Sleeping Beauty a.k.a. Molly Grace...

I have never had a child who has fallen asleep in more random places! It seems when she gets tired, she goes to sleep, no matter where she might be in the house! I guess playing and running around all the time really makes this little one extra sleepy! These pictures are from a few weekends ago when I took the older girls to the $3 theater to see The Karate Kid, which was great by the way. Rodger was at home with Molly. He had told her to go upstairs because it was time to get dressed for bed. Well, she didn't get that far, apparently she was too tired to make it all the way up the stairs so she just layed her little head down and went to sleep right there! I am very thankful that Rodger took pictures for me, so that I could enjoy this sweet moment also!

Please don't mind the mess at the top of the stairs, it's called "Being a Mom" right? I'm not the only one who has a crazy messing landing, right?

This was a few months ago. It was a Sunday morning and I was busy getting everyone ready for church. I hadn't seen Molly in a while and was wondering where she had run off to, thinking she was somewhere playing! Well, when I found her this is what I found. She had on an apron and a Pampered Chef children's hat, which was way down on top of her face. It was nice and loose though so she was breathing fine! She had been coloring in this apron and hat and found it to hard and she was just too tired! So she went to sleep, right then and there!

This last picture I have posted before but thought I should post it again since I have been sharing the random places where Molly falls asleep! I don't remember what we were doing that day, but Molly wanted to play with Play-Doh, but soon decided she was just too tired to continue playing. So she went to sleep! Such a cutie-pie!

I have said it many times, but I am so thankful to be a mommy! I am so thankful to have 4 healthy girls who are so so wonderful! I feel like I have become such a better parent as time goes by. I think about when I first had Abby and how I didn't really know what to expect and I didn't really know what I was doing. We really should have a book for that! But with each child I have grown more confident about my parenting and I am enjoying so much instead of worrying myself silly! I am so thankful Heavenly Father has let these 4 wonderful daughters come to my family and be in my life! I am soaking up every minute of it! Even when they fall asleep in the most silly places, I love it and feel lucky to be a part of it!

Sophia's Soccer Skills.....

This Thursday is Sophia's last soccer game for this season and I thought I would post a little something about this season! This is her 1st season playing and I think she has improved a ton! The first game I think she still felt pretty shy, but not the last couple games! I love watching her get in the mix and really try to go for the ball! She played left defense and goalie for most of the season. She is a great defender and has learned exactly what the goalie is supposed to do(I'm not sure she knew the 1st game)! She has improved and learned a lot this season and I'm excited that she wants to sign up again! That is always a good sign! Good Job Sophia! I'm so proud of you!

What a cute kid, I am one lucky mama! Lucky that I get to cheer her on! When she makes a good play she looks to the sidelines to make sure I was watching!Then she gives me a thumbs up! I give her a thumbs up back and then yell "Watch the ball, pay attention to the ball!"That's what Mom's are for, right? I can't wait till next season, either can she!

Seaside 2010...

Seaside Oregon 2010

A few weeks ago my family and I went down to Seaside Oregon. We had such a great time just relaxing and spending time just the 6 of us. Sometimes life gets pretty crazy and hectic and I am just so thankful for times when we can just be us.
The girls had so much fun playing in the sand....

and in the water!

After spending a day at Seaside, we drove to Tillamook Oregon and the famous Tillamook Cheese Factory! The girls had such a great time exploring and eating some yummy ice cream!

I am such a lucky person-I got to spend the whole weekend with 5 of my very most favorite people in the world! Nothing could be better!

Dayley Family Reunion

Over the 4th of July weekend we had the chance to get all of my siblings together to celebrate the 4th and to have a little family reunion. It has been about 2 years since all of my siblings and I got together but it was even longer then that since we got all of our children together! It was pretty cool to see everyone there! We all met at my oldest brother, Collins house. He and his wife, Sandy were kind enough to have us all there. We had so much fun just visiting and doing the 4th of July celebrations together. I had so many pictures so I decided to do a bunch of collages to show all of the fun we had. The collage up top is from the 4th of July parade that my brothers small town throws every year. My girls favorite part is when they get candy thrown at them. It is also of the fun they had jumping on my brothers trampoline with their cousins! They spent hours on that thing! I sure do miss our trampoline!

This collage is of my siblings and I, plus a few with my parents. The upper left picture is of all of us plus my parents. Next is my brothers followed by a very small picture of my siblings with our partners. The bottom left is my sisters and I, then a picture of me and my mom and last but not least is the bottom right picture of all 7 of my brothers and sisters. What a great time we had! I miss them! There is such a difference in each of our families it makes it pretty fun when we all get together!

After the 4th we always go to Port Townsend, a little town way up north, and go find some crabs on the beach. We quickly turn over rocks on the beach to always find little crabs hiding there! The girls love it and always have such a great time! I know most of the pictures are of Molly, but I wasn't taking these pictures, it was Abby, so I blame her for not getting any of Sophia and Macey! You can tell who she loves most!:) But really, we had such a great time seeing everybody and spending time with each other! I am so thankful for my family and am lucky to have them! I really do love them all!! Thanks for a great weekend!

Mom of the Year Award.... Happy Birthday Sweet Macey

Rodger called today, said he was showing our blog to some co-workers. He said "you might want to post something about Macey because I had to scroll way down to even find a picture of her!" I can't believe that and it made me so sad for her. I haven't been good at blogging lately anyway but to blog about 1 child more than another, I need to do better! This is actually the perfect time to highlight Macey because she had a birthday! A few weeks ago she turned a big 6 years old! I can hardly believe it! We had cupcakes instead of a regular cake, it makes it so much easier when you have friends over. It eliminates forks and plates, always looking for a short cut! Or does that make me cheap? Oh well, she didn't mind, she actually loved it!
We always start the day off with Breakfast In Bed. The girls love it and Macey was no exception! They always feel so special!

We opened up family presents after breakfast, this way my girls are not asking all day if they can open their presents. We get it over with in the morning and they have all day to play with their new things!

Macey got a new jump rope. She has found such a LOVE for jump roping, and she is really good at it. I really want to look into finding a group where she can improve her skills. She would absolutely be thrilled about it! Someday soon hopefully!

She has also really enjoyed reading, especially Junie B. Jones books. We read them every night before bed and she can't get enough of them. I am so glad that she is enjoying learning to read and loves it when we read together-priceless.

OK, her third favorite thing in the whole world, except for jump rope and Junie B. Jones is CANDYLAND! Oh, how this girl loves some Candyland. Well, while I was working at a little shop I found this Candyland DVD game. Could life get any better? Not in Macey's world! She was thrilled! She was very easy to shop for this year and she enjoyed her gifts so much, she uses them everyday!

So for her party we invited a few friends over for her party. We had a jump rope activity where everyone got a little jump rope and jumped up and down our yard. i think the kids enjoyed it, but not as much as Macey, I swear, look at that cute face! She was in heaven!

We also had a little coloring sheet that the kids colored. They really enjoyed it and took some great time and care in their pictures!

We had a bubble blowing contest! We gave each child some bubbles and had them try to blow a big bubble! The highlight for me was to watch the children smile and chase each other's bubble's around the yard. There was one little boy, Camden, who just smiled and really enjoyed himself. It was really cute!

Then came time to blow out her candles. She did such a great job posing for me, while I took too many pictures! I love this face, it says" Mom, take the picture so I can finally blow my candles out! Hurry up!"

Priceless-I sure LOVE this girl!

Then came time to open her presents from her friends. She had so much fun and got plenty of arts and crafts stuff, which she loves, and a few Barbies! She did really well, thanked all of her friends and shared her candy with them, which is a big deal for her! I think she had a great party and enjoyed spending time with her friends and family!

Dear Sweet Macey,

You are the Best! You have grown so much in the past year! You are such a joy to have in our family! You did so well in Kindergarten this year, learning and growing and trying your very best. I am so proud of you for that. You worked really hard and it really shows Macey! You help me at home, playing with Molly and sharing things with her. She is going to grow up looking up to you! You are such a great example to her and your older sisters as well! You are my very favorite Macey in the whole wide world! I am so glad that I am your Mommy and that you are my daughter! Always remember to be yourself and to always try to Choose The Right! You are such a sweet spirit and I am lucky you picked Dad and I to be able to raise you and help you throughout your life. I feel lucky Macey, so thank you! And Happy Birthday! I love you so much!

Love, Mom

Abby Turns 11.....100th Post!

11 years ago, today, I became a Mother. 11 years ago today I felt such great pain and such great joy in the same moment. I don't have a super great memory, but I do remember this day like it was yesterday. I remember being 11 days late and thinking that she was just going to have to stay in me forever(I seriously told Rodg that). I remember going to the hospital, very scared, but trying to put on a brave face. "No drugs for me" I told the doctors, and they listened, even when I wanted them to stop listening! I remember the smell of Rodg's breath as he tried to help me breathe through the contractions, and all I needed him to do was to get a piece of gum. I remember not opening my eyes for 8 hours straight, even though I was awake. And then it happened, I became a Mom, the most glorious, wonderful event that I have ever experienced! I remember holding Abby for the first time, watching Rodg just cry out of pure joy to finally get to meet his daughter. It was amazing!

Today we celebrate Abby's BirthDay. What an amazing 11 years this has been watching this little baby grow to be a little girl and is now growing to be a teenager and soon will be an adult! Abby has brought such great joy to our family. I have always said that I was so lucky to get Abby first. She has been such a help to me, even when she was little. She knows me, and knows when I am upset even when I try to hide it. She knows her sisters and how to treat them. She is such a great example to her sisters and also to her Dad and I. I have said this before, but, I am so lucky and blessed to be her Mom!

Dear Abby,

Today is your 11th BirthDay! Time has flown by and I can't even believe that you are so big! I have had the pleasure to have a front row seat in your little life and I am blessed to have been able to witness all of the good that you have done and continue to do! You are an amazing girl, Abby. You were my first born, you made me a Mommy! For that I am so grateful! You are such a great example to your family, thank you for always being willing to help when needed. I know that Heavenly Father sent you down to our little family and I know you have great things ahead for you in your life! Always stay close to Heavenly Father, pray, read your scriptures, by doing this you will continue to make good choices for your life. Your Dad and I are very proud of you. We can't tell you enough how much joy you are to us! Thank you for being YOU! We love you more than words can express! Happy Birthday Abby!

Love,

Mom and Dad

And.....This is my 100th Post! I can't believe that I reached it! I think Abby's BirthDay was perfect for my 100th post! Yea!!!

Abby's Softball Skills

When I was little I loved to play softball, well, I actually still do enjoy it! But it has been so fun to watch Abby learn how to play softball, and then to LOVE it and really enjoy herself! She has worked really hard the past 2 years to learn and to grow in her softball skills(she has played 5 seasons, but really got interested these past few years). I think she has some serious softball skills! I love it! She works really hard to do her best, and it shows. I hope she will continue to play and continue to have a blast.

She plays for a team called The Bombers! What a great group of girls she gets to play with! They get along very well and really support eachother during games. One game the coach of the other team got mad because he thought our girls were cheering too loud for our team! We beat them.:) Abby has been super lucky to have been surrounded by such a great team, and I am lucky to have met and gotten to know the parents of the other girls. We really were lucky this year. I am sad to see the season ending, but I know Abby will play next year, maybe sooner if we can find a league that plays year round!

Abby, I am so proud of you and the time and comitment that you have shown this season. You are such a great ball player and I know you will only get better from here! Good Job Honey!!!