Way to Go, Ethan!

Ethan finished his 3rd soccer season, and he did great! Ethan even scored his first goal this year! The best part was Seth and I volunteered to be Ethan's coach. I handled practice and Seth took care of the games. We made a great team and Ethan thought it was so cool that we were his coaches. Ethan thought it was just as great that he was able to play with Tytan and Charles. After the last game on Saturday we took pictures, had cupcakes, and the boys got trophies. Ethan improved so much this season. He would go in and take the ball away from other kids, he would dribble down the fields, and did I mention he made his first goal! We are so excited that we were able to experience this with Ethan!

Doing the team cheer before the game!

Let's Play!

Ethan's favorite part of every game- running through the tunnel.

"Tigers" Fall 2008

Daddy and his MVP

Getting Trophies

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Just be up a doing!

That was a saying that my Grandfather always said. On Monday was Grandpa Evans' funeral. Even though is was hard to say good-bye it was wonderful to be surrounded by family that all loved Grandpa. Grandma and Grandpa have 8 children, 42 grandchildren, and 74 great grandchildren. Everyone , expect for a missionary in the MTC, was there. It was wonderful to see the legacy that Grandpa created that continues with each one of us. The funeral was really nice and everything went well, just as Grandpa would have wanted. Grandpa was taken from the church to the grave site in a horse pulled carriage, and then at the graveside service they had an empty saddle procession where a empty horse rode past the grave symbolizing that that Grandpa was a true cowboy through and through! We love Grandpa and miss everything about him and can't wait for the day to see him again!

Our Grandpa: Arthur B. Evans

Yesterday, my Grandpa passed away at the age of 91. It was a very hard and sad day for all of us who loved Grandpa so much. Grandpa had been doing so well and so the phone call yesterday was a shock. As I have had time to think and reflect my heart feels broken. Words can not describe the sadness that I feel. Grandpa was the families anchor, our patriarch, our grandpa and because of him we are who we are! I have many thoughts and feelings but here are a few that I would like to share.

* Grandpa could be stubborn and ornery, qualities which I think we all inherited, but he sure taught us how to work hard and to never give up.
* Grandpa and Grandma were temple workers for 10 years and they taught us how important living the gospel was, because of him we wanted to live better.
* Grandpa was extremely hard working. He was always out working and getting things done. We grew up learning that watching t.v. would "make our eyes get stuck like that."
* Grandpa was witty and funny. He was always making jokes. Those who knew him well understood him and his jokes. I am going to miss the way that he would chuckle under his breath when he would make a joke that he thought was so funny!
* Grandpa was so caring and giving. Always thinking about others, how we were doing, feeling, and trying to give us stuff. We always left with frozen meat, given coupons for local stores, or always filled up using his gas discount card.
* Grandpa and Grandma loved to dance, and they were amazing dancers. Even as they got older when they would dance together it instantly took 20 years off their age! "Can I have this dance for the rest of my life?"
* Grandpa was at my baptism, my sealing, and the baby blessings of both my children and at everything in between.
* Grandpa created our favorite place on this earth, Little Creek. The cabin and valley is Grandpa. It will forever remind us of him and all he did for each of us.

There are so many more things that are swirling around in my head. But I am so thankful that he was my Grandpa! I am thankful I could know him, learn from him, and love him. Family gatherings will not be quite the same without him. Our family will not be complete until we are with him again. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for my grandpa and the knowledge that I have that Grandpa is happy and that he lived a good life, and that I will see him again. Someday, I will be able to hug him, see him dance, and hear him tell jokes again! So through tears of sadness I will celebrate the life my Grandpa lived. I will cherish the memories I have of him and the things he has taught me and keep them close to my heart.

Grandpa Evans, I love you and miss you! We will be leaving on Friday night for Utah and the funeral is on Monday.

Ethan's 1st Sacrament Primary Program

On Sunday was Ethan's first Sacrament Primary Program! It was so great to see him up there singing and saying his part. Well, actually I was behind him sitting on the stage but Seth, Ciara, and my parents were all able to see him. Ethan did a fantastic job! He went to the microphone in front of a full crowd and said, "My name is Ethan, and I am a Child of God." Ethan said it loud and clear. He also knew most of the songs, he loves to sing. His favorite songs were Called to Serve and When Jesus Christ was baptized with the sign language. As I sat there and watched him I couldn't be live how big he has gotten. Each day he amazes me with how much he accomplishes and what he knows. He even scored his first soccer goal last week!!!!!! It is wonderful that I have a calling to see him love Primary, increase his testimony, and be a part of his life in a way that I would not be able to in any other calling. Here are a few pictures of the kids before church. Ciara is in a don't take my picture stage where she says cheese so hard it looks like she is in pain. But she sure is cute anyway!

Hair Cuts and Tae Bo

For the past six months I have started cutting Seth's and Ethan's hair. I hated taking Ethan in and asking them to cut it short so that I wouldn't have to take him in every month and then having them do a horrible job on my little boys blond hair. Seth would also get his hair cut so short just so that we weren't paying for a haircut every month. So at Sam's Club a whole hair cutting kit was on sale for a reasonable price. There is a nice lady in our ward who cuts hair and she came over and taught me how to cut Ethan's hair, and since then I have been cutting both their hair. I am happy to announce there has been no major hair disasters and neither one of them has had to go and get it fixed after I cut it. I rather like cutting hair, enjoy saving money, and I am getting better and better each month! I wouldn't want to cut hair for a living but it has become a fun hobby. Here are a few before and after pictures!

1st Hair Cut- BEFORE

1st Hair Cut- AFTER

1st Hair Cut- Both AFTER

2nd Hair Cut- BEFORE

2nd Hair Cut- AFTER

Also, Seth and I have been doing Tae Bo after the kids go to bed. We have enjoyed doing it together especially when we don't have time to work out otherwise. Ethan always asks if we are doing tae bo at night. Well the other night we put them to bed and started the DVD. About 10 minutes later I look over and he is watching us through the stair banister so I let him come down and join us. He was so excited and said he loved doing it. It was hilarious to watch him I even stopped and took pictures. He did pretty good and went for about 20 minutes straight!

Ciara's Hawaiian Luau Party!

Last Saturday was Ciara’s birthday. We started of the day with pancakes, and Ethan’s soccer game. Then, we had a Hawaiian Luau Party for our little hula girl! It was so much fun and all the kids had a great time! Thanks to a good friend in our ward who let us borrow a whole box of Hawaiian decorations our little house had a real Hawaiian feel!

We decorated the front door so that they would leave Colorado and enter into Hawaii.

We had everyone make flower necklaces to wear. You can’t go to Hawaii without wearing flowers.

Then everyone gathered outside to enjoy dipping a bunch of yummy things in the chocolate fountain!

We then played pin the pineapple on the tree with all the children. When it was Ciara’s turn she knew exactly where she wanted it. She pushed a chair over to the tree, climbed on, and stuck her pineapple on the very top! That’s our little girl!

After that we did the limbo! The little kids loved running under it over and over and then the big kids, aka parents, got in and played a few round too! Look how cute Seth looks in his grass skirt!

After games we moved inside for presents. Ciara loved opening the presents with the help of the other kids. She got so many fun and cute things. She got a lot of cute clothes, baby dolls, and dress up clothes. She loves the milk bottles that Ethan picked out for her.

I made Ciara an ice cream cake for her birthday. If you can’t tell by the picture it is supposed to be the Hawaiian shore with green grass and blue water. It was a chocolate cake with neapolitan ice cream inside!

Everyone had a great time celebrating Ciara's 2nd birthday! All the kids left with their own candy leis that I made.

For dinner our family went to Red Robin. We normally don’t go out to eat so it was especially a fun treat! Ciara loved the red bird that she called a duck. She loved when they all came and sang Happy Birthday to her!

Ciara had a great day. She is not the shy, clingy baby she was a year ago. She had fun playing with the other kids and loved being in the center of attention. She is truly a joy and blessing in my life. Ciara had a very Happy Birthday!