Our little snow bunny

Emma can hardly wait for it to snow. She keeps asking when the cabin will be built so she can go play in the snow. This will be the first time we have ever been able to spend some time in McCall during winter. (Sounds like Emma wants to spend the entire winter up there.) It is also the first time Emma has had snow pants. So far she has worn them every day since we purchased them. Steve's glad she's getting use out of them. As you can see by her mittens being on the wrong hands and upside down-she's also in the independent stage, not that she's ever had any other stage in her life.
As an aside-I am more than happy with the Fall weather we've been having. It is absolutely beautiful! And-I'm super grateful that we will have a warm cabin to go to after playing in the snow so we can thaw out and drink hot cocoa.

Go Cougars!!

We took a family trip to Utah this past weekend. Steve's birthday was Saturday so part of his gift was to attend the BYU football game. We spent most of Saturday milling about campus...showing the kids where we met, eating lunch in the Wilk, purchasing BYU memorabilia, and explaining that a college is a LOT of buildings-not just one like their school. Emma was thrilled about the Y on the mountain and everyone loved going the the SWKT observation deck. The highlight for me was Training Table of course. In fact-we made it there 3 times in 3 days!
Steve took Hayden with him and the rest of us went to the Fun Center in Sandy. Everyone had a blast! We woke up to snow on Sunday-in October?! Our "vacation church" was a tour of Temple Square and the Conference Center on Sunday. The snow was exctiting but made for a long drive home. The freeway was closed from the border up to Burley so we had to drive to Pocatello and then home.
I think Steve's favorite part of the weekend was Emma singing the BYU fight song..."the Cougars of BYU. Rah, rah, rah rah rah. Rah, rah, rah rah rah. Rah, rah, rah rah rah. Gooooo Cougars!"

A 12 step program

They're hidden everywhere....in my nightstand, under the couch, by the piano, in the car, in the endtables, by the television. I'll admit, I'm addicted. I gathered all of them together. The grand total=34 sudoku books and 1 electronic game. I need a 12 step program!

The Merc

Here is our local market. You can get just about anything there-food, lumber, liquor, sporting goods, plumbing supplies, miscellaneous hardware, and so on. Definitely no Wal*Mart, but good enough for a quick trip for milk or gas. I have yet to meet a cashier that has all their teeth.

Family Council

WOW!! Obviously Sunday afternoon family council is one of the highlights of our life! Even Steve looks bored to death. However painful it seems-it must be done or our crazy life is becomes out of control real fast! It is actually one of my favorite times of the week. It's a time to connect with the kids and Steve, to make sure that we all know what each member of our family is doing so we can support them. It is a time to celebrate everyone's accomplishments and encourage those who struggle. It's a time for evaluating the path we are on-and make adjustments as necessary. It's a time to reminisce and laugh with kids who want to hear stories of when they were little (like that was so long ago). It's a time, that even with all the bad attitudes, gives me a glimpse of heaven to come.

NY on 9/11

Steve was on a business trip for the week and flew home out of La Guardia airport on 9/11. He said all of Manhattan was full of memorials, parades, and other remembrances. He wished he had more time to visit Ground Zero. The highlight of his trip-or rather the biggest adventure on his trip-was stopping in Queens to gas up the rental car. Fortunately it was in broad daylight, but even then he wasn't 100% sure it was safe. He brought all the kids these classic shirts. We missed you and glad you returned safe and sound!

OMD??

Dallin has been playing the violin for 2 years and he still is not sure if he likes it. He enjoys playing his pieces, but does not like his teacher to correct him. He says, "She's too bossy. If she can't treat me with respect then I am not going to violin!" But every week, he toughs it out again. Hayden has been playing the piano for 5 years, but in 6th grade you have to do band or orchestra. Since he is in the 8th grade math class during band, he had to take orchestra. But-I think he would have chosen that anyway. All 3 boys in our neighborhood play the cello. It is quite the sight to see them all struggle to get on the bus. We are so proud of our musically talented boys!

Emma turns 3

Foam stickers are fun!

Happy Birthday Princess!
It is hard to believe that our baby girl is 3. She couldn't wait telling everyone she saw, "I'll be 3 when I have my birthday." She was thrilled to have cake and presents, but the next day she said she was 2. "I was 3 when I had my birthday, but that was already so now I am just 2 still."That took some explaining.

I can't seem to find the words to sum up what Emma's 3 years in our family mean to me. She definitely has her own way of doing things-and everything she does is full of personality. Hopping instead of walking, singing at the top of her lungs, dressing herself in a blue and white polka dot shirt, pink and brown striped shorts, socks pulled up to her knees, and red church shoes, and the sweet snuggles she gives with a quick pat on my cheeks with an 'I love you Mommy.'

Steve's bittersweet memory was of Emma sitting on his lap one day last year. She snuggled him for a bit and then climbed down saying, "Bye Daddy, I gotta go grow up now."

She loves her boys more than anything and picks a different one to sleep with each night. My favorite is when we are in the store and she yells at one of the boys who is lollygagging, "Come on son!" Other shoppers always snicker and then tell me how great her language skills are. (Believe me, we know-we've been listening to her boss everyone around for 2 years now.)

My sweet little girl, who loves polish but hates to have her hair fixed. We are so, so blessed to have her bright spirit in our home. I love you baby girl!!

Under Construction

Inaccessible pantry

All the cabinets taped off

Master bath Redo Under the dishwasher

WOW! it's been a crazy couple of weeks. Our kitchen sink leaked down the pipe and our wood floor split and warped. YUCK! So-we had to get the bad parts ripped out, replaced, resanded and finished. We were in a hotel for 2 nights, then home for 3, then back in a hotel for 2 more. The nights we were home, Steve and I distressed and stained the floor. YAY! And-while all of this was going on, we were also getting our master bath fixed. We made it a walk-in shower and had the tub tile updated. Basically-we were in our home without a home to live in. We all had to sleep, bathe, and function in the basement. With the fridge and stove in the dining room, the mircowave taped shut, and the dishwashers in the garage, we ate out every single meal for 10 days straight. I never, ever thought I would say this, but I am so sick of fast food. However-we are nearing the end. The floors are finished and appliances put back where they belong. The bathroom just needs grout and sealant and then we are back in business. HOORAY!!

Alma 53:20

So in our family scripture study one night, we are reading in Alma about the Stripling Warriors. This verse really stood out to me. The qualities listed are ones I wish for my children to possess. And as a mother, how do you emphasize them without lecturing? Here was my plan...A friend in the ward does the vinyl lettering you can stick on the walls. I ordered this scripture from her-as big as I could get. The boys rooms are all at the end of the hall in the basement and I put the scripture on that wall. Now everytime they walk down the hall, they will be looking right at that scripture (and hopefully reading it). On the wall next to it, I have that picture of Helaman on his horse with all the Stripling Warriors. I wanted my boys to envision themselves as those warriors, so I took pictures of them to hang next to the real version. Well-of course the boys could only be serious for so long and to get all 3 of them looking warrior-esque at the same time. Let's just say they needed some comic relief. I told them to look like they were ready to fight like warriors. Watch out bad guys-here come the Atchley boys!!

Mini golf with Grandma Atchley

Dave and Lynn's families visited the week following 4th of July. With all those grandkids running about Grandma needed an outdoor activity, FAST! She took them all (except for Joan's big kids) minature golfing. They had a blast! We split them up into groups and it was fun to see their different perspectives, personalities, and approaches to the game. Hayden, Audrey and Dallin analyzed each hole before playing and were vigilant scorekeepers. Jocelyn, Ally and Jacob played and had fun without any care in the world. Ryan and Matthew were quite competitive with each other-mostly about who got to go first. And Kathryn and Emma were thrilled to be there and played every hole their own special way (picking up the ball, setting it right by the cup, then hitting it in). Fabulous fun. Thanks Grandma-We love you!!

Atchley Grand Central

This is our home sweet home. The place where we work and play, cry and laugh, fight and love, learn and teach, and just be. We have a lot of good times and work through the bad times together. No matter what the world sends our way, nothing is more important than our family.