjoy life and have some proof for years to come.

The girls chillin' with Chris. They kept him busy. It was great to be with him.

Toontown is one of our favorite places to goof off! The only problem was they couldn't keep us in jail.

Mickey Mouse's house. It is so much fun. They have done an amazing job with his house. It is a neat place to explore.

No explanation needed. At least I hope.

Oh yeah! Who's the tough one?! Obviously me. Wait...

Preston cheated. You can't use fingers.

The girls are in Heaven!

Still the strongest. Sorry Chris.

Luke could not get enough of Mickey and his house. He was lovin' the place. I really think he would live there if he could and if they had nintendo.

Preston needs some practice.

I think that Luke got to see Mickey 3 times and was still asking to see him again. He had so much fun. So while the girls and Chris were riding big rides I took the boys to see him again, and again, and well anyways you get the picture. Actually you see the picture.

Disneyland really is the place where Dreams do Come TRUE! Madi is the one child that has had a hard time growing up. She would still play dress up if we could find outfits her sizes. So there we were at the princess shop and sure enough we found a Cinderella dress her size. She couldn't hardly stand it. Madi had it on before we could even pay for it. She could not stop smiling. She then was able to meet her favorite character. Perfect ending to a good day. Love ya Mads!

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes...

2010-11-11T21:53:00.002-07:00

When you are fast asleep.
So after a year of doing laundry alone, eating dinner alone, laying in bed alone, running kids all over kingdom come alone, going to church alone and so much more I have finally woken up to a wonderful morning. Chris arrived home October 30 at 11:45ish pm. We missed trick-or-treating with him but the kids could have cared less.
One week later Chris was able to baptize Abbie. She was so excited that she literally came out of the water giggling. It was the sweetest thing I have ever seen or heard. She made everyone in the room laugh. What a sweet spirit she is. Thanks to all the family who participated and helped make her day. Thank you, Oma for coming down just for the occasion. I know it was a quick trip but I am so glad you came. Amy, thank you for the gift. I know you wanted to be there and you were in spirit. Thank you D. and Mom for participating in her program.
The next morning we left for our family vacation. What a fun trip it has been. Pictures are to come but we brought the wrong cables and unfortunately are unable to download any right now. We left Sunday trying to miss the snow storm Utah was to recieve and I am glad we did leave when we did. Monday we went to Disneyland and what a time we had. First thing we did was see Tinkerbell. For a year all Abbie could talk about was how we missed her and she never got to see her. For once, she didn't know what to say. It was the best. We could have ended the trip there for her and she wouldn't have minded. We then went to the Jedi training where again all 4 kids were picked. More to come on that. Tuesday we went to California Adventure. All I have to say is fun and again no crowds; although there are a couple of rides where the lines were long due to popularity. We still had a wonderful time. Wednesday we did a mix of both parks and what a time we had. Crowds were thicker in Disney that day but for the most part we still didn't have to wait too long. Luke was even able to see Mickey for the 3rd time and not wait long. He was lovin' life.
Today was the most exhausting. After 3 days of Disney we went to legoland. It was crazy. The park was packed. Lines for some rides were 2 hours long. (We skipped those rides.) The kids had a great time but waiting in line was hard, especially after not having to earlier in the week. Apparently California celebrates Veterans Day. No school=Legoland for those kids. The kids had a good time. They have been troopers and it has been great. Tomorrow Sea World. Can't wait to see Shamu. It is a fun place.
We have had a great time and are enjoying our time with Chris and just being able to get reacquainted with him.
And for all those who have or will serve this great country of ours THANK YOU and GOD BLESS!

Happy Birthday Wacky Luke

2010-10-21T08:16:00.002-06:00

Today is Luke's 6th Birthday. He has been counting down for days. He may not know the date but he knows today is important. He is so excited.

Luke looks at life through imaginery glasses. He is always on an adventure. Finding something new to experience.

Luke always has the biggest grin on his face.

Luke loves to play. He will always find something to entertain him. His goal is to make everyone around him laugh and feel loved. He is happy, excited, kind, loving, caring, and anything else positive. He has been my bud and a great trooper through life. If it's not fun he is not interested. Just ask him what he does at school. His reply, "we sat, we just sat, we just sat some more." He makes life interesting and fun.

Today was "wacky hat" day at school. He was so excited because he could wear the "Birthday" hat.

Happy Birthday Luke! We love you.

Coming Soon...

2010-10-05T13:28:00.002-06:00

It's October and you know what that means. Less than a month for my wonderful husband to be home. Can't wait and can't last much longer without him. It has been a wonderfully long year of highs, lows and many-in-betweens. Life has been good. We have accomplished a lot this year. I would not have been able to do it without the help of Heavenly Father and awesome family and friends. THANK YOU! You know who you are. Love you all.

I never thought...

2010-09-11T20:16:00.010-06:00

I never thought that I would have four kids. I never thought I would not be a nurse by now. I never thought that life could get any busier. I never thought that I would cherish my Saturdays so much. And I certainly never thought I would be a soccer mom, let alone coach two teams. That's right not only have we dived into soccer this fall, but I am coaching Luke and Abigail's teams. It has been a crazy whirlwind of running around, driving all over, and running some more. I have no clue as to what I am doing. Things are crazy. Not only are Luke and Abigail playing, but Madison watched their first game and decided she wanted to play. All three play at three different fields on different sides of town. I would not be able to do it without the help of my family. Mike who lives, and breathes soccer is the true coach. When Luke found out I was coaching he called Mike and asked him if he would help. It has been great to spend Saturdays with the Coil Fam.

As you can see the Tyler kids with the Great Coach.

Mike showing the girls what to do and how to play. Me trying to look like I know what I am doing.

Abigail looking hot in Lemon.

She had to leave the middle of the game and run over to give Grandma a big hug.

I love this shot. It reminds me of Lala and her soccer days. I always had fun going and watching her play, whether it was in Logan or south of Salt Lake. Thanks for the memories.

Abigail hustling for the ball.

Listening to the expert.

She was not afraid.

She has a great leg on her. She had some wonderful kicks. I have not seen her more excited to participate in anything else. It has been so much fun.

Thanks for the shot Erin. Next time crop out the wanna be coach. Love ya!

Luke was all about bunch ball and running with boys.

He was taking it all in.

Those boys were so much fun. They are a great joy to watch.

There I am again trying to look like I know what I am doing. Thank goodness Mike is there to save my hide.

Overall, it has been a blast. My family has been there from the beginning. Mike has been great to help with practices, and games. Erin and the girls have sacrificed their precious saturday time with Mike so he can help his big sis. Lauren has been awesome to help with games when Mike can't, and my parents who thought their days of driving kids to and from games were over have just begun again. Thank you all of you for your love, support and cheering. I never thought I would love being a SOCCER MOM!

GO BLUE LIGHTNING!

GO LEMONATORS!

What a blast!

2010-09-11T05:04:00.000-06:00

So, the other day Lieutenant Danek and I went to the otherside of the airfield to check on the progress of our new mail processing facility, the Regional Mail Distribution Center (RMDC), and also to check on the guys sorting mail at the temporary RMDC. This is nothing new, we go out there nearly every day. This particular day there had been a number of what are called "controlled detonations". This is when the demolition guys blow stuff up in a controlled situation. On our way back there was an announcement of a "controlled detonation (det) in one minute." Okay, no big deal they'd been doing them all day long. We had just gone over a speed bump (there's a speed bump every 50 yards or so, but that's a different story all together) and were approaching the rifle and pistol range, where we practice shooting our weapons, when the controlled det went off. BOOM! Apparently, and we did not know this before, the detonation area is right next to the range. We were less than fifty meters away from the explosion. HOLY CRAP! Next thing I know there are rocks raining down around us and our hearts our pounding in our chests. That was a little too close for comfort. Fortunately, the detonation area is surrounded by 20 foot walls so the blast concussion is channelled upward instead of out. Now we know where not to be when they announce controlled dets in the future.

When Uncle Caleb is bored...

2010-09-08T21:44:00.002-06:00

Chris and I went to the temple one night while he was visiting. The kids went to my parents house. Caleb was there and he was bored and decided to do a little art project. And this is what we came home to...

Luke loved it. He was Ang the Last Airbender. It was a hit. Thanks Caleb for making great memories with the kids. We love and cherish you very much.

The Back and Forth of it all...

2010-09-07T07:19:00.000-06:00

In early August I was assigned to travel to another FOB to fix the problems they were having. I was anticipating only staying on ground for two or three weeks, but was later directed to stay longer. No problem, however, I have been back and forth to Bagram because of issues there that had to be resolved as well.

I am pleased to say that for the most part the problems that needed fixing are mostly fixed. I can't take too much of the credit, even though I had a hand in it, it wasn't really all that hard to fix. It simply took a little effort to go out and talk to the right people. Amazing what a little communication, friendly communication, can do to fix things. My thanks and appreciation go out to the soldiers who work for me that were able to take what we were given and make it successful. We came up with a plan and they put it into play and everything is running so much smoother than before. The Lord has blessed to be successful.

Soon I will be heading home, not just back to Bagram, but home to Utah to be with my wonderful family who have loved and supported me. They give me hope and joy and Aubrey is truly an inspiration. She has rarely complained and has shown tremendous strength during this challenging time. I am blessed to have her as my eternal companion.

The Hardest Part Is...

2010-08-28T07:22:00.000-06:00

... waking up in the morning knowing that I am alone in my room and my eternal companion is not there with me.

... not being able to stand in the doorways to my kids' rooms and watch them sleeping.

... knowing that my kids have all started school, except Luke as he starts next week, and I couldn't be there to give them a father's blessing.

... missing out on all the little things and sometimes the big things my family has done while I've been away.

... not being able to hold Aubrey, Preston, Madison, Abigail, and Luke in my arms and just hug them.

... that time doesn't seem to be going as fast as I would like.

... my wardrobe is pretty much the same day in and day out (just kidding, I mean it is but it's not really a big deal).

Everything else doesn't really matter. I mean if you don't have family, a solid, strong family, you don't really have anything.

Seriously...

2010-08-06T21:46:00.002-06:00

...it has been a while. So here I go. So much has happened in fact too much has happened lately that I just have not been myself. I am in a funk, and it stunk. So now I have to pick myself back up and get on with life. Time has flown and I just haven't had the heart or energy to do anything about blogging. Life is funny sometimes. When I am with everyone things are good, especially when we aren't home, and then when the silence falls and I begin to think of all that is going on it gets hard. I don't know how to express my feelings. I don't know what to say. It has been a struggle. Life has been good and I have had a lot of great family who have been here for me. I know they are doing all they can to help me and the kids. No matter what it sucks to think Chris isn't here and I feel truly empty. I know Heavenly Father is with me and my loved ones have been here but still it is not the same unless Chris is here. I think the hardest part of it all is that I can't just call and say, "Hey Guess What?" I think I have talked to my Dad more in the last few months than ever before. Thanks for lending your ear, helping with advice and just taking a lunch break to help in the yard. Love Ya!

Since my last post school has ended, we spent the first week with Andy, Shay and their kids. It was great. The whole family went to Heber Valley Girls Camp and it was one of the funnest camping trips I have experienced. Chris celebrated Father's Day and our anniversary on the same Sunday and then his birthday a few days later. We have dragged Lala all over Lagoon. Chris came home for two splendid weeks. Preston turned 12 and was ordained by him. My parents kidnapped me and the kids and we finally floated the Madison River. (Madison's name sake.) Preston left for scout camp. That is right he was gone one whole week and I think I was the one who got homesick for him. It stunk, (I don't know what I'll do when he is on his mission.)but I was very excited, happy, and ready to see him go be off on his own. Even if it was for a week. My birthday was good. Dani took me and the kids to lunch. It was great to just hang out with her and be with the kids. I admire her for the job she is doing as a mother. I love Coil birthdays. We always seem to drag them out for a week or so. August is now here and summer is almost over and my bud will be gone for half a day. I am so happy for him, so sad for me. Mike and Erin have announced they are having another baby. What a miracle this cute family has experienced with each child. I am so happy for them. I have a triathlon in a week and am ready for the race. Praying I remember to unclip my shoes. Yeah it sucks to fall. At least this time the only one that saw me was my biking partner. She got a good laugh. I don't know where the graceful gene went but it seems that us girls just can't seem to do anything without getting some bruises. After the race we are heading to Montana for one last trip. I am so excited. It is exactly what I need before school starts and Chris gets home. If Chris ever had the option of moving north I would do it in a heartbeat. How peaceful it is. I feel so close to my Heavenly Father there. The beauty is too much for words. (Pictures will be posted soon.)Hopefully by Halloween we will all be together again.

That about sums it up. Between Chris being home, then heading back and going to lagoon it has been a very fast summer. Almost too fast. For now all I can do is take it one day at a time and enjoy the children that have been gifted to me. Life is good.

The Wonderful Witches of Oz...

2010-05-26T21:17:00.003-06:00

...starring Madison Joy and Abigail Brooklynn.
For the last 9 months I have been faitfully running the girls to play practice on Thursdays. Well tonight was the grand payoff for all the running around. I am so proud of the girls and the hard work they have put into this play.

Madison did an awesome job as the crow. She was hilarious. I was so proud of how well she spoke into the mike and how she said her lines so clearly. She was about the only crow that got the crowd to laugh. (That was because everyone could understand her.) Way to caw-caw Madi.

Munchkin Mayor starring Abigail. She did an awesome job. She had a lot of lines and new everyone of them. She was perfect. I am so proud of her. She told me tonight as I was tucking her in bed how proud she was of herself because she got her first trophy. I was proud of her for how cute she was on the stage.

It was so much fun. I loved going there and watching them perform.

I can't wait for next year. What fun it is going to be. I love you Madison, and Abigail. Bravo, Bravo!

Lukee's a graduate

2010-05-18T18:44:00.002-06:00

Dad and my Brothers!

2010-04-15T13:02:00.004-06:00

So last week was a crazy week. I had my first 5k of the summer. I thought the race was at 9am and my dad said he would be up that morning to take care of the kids. I told him not to worry. Later found out the race was at 8am and I forgot to tell Dad. I didn't he think he would be to my place before the race and I could call him when done and tell him not to worry about coming up. My back started to vibrate right before we started. It was my Dad calling to say he had brought the kids breakfast and they were all eating McDonald's. He spent the day with us. He folded my laundry and cleaned the kitchen. Seriously, I don't think I ever remember him folding laundry let alone kids laundry. My mom was very good about it and had us kids fold it before he got home. It was fun to watch him with the kids.

We were going to fly kites but there was no wind. He said he would come up if there was wind on Sunday and we could fly kites. So Sunday morning on our way to church the wind was going nuts. You had to hold your dress down to keep from flashing everyone in the parking lot. The kids were so excited because that meant that Grandpa would come and fly kites. We called him and he came. Of course, with our luck by the time he got here there was no wind. Nothing, notta, zilch. Seriously, what is up with that? Ever since I have lived this far west we have never had a problem with wind. Usually it doesn't stop. The kids were bummed but Grandpa stayed. As I was getting dinner ready Preston was on one his big brother trips. He would not stop with teasing Madi. He so knows how to push her buttons. (Check out her blog and you will know what I mean.) So I am in the kitchen trying to get dinner done and yelling at Prest to stop. My Dad comes in and yells "Andy, stop..." I start to laugh at him and say "Didn't you mean Preston?" He looks at me and realizes what he said. It was so funny. The days I grew up with brothers was always an interesting adventure. Andy knew how to push my buttons, and Mike was right there. It was great. The three of us were best buds growing up. Thanks for letting me tag a long with you guys. (I was too much of a tomboy and couldn't stand the girl stuff. I always wanted to be out and exploring, not doing hair and make-up like the rest of the girls.)
Since that incident I have thought a lot about Andy and Mike. Through the years we dished it out to each other but we also took care of each other. Any time they had a bully issue the bigger sister would step up and take care of it. Kids learned not to mess with Andy and Mike because that meant Aubrey would come and fix their problem. We had great times staying up late playing games, watching movies or just hanging out. When Chris and I were first married Andy and Mike would show up at our apartment with their friends and play nintendo all night. There were nights I would get home from the ER or fire station and all the boys would be playing games. I would go to bed and the next morning they would all be sacked out. We had many adventures as siblings and I hope that my kids have that also. Growing up I was always the nurse, patient, or bad guy. They never would play barbies with me.
Andy has done everything he has wanted too in life. He is an emergency room doctor, a returned missionary, but most importantly a father and husband. He has always been good with kids and a great example to me in how to be patient and loving to children. Andy thanks for the late night calls letting me know how your night went with patients. Thank you for the chats. I know your time is precious and when you take time to check on me that means a lot.
Mike has had a great life. Through serving a spanish speaking mission he was able to get a job as a police officer. (About 80% arrested are illegals that didn't speak English.) He worked in a horrible environment, but through the academy he was able to revisit his mission field and check up on a gorgeous young woman. He called me the first night he saw her and I told him he was going too marry her. Sure enough he did. He has been amazing. I love the calls and visits. He has taken Preston under his wing. He checks on my regularly and offers his time off to come up and help me out. He doesn't have much time and sometimes I know it is out of his way but he has never complained. Thanks for your love and time.

Dad, this wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for you and Mom. You always taught us that family was first. You taught us to love each other, but I think most importantly you taught us to be friends. I know I wouldn't have the realtionships I do with them if it wasn't for the friendships we developed with each other growing up. Thank You for the love and lessons of life.

Serving in Afghanistan

2010-03-20T03:37:00.000-06:00

Greetings one and all. I often think about posting on the blog, but then find myself at a loss of what to say. My days are often the same and so to me it doesn't seem exciting. More often than not I am dealing with people who for whatever reason have decided they want to try and mail home contraband items. Most of the time it's not a big deal, but every once in a while it is because of the nature of the item, or if there was obvious intent to bypass the system of checks and balances we have in place. First, every piece of personal mail is subject to an open parcel inspection, as are most business or military unit related parcels. Unfortunately, some things get by the inspectors for any number of reasons I won't elaborate on. Second, every piece of mail that leaves theater is subject to x-ray examination. If it's in the box or package and shouldn't be we will find it. If we find something on the x-ray then we open the parcel, search for and remove the contraband item, and then reseal the package with a memorandum explaining to the addressee why the box was opened. Sometimes I have to involve law enforcement because of the nature of the items I find. As you can imagine bringing law enforcement into the picture always complicates things.

Thankfully, most days don't involve such instances but all too many do. I hope everyone is well that reads this. I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Chris

He's a hero...

2010-03-19T21:22:00.003-06:00

(This post is from Aubrey's mom, because she will never take credit for all the good things she does)

He's a hero...

...to me too.

Preston, that is, is a hero to me. He was the one of 800 children in his elementary school chosen to speak at the Freedom Assembly on his hero, his dad, Chris. He spoke of his dad being his hero and that his mom is a hero too. It was a beautiful reminder of what this country is made of...heroes like Chris, Aubrey...and Preston.

...and Preston's grandpa is a hero too, for taking him aside and praying with him that Preston would have courage to stand before a VERY large audience and not be afraid. Preston said it worked, that it made him feel so much better. Thank you Matthew for being Preston's hero today too.

Dualing...

2010-03-19T20:47:00.002-06:00

...all the way to St. George and back

Feeling it in the end! But I did it.

2010-02-27T21:48:00.002-07:00

Today was a glorious day. For those that don't know I accomplished a duathlon today. it consists of run/bike/run. I hate running so this was a challenge. I love biking and swimming. The race was in Tuacahn in southern Utah. Absolutley gorgeous.
Yesterday I left and had Madi, Abbie, Luke, and Mom with me. Preston stayed behind to go ice fishing with Uncle Mike. I think I would rather run than freeze. Anyways it took about 4 1/2 hours to get to St. George. We then went to check in for the race. I saw the map and decided to drive it to get a feel for it. Let's just say I was not excited and thinking what have I done. Lots of hills and 2 different canyons.
So this morning I got up and loaded up the bike, took my friend who came down for the race and we headed off. Mom decided to stay back with the kids because I was thinking it would take 2 hours with all the hills. We got there in time to see that it was not going to be crowded and that it would be a very relaxed environment.
They gathered the crowd explained the rules and then we were off. First was the 1.5 mile run. I accomplished that in 14 minutes 30 seconds. Very proud considering you run part way down a canyon and then run back up. Then got on the bike and was off down the canyon. This time all the way down, went through town then headed back to the canyon. Get to the road and it forks and you go up another canyon. Imagine a steep climb for over 2 miles. That's right uphill. I just put my head down and pedaled. Where I train is mostly flat so it was a good ride. (I am thankful however because about a month and a half ago I bought an exercise bike so that I wouldn't get any flats 10 miles away from home and have stranded kids. It really helped me for the race.) Coming down was the fun part. I didn't have to pedal. I just let my bike take me and my legs were able to recover. I figure I was going about 30mph down. It was freaky fun. After coming down you then make a quick right and go back up the other canyon to the transition. Problem is I missed the right and kept going. About a hundred feet after I realized what I did and had to turn around. Totally stinks. Oh well, at least I didn't fall. Then made it back up the canyon in all took me about 50 minutes to bike 12 miles. Wish the time was better but at least I wasn't last. I kept having dreams about that and a very hungry mountain lion attacking. Then comes the fun part. I got to run; again. Yeah! (sarcasm) This time it took about 18 minutes. At least I ran the whole time. I didn't stop. So proud. Close to the finish you have a big hill then dip and then another big hill and at the top is the finish. My mind kept saying, "There it is, see the finish," but my legs were saying, "Are you crazy! What are you thinking?! Just stop!" I tried to sprint to the end and thought I was then realized I was going in slow motion. Still running though. You know those dreams or on cartoons where you are running fast but the place you want to get to is getting further away? Well that is what I experienced today. BUT I DID IT!

So in all it took 1 hour 22 minutes and 7 seconds. Awesome! I am so proud because I really did want to come in under an hour and a half.
Just one side note. Mom and kids didn't make it to the race so I have no pics. I know; I can't believe I went somewhere with Mom and no pics to prove it. I do however ache in the end so that is my proof I accomplished my goal for the month. I also did it beacause time goes by when I am training for a race, which in the end means we are closer to Chris being home.

Overall, the best and funnest race I have ever done. I can't wait until next year. I have decided this is a new Tyler Family tradition. Even though I maybe the only one doing it. Who cares? It was worth it!

A Mother's Love

2010-02-21T12:54:00.003-07:00

I have been touched many times in my life by people I may have only met once or by someone I have never met. When I was 8 months pregnant with Preston I was working the ER one Sunday morning. Paramedics called and said they were coming in hot with a full arrest. They then said it was an 11 month old boy. It was all I could do to work. The nurses saw my face and got me busy doing other tasks. They came and pronounced the death of this beautiful boy. How he died is another story. I was always touched by the Love his Mother had. I will never forget this beautiful boy or his mother's grief. She had a love only a mother could. I was beginning to understand because I was 1 month away from giving birth to a beautiful baby who may or may not live. We all know that outcome.

Two years ago while Chris was in California for training his Mother called me to let us know that little Tabitha had passed away. So heartbreaking. Chris' brother Matt had lost his precious 3 month old to sids.

This past week another beautiful child returned to our Father in Heaven. Chris' cousin Heidi had a baby the day Grandpa Young died. The family considered him a gift from Heaven. So when this beautiful child passed it was a shock. He was 10 weeks old and beautiful, healthy, happy and oh so loved. His mother knew the minute she walked into the room he was gone. She had felt his spirit, felt love, and peace. Even though she knew he was gone she still tried CPR. She later stated that she didn't know why she did it because she knew he wasn't coming back. I know why she did. A mother's love.

A mother's love is something that no one can take from you. It is a love that not everyone gets to experience. It is a gift from GOD. With a mother's love you will sacrifice, you will give up your wants and needs for theirs. As my heartaches for these mothers I hope that they have or will find peace to carry on only the way a mother could for the love of their lost child.

Pictures

2010-02-05T11:33:00.005-07:00

Chris out on tour. About once a month he goes around and inspects other posts offices. He has been safe so far.

Happy Birthday MOM!

2010-01-22T22:47:00.003-07:00

I would post a pic of my wonderful mom but since she takes most of them and I don't have all my pics on the computer yet, I don't have one. So let me just tell you about my mom.
Two weeks ago I had a melt down. Things were breaking, hadn't heard from Chris and finally just hit the wall. I didn't tell anyone what was going on, but as soon as I heard her voice on the phone I broke down. It's funny, I am married have 4 kids and when stuff hits the fan I can put on a good face but as soon as I hear her voice I loose it. She said she was getting off work and coming up. I told her not too. She still came. Took care of the kids, helped around the house, and saved my day. That is the kind of mom I have. She has always put me first and not just me but the whole family. She will do whatever it takes for us to be happy in life. She has always served others. I remember many dinners where she was making way too much. We would ask why and her response was that someone in the ward just had surgery, or were sick, or had a baby. Sometimes she did it because she was guided by the spirit. She has always been guided by the spirit. Her life is centered around Christ; therefore around us; her family.
So here is to my MOM. The woman who gave birth to me, who raised me, who loved me unconditionally, who will do whatever it takes to make sure I am well cared for, who loves my family, who loves to laugh, who loves to be with the family, who includes everyone, who has a testimony and lives it daily. She doesn't teach it; she does it. I love you MOM! I am thankful for you and I am very blessed to have you.
Love Me

Happy Birthday Madison!

2010-01-21T14:09:00.010-07:00

Happy Birthday Madison! I love you soo much. I can't believe it has been 10 years since you came into my life. You have been a great Joy! You are loved very much by everyone. It has been an awesome experience to be your mother. I have loved watching you grow over the years. You have become such a beautiful young woman.
For Madison's birthday she was able to take three friends to the spa for a massage. We have been so blessed in the new neighborhood, because she has been able to make many friends. She had Brooklyn, Ashlyn, and Jordan come with her. They had a blast.

She was in heaven. They had so much fun. What a great day it was.

Emry, and Abigail tagged along. They all walked out feeling like Princesses. It was so fun to watch them. I can't believe that she is moving on to bigger and better things in life.

Happy Birthday Madi. I love you soo much. You are kind, gentle, compassionate, loving, huggable, cuddly, accomplish what you put your mind to, sweet, happy, sincere, and most importantly loved by everyone. You will be able to be who want, do what you want, and achieve any task you wish. I love you dearly.

May you continue to endure to the end and accomplish that which has been placed before you at this time in your life. We are blessed to have you in our family.

Love,

Dad, Mom, Preston, Abigail, and Luke

Finally...

2010-01-08T09:37:00.002-07:00

After four weeks of using someone else computers, in-laws, parents and sis I am back. It feels so good to be connected again. I love it. So here is the update.
On December 7 Chris' Grandpa Young passed away. It was good. He was surrounded by his family in his home just the way he wanted it. His funeral was on December 14, and was peaceful and very well attended by family and friends. Chris' mother Kathy stayed with me and the kids. We had an enjoyable time with her.
December 22, I went to a bread making class by my cousin. She runs a fun website www.breadmadeeasy.com (Plug for ya Linds.) It was fun. The only time I have ever made bread by hand without a machine was when I was in High School and it was homework. But this bread is the yummiest. I finally made my first loaf this past week and the kids have told me to just make bread and quit buying it. I think I will. I think I will make cinnamon rolls today. Something that isn't out of a can. That just doesn't seem normal anymore.
Christmas Eve day Caleb showed up unannounced and spent hours and I mean hours with the kids in the basement. He brought his wii. Talk about entertainment. It was great because I was able to deep clean the house. Then we went to my sister D's house and went sledding. Her backyard is literally the mountains in Farmington. What a blast. Thanks to two of the uncles we narrowly missed the ER. They encouraged my kids to start at the top of the very steep hill with saucers. Seeing how I have taught them to obey their elders they did as they were told. I won't name names here but just a reminder that Jake while you were encouraging I was getting your boy ready for sledding and Caleb what goes around comes around wait until you have kids and see what Prest teaches them. hahaha
Christmas Day was great. My parents came over the night before so I wouldn't be alone. I am so truly blessed. They got up with the kids and we all opened presents together while Dad set up Luke's car tracks and Mom shot everyone with her nerf gun the kids got her. We then played an arousing game of Snorta. Totally fun game, if you come to visit we must play. Later on we went to Chris' parents and spent the evening there. It was great to hang out with them and not have to do anything but just be there.
The rest of the vacation was spent playing with friends, and going to families.
So glad school is back. Next week I start a new project. I am painting Chris' cousins room for her. I will get pics of that, it is going to be so cute. I love painting when Chris is gone so I have something to keep me busy.
I have also started running again and training for tri's. I can't wait to get back on the road and in the water. It is going to be a good year.
Last but not least I can say that Chris gets home this year. Yeah for us!!!

I am not ignoring you.

2010-01-05T15:08:00.004-07:00

Three weeks ago my computer crashed. And I mean crashed, fried, burned up, died. It has been hard. I was barely able to get the last post up. I was afraid I was going to loose everything. I think I lost a lot. I had a bunch of cute pictures, new songs from itunes and primary stuff. Hopefully I will get it back. Chris was smart. Before he left he bought an external hard drive and hooked it up. He backed everything up and then programmed it to back up everytime I turned on the computer. Love ya babe. Anyways I have learned to live without a computer. Hasn't been that hard. Right now I am using my sis's computer. She got it a few years ago for graduation and it is old. (HAHAHA) I never thought anything she had would be old. It won't let me click on someone's blog and link to it. I am trying but since I have never had to type in the addresses for blogs I don't know anyones. So I am sorry. I am not being rude, or inconsiderate, or ignoring you (maybe a few I am) but hopefully this Friday I will have a new hard drive and will be back in business. Although it has been nice to not have kids fight over who's turn it is on the computer or staying up late to surf the web. The only thing I have missed is my chats with Chris. We seem to say more to each other when chatting online than on the phone. Probably 'cause kids can't read as quickly as we post. But they do hear way tooooo well. I know this is jumbled I am just trying to avoid paying bills. Stinks when everything is online and you are trying to catch up.

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-19T21:32:00.006-07:00

Our tree turned out beautiful this year. After two weeks of staring at it and wondering if I should decorate it we finally did. It was prickly and hard. My hands felt like they had made out with a porcupine. I still love the live trees. They smell so good.

I think it turned out pretty good.

So after cutting down the tree, Abbie getting stitches and tons of homework we finally did it. Doesn't it look great.

I have...

2009-11-20T22:12:00.004-07:00

I have one friend who loves me very much. Heather invited me to Park City last weekend to have a girls night. We went up Friday night with a bunch of her friends from high school, played games all night long, talked all night long, and had an all around good time. The next day we went to the outlets at Park City and shopped more than we should of. I had a great time.
Tonight Heather and our movie gals had a blast going to see New Moon. We talked, laughed, and I cried (There is a preview of a love story about a soldier being deployed. I highly recommend missing the previews of the movie.) but overall the movie was good. Thank you Heather for being a great friend and making sure I laugh when life is throwing me sour lemons.

I have two parents who love me dearly. I can not describe the love I have for them. I don't think I will ever be able to thank them properly for all they do for me and especially my children. Last week when I went to Park City they watched the boys for me. My dad was so excited, because his ward was having the "Turkey Shoot" and he couldn't wait for Prest to show his stuff. Preston shot the first two clay pigeons and did awesome. He was the youngest there and shot better than some of the others.
Then tonight my mom offered to take the four kids so I could go to the movie with my friends. I didn't ask, she just offered. That is the kind of mom I have. She just does. She always has, and she always will. I know I can always count on her. The kids loved going and couldn't wait to be with Grandma and Grandpa. You two are awesome and I am very blessed.

I have three sisters that live here in Utah and love me very much. D my sweet sis calls me all the time to check on me. She is always willing to meet in Layton for lunch, or just hang out. She is always the life of the party and makes sure that I am doing well. (Next time you drive up I will make sure I am home. I am so sorry.) I love you very much.
Erin is awesome. She took my girls so I could go to Park City. (Mike helped too, but right now I am praising Erin for her love.) She just goes with the flow. She is always willing to go and play, hang out, or just talk. I love our fun times together, and I love going to your house for mac-n-cheese. But most of all I love you.
Lala is my inspiration. The patience she has for people in her life is inspiring. She is so patient with her students at school it's neat to hear her stories and how calm she is. I would be yelling or throwing chalk at kids. She helps push me to do things I thought I couldn't do. This past summer I did 3 triathlons thanks to her getting me hooked. I look forward to swimming, biking, and running with you again. I love you.

I have four children who love me very much. They have been, patient, loving, kind, generous, helpful, and happy through it all. But most of all they seem to say the right thing at the right time. They truly are a blessing from God. I am very thankful to him for his hand in my life.

I have five wonderful family members in Ohio who love and care for me. Thanks Andy for calling and updating me on your medical adventures. I miss helping people so much and can't wait to get back to helping those who need assistance in their time of need. Shay loved the chat. The movie was so fun. Hopefully we can go see the next one together and hooooowwwwwwwwwllllllll at the screen. Porter, Carlee, and Tessa, keep up the good work of giving your mom funny pictures, and cute stories for the blog. I look forward to reading them.

I have six wonderful people in my ward who take care of me and make sure I am doing well in my calling. The bishopric is an amazing group of men to work with. They are very inspired. My counselors and secretary are awesome. They have stepped up to the plate and then some this past month while I was taking care of my family.

I have seven wonderful family members who pray for the safety of Chris and my family. Amy thanks for the chats. I looked forward to when I get to talk with you.
Kathy thanks for all your prayers and love. You are so kind and gracious.
Big Heather thanks for watching out for me. It was so kind of you to come over and check on Sadie for me.
Nikki you are an inspiration. You have had and will have some great challenges but through your faith you have endured. Thank you for being an example of never giving up and always having faith in God.
Matt thanks for your good attitude in life. You have been able to get through many challenges and you are still smiling. May all be well with your family.
Jim and Peggy thank you for your love and prayers. Thank you for taking Luke the other day to the horse show. I want you to know that it meant a great deal to me.

Overall, I have been blessed. I love my life and am looking forward to what will come. I can get through this trial because of the wonderful people that I love very much, all will be well because of the people that I have.

2009-11-11T18:41:00.001-07:00

14 down and 386 to go. Each day that passes is a day closer to being with my beautiful wife and children. I Love You Aubs. Chris.

It's broke and I can't fix it! and I have 397 days

2009-11-04T23:15:00.004-07:00

So lately I have wondered why my faithful followers have not been commenting. I then discovered that my title is broken. When you look at the followers column you will notice that the last time I blogged was on Abbie's birthday. I have done a couple since but no one knows. I barely learned how to put pics on the blog. Chris was the one that set it all up. I barely can edit. I would not even know where to begin. I have been on quit a bit lately trying to fix it. Oh well! I have tried to have a good positive attitude towards everything. Always answering okay. But sometimes I just need to vent. I guess no one will read this so I am going to vent to myself. So here I go:

Everyone is asking how I am doing. I appreciate their concern, and care for me,but at the same time ask me something else. I know they are concerned, but do I really need to be reminded everytime I talk to someone that Chris is gone? It has only been three days. I still have 397 days to go so ask me when time sets in. It hasn't been very long. We have seen him quite a bit, talk to him almost daily; even though it is only a couple of minutes. The fact that he has left for a year has not quite set in. Then to top it off, the military wants to dangle him in our faces again. We have had so many good farewells, that I wonder how many times do I and the kids need to say goodbye to him? The kids didn't even want to go to the airport. They are so sad and coping the best they can. Do I really need to start over? I don't know. He called me tonight and said they have given him a 4 day pass. The pass is good in a couple of weeks. He can come home, or we can go see him. And I doubt we can go see him. $$$$ The problem is he can't officially tell me when he leaves country due to security. THIS SUCKS! He is leaving and I don't even know when. I don't know if I want him to come home. Everytime I get into a routine he comes home for a tiny taste and then leaves, and I am stuck starting over with the kids. The worst part is he has been activated since last Jan. If they sent him sooner like he went last time then he would be home in 3-4 months. UGH! The other thing is I am not sure that we will even get him for the full 4 days. Last time they gave him leave, they called him the next day and told him to be back in 2 days. They told him to hurry back that they got a flight. He got back and then sat there for about 2 weeks. They decided not to take the sooner flight. Gotta love it. Military motto: Hurry up and wait! There are also pros to his 4 day pass. I am just not sure what to do. I think the one person that will know is Heavenly Father, but any opinion will do. Please let me know.

On our own...

2009-11-04T14:54:00.004-07:00

Sunday was the big day. Chris and his soldiers left. First he will be in Fort Dix, New Jersey; from there he will head overseas. All will be well. We had a wonderful last week with him. We went to the movies, out to dinner, Chris took some of the kids swimming, (Abbie had the flu, but not the piggie flu.) but mostly we just hung out. Chris' parents watched the kids and he took me racing. There is an awesome indoor go-kart place in Layton. We raced a bunch of young men that were there for their activity. I am just happy I didn't take last. We had our annual Coil Halloween party. It was a blast. Amy came down from Washington to say good-bye to her brother. It was wonderful.
Sunday Jim, Peggy, and I took Chris to the airport. The kids did not want another good-bye. I didn't want to deal with all emotions that come with it, and Mads was sick with the flu, but not piggie flu. So bless Amy's heart she watched the kids for me. It was nice to know that they were taken care of. When I got home I changed and went to a ward council meeting. As I was walking in the door Preston was in the kitchen. He had made a big pot of mac-n-cheese for the kids and was dishing it out. I am so proud of him. He is such a wonderful child. He knows how to take charge and does without being asked.
I know that we will make it through. Heavenly Father is watching over us and protecting us. All will be well. God be with you Chris until we see you again.

He's ONE Whole Hand!!!!!

2009-10-21T20:37:00.007-06:00

I can't believe it. Luke is 5 years old. How the time does fly. He has been one of my greatest blessings. I have been so lucky to have such a friend. I cherish the moments I get to spend with him. He is so energetic, happy, playful, mysterious, friendly, shy, bashful, joyful, strong willed, and very loving.
For four years I thought we would never get rid of burpie. Every where we went burpie was along for the ride. One day he handed me all his clean burpies and said I could throw them away. I asked him if he was sure. He said that he was a big boy and didn't need them anymore, and he was not going to suck his thumb anymore. He has never looked back.

So much of his childhood consists of his best friend the burpie, and puppy.

If I ever needed to get him to sleep all I had to do was give him burpie and take him for a drive. The magic was his thumb. He gave that up over night too. I don't think most adults could break a habit cold turkey, and he did all of it in one day.

He is always smiling and so happy. His best bud is Prest. He sure does love his brother. I know there are times when Prest wants to be alone or play with friends without a tag-a-long, but Luke sure does love him. Thank You Prest for always being patient with Luke. You are a great example to him.

He has always loved having his picture taken. He especially loves when he is in the center. Most of the pics of him consist of someone else trying to squeeze in.

No matter what he has always found a way to scare mom. He will always be a true boy. If climbing, mess, mud, cars, trucks, wheels, or tools are involved Luke will be in the middle of it. He will find a way to keep up with the others and do what he can.

He was a precious gift from God and I am very thankful for him. He is my bud, my friend and my son. Happy Birthday Luke!

Hey Luke even though we celebrated your birthday the whole week you are still only 5. One whole hand. Love you, MOM.

Happy Happy Birthday ABIGAIL!

2009-10-09T21:28:00.005-06:00

Today was a good day. We celebrated Abigail's 7th birthday! She is an awesome girl. I love her dearly. She always has a smile on her face no matter what is going on.
Some of my favorite things about Abigail is that she loves to get dirty. She doesn't care what is going on she will always be in a mess. There are times we could be at the cleanest places ever and she will be a mess. I can't figure it out, but somehow she seems to be like Pig Pen from Peanuts. I do love it though, I always know where she has been.

She loves color. She loves to live, and she loves to laugh. She is always finding something to laugh about. She doesn't care what anyone else thinks she makes the best of it.

She loves to play. She will let anyone play and she makes sure everyone is having a good time. She loves to be surrounded by friends and family. Her imagination will run wild when given the chance. Whenever she goes to Nana's she loves to play tea party.

No matter where she is at, or what she is doing she seems to be eating. She loves food. That girls is a bottomless pit. That girl could out eat Chris and I if given the chance. She has the nose of a blood hound. She can find candy that I didn't even know we had.

Abigail loves the water. She will spend hours in the bathtub. Literally. She loves to swim. If she could swim every day she would. She seems to have gills and fins. She always packs a swimsuit. So, if you have a tub and Abbie is staying plan on her being entertained in the tub.

Abigail will always have a pacifier with her. I know when she is tired; her thumb will go straight in and she will calm herself down. Someday the belly button fairy will pay a visit.

She has a passion for animals. She loves to go to Grandpa's and ride. I just love the boots with the shorts. She loves to help feed and brush the horses.

Overall, I love her with all my heart. There is so much love for this darling Angel Bear. She is tender, loving, always smiling, always singing, inquisitive, smart, intelligent, gentle, kind, happy, silly, bubbly, energetic, but most of all she is mine. I love you Abigail with all my heart and am very thankful for you.

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!

2009-10-08T23:15:00.007-06:00

May the force be with you. The kids were so excited to go to Jedi Training Academy. All four of the kids got picked and were so excited. They couldn't believe it. There were about 100 kids jumping up and down yelling "PICK ME! PICK ME!" and all four of ours were picked. They pick about 30 kids so we were thrilled. The stage was awesome. It was a cool production. They dress the kids up in Jedi gear and give them a light saber. They then learn the proper technique of a Jedi. After a few minutes the music comes on and the stage starts to raise. Out walks Darth Vader and Darth Maul. They are decked out to the nines. Looked like they just walked off a movie set. It was incredible. He then challenges the new Jedis and they fight for the force.

I love Madi in her Princess Leia hair. She was awesome. And knew her stuff well. You would almost have to in this house when one kid is obsessed with legos and Star Wars. She has been taught well.

Luke and Abbie are in the middle. They are listening to the Master Jedi as he trains them in the proper technique. They soaked up every word.

Preston lives for this. This is all he has talked about for a long time. He was thrilled to be picked. He knew every move and was the quickest and I am not just saying that because I am his mom. He did awesome!

Here came the troopers getting the path ready for Vader. Their costumes were awesome.

Darth Maul was absolutely scary. Even though he was acting, I still felt intimitated by him. His make up was the best.

Madi fought Darth Maul and did a wonderful job.

Abbie fought Darth Vader and loved it.

Luke, well Luke got to fight Darth Vader.

Preston fought Darth Maul. He did awesome. He flew right through the routine and was the fastest and didn't have to be reminded. He was in his element. Chris and I were so proud of him and the others. That made our day. Everything else was just a cherry on top.

The kids succeeded and Vader left upset that he had not turned anyone to the Dark Side!

Afterwards, the kids were given a certificate saying the had accomplished their Jedi trainging and were ready to join the force.

Luke came up to us when all was done and had one of his famous Lukeisms.

Lukeism:

Luke: Guys guess what?

Dad and Mom: What?

Luke: I fighted my Father!

The best line of the whole day. We couldn't stop laughing.

Thanks kids for making the trip the best it could be. Overall it was one of the best times we spent as a family. I only wish we had more time.

Disneyland!

2009-10-08T22:34:00.008-06:00

We had the best time ever! What a blast. Disney was the best way to end our quick trip. It was a beautiful day.

Okay, so I still haven't figured out how to rotate the pics. I did it on our software and then when it transferred it went back to the original. Anyways, Luke my ever inquisitive kid keeps asking me when we will go to the real Disneyland. I told him we did. His reply is that we didn't because that is not a real castle and he did not get to go in. He is in a sense disappointed. It is quit entertaining to have this conversation with him when ever he sees a commercial for Disneyland. He keeps telling me we need to go back and find the real Disney and the real castle. I love that kid. What a hoot!

The three younger kids wanted ears. Ever since Luke found out we were going all he could talk about was getting Mickey Mouse ears. He smiled from ear to ear when we found the perfect pair. Abbie had her name written in yellow on the back. She was so excited because yellow is her color. Madi always the princess in fairytales found Princess Minnie ears. She was so in heaven.

The kids couldn't wait for their pics with Mickey. It was so much fun. That is pretty much what Luke wanted to do.

Toontown was darling. We didn't stick around. I was in a hurry to get to Splash Mountain. I wanted to do some rides. Next time we will take an afternoon and hang out at Toontown. The kids loved seeing all the cartoon houses.

Madi with Brear Bear. She is so into bears and had a blast on Splash Mountain. She loved every minute of being where dreams do come true.

The ever happy Luke. Lovin' life now that he has his ears. It truly made his day.

I don't know what is up with her face but it was the best pic I had of her. I love her big bow with the ears. Every kid needs a pair of ears.

Preston our ever brave boy who just absolutely loves to ride rollercoasters was so thrilled to wait in line that he didn't know what to do. To say the least, he did a lot of sitting around and watching us ride. He was a good sport though. He loved to tease the girls and dress up while at it. He doesn't know I got this pic of him. But I can now say that boys love to dress up as much as girls do.

Disney was great. We had the time of our life. It wasn't enough. There is still a lot there that we missed. Hopefully when we go next time we will have more than one day. The kids were perfect, no major melt downs, happy faces and a good time. What a way to finish the summer. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Sea World

2009-10-07T23:04:00.008-06:00

What a BLAST we had at Sea World! The kids were absolutely fascinated by everything there. It was a beautiful day, perfect weather and happy kids.

The show with Shamu was awesome. These whales are absolutely amazing. It was awesome to see the jumps and tricks they were able to do. And Chris, Luke and I stayed a nice dry distance.

Mama and her baby.

Absolutely fascinating. They are truly gentle giants.

Before the show they had all the troops and their families stand so that the audience could applaud and support our troops. It was awesome. The three kids were shown on the jumbo tron as the audience applauded Chris. I could not stop crying. This is a pic of the kids before the show.

There is Shamu making waves and splashing the crowd. It was awesome. I am absolutley amazed at their body mass. It was quit the show.

In the middle is the trainer preparing the audience to get wet. Oh and the three kids are to the right of him in the pic. You can see Prest in his blue shirt. Madi is standing in her purple.

Do I really need to explain?

That's what you get for sitting three rows back. At least it was a warm day.

I have no idea how to rotate the pic; oh well. After the shark exhibit Luke found a stuffed shark he truly wanted. I didn't let the kids buy anything until we had gone through most of the park or they would try to buy everything. So I told him he needed to wait. The rest of the day all we heard about was the shark he picked out. After lunch I took him back and let him get it. He was so happy.

JAWS!!

D. you would have loved it. They looked a little hungry.

When we first got there they were letting the public feed the dolphins. We bought some frozen fish and each got to feed a dolphin. It was so cool. They aren't slimey like I thought. Their skin was very tight and smooth. Never felt anything like it before so I am not going to try and explain. It was so fun.

Madi was in absolute heaven. She loves animals and anything that has to do with science. She is very interested in anything and everything. She doesn't stop asking questions and trying to find answers or make up her own that seem to satisfy her.

Overall Sea World was great! The kids had a good time, Chris enjoyed it and I loved being with the fam. Thanks Chris for the great trip.

Legoland

2009-10-02T18:12:00.007-06:00

The ride of terror. I can't remember what this ride was called but for a good scare enjoy. It has 5 levels of terror. Abbie could only go on level 1 or 2. Abbie laughed the whole time.
I think this is the best shot of the day. I did not turn the camera sideways. That is truly how Chris and Abbie were.

This car was made of legos. The kids were in awe. Preston was in Heaven.

The kids got to drive. They loved it. There were stop signs and traffic lights and they had to obey the laws of the road. Madi had a blast. She has always acted 16 now she could be 16 for about 5 minutes.

Abbie was going all over the place. She did quit well. I loved watching her.

Let's just say that Preston drives like a 60 year old man. The kids behind him kept hitting him. (And they are not bumper cars, they are go carts.) Gas Prest, gas.

Luke loved driving. He had so much fun, and afterwards they all got a Legoland drivers license.

Here we come! But please pray for Prest.

2009-09-27T02:06:00.003-06:00

In about 4 hours we will be leaving for California. I am so excited. We sold the Jeep Wrangler and took the money to go on a trip. So tonight when we were tucking the kids in bed Preston was very warm. He had been coughing all day and complained of throat pain. At about 5pm Saturday he started to complain he was cold, and had the chills. So at 10pm I loaded him up and off we went to the ER. I figured he had the swine flu due to the outbreak around town. The doc listened to his chest and ordered an x-ray. He checked his ears and Prest has an ear infection. X-ray came back and he has bronchitis. They suctioned his nose to test for swine flu and it came back negative. Yeah for him. We can go. So we are off to Legoland, Sea World, and Disneyland before Chris leaves. The doc said we should be good to go just need to keep a mask on Prest while out and about. Wish us luck.

I'm hooked and will keep Tri'n

2009-09-08T10:42:00.002-06:00

Labor Day morning I spent my time doing a tri. It was great. This time it was swim, bike, then run. I absolutely loved it. Swimming was longer so I added a minute to my time for the swim. My transition also took a little longer 'cause I was getting socks and shoes on a wet body. Not easy. My bike time was awesome. I took six minutes off. Chris got me an awesome road bike for my birthday and I had a blast pedaling faster than ever. My run time stunk. I added six minutes. My time overall was about the same as my last tri. Three minutes slower than the last, but I had a longer swim. Now if I could just get into running, maybe things would be better. Next year my goal is to knock of fifteen minutes. Maybe too big a goal. I would be happy with five minutes off my time. It was an awesome way to spend my morning. I had a blast and can't wait for the next time. Here is my time sheet. I think I did pretty well when competing with both sexes and almost 300 people combined.
http://milliseconds.com/participants/detail/805720877

We are blessed.

2009-09-05T11:12:00.002-06:00

Last night Chris and I went out to dinner. We decided to go to Chilis for the 2 for $20 deal. We finished dessert and were waiting for our waiter to bring us our check. It took him a few minutes and then he showed up with no check in hand. We had a very interesting conversation with him. By the way Prince was the name of our waiter. Not kidding his actual real name.

Chris: "Can we get our check?"
Prince: "You guys are taken care of."
Chris: "What do you mean we are taken care of?"
Prince: "You're military, right?"
Chris: "Yes, I am."
Prince: "Well someone wanted to take care of you, they paid your bill. It's taken care of, don't worry about it."
Chris: "Are yo serious? Someone paid my bill?!"
Prince: "Yes."
Chris: "Well who was it?"
Prince: "I don't know, someone."

Chris and I sat there totally stunned and humbled by this experience. Someone we don't know who knew that Chris was leaving and saw us there. They picked up our tab to thank Chris for his service. I think I know who it was. I saw someone there from our ward. All I have to say is thank you for your service, support, and especially your love. We will always be greatful for that wonderful gesture.

Luke got his laugh back.

2009-09-03T17:37:00.002-06:00

Today Luke had to go to the dentist and have a cavity filled. Actually three. He has deep grooves and it is hard to get his teeth clean. So in order to fill these cavities he needed to be numbed. So Dr. Dastrup put Luke on laughing gas. Boy was he lovin' life.

I asked him as we were leaving how he felt. He responded by telling me he had his laugh back. He said the laughing gas made him laugh again.

Next time you see him ask him to laugh. He does a totally different laugh. His laughing gas laugh.

My BIGGEST PET PEEVE

2009-09-02T17:16:00.003-06:00

Okay, so one of my biggest peeves are people who leave their Christmas lights up all year long. I can't stand it. It looks so tacky and I especially can't stand when they are falling off and no one does anything. So with that being said we are the tacky people this year. After I found out Chris was leaving and that he would not be home this fall I asked him to leave the lights up. It just doesn't feel like Christmas unless we have lights. I love the glow and feeling of coming home to a house lit up. Well the year has been hot and the lights have not lasted. Unfortunately they are coming down.

So today they finally fell. So sad to see them go.

I was hoping they would last. I guess we will have to put lights in the windows this year.

There is no way I am going up there and fixing them. Chris will be taking them down today.

SO much for being festive. I wonder if I could staple them in place?

Lukeisms

2009-08-26T18:49:00.005-06:00

Okay, so I am still trying to figure out how the brain of a 4 year old functions. Sometimes the things this kid says are so far out we are laughing with tears rolling. For example tonight at dinner was some serious drama of a very tired little Luke.
Chris: Madi would you please say the prayer?
Madi starts to say the prayer.
Luke: (crying through the prayer) I wasn't ready! You can't say it. That's not fair. I want to say it!
Madi is done and Luke has tears streaming down his face. Yelling at Chris that he wanted to say the prayer. So here is the conversation between Chris, Luke and Fam.
Chris: Luke, did you want to say the prayer?
Luke: Yes, but you didn't ask me.
Mom: Can I help you say the prayer?
Luke: No, my dragon friend is going to help me.
Mom: Well get him to help you.
Luke: You have to call him.
Mom: Dragon friend come here!
Luke: No you have to call him by any name.
Chris: What's his name?
Luke: Any name.
Chris: Well can you call him?
Luke: No, you have to call him on the wall.
Prest: What's his number?
Luke: 801

To say the least dragon friend never showed and Chris helped Luke say the prayer while the rest of tried to keep kool-aid from coming out of our noses.

Dani: Hey Luke why aren't you laughing?
Luke: I can't laugh
Dani: Why not?
Luke: (With serious face) My shadow stole my laugh. It is now gone and I can't laugh

I was laying on the couch one day and Luke came and put his head on my belly. Here is what he had to say.
Luke: Mom do you like lions?
Mom: Yes, why?
Luke: Your tummy sounds like you ate a lion.
Mom: Why?
Luke: Your tummy is growling.

To say the least we love this kid and he has been a great addition to the fam. We have had some wonderful laughs together as we go through life looking through the eyes of a 4 year old.

One last thing to say. Every Monday we go to the nursing home and help the elderly play bingo. All the residents get a kick out of the little boy who never stops. His poor mom has her hands full.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

First Day Of School

2009-08-25T14:34:00.005-06:00

I don't know who is more excited. The kids or me. I am ready to get back into a routine and have some time with Luke. The three older kids are now in school all day. Yeah! Abbie is so excited to be at school all day long, to get two recesses, eat lunch there and make more friends.

Preston is so excited to make friends. He is in class with his friends this year and is thrilled. Preston with the boys in the neighborhood walking to school.

Abbie ready and waiting for the kids so she can walk.

Madi and her friends Ashlynn and Brooklynn. I am so excited for her. She has two friends that live behind us and she is loving life now that there are girls her age close by.

Overall the first day was great. Luke loved it because he and I got to play the Wii uninterrupted. Abbie was excited to have friends in her class and make new friends at recess. Madi loves her teacher and is excited for a routine. Preston is happy to be with his friend Josh and Bryson in the same class. May that poor teacher have the patience for these boys who are very imaginative.

Newest Edition

2009-08-25T14:30:00.003-06:00

About a month ago my friend called and asked me if we would like a dog. It took a little convincing Chris that the kids would be able to take care of her. Besides she will be a great addition while Chris is gone. Her name is Sadie. She is a pure bred Chitzu (SP?) and the most mild, patient dog I have ever seen. Luke absolutely adores her. He is always trying to pick her up and carry her around. I never thought I could care for a dog this much but I do.

The smell and sound of summer

2009-08-21T11:11:00.003-06:00

Last night was our final trip to Lagoon-A-Beach. What a blast. I love the smell of chlorine, sunscreen, and chocolate. The sounds of water rushing, kids screaming with excitement and moms yelling at their kids because they splashed them. Actually I think it's hilarious. Why do you go to a swim park to not get wet? Let me know because I can't wait to get soaked and run around with my kids.
Luke went on the twisty slides and laughed the whole way down. He loved showing his Aunt Amy how you lay on your back cross your legs and arms and go. He loved getting wet and having adventures in the sand with his new friend Jace.
Abbie loved being able to walk around the lazy river and touch the bottom. Such a big accomplishment for a cute girl who loves to sink in water. (Two times at Lake Powell she fell in and had to be pulled out as she was going under.) Her excitement as she goes under the waterfalls and gets soaked.
Madison is such a social butterfly. She would go up to groups of girls and ask their names and then start playing with them. She loved the tube rides and trying to beat Prest.
Prest I am so sorry but Ladies First! I beat him three times down the outrigger ride. It's a waterslide you ride on with tubes. I kept catching up and then passing him the pools on the ride. He loved every minute of it. He is so like his dad and very competitive.
Chris thanks for coming with us and laughing with us. Thanks for lugging the cooler around and making sure the kids had a good time. It was great. I loved watching you on the drop slide. What a great time.
The sounds and smells of summer are great and I am sad to see them come to an end but we will do it again next year, and the year after. What a great time. Thanks family for making it a great summer.

We TRI'd and Liked It

2009-08-08T15:06:00.008-06:00

Today Lala and I did our very first full tri. It was awesome. I had a blast. Although it was backwards. Here we are at the start getting ready to run.
Dad and mom brought the three kids and cheered us on. Thanks Dad for being my cheerleader. You have always cheered me on. Mom thanks for bringing the kids.
Abbie and Luke were so excited. It was great to have them there.
Still waiting to start. They started 10 minutes late because of the rain earlier. They were waiting for the roads to dry a little before the start.
I love this shot of Lala.
Finishing the run. Ran 3 miles in 31 min. 24 seconds. Took 30 seconds off my time. I am so proud. I ran the whole time.
Next was the bike. Ready set pedal.
They are so cute.
Almost done. Can't wait to swim.
The swim was the best. I loved it!
And now I'm done! YEAH!

Congrats Lala. WE did it!
Madi hand in hand with Lala. She loves her so much.

P.S. When you swim make sure to take your phone out of your bra before you get in the pool. I didn't and now I have no phone.Overall it was a great success. I am hooked for life now and can't wait for the next one.

I am seeing GREEN!

2009-08-06T21:34:00.002-06:00

Isn't it beautiful?! I absolutely love it. Jake and his crew did an awesome job. I am amazed at all the work and preparation that goes into getting a yard ready. It looks so green.

I have had sooo many comments from neighbors about my trees. They look so good. I can't wait for a couple of summers when we will get really good shade from them.

The back looks wonderful. We have to give it one week and then the kids can play all they want. For now they will just have to wait.

I am all ready waiting for spring and getting to plant in my garden boxes. We will have a great crop of corn and beans and peas. What fun it will be.

Mom and Dad gave me their peach trees and I can't wait to pick fresh peaches and enjoy. Thanks you guys. They will be perfect with the strawberries and raspberries I am going to plant. Yummy!

Overall, Jake did a great job. I can't wait for Chris to see. He will love it. Thanks Jake for taking care of us. For getting the job done right and done fast. Thanks for the hard work you and your crew put into this. I really do appreciate it. We are lucky to have you as part of our fam. What fun we will have.

Happy Birthday to ME!

2009-07-29T11:08:00.002-06:00

Okay I know it's a little cheesy but I just have to brag. Today I am getting the best birthday present ever. That's right I am spoiling myself and getting... are you ready? You may want to sit so when you find out you don't pass out and hurt yourself. I am getting

GRASS

Yeah! I am so excited. No more growing weeds. No more mud pies in the kitchen, on the carpet or on my toes. Thanks to a wonderful sister who happens to know the best landscaper in Utah things are going to be greener. I couldn't have done it without you Jake and D. I love you guys so much.

FREEDOM!

2009-07-15T14:34:00.005-06:00

Free! I am free.

No more training wheels. No more little baby toys, no more depending on mom and dad to get me around. I am able to go wherever I want, as long as I don't go past the stop sign one house down.

Luke asked Chris to take his training wheels off. He kept getting nervous so we bought him a new bike helmet hoping that would motivate him to ride. The next day he got on and has not stopped since. Porter came to visit and tried out Abbie's motorized scooter. Every time he came he would go straight to the garage and start riding. Those two would not stop.

I couldn't get a decent pic because they would not stay still long enough for me to try.

Happy Birthday Preston!!

2009-07-09T22:02:00.004-06:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESTON!!!
I can't believe that you are 11 years old, in boy scouts and almost as tall as me. It has been so much fun being your mother. I know I'm not perfect but I want you to know that I love and care for you deeply. You have been my best bud for the past 11 years. It has been so much fun being a part of your life and watching you over the years. You have always put other people first, been cautious, sincere, and always forgiving. Hope you had a great day.

Preston with his new hiking backpack for scouts. He will no longer be going to day camp but on overnighters. I am so excited for him.

If anyone has a conversation with Preston than you know he has lego on the brain or maybe just a lego for a brain. This is one of the sets he has been asking for. Glad we could get it for him.

Preston you star. Here he is at his piano recital. He loves music and has a knack for the piano. He is able to sit down and pluck out a song without any sheet music. Ask him to play "The Entertainer" for you and he will. Granted it is only about 20 seconds of the song, but he has never read the music for it. Figured it out by himself. Pretty awesome.

Happy Birthday!!

Love,

Mom, Dad, Mads, Abs, Luke Skywalker

Ladies and Gentleman This is as Ghetto as it Gets

2009-06-13T13:31:00.004-06:00

Lala bought us tickets to the Kelly Clarkson concert for Erin's B-day. It was a blast. All 5 of us girls were together for the first time in over a year. I got hooked on her music when Lala burned me a run cd and I was listening to a fun song. Found out she was Ms. KC and have loved her music since. The best line of the concert was when she introduced a song and said "Ladies and Gentleman this is as ghetto as it gets."

She could sing. What a blast. It was perfect weather.

It has been raining the last few weeks. You would think we live in Seattle. Shay, D and I prepared for the muddy field. I was so glad we had a galoshes. Nice and toasty.

When the concert started the clouds were breaking and we had a double rainbow that went right over the back of the stage. It was so awesome.

Last Day of School

2009-06-04T22:26:00.006-06:00

So I am usually a week or two behind on the blogs. School has now been out for a week and summer has gotten off on a busy note. We have already been to Lagoon and enjoyed the sounds and sights of summer. But I just wanted to take a minute or two and praise the teachers we had this past year at Freedom Elementary. They were wonderful and worked very hard to make sure that Abbie, Madi, and Preston had a wonderful year. I can't thank them enough.
Abigail was so excited. She was beyond ready for kindergarten. I love this pic. She is so cute.

Ms. Clark was awesome. Abbie enjoyed going to school and learning to write, read, and how to be a social little butterfly. Ms. Clark was very patient and very loving. Thank you for allowing Abigail to spread her wings and become a better person.

Mrs. Wall was incredible. Madi struggled with a few things throughout the year but Mrs. Wall helped us get through it. I am so proud of Madi. She had straight A's or A+'s the whole year. It was awesome. Madi would not have made it if she didn't have the teacher she had. She was so paitent and always had an open ear for Madi. Madi knew that if she needed a friend or someone to help her Mrs. Wall was right there. She was the best thing that happened to Madi at school. I cannot say enough. Thank you for everything you did. We have been very blessed that you came into her life when you did. We are very sad to see her transferred to another school, but another child will be blessed.

Mrs. Eddy was amazing. Preston was able to let his imagination fly. There was no limit in her class. She let Preston go beyond the sky. He would come home all the time with new art projects, and drawings. She was always encouraging him through poems, storytelling, and art. It was awesome to see his mind be open and free. He enjoyed her so much. Thank you for encouraging him and helping him to be better.

It was a great year.

P.S. Preston had been crying because he was sick that day. I took him last day to get his year book and a pic with his cute teacher. He was bummed he missed the last day.

Seattle

2009-06-04T21:42:00.001-06:00

Over the hills and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go. Literally. For Memorial Day weekend we drove to Seattle and stayed with Chris' mom. It was great. The kids said it was one of the best vacations they went on. We went to the beach, saw a movie, went to an awesome zoo and aquarium; but most importantly just hung out and had fun.

The kids having dinner. Very rarely do they get ice cream, but what the heck. WE ARE ON VACATION!!!! YAHOOOOO!!!

I promise Luke does have more shirts. He always seems to be wearing the one that says "my parents are exhausted." So very true. Oh well, we will find him a new shirt.

The kids basking in the sun. Suprisingly it did not rain one drop in Seattle. Surpirse, surprise.

Luke and Abbie loved the water, and the beach. It was so awesome listening to the excitement in the back of the van as the kids saw the ocean for the first time. We had so much fun. I could live by the ocean, but I would truly miss the beautiful snow.

Amy, Chris' sis came down for a couple of days. She lives about three hours north of where Kathy lives. We had a blast with her. Thanks for coming. The kids loved seeing her and hanging out with her and Panga. She looks so good and is doing wonderful. I just want to take a sec and tell her I am very happy for her and the choices she is making in life. Way to go Amy. We will help you in anyway we can.

Preston, Mads, and Abs enjoying the beautiful view.

Seaweed on a stick anyone?

Our first trip to the beach. What fun it was. I loved watching the kids run along the edge of the water discovering new life. They had so much fun.

Red Robbin on the pier. That's right no seafood. Burgers for the Tylers. Chris was a good sport. He let us eat our regular and gave up the chance to eat seafood. Love ya.

Luke was so excited he found this beautiful shell with Aunt Amy that I let him keep it. It was the only one we found in one piece that didn't look like a clamshell.

Preston and Dad skipping rocks. Love that picture. They spent a long time trying to see who could get the most skips. I loved that they were doing something together and laughing. Not many more months with moments like these. It will be a long time before this happens again.

Overall it was a great time. I had a blast. The kids loved every minute. Chris was happy to just get away. Thank you Kathy for letting us crash at your place. Thank you for being a great hostess and Oma. These memories will last forever, and it is exactly what the Tyler family needed.

Sunday DInner

2009-06-01T21:37:00.005-06:00

While we were up in Seattle I was able to see some fam I haven't seen in a while. It was great. Cousin Deb offered for us to come have Sunday dinner with everyone. It was great to see her and Mike. I can't believe how big their kids are getting. I was also able to see Aunt Colleen and Uncle Pat. Jorelle also came with her husband and three adorable kids. It was great. The dinner was wonderful, but the company was even better. Thank you Debbie for the great evening. (Sorry about Rainbow Brite, but it was the only pic we had of you looking at the camera.)

Sam is the cutest boy. Prest had a wonderful time with him. Thanks for giving Preston wrestling tips. GO UTES!!!

Megan is absolutely beautiful. I remember when she was a beautiful baby with lots of hair. It's funny how time flies and you don't realize how much people change when you haven't seen them in a long time. I got to enjoy my cousin Jorelle's baby girl. Her name is Ava and she is darling. She was so happy and sooo much fun to talk with. I love babies.

My Aunt Colleen. She is a wonderful lady. I have always looked up to her and the many wonderful things she has accomplished in life. She is a wonderful business woman who has had many great adventures. She is always happy and the life of the party. I love the stories she would tell me of my dad and his many adventures when he was a child. It's a wonder him and some of his siblings ever made it past childhood. She is married to a wonderful man who cherishes and adores her. But most importantly she has always made me feel loved.

Three little boys loving ice cream and cookies. YUM YUM!

Ben (Jorelle's litlle boy) made sure he got the last of the ice cream. He is so cute.

Mollie, Mads, and Abs enjoying the beautiful weather. They had a great time together. Madi loved that there was another girl her age.

Jorelle and her husband Andrew, and their two boys Nathan and Ben.

Aunt Colleen and Uncle Pat.

Two angels.

Debbie thank you again for the wonderful time. I appreciate so much the effort you put into this and getting everyone together for me. Preston still is talking about his wrestling matches he had with Mollie. The company was wonderful. It was a great way to end a perfect weekend.

Pikes Place

2009-06-01T21:06:00.006-06:00

Pikes Place is a wonderful place to visit in Seattle. Chris and I, along with Kathy and Amy took the kids Saturday afternoon to downtown Seattle and Pikes Place. It is pretty much an open market of everything you could possibly imagine. Four levels of shops and stores all around. I love to call it one giant flea market. Soooo much to see and do.

We were finishing up our sight seeing and I loved the sign right over our heads. It was such a beautiful day.

There are so many neat shops. This map store had some awesome maps in their display windows. This map is made of sheet music. I wonder if it was played what the song would sound like?

These puzzles are fascinating. I have never seen puzzles in the shape of a globe.

There is a fish market famous for throwing the fish. That is one of the highlights of the market. This worker just caught a fish that was thrown about 20 feet to him. I don't know how they hold on. The place smelled soo lovely. Here he is throwing it back.

I feel soo bad for Chris. We were around all this fresh sea food and no one eats but him. I offered to buy him some but I don't think it looks to appetizing. Plus I don't think the fish look happy to see us. They remind me of the fish in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." Bobbin' along, bobbin' along the bottom of the beautifu brimey sea.

These crab legs are massive. Although I don't know how big they should be, 'cause I won't eat 'em.

Lobster anyone?

The other favorite of the market is the fresh flowers. Rows and rows of flowers. They are absolutely gorgeous. I loved all the colors. Someday my garden will look this colorful. Right now it's just brown with a little weed for color.

Absolutely gorgeous.

The kids loved the candy store. I don't know why but it was a hit. Luckily we didn't spend too much. I have never seen jaw breakers that big. I had one when I was about 11 that was the size of a racquetball. These were about the size of a softball. I wonder how many licks does it take to get to the center of the jaw breaker?

Abbie loves candy and anything sweet. I am so glad she didn't want this bear. How much chewing does it take to get to the center of this bear? I bet the dentists love this store.

Overall Pikes place was a great adventure. The kids were wonderful. We had a blast. I can't wait to go there again when Chris gets home.

Luke-isms

2009-05-27T22:39:00.004-06:00

Kids say the darndest things. I wish throughout the years I would have written down what Prest, Mads and Abs said. I love what they say. I remember some stuff more than others but lately Lukers has been on a roll. Or as I like to call them: Luke-isms

Luke: "What's your brain?"
Mom: "I don't know, what do you mean?"
Luke: "What's your brain?!"
Mom: "What do you mean, what's my brain?"
Luke: "My brain is blue metal, yours is red vampire."

Aunt Amy watching Luke; and his response.
"STOP looking at me you're ruining my imagination!"

Aunt Amy: "I need to do my homework."

Luke: "Well what's stoppin' ya?"

Aunt Amy took Luke to Great Grandpa Tyler's (Chris' grandpa) with Grandpa Tyler (Chris' dad).

Amy (referring to Grandpa Jim): "He's old."

Luke: "No he's not." Then pointing to Great Grandpa Tyler he says, "Now he's old."

OUCH!

2009-05-27T21:58:00.004-06:00

My mom has always had noisy knees. Early in the morning we would hear her crunch up and down the stairs. If my brothers and I stayed up late we could hear her crunch down the stairs and hurry to turn off the tv and "sleep."

So a few years ago my mom broke her foot. She was at the beach with my brother in Maine. She slipped and twisted her ankle. At the time she didn't think anything of it. She just wanted to get home because I was being induced with Abigail and she knew that I would need the help. She didn't tell anyone and months later she ended up having surgery on her foot. Well it didn't fully heal and so a couple of extra surgeries and a couple of years in the boot she finally healed. Then a couple of weeks ago she was taking off her pantyhose and popped her knee. It didn't feel to good, but again she didn't think anything of it. This is on her good leg that she used to compensate for her ankle. A few days later she noticed that her good ankle was all bruised. She couldn't figure out why because it was her knee that was hurting. She finally went into the docs and he said that all the blood from her knee ran into her foot and she will now need surgery on her knee. I wonder if the surgery will fix the crunch? I am sooo sorry mom. You have always put us first even when you are hurting. I will do what it takes to help you recover. I need you this next year to be healthy so you can help us all through whatever may come our way. I love you so much.

Why Tri? Because I Can

2009-05-16T22:38:00.006-06:00

Today was an awesome day. Lala, Sarah (Lauren's sister-in-law), and I did a tri today. In January I was going to register for the Woman of Steel Tri when Lala called me and asked if I would do the relay with her. I was wanting to do it on my own but knowing that she sinks and not swim I agreed. I did the swim, Lala the bike, and then Sarah ran. I was so excited! We were number 613.

Standing next to the pool and waiting. They had us line up according to our times. I was soooo nervous, (but I didn't get sick YEAH!). It was so cold and I didn't want to take off my shorts. I haven't been in just a bathing suit in public in years. I wasn't about to take them off for the race. I pretty much wear swim shorts even to train. They are my comfort.

The line was getting longer and bigger and I was getting further back from the front. They divided you up according to the time you could swim. I timed myself two times and swam it in 7min 10sec. I was so proud so I figured I would start at the 7min marker. It was nuts. The first swimmer started and then every 12 seconds the next swimmer would jump in and go.

I am the one with arms up and trying to get excited. Get rid of the nerves and get ready. Plus I wanted to make sure that Caleb, Lala, and Sarah were watching me.

I'm the one in the pink cap. Can you find me?

Good, 'cause neith can I.

Be prepared you will need sunglasses for the next shot. Gotta love those Coil legs and skin. All white!!! Thanks Caleb for that great shot.

Oh, and look. My comfort is gone. I actually went without shorts and the swim was better; even though the pool was a sauna. Next time I hope they cool it down.

GO LALA!!! I am so proud of you and I am taking 20 minutes off your time. Thanks for inviting me to come and play. I had a blast.

Sarah is so dang cute! She was such a trooper for coming and running. I think she had as much fun as I did. She did awesome. And she is dang cute. Oh wait did I say that already. (Can't say it enough.)

We posed one last time at the end. All said and done it was a great day.

Caleb thanks for being the camerman, cheerleader, and host. I stayed at Lala's because you need to register the night before, and I didn't want to drive early that morning, since the race was about an hour and a half away from home. Thanks also for giving up your bed for me. Lala thanks for the encouragement. Sarah thanks for helping our team accomplish another goal. Thanks D for taking the girls for me. They absolutely loved it. Mom and Dad thanks for taking the boys. Chris thanks for all the nights you stayed home and put the kids to bed so I could go swim. Wish you could have been there.

PS Next year Lauren I am going to buy you biking shorts that we can inflate in the rear so that you float and not sink. HAHA!

Sleep Hannah Sleep

2009-05-03T22:09:00.004-06:00

Couple of weeks ago I watched my niece Hannah. Her little brother Ben had to have surgery and Nikki asked if I could help her out. Hannah played all day long and didn't stop. Chris got home at about the time I was starting dinner. He tried to help with Hannah but she didn't want anything to do with him. So anytime he went into a room she was in Hannah would leave. At about 4:30 I started making dinner and she joined me in the kitchen because Chris was in the family room. Well he came into the kitchen to munch and so she left. She was standing by the couch and watching tv with Abs. But she was wary to sit because of Chris. I kept checking on her and as I put the dinner in the oven I noticed she wasn't moving much. Wondering if she was asleep this is what I found. I couldn't resist taking the pics. She plays with her hair when she is tired and that is how she puts herself to sleep. She finally closed her eyes and slept for a few.

On a sidenote: Ben is doing great and you can't even tell he had surgery on his eyes. They look so good. He is such an angel; and so is Hannah.

Conference Breakfast

2009-05-03T21:52:00.006-06:00

Every conference weekend we get together for Dad's famous waffles. It was our turn to host this past conference. The kids absolutely gobbled up the breakfast.

Caleb was so good to step up and help feed kids. I don't even know if he got to eat much. Every time he turned around the kids were asking him for more food or drinks. He has been a great addition to the family. Lala thanks for taking his keys back to him. Happy Anniversary!

Life sure does slow down for waffles.

Jake and Mom were on bacon duty. Thanks you two. It was perfect, crunch and greasy just the way the fam likes it.

Lala was so excited to ride the scooter. She had been waiting all morning for the girls to get off so she could have a turn. I think I know what Santa can bring Lala next Christmas.

It was a beautiful day. I love hosting. Now that I have the room I plan on many more occasions like these. Thank you Dad for the wonderful food. Mom thank you for making sure we have great memories for the children. Rest of the clan thank you for coming all the way up to be with us. I love you all very much.

Some more Swimming

2009-05-03T21:43:00.005-06:00

We went to surf-n-swim again. This time with Mike, Erin, and their girls. It was so much fun. Thanks Mike for being a good sport and letting the girls come and play.

Emry absolutely loved the water. She is a little water bug. The best part was when she first got there she was afraid of the mosaic tiles in the bottom of the pool. By the end of the evening she was having fun looking at all the creatures.

The kids loved playing with Emry. They were always checking on her.

Millie was such a sport. She is so dang cute.

Do I have to cry?

2009-04-27T21:29:00.002-06:00

This wednesday is the funeral for Chris' grandpa. Tonight we were talking to the kids about what was going to happen and how they needed to act.

A: "There will be a lot of people there that will be crying. So you need to be prepared for that."
P: "So do I need to fake cry?"

To say the least Amy (Chris' sister) started to laugh so hard I thought she was going to cry.

By the way we are sad for Peggy (Chris' step-mom) but Grandpa Tidwell was 97 years old and lived a very good life and never lived in a nursing home, and he passed away peacefully.

Need to rest

2009-04-27T21:22:00.003-06:00

Saturday night our fam went to Olive Garden in Salt Lake City. It is about an hours drive for my family but we went to meet Erin for her Birthday. Plus I love to drive. So Chris had Lukers in the van and was going to stop at the store then go home and I had the two girls. He called me on my cell to tell me that Luke had fallen asleep and he was going straight home. So later that night I tucked the older kids into bed and noticed that Luke was still in his play clothes. Very unusual for that kid. He refuses to go to bed unless he is in jams. So at about 2:17am Luke came and got Chris. This is what happened.

Chris trying to get jams on Luke at around 8:00pm.
L: "Dad I need a rest."
2:17am
L: "Dad I am done resting now. Can you help me get my jammies on brush my teeth and say my prayers?"

Chris the wonderful father he is lets me sleep and he helped Luke get ready for bed.

For FREEEEEEEE....

2009-04-26T19:45:00.007-06:00

If you have seen the movie Bedtime Stories you will know the line. I am trying to find activities the kids and I can do for “freeeeeeeee” or really, really cheap. There is so much I want to do before Chris leaves. We accomplished another goal... sort of. We went to a museum, but Chris had to work so he was unable to come. The Utah Museum of Natural History to be exact. The first Monday of every month is free to anyone.

Abigail just loves spiders. Especially when the are about the size of your hand.

They had a toad exhibit at the museum and it was really neat. Frogs from around the world.

Witches brew anyone.

They had a really neat fish tank the kids were able to go into the middle and see all sorts of fish.

What me? I didn't do...

2009-04-24T20:51:00.002-06:00

Busted. That smile says I am up to something. Guess what mom? I gave myself a haircut. It was bothering me and I needed to cut it.

Look at the good job I did. See the nice even sides. Doesn't it look good? And guess what? It's not bothering me anymore.

Look at the good job I did in the back. Doesn't it look nice? To say the least he is going to the barber with Chris and fixing the rest.

Abbie decided to play beauty shop with her doll. That is Kit Kittridge from An American Girl. Maybe someday the hair will grow back.

I don't know what was Lukes or Kits hair. But they both got a mild makeover one afternoon. Needless to say Abbie is banned from the scissors for a very long time.

What a Hair Day!!!!

2009-04-24T20:41:00.004-06:00

So Mads was brushing her hair and getting ready for school when she came downstairs. I was so proud of how she handled the situation. I couldn't believe my eyes. She was so calm. I sent the other kids to school and worked on her hair. I thought I was going to have to get the scissors and go at it. Let's just say 15 minutes later the brush was out and we were on our way to school.

Erin this one is for you

2009-04-10T22:23:00.003-06:00

So a couple of weeks ago we went to Layton Surf-n-Swim. It is a pool that starts out shallow and gradually gets deeper. Then about every 15-20 minutes the pool produces waves. It is so much fun. We got tubes for the kids so they could ride the waves and have fun. Chris and I would sneak up on the kids and grab their feet or legs. Well, not having my glasses and trying to see underwater is not a good combination for me. I saw a pair of legs coming from the bottom of the tube and the swimsuit kinda looked like Prestons. I dived under the water and swam to the legs, grabbed them, and started tickling what I thought was Preston. When I came up I saw that it was a teenage boy and Preston was standing by the side of the pool. Oops! The boy laughed I apologized and he said his mom probably would have done the same thing. Maybe I should get goggles with a prescription. Oh well. At least he had a good laugh.

Swimming

2009-04-10T22:13:00.003-06:00

Luke finally gets in the water. Last year at Lake Powell when we were out on the ski boat we had to force him in the water because he was getting to warm sitting in the sun. He was not happy. Now he loves the water and going under. He is ready for swim lessons. Next year we will put him in.

Madison is such a water bug. She loved playing in the deep end on her tube all night long.

Abigail always with a smile

Love Preston's smile.

Look at those handsome Tyler boys.

Amy and Family

2009-04-08T17:45:00.003-06:00

Chris' sister Amy flew in from Seattle for a few days. She stayed with us and Nikki. On Saturday we took the family on a fun little hike in Layton. The trail is paved all the way and very pretty. This bridge is about a mile or so into the hike. We had lunch there and played for a few minutes.

Luke wanted his picture taken while he was in the stroller. Abbie kept trying to peek under but didn't quit get the point of getting in front of Amy.

Preston got a little nervous once we found this sign at the beginning of the trail. If you can't read it, it's warning us about the dangers of possibly running into a mountain lion. Oh well, at least I run faster. Preston your lunch meat.

Everyone trying to do a silly face. Hands down Amy you don't need to try. HAHAHA

What a beautiful family. Amy thanks for coming and making memories with the kids. We love you dearly and can't wait to see you in May in Seattle.

Goals

2009-03-22T21:42:00.004-06:00

So some goals have been partially accomplished and I have realized that others may not be. Sledding for example. We were supposed to get a big storm last week. Lots of snow. It was suunnny. So much for sledding. Maybe I should change it to ice blocking. If you don't know what that is; let me explain. It truly is a "Utah" thing. As in cheap date activity. Never did it but sounds fun. Take a block of ice find a grassy hill, sit on the ice and slide down. Create your own sledding experience in the summer. I miss sledding. Used to go all the time as a kid. Loved it. Maybe we can find some snow in the mountains. Hopefully still white.
Flying kites has been accomplished to a point. We have been trying for a couple of weeks with our cheap $1 kites from wal-mart. The wind was either too gusty or not strong enough. I'll never buy cheap kites again. My dad bought some awesome kites at costco and showed Luke them a couple of weeks ago. Since then everyday he has asked me if it's windy and if we can fly grandpa's kites. Yesterday was perfect. My mom and dad came up. Bless their hearts, they are so busy and took the time to come up. We went over to the school and spent an hour flying kites. They were awesome. It reminded me of the times as a kid when we would go to Kansas and fly kites on the family farm. Half the neighborhood kids showed up and all wanted to try. We got some great pics. They will be coming soon.
Chris went hiking with Preston and the Webelos yesterday morning. He also took the three other kids. I stayed home so I could deep clean uninterrupted. It was great. Put on my music and scrubbed the house. Love that clean floor feeling that lasts only 10 minutes. Oh well. So we are all going to try and go this Saturday. All are welcome who want to come.
Today was the dedication of the Draper temple. Chris took Preston and Madison while I stayed home with Abigail and Luke. They were excited. I will go in August with the kids to the other dedication.
We are getting there. I feel like I have a lot of time, but also that there is not a lot of time. This summer is going to be great and I am excited for what lays ahead. With God by our side Chris the kids and I will get through this. I love him.

Tour of Duty

2009-03-03T23:01:00.002-07:00

Time has come again for Chris. We just found out this past monday that his unit has been activated and he will be deployed in November. His army reserve unit will be stationed in Afghanistan. He will be gone for at least a year. We knew there was a possibility of him being activated againg but hoped it would not happen.
These next few months of blogs are mainly for me and the kids. I will be journaling our events, emotions, and good times we have for the children. So the next few months are going to be a whirlwind of emotions as I prepare my kids and myself for what will be happening. My best friend, lover, husband, and father of my 4 children will be going back to war. I was able to do this once and can do it again. With the help of family, friends, prayers, and mainly God freedom will continue in this great country of ours and Chris will return home again safe.
Chris gave me a beautiful blessing Monday night. In it he said to take the next few months and build a bond with the children. Make memories and enjoy the moments that we have. To strengthen our family. To make sure we have joyous occasions and to know that he will come back to help raise and support our family.
I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband who loves me and our children. He has always provided for us and made sure all our wants and needs have been met. He works hard for us. He has a strong testimony of the gospel and lets the kids see that daily. I love him very much and want him to know how proud of him I am.
As we prepare for his deployment there are goals that I would like to accomplish. I want to do these things so that our family will grow and stronger than ever, we will be strengthened and feel at peace when he leaves. That the children will never question what he is doing, but know that he is fighting for our freedoms. I am going to record these as we accomplish them and I challenge any of you who read this to join our family. I know on some of these goals I will need the help of family.
1. Read the Book of Mormon all the way through as a family.
2. Have family home evening regularly.
3. Attend a temple open house.
4. Attend a temple dedication with Preston, and Madison. (Live or broadcast.)
5. Sleep under the stars at Bear Lake.
6. Hike at least 4 National Parks here in our own backyard. Utah what a great state!
7. Fly a kite with the kids.
8. Go to a new museum.
9. Play at a new park each month.
10. Picnic as often as possible.
11. Have regular family game night.
12. Read as many Dr. Seuss books to the kids as possible.
13. Go sledding.
14. Teach the children about the Constitution, and Declaration of Independence.
15. Go to Pineview as many Fridays as possible this summer.
16. Take Chris to Lagoon and ride 'The Wicked'
17. Get a yard.
18. Go to Seattle.
19. Ride bikes as often as possible as a family.
20. Laugh until tears roll down.
And most importantly do something new or different every week with the children and Chris. Whether we go somewhere or stay home. Just make memories with them. Listen to them and love them.
If anyone has any ideas please tell me. I have been blessed to have nine months to make these memories with our children and I don't want to loose a moment. So let the journaling begin.

Halloween in February?

2009-03-02T21:07:00.003-07:00

Preston was invited to a friends birthday bash. It was a monster mystery dinner. He was the pumpkin. I was very proud of Preston considering the fact that he hates halloween. I took him to the party store and bought make-up for his role in the mystery dinner. He was supposed to be a friendly Jack-o-Lantern who was the life of the party. We called him "One-eyed Jack". He had a great time at the party.

Happy Birthday Madi

2009-02-02T22:17:00.005-07:00

Madison turned 9 and I can't believe it. She is getting so tall and beautiful. She is having a great time figuring out who she is and what she will become. She had an absolutely wonderful day. I took her cupcakes to school so she could celebrate. She loved the attention her classmates gave her. Then that night we took her to Costa Vida for dinner. She absolutely loves their quesadillas. I added a couple of pics from this past year. She looks so beautiful in her pink sweatshirt and hair all done up. She loves posing. The other one is of her room. She loves horses, and loves to ride whenever she can. Grandma and I painted a mural a year ago to match her quilt that all of her Grandmas made her a couple of years ago for her birthday. This year all she wanted was a Nintendo DS for her birthday and a big friend party. We compromised and gave her the DS. She gets the party next year. She was so excited. Happy Birthday Sugar Bear! We love you very much. We are truly blessed to have you in our family. Love Dad, Mom, Prest, Abs, Lukers.

Abbie's Room

2009-02-02T22:03:00.005-07:00

While Chris is away I will paint. Mom and I were going to paint a mural on the wall like we did in Maddie's room, but Abbie decided she wanted the "High School Musical" theme. First she found some fancy curtains at JcPenney she loved. Then she found a sample room painted the theme; I tried to follow but added my own touch. I think the mural would have been easier. Her smile says it all. Thanks mom for helping me. It was a lot of work but a project I walk away from glad that I did it.

Finally

2009-02-02T21:54:00.005-07:00

So it has been a while. What can I say in one word to sum it up? LAZY! I have been lazy about the blog. A lot has happened. First off, Chris is back from Italy after three weeks and hopefully we can get some pictures up. I haven't even seen them yet; but he did bring me back some very fancy boots that I have had to learn to walk in. He has been busy and pretty much gone since he's been home. Madi had a beautiful birthday, Abbie got a room makeover. Check it out. The kids bathroom was painted a green that I can't describe right now. It didn't look like that on the sample card. (I think it is growing on me.) Our dear poor snake Sizzle passed away; PJ was heartbroken. Erin had a baby which she is beautiful, and I got to hold her the first day. I love new babies. Chris' dad was in the hospital for broken ribs, punctured lung and heart problems. He is on the mends but will take a while. So blessed it is not worse and that he is doing better. I took the girls to a play with Mom, D, and Lala. We saw the play "The Wizard of OZ." Ask Abbie about the LION. That was a blast. There are about a million birthdays in January in the family on both sides and friends. D and I ran away for two days and one night. But we had to take the kids. So who really got away? The kids who could play and skip school and do what they want or the moms who had to still prepare food, bathe kids clean up clothes and entertain? (And yes ordering pizza and picking it up is still preparing a meal.) Oh yeah and I am still primary president while Chris is in the bishopric. Yikes!!! So there you have it in a nutshell.

Trip to Italy, part I

2009-01-08T03:38:00.002-07:00

My group left on the red-eye from SLC Int'l airport at 12:05 AM MST on January 3rd going to JFK in New York. We arrived in New York at 6:30 AM EST. From there we had a twelve hour lay over until our flight for Venice. That's a long time to spend in an airport so we decided to go find the USO. We asked a Delta Airlines employee and she informed us that JFK doesn't have a USO, which I found surprising. We also asked her where to check in for international flights and she said right here and asked us to wait for her, she would be right back. About 45 minutes later she came back and checked us all in and then took us to the airline's Gold Crown Club where we spent the rest of the day until it was time to go to our gate.

If you have never been in the Gold Crown Club, which up until now I never had, it is the 'rock star treatment' as one of my soldiers put it. The chairs are way more comfortable, the amenities are much nicer, and we had access to free food and drink while we were there. It was way better than hanging out in the regular airport all day. Way, way better. More later...

BALLOOOOONS!!!!

2008-12-27T20:25:00.002-07:00

Last Sunday we had the tradional Coil Christmas at D's house. We walked in when Lala took me aside and had to show me what Caleb brought. In D's den were 3 garbage bags full of balloons. Caleb told Lala that we needed to make it a party for Luke. They were a hit. Luke was so excited. The balloons ended up being a hit. They were just as excited about the balloons as they were the presents. Thank you Caleb. We love having you in our family. The kids absolutely adore you.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and may your new year be blessed with love, family and many adventures with your loved ones. Love the Tylers

Snowy, wet Saturday afternoon

2008-12-20T23:31:00.009-07:00

The kids in the neighborhood have discovered a "pond" with a little hill. I didn't think much of it because we practically live in a field. With so many empty lots and not a lot of houses being built there is a lot of land for adventure. For the last two days the kids have been coming home soaking wet. I just thought it was from the snow and playing on the dirt hills. Little did I know what they truly found until Chris took these pictures of the kids and the fun they have been having with all the kids in the neighborhood.

Amy this is for you. Think you need to come and sled with true winter people. (HAHAHA!)

Grandpa's Love

2008-12-20T23:26:00.002-07:00

Grandpa Tyler and Great Grandpa Tyler made sure to come to Madison's games on Saturdays. We loved having them come. Especially Madi as she would run down the court and look to see if they were watching her. Thank you to the both of you for coming and helping to cheer on Madi. We love you both very much and know that you love us and support us in our many adventures.

Girls' Basketball

2008-12-20T13:23:00.005-07:00

Today was Madison's last basketball game. When the season first started she didn't have a clue what she was doing out there. In fact, I think she was more interest in posing and being seen than playing the game. When the girls were huddled around their coach she would walk around the outside fixing each girl's hair and simply being very social. As the season went on, however, she became quite the defensive player with multiple steals and blocks each game. She still needs a lot of work offensively. Today she played more physically than I think she has played before, she showed a lot of hustle out there. We are very proud of her and hope she wants to continue to play. Way to go Madison!

balloons!

2008-12-15T11:11:00.001-07:00

Last night Chris was tucking Luke in bed when he told Chris that the family party we went too was not a real party because there were no balloons. Gotta love him.

Cake pops take some practice

2008-12-14T20:03:00.003-07:00

So tonight Chris' family got together at his aunt's house for Christmas. I took a dessert. I made my yummy chocolate torte and cake pops. I thought the cake pops would be easy and turn out beautifully like in the picture. Yeah; right! They turned out funny looking; but they were very tasty. I was going to take pictures, but that was not going to happen. Next time hopefully they will be worthy of picture taking. The kids enjoyed them for dinner. Here is the link so that you can see what I am talking about. http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/04/make-your-cupcakes-pop.html Try them, try them and you may like them so I say.

Shay this one is for you!

Luke and the button

2008-12-14T19:51:00.005-07:00

This past week it snowed really good and my 4 year old Luke got so excited. He woke up after all the kids had left for school and came running down the stairs yelling at me that it had snowed. He then made the most profound observation a 4 year old could make. He told me that God had pushed his snow button. I asked him what he meant. He said that God had a button for rain and snow and when he pushed the button it would either rain or snow. I asked him where does God have this button? His reply was; "In his house mom."

He is so lovable. He has been a great blessing in our family. I love his smile and laughter that you can hear throughout the house. He just goes along with whatever is happening. He is my best bud. This picture is of him at Lake Powell this past summer. I love you Luke.

Gingerbread Construction Crew

2008-12-06T21:35:00.001-07:00

So Friday night we went to Grandma's house to celebrate Unle Mike's Birthday. Little did I know we would be making gingerbread houses. Thanks D, Lala, Erin and Grandma for the memories.

Hot dogs, yellow slides and funnel cake

2008-12-06T14:20:00.004-07:00

One of our family's greatest traditions is going to the State Fair in the fall. We try to get everyone together on the same evening. Jake has made the comment that the only ones who go to the state fair are trailer trash, rednecks and the Coil's. Yes, we are now in the company of Utah's finest. Hey, at least we are sticking with the tradition...

2008-11-27T10:02:00.000-07:00

Cabin fever!

2008-11-27T09:58:00.001-07:00

We went to the cabin with our parents this summer and had a great time. We went on a bear hunt and found a moose, ate s'mores until our bellies ached and watched Indiana Jones. It was a fantastic weekend with riding the 4-wheeler, hiking and playing on the teeter-totter.