Sarah part 2!

I was on the floor and Olivia was in the front row, so she is right in front of me. Sarah starts out on the back row to the left. It was hard to video her because I was on the floor level. She was sooo stink"n cute! I'm glad she quit gymnastics! Now we have a gymnast and a dancer.

Sarah is a Star!!!

Brian's Farewell!!!

Brian's farewell is this Sunday (Oct 18). The first "Stevenson" grandchild to leave on a mission! Everyone is invited, hope some of you can make it!!!

Mission Call

I know, this is old news, but I wanted to finish updated my blog with big events of the year.  This is probably one of the biggest.  Just in case you weren't there, I wanted you to hear the excitement.  I was a nervous wreck!!  CALGARY, CANADA!!!  Eh?  There were about 30 friends there.  One of his friends was in Provo so they skyped him on the computer. 

Sewing Lessons!

     I taught Sarah and Heather how to sew this summer.  I spent the day having them make their own pajama bottoms, then David and I went out for the night and when I got back, they had made outfits for all of Heather's American Girl Dolls!  I couldn't believe they actually "got it."  They are nothing like Samantha.  Don't worry Sam, you were good at other things:)  Now I just need Debbie to machine quilt Heather's quilt for me.  Hint hint.  I am now teaching sewing lessons to girls after school.  I sent flyers around to teach sewing for 10 yrs and up and I already have seven signed up.  I think it will be totally fun! . . . Or crazy that I just got myself into something I may regret.  Just Kidding.

Temple day

We took Brian thru the temple on Tuesday.  One of the best moments a parent can have.  It was amazing.  Thanks everyone who got off work early to be there for Brian.  It was really neat having you all there.  And thanks to Jim and Meri (they were kind enough to take the pictures) its great to have friends that support you and your children.

Home from Hondorus!

We all met Nate at the airport Monday night.  I can't believe two years went by soo fast!  I know it won't when Brian leaves.  Nate, Sam, Brian, and Ryan practically grew up together playing with each other every day when they were little.  I'm so thankful for Nate being such a great example to his younger cousins.

Some of you have asked me about Brian's girlfriend ( you know, Brian said he wasn't going to have a girlfriend before he leaves on his mission.  There's no point to it)  But, I guess he changed his mind. . . well, when you meet Jessica, you'll know why.  She is super nice and way cool.  Not to mention, obviously beautiful!  Brian has been practicing his missionary skills and has been able to sit in while Jessica took the first missionary discussion.  So. . . this is Brian and Jessica going to the prom and they did a rodeo for their day activity.  His farewell is Oct 18th so all are welcome to come out and say good bye to Brian, or "hello" if your name is Carsten, Ike or Ian.  Altho most of you are busy having babies right now so I'm not expecting you to come:)  I'll catch up on my blogging soon because school just started yesterday.  I'm not sure if it is good or bad.  I already miss hanging with my three little kids.  We had a great summer!

Lake Powell

Lake Powell

The best part of watching this video is knowing that he was scared to death to try wake boarding.  He kept saying, "Tomorrow, Dad, I promise I'll try it. . ."  He was so nervous when the day came when we made him try it.  I got in the water with him and helped teach him how.  His legs were shaking and his heart was beating so fast.  Even from the water all strapped into his board he kept asking if he could wait until tomorrow.  If you are in our family you don't have a choice on not being athletic:)  By the last day at lake powell, Max was saying, "Dad, can you take me wake boarding, huh dad, huh?. . . Dad, come on, I want to go again!"

Lake Powell

I Can't believe I haven't blogged for four months!  Well, this is one of the reasons... Why are my words being underlined?????  And the other reason is our internet seldom works so I can't wait forever for a picture to be downloaded.  I lose interest and walk away.  I have great things to catch up on.  Max learned how to wake board this summer.  It was so fun!

Max Baptism Laie, Hawaii

March 14, 2009    

 It was the most beautiful morning.  It rained all night and we thought we were going to have to baptize Max in the rain, but about 20 minutes before the baptism it stopped raining and was beautiful, and as soon as it was over and we started walking back to the car, it started pouring again.  We really missed having all of our cousins and aunts and uncles around, but it was really sweet and something we will remember forever.  Bishop Akana from Samantha's BYU ward conducted and Samantha's two roomates Katie and Ashley were there and then just our family.  Everyone stood on the beach as we sang and talked about baptism and the Holy Ghost.  After Max was baptized, Heather, Sarah, and max sang "When I am Baptized."  The morning was about Max and he looked so innocent and beautiful standing in the water next to his Dad.  It was something that he will remember for the rest of his life.

More Baptism Pictures!

Hugh Heffner?

     We always call Max "Hugh" or "Hughie" when he wears his robe.  He doesn't know why we call him that and sometimes he gets irritated with us because we usually start laughing when we say it.  I got the robe for him last year and didn't think he would wear it, but he uses it after every bath, then walks around the house in it till he goes to bed.  I think he needs slippers and a cigar.???  Maybe not the cigar.  He does have two sets of twin girls he hangs out with all the time.  You go Max!

Crazy Mother!

     I had just picked up Sarah and Heather from gymnastics Saturday and Brian was watching the end of Max's basketball game and giving him a ride home for me.  I decided to run in Kohls to see if I could find some shoes for Sarah and Heather.  Heather found a pair but Sarah was sad because they didn't have her size so, being twins, I told them we would come back later to avoid stress about one getting shoes and not the other one (Rainey can probably relate to this).  I told them I wanted to look at the dishes really quick if they wanted to look at the girl clothes.  Brian had called a few minutes later and said he was dropping max off and that he needed to leave.  I told him i was on my way home.  I went to get my girls and realized they each had a stack of clothes in their hands they wanted to try on.  Sarah was saying how she really needed a pair of shorts and Heather something else (I don't think Kohls has cute girl clothes and they are over priced for Kmart looking stuff)  I knew there would be begging and tears and I really didn't feel like dealing with it.  I also knew I didn't want Max home alone and had to hurry.  An idea popped in my head.  Now sometimes when ideas pop in your head you go with it, even tho you don't think it through for damages it may cause. . . but I went with it.  I said, "Hey set your clothes down really quick and follow me."  They looked at me questioning why.  I just said, "I can't tell you.  Hurry.  Just set your stuff down and walk behind me really fast."  I started walking to the front of the store.  "Where are we going, Mom," asked Sarah.  I told her I couldn't tell her right now but just follow me.  Heather had heard me talking on the phone and asked half joking, "Did someone die?"  I said no, come on we have to leave real quick.  I wasn't even sure what my story was going to be, I just needed to trick them to get in the car without having to buy anything.  I had my large oversized purse with me, and I was clutching it in front of me when the idea came to me.  By now we had stepped out of the store and they kept asking, "Where are we going?"  There were a few ladies out front so I told them quietly I would tell them in a second, I don't want anyone to hear.  As soon as we crossed the cross walk I started laughing because I thought my joke was so funny, I said, "I stole a pair of shoes and they are in my purse and we have to leave fast.  Hurry, get in the car!"  Of course, I'm thinking there is no way they will believe that their Mother would steal a pair of shoes.  I just kept up the story till we were in the car.  Both girls were wide eyed and a little confused.  I think Sarah was trying to decide if she should call 911 on her Mom and Heather totally believed I had taken shoes and wanted to know if they were the pair she wanted!  Oh no!!!  As I was driving home, I just couldn't stop laughing to explain things.  I finally said, "I would never steal anything, girls!"  I just wanted to get home quick.  Now they thought I was so crazy they started laughing (I think because they were so freaked out or relieved) but we laughed the whole way home.  Heather asked me why I thought it was so funny.  I told her sometimes being a Mom is boring and hard work and to humor ourselves we do dumb stuff.  I just hope they don't have to go to therapy over this.  Hee Hee

Free Christmas Tree!

     Please, someone, come get my 12 foot plus? pre-lit awesome Christmas tree out of my garage.  I don't want to store it any more and need to get it out.  I will haul it away by Tuesday, so if you want it, please let me know.

Christmas Break

     The best part of having time off of school is sleeping in and having our little children climb in our bed to watch cartoons and snuggle.  Its the BEST!!  Of course we have to watch pokemon or transformers or something of Max's choice.  Are they sooo CUTE?  I think I am the luckiest Mom in the world.

Happy Anniversary Honey! 22 Years!

I still love this man despite what he looks like.  Just Kidding.  This was right after his surgery.  He said he wasn't on anything, but look at the pictures and you can decide if he looks a little too happy for someone who just had his jaw opened up and his bone scraped clean for two hours.  The picture on the left was a few days later.  Max says, "Dad now you have a RECTANGLE face."

Christmas 2008

     Christmas was so fun having Samantha home for a month from BYU Hawaii!  All the little kids picked out Guitar Hero to give their Dad for Christmas.  I'm not sure who was more excited, David wondering what kind of golf item could be in that big of package, or his three little children helping him rip the paper off because he wasn't doing it fast enough!  They think they were brilliant this year getting Dad "exactly" what HE wanted.  Max gave Samantha a marshmellow shooter ( she told Max it was exactly what she wanted), and Max got some kind of toy from Santa that only Santa knows the name of.  It was a great day hanging with each other.  This will be the last year for a few years that we will all be together.  Brian will be gone next year, and if Samantha marries a Samoan, we may never see her again.

Happy New Year!

     Well, this is how we brought in the new year.  David just had a huge cyst removed from his jaw and really wasn't in the party mood, and everyone else was off with friends.  Max yelled at me with 20 seconds left to watch the ball drop in New york.  We yelled, hugged, and jumped on the couch for a few seconds, then by 12:05am the next two pictures show the rest of my celebration.  Max was all I had to play with, but as you can see, he didn't want to play.  David has had a rough week.  It started with the car packed Christmas day to leave on a week snow boarding trip, then ended with David waking in the night with excruciating back pain, an early morning MRI and several more nights of no sleep, followed by a tooth ache, while waiting to get a scope of his stomach to see if it could be ulcers making him sick, his jaw flaired up and within a couple hours he was having oral surgery where a large cyst was taken out of his jaw.  And if that was not bad enough. . . he told the surgeon to go ahead and yank his wisdom teeth while he was at it (just for fun).  So now his jaw is sore, and his back and stomach are still in pain, but can't get a scope until he is able to open his mouth.  Anyways, besides david, we are having a Happy New Year!  I'll update my blog soon.  My children have been hogging the computer playing Sims day and night and i haven't got a chance to blog.

Fun Thanksgiving with Hatfield's

It was so fun hanging with Hatfield family Thanksgiving day.  There have been many thanksgivings that we have been on our own without extended family.  Holidays are much better surrounded by cousins and family.  It was a great day.  And thanks to Jodie's back drop, we were entertained all afternoon thinking we were cowgirls!

Thanksgiving Catch Up!

We went to Colette's for Thanksgiving Dinner.  It was really fun.  Julie and Greg came from CA with little Eloise.  Thanks to Marjorie's sweet potatoe recipe, Grandma Eloise was happy!  We counted at least three times she heaped a huge plate full of it.  Soon everyone caught on to what she was eating and it disappeared fast.  Thanks Marj for the recipe!  Its on the oranges ad biscuits blog.  I highly recommend it.  Sam, Colette, and Travis ran the Turkey Trott.  It was GREAT having Samantha home for a week.

Funny Max!

     We were going on our traditional Sunday Family bike ride and Max just started talking about Halloween.  He said, "Mom, I don't really like halloween, its just really scarey."  I told him in a couple years he will be older and won't think it is scarey.  "But, Mom, everyone dresses up in scarey costumes and it scares me."  Trying to think of a way to help him overcome his fears, I told him I would find a scarey costume he could wear and it would be fun.  Max always thinks things through too much and never lets me get away with anything.  He says, "but that won't work cuz I'll just look in the mirror and scare myself!"

Watch Out Beyonce!

     Sarah was practicing her dance moves and David walked in and told her he could teach her a couple of cool moves.  Maybe he should leave the dance moves to Heather and Sarah.

Sam's Home!

     Samantha decided to fly home from Hawaii for Thanksgiving.  She flew all night, and then Sarah and Heather said it was soo nice of her to fly all the way home to go to their gymnastics meet. . . so, she got to spend the entire day (with no sleep) cheering her little sisters on.  We love having Samantha home!

State Gymnastics Meet!

You are looking at the Eighth and Tenth place Beam Champions in the entire state of Arizona!!!  Way to go Sarah and Heather!  They did awesome in vault, floor, and bars.  They got their best scores in all the events.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom!   I have always loved this picture.  It is a picture of a picture so the quality is not very good.  You are so beautiful and happy.  It reminds me of the many times I would come home from school and laundry would be freshly folded on the kitchen table and the smell of warm bread was coming from the kitchen.  You did everything for your children.  Even when you had to go back to work, you continued to be SUPER Mom.  Seven children, the first four of us one year apart, I am amazed how truly talented you are.  Now that I am a Mother of five children, I appreciate what you did even more.  Many summers Dad was gone to scout camp or on high school students on tours of Europe, or building homes for an extra income.  You would take care of us filling the void and doing it all.  I know how tired I am at the end of the day, and you taught sewing classes in the upstairs room of Baron's Fabrics.  Many nights I  would go to class with you.  I was sewing my own clothes by the fourth grade because you taught me.  I love that you passed that down to us.  It is becoming a lost art and I'm glad my Mother taught me.  Sewing was such a small part of what you taught us.  You taught us compassion, selflessness, love and inner beauty.  You are truly a remarkable woman.  

Happy Birthday Mom!  I love you.

Thanksgiving

What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving???

American Girl Doll

I think these are the times that when your children grow up, you will miss.  Heather is eleven but still thinks the American Girl dolls are the coolest thing ever.  All she talks about is which American Girl Doll she wants.  She filled a baking pan with water and froze it so she could make her doll ice skate.  Of course, Max is her side kick in anything that she does.  I told her next year when she is in Jr. High she may not get to play with dolls.  Its so cute tho.  I love the little girl that is in Heather.  She is so sweet and simple.  

Going Private

     I have been thinking that it is a little creepy not knowing who is reading your blog and that I should go private.  It's like all these little kids that you tell, "don't talk to strangers," or if a man drives up to you and offers you candy, don't take it because he will pull you in his car and drive away.  But then our children ask if they can have a lemonaide stand with their friends and you say sure.  So next thing you know your seven year old is on a corner going up to strange cars and collecting money for lemonaide.  That just never made any sense to me!

     Anyways, please let me know if you want an invite to my blog.  It's not that exciting, but I will feel safer blogging about my kids.  I just went to my neices blog, Jessica, and from there went to her friends who said she was going private.  I felt weird reading about someone I didn't know.  Then when I went back to Jessica's blog I noticed my blog is listed on the side.  (I love you Jessica) but then I realized the craziness of blogging.  You can be intertwined to everyone through your friends.  Sorry, I'm a little slow on technology.  This article didn't persuade me, but it is interesting if you want to take a look.  I stole it from Jessica's friend (see its madness)!

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=4699330

Good Times!

     I found this picture the other day and I forgot how we used to do everything with Nate and Ryan.  I miss Brooke holding the twins when they were babies and thinking she had two new sisters.  I miss Lisa hugging my kids every time she saw them and making them feel they were the coolest kids ever!  I miss Brian having two older brothers to look after him and play "dudes"with.  As we trick or treated in our old neighborhood, I realized how much I miss our old neighbors and millions of kids roaming the streets on halloween.  I miss the relationships I used to have with all of my sisters.  I miss Samantha living at home. . .  There is one thing that is constant in life, and that is that it will always change.  Enjoy the moment.  It wont be there tomorrow.  

     I love the time I am living and the children that surround me and the relationship that David and I have, I wouldn't change a thing, I just miss some of the good things and relationships that have to be left in the past.  Wow, I had no idea that this blog was going in that direction.  I just wanted to post the CUTEST PICTURE EVER!  We remember Nate in our prayers every night.  Hope the gospel is growing in Hondurus.  We miss you.

Homecoming

I'm just a little behind on blogging.  Coaching soccer has taken a little more time then I was anticipating.  (Is that a good excuse, cuz I can come up with another one if I need to).  Isn't Brian handsome.  We just bought a new suit for the dance.  Also for winter formal, prom, and his mission!

Happy Halloween!

I am seriously behind on my blog.  Halloween, is of course, my favorite holiday!  I don't know why.  Its kind of like Amy's obsession with Disney Land. . . can't explain it.  Sarah and Heather were suppose to compete in a gymnastic meet in Las Vegas, but we decided not to go the last minute.  We had to invent some costumes the day of halloween.  (Thanks Jill for your forrest fairy).  Sarah and Heather went with their friends Sami and Brianda and Max was pretty much a "Mama's boy all night.  I kind of like that he is scared, he's my baby.  David and I took him in a halloween store and I had to cover his eyes and lead him around.  He bumped into something and thought it would be "creapy" and started screaming like a little girl in the store.  No, seriously, we had to run him outside he was so loud and blood curdling.

     One funny story.  We went around in our neighborhood with Max and there was not another soul around so we decided to go to Uncle Steve's house.  Max met up with some friends.  As they were going door to door, they knocked on Steve's door.

They peeked in the window because no one was answering.  They saw a man sitting in the kitchen with a big bowl next to him ignoring the door.  Max's friends started banging on the windows and yelling at him to get up.  Max said, "hey thats my uncle."  his friend said, "well your uncle sucks!"  (Not the nicest friend).  Anyways, it turned out Steve ran out of candy, but it appeared he was too tired to answer the door.  Its bad luck to run out of candy on Halloween.  All in all it was a good night.  I just miss the chaos of all the kids in our old neighborhood.  We had three trick-or-treaters all night.  Of course, $50 worth of candy was missing at the end of the night.  It had to be Sarah and Heathers little boyfriends that kept coming over. If you were a twelve year old boy, wouldn't you want to play with the twins and their friends?  Dah!  I'll have to add a picture of Brian's halloween costume later.  Yes, he is 18!