Yum

We just may like cookie dough at our house.  Especially pumpkin cookie cookie dough.  Why scoop it onto the cookie sheet when you can scoop it straight into your mouth??

A family that likes cookie dough together, stays together.

First Day of School 2017

 McKay is a senior this year.  His last first day of school.

 Jaxon is a sophomore this year and is now at the high school.

 Josh is at the junior high now in 7th grade. (Really this was his second day of school.)

Kayden is in 4th grade this year and is happy to ride his bike to and from school by himself.

Solar Eclipse

There was quite the buzz about the solar eclipse happening this year.  We opted out of traveling to see the full eclipse due to work schedules and school starting.  So we stayed home and enjoyed the 91% coverage of the sun.

 Josh started 7th grade that morning so he had to enjoy most of the eclipse at school.  I sent a pair of eclipse glasses with him and he was able to check it out.

 Jaxon and I checking it out.  It really was quite amazing.  The shadows were different, it wasn't very bright outside and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees.

McKay and Kayden snacking while watching the eclipse.  Kayden thought the eclipse looked like the Apple Logo (you know, the apple with a bite taken out of it).

The eclipse was fun and interesting to watch.  We will have to wait until 2045 for the full eclipse to be over our house.

Ward Foster Home Makeover Project

We participated with our ward and did a home makeover for a family that has fostered over 170 children.  The father was even named foster father of the year last year.  Sadly, he was killed in an accident and left several repairs undone at their home.  Our ward went in and completely made over their home giving the family much needed relief and peace.  It was a pleasure to participate in and fun too.  It was a lot of work though.  McKay served on the makeover committee and he spent many hours at the home the whole weekend working hard.  We all spent time working at the house but McKay spent over 18 hours working at the house each day for two days as well as another half day!

Here is Jeremy, McKay and his friend Kade after sanding drywall all morning.  McKay's hair was looking very grey!

When the family came home, many members of our ward that worked on the house came to welcome them home.  We all drove up and finished helping as well to welcome the family home.  It was fun to see their reaction.

Here is a video of the whole process as well as the reveal.

Go Aggies!

This is our last season that we get to cheer on Cousin Sara and the rest of the Utah State women's soccer team.  Since Sara is a senior this year, she is featured on the team banner.  She is also a team captain.  Go Aggies!

Happy 18th Birthday McKay!

Hard to believe I have a legal adult in the house.  But it has happened.  McKay has turned 18.  He wanted his birthday to be "epic" so we tried to deliver.  Since Jeremy had to be to work that day, we got up early in the morning and took the family to breakfast.

 

 Breakfast at Kneaders. Yum!

 McKay opened a couple of presents while we were having breakfast.

 That night he went to a Young Men's activity where they learned how to make sushi.  I snuck over and delivered an ice cream birthday cake for them to eat once they were done with their sushi.

 A mysterious present showed up some time during the day.  It took me a while before I figured out that McKay had given himself a gift.  He bonked himself on the head and wished himself a nice trip to Spain.  Inside his gift was this:

 

 That boy!

 McKay asked for a Storm Trooper costume that cost and exorbitant amount of money.  So we got him the next best thing.  Jeremy saw this life size Storm Trooper balloon at the party store and couldn't pass it up.

 McKay thought it was pretty cool and named him Sir Shoots A Lot.

 

 Opening more presents.  He received a Star Wars board game, a Star Wars phone case, some cookie dough bites, and then the whole family received this:

Jeremy wrote this note using only song titles from the Imagine Dragons.  It eventually says that we are all going to go to the Imagine Dragons concert in October.  It will be a fun night!  Everyone liked this gift.

18 Things We Love About McKay:

1.  He likes to make his family laugh.  He is always saying funny things or telling us funny stories to make us smile and laugh.  He especially likes to post and make memes on Instagram to make Jaxon laugh.
2. He continues to work hard in school.  He has continued his 4.0 GPA and enrolled in three AP classes for this upcoming school year.  He may not want to admit it out loud but he enjoys school and learning.  He is hoping to get a scholarship to pay for college.
3. He is responsible. He has saved enough money working at his Jiffy Lube job to pay for his mission. 
4. He is currently the First Assistant in his Priest Quorum and is doing a great job.  He has gotten more involved and has had fun doing it!
5. His ability to compromise, even when he doesn't want to.  He would prefer to not shave and grown out his beard, but we compromised to just No Shave November.  I am not sure about his love for facial hair, but I can handle one month of him not shaving.
6. He is very respectful.  Recently our bishop was released.  He had given all the Priests purple ties to wear on special occasions.  Upon hearing that the bishop was to be released, he sent out a quick text to his quorum to have them wear their ties to show their love and respect to our outgoing Bishop.
7. His love for sports.  Especially basketball.  He played on a team with his buddies last year and they won their league championship.  He had a great time playing!  He will also just go shoot hoops at the church when he has the time and the itch.
8. His relationship with his brothers, especially Jaxon.  The two of them have grown quite close and I am grateful for their relationship.
9. When he sets a goal, he reaches it.  He sets the bar high for himself and does all that he can to reach his goals.
10. He still likes my cooking.  Among his favorites is Creamy Italian Chicken, Pizza, Ribs and Stromboli.  He dislikes are green beans, chicken and broccoli, and anything that has vegetables or any sort of bean (black, pinto, green--pretty much any that has the word "bean" in it).  Overall he isn't a picky eater and is at least willing to try new things and things he knows he won't like.
11. He has reached outside of his comfort box this last year and has gone on a few dates.  He even attended Homecoming and Prom as well as a girl choice date dance at the school last year.
12. He pays attention to detail.  Not sure how much his art teacher likes this as it took him forever to finish his painting last year at school even though he spent lots of extra time during lunch to work on it.  But it turned out great and I was impressed!  
13. His favorite class at school continues to be Spanish.  He is in the AP Spanish class this year.  He dreams big of visiting Spain (see above) and serving a Spanish speaking LDS mission.
14. He loves being with not only our family but his cousins and extended family.  Family is very important to him.  
15. He continues to be a good example and role model to his brothers.
16. He is still a good journal keeper.  I have had to buy him new journals over the years so he will be able to write.  He has hardly missed a night.  His posterity will be lucky!
17. He'll tell you how it is.  If he wants you to know something then he will make sure you know!
18. He is a great kid.  I love him and am so grateful that he is part of our family.  He plays the oldest child so well and will lots of grace.  He knows that we are trying our best and is mostly patient with our parenting--both the good and the needs improvement areas.

Happy birthday McKay!  We sure love you.  I hope your day was epic!

Laundry Treasures

Found these random treasures while doing laundry one day.  One of the perks of being the laundress.