Family Pictures 2013

It's hard to believe another year has passed, time is flying by. I thought med school would never end but now I feel like I don't have a second to enjoy what might be our last Christmas in Temple.  Cory has been all over the country interviewing hoping to match at one of the many programs he's interviewed at in March. It has been crazy and I am excited for interview season to end.

We had our family pictures taken a month ago and I am pleased the way they turned out, except for Kallon's awkward smile in most of them. Karly is such and ham and loved every minute in front of the camera. She had watched Kallon get his individual pic done so when it was her turn she marched right over to where Kallon had been standing, put her hand on her hip and smiled so big. Aren't they just the cutest darn kids you ever saw!?

 Mr. Kallon found out that he need glasses last week. His teacher sent him to the school nurse for an eye test two different times and Kallon failed both times. Off the the dr we went. I was nervous for him to get glasses thinking kids would tease him or he wouldn't handle the glasses well. It has been quite the opposite, granted its only been about four days. His little classmates were all so excited for him when they found out and the few that already wear glasses were giving him tips on how to run in them and care for them. That made Kallon very excited to wear them and I am so glad. He looks so handsome in his new glasses. I'll have to post a picture with them on soon.

It's been awhile......

We're alive!! I have no idea where the time has gone from January (my last post) until now. I've been busy but not, if that makes any sense. I have kids to feed, cleaning to do, church duties, diapers to change, and a few other things going on and those things seem to take up all my time. Here is our summer in a nutshell.

June:

School let out June 5th. WAHOO! Kallon had been counting down the weeks since April.
Kallon lost another tooth
Kallon turned 7, holy crap! since when am I old enough to have a seven year old?! We had a Star Wars bday at the splash pad park. We played shoot the storm troopers, water balloon volleyball, free Hans Solo from carbonite and had an awesome Death Star pinata. There were about 30 kids there. We are so blessed to have so many friends here in Temple. We were exhausted when it was all over.
Kallon and Kate did swimming lessons at the Summit
Karly thought she needed to learn to swim too and stumbled into the pool while I glanced away for a only a second. Mom of the year award goes to me.
Celebrated Cory's 31 bday. holy crap! I can't believe we are in our thirties.



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                                                       that extra kid is my cute nephew

July:

*  The kids and I flew to Idaho July 3rd. That was fun (insert sarcasm)
* Celebrated 4th of July by going to the Pocatello parade, swimming, a combined family bbq, and fireworks. Except we watched the fireworks as we drove away from the fairgrounds because the show started over an hour late. Fun was had by all
* Cory joined us in Idaho about four days after the kids and I left. It was supposed to be two weeks.
   He can't live without us! :) 
* Worked out with my sister everyday. She kicked my butt. It was fun to have a workout buddy
* Many trips to Salt Lake City. My favorite one was with my mom and sisters and eating at Blue
   Lemon, my new fav.
* Karly started walking, FINALLY!! (thanks Kyle)
* Went on many fun boating outings.
* Kallon & Kate learned to surf with uncle Daniel.
* Cory, Kallon, Kate, and I went to Lagoon.
* Mountain biked (I really miss it)
* Became a DoTerra consultant, call me. ;)
* It was really a fun, relaxing time. It was so good to see all our family after so long.

 

                                             How we all felt after arriving back in Texas
August:

* Returned from Idaho and tried to get back into routine. Still working on it.
* Getting kids signed up for school and extracuricular activities
* Cory and I started P90X again after a 3 year hiatus. Yes, we are crazy.
* Cory has been on Radiology rotation and I absolutely love it! I think he has chosen well. Cory is    also in the process of getting his application for interviews ready. I can't believe the time has come. I am excited and nervous about the changes going to be happening in our family come June.  March 21, 2014 is the date that decides our fate. 
* Kallon starts 2nd grade on Monday and I cannot wait, again, mom of the year.
* Kate will start with her pre-school co-op. She is super excited.
* Karly is excited to be home with her mom while the kids are at school

Here's to another great year!
That about sums up our summer. It has flown by but we sure played hard.

Life

Wow! I can't believe we are at the start of another year. I have decided that because life seems to be passing me by oh so quickly that I had better start recording things. I am not good at keeping a journal but thought if I could do better at blogging that be suffice for now. Because it's been so long since I have really sat down to do this I thought I would do a little family update, a friend did it and I liked the idea!

Kallon is in first grade and doing very well. He is excelling in reading and loves math but his favorite subject is recess. Everyday after school I ask him what he did in school and everyday his answer is, "we did or didn't have recess today," depending on the weather. Kallon is very friendly and is quick to include everyone while playing. When we go to the park he is instantly making friends and will tell me for the rest of the day about his new friends. Kallon is tender hearted and gets his feeling hurt very easliy. He is very caring and loves his sisters and friends. He also has a very good memory, we have to be careful what we tell him because he will not forget. He LOVES playing the Wii. Sometimes the only punishment that will work with him is taking the Wii away. Cruel but effective. He has recently lost both his bottom two front teeth and is working on the top ones. Right now he is into according to himself "dangerous animals," his favorite being snakes and spiders. We also just started piano lessons and so far I don't even have to ask him to do it. I am keeping my fingers crossed this good attitude and excitement lasts awhile. He started tennis a few months ago and is loving them. He will play in his first real tournament in may. He seems to have a little natural ability. Kallon has a lot of energy and loves to be outside and ride his bike. He is very loving to his sisters (most of the time) and is a good helper. We love this crazy kid!

Kate recently turned four and has a little preschool group once a week that she absolutly loves. Everyday she asks me if she has preschool. Kate is a good girl and a good listener most of the time. She has a little stubborn streak in her and when she puts her mind to it can throw quite the tantrum. Lucky for me the tantrums are getting less and less but she likes to break one out every once in while just to remind us she has her own ideas. Kate also loves to make new friends but especially with the boys. At preschool you will usually find her outside playing baseball or jumping with the boys while the girls are in the house playing with dolls. She is a little tomboy and loves to play with Kallon no matter what he is doing. Kate is constantly saying funny things and is not afraid to tell you like it is. An example: In sunbeams a few weeks ago they were learning about Heavenly Father and one of the kids asked where He lived. The teacher responded by asking where do you think he lives, have any of you been there? Kate pipes up shrugging her shoulders and says "yea, I've been to Jesus' house all the time." I guess she said it with quite the little attitude. Kate loves playing with her My Little Ponies and you will usually find her playing ponies and bad guys with Kallon. I started doing reading lessons with her and although its not her favorite thing to do she is doing well and catching on quickly. She also learned to ride her big girl bike and enjoys that as well. Kate went from being my best eater to my most picky eater. Everyday she tells me she doesn't like dinner even if its something shes never had before. Ugh! We love our little Kater and love that she keeps us laughing.

Karly is now 11 months old. She is such a silly baby and Kallon and Kate just love her. Karly loves to be around us. If she is left alone in a room she will start to cry until someone comes in to be with her, usually me, but sometimes the kids are good enough for her. She is definitely our most clingy baby and because she likes to be held so much it is a challenge for me to accomplish things around the house most days. Karly claps, loves to play peekaboo, and has almost mastered waving bye bye. She is still not crawling which Im not too worried about yet. She has got plenty of people around here to take her where she wants to go. She did recently start army crawling but mainly she gets where she wants to go by rolling. She can spin any way and get just about anywhere she wants. Karly still loves her binki and is becoming more attached to her ladybug blanket everyday. For a while she wasn't taking very good afternoon naps and I could not figure out why. One afternoon Cory was home and laid her down with her special blanket and she slept a whole 3 hours! Now I am sure to lay her down with her blankie. This girl loves to eat, doesn't matter what it is as long as its edible she is all over it. Karly still doesn't have much hair. She has a little tuft above each ear and one right on the crown of her head and a little curly mullet. We lovingly call it clown hair. Karly is a happy good natured baby and is always quick to show her super smile (she smiles so big we see all her teeth and her squinty eyes.) When she is afraid or doesn't like something she will lay down on the floor and hold perfectly still. She does this a lot while I am blow drying my hair or when the kids are being crazy. Karly can say mama, dada, and boo. We love her silly personality.



 Cory is in his third year of medical school and still doesn't really know what he wants to do. This year has been interesting and he has gotten to see and do so much. Most days he comes home with a new idea of what he thinks he wants to do for the rest of his life. Some days its emergency med, then its radiation oncology etc.. It continues to change but deep down I think he has decided on Interventional Radiology. We will see what the next few months bring. He has to decide by July I think and then the process of applications and interviews start again! He is doing very well in school and is such a good dad. The kids can't wait for him to come home every night and spend a little time with him. When time and weather permit he enjoys taking the kids outside and playing a little tennis in the drive way. 


 Me

 Same 'ol here with me. I got a new camera for Christmas and I am trying to teach myself how to use it. I enjoy taking pictures of my family and am excited to try and figure the camera out. This old brain needs some new stimulation. I am still in YW teaching the Mia Maids which I enjoy, its a very time consuming calling but I have enjoyed being with the young women. I've been attending some tennis clinics here and there when I can work out babysitting. I didn't realize how much I missed tennis until I started going to these clinics. Hopefully I'll be able to make some time so I can attend more often. We started "eating clean" around here about a year and a half ago which has been a challenge but a welcomed one. I like finding or making up new recipes that are healthy and taste good. My new favorite stuff to cook with is coconut oil. Its a super food, there is nothing it can't do! Seriously look it up and go get some! I use it for everything from cooking to moisturizer, to weight loss aid! Speaking of weight loss, I am trying to get my exercise motivation back. I lost it when I was about six months pregnant with Karly and it hasn't returned. I am hoping that soon I can find it again. Between feeding kids, laundry, meal prep, bum wipeing, homework helping and yw I feel like there is no time left for much else. Having three kids has thrown me for a loop and some days I feel like I have done good just to keep everyone fed and alive. :) Im not complaining or looking for sympathy I just haven't found my groove yet I guess, or maybe I just suck at time management. Who knows?! I love my life and my beautiful family and I wouldn't change a thing. I am truly blessed!