The rest of Spring Break...

The first week of Spring Break we went to Big Bear City for a few days and stayed in cute little cabins. There was a snow storm the week before so all around the cabins were little mountains of snow. The little ones had a blast playing in it. 

(Julia and Jack)

They dug and slid and played until their clothes and gloves were soaked through. They would come in, change clothes, put their gloves on the floor heater until they were warm and then they'd go out and play again. 

(Jack's cave...mostly dug out by Gage)

They had a great time in the snow. We went out to eat at a yummy BBQ place on the lake,  took walks, and just enjoyed being away for a few days. 

The next week we went to Joshua Tree National Park. I had no idea this was so close to us! (Only an hour and a half away). 

(Gage and Ally climbing)

There were huge rocks to climb...

(Jeremy conquering)

and conquer. 

(Gage and Julia)

Sometimes the conquering took some help from bigger people.

There were things to explore, pictures to take...

(Jackson, Julia, and Ally)

caves to see...

(Jackson, Ally, and Gage)

and plenty of wind beneath their wings. 

We all had fun seeing this beautiful setting and the kids want to go back to try out some of the hikes in the park. We might even have to try out the camp grounds! 

Jeremy...

(Jeremy at 6mo)

Yesterday was Jeremy's 17th birthday! He's our first child and is such a blessing to us. His big blue eyes and white blonde hair captured everyone's hearts when he was a baby. He was the first Grandchild on both sides of the family and first Great Grandchild for my Mom's parents. In fact, when I told my Grandma Bunny that we were expecting she jokingly scolded me for making her a Great Grandma because that sounds so old. Jeremy was born in Palm Springs where we were living at the time. That summer it got up to 124 degrees so he spent most of his first summer in just a diaper. That August my parents and brothers came down from Oregon to visit and I remember my 15yr and 18yr old brothers playing with him and laughing at his big smile and giggle. Scott, my 15 yr old brother was so smitten that every time I sent a new picture to my parents he'd steal it and put it in his wallet. I think he accumulated 5 or 6 of them! 

(Jeremy and Gage at 6 and 4...I couldn't flip the pic!)

One of my favorite pictures of Jeremy is this one with Gage. They were always little buddies...sometimes partners in crime. It was just the two of them for a long time...Jackson didn't come along for another 6 years after Gage. Jeremy was always so sweet and silly. The world was, and still is, so big and exciting to him. 

Jeremy did have some tough things to go through early in his life. When he was six we found out he had Congenital Scoliosis which means a few of his vertebrae didn't form correctly. Instead of being like a disc, they were like wedges so as he was growing his spine was curving and we had to stop it where it was because they wouldn't be able to correct the curve, just stop it. Just after he turned 7 he had major back surgery at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. It was heart breaking to me to see my happy little guy ride off to the operating room not understanding the pain that awaited him. To him it was just another big adventure. The first week was horrible. He never smiled once, no matter what we did or who came to see him but once he was home he got back into the swing of things.  He wore a back brace for 6 months after that and I worried a bit because that summer we moved from Utah back to California and he had to start 3rd grade at a new school with the back brace. It worked out wonderfully and he had no problems fitting in and the kids thought it was kinda cool. 

(His first day working at the hospital)

Maybe it was from his experience at Primary Children's or the yearly visits back to his wonderful doctor there for check ups all the way up to last year when the doctor said he's out of the woods and he'd be fine for the rest of his life..(there was a chance that as he grew the fusion wouldn't hold and he'd have to have it redone)..that he is interested in a career in the medical field. He volunteers at St Mary's Medical Center on Saturdays and has his career planed out. He is an excellent student and he still sees the wonder in the world and loves to learn and do many things. 

(Taking pictures at Joshua Tree Nat'l Park)

His other love is photography. He takes his camera everywhere. He has taken pictures of several of his friends and I have gotten comments from their parents that his pictures are better than their actual senior pictures. One thing that I'm grateful for is that although he's a typical teenager in some ways, he still likes to be around me. He knows I used to be a photographer for our yearbook in high school and he wants me to go with him to take pictures. His camera is very different than what I used because it's been over 20 years so he's always telling me about how to use it and we talk about certain places he'd like to go to take pictures. We're both busy so we haven't actually gone out and taken pictures together but I need to just make the time because he'll be gone before I know it. 

(In Big Bear...with his perfect hair..hee-hee)

I love my little guy who has grown into a wonderful young man. I get a kick out his sense of style. Whether Rich will admit it or not he's very much like him because of how much he cares about his style and his hair...Rich was actually like that when he was closer to Jeremy's age. Jeremy makes me smile to myself sometimes because he's such a philosopher and he reads into people so well. I am  trying to enjoy all the time I have with him. One more year and he graduates and will be off to college and a mission and life. 17 years has gone by so fast! 

Jackson's birthday letter...

Happy Birthday...well....yesterday....to our youngest boy Jackson Steven! You are a blessing in our family. You are such a tender hearted little guy. You love to do what's right and you think deeply about things. You so want to be a BIG brother like Jeremy and Gage but you are a great big brother and you get to look out for your sisters long after the older boys have gone. 

You have always been fun loving and silly. You love to play and explore and learn about the world.

You have your Grandpa's smile and I love it every time I see you smile. You love your brothers and sisters and your friends. You love to be with them playing video games, playing board games, playing soccer at recess or any other activity...you love to be with people. You love to give of yourself too. You are quick to give what you have to help someone be happy. 

You have a very special relationship with you sister Ally. She adores you and you guys are good buddies. You look out for her even when she gets on your nerves you love her and love having her as your sidekick. 

You are a very smart boy and you love learning and reading. You will do a lot of good in the world. 

I love you my little snuggly man. You are special and loved! 

Spring Break Day 1

First day of Spring Break....Knott's Berry Farm...

Ally and Jack hangin' with the bears....

 

Bumper cars with Ally and Marissa....(dangerous driver!)

Jack, Julia, and Ally getting some Snoopy love...

Excited little Julia riding with not so excited but good big brother Gage...

Ally and Julia's thrill rides...

Gage, Jack, Julia, and Ally future Olympians...

Fun day for all!

I love my kids...

I was just the reading blogs of my cousins and siblings and of course they are all centered around their kids. They are so adorable and it's fun to see similarities between my kids and theirs. Not only physically, but developmentally and in their personalities. I love that family is so important to all of us. Life for me is a million percent more joyful because of my kids.

I was so proud of Jeremy yesterday. Our new 2nd counselor in the ward forgot to ask people to speak in sacrament so Jeremy and I got a call at 10am that we needed to have talks ready for church at 1pm. I was a little stressed but confident that I could do it and I never say no...especially since it was Rich who asked me. But Jeremy was asleep and I woke him up to get the call and he cheerfully and immediately said he would do it. What a good kid! He did a great job too, I was very impressed.

Gage had a stressful but good weekend. Saturday evening was the Honor Band performance. Honor Band is made up of the best of each school in the High Desert. Gage made it and was the only freshman from his school and in the drum section to make it. They practiced  for the first time Thursday, practiced again Friday & Saturday morning and performed Saturday night. They played 5 beautiful songs and they did an amazing job for only 3 days of rehearsals. Intermingled with all the practices Gage had a big project presentation at school he had to do Friday morning at 7:30am before leaving to get to Honor Band practice at 8:30am. He also had a few math assignments he had to get in to his teacher. He managed to get everything done and I'm sure he's breathing easier now.

Ally has been struggling with her reading at school. It's hard for her because all of her brothers make Honor Roll and she has yet to make it. We started reading with her at home and after about 5 minutes it becomes the most frustrating and impossible task! She has the desire but her mind is in a million other places. On a visit to my Dad last summer he did mention she was showing some ADD signs but said if it didn't seem to interfere with school then just observe and work with her. Well, after two weeks of trying to read with her at home and with her reading level remaining so low we took her to the doctor. No surprise to us she was diagnosed with ADHD...which I thought meant hyperactive and attention deficit but I guess they group everyone into ADHD and then specify from there. So she is ADHD , Attention Deficit. She's not hyperactive but she has such a hard time concentrating for very long. She really has the desire and tries so hard but she can't do it. We started her on a low dose of medication on Friday and we'll see in a few weeks how she'll do. I'm excited for her to finally see that she is just as smart as her brothers. I think that will help her behavior too. She tends to get mad and act out a little more when she feels frustrated and not smart.

As for new happenings with Jack and Julia we'll have to update at a later date. I think Julia might have some potty training news soon!! (Finally!)

15!

 15 years ago today our sweet Gage Aaron was born. He was the most snuggly and the chubbiest baby out of all of the kids in our family. We affectionately called him Jaba (as in Jaba the Hut) because his fat rolls had fat rolls. He's grown out of those and  has become such a joy in our family.     

Gage loves his brothers and sisters and goes out of his way to play games and spend time with them. He's a tender hearted guy and wants them to feel loved.

He's got the same sweet, goofy and fun personality that my brother had who he is named after. He's just a good kid through and through. He's usually good at most things he tries. He's done well in school. I think he's almost always gotten straight "A"s.  He was good at baseball but stopped playing when it got more competitive than fun. He plays the drums very well and has gotten into Honor Band 3 years in a row now. 

We love our Gage! Happy Birthday!!!!

Nap time...