Thanksgiving came and went and Christmas followed....The season was very busy and did not leave time for Christmas cards or neighbor gifts. But there was enough time for family, friends and the Lord. I am excited for the new year, my anniversary, the kids to go back to school and to starts some classes of my own!

Wesley

Birthday season is over!! Pics coming soon! Now on to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Halloween

Clarissa and Wesley had a great time, tonight. They checked each house to gauge the scariness. We skipped all the really scary houses, the sort of scary house they braved together, holding hands. At one of our stops, Wesley wanted to stay and watch the football game. The teens had a great evening as well. I finished tying most of Clarissa's quilt.

Now that October is here!

Taylor finished Basic Training and is glad to be moving on to AIT. We (my Mom, Clarissa, Wesley and I) attended BT graduation. Some highlights: Visiting Uncle Pete & Aunt Michelle; Visiting Uncle Steven, Aunt Melane & Kids; Watching Taylor hug his little brother!; Swimming with PVT Loder and the kids; Watching PVT Loder graduate; Wesley sneaking through the crowd and slowly (while he thought no one was looking) get closer and closer to Taylor who was on the front row in formation (I caught up to Wesley as he stood right behind the formation leaders);Fort Sill museum; Geronimo's grave. It was sad to leave my baby boy even if his is 19. Knowing that it is the beginning of his own grand adventure.

Quick Family Update

Kiersta lost her job at overstock.com, then her unemployment, so they moved in here while they regroup. Actually Kiersta (22), Nick and the Maximus (the sweet 3 month old) moved into Taylor's room shortly after he left for Basic Training in Oklahoma. Esperanza (3) and Alexandrea (1) moved in to Clarissa's room. Taylor (19) is doing well at Basic and can't wait to get home, I know he loves and misses us but don't be fooled he is missing Brandy R.! Martina (17) has alot to do this year and has started having migraines so we are off to a specialist. Kielee (15) is going to school at Cyprus this year, so far so good! Faith (14) is having a great time at Matheson Jr. High and the Granite technical institute, she is taking bio-ag and pre-engineering. Carter (13 on Friday) is enjoying life at Alianza Academy, uniforms are great, science and math are even better. Gabrielle (12) is also attending Alianza, she loves it, too. I think they like the idea of very little homework, and so do I. Clarissa (4) is the only one of her friends not starting kindergarten, so we are taking ballet. Wesley (2) slows everything down, he is never in a hurry and he has plenty of time to get where he wants to go. I find myself walking with him and wondering why I was hurrying in the first place. Ryan is working hard and playing a little, he enjoys his job! I am helping with West Bench Photography and love that I am learning lots of things.

The End of a Grand Adventure!

It all started Feb. 22, 2009 when Ryan was sworn in as a member of the Utah National Guard and end May 5, 2011. It was a long adventure with great joy and sadness on both sides along the way! We missed him so much during Basic Training and AIT am thankful for the opportunity I had to grow and learn...I will be glad to have my husband back! I love co-parenting much better! I am thankful for the example Ryan set! He worked hard and ended with a 4.o his last semester. He graduated with honors while helping to raise a family, attending his guard obligation and working, the first semester he working 40 hours and took 18 credits!

I was sick last Sunday and only attended the first half of stake conference. I leaned over to Clarissa and ask her to get her stuff together so we could leave. She said, " I do not want to go it is nice here." She ask a friend who was sitting at the end of the row to bring her home. She agreed and I left her with her sisters, who rode their bikes to stake conference. Tuesday I attend the temple with my honey and as I sat there the words of Clarissa came to my mind, "It is nice here!" She is an exceptional child and loves church. She has a wealth of gospel knowledge for a four year old. When she was blessed as an infant she was told she would be a light to her family and that she is! Her Sunday services start with sacrament meeting and nothing else is acceptable. We have only made the mistake of skipping sacrament meeting twice...She reacts badly and doesn't talk to me for an hour or so, she won't go to primary happily (which she does every other week).

I am working on girls camp periodically and it is coming together quite nicely. I am currently helping to put the finishing touches on the girls camp fundraiser! Then I will know what our budget is and can plan from there. I am very excited to plan the rest with girls camp with the YCL's!

I attended a fun fill adult family dinner! It is alway fun to hang out with the family.

My grandmother did not sleep well at night and I remember staying at her house and waking up in the night to the sound of dishes being washed and the vacuum on. My mother refused to get out of bed even when she can't sleep for fear of being like her mother. I am having a similar sleeping problems...I am refusing to get out of bed, also! Not that I don't want to be like my mother but because Clarissa is a night owl and Wesley is an early riser. I am afraid that if i get up I will lose more sleep than if I stay in bed and attempt to go back to sleep. You see my grandmother slept on and off during the day and I lack that priveledge. Not only does Clarissa not nap. But I tend my granddaughters ages 2 and 10 monthes. You might think that they nap....Esperanza does on occasion but Alexandrea, 10 months, takes two 20min power naps a day. I am getting to know alot about the moonlight in my room!

Attend the memorial service of a family friend today. It was nice to see them and reflect on a great man. It was nice to drive through miles of nothing and see places I haven't been in many years that are still familiar. I have a love of the Nevada desert, the creature that live there, and the great people who call it home. It is always hard for me to leave the wide open spaces, the sagebrush, the scenes and landmarks of my childhood.

Mr. Sock

While I am on here we will tell our favorite Esperanza story. Her mom got her a cat. They were thinking of a name. Kiersta suggested they name the cat Socks. Esperanza said they would have to call him Sock because there is only one cat! Her stepdad, Nick, had recently explained that when you have two or more things there is an S on the end!

Chocolate milk

We love chocolate milk. We consume a lot of chocolate Quik. This morning we happened to have a gallon of pre-mixed chocolate milk. Wesley does not feel the need to ask for anything he simply figures out how to get what ever it is by himself. Martina got him a glass of chocolate milk this morining. While she was pouring it he got himself a fork out of the dishwasher. She handed him his milk and he put the fork in it, stirred it and put the fork in the sink.

Update

Here is a quick update: I was downsized! I should be sad but I just am not! I am not sure where the extra money will come from but the kids are happier and so am I. Ryan was given a break from his second internship. While he was unemployed and I was off on weekends we planned a fabulous get away to southern Utah. (Right after we planned this trip I was let go. That is how thing work around here.) We had a grand time and enjoyed visiting friends. Thanks Jon, Kim and kids it was great to see you. Now for the children...Kiersta and Nick are good. He was downsized with me. So they are taking this opportunity to start a small business. The girls are wonderful and we love when they come over. They are expecting our first grandson in June! There are some boys who are excited about this. Taylor is working and paying bills! Martina is planning planning planning... the life of the Laurel president and Stake youth conference co-chairperson. Kielee is trying hard at school and doing well. Faith is bored most of the time and waiting for school to be done. Carter is going back on track Monday! Gabbie is doing well and sometimes wishes she wasn't so bored at school. Jessica is off track on Monday! (I just can't wait until there is no one in year round school!) Clarissa is sweet. She loves primary and gives us a full report of what she learns every Sunday. Last week she informed us that James 1:5 is the scripture that prompted Joseph Smith to go into the woods and pray and while he was praying. Lucifer hugged him really tight and he prayed and prayed and then he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus and Lucifer had to leave. He dad asked her what the scripture said and she answered "if you want to know ask God." Close enough for a four year old. Wesley is the funniest boy. He loves the nursery and is upset if he doesn't get to go! He doesn't talk much but that is part of his humors.

Happy birthday

It is my true loves birthday! He worked a 12 hour night shift, came home at 6:30am, got up this afternoon and went to work at 2pm so he can get off at 2am, sleep and report for his national guard weekend at 8am. I greatly appreciate his dedication to our family and worry about his lack of sleep. Your are the best!

Chasing Geese

Today, 8 years ago I had the opportunity to become the wife of Ryan Loder. It has been an honor and a privilege to accompany him on our grand adventure. As I look back on our adventure I wouldn't of wanted it any other way! It has made me a better person and made our relationship stronger. I have enjoyed Ryan's family and miss his mother especially when the kids do. I enjoy my friendship with Shanna (Ryan's ex-wife), Jeff and their family. I love that Ryan & Shanna's girl get to love everyone. I love that my Clarissa and Wesley love Shanna and Jeff to and that my older kids think Shanna is fabulous, too! I am thankful that Ryan wanted to marry me and the five kids, that he stuck around through cancer & chemotherapy and teenagers. That pretty much sums up our first year! I love you Ryan and can't wait to see what next year brings.