My little Scout

Braxton started scouts this past week. He is SOOO excited!! He is reading his Scout book all the time and wants to start passing things off. The first thing he got to do was paint pumpkins - super fun! Scouts is yet another reminder that he is getting big, which I love but just want to keep him this age forever. He's my little Scout!!

Carter Family 2011

I love doing family pictures. I do not, however, love the stress of getting ready for family pictures. I love seeing (after the stress) how the kids have grown, and how our little family is getting older/wiser -I like to think we are getting wiser, not older. I love that Dylan admitted the pink tie was cool. I love having my grandpa's childhood kitchen chair in some of the pictures. My very dear friend, Danielle, posted pictures that she took of her family and I was in awe. So, after I was prepared to beg but didn't need to at all, she agreed to take our family pictures. It's Jason's busy time of year and so getting the schedules to match was tricky but it all worked out - if you count Nati getting a bloody nose moments (literally, we were walking out the door) before leaving. Danielle was amazing - had the kids pictures taken and moving onto family ones before we lost the light. It was so fun and for the 1st time ever....EVER, the kids did so very good. We bribed them with In-N-Out as reward for being good during pictures. They took it very seriously and were impressive. HUGE, monstrous, loads, and heaps of Thanks to Danielle for taking such great pictures and making it a fun night.

Love this because Brax is, and has always been mortified of any PDA. He just put his head down and refused to look.

I think this is my favorite.

Like this one too......

So excited to have a good picture of Brax without the glare on his glasses. Especially for his baptism.

Love my 3 cuties!

Cross Country

Dylan had a very successful first Cross Country season. He did so great - although he needed to be coaxed into running each time but ALWAYS was happy he did it after. They had practice M,T, & W and had meets every Thursday. It was a big time commitment for us but worth it. He improved on his time by over a minute during the 6 weeks of running. I am so proud of him for doing it and trying to have a good attitude about it.

Sprinting to the finish.
Dylan and Wyatt getting all ready to show them what MJHS is made of.

The boys getting ready to break some records.

It's Great to be 8!!

My little buddy turned 8 on the 15th. He has been looking forward to it for quite a while. I wanted it to be a day filled with all of his favorite things. We started off the day with blue pancakes (he thinks its hysterical to have a colored pancake). He got to open his presents from us - a very specific rubber band gun with very specific rubber bands. School wasn't his idea of a fun birthday but.... had to be done. We went to dinner at his favorite place - Pizza Pie Cafe. I think its funny because he only eats the cheese sticks there??? Grandparents came over to wish him a Happy Birthday and we finished off with the cake. His friends party was on Saturday. I took them bowling, which would have been a huge success except for his competitiveness. He got a little sad when he wasn't winning. The boys had a blast and his birthday was a success. He is such a blessing to us and we LOVE having him in our family. He always hugs me and is always making me laugh. He loves to hang out with Jason. They are always side by side fixing something, or just hanging out. We love you Braxton!! Happy 8th Birthday buddy!

His choice of breakfast - blue pancakes! One happy morning!
Bowling Super Star!

Braxton and his best buddies enjoying some food after a competitive game.

Grandma & Grandpa got him his own scriptures with his name on them. He was VERY specific about the color of book and the color on the pages - blue & silver. He loves reading them and is a huge example to all of us.

He picked Pizza Pie Cafe for dinner. He was even ok when they brought out the birthday treat for him.

Blowing out the candle. The cake and I had issues - those issues being that while taking the cake out of the oven I dropped one of them. Before my tears started flowing Jason calmed me down and reassured me that it would look great as a shooting range. Whew!! I love making their cakes and am devestated if/when they have issues.

He begged to be able to actually shoot the target off the cake after we sang to him. It was very entertaining.

Grandma gave him lots of balloons full of money - he was in heaven!

Goal!

Soccer Season 2011

Nati and her cousin Blake. She grabbed him for a cute picture.
This is almost as close as she got to the ball. It was a fun season watching her chase after the ball.

Being an awesome defender.

He fell and hurt his arm. I had a moment of panic thinking that he broke his arm. It's all good though!!

His favorite position.

Hope

It's October and I can't help but be grateful for my mom and for those that have fought against cancer and those that have yet to fight. These are just a few of the reasons that I love my mom.

I love you for always having open arms.

I love you for never faltering.

I love you for being there when you didn't know you were being there.

I love you for supporting every big moment in my life.

I love you for loving my kids.

I love you for making me laugh when all I wanted to do is cry.

I love you for being braver than you thought you could.

I love you for smiling with no hair, eyelashes, and fingernails barely holding on.

I love you for fighting like a girl.

I love you to the moon and back!

Hope is an image of goals,
planted firmly in your mind.
When looking at life before you,
Hope lines the path you find.

Hope is a well of courage
nestled deep within your heart.
When faltering in fear and doubt,
Hope pushes you to start.

Hope is an urge to keep going,
for limbs too tired and weak.
When apathy stills all desire,
Hope sparks the fuel you seek.

Hope is a promise of patience,
as you wait for distress to wane.
When all you can do is nothing,
Hope pulls you through the pain.

Hope is a spirit that lifts you,
Should heaviness pull at your soul.
When torn apart by losses,
Hope mends to keep you whole.

by: Wendy S. Harpham