Sydnee's Valentine

I came home from work and this was sitting on the counter. Sydnee's latest artwork, her Valentine. It totally says what's in her heart. She truly misses her Daddy. This just melted my heart. I hope Bryan realizes how much his kids love and miss him.

SUU WOMEN'S GYMNASTIC TEAM

Trevor and his cousins Keawe & Ammon after the Gymnastics meet.

After the meet, Gail took us to show us the Sharwan Smith Building at SUU which is the same building as the meet, we also saw the statue of Sharwan.
Adam coaching with Scott and giving the girls a pep talk.


SUU Women's Gymnastic team won the meet. Way to go Adam!!!

Babysitter Time

Guess who we got to babysit tonight? Tia and Andy went out for their one year anniversary dinner and we got the opportunity to watch Major. He was such a good baby, I love that kid sooo much.

Klondike Time

Trevor and Bryan packing for Trevor's upcoming Klondike, before Bryan leaves for Wyoming.

My son all ready to go meet his troup and build a snowcave to sleep in.

Thanks to Uncle Max, Aunty Sunny & Jaden hopefully Trevor won't FREEZE.

Trevor is so excited to go on this campout.

He puts a smile on my face!!!

No matter how sad I am, this little guy can put a smile on my face and make everything better for me. I love this little guy sooooo much!!! This is Andy and Tia's little BIG guy, Major Stokes. He is now 3 months old and 20 pounds. He is such a sweetheart!!!!

36 Hours Later - He's gone again!!!

Another cute picture that my girls took of their mom and dad. That's what I get when I give them a camera for Christmas.
Cambria saying goodbye to Bryan.

Bryan on his way!!!

I'll take it, 36 hours with my sweetheart. I had a great weekend hanging out with the man that I love. It's amazing that you put off the not so important things like: dishes, laundry, cleaning, etc. (and anyone that knows me, knows that that's very important to me) but to spend time with the one that you love and you only have a few hours, that stuff can wait. It will ALWAYS be there and I CAN do it later. I really think that I am the one learning from this whole situation that our family is going through. I always seem to learn something new every time Bryan comes home. I need to learn how to STOP and smell the flowers and take my time and appreciate the simple things in life. I am always on the run and I never just take time to relax and enjoy the moment. I truly enjoyed the moments this weekend. Bryan and I slept in until Trevor's Basketball Game at 10:00am. WOW that's not normal. Then we went to Costco, In-N-Out and the bread store. I had NO agenda, NO plans, NO clock!!! Great, great, day. We went to our Sacrament Mtg, and then he was one his way. I love sitting in church with my husbands arm around me, I feel so safe and secure. Life is wonderful, I will see him again in 3 weeks!!!! That's the longest time apart, but I WILL SURVIVE!!!

My Husband's Coming Home

I am so excited, it has been two weeks and Bryan is coming home tonight. He will probably not be home till about 1 in the morning and then needs to leave Sunday morning. Who cares if its just 30 hours home, I'll take it. He will be gone for another 2 weeks and then he will be home for a week after that. I am so excited to have him home for a little while. I'll have to kick the kids out of my bed so that I can snuggle with my real bed buddy. I am just so grateful that Bryan has a good job to support our family, even though it takes him so far away. I guess it could be worse. I have a cousin that is working in Iraq and he is gone from his family for 5 months. So Wyoming (7 hours away) is not that bad. I know that the kids are excited to spend the weekend with their dad, they are sooo tired of being with mom all the time. Life is good and it's going to get better tonight when my best friend gets home.

Cheer Competition-We took Second

Cambria and some of the cheerleaders:Katie, Nikki, Brittney, Sahara, Kassidy, Amanda, & Paige.

Cambria and her coach - Cheryl

Cambria and her stunt group: Courtney, Brielle & Tiffany

The whole squad minus Lindsey (who got hurt) they took her to the hospital.

Me and Cambria after the competition!!!!
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Saturday we traveled down to Las Vegas with the Cheer Squad and they competed against teams from Nevada, California and Utah. Our squad was unbelieveable-they hit every stunt, and every move was so sharp, clean and precise. They did an awesome job, I was so proud of them and I was just a proud mom sitting in the stands cheering. I can only image how their coaches felt. There was one girl in particular that got hurt on the first stunt. She twisted her ankle very bad that they thought that it was broken afterwards, but just a bad sprain. She hurt herself landing the first stunt and finished the whole 4 minute routine on her hurt ankle and right after walking off the mat, collapsed and was in soooo much pain. She was such a trooper to not quit and continue for the whole team. She was a flyer, which meant she was one of the girls that they through up in the air, lifted and did the stunts and she did it all in pain. That was the reason why they took 2nd. The judges had NO idea that the girl hurt herself in the first stunt and just thought that they made a mistake. Otherwise, there is NO doubt, they would've placed 1st. It was fun to see all of the other teams. It felt like we were in that movie, "Bring it On" when we first walked into the registration area. All of these girls were just eyeballing all of the incoming teams. It was hilarious.

Happy Birthday to my Little Sister Tia

Tia, Cambria and Kiana. Tia has always been close to her neices. More like sisters instead of Aunty and Neices.

Tia's brother's love and adore her. They have always been her bodyguards.

My little sister is turning 23 today and I can't believe how time has flown by. Within the last year, she has become a married woman and married the man of her dreams and became a mommy. Who would've known that the little baby that my mom let me name (T=Tonya* I=Irene* A=AhQuin) Tia would be a grown up. I love her so much. Tia and her Daddy.Tia practicing being a mommy, before her bundle of joy comes.

Tia and Cambria have always been so close.

Tia loves her Cecilee. They have

Cry session

Tonight I got a phone call from the love of my life, from Wyoming and all I heard on the other end was some sniffles and a low voice saying, "Ton, I love you Beautiful." sniffle, sniffle. I immediately thought something was wrong and said, "Bry, are you OK? What's wrong?" Well he said that he just watched a movie and the wife of a man died of cancer and all the husband wanted to do was to spend time with his wife. Well, that hit a nerve for my husband, obviously and sent him into a cry session. I didn't need this, I just got together my composure from crying, just because I was having an emotional day today, just missing my hubby. So of course, that sent me into a cry session with him. We were both just boobing on the phone. We did end our crying session with prayer and after that we both felt a little better. We miss each other sooooo much, I don't know how long I am going to be able to handle this whole work situation. But we are soooo grateful that he has a job to support our family at this economic troubling time. I just don't know why it has to be in Wyoming, there has to a wonderful lesson that we are going to learn from this whole ordeal. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us, we just have to have faith in him and know that he is there for us. I love my husband and miss him sooo much.

Does it ever get easier?

Sydnee thought that it would be fun to play with the camera and take some silly pictures of me and Bryan moments before he left.

Well my husband left for Wyoming today and I thought this whole day that I was going to be strong and think that I've already had a melt down last time he left so this time it should be easier. Well - it came time to say goodbye and he gave me a quick squeeze and then disappeared.

I went to find him and he was in our room wiping away his tears, WOW that brought on my waterworks. So much for being strong. We just held each other and cried. Gosh, I love this man sooo much!!! Then of course the kids come in and we all have a big group family hug and start crying. So I answered my own question about ever getting easier, I guess it doesn't, but it will make us closer, stronger and appreciate one another more. It's funny because he was here the whole holiday season for 2 weeks and I loved it, but he started getting on my nerves this past week. Now I want him to be on my nerves and bug me. I am never satisified. Don't ever take anything for granted. Love every moment that you have with that special person. I am just grateful that he has a job for our family and that we will get closer as a couple by the absence. I love having couple prayer with him morning and night over the phone. Life is wonderful!!!

Our Family Tradition!!!

Major all bundled up to enjoy the fun activities that we have planned.

My brothers love to be kids. Here is Max and Elijah on the swing at the spinning park. The spinning park brought out the kid in everyone.

Here is Sydnee, Raya and Janessa watching the football game on the sideline.

Max giving Tia the ride of her life. NO she did not throw up, even though she felt like she wanted to.

All of us after the soccer game. We had a great time.

Top Row: Max, Jaden, Joe, Janette, Tonya Andy, Tia, Paula, Cambria, Adam, Becca & Bryan

Bottom Row: Cecilee, Raya, Sunshine, JT, Elijah, Trevor, Sydnee, Josh, Devan

Our game of football with all of the boys and kids. These men think that they are just as young as the kids.

Ready, Set, Hike ......

Adam spinning his two boys, Devan and Josh.

Tia and Andy between games.

Cecilee doing what she does best, kicking a corner kick.
Sydnee kicking a goal kick. She hopes to become as good as her sisters and brother.

Adam with the ball going toward the goal, Joe defending his goal.


Adam with the ball again, and Trevor staying with him to try and steal it away.

Every year we have had a New Years Day 5 mile walk since I was 10. Our family would walk up Euclid Ave. to the top and back to our house, every year. Well as we have added members to our family we have continued with our family tradition. Maybe not quite counting out the five miles, but we have that day set aside to play sports and be active with our family.

Today we met at Snow Canyon High School and played soccer and football and then went to the spinning park and ate lunch. The kids were able to ice block down this hill that they had and the adults turned into kids playing on the playground. We had a blast and it was a great way to start off the new year. Family traditions are wonderful.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Happy New Year from Major!!!! We had a wonderful evening but this is the only picture that I got that meant anything. He is adorable!!!

What the boys love to do...

Trevor loves to play football in the house.
Here he is going in for a catch over the couch.

Yes, he is allll boy. Loves to figure different ways to play football in the house.

In my household there is a common scene almost every weekend. When there is a football game on there are two men glued to the front of the TV at my house. Trevor usually knows the name of every player and its so funny to listen to their conversation with each other about the game. Trevor seems to know just as much as his dad (well MAYBE not just as much) about the game and can carry his own with his conversation. Its so neat to see them both growing up.