Yes, we are still alive...I promise!!

So, I should probably post something to let you know that we are still alive. A bit of an update, here we go!

So our family has grown and I have barely shared the fun experiences that we have gone through since Austin joined our family on Oct. 16, 2009.

Had a baby in Oct., don't really remember November, Dec. we blessed Austin and following sacrament meeting Buck's Mom and Brother and wife were in an accident and rolled down the mountain just down the road from our church on their way back to Utah. Horrible news to hear on such a great day. Hopefully, Austin will forgive me, I didn't get to take his blessing picture for, I think, at least a week following. Buck's brother and wife were okay, but his Mom took the biggest hit of all. She suffered from broken ribs and was very banged up. For the next month, we were very blessed to have her in our home. How fun for us! The doctors told her there was no way she would be traveling for several weeks. Along with a new baby, we tried to take care of her and help make her feel as comfortable as possible(I have never had a broken rib, but from experience in helping her, I could only imagine).

In January, Buck lost his job with The Elevator Company. The company filed for dissolution, they were supposed to be bought out, but at the last minute (literally), the new company backed out of the deal and in turn forced The Elevator Company to close their doors. It was quite a shock for both Buck and I. I think that both of our faces could not have been whiter than the snow that had freshly fallen on the ground. We returned home to Colorado and had no idea what we were going to do. A few days later, we received a call asking us to join in on creating a new company strictly doing service and maintenance on residential elevators. We of course, had nothing else on our plate, accepted. The thing that both of us kept saying to each other was "What do we have to lose"! Heavenly Father definitely sees the BIG picture and has greatly blessed us.

On January 20, 2010, High Country Elevator Services, LLC. opened its doors for business!! The owners...you guessed it, Buck and I. We started a new business and are now subcontracting/part owners of a new business named Your Elevator Service, based out of Idaho!! We are so excited and scared at the same time. We are servicing all of Colorado!! Yep, we will not be leaving Colorado in the near future. We will be making Colorado officially our home, hopefully forever. We absolutely love it here. Beautiful country, AMAZING schools, and an even more amazing ward with the BEST of friends!!

The beginning of January as if there was not enough going on...one of my BEST friends convinced me that I should train with her to run a half marathon. I know what you are thinking, "Julie run a race...have you seen her run?!" Let's just say there were quite a few chuckles, especially from Buck. Aside from the chuckles, Buck supported me 100%! What a great husband. I began training and thought that I was going to die. Really, what was I thinking? Training continued, school continued, and business slowly became the new way of life!

February came and went, at least now I have no recollection of the events of the month. March, Buck and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary! Wow 10 years, how great...time has just flown by. I guess time doesn't ever stop, especially when you are having fun!!

April came, which brought on a load of anxiety for me. The Salt Lake City Marathon was scheduled for April 17. Really, could I do this? Again, I said to myself (and everyone around, What was I thinking?) I do have to say that through all 14 weeks of training, I have the best family. Not only was Buck extremely supportive, but the kids were great. Poor Miranda and Austin, the HOURS they spent in the gym daycare. Race weekend came and I was so nervous. Race day, I so much energy I didn't know what to do with myself. I love Amanda so much...what a great training partner, I couldn't have asked for a better one!! What an experience, I would recommend it to anyone. No matter what level/age you are, anyone that trains properly can do anything they set their mind to! We had such a great time that we ran a 5K, on May 1st back here in Colorado in our little town of Silt. Let's just say after you have raced it is quite addicting!!! I wish that I could have kept up with all of the races that we had set as goals to complete throughout the Summer, but life happens and lets just say since that day, running became a very scarce event!

May brought on a whole load of adventures, we finished up a great school year with field trips and parties. Along with all of the end of year adventure, we had to go and MOVE. Really, who decides to move the end of a school year. Let's just say never again! We moved from our little town of New Castle, where we had been for the last 4 years, into a new little town, Silt. The special thing about that is that we ended up finding the best place to live, an actual home, not a condo, town home, apartment, an actual home!! Not only did we end up in a home, but it has a fenced in yard and you'll never believe it garden spaces. So we jumped right in....okay not really, we moved and it was right back to work. We still to this day have not hung a single picture on the wall, we are a bit behind!! The kids rooms are almost completely put together, the garage is FAR from being organized the way I want it to be, but the backyard....we planted our very first ever garden. I know, who does that and try to run a new business, have a baby, and now have to take care of a yard, definitely not me...Buck has saved the day...daily!! I haven't even mentioned one of the best parts of living in our "new" home. We absolutely adore our Landlords. Why...they are some of our very best friends...who sadly had to move to Vernal, UT. for his work. At first it was soooo very weird to be in their house, especially without them here. It is slowly starting to grow on us. If they were to come to us and tell us they were moving back, I would have us packed in a day! We miss them a ton!!

June came and brought the Summer reading program, Father's Day, and Buck's B-day...The special events that come to my very little mind right now are, the Summer reading program is always so fun for the kids. They get to go weekly and either participate in a craft activity, or a performer comes and they get to enjoy the "show"! I don't remember Father's day...sorry Buck. But I will probably will never forget my husbands face when he opened his Birthday present from me. He got a new Glock, that he had been drooling over for the last several months. I completely surprised him. You know it is a great gift when you have your husband in tears (literally)!! If you really know me, you know that I am the biggest cheapskate there is. I actually planned and bought him a gun without him even knowing. How? I still have no idea!! What a great feeling it was, the kids loved it too. I had to keep the gun completely out of the house not only for the kids and Buck happening upon it, but for me forgetting about it and not slipping up and telling him (which I do quite often), I am not a good keeper of secrets when it comes to gifts.


July began and only a few days before did I tell the kids that we were going to get to go and visit Aunt Stacy and her family in Nevada....on an airplane!! They were so excited and so was I. My sister's and I have been trying to plan for several years a sisters week together. This was the year!! On July 4th right after church, Buck took me and the kids to Grand Junction to fly out on the kids first ever, plane ride to Las Vegas, Nevada. We got there and had an experience of a lifetime...Things were going great as we checked in, going very smooth. We left Buck at security, gave our kisses and hugs, and thought we were on our way. He left the airport and was heading home (only 1 hour and 20 minutes away). The kids and I made it through security just fine and headed down to the gate. The kids were sooo good. Of course, we had LOTS of eyes on us the whole way...who has 4 kids, let alone travel with them ALONE!! ME!!! They started the boarding process, because we were a SPECIAL case, we were boarded first (I highly recommend it, especially when it is general seating!!) At this point we had no idea what was about to befall us. Not only were we told that we were having delays due to weather (I don't fly real well, especially knowing I HAVE to be the adult and not be SCARED), turbulence and I are definitely not friends!! About 20 minutes later, we are then told that we are experiencing mechanical issues with the landing gear. WHAT??? Who wants to hear that when they are getting ready to fly out!! In the mean time, while we are waiting for the mechanics to finish up, back inside the plane, I have 3 of the 4 kids...doing absolutely amazing. They were so good, Heavenly Father knew that I needed to have calm children. Yes, I know that I only put 3. Austin on the other hand after an hour in our SEATS, decided he had had enough...can you blame him?! He would not nurse, would not eat, and definitely was letting me know that he was not happy!! Thank heaven for great people around us, and the stewardesses were awesome!! Aside from the GREAT people on the plane, lets just say our adventure of the kids first flight was far from over!! Along with having mechanical problems, we had a "Wonderful" (said with sarcasm)lady sitting two rows back, extremely unhappy with not having her "Cocktail" (she was from Vegas and, in her words, "just wanting to go HOME"), she was quite the lady, or should I say not. She had a very nasty sailors mouth. So I have to input here that it was remarked on the plane by a very funny gentleman, "There must be a Barney convention going on in Vegas, why are there soooo many kids on the plane?!" This funny gentleman actually ended up sitting kiddy-corner across the aisle from me. He had me rolling. I have not laughed like that in a while. So this lady proceeds to tell whoever she was on the phone with that she will never be flying on this airline ever again!! And then proceeded to say, I think every obscenity in the book. Mind you, lets not forget that half the plane is children. Mr. funny man started cracking remarks back at her, in his very comedic way. When she then proceeded to ask for a cocktail and was turned down, this is when I about lost it and wanted to get in her face and say "Hey do you not realize how many kids are on this plane...I would appreciate it if you would SHUT-UP, especially with the language...really could you use any OTHER words." I didn't have to say anything, because Mr. funny man stepped in right away with another remark (He also had a little girl and one on the way). So thinking that this is all we were going to have to deal with, something so unheard of happens.....The pilot comes on and says, "Someone has been smoking in the bathroom in the rear of the plane, and until we have the cigarette butt in our hand, we will not be going anywhere." REALLY, who does that. It is not only very rude, especially for those at the back of the plane, but a FEDERAL OFFENSE. Funny thing, the dumb person who did this would not fess up. Another 20 minutes goes by, literally, and no one has still fessed up. Mr. funny guy then proceeds to say, "Just give me the dumb thing and I will say it is mine, at lest we will then get to take off!!" Finally someone fesses up....thinking to myself, I wish it were crazy cocktail lady. Nope, not her, another lady, looking very drugged herself!! I still don't know what happened to her, if they took her off of the plane or let her actually make the flight. At this point I really didn't care, still had a SCREAMING baby. Funny guy was telling me that I should stand right next to crazy cocktail lady!! I just couldn't, for Austin's sake, not hers!! So anyway, after an hour and a half the Pilot finally comes on and says that we are getting ready for take off. Cheers all around!! Oh one little detail that I forgot to mention...they did not turn on the air to the cabin!! Me, just a little cranky, but grateful to finally taking off. Called Buck again and told him that he would not have to come back and get us. So you think our adventure is over...no way! We have a great week in Nevada swimming, eating, swimming, sun bathing, eating....and get ready for our flight home. Really, I had had enough craziness happen to me and the kids for at least a year or so right? No way. Vegas airport is very much different from Grand Junction airport...a lot bigger and more security! Time to come home, have all of our bags with us (carry on only, didn't want to go through the hostel/cost of checking any bags), have our water for the flight home (I don't travel at all and did not know you couldn't bring on water), get ready to go through security again, and the lady tells me that we have to throw away all 4 brand new water bottles, luckily there was a gentleman that worked there that asked me if any of the waters were for the baby, of course I said "Yes", even though he nurses and does not drink formula. I was not about to pay 5 dollars for a bottle of water, and lets face it, if we were in for events like when we flew out, I wasn't about to not have a drink of water for all of the kids and myself. So, we start to head through the security, and you'll never guess what happened next!!! Yep, the random security check just happens to land on ME. They put me in this clear box, while holding Austin, kids on the outside, Miranda having a fit because she is not next to me...and proceed to check me up and down. Thank heavens it was not a strip search!! After our adventure with the box, we proceed on, gather our things from the bins, and then are stopped again...to have my water TESTED. The kids thought this was great, but me on the other hand, really had had enough! Of course it passed, there was nothing in the water! And we headed our way to the gate. This time, again, we were boarded first. Seated, front row. Everyone else was boarded, expecting anything else to happen, the Pilot then proceeds to come on overhead and says we are headed home. What a sigh of relief!! We were home in less than an hour, walked through the gate, which I might add I love Grand Junction Airport, right out in the arms of our "DADDY"! So happy to see him, and sooo happy to be home! What an adventure! I don't know that I will be traveling in an airplane, anytime soon without my husband!! It's great that there are two of us!!

So, as July went on, the kids then had swimming lessons, another first. They loved them. The boys' instructor gave them nicknames, which they thought was the coolest thing ever!! Brayden was Phantom. And Gavin was Ang. Characters from their favorite cartoons. They had a blast! On the last day they got to show the parents what they had learned. Just when I think that they can't surprise me anymore, Gavin gets up on the diving board, me thinking he is going to jump off like he had done for the last two weeks, does a flip. I screamed out loud, ran over to the board...he is definitely our extremist!! He loved it and wanted to do it again right away. Thank goodness it was his last turn before class was over. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THESE CRAZY KIDS!!!

We had a great Summer! Now here we are in August, okay as I am writing this it is on the eve of September!! School has started, Brayden is in the 4th grade, his last year at the elementary. I am definitely not ready for him to move on to the Middle School. Brayden's teacher is Mrs. Lord, he really wanted Mrs. Rickert, but we are excited to have Mrs. Lord. I have heard AWESOME things about her. Gavin is in 1st grade, and loving every minute of it. He has a brand new teacher to our school, Mrs. Morgan, who shares the same amount of anxiety as the kids in her class. So far, things are going great, I am hoping to be able to volunteer this year in the classroom again and not just having things sent home to help out. Miranda, Austin, and I have already been in Gavin's class once and loved it!! I am hoping to help out with the PTA and whatever else is needed. I love being a part of what is going on in the school and watching the glow on our children's faces as they learn new things!! Miranda and I are doing our own little form of preschool. She was drawn in the lottery last year to be a part of the preschool at the Elementary along with her brothers, but because we moved out of the boundaries, she was not as lucky as her brother's to be able to attend the same school that we have attended for the last 4 years. It's okay, she and I have already had a great two weeks together learning letters and numbers, baking, and shopping!! She is a great buddy. We just celebrated her 4th birthday on the 26th, one that I was completely unprepared for, because she for the last 9 months had decided that she no longer needed to go on the potty. Buck and I had tried everything, really everything to get her to go on the toilet. She has got to be one of the most stubborn kids around! I have no idea where she gets it from!! We finally told her that if she was not using the toilet, for her birthday, she would get diapers and wipes as her presents. I know, quite harsh, but really, you go 9 months and tell me that you wouldn't do the same thing! Needless to say, she has finally decided that she really is a big girl and we had to very quickly buy presents and put together a cake, so we could celebrate her birthday and also her using the toilet!! She wanted a princess cake with a Barbie in it. The day before her birthday, she and I spent a good couple of hours watching tutorials on how to make girly cakes. REALLY...I am not THAT kind of a baker!! Well I baked the cakes, yes we had to use 2. While I ran to get a "different Barbie that would work", Buck took over decorating her cake. Of course, I will let him! He is the decorator in our family, not me. It turned out absolutely amazing!! Great job, Daddy!! I'll have to post some random pics of the last year in my next post. Anyway, we had a great celebration. She is very helpful with Austin. Any time she can she is smothering and loving on him!! Austin has now learned to make a grunting sound to sound off his sister when she decides that he needs to be smothered!! Austin is growing so fast, he is now 10 1/2 months old, where that time has gone, I just don't know!! He is so fun. Heavenly Father knew yet again that I needed to have a great baby! What a sweet baby! He is very cuddly, makes the cutest faces, loves to talk and sing, most of all loves to MOVE to music!! He wants so badly to walk and has been standing/walking at the side of furniture for the past month. Until about 2 days ago, he wanted really nothing to do with crawling, he did more of a mix between the army crawl and the worm, very cute. Not only does he walk around everything that he can, he has figured out how to go up all of the stairs by himself, with us behind him of course. We have already had a couple of tumbles down a couple stairs! He loves to smile and laugh and figure out new things!!

Buck has been amazing, not only the last 12 years, but for sure the last 9 months!! He works very hard, he loves the new home, and has done a great job at taking care of our new yard and GARDEN!! Who knew he had a green thumb!! Of course he does, I keep telling him he is PERFECT! He can do everything!! Just kidding! What a ride we have taken the last 10 years that we have been married, and especially through the last year. I could not have asked for a better companion to sit next to me on this roller coaster! We had to speak in church 3 weeks ago as a family, and I was so proud of our kids and especially Buck, he did such a great job. He is so tender and loves our kids so very much. I am proud to say that I am his wife, although I am sure that he couldn't say the same (at least most days). He is married to the craziest lady ever! I am glad that he puts up with all of my breakdown moments when I think that life is over, and those moments that I am yelling at the kids for the dumbest things (because they are just kids!). He sure puts up with a lot. Not only does he work hard, but he seems every now and again to do fun things, like ride his 4-wheeler, which he has done very little of this year. He loves to golf, which by the way he got an Eagle this past weekend, he is so very proud of! Of course, his game was over after the second hole!! That was all the luck he could have! He loves to do tons, but only gets to do little, because of work. I am grateful for his sacrifice for our family!

Well, as for me, this year really does seem to be a big blur for the most part, so much has happened. And I have had to learn so much, in such a short amount of time. My next adventure, hopefully, will be to run another half marathon in October with my husband next to my side, running in the beautiful Glenwood Canyon!! We'll see, so far, it has been a real struggle with work and sicknesses to forsee this goal! I made apricot freezer jam for the first time all by myself, and it turned out! I am going to attempt to bottle tomatoes...they are coming out of our ears. We have been so blessed to have such a great harvest from our gardent this year, I forgot to mention another of Buck's accomplishments...he made homemade pumpkin pie from complete scratch. He used on of the pumpkins from our gardent that was already ripe for the picking and processed the whole thing!! It was yummy! My biggest goal for the rest of this year is to hopefully relax more and enjoy this school year with our kids, I can't say enough how excited I am for this school year (aside from the Geometry homework Brayden is already bringing home (I failed Geometry)). I look forward to the end of this year to be able to look back and see how far we have come, and to look ahead to see where we can go!! I know that I just wrote a novel, and to you that actually took the time to read it, You are awesome!! Until my next post, which I hope will be shortly. I want to do a slideshow of all of the happenings from this year. We'll see how long it really takes me to put that one together!! I love my family!!!