Spaghetti Dinner

In Honor

Most of you know my baby Brother just got back from Iraq, and in honor of what Tommorow (Sept 11) stands for I am posting this story my mom sent me. I read it to my Aspire class (home room) today and Blubbered like a fool. I really want the kids I teach to see themselves as part of a world family.
I Hope it makes you cry like I did and helps you remember the brave souls risking their lives, so that you can be safe with your families.
God Bless Our Troops


"Last week, while traveling to Chicago on business, I noticed a Marine sergeant traveling with a folded flag, but did not put two and two together. After we boarded our flight, I turned to the sergeant, who'd been invited to sit in First Class (across from me), and inquired if he was heading home.

No, he responded.
Heading out I asked?
No. I'm escorting a soldier home.
Going to pick him up?
No. He is with me right now. He was killed in Iraq ; I'm taking him home to his family.

The realization of what he had been asked to do hit me like a punch to the gut. It was an honor for him. He told me that, although he didn't know the soldier, he had delivered the news of his passing to the soldier's family and felt as if he knew them after many conversations in so few days.

I turned back to him, extended my hand, and said, Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do so my family and I can do what we do.

Upon landing in Chicago the pilot stopped short of the gate and mad e the following announcement over the intercom. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to note that we have had the honor of having Sergeant Steeley of the United States Marine Corps join us on this flight. He is escorting a fallen comrade back home to his family. I ask that you please remain in your seats when we open the forward door to allow Sergeant Steeley to deplane and receive his fellow soldier. We will then turn off the seat belt sign.'

Without a sound, all went as requested. I noticed the sergeant saluting the casket as it was brought off the plane, and his action made me realize that I am proud to be an American.

So here's a public Thank You to our military Men and Women for what you do so we can live the way we do."

Where's the Baby??

Is is a bear?, is it a doll?, NO Its a Coop!!!

Ye Haw

Everytime we lay down on the floor on our bellys Coop crawls up and latches on with arms and legs expecting a ride.

He is growing up into such a smart and strong little guy, and his little games are so much fun.

I love to watch Nick play with him.
I love the feeling of his little arms wrapped around me, so tight.

Not just a story

A while ago there was a story on the news about yet another small plane crash in Arizona and how the woman had ties to Utah. Nick and I looked at each other and said must have been a slow news day, huh. Well today while blogstaulking I came across the blogs for this couple from AZ. I found myself touched by the faith and strength of their family as they struggle with all that has happened.
I read the Sisters comments about taking care of the couples four children and her own infant.She has such lovely words and such a deep love for her sister. What a tragedy for such a young and lovely family.
I was frightened by my callousness of thinking that this story somehow indicated a slow news day. It was easy to feel compassion for the 10 lost in Moab. I mean I went to that doctor, And I new some of the people from SUU. I am ashamed by my apparent ability to shrug off the struggles of others who are far away and little known. In our world today i think this might be one of the symptoms of our growing apathy. Every person who dies was once held by their mother the way I hold my Coop. Is prayed for by family and friends in whose life they are an integral part.
As a World family we need to be our brothers keeper. As the world falls apart around us we need to fight for each other and remember that there is no such thing as a "slow" news day.
To read about Stephanie and Christian go to nieniedialogues.blogspot.com
Stephanie's sister cjanerun.blogspot.com

Cousin Jaden

My sister Ira has bravely battled the terror of giving birth and produced the cutest little boy as an addition to our ever growing Family. He is so spankin cute!!!!
Check out his first sideshow on my Familys blog!!
And Coop thinks it is super cool to have a boy cousin!!!

Splash Pad

Coop and I have jumped on the Bandwagon of the Splash pad!!
Seriously how cool are they!!



I am Trying to take him at least one day a week while we wait for daddy to get off work.


Coop just loves to run around and when the water goes back in the ground he looks around and says Uh Oh


We made Daddy come with us last week, and Coop would keep running back to where he was sitting to make sure he was still there!


I love my little guy and am so proud of how smart he is and the great little man he is becoming!


Plus he is just so darn adorable!!

Another Day another dollar

So my summer of being a Stay at Home Mom is over. I admit to being a little sad that I do not get to spend every waking moment with my boy. He is doing perfectly back at Daycare he loves the teachers and playing all day with the other Babies, he even cries when I pick him up!!:(
School this year is going to be a lot of work. They opened a new high school this year and we lost so many students that my school couldn't keep me full time as a ceramics teacher. This was kind of scary because there are a lot of teachers down here right now that lost their jobs and can't find another one. I was so blessed with a wonderful administrator that arranged for me to go to the Middle School every other day. I feel so incredibly blessed to still have a full time job!! They even bought out one of my Prep Periods, so extra money for the House payment!! But that means a lot of extra work since i am teaching Drawing and Foundations at the Middle School, (2 classes of each) and Ceramics 1 and 2 (three classes total) at the High school. AHH,

So if my communication with the outside world slows down, just know we are ok, just really, Really, REALLY busy!!

Goodbye to Summer

As my last official act of the summer I recovered my wonderful swing. Nick got it for me as a graduation gift right before Coop was Born and the fabric shredded two months later. So we didn't use the cushions at all. Now it is pretty and Stripey, but I am still trying to decide if it was worth the effort.