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This month is such a special one it's Birthday time for you!!!!!

Happy Happy Birthday Austen !!
THE BIG 13

My son is tuning 13 this week and I thought this month I would talk about him. I suppose do a Mommie brag -a- bout. I just can't believe he is already a real teen. Whew!

Austen is leading his Tae Kw on Doe mates in a sparring drill during testing. Austen is now a Yellow belt and is currently recovering from a foot sore but should be returning in a few months. Austen loves TKD and likes to teach his little sister Emmie how to do it. She loves to learn from him. He has great potential to do great things in life. Auttie is so amazing and kind. We love him and has a mommie he is my world.
Austen Is growing so robust. He loves that he is looking and getting stronger. He sings in the shower and likes to smell oh so yummy. He is quite a charmer. He gets many compliments at church on how nice he looks in his suite. Very few young men sport a suit. Austen just this morning was telling me that he is preparing for his mission and they will need to wear a suit all the time. He also said that he needs to catch more sleep because missionaries don't sleep.

Bitty Clowns

1997: Austen is almost 2 yrs and Amber is 3 yrs. Are these little tater tots soooo cute or what!!! How time really does fly. I have always loved the crazy day of Halloween. Growing up I remember my mothers sewing machine, rick - rack, sequins, ribbons and mounts of material scraps draping the kitchen chairs and the one stray straight pin that finds its way into my fathers foot. Och! Poor Daddie. We would always hide or loose eye contact when that would happen. I have always been grateful to my mother for her time in giving to us kids with her talents. I have learned from her and think of it as a gift to be able to instill them in my home and in doing so have have made new and kept old traditions.

I made these festive costumes one rainy week in October and just thought I was so cool. I even made one for myself. I have had a clown tradition ever since with me anyways.

Joy

How many of us have Joy? Feel Joy? Bring Joy to our family's, friends, people we enter act with and most important to you have Joy with yourself? This has been something I have loved in my life and have had a hard time in doing at times. My struggle is Joy with myself. Well in General Conference I was thrilled to hear about Joy, Laughter, Prayer and love. We as women might struggle with sadness at times. Pres. Monson's Talk in the Conference issue this month on Finding Joy in the Journey is fabulous. Please read it and find Joy. Recharge your mind and batteries and you will find that many things are not so bad. With inner Joy come Smiles and Laughter. ~ just a bit from my heart ~ My dear Jason viewed the blog while I was on the phone and was reading my Joy story. It was pretty funny. He was wondering if she was another sister and if she was lost. I guess I joyed yawl to much. I'm just full of JOY!! I love you Babe!

The girls wanted to learn the Needle. Here I am teaching them to Crouche. It was fun. They had chains everywhere. A tip from Daddie. Amber was to Crouche a Beenie hat fot her Excellence project. I was curious on how to teach her since she is left handed. I mentioned this to dad and he said to sit in front of her and she would mirror me. It worked like a charm. Thanks Daddie.

Here is my Sweetie and me. He is my anchor. We love spending time together as much as possible. He is very supportive of my projects and silliness. I love him for that. Jason allows me to be me and I do the same for him. He is my Best friend and my love. His patients with me is wow. Everyday I marvel at is patients. He is so good to me. I love him so very much.

We love all our kiddies and we enjoy there different personalities. The teen world is upon us now and it full of drama. My advice to all those with tater tots. Cherish your little ones. They grow so quick. I still remember mine as babies and its warming but I get the reality check the they are wanting Space. :( So Jason and I just smile and love them even more. They all are good children with greatness in them. We are blessed to have a good set of kids and a strong family that loves each other. Even though the kids with state other wise to look cool. Its the age.

Easter o8. Can you tell what they were going to ask the easter bunny? Yeup! They wanted another pet. I say another pet for we already have a farm going minus a few chickens and goats. The Easter bunny did drop off one surpirse. A bunny names Checker. He died. Austen and Tanner are really into the boy life. Guns hunting trail riding. Its good to have them active OUSIDE. It is always fun to see how they will come in however. Tanner seems to be wet from Toe to Shirt. Austen Wet from Shirt to Knee. Really I would like to see how this can be. The boys were targeting birds and when I found this out I had to put a stop to that. I'm quite fond of Tweeties so I mad them a target in several areas. Jason and I try to teach the boys how to use their weapons and hold them. They are doing better. The Air soft guns are another story.

Austen is taking is sniper or elk shooting move. He looks so Handsome.

Tanner is ready to take out the big black Bear in Alaska. He is steady and ready. Good Lookin.

Welcome to Austen's world. He never thought he would be shorter than a Lego man. He thought he was taller than is toys. Well to his suprise that was not the case. In Five Points here in Columbia was a toy shop and he mad that comment. We still giggle about it today. He says "give me a year and we will go back and see if im taller." He has sprouted a good bit since.

The Girls

Amber, Lovely, gorgeous, pretty, fabulous eyes, great smile, nice skin, great hair. This is not a mommie talking up her daughter. This is a girl who thinks every time I look at her she is all of those things and needs no makeup. Now that part sounds like a mommie.

This was taken at the Valentines Father & Daughter Dance 08". They Danced all night.
Christmas 07' Making Fudge With Mommie. My little Helpers or should I say taste testers. I love baking with my ladies.
Miss Amber's 14 birthday. The tiara and all. It was a music theme. The feathers were for fun. Drama Girl. She worked them well.
I found the girls these little pj shorts with pebbles. They live and dance in them

The Arrow of Light.

Austen is blowing mellos out of a PVC pipe here and felt quite cool. For he new all about this game. He remembered doing this at Grandpa Brookbanks.
Tanner and his Troop awaiting awards and more games.
Still waiting but with a different crowd.
Mommie and Austen waiting for his Arrow of Light award to be given.
This was the moment. This Golden Arrow sits on AJ's shelf with all of his other precious treasures now. He worked well for this.