EUREKA!!!

Eureka!!! and a big whaa whoo!!!

Kyle got a job offer today!!!

Can you guess where we are going?

M O N T A N A

I don't know what else to say.

Primary Sharing Time Activity

Yesterday in Primary, Ethan and Camryn had a really nice sharing time activity. They wrote a poem to there parents using the letters in their name. I thought that I would share them with you.

Here is Ethan's:
I am thankful that you Each love me.
I am thankful that you Take me to church.
I am thankful that you Have me as a son.
I am thankful that you Always love me.
I am thankful that you Never forget about me.

Here is Camryn's:
I am thankful that you Care for me.
I am thankful that you Always help me do things.
I am thankful that you Make me happy.
I am thankful that you Remember to tell me that you love me.
I am thankful that you You say prayers with me.
I am thankful that you Notice that "I Love You".

I have to say that we have really great leaders and teachers in our primary. Thanks Mary for a great activity.

Happy Birthday Ethan

Ethan turned 11 years old on Wednesday, November 12th.

(I'm a little slow on announcing this momentous occasion.)

He had a surprise waiting for him when he got home from school.

Wednesday evening Ethan had a Court of Honor were he received his Arrow of Light Award and had his Cross over ceremony where he officially became a boy scout. Here he is getting his new boy scout shirt and neckerchief.

Then on friday evening he had a couple of friend over for a night of videos and birthday cake. Here is Brennen, Melena, Jensen and Kerstyn getting ready to sing Happy Birthday to Ethan.



Happy Birthday Ethan!

Ethan turns 11

HaPpY BiRtHdAy ETHAN!

America's Next Top Model in 2021

Something that you might want to know about Camryn is that she is such a poser. I don't mean pretender, I mean that she loves to pose for the camera. When we walk home from school she practices her poses and always asks if I remembered to bring the camera. Thursday I remembered the camera. We had a fun day of picture taking.

Smile with your eyes.

Show me your pearly whites!

Work it girlfriend!

Can you feel the music?

All in a days work.

Show me your ugly pretty face.

Are they really twins?

I was going through my photos today and found this picture of Jensen and Camryn. They both happened to wear the same outfit to school on August 25. I could'nt pass up the opportunity of a photo moment. Don't they look lik twins? Or maybe Jensen is Camryn's "Mini Me" or is it vice versa.

Stake Activity Day

Today was the Stake Primary Activity day for the girls ages 8 to 11. It is one of our biggest events (in the Stake Primary) that we do each year. Our theme was The Gospel Standards. We had the girls play relay games, Concentration, do a craft (making a modile), and have a dance off all with the Gospel Standards as the basis for each activity.

One of three relay games the girls played outside. They got a little wet.

Allison Thompson teaching them some fun dance moves. Don't forget to watch the video below.




Melody Shipley inspired me to post this so quickly. See her blog for a picture of the craft that the girls completed..

I'm back at least for today!

I realize that I am not much of a blogger. It has been weeks and weeks since I last signed on to update our blog. I found a new background and had Melena (our inhouse blog master) update it for me. I really enjoy reading people's blog who know how to write and I envy their abilities to turn a phrase into something captivating. Our lives at Garrret house has taken a completely different turn. Kyle was laid off about a month ago and he has been earnestly searching for a new job. Our hope was to find employment here in central Florida. But that seems that it might not be the case. Most of the jobs he is qualified for are everywhere except for Florida. To make matters worse it appears that we may even have to move to a state that has 4 seasons. I am much more partial to Florida's climate and its lack of snow. We looked into buying a business but last weeks stock market makes that idea a little to scary with out haveing a back up income. Now we are just hoping and praying for a job - anywhere!

We are off on our trip!

We are on our way to Williamsburg, VA via the coast line of South and North Carolina. We spent our first night near Charleston. I got these great pictures of my beautiful children. This one is at Waterfront Park in Charleston.



These are my darlings at Sullivan Island which is across the harbor from Charleston.





Are Melena and Camryn hearing the same music inside their head?

Kyle has a new best friend

Give me a pat! PLEASE! I'm begging you! Give me a pat!


Kyle thank you for paying attention to me! I'm glowing with happiness!


He likes me! He really likes me!

My husband has a new best friend and we are not quite sure what has brought on this new found admiration that Max the cat is feeling for Kyle. Usually Max stays completely away from Kyle because he has come to the understanding (not in a mean way - more of a shoo get away from me way) that Kyle does not really like cats. They are to be put up with because I happen to like them. Kyle would much prefer a dog. Anyway, back to Max and his sudden interest in Kyle. The last couple of weeks Max has been making his move on Kyle - rubbing up against him and looking for the occasional rub on the head. Rolling from side to side trying to entice Kyle to pet him. We have even taken to reminding Kyle that Max is looking for some attention, and to please give him a pat or two. Every once in awhile Max will be so bold as to jump into Kyle's lap without an invitation. What is odd though is that Max is not seeking attention from anyone else in the family, unless it is his dinner time or you happen to a have kitty treat. (Kyle would never give Max a kitty treat - too smelly.)

Melena has Unusual Eyes

We took Melena to get her eyes examined recently and found out that she has an unusual problem with them. One eye is near-sighted while the other eye is far-sighted. The optometrist says that this is a very uncommon dianosis. She was given a prescription for glasses and we picked them up today.



Melena picked out a bronze frame that highlights her lovely features and goes good with her hair color. I think that they look great. Then because lenses were on sale we let her pick out a back up pair. (Because I am always losing my reading glasses.) These glasses have a silver frame and look great on her.



Here she is trying her bronze pair out for the first time (for the camera that is - p.s. the book is just a prop. I know that it says "Large print edition"). Now she can see the words with both eyes.

Dental Appointment

Ethan went to the dentist today and everything is wonderful in his mouth excect he has a broken filling that has to be replaced. When he was 4 years old he had a bunch of cavities on both sides of his mouth that had to be fixed, so this must be the remnants of that appointment. He has been really good at taking care of his teeth because he hasn't had any cavities since then.
Good Job Ethan!!!

Our 17th Anniversary

Our 17th anniversary was last week - July 2nd. The time has completely flown by. I remember the day we got married that I could'nt wait until we had some history together. Now it has been 17 years. We went on Monday, June 30 with Debbie and Lew to celebrate. This was our only free night that week. (When we knew we had a babysitter - Melena) Kyle had a scout activity on our actual anniversary and since he is a born again scouter that took presidence. It is not the actual date that matters anyway it is how we treat each other everyday.

Part 3 of Melena's birthday month

Friday was Melena's 3rd and final part of her birthday. At our house your birthday tends to last nearly the whole month. It is not Melena's fault that her birthday lands at a hard time of the month - June 4th - She was still in school with finals and her dance studio was preparing for their spring recital, she also had young women's that night (June 4th) and they were preparing for girl's camp. We had a small cake on her actual birthday (birthday part 1). Then on sunday after her dance recital, both of her sets of grandparents came over so we had to get another cake (birthday part 2). This friday night was the first free weekend. Melena wanted to have a sleepover with her friends and that brings us to part 3. Which I hope to recover from soon. The girls stay up the entire night. Every time I woke up I heard them talking, and when I say I woke up I mean they and their talking woke me up. Fortunately Melena wasn't grouchy from lack of sleep the next day, so I didn't have to be grouchy.


Birthday cake #3


Birthday cake #2

Hanging out with my homies

Swimming Lessons

Camryn is taking swimming lesson at the Y this summer. Today she got moved up in to the more advanced class because she is doing so well. They got to learn to dive in the 12 feet area. After class she ran up to me and said "Did you see me in the 12 feet? Is'nt that amazing!" To her everything is amazing. I wish that I always saw the world that way.

Wet and Wild at the Shipley's

Today we went over to the Shipley's to pick up

Ethan. Since we were over we happened to have

our swimsuits on just in case they were at the pool. They just happened to be outside swimming. Luckily we came prepared. Here are some pictures from paradise at the Shipley's.

Achievment Day

On Wednesday I got to do an activity with my favorite group of girls, The Achievment Day girls. They came over and decorated journals. All the girls had really creative ideas and had a lot of fun. At the end of the evening they got a beautiful journal and extra crafting supplies to play with at home.

Kerstyn with her journal

Sarah and her journal

Kirstie and her journal

Her are all the girls with their leader

Sister Lawton

Soccer

The picytures below were the soccer games we had today.
Camryn's team WON!!! 4-0
and
Ethan's team lost 1-3

Ethan and Camryn both did good at soccer today.

Ethan

Camryn

End of Camryn's GameGOAL!!!!!!

Melena

Alright we found out that Melena got 11 first place winners and a few seconds and 1 third. She did get the best of shows. She is very happy and excited.

Fair

Well I found out what Melena got on her pictures. She got 2 best of shows and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places on her pictures. She also got 1st place on her skirt. Ethan got a best of show on his birdhouse.

Camryn's B-day Party

I know these pictures are kind of late but I just got the pictures downloaded onto the computer.
At Camryn's Birthday party she had four of her friends over. Aubrey, Marclea, Christi, and Paris. Christi and Paris were from her school.

The girls having fun playing

Jensen having supervising

Having fun playing the Wii

This week we are getting ready for the Lake County Fair. I am in charge of the Creative Arts Center. Melena is submitting some photos into the fair, and Ethan was going to enter a birdhouse.

Cammy's Birthday

camryn and her bike

Camryn and Auntie Mar

Camryn