Report & Resolutions

I know, I know.  I'm almost 6 months late in recording our New Year's Resolutions and reporting from last year.  

For 2016, here were our goals:

Stephen: 

1. lose 25 more lbs.

2. Enjoy the entire year with Melodee

3. Have the best and most relaxing vacation EVER!

4. Have a better attitude at church.

5.  Work out 3 times per week.  

Stephen did well on 4 out of 5.  I'll let you guess which one wasn't the easiest for him.

Melodee:
1. check off another state from my travel bucket list. (hawaii!)
2. Read the Book of Mormon & one conference talk per week.
3. Update my blog once a week, update family yearbooks, work on my personal history.
4. Declutter, get ride of excess items around the house.
5. Workout 4 times per week.

We went to Hawaii!  I read the BOM, but fell short on the conference weekly talks.  I updated my blog--probably not once a week, but enough.  I didn't finish the family yearbooks until this year.  Still working on personal history.  Decluttering is a constant.  I did some last year and continue to do more.  Working out didn't happen.  

Kyle:
At home: be nice to my brothers and mom
At school: make more friends.
Personal: Have a better attitude and be more happy.

Kyle has done well on his attitude and making friends.  It is a constant battle on being nice to family members most of the time.  

Ryan:

At Home: Love my mom.
At School: make friends
Personal: be nice to people

I feel like Ryan's goals were to keep up with his "normal" attitude and temperament.  

Evan:
At Home: put my shoes in the basket.
At School: be nice to all friends.  no hitting.  No taking toys home from school.
Personal: play soccer and ride a bike. 

Oh, shoes and Evan.  He still needs to work on this.  Although, he did pray after we'd torn the house apart looking for the missing match for TWO pairs of flip flops!!!!  

He did SOOO much better on not hitting friends and being nice.  

He played soccer--very well, I might add, but didn't learn to ride a bike.  We're still working on that!

Stephen for 2017:
Help Melodee with the boys.
Help boys enjoy the outside more.
Be more patient at work
Travel
Fish for tuna
work out on elliptical
Another year with Mel

Donate money from the sell of my book

Help Mom with MoTab books

Keep up with the boys' job charts and allowance

Go to the NM Balloon Festival

Try a zipline

Craft with new materials.

Kyle:

Finish Rush Revere books.

End my school year great for me.

Try to have a great summer.

Get along with Ryan and Evan

Learn about technology

Get better at math.

Try lobster

Ryan:

Read chapter books.

Learn to cook.

Learn about how I was born and where we go when we die.  

Try salmon.

Evan:
Count to 100.
Learn to read.
Learn about vampires
Try a new flavor at Spoons (fro yo)



Many of these goals will be easy, and some of them will take quite a bit of will power.  The beginning of 2017 has been rough, but we're at a good point for making that last half of the year a good one!

Rachel Reunion

A great friend was in town for another event and made time to come visit and chat with me!  It was amazing catching up, even if it wasn't long enough!!!  Love her!

Water Balloon Fight & Farewell Kickball

We FINALLY used some of Ryan's water balloons from his birthday presents with some friends.  It went great, and lasted longer than I'd imagined.  

On the same day, we went to the going away party for some dear friends who moved to Oklahoma.  Kickball and climbing trees for the win!  

Evan also found a family of frogs in the pool!

Last Days of School

Here's what the boys had to say about their school years on the last day of school:

Evan's School Portraits

Evan's pre-school only does portraits in the spring.  Here's Evan's individual and class photos.  (Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Pryor, and Mrs. Allen's class. )

Ryan's School Portraits

Ryan's spring, class, and fall photos: 

Kyle's School Portraits

 Spring portraits were taken many weeks ago.  I'm finally getting them posted.

Mrs. Rhine's 3rd Grade Class

I can't remember if I ever posted fall portraits, so here's that one, too!

Catching up on Soccer Stuff

I'm finally getting around to posting the boys' soccer photos from the year.  We ended up missing the weekend when Evan's official photos were, so we have an unofficial team photo for him.  

They all did so well this year!  

Another one Gone

While Dad and Mom were on a date, Ryan decided to pull out another tooth!  And this time, he asked the babysitter to help him put it under his pillow before it could get lost.  Tooth Fairy Success!

Father's Day

My handsome boys with their dad!

We totally surprised Stephen with an NES Classic.  He loves it, and so do the boys.

Ryan and Evan have been making "beds" and blanket forts just about everyday this summer.  Sometimes I love it, and sometimes I'm ready to roll up every one of those 50 + blankets and drop them off at the Goodwill.   

I finally finished the job charts I've been promising for years now!

Not a bad celebration of the father of our home.

Thank you to my dad and Stephen's dad for raising such awesome children!!!

Snorkel Practice

In preparation for our Christmas trip this year, we've been practicing with snorkel gear in fresh water. After only 2 times, the boys have (mostly) got it down.  Plus, they LOVE how much faster they can swim with the flippers! 

Cub Scout Day Camp

Kyle had a great time at cub scout day camp this year.  I was so proud of him for packing his own lunches and looking for good things everyday, even though it was quite hot.  He killed the BB patch on day 2, and also passed archery, although it wasn't as easy for him.  In the process, Kyle also learned that his left eye is his dominant one.  

We also experienced the first scout-related injury.  Apparently, on day 2, when a bunch of boys were climbing up "Monkey Island," Kyle was pushed, grabbled a branch to save his fall, but the branch broke and the remaining part snapped back and scratched his face.

It's not too deep and doesn't look like it will leave a scar.  You gotta have a few battle wounds in this life, though!

While Kyle was busy at day camp, the other boys helped me with errands.  We got new flip flops for Meow-Meow since he outgrew his old pair and lost one of the Star Wars ones we got everyone for Christmas. (I'm sure it's been missing for months).  We also picked out some killer Father's Day gifts for Stephen.  

It was a pretty good week!

Cabo--Day 7

This morning Emmy kept the boys so Stephen and I could visit the spa.  It was magical....minus the nasty, green "smoothie" they offered us while we waited.  Nope.  Not happening for me.  

Stephen got the specialty massage: deep tissue, hot stone, bamboo.  He like the bamboo the best

I had the hot stone massage, which was perfect.  

Afterwards, we enjoyed the private salt water pool. 

Then, we ate a nice lunch at the poolside restaurant.  YUM!

While we were busy, the boys swam and played mini-golf.  SO FUN!!!  Thanks to Emmy!

We just tried to soak up all we could of our last day!

With the full moon, Evan took some time out to meditate.  

Namaste, y'all