Happy 11th Birthday Savanna

1 day old

2 months old

6 months old

12 months old

15 months

18 months

21 months old

2 years old

2 1/2 years old

2 years old

3 years old

3 years old, with 1 month old brother Weston

3 years old

4 years old

4 1/2 years old

5 years old

5 years old, first day of kindergarten

5 1/2 years old

6 years old

6 years old, losing all your teeth

almost 7 years old, with sister Lillian

7 years old, with bangs

7 years old

7 years old

7 years

7 years

7 years old

Almost 8 years old

8 years old

8 years old, with cousin Alexis Schauers

9 years old

9 years old, spring portrait

9 years old, fall portrait

9 1/2 years old

10th birthday

10 years old

10 years old

10 years old

almost 11 with braces and glasses

11th birthday

You are a beautiful birthday girl this year! Everyone comments on how much you already look like a young woman.  We love you so much  Savanna. Thanks for your expressive and caring personality.  Our family wouldn't be the same without you. We can't make you stop growing so we tried to capture the fun moments we've had with you so far, and we look forward to many more years of sharing the journey with you.
Love Mom and Dad

Camping Carpenters

My sister Heidi Carpenter and her husband Gabe offered to take our kids with her kids (Lucy, Trevan, Travis) camping this past weekend in AF Canyon. I am sure it was a lot of work for them, but it was really nice for me and Jared! They reported that it was a good time, and at least all survived.  The kids had fun chopping fire wood, making s'mores, going on a nature walk, and telling spooky stories before bed. They all were plum tuckered out when they got home, Savanna's fuse was super short, Fiora kept staring into space, and Weston sat like a slug in front of the TV.  Poor kids having to come home and do kitchen chores and take baths after so much fun with Aunt Heidi and Uncle Gabe.   

Gabe showing the kids how to chop fire wood

The girls

Warming her, uh, self

Savannas favorite, cheesy polish dogs

Sav loves to take care of cute Travis

Jammies, Heidi said Weston was ready for bed before dark, and used her water bottle to wash his toothbrush!

And here is fun aunt Heidi

goofy faces

Fiora always has the best expressions

The boys

Here is a cute one of Fiora

Jared and I took advantage of the kid-free weekend, he took me to PF Chengs for dinner and then we saw "Hunger Games" in the full price theater.  That was a well done movie, but the overall content gave me nightmares. In the morning we went on a 16 mile bike ride to the Highland Glen pond.  Then we did some yard work together.  I didn't realize how much I needed that time with my husband until I had it, so nice to have a non-busy Saturday together!

I was feeling weary on Sunday. Sometimes just existing is difficult for me what with my Hypoglycemia and PMDD, so everything else I have to do besides existing gets overwhelming.  My mom gave us a Sunday dinner lesson for Mother's Day and shared this poem that really helped me get through the next day.

Don't Look Around--Look Up

Take your eyes off your problems, look up to Him,
God's presence is with you, even in the din!
Confess your bad mood and He'll cleanse your sin.
He is your God--Look Up!

He will show you how to order your place,
He will give you direction as you seek His face
He wants to pour upon you His anointing of grace.
He is your God--Look Up!

Keep your eyes fixed on him; He is your Stay,
He is your Wisdom for problems each day,
He will bring His presence right into your fray.
He is your God--Look Up!

Each morning He comes as the refreshing dew
To revive your body, and your spirit too,
He is your deliverer and he'll make you new,
He is your God--Look Up!

By Nancy Campbell

Birds Beds and Bikes

This spring has brought two blue jays that think they own our whole yard.  Maybe they were here first, last spring we didn't live here, but they are hilarious.  They are fearless, in our garage and on our deck, and they tease our cat mercilessly, they squawk and swoop down on Link at least 10 times a day, it looks like they are trying to peck him and drive him away, but he isn't going anywhere.  It is the funniest thing to watch.  One of these days they are going to regret that, because Link has killed more than a few birds in his days.

Fiora loved her new bed so much she wrote me a thank you note

Fiora has been sleeping on two mattresses with no bed frame ever since we moved here last June, but anyone who knows us (well Jared) knows that we can't just go out and buy a trundle bed frame, we have to wait for the right DEAL to pop up.  We got this bed frame with a perfectly functioning pull out trundle for $80 on KSL classifieds.  Fiora loves it and it looks great.  Yay for a new bed for Fiora!

 Fiora's glasses broke two weeks ago and we had to go through the rigamarol of a new eye exam and ordering frames.  So she had to wear the broken ones with tape on them for a while at school.  Annoying.  She has pretty bad vision and can't function without her glasses.  The new ones arrived Friday and she was a happy camper, a beautiful one too.

bike ride along the canal

I think I already mentioned but didn't have a picture of when we took advantage of the nice weather one saturday and took the kids on a bike ride. The trail was really bumpy and Weston's bike is too small for him, so he was unhappy for most of it, well all the kids were unhappy for most of it, but we did it.  It was a nice ride in my opinion.

Savanna and her teacher Cathy Webb

One of my greatest joys is playing duets with my kids.  I got to accompany Savanna at her violin recital on one of my favorite classical pieces "Musette."  She also played "Gavotte."  Savanna has improved so much since her last recital, I love it. Also can someone tell me how I can make her stop growing?  She already looks like a young woman!

Fiora had a big week, she had a piano recital, got new glasses, and lost a tooth all on the same day. She is our late loser and has just lost her bottom eye tooth.