Midnight Whiskey
McKay's Horse.

Yesterday was Aubrey's 7th birthday. She has been so excited. She wanted a unicorn cake. Do you think I could find anything with a unicorn that wasn't a ton of work? I found a horse spray painted it with glitter and hot glue a paper horn on it. She was excited. She took it to school today to show her friends. It was a good day. We had a big Sunday dinner. Mom and dad came to eat with us and then Chance and Carissa came for cake and ice cream later. John and Dixie called her Saturday. It was good to hear from them. We had a good day.

We actually had enough leaves for Bo and Aubrey to play in. Okay we had a little pile but they had fun. McKay would throw them up and Bo and Aubrey would dance a twirl in them. It was fun to watch them.

I thought Cheyanne was done with volleyball for a little while but now she starts a tournament. It will be good for her since club ball will start in December. Then the real fun begins. I love to watch them play.

Matt and I were able to attend a 60th wedding anniversary party for Keith and Lola Coombs. I have never met a better man in my life. He still can make me feel like I am a little girl. Sixty years is a long time. Matt and I will have our 20th in November. Twenty feels like forever. I wonder what 60 will feel like. Keith has helped me with rodeo when I was in high school. We bought my barrel horse from him. He has given me his time, ropes, Tony the pony, his arena and even a dog. I have alot of great memories of that man and he will always be close to my heart. I can't even imagine how many kids he has helped throughout his life. What a guy.

Where Does the Time Fly?

Summer has come and gone. It seems like time goes by faster and faster each day. I got a few months to catch up on so here it goes.

June was Chances Graduation. It was really weird to have him grow up all of a sudden and complete his high school education. It was time for me to let him go. It is really hard to do that I still catch myself wanting to say "You are doing what?" He moved out not too long after graduation. He has a cute little apartment in Brigham City. Seems to be doing well. He has a good job and is playing pretty hard.

July brought our little Bo's 2nd birthday. I can't believe he has been part of our family for that long. He is so funny. And he is starting to talk alot. I have to interpret for the rest of the family because he has his on way of saying things.

July also brought with it the Baxter Family Reunion. We were able to spend a few days in Zion's National Park. Josie did an amazing job organizing and entertaining. We stayed in a huge log cabin furnished with lots of fun things. Matt had to go to work for a few hours one day in St. George. It happened to be the day we went to the narrows. I had no intentions of hiking up river with Bo and Aubrey but thought I would go a little ways up and turn back. Just to say I did it. Brandon (Matt's brother) said he would carry Bo on his shoulders. There was no way that Bo was going to go along with that idea. I ended up carrying him on my hip for about a mile or two. It felt like 10. We waded up to our waist in water. We had lunch and started back. If it wasn't hard enough to carry Bo to begin with it was really fun when he fell asleep. Nothing like dead weight. Jami (Matt's sister) carried him part of the way back for me. Needless to say Bo had a great nap and I slept really good that night.

August was the Marble Family Reunion at Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. The kids floated down the river in tubes. We swam at the pool and I got Bo to not be so afraid of the water. We stayed in a Motel with a RV park in back where my family with trailers stayed. We all had a good time.

The Box Elder County Fair was also in August. Chance, McKay & Cheyanne all took steers to show. They all got a blue ribbon. We thought that they should have done better in their class. They did well at the auction. There are sure alot of good people that support these kids at the Auction. Aubrey and I were in a horse riding club called Trail Trotters. We had alot of fun together. I enjoyed riding in the arena again. It brought back alot of memories.

School started the following Monday after the fair. Time to get into a routine. Aubrey was really excited for 1st grade. She likes her teacher and is doing great. I think she could be a spelling bee winner. Cheyanne started 8th grade. We tell her we send her to school to learn but I think she goes to school for the social part. McKay is in the 9th grade. He wasn't to excited to go back to school but went anyway. He's doing good too.

September we brought the cows home from Malad. It's a good thing we have alot of good help with the boys and a friend (JD). Matt and I went up one day and had a nice ride looking for cows. I now know why it's takes all day. I think there is alot of B.S.ing going on. It was quite fun. The trees were changing colors and it was a cool day. I am glad I went.

It is now October and Fall is here. Cooler days and cooler nights. So why doesn't the stupid flies freeze and die? They are driving me crazy. Not the 5 kids and a husband haven't already made me crazy. Cheyanne has been playing volleyball with a city league. Aubrey has started Tavosi (a singing group). She is singing Christmas songs. McKay has almost completed his eagle and has gotten his learners permit. He's completed his driving course and now needs to finish the online course. He bought a 2 year old colt and has been working with her. Chance is having fun living it up and working. He's doing great. As for Matt and I? Matt is still working with cows, fixing fence, working his 9 to 5 and being a dad and a husband. Me, I am still in young women's, have taken on a craft club and just bought a vinyl cutter. I can't wait until I have the time to sit down with it and figure it out without interruptions (will that day ever come?) Hopefully not too soon. I forgot about Bo. He's sure fun. He is happier than a lark or madder than a bull. There really is not an in between with him. I keep telling myself... hard toddler, easy teenager. He's alot of fun still. I enjoy it being just he and I during the day. Now if we could only work on the potty training all would be good. He's not even close.

My Grandpa Olsen of 90 years fell this week and broke his hip. He did not have to have surgery so that's good news. My mom and my aunt moved him to a nursing home in Delta (that's where my aunt lives). So far so good. Hopefull all will go well for him.

Anyway, this is life of the past months.