Hole Shot!

It's been tradition (well except our first year in Utah because it rained) that Riley and Andy go to Supercross together.  They started in Jax and they have been to it 4 out of the past 5 years!  Both LOVE it!  They watch it together every weekend and Riley will pretend he's racing supercross on his scooter outside.  He sets up his jumps and makes us count down and drop the gates for him!

This year offered nicer weather than last year when it snowed, but it was still cold at night during the finals.  They had so much fun walking through the pits and watching the race together.  Andy got them tickets early so they had great seats!  I hope we always live in a place where they can do this together.

Andy snapped some shots while they were there:

He's sitting on Ryan Villipoto's bike, the 2012 Supercross Champion!

The view from their seats!

Eli Tomac, one of Riley's favorites, won the West Lites!

Kendall was sad that we weren't invited to tag along this year so I suggested it becomes a family affair next year.  Maybe next year will include a trip to Vegas for the finals!!!

8 Years Just Flew By!

Can you believe my little man is EIGHT already?  Neither can I!  I still remember everything from his birth as clear as day...The anxiety, stress, worry, and yet the calm and joy that washed over us.  I started thinking back over these last 8 years and realized just how much my little man has been through!  The poor boy has had numerous surgeries, seen so many different specialists in all parts of the country, lived at 4 different addresses in three states and has been in three different schools (and no we aren't a military family which is the standard response I get after sharing our story)!

This year Riley is all about LEGO Star Wars.  Big surprise, right?  We had a great party for him at the house this year.  He invited about 15 friends and had a blast playing LEGO Star Wars bingo, a LEGO building contest, taking down Darth Vader with Nerf guns, destroying the Death Star pinata, cake, ice cream, etc!  I had more LEGO games planned but as the teacher in me always does, I over planned so we would have lots to do!  The kids had just as much fun running around the house shooting each other with empty squirt guns!

Of course I didn't get many pictures because I ran the batteries of BOTH of my cameras and didn't think to recharge them!  UGH!  I did snap a few though!

The empty basket was filled with squirt guns before our home got invaded by 2nd graders (plus one 4th grader!)

We took down Vader!  Only one kid got him in the head, which was the goal!

Riley decorated this table with a scene using his LEGO Star Wars stuff

Taking down the Death Star!

Riley's Speeder Cake!

My friend Meri made this for me!  She copied Luke's speeder and made the top look like LEGOS.  

Riley was SOOOO surprised!

Happy with his cake!

 Discussing birthday wish options with Tristam!

Our boy is blessed with some incredible friends from school, scouts, karate, and friends we met through MOMS Club.  He got lots of LEGOS for his birthday and a new mountain bike from us and his Nanny and Pappy Hershock!  He loves his new bike and has been riding it almost daily!  We are so lucky to have such an awesome little man for a son.  Riley is intelligent, analytical, logical, caring, tenderhearted, sensitive, and loving and he's brought us so much joy over the years.  

Happy Birthday Bubba!

Spring Break 2012

I just realized I haven't posted since EASTER!  Wow!  We've been busy since then for sure!

The week after Easter was the kids' spring break.  We decided to spend a few days camping in Moab that week.  We rented a camper and hauled all the bikes down with us.  We visited Arches to see the parts we didn't get to see the trip before and so Riley could earn his Jr. Ranger Badge.  Now he has badges from Arches, Zion, Bryce and Kenai Fjords.  We also went riding for a day while we were there.  Kendall and I broke in my new quad and the boys rode their dirt bikes.  Riley learned some good lessons for riding in sand...Poor boy struggled in some deep sections but he did really well considering the conditions.

Sadly, Riley got sick while we were there.  He threw up numerous times and it was always a huge mess to clean up!  Ugh!  The worst was when he threw up in the middle of the night!  Less than 24 hrs. home and Kendall was the one throwing up!  Thankfully they didn't both get it at the same time and each only lasted about 24 hrs!  We were lucky no one got sick on the way home in the truck!

Some views from our Moab Trip:

 In Arches National Park

Near the Firey Furnace

Hiking back to see the Landscape Arch

Lots of sand hills around

Kendall didn't like the sand in her shoes!

We finally found it!  This is Riley's favorite arch because it's in the Utah book we bought before we moved here!

Out in the distance are snow capped mountains!

The scenery while on our ride!

From the Gemini Bridges Trail

Snack and drink break!

Our second visit to Moab was again, too short, but one that was much needed!  We all got a chance to spend quality time together and get away from everything at home!

He Is Risen!

This year I found myself too busy, too tired and too overwhelmed to do some of the things I had hoped to do for Easter this.  I did manage to do some things with the kids that were most likely even more powerful in helping their understanding of Jesus love for us than what I had originally hoped to do.

This year we did our Resurrection Eggs again, which the kids LOVE!  Each egg has something in it to represent the story of Jesus death and resurrection.  They know why each item is included and can even repeat some of the scriptures to me.

I was searching for some Easter programs to record for my DVR and I came across Jesus on GMC.  It was awesome!  The kids actually BEGGED me to turn it on after school one day instead of playing outside!  This is a great updated version of the story of Jesus' life.  Riley and I actually got out my bible and were trying to figure out which parts they left out and which parts were from a gospel we were less familiar with.  Turns out this movie is closest to the gospel of John than the others - at least at the end.

Friday was Riley's last day of school before spring break.  He went for chapel services for Good Friday.  Later that night we took the kids to Good Friday service at our church.  We kept both kids with us in the auditorium.  Riley decided he wanted to take communion with us that night.  He knew what it meant and how important it was to take seriously.  It was such a sweet moment to share with him at such a young age.  He thought it was really awesome that our pastor allowed everyone to come up front and cut a piece of the tapestry (curtain) to represent the curtain being ripped from top to bottom in the temple at the exact same moment that Jesus took his last breath.  Riley understands that because of Jesus death, we all now have direct access to God because of Jesus' sacrifice.  He treasures that piece of fabric.

Today we went to church again to celebrate Jesus overcoming the grave and proving "he is who he said he was" to quote Pastor Paul.  I worked in the 3/4 classroom with Kendall while Andy went to service and Riley went to his class.  We spent the rest of the day relaxing and rejoicing and then settling down to a delicious Easter dinner.  It was a glorious day to take in the sunshine and how much we are loved.

Here are few pics of our little Easter bunnies from today:

I'm Not Alone...

Once again, the demons started in on me last night as I realized Andy was leaving us again for work.  I was an emotional wreck last night as I silently prayed for strength to make it through yet another crazy week of being a single mom.  I mentioned in an earlier post how alone I often feel here in Utah and then this morning on my way to home from picking up Kendall from school, I heard this song on the radio.  It was Kutless's Carry Me To The Cross.  I have heard it before (the album was just released last month) but never paid much attention to the lyrics.  Today I heard each word, loud and clear.  It was as if God himself played this song, just for me, at the right time.  

God's timing is always perfect, isn't it?

When the path is daunting
And every step exhausting
I'm not alone
I'm not alone, no, no
I feel you draw me closer
All these burdens on my shoulder
I'm not alone, I'm not alone
You pull me me from this place

Hallelujah
You carry me every day
You carry me all all the way
Hallelujah
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross

How your love has moved me, yeah
To the foot of all your glory
I'm not alone, I'm not alone
I'm not alone

Hallelujah
You carry me every day
You carry me all all the way
Hallelujah
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross

All of these cities you have built
And every cathedral you have filled
To all of creation you gave life with your hands
And with those hands you comfort me
You lift me up from my knees
And carry me
You carry me

Hallelujah
You carry me every day
You carry me all all the way
Hallelujah
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross
The cross
You carry me to the
You carry me to the cross