Gracie turns 11!

Well since the only time I ever post anymore is when someone has a birthday it's Gracie's turn. 11 years old! What am I going to do with a pre-teen! Or tween I guess it is. I'm not sure I'm ready for what lies ahead. Although I guess I can't complain too much so far. Gracie is a pretty mellow kid. She's a total bookworm and is such a good student! So far this year she has gotten a 4.0 three times in a row! It's a good thing she gets her smarts from her dad because I'm pretty sure I never even came close to straight A's! What a great girl she is and we are so proud and thankful that she is ours!

Happy Birthday Gracie Jo!

We Love You!!  

Another November Birthday!

Well it finally happened. Our Hado Tado turned 8. She has been counting down to her birthday for months. I finally had to tell her no more talking about your birthday till at least October! She gets so excited and loves the countdown for birthdays and holidays. She got to start the celebration a little early when we had a family party for her and Quinsie at the Rec Center pool. I mean who doesn't love to gorge on pizza and cake and ice cream and then put on a swimsuit? Next of course there's the party at school so your slacker mom has to stay up till 1am making cupcakes. Then there's the "friend" party. A gaggle of 8 year old is always a lot of fun ;) So basically her birthday gets stretched out into a 2 week celebration. No wonder she looks so forward to it every year! The next celebration will be her baptism and she's just as excited for that. The next countdown is in full swing!

Our Hayden is a spitfire! Sassy yet sweet. Smart and so talented! She has such a fun personality and you just can't help but love her. We all do and we hope her birthday was worth all the excitement and anticipation. Love you Tado!

My baby is 2!

I say it all the time but where has the time gone? I can't believe my little Quinsie is already 2! I love this age. 2 or 3 is my very favorite. Everyone always talks about the terrible twos but I have always really enjoyed this stage with my kids. It seems like they learn something new almost every day! Their personalities start to develop and grow and they're not quite so dependent on everyone else.

Our Little Quinsie is such a sweetheart! We call her our little blond sheep of the family. No matter where we go we hear at least one comment about where we got the blondie. It's become quite a joke to us all. She is really starting to be quite the chatterbox (so she fits in well around here) and she has definitely caught the reading bug from her sisters and loves to look at books. One of her favorite things to do is get the biggest picture book she can carry and sit on someones lap and point to every picture in it and ask "sthat?" It gets really old after about the tenth time through the same book but as long as it makes her happy we'll keep reading to her. She got her very own 'pack-pack' for her birthday and she loves to put her books in it and carrying them around. We were leaving to take Chandler to the bus stop the other day and of course we were in a hurry. We were just about to walk out the door and she ran in the other room. I was yelling at her to come on and when I went to go get her she was getting her pack-pack so she could be just like her big sis. She's even fallen asleep in it a couple times because I couldn't get her to take it off before she fell asleep!

She is definitely loved! My favorite part of the day is when each of the girls come home from school and they are so cute with her. She gives them the biggest hugs and she is so excited to see them. I hope they will always like each other this much. Having only 2 sisters myself I know there will be bumpy times but I also know what good friends they will always be.

We love you little Quinsie Fritz. Don't forget, you will always be our baby!

Chandler is in Kindergarten!

I can't believe it but another baby went to kindergarten! She did so awesome too! I put her on the bus and then followed it to the school so I could be there as she went in and she just followed the herd like an old pro!

The only bad part was that she wanted wear a skirt and sweater so by the time she got to school on the bus she was sweaty and her cheeks were bright pink and all she had to say was "I'm firsty!"

Then after school the wrong information got put on her bus tag and they had her in line to get on the wrong bus. Luckily big sis Hayden was watching out for her and grabbed her so she didn't end up in Peoa! I don't think we would have talked her into going back the next day.

She even got into the same class as her favorite friend from preschool so it made it lots easier!

Now if mom can just get use to the new routine! I have 3 bus schedules to keep up with so i basically sit around and wait for someone to get on or off the bus 5 times a day. I guess I better get used to it I have a feeling it only gets worse from here :)

It's that time of year already?!

Today is the first day of school! Where did the summer go?

I am sooooo not ready for the warm weather to end.

But I have to admit I am ready for the girls to go to school. I think they were ready to go back as well. They were a little nervous but excited.

Gracie is in 5th grade this year. It's in the Middle school here and she was

super nervous to go to school with so many older kids. Once we met her teacher

and saw her classroom she felt much better though

Hayden is in 2nd grade this year. We'll see what this year brings for her.

She has a male teacher this year and I'm not sure how it will go. I hope she's

like me. My 2 favorite teachers in elementary school were men.

2 down and 1 more to start kindergarten on thursday.
I hope we can all have a great year and the summer weather lasts an
exceptionally long time this year!

Happy Birthday Chandler! (Just a little late)

I can't believe this girl is 5!

( I also can't believe I gave in and got another puppy! What was I thinking!)

I can't believe she's graduated from preschool and will go

to Kindergarten in just a couple of weeks!

I can't believe how much I love this girl! She's always been such a sweetheart and total mamas girl. She's finally coming out of her shell which is probably a good thing since she's going to be a big school girl now.
I can't believe how much I love this face!

Happy 5th Birthday Chandler D!!!!
I love you berry best most!

Double Digits!

I've totally been slacking and didn't post that my Gracie Jo turned 10 on the 28th! I can't believe we've hit the double digits! 10 always sounded so old when it was someone elses kid but now that it's mine I'm not sure how to feel! What a cute girl she is growing up to be! She has a sassy side but for the most part she is such a sweetheart. Her sisters love her so much and she sets such a good example for them. I am so thankful and proud that she is my girl!

We spent the weekend in St. George at a dance competition. The weekend was definitely too short but we all had a good time and Gracie's team did awesome. They got 1st place in all 3 dance routines. She was pretty nervous but they all did awesome! The girls even talked Greg into taking them swimming while we were down there. The pool was outside and supposedly heated but judging by the blue lips and chattering teeth I don't think it was that warm. I thought Chandler was going into hypothermia but they all had a blast! I wish I would have gotten some pictures. Gregs brother, sister and mom were down for the competition and they brought their kids over to swim and everyone had a great time.

Gracie shares her birthday with her Grandpa Joe so we had a little family party on our way home from St. George. I love that they will always have that special bond with one another. Happy Birthday Gramps! For her "friends party" , instead of a big party we decided to take a few of her friends to the movie 'Hop'. I think they all liked it and had a good time. Seeing her interact with her friends and talk to each other about school and giggle and laugh about things really made me realize how much she is growing up. So I think 10 is old enough. She can stop here for a while and just quit growing up. I am NOT ready for the teenage years!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRACIE! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Well, it happened!

Well I guess it had to happen sometime. My baby is starting to walk! It makes me super sad that she is growing so fast but I am excited for things to come. I can't wait to take her outside when/if the snow ever melts and let her run around outside! It also makes me nervous for all the owies that I know are in her future. I guess I will stock up on band aids and maybe get a helmet or some bubble wrap or a leash.......... Try not to listen to the crazy mom screeching in the background.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

What would Christmas be like without the picture of a screaming kid on Santa's lap?

We hope this year has been full of happiness, good health and many blessings for each of you. It has been for us and we thought we would fill you in on how our family is getting along.

Quinsie Fritz turned 1 in November and she is such a joy! She sure stands out in our family with her blond hair and blue eyes and people comment on this without fail every time we leave the house. She is the runt of the litter for sure. She only weighed 16 pounds at her 1 year check-up and wasn't even on the growth chart so we are trying to beef her up a little. (If only we all had that problem right?) She hasn't dared take a step on her own yet and I'm ashamed to say I haven't been pushing her too much. I'm afraid when that happens she won't be my little baby anymore. Plus a toddler is so much more work! She definitely has everyone in the family wrapped around her little finger.

Chandler Delaney is 4 and in her second year of preschool. She loves to go to school and hang out with her own friends. Every time I pick her up from school I ask her what she did and I usually get some version of what snack they had. We both love her teacher and I can see she takes after her sisters and is doing really well. She is taking dance this year and just like school she loves it and does really well. I am so thankful we live next door to the dance studio because we have one girl in dance 4 days out of the week. Chandler is still a moms girl and doesn't like to be too far away from mom but I try to remind myself that someday she will be a teenager and her mom will be the last person she will want to hang out with so I enjoy it while I can.

Hayden Kristine is in first grade. She just turned 7 but she acts like she's 16 most of the time. Hayden is such a character. She's a girly girl through and through. She has a little of my Grandma Jo in her because she never goes anywhere without multiple accessories. Hair clips or flowers, rings, bracelets, and necklaces. And usually all of the above at once! She looooves to sing and dance and is taking Jazz, Acro, and Ballet classes. I try to throw sports into the mix hoping that one of the girls will follow in their moms footsteps and choose athletics over dance but so far dance is winning with all of them. She played T-ball during the summer and she's signed up to play itty bitty basketball next month which she's super excited about. She has always loved to read and is actually reading a couple grade levels ahead. She tries really hard to keep up with her older sister and usually wants to do whatever Gracie does.

Gracie Jo is 9 and in 4th grade. I can't believe how grown up this girl is getting to be. She is growing so tall and I'm sure it won't be long before she passes her mom right up. She is such a big help around the house and especially with the baby. She is an excellent student and loves school. She actually likes to do homework most of the time and I don't have to pester her a lot to get her to do it everyday. She has always been an avid reader and we catch her sneaking to read after bed time a lot. She has set a wonderful example for her sisters when it comes to school work. She played coach pitch softball this summer and is going to play Jr. Jazz basketball again this year. Last year she and her dad got to go to a Jazz game with her team and their tickets ended up being on the very last row! She couldn't have been more excited if she were right on the bench with the team. She is taking 4 dance classes and is on a competition dance team where she will get to go compete a few different times in the coming year. Like I said, thank goodness the dance teacher lives next door and they can walk to class.

As for Greg and Robbin, not a lot has changed for us. Greg is still working for Webster Construction in Francis as their project manager. We are so thankful that they have managed to keep afloat even during these bad economic times. I still babysit a couple times a week to earn a little extra money but mostly I just try to keep up with the girls. They manage to keep us both pretty busy. I am lucky to be able to stay at home with my children and grateful I have a husband who will work hard to make it possible. We count our blessings everyday for the beautiful family we have created and I hope this coming year brings continued happiness, good health, and prosperity for us and those that we love.

Happy Holidays!

Oh my heaven, Hayden is SEVEN!

I guess I can't say I can't believe she's another year older because she's been counting this day down for months now. I finally had to tell her we wouldn't even talk about her birthday until it was at least November because she has been bugging me about it for so long. Hayden has always counted down to the big exciting days like birthdays and Christmas or any other holiday for that matter.

We've had some bad luck this year. 2 days before Quinsie's birthday she got a high fever then a rash and it turned out she had Roseola. She didn't feel good on her birthday. Then 2 days before her actual birthday Hayden got the flu and it's still lingering. Not fun! She's suppose to have her first "friend party" tomorrow and I hope we don't end up calling everyone to cancel at the last minute! We did get to celebrate Quinsie and Hayden's birthdays together last weekend. We invited their cousins and grandmas and grandpas and had a family celebration at the Rec Center. It was lots of fun even if I had to squeeze myself into a swim suit!

Well I hope Hayden feels better quick and has a great year. She is such a good kid and we love her to pieces! She is a great daughter and an awesome sister and I know her sisters love her very much.

Happy Birthday Hayden!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

MMMMM! Cake!

What could be better than chocolate cake?

When your mom puts a piece in front of you for your first birthday and let's you dig in of course!

Waaaahhh! My baby is ONE!

I still can't believe it's here. My baby's 1st birthday! I don't know if it's because she's my last baby or what but this last year has gone so fast. Quinsie is such a good baby and so much fun to have around. Of course all the girls adore her and can't get enough of her. Just like all my other babies she is quite a mama's girl and wants to be in my arms at all times and most of the time I don't mind. I just keep reminding myself that she's going to be 16 someday and won't want anything to do with her mom so I'll enjoy it now. Quinsie we love you so much and hope you have the best 1st birthday ever! Happy Birthday Sunshine!

Happy Halloween

I thought I'd better get some pictures up for those who didn't get to see the girls on Halloween. Too bad the weather was so crummy! Thank goodness for the trunk-or-treat at the church!

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!

What a kid!

I'll probably be in trouble for posting this. So last weekend the 3 big girls went to Salem to spend the weekend with my family. The girls were super excited because Aunt Jamie was stopping to pick them up after school and take them down. While they were still at school about halfway through the day I found this on my fridge. Hayden had made herself a check list of what she needed pack as soon as she got home from school. It has the usual things on it. clothes, toys, a stuffed hippo named Hally. But notice the bottom 3 items. Kiss, hug, out door. Check. Check. Double check! I guess you can never be too organized.

First Day of School

The first day of 4th and 1st grade. So far they seem to really like school and their teachers. Of course it's only been 2 days so we'll see how it's going in a couple weeks.

Gracie had a little lamb

Over the weekend Gracie showed her lambs in the Summit County Fair. We borrowed my parents trailer and spent the weekend and had a really good time! This was our first year raising lambs and it turned out to be quite a family project. We started around the first of June and built a small pen behind our house. Everyone was really excited to pitch in. Then we brought the sheep home and the real work started. The girls had to help feed and water them everyday and they had to be walked every night when Greg got home from work.
Saying hello to Daisy and Daffodil.



Some times the whole family walked with them and the neighbors even joined in.
It was a lot of work getting the lambs ready to show. They had to be washed, then sheared, then washed again. It's a good thing we have good friends and family who were so willing to help us out when we had to move them and shear them or just share good advice. I don't think we could have done it on our own.


I think it turned out to be a really good experience for the whole family. Gracie did a really good job for her first year too. She got 3rd place in showmanship and I wasn't really even sure she knew what she was doing out there. I guess I was wrong. Her cousins were a really big help. She had 5 cousins showing lambs and one show a pig at the fair this year. It was great to have them tell her what she needed to do. It made it extra fun to camp at the fair grounds too. We all had a really good time and the kids played together so good. It was nice not to have to entertain them or worry about them the whole time.
This was her during the sale. We told her before she went out that the prettier she smiled the more money she would get and boy did she have a big cheesy smile the whole time. I'm so proud of Gracie. She did a really great job and I think she enjoyed doing it. She was pretty broken hearted at the end and it was really hard for her to let her lambs go but she knows that the money she earned will go toward paying for college someday.
Although it was a lot of work, especially for daddy, I think it was a really good experience for the whole family. We're definitely going to do it again next year and hopefully get all the girls to do it in the future. I just wish I liked lamb chops!

Flash 2008-2010

Flash Augustus Averett, of Francis, Utah passed away on Friday August 13th 2010 in a tragic accident. He was a beloved son, brother and best buddy. He was playful, loyal, friendly to everyone he saw, and although he had a sad face he was a happy boy especially when he was playing with his family. He liked lounging in the sun, playing fetch and tug of war, playing with the goats and he loved walking the lambs with the girls. He was only with us for a short time but he was a big part of our family and will be in our hearts forever. He was a good dog and a good friend and we will miss him very much.

We love you Flashy!