Wow!!!! I am almost making up for an entire month. Be prepared, the following pictures are an accumulation of the last 26 days.
Well first and foremost we have had cabin fever!!! Can you tell? A few times a week at minimum Payton has pulled out swimming suits for herself and her brothers, and they pretend that the living room is the swimming pool. It had been working wonderful until they started using a diving board... Jaxon dove off the couch face first and got a bloody nose everywhere. NO MORE SWIMMING IN THE HOUSE!
The weather has been warming up which has been wonderful. This has really helped with the urge of swimming in the living room. There have been quite a few days where we have gone to a few different parks around the area. Quite a few weeks ago we went to the park with my friend
Tamsyn and her girls!!! We spent quite a few hours out there playing and my kids were so dirty, but it was so fun for them to be outside for so long.
On the 7
th of this month we made the trip to Nashville to go to the temple with our Ward. One of our favorite people over here got his mission call to the Ogden, Utah mission. He was going through for the first time. It was such an awesome day to be there with our closest friends. Going into the Celestial Room was Heaven on earth. Those people will be some of the people that I will want to be with me forever and ever.
On the 9
th Austin had his course test, and returned home to install doors. When he got home he said "I have a great idea...you should go to Cleveland this week to visit Amie (my sister). AKA he wanted us out of the house so he could work! So I called Amie that afternoon and we hit the road the next day for Cleveland. We spent 4 days hanging out with cousins! It is always fun to be with my sister, and even better for my kids to see their cousins which they love. One day while we were there we went to
Pittsburg to the Science Center. The kids had a blast! And... I had my first experience of going to
IKEA! GREAT STORE! Most of the time the kids spent their time at the water table.
Jaxon was sopping wet by the end of the day. We let the kids all sleep together one night, this was what we found... Cameron was practically
ontop of
Jaxon, I suggested that we move the boys, and we decided to leave them. Next thing we knew they had woken up crying. Camille was the smart one sleeping away from everyone.
After the Science Center and Ikea we headed over to Steak n Shake! All of the kids had their own tables, and the moms had their own table. I am sure we were a sight to see, but it was still fun!
Well after returning home from Cleveland we came home to a newly remodled home!! Almost! Austin spent the entire week replacing all of our doors and windows in our house. It looks awesome! What a huge blessing it is that he is such a handy guy, and not that he is just handy but he is actually really good at it. He spent a few years learning from his brother Dave how to do all of this kind of stuff. And alot of it has been a learning experience on his own too. What better way to learn than on your own house huh? I will post pictures on a later date when everything is all painted. I don't usually brag too about Austin nor does he like it, but what can I say.... He's quite the guy!
Here are the kids on one of our trips to Home Depot. Ashton is playing peekaboo, and Payton and Jaxon are sitting up on a shelf by the cabinets. Our kids love going to Home Depot and Lowes because we take them over to the riding lawn mowers and they play on them. It is like a ritual that we have. LAME I KNOW! But they love it!
Austin had spring break last week, we spent most of it working on the house! We did take a break and go to Knoxville one day! Nice way to spend our break huh? Austin has no time anymore. He is studying quite a bit now to take his step one board test in June. He will be starting his rotations at the end of June.
I think we have a mix up at our house!
OK....now... for the long awaited pictures of the Holler!!! HERE THEY ARE! We have spent the last two weekends up there having a blast. This is what is called a "COOKOUT" translation= BBQ, but on a much bigger scale. This is the sign leading up to the Holler, this is their way of saying they want their road fixed, AND... it worked!!
This is the head of the Holler. Papaw Smith.
This is our Holler missionary. He just reported to the MTC this week. He will be serving in the Ogden, Utah mission, so all of our family back in Utah... watch for this guy... he is awesome!
Ok, if you want to know the story... look on our previous blog post where you see the picture of the Hershey's Syrup bottle. This was presented to Austin and Me in front of everyone in the Holler plus some! :) WE LOVE IT!!!
These were taken yesterday morning! Payton kept yelling "Moooooooooooommm, MOoooooooom." (I was laying in bed) I finally said "What Payton." She said "I'm such a good sister, come take a picture of me and Ashty."
Ok, other updates for this month are....
Payton officially has learned how to ride her bike. No traning wheels, now that has been for a few weeks, but now she can ride it 1 mile, without falling. I was at Enrichment last night and I got a call from Payton, she was so excited to tell me that she rode her bike 4 times around the track. I am so proud of her. We told her that we could get her a new bike if she learned how to ride this one. (Even though she is still 4, she is so tall she is almost too big for it.) I will take a video and post it later.
Austin has been pretty frustrated these last few weeks trying to apply for rotations. Well finally he was accepted to his first rotation in Cleveland, Ohio at South Point which is part of the Cleveland Clinic. We are pretty excited!?
An update on my Grandma. She is out of the hospital and home! She is doing as well as she possible can after having back surgery! She is still in our prayers as well as my Grandpa. I know that this has been a huge trial for the both of them. I want them to know how much I love them. I think about them all the time and appreciate their strength.
While I was in Cleveland my Mother in law went in for surgery. As far as I have heard she is doing well and was home the day after. We have been thinking of them also and wanted to let them know how much we love them.
And a special congrats to my little nephew Logan Keith Stucki! He was baptized on March 21st, 2009 in Texas. He had both sets of his Grandparents there to support him and some Aunts and Uncles from Brandon's family there. We love you Logan and are so proud of you buddy!
The last 6 months I have been organinzing a huge conference for Barbara Barrington Jones to come to the Knoxvilee, and Knox. Cumberland Stake. She will be coming in about 3 weeks to do 3 Firesides in 2 days. I am pretty excited for it. I know that our Stakes over here are going to love her. I will be pretty busy with the final planning of that over the next few weeks and hoping for a smooth weekend and a good turn out!
What a cute bunch of kiddos!
So...it is a problem that happens in the Finklea house... and I think the Sclater kids have caught on too. Every time (no exaggeration) I bend over on all fours my kids immediately jump on me like I am a horse. I early on made the mistake of running through the house on all fours and now I feel like an old woman, my wrists just don't feel the same anymore. So, today I got down on the floor to pick something up, next thing you know I was swarmed from a flock of KIDS. And so here is the picture.
Thanks girls for coming out to my place today! It was lots of fun as usual and looking forward to another fun day tomorrow! (We will be bombarding Jenn, in her home)
