The Kids

Howdy Everyone!

I think now is a good time to update everyone on how the kids are doing. Let me just start out by saying that this move has been the best thing that we have done for our kids. Mind you not one of our kids had seen the house prior to "move in day"

I will start with Darrien since he is the oldest. Darrien was really excited about the move down here, heck he made friends at the Wendy's in Price on the drive down. Needless to say he is outgoing...and I have NO IDEA where he got that from??? Anyhow Darrien was really struggling up in Pleasant Grove, the kids up there are very um what is the word spoiled I guess. It was always a competition of who had the newest video games, video systems, electronic devices you name it and they had it. Of course it did not stop at that, Darrien just never felt like he fit in since we moved from the house on the other side of PG to the new house up on the bench. He did not like the school, the kids, pretty much he didn't like anything. Since moving down here he absolutely loves it. He loves the freedom, the fact that he can go anywhere in the town and be independent yet close to home. He has made friends all over the place and loved his 6th grade teacher. He also joined the band and went on several field trips. He finished the year with good grades and feeling good about the fact that there isn't a Jr. High down here and that he will now be in High School this fall. Sadly he is more accepting of this fact than I am...I can't believe my Darrien in High School....next will come the girls...I will stop here :) Darrien misses his best friend Cardon and a few other things about the city but other than that he loves it! And boy are we glad!

Connor (Cal) Cal also really loves our new house and considering that all the boys share one room this surprises me. Cal loved his 1st grade teacher and finished with high flying colors. He is now the one that often reads to the younger kids, and he really enjoys it. He has been able to go out with Darrien and visit the local video store/arcade, the skate park, the shake shack and various other places. He also went on a few field trips and really loved the one to The Edge of the Cedars. He is looking forward to being able to spend some time outdoors going fishing or going into Moab to play with Jen's boys when they come down to visit. A few weekends ago we went to Moab to hang out with Jen and her family. One afternoon Jen's mother in law and sister in laws took all of Jen's kids and my kids up to Ken's Lake..Man they are brave! Cal had a total blast and can not wait to go back again.

Patrick I am so happy to report that Patrick had not one melt-down since starting at the new school. He actually has done surprisingly well. He is still a little bit behind in reading and math but will be going to summer school for 3 weeks to get help which the teacher's think will get him up to grade level. He is now able to retain information and actually process it out into words or appropriate emotions. I am so proud of this little guy I can't even tell you! Now comes another milestone for Kanga (Patrick's nickname) he is now officially a big kid like all of his brothers, he can ride a 2 wheeler and actually likes to do it! He often says "Mom I need to become a strong boy so I am going to ride my 2 wheeler to be strong. I am a smart boy huh Mom" it is just so cute. He went on several field trips as well and he loved the one into Blanding for Farm Days. Patrick says that our new house totally rocks dude! So take that for what it is worth!

Connor James (CJ) Little Mr. CJ he loves pretty much everything down here. He loved the fact that he could walk to school with his brothers and walk home all by himself (literally we live a block from the school) He did really well in Kindergarten and is excited to be in 1st grade and grow up "bigger like Cal and Patch" CJ is a loving kid and has found a new "Grandma" Ms. Randal the cute little lady that lives behind us has taught CJ how to plant seeds. We are happy to report that CJ has a very happy healthy cucumber plant! He also loves playing in the back yard and peaking in the neighbors yard to see the sheep they have back there. Our neighbors have a daughter doing 4H so they have sheep it is pretty funny. CJ loves animals and talks to Jo Jo our dog as if he was a new born baby. He was getting bored after school so I decided I would have him go to the babysitters after he ate lunch for a couple of hours so he could play with his friend Dylan. He is just as dangerous as before always climbing and running and stubbing his toes! He really loves our jacuzzi tub and every bath night he asks if they can have a jacuzzi.

Of course last but not least the little one Aubrey.......Well I think it is her turn to give me a run for it! She goes her first few days to her new babysitter and manages to get fired!!! Yes the babysitter fired Aubrey!!! I was devastated so I went over to talk to Jill the babysitter. Basically what it came down to was that Jill was having a really hard week and Aub's was of course trying to push her limits to see what she could get away with. By Sunday Jill called and said she was sorry and that she would like to have another chance at watching her. I am glad to report that she is still going to Jill's and is now doing well. A couple other things to note with Aubrey she has been not only pushing limits at Jill's but also at home..and actually right at the moment...now it is a fight over going to bed..Man she is a knot head and that I really HAVE NO IDEA where she could have got that from.. :) A few weeks before school got out I got asked if Aub's could be the peer model in next years pre-school class. Basically the program is for special needs kids but they can have up to 3 other children to help be role models for the other kids. Aub's was selected because of the teachers interaction with her and observing how she is around Patrick and CJ. Of course this delighted me as this would get her into school a bit earlier, since she misses the Kindergarten cut off by a few days. But as I sit here I am praying that by the time school comes around she is out of this stubborn stage. So yes wow yes this fall I will have every single one of my kids in school. Now I am happy about it but I am sure when the time comes I will be sad to see her go.

I will be uploading some recent pictures of the kids! They all say we miss and Love You!

Hugs & Kisses!

Darrien, Cal, Patrick, CJ & Aubreyann