Coccimiglio Crew

Blogging a year at a time

2011-01-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to me how time flies. 2010 was a great year, full of adventure, growth, and quality time with many people that we love. Hopefully I can capture some of 2011, before it is over.

Choir Concerts

2010-12-10T21:02:00.000-08:00

Abby has choir as one of her elective credits this year. Choir was not her first choice, but she is having a good time. She had two concerts this month. One at the school, the other at Barnes and Noble.

Birthday Bonanza

2010-11-22T21:06:00.000-08:00

TEENAGERS!! Wow! Oh how we love these three kiddos. They make us proud each and every day. When it is time for their birthday, a lot happens around here. It was the boys turn to have a party with friends.

Family Parties:

We went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner with the McNeil side of the family. The Coccimiglio family gathered at our house, and apparently I can't host and take pictures at the same time.

Boys Party: Paintballing

The Gang

Jeremy, Uncle Nate, and Seth

Uncle Tony and cousin Chris

Seth, Zach and Jeremy

The boys, Spencer and Adam

Chris, Kohlten, Jackson, Seth, and Adam

Canyon, Seth and Spencer

YW in Excellence

2010-11-09T20:55:00.000-08:00

Abby was asked to share her creative cooking and artistic talents as part of the YW in excellence night. Each girl displayed something that they had accomplished or a talent. Abby did an amazing job with these cupcakes. They were lemon with a raspberry filing. She made white chocolate 'temples' for each cupcake. They were delicious. She is so talented. We are proud of her.

Halloween Night

2010-11-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Traditions change as the kids get older. We usually host a halloween dinner party, but due to the age of our kids, and their desire to hang out with friends, we changed plans.

Danielle and Abby

Nerd cousin Chris, cousin Michael, Seth, Zach and friend Adam

7th Grade Halloween Party

2010-10-22T20:39:00.000-07:00

We had a two part Halloween party. Abby's friends came over in the afternoon, and at dinner time, the boy's friends joined in for a few games and dinner, before they left for the 'haunted corn maze'.

Abby and her friends, Marissa, Sam, and Laura had fun doing a photo scavenger hunt through out our neighborhood, decorating cookies, painting pumpkins, and hanging out with the brother's friends, when they arrived.

Seven Peaks

2010-08-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

We had season passes to Seven Peaks this summer, but we had a very difficult time using them. Someone always had an injury at our house, that prevented us from being able to 'swim'. We did sneak down a few times with friends and cousins.

Spencer, Zach and Seth

Abby and Kaylie

Zach, Seth and Chris

Danielle and Abby

FOOTBALL

2010-08-20T20:23:00.000-07:00

As a 12 year old, Seth decided to jump into the world of tackle football. Most kids in our area begin when they are 8 years old. Seth never had any interest until this year. He had an amazing year. He had great coaches, who taught him a lot. He played center. He learned a lot, became physical fit, and learned the value of team work. We are so proud of him. His coach commented, at the end of the season, that he was a super 'coachable' player, which is a very important quality. He can't wait to do it again next year. We loved watching him. We were sad to see the season come to an end.

Middle School/New School

2010-08-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of August we received a phone call for a charter school in our area, stating that they had accepted our kids for the upcoming school year. It was not an easy decision. In the beginning, the number one factor that convinced the kids to give it a try, was the fact that school didn't start until 8:15am. Our regular middle school required them to catch a bus at 6:50am. They strongly disliked the idea of having to wear a uniform. Although I will say that Abby was the one excited to not have to worry about her outfits everyday. I love the whole theory behind the uniforms.

Call 911

2010-08-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

We are grateful for health insurance and doctors. It has been a busy summer in the ER:

One week into football practice, Seth decided to try and chop off the tip of his finger. He was fixing his bike, and was spinning the wheel. He decided to stop it from spinning with his finger. It did stop :)

Abby smashed her finger at girls camp. The camp nurse thought she broke it, so I ran up to camp and picked her up. We visited the Park City emergency room, luckily it was not broken, just a deep tissue bruise.

Zach broke his wrist. He was racing a friend through the neighborhood, around the elementary school, took a corner too sharp, and supermanned off of his bike. Ouch!

Earlier in the summer, Seth smacked his on the side of the Draper Pool, while doing a back flip. He received 5 staples.

Chip Foose and Over Haulin

2010-08-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

While in California, the kids and Grandpa Mike, decided to go and find Chip Foose's studio. My kids are big fans 'Overhaulin'. We got totally lucky. Chip Foose was in the studio. He was very kind to the kids, he signed autographs, and even sketched on Zach's cast. A definate highlight of this vacation.

Huntington Beach

2010-08-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

A little family vacation before school starts. We earned the Disney service passes early in the year, so we decided to head to California to use them. We spent 1/2 day at Disney, it was very crowded. We spent the rest of the time exploring the Newport/Huntington Beach area.

Bike ride around Balboa Island

July Festivities and Traditions

2010-07-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

Draper Days is always a good time. We decided to head over to the park to enjoy the festivities and people watch.

Seth and Spencer

Kaylie, Abby, and Zach

THE DRAPER PARADE FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

Instead of watching the parade this year, the kids got to participate in it. Our neighbor, who works for Taylor's Boats, asked the kids to walk behind a boat, and ride in it. They had a blast! Thanks Dan :)

Our Favorite Float! Thanks Lesa and Jack for posing :)

Yee Haw- The Draper Rodeo

Before and After

2010-07-25T20:18:00.000-07:00

My handsome Seth is the first one to complete his series of 'braces'. What a handsome young man.

Lake Powell 2010

2010-07-21T16:35:00.001-07:00

Lake Powell 2010

Abby and Kaylie exploring

Slot Canyon tour

Happy Family

Zach, Seth and Chris

Amazing!!

Lake Powell was a grand adventure this year. The Matta's and the Witts joined us for this years event. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best. The daily temperature hovered in the low 70's (not perfect conditions for boating). The kids made the best of it by hiking and doing normal camping activities. We took a daytime fieldtrip, left the boats behind, and visited the slot canyons in Page, AZ. They are spectacular, well worth the ridiculous price to get in. We are very glad that we took the time to take in some of God's beautiful creations. The last day of our trip the weather crept into the 80's so we were able to recreate on the boats a bit.

My scouts

2010-07-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

My SWEET boys getting ready to head off to scout camp. They are lucky enough to be able to go to two camps this summer. One with our neighborhood and one with the old neighborhood. Merit Badges here we come. They truly love scouts!

Fathers Day 2010

2010-06-21T16:06:00.000-07:00

I am married to an amazing man! He is such a good dad. He loves to spend time with our kids. He works hard to provide us with all that we could ever ask for.

HE IS THE BEST

ER Visit Number 1

2010-06-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

My dear Seth is a bit of a dare devil, extreme stunts kind of a kid. While swimming at the Draper Pool, he successfully completed 5-6 back flips off of the edge of the pool, without being reprimanded by a lifeguard. He wasn't so successful on his final attempt, thus I received a panicked phone call from his brother, tell me that Seth's head was bleeding and I probably should hurry up and come back to the pool. A few minutes later, while in route to the pool, I received another phone call from the pool manager, updating me about the situation, asking if they had permission to transport him via ambulance, if necessary.

I arrived at the pool, to see an ambulance and paramedic in front. (Not good for a mother!!) I rushed to find him, he was surrounded by paramedics. The first thing I saw was blood dripping from his ear. I panicked. The paramedics then reassured me that the blood was from the head wound, not coming out his ears. Whew!

I transported him to the ER in Draper (which we love) and he received 6 staples in his head. Not a great way to start the summer :(

Earning some cash

2010-06-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Zach, Seth and cousin Chris wanted to earn some extra cash, so they detailed the boat. I guess it is cooler to clean, when you have your shirt off!! They immediately took the cash and rode their bikes to SMASH burger. The joys of summer!

Star Rank Advancment

2010-05-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

Moving right along! Zach and Seth received their Star rank advancement, along with the rest of the boys in the picture. Eagle here we come!

Spring Baseball

2010-05-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

Zach and Seth discovered a new sport. They really enjoyed playing baseball this spring. They didn't have a great season, but they enjoyed meeting new players and working on their own skills.

Seth pitching

Zach at bat

Guitar Stars

2010-05-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

Zach and Seth had two opportunities to put there guitar skills to work. They performed at the schools annual 'art and literacy night'. They also performed in the 6th grade talent show. Abby sang with a group of girls, for the talent show, but we didn't get pictures.

Forty Years of Fun

2010-04-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Liz, turned the big 40 this year. Her husband has been recovering from a fall off of their roof this winter, so I decided to help him throw her a party!! It was a couples dinner, with some of her close friends. It was a lot of fun! Love ya Liz!

Spring Flag Football

2010-04-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

Jeremy coached his last season of flag football. Our kids are moving on to other sports. They had a great time, and enjoying doing this sport as a family. (mom is the cheerleader)

Kids, Jer, and Grandma Shirley

Cancun 2010

2010-04-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

We love Mexico! We joined forces with some of our dear friends, the Parsons. They have triplets that are 10 days younger then our kids. We rented a 5 bedroom condo, right in the middle of the hotel zone. It was right on the beach, it was beautiful. We visited the Tulum ruins, went shopping, snorkeling, ate some authentic food, swam, played in the ocean, and rented some small boats for a cruise. We had a blast!

Tulum (ancient ruins)

Snorkeling

Authentic Local Food-Delicious

Shopping at the mercado

Bathing Beauties

Pina Colada and Miami Vice Drinks

Boys will be boys

Waiting to go Home

P.S. Happy Anniversary- 15 years of Bliss

Finger filet

2010-03-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Poor Zach, he always gets the injury that requires a visit to the ER. He was helping me open a package, when the knife slipped! OUCH!!! Luckily the stitches came out the night before our vacation to Cancun, thank to our neighbor Mark Ryser!!

Make Over

2010-01-08T15:36:00.000-08:00

It's the New Year, and many aspects of my life are craving a make over, including this blog. I spent a few hours getting everything current.

I wish the other areas in my life, that need a make over, only took a few hours :( I will work on those things one day at a time.

Hopefully the upcoming year will be full of memory making with all of our family and friends. We are blessed because of everything that surround us!

Merry Christmas

2010-01-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

Waiting for the green light.

Zach checking things out.

Seth hoping for Mario Cart

Abby digging her new pea coat!

We had a very peaceful Christmas. We enjoyed a very low key morning around the house, before we headed out to visit with family.

Temple Worthy

2009-12-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed one of the benefits of having all of our kids turn 12 on the same day. We were able to go to the temple as a family to do baptisms. It was very neat. Jeremy was able to perform all of the ordinances. Because it was not busy, they allowed me to go into the area around the font, so that I could be closer to the family.

Making a Mother Proud!

2009-12-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

Zach and Seth received the priesthood on Sunday, Nov. 22. They were ordained by their dad. Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Tom, Grandma Leslie and Grandpa Mike, Uncle Adam and baby Tate, Uncle Pete and Aunt Nickie, cousin Jack and Nicholas were in attendance. Afterwards we gathered at our home for a family/friend dinner. I am so proud that my boys have a desire to hold the priesthood. It was a proud moment to watch them pass the sacrament for the first time.

It's a Surprise....A Special Occasion for Abby

2009-11-22T08:57:00.000-08:00

Special situations and special circumstances, call for special occasions. I felt like this was the year that my darling daughter would benefit most from a surprise party. The festivities began many weeks before, with much planning and organizing. My friend Brooke, as well as Zach and Seth, made it all come together!

The Invitations

Table set for a princess

The party began, once all arrived, including the party girl. Abby was 'babysitting' at a neighbors home, they came home early, thus sending her home early. Rather than heading straight home, Abby decided to stop and visit at her cousins house. We had to move quickly, to find a way to get her home to all of her guests!

Upon her arrival, following the shock, we split the girls into two groups to make appetizers. One group made mini pizza bites, the other group made smoothies.

While dinner preparations were in there final stages, we sent the girls on a photography scavenger hunt, through out the neighborhood.

Dinner was served upon their return.

Cake Decorating Gear!

Every girl had their own double layer cake! After a few tips and instructions, each girl had the opportunity to decorate their own cake. It was fun!

Happy Birthday Abby!!

12 Years Old, Really??

2009-11-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that three people in our household are getting older, and two are getting younger :) Motorscooters were the item of the choice this year. Each child earned and contributed half the money toward these scooters. It has opened up a whole new world! Vroom Vroom!

On your mark, get set, go..... WAIT, you don't have helmets on!

Dodge ball, anyone?
"I want something to build"

"A flat iron, yipee!!"

Disney World

2009-11-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't figured it out, we love to travel. It is my passion. I love to see new places and experience new things with my family. Jeremy and I have concluded that we only have 6-7 more years with our children at home. In that time, there will be periods that they don't want to be with us, thus SEIZE THE MOMENT has become my motto. Disney World has been on the radar, and as with all the traveling we do, we choose our destinations by watching for good deals. Abby, Zach, and Seth's birthdays are in November, it all worked out!

This was our nightly ritual, after each long day of theme parks and sight-seeing. My Dad is my hero, he never stops! He will do anything the grandkids want him to do. He enjoys every moment he spends with them!

Epcot Center

Cocoa Beach

Seth boogie boarding

Zach. You will notice that Zach has a duck with him in almost every picture. It was his homework assignment to take duckie along on his vacation, and share the results with his class. The kids thought it was really fun to have him along.

The happiest place on Earth, as far as Abby is concerned. She LOVES the ocean!

The Kennedy Space Center. We were able to see the shuttle on the launch pad, as it was launching the next day. We watched the launch from Universal Studios, we actually saw the shuttle in the sky. It was awesome, a highlight of the vacation for my scientist boys!

Animal Kingdom

Toy Story Ride in Hollywood Studios. Very fun.

Overall, it was a wonderful vacation. It was exhausting! We have officially decided, as a family, that the days of planning a vacation around theme parks, is over. We have many places to explore, and if there happens to be a theme park nearby, we may stop in???? Happy Travels!

Halloween

2009-11-01T07:38:00.000-08:00

The most wonderful time of the year, wait.... wrong song, wrong holiday. Oh well, I can honestly say that Halloween is my favorite holiday. We have many traditions surrounding this great day. We carve pumpkins with our dear friends, the Witts. We host an open house on Halloween for neighbors and friends, to join us for dinner. Draper City hosts a very fun carnival at a small park on Fort Street. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing, school has started, life is good.....

Brain Dump

2009-09-22T21:52:00.001-07:00

The Coccimiglio summer has been posted! We are all caught up. The only thing left is to post the pictures from the first day of school. Coming soon.......

Finally, a baby for Adam and Tiff

2009-09-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Jeremy's brother, Adam, and his sweet wife, Tiffany, have been trying to have a baby for 4-5 years. They are going to be blessed with a baby boy in the middle of October. We are so excited for them. We had a family party 'shower', to help celebrate their upcoming arrival. We can't wait to hold and love baby Tate.

Water fight with the fire fighters

2009-08-29T21:28:00.000-07:00

One of our neighbors is a fire fighter. He made arrangements with Draper City to have their firefighters come and have a water fight with our neighborhood. The kids had a blast, literally! The kids even had a chance to use the fire truck hoses.

Our little seamstress!

2009-08-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

In between the chaos of camping, boating, scouting, and all summer activities; our cute, adorable Abby took some sewing classes with a few of her friends. She made this darling bag for school. It was pretty complicated, it has a zipper, plus a liner. (more than her mother is capable of doing). We found a really fun teacher, that teaches out of her home. Abby loves to sew, she is very creative! Abby and I are going to learn how to quilt together!

Demolition Derby

2009-08-24T21:18:00.000-07:00

Seriously, if you have never been to a demolition derby, you need to change your ways. We went to Bear Lake with a group of friends. We had a great time boating, playing on the beach, eating Bear Lake raspberry shakes, and relaxing at Kelly's friends cabin. The final night we decided to attend a demolition derby, in a small town next to Bear Lake. We have never laughed so hard in our lives. We had so much fun! Our family will certainly do our best to find a derby to attend each summer. Our boys thought they had died and gone to heaven.

Snow, seriously???

2009-08-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

This is legitimate. Snow/hail in August. We were enjoying a lovely weekend at our cabin, with Jeremy's family, when a freak storm passed over bringing us this lovely weather.

Camping

2009-08-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

We don't do it often, but it sure is fun when we finally pull it together. We went on an overnight campout with Dean and Tara. We went to the Spruces Campground, up Big Cottonwood Canyon. It was beautiful! The only picture we took, was baby Blake driving the motorhome, so cute! Our boys slept in a tent, fulfilling another scout requirement. There is nothing like eating to much food, going to bed bloated, and smelling like campfire. Bowens provided some awesome breakfast burritos, that we cooked over the fire. Yummy!

Summer Traditions

2009-08-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

Traditions give me warm fuzzies! Every year, for the fourth of July, we head up to our cabin in Midway. On the evening of the fourth, we visit our friends (the Parsons), at their cabin. Their cabin is in the same development as ours. They have a spectacular view of the Heber/Midway valley, from their deck. We eat dinner together, play games, and watch the fireworks. Our kids love to be together, the Parson children are triplets also!

Draper Days

2009-07-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's all about the traditions! Every year the kids and I 'stake' our claim along Fort Street (a week prior to the parade), for premier seating to view the Draper Parade. We pick the same spot every time. We know where the shade will be, so we can just relax and enjoy all the commotion. We love to gather with all of our friends. We love being part of the Draper community. It feels like going to a family reunion. The kids see their friends from school, neighborhood, church, etc. WE LOVE IT!

Cowabunga Bay

2009-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

We had the opportunity to experience Cowabunga Bay. We picked a hot summer day, we went with cousin Chris and Danielle. The kids had a good time, but if they had to pick a water park, they would choose Seven Peaks instead. I would agree! The water was cold, it was crowded, and relatively small once you are inside. (a little pricey as well)

Science Camp

2009-07-17T19:57:00.000-07:00

Doing what my boys love best! Zach and Seth had the oppportunity to attend a science camp at Salt Lake Community College. They built robots, rockets, solar cars and other various projects. On the final day, cousin Chris and I went to admire their work. These handsome boys are truly in their element when they are building and creating.

Real Soccer

2009-06-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

Jeremy is a soccer nut! He prefers this sport above all others (who would have guessed). We attended a game with our friends, the Sandbergs. The Rio Tinto stadium is great. There isn't a bad seat in the house, we should know since we sat on the top row. It was a lot of fun.

Growing Up!

2009-06-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

Zach and Seth attended their first overnight scout camp. They have great scout leaders. They love to camp and hang out with their friends. They are growing up to fast!

Lake Powell 2009

2009-06-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

Lake Powell was a grand adventure. We purchased a timeshare in an older houseboat. We have never run a houseboat on our own before. We spent the first day getting oriented and trained by other owners and staff at the marina. We slept in the dock our first night.

The Gledhills and the Francoms joined us on our maiden voyage. The weather was perfect! The kids had a fabulous time playing on the sea kayak, launching water balloons off of the top deck, watching movies at the end of the day, hiking, building fires, and just goofing off. We took a sight-seeing cruise up Navajo canyon, it was beautiful!

Lake Powell is such a beautiful place. We love visiting each year. It is a lot of work, but well worth it!

5th Grade Program

2009-06-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

We made it! The kids all participated in the year end program, celebrating our American History.

Marysville

2009-06-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

My dad has wanted to take the grandkids on a four-wheeling expedition for years. The kids have heard grandpa tell all kinds of stories about his adventures. We finally joined him for a weekend full of riding, fishing, hiking and fun. We went with Uncle Pete, Nickie, Kenzie, Bray, Jack and Nick. Grandma and Grandpa rented a cabin, and our family stayed in the motorhome. The kids enjoyed their first experience stream fishing, they loved it, until they had to touch the fish. The highlight of the trip, for the kids, was being able to ride the four-wheelers into town. They thought it was awesome!

Girls Getaway

2009-05-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

Post-Pedicures (matching flip-flops from NYC)

Michele sharing her cupcake sampling!

I snuck away for an overnighter with my monthly dinner group. My friend, Amy, was gracious enough to host us at her cottage, located up Provo Canyon. We enjoyed an evening shopping, dining, movie viewing, and cupcake sampling. The next morning we pampered ourselves, thus enjoying pedicures and manicures, followed by brunch! It is always fun to stay up until 2-3am, once a year (I am too old to do it more then that!)

Hard Work

2009-05-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

I will forever be grateful for my Dad! He has taught me so many things in my life. If I had to narrow it down to one thing, I would say that I am thankful for his work ethic. I have learned many invaluable lessons while working along side him. He always has an "I can do" attitude. I always feel so satisfied after I have completed a project with him.

A few weeks ago, a pipe broke at our cabin. Minus the many details, it has required A LOT of work to get it put back together. After tearing out the necessary damaged goods, we decided to take the opportunity to remodel the bathroom on the main floor. My dad decided that he really wanted a "soaker" tub. We spent a few days trying to find the right tub, at the right price. We had to make sure it met his requirements. This is my Dad, at Lowe's, testing out the tub. (this was the winner)! It has since been installed at the cabin.

Rain or Shine... NY Rocks!

2009-05-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

We love NYC! We had a great time with the Gledhills. We ventured off the beaten path, and did things that we hadn't done on previous visits. Warning: Some pictures may be for mature (or immature) audiences only. (sorry Michele). Vacations bring out the best in all of us! We visited the ever famous Serendipity's (It was fun, but not necessarily worth a major detour or the extra pounds gained!)

This is the notorious bull that is located on Wall Street, in the Financial District. It is a spot that many people stop for pictures. (notice that Tom's fist is clenched, he just finished pushing a tourist out from in front of he and Jeremy. They had waited their turn for a picture, when a group of tourist stood right in front of them. Tom politely asked the gentlemen to move, apparently he didn't understand English, so Tom gave him a shove! It was pretty comical.)

Speechless! Tom and Jeremy made us do it!

This sums up our entire vacation in NYC, it rained every single day. We still had a great time. Here we are standing in front of the "Met" museum.

I didn't realize Jeremy was so excited to go into the museum!

Other than the typical sightseeing, we were able to attend the play Mama Mia. I loved it! Michele and I saw "Guys and Dolls". We did some shopping, plenty of eating, and more than enough walking. (although we still gained weight, go figure???)

Womens Conference 2009

2009-04-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

It is always a great day when you can sneak away from the home front, with a group of friends, to be spiritually (and physically) feed! Womens conference is always a great time to celebrate our roles as women. I choose not to be discouraged, as I hear about how great sooo many women in the church are. Instead, I try to focus on one or two things that I can improve. I also enjoy the opportunity to people watch, fight for a seat, and eat good food. I gorged myself at the Pizza Factory in Lindon, on the way home. We all discovered a yummy oatmeal cookie dough dessert buried in ice cream and toppings, YUMMY! Thanks gals, for a great day.

Grown Ups for a Day

2009-04-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

One of the highlights in the 5th grade is to attend Biz Town. It is a mini-city that has been created at the Discovery Gateway Museum. Students spend several weeks preparing for this experience. They learn about different job types, bank accounts, paychecks, taxes, etc. It is a great experience. I was able to attend, as a volunteer. The students get the experience of being a consumer, spending the money they earn; as well as the opportunity to hold a job, thus earning money.

Abby spending her hard earned dollars

Zach working as the CFO of Rocky Mtn Power

Seth as the CFO of Smiths Grocery Store

Dressed to Impress

Jeremy's Day

2009-04-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

Jeremy loves to party! We try to celebrate his birthday for a week. We gathered with his family, which is always fun. We bbq'd, played cards, and enjoyed each others company.

A fishing class?

2009-04-25T09:42:00.001-07:00

They seriously teach a fishing class? Draper City has finally begun their own recreation program. We have always had to go through the county or Sandy City for sports programs. It will take Draper a while to get it all running, but they offered a fishing class. I have never heard of such a class, but my kids were elated. They go once a week for 1.5 hours, at a local pond in Draper. The class runs for 6 weeks, and it cost $10. What a deal! They stocked the pond with 2500 fish (thats creepy, I hate fish). Brayden Witt caught 3 fish during his first class. They are allowed to keep 4 fish, and release the rest.

I am excited, because it is another activity to add to the list, during a long summer. Plus it is close by and relatively inexpensive.

Boys being boys

2009-04-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Jeremy, Zach and Seth are having some serious boy time! Jeremy is coaching their flag football team! They ALL love it. Jeremy coached one of their basketball teams a few years ago, and came away feeling terrible. They didn't win a single game. He took it personal.

Last fall, as he watched the boys play flag football, he continually 'freaked' out at the coaching.

I convinced him, (which was not easy), to coach flag football. I told him he could not complain about the coaching, unless he was willing to do it himself. He finally agreed. He is so happy that he did. They had their first game on Thursday. They won, so now the burden is off of his shoulders. "He won't be the coach of another lossing team".

Girls are complicated!

2009-04-25T09:06:00.001-07:00

So...... The test results came back negative. She doesn't have a well-known bacteria, but she could have some type that isn't detectable with a simple lab test. She was treated as though she had some crazy bacteria. The stomach aches continue, but not as severe. The non-dairy diet continues through this weekend.

But....... We must add a little more drama to the situation. She missed at least 10 days of school, thus she was intimidated to go back. ANXIETY appears to be a factor in the whole picture. She finally talked to me about somethings going on at school that were bothering her. Girls are so complicated! We worked through the issues, and after two mornings of battling the need to go to school (I won), she has finally begun to go to school without a fight. I have no doubt that she has a legitimate stomach aches, but I think , as a kid, we have to test our limits!

Giardia, E-coli, or what??

2009-04-15T13:22:00.000-07:00

So poor little Abby has had chronic tummy aches for the last month. It began with a nasty case of the flu. She got sick in a cab, on the way to the airport, following our cruise. She threw up the entire way home. She was traveling with my parents, and my poor mother had to beg the flight crew to let them on the plane, after a layover, in Las Vegas. They were going to make them stay overnight, because they didn't want them to infect the whole flight. At this point, we truly thought it was motion sickness (coming off the ship, she often gets sick in the car, etc), and my mom convinced them to let them fly. Unfortunately, it was the flu, because two days later Zach got the flu, and two days after that Seth got the flu, and then the next day Abby got the flu again! (Sorry to all those people on the airplane)

The stomach aches have continued, no vomiting or other flu like symptoms have presisted. She will have a few good days and then a few bad days. I am not an overly sympathetic mom, if I don't see throw up, then you probably should go to school. We have been battling this for a few weeks. I finally laid down the rule that if you don't go to school, you stay in bed and no TV. I thought this would for sure push her to want to go to school. I had to be 'hard nosed' so that I could assess the severity of the stomach ache. (All my kids have taken a few unnecessary 'sick'days, feeling great by 10am). She stayed in bed all day, no tv. I guess she must really have a bad tummy ache.

She felt better for a few days, then the stomach aches reappeared on Easter Morning. We were out of town, attending sacrament meeting, and she choose to sit in the car because she felt so crummy.

What do you do?

I decided it was time to visit the Dr. I talked to the nurse who advised me to try a 'dairy free' diet for a few weeks. I told her we would try that, but I still felt like we need to see the Dr. (I am not the type who runs to the dr for everything). I was just trying to follow my "motherly intuition". Meet with our pediatrician, had a nice conversation, discussed what we had been doing recently. I told her we had been on a cruise. She asked where the cruise had gone, I told her Hondorus and Mexico, and her first reaction was that Abby probably has Giardia, E-coli, or some other freakin bacteria. LOVELY!

It took me 24 hours to coax a 'stool' sample from her, I then got to dissect it into three vials for testing (the joys of motherhood). We are waiting for the results, 2-3 days! I hope this is the problem, otherwise we will have to do some other fun tests. We are treating her with medication for these bacteria's, rather then waiting for the results, may as well. Plus, we are on a no-dairy diet to help the stomach recover.

Quality Time with the Family

2009-04-14T18:36:00.001-07:00

Chris, Seth and Zach

Danielle and Abby

Our Easter Holiday began with our annual egg hunt at Grandma Shirley and Grandpa Tom's. We had a nice visit, and the kids enjoyed finding their eggs, and eating Grandma's yummy snacks.

We snuck away to St. George for Spring Break. We went with Jeremy's brother Tony, Elisa, and kids. The weather wasn't fabulous, but we found plenty to do to keep us happy. We love eating at the Pizza Factory, having treats at Nelsons Custard, and this time we enjoyed a visit to the new 'In and Out' Burger. The kids enjoyed spending time with their cousins. The adults enjoyed some late night gaming. We LOVE St. George! It is always nice to go away, with the sole purpose of relaxing. Mission Accomplished.

We are thankful for this Easter holiday, and everything that it represents. We know that God lives, that He atoned for each one of us, and that we can all have eternal life. We enjoyed church services in St. George before we began our journey back to winter in Salt Lake.

A new set of skills

2009-04-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

Pantry Secrets Rocks! Check out their blog. A friend of mine told me about this great enrichment class that she had attended. The class is taught by a mother/daughter team. They teach you how to make bread from start to finish in one hour!! Yes, this includes the cooking. They also teach you 50 other things you can make with the bread dough. It really is amazing. I can say that because I came home and made the dough, and created the items pictured above. It was a success on the first try. I learned a few things that I will modify next time, but overall I was really impressed. The family loved it! You can make a loaf of bread for $.28.

I tried to sign up for one of the classes that they teach in their home, but had no luck. I found out where they were teaching another enrichment (thanks to a friend), and attended it. If you can get into one of their classes, it is well worth the $20. I tried to schedule them for an enrichment in our ward, and she said they are booked through September, and probably won't be doing many more enrichments. They are teaching other people how to be consultants, so more classes can be taught. They also have a DVD for $20 that teaches their method. I am sure that it is great.

*The other huge bonus, is that it is a recipe that is food storage friendly. It has ingredients that have a great shelf life, plus you can use your wheat!!!! (it only has 6 ingredients)

I am so excited that I can finally make a decent loaf of bread (white or wheat), and other bread type meals (pizza, bread bowls, scones, hot dog buns, hoagie bread, kiaser rolls, bread sticks, cinnamon rolls, danish braids, etc).

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear", right?

2009-03-31T14:18:00.000-07:00

Every day, as I go about my daily routine, I feel like I am impacted by our current economic condition. The other day I went to meet Jeremy for lunch, we picked one of our favorite mexican restaurants. OUT OF BUSINESS. We picked another small sandwich shop that we like to go to, OUT OF BUSINESS. I have run into old acquaintenances that have been unemployed for upwards of a year. We have family members that are wondering, day to day, if they will have a job a month from now. If you turn on the TV, or read the newspaper, you become inundated with the ever increasing drama of the world we live in. It is scary. I think things will be sketchy for many months to come. We can't take anything for granted. These are the times that we have been counseled to prepare for! For some it will impact us in our own homes, for others it will be extended family, friends, neighbors.

BUT, rather than live in fear, I have chosen to prepare our family the best I can. Thanks to a dear friend, I have been reminded that I need to 'refresh' our 72 hour kits. I honestly can remember when I even assembled our family kits. THUS, I pulled everything out of the closet and determined what needed to be replaced. Much to my dismay, some friendly little rodents had found their way into some of the food. I also had to reevaluate, because my kids are much older now, and will consume more food. I have decided that every spring, around general conference, I will rotate some of the food, update clothing (as needed), and just refresh when necessary.

I am grateful that I belong to a church that prepares us for all aspects of life. (spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc). I know if we heed the counsel of our living prophet, that we will be prepared for anything that will come our way.

Peace of mind can be comforting, when everything around us isn't!

Our Caribbean Cruise

2009-03-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

This is Jeremy doing my first post. It won't be as pretty as what Nancy does so I apologize in advance. This is a summary of our trip to the Caribbean on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship "Voyager of the Seas". This was a trip that my employer Axiom Financial sponsored for Nancy and me. We decided to have our children and Nancy's parents join us on the boat also. We arrived at the ship on Sunday the 8th and the ship departed that evening.

Our first two days were at sea, during which time we participated in the many activities that the ship had to offer. It was amazing! 15 different floors full of swimming pools, mini golf, roller-blading, basketball, rock-climbing, ping-pong, and of course LOTS and LOTS of FOOD!

Abby spent more time than anyone in the pool. We were convinced at one point that she had sprouted gills and fins and had become a fish. She loved the pool. We all certainly enjoyed the warmer tempuratures and as we moved down the Gulf of Mexico towards the Caribbean, the climate grew even more pleasant.

We were scheduled to visit three ports on this cruise. The first stop was on the island of Roatan, which is part of the country of Honduras. We were in Roatan on Wednesday. On Thursday we were in Costa Maya, Mexico. We spent Friday in Cozumel, Mexico. We certainly enjoyed ourselves in Costa Maya and in Cozumel, with time on the beach and some shopping and some great local cuisine. But we all agreed that our favorite port was in Roatan.

This picture is of the cruise ship
docked in the port in Roatan. We hired a private tour guide to take us to various spots on island. He took us to a hilltop on the island that overlooked the bay and the port and provided a wonderful setting for pictures. Shortly thereafter he took us to see the L.D.S. church building on the island, which was pretty neat to see.

The beach was wonderful in Roatan, but the highlight of our visit to the island was some time we spent at an inland location where they did zipline tours and also had spider monkeys and parrots for us to play with. Everyone did the zip line tour (even Leslie!) which involved some hiking and scooting across the zip lines. Everyone had a blast.

We really enjoyed playing with the monkeys; they were a riot. At one point they took my hat and I had to wait about 15 minutes before they gave it back. They were very energetic and very intelligent; it was the highlight of the trip to interact with them. I really enjoyed the short stay on Roatan and most of the people in our Axiom group had the same thing to say.

Costa Maya is just a small port town that basically exists to service the cruise industry. Frankly, the area isn't very pretty because of prior hurricane damage. But a nice beach was only a short busride away and we were able to spend some time there relaxing and drinking a ridiculous amount of pina colads with some great Mexican food for lunch.

Some of you have been to Cozumel so you know how it works
there. We had to be back on the ship by 3:30 so we had to get a lot done in a short amount of time. We found a great local beach to enjoy the sun and surf. Abby and I snorkeled. Zach, Seth, Nancy and Mike rented waverunners for a half hour and took them out on the ocean. And then Mike and Seth went parasailing! They had to have been a few hundred feet up in the air. Wow! After all was said and done, we had a great day in Cozumel with many adventures (including shopping, of course).

After all was said and done, it was a wonderful vacation. To see different parts of the world and appreciate different peoples, cultures, foods and languages is truly a blessing. The crew on our ship was absolutely incredible and we enjoyed the daily interactions we had with them. I really benefitted from the break and I really enjoyed some of the one-on-one time I had with my kids. My in-laws are great and my wife is the best. It was a great time and I'm thankful we could have the experience.

Humbled

2009-02-24T14:41:00.000-08:00

It has been a very humbling week. My dear friend Michele has an eleven month old baby girl, Gracie. She was born with an extreme heart condition. She has fought many battles in her 11 months. Last week she was listed on the 'heart transplant' list. Saturday night, her parents received a call that they had a heart for her, an absolute miracle that it happened so quickly. Sunday she had the transplant, only to find out that the heart wasn't good. She is now on life support, awaiting another heart. She can only be on life support for 5-7 days. I can not imagine the daily pain and anguish that Gracie's parents and siblings are going through. I worry about them. They have taught us so many lessons over the last year. They have amazing faith. They have endured MANY trials, but continue to rely on the Lord to guide them. They have shared very intimate details about their sweet baby. They have touched the lives of 100's of people. There are people praying for them all over the world! They have been able to share the gospel through this experience. We love them and pray that the will be sustained during this difficult journey.

Our family has been blessed by sharing this experience with them. We are humbled to know them and humbled to be able to learn from their example. We have been reminded of how fragile life really is, and how our faith can carry us in difficult times.

PRAY FOR GRACIE AND HER FAMILY!!

Viva la Mexico!

2009-02-10T13:32:00.001-08:00

Puerto Vallarta

Yuck

Dave and Jeremy by the Terminator!

Brooke and I by a waterfall

SOOOO Sad it is over!

We snuck away for a long weekend with our friends the Carns. We stayed at an all inclusive resort, and enjoyed endless pina colada's everyday, in addition to chips and guacamole. We love Mexico, it doesn't matter where, we just love it! The weather was perfect. We rented a car for 24 hours and ventured out to do some great sight seeing. We got a massage everyday! Life is good. Coccimiglio's are always up for a trip to Mexico, so if you want company give us a call.

Therapy

2009-01-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Bunko, turned into marriage counseling (also known as sex ed), then into parenting techniques group, diet support group, in-law venting sessions, and this particular evening COOKING. This group of gals has been together for over 10 years, with some coming and going. We have been through many phases together. My friend, Brooke, graciously accepted my invitation to come and cook for us, and teach us a few new skills. We had a great time! I am pretty confident in saying that I think we have saved a few dollars for each other in therapy costs. Love you gals!

So now what?

2009-01-12T14:41:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over, the New Year is here, and it is dreary outside. New Years resolutions hang over my head, I can't relax because I feel like I need to be doing something?? (exercise, diet, better this, better that, etc) Motivation is lacking, I think I left that in December.

Cards, games, anything........

2009-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

We really enjoy hanging out with friends. There is nothing better than an evening of good food, with good friends, followed by a game of (any type). We have been blessed with some many great people in our lives! We love you all.

GO UTES!

2009-01-02T13:10:00.000-08:00

Coccimiglio's have a hard time resisting the desire to throw a party (although we have become limited due to Jeremy's ears)! We had to celebrate the Utes bowl game, thus we decided to host a gathering at Noahs! Jeremy booked this event the night they announced the date of the game. It was so much fun to be gathered with family and friends to celebrate the conclusion of a perfect season for the Utes. A game is always more exciting if you are surrounded by a lot of people that really get into it. We had a lot of great food and fun.

Christmas

2008-12-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve w/cousins
Christmas morning

Jeremy's Nana visiting for Christmas

The holidays are full of fun traditions. Each year Christmas Eve has a new spin. My brother's family hosted an open house, with lots of yummy food, and a special visit from Santa. I love being surrounded by kids. Their enthusiasm is contagious. Jeremy's brother, Tony and his wife Elisa, and their 3 kids spent the night at our house. It was fun for the kids to be with their cousins. Christmas morning was great, even better because of the fresh snow. Christmas Day begins with gifts at our house, then off to Jeremy's moms for breakfast around 9:30am. Following a few hour visit, we go to Jeremy's dads house for a visit, then off to my parent's for dinner and a visit. We usually get home around 6pm. It is a long day, but great to be with everyone!

Are YOU smarter than a 5th grader?

2008-12-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

I know that I am not. We just purchased a fan for our fireplace. We asked the place that we purchased it from if it was something that we could install ourselves. He stated that 75% of the population can not, and they end up calling to have a professional do it. They charge $95 to come and do the install for you. We thought we would roll the dice to see if we fall into the 25% that can do it. We don't, but our 11 year old boys do!

The boys are always anxious for a project. They saw us walk in the door with a box and asked us what it was, they then asked if they could install it. It was worth a try, right??? They spent about an hour on it, hit a few snags, did some research on the internet, had to leave for a party, asked their dad a few questions (which he couldn't answer) came home looked at it some more. Still stumped, they went to bed. Zach laid in bed thinking about it, woke up, went back to the project and within 15 minutes the project was complete. They saved us $95. Needless to say, they are for hire :)

Earlier this week they took apart the snowblower (trimmed a cracked fuel line). They also attached the plow to the four-wheeler. Whether good or bad, if something is broken, they are going to try and fix it!

First Day on the Slopes!

2008-12-19T14:26:00.001-08:00

We finally made it! We have had the kids in snowboarding classes and practicing on the 'bunny hill' for the last few years. Today we ventured onto the "Mountain". The kids did fabulous. It was so fun for me to be able to ski with them. In the past I have stood on the edge of the ski run, or hung out in the lodge, watching them learn. Now we have a winter activity that we can do together.

The weather was beautiful, although the temperature lingered around 12 degrees (BRRRRRR). As we finished for the day, loading all the gear into the car, shedding the snow clothes, etc. I literally felt like my hands were going to fall off, it was bitter cold! I was so thankful that I could jump in the car and turn on the heat full blast. It made me think of our ancestors. I CAN NOT imagine having to trek across the plains, getting stranded in the bad weather. I would not have made it. I have much to be grateful for, especially this time of year!!!

Off-track adventures

2008-12-15T14:13:00.000-08:00

The kids are off track for the month of December, thus we decided to venture down to California. We had a great trip. We rented a home in Huntington Beach that included bikes. We were able to ride the bikes to the beach. The weather was fabulous. It hovered between 65-75 degrees. Our adventure included Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm, and Disney/California Adventure. We also spent a day at the beach. The kids actually swam in the ocean (crazy). Jeremy spent most of his trip on the telephone, as interest rates are going crazy (up, down, up, down, etc).

The infamous Christmas Letter

2008-12-06T19:50:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying we have not sent out Christmas cards for at least three years! We are so proud that we actually pulled it off this year.

We decided to take a different approach with our cards. We posted our blog address, rather than attaching a family letter. We figured those who REALLY wanted to know about our family would go to our blog, others would just enjoy a few photos. (To each their own). I personally love to read family letters, but I know there is much joking about them, as well. SOOOO... below you will find our Christmas letter.

It has been a great year for us! We moved into our new home around Dec. 20 of last year. It made for a real exciting Christmas. We are thankful to be settled in and enjoying our new neighborhood. We have been blessed to meet new friends and neighbors, in addition to maintaining existing friendships.

Our kids continue to thrive:

Zach wants to be an adult. He much prefers to hang out with Mom, Dad, and other adults, as opposed to hanging out with friends. He is a very easy going, loving, and giving young man. His preferred activities include creating, building, taking apart anything he can get his hands on. In fact, for his birthday he asked for pvc pipe, glue, valves, and other components to build a rocket launcher. His brain never stops churning! He is learning how to play the electric guitar.

Seth has become very social this last year. He know exactly what he wants, he is very decisive. He loves to skateboard, rollerblade, wakeboard, and snowboard. He thinks he wants to venture into tackle football this fall, we will see???? He enjoys teasing his brother and sister. Seth LOVES listening to music and learning how to play the guitar.

Abby loves to cook and create. She enjoys sewing, babysitting, and hanging out with 'one' friend at a time. She enjoys playing the big sister roll to many of our friends younger children. She is very nurturing. (Or as her brothers would say, bossy). She continues to take piano. She loves to spend time on the computer :)

Jeremy and I have had a great year. We enjoy a lot of time together. We don't have to get babysitters anymore, thus we can go out whenever we want. We love to spend time with our friends. We are always looking for a social outing. Our children are our greatest joy! We love watching them grow. We have come to realize that time is going to fast for us. We are trying to savour every moment we have with our kids! We love traveling as a family. Boating has brought us a lot of joy.

The gospel of Jesus Christ has brought much stability and comfort to our family. We are thankful for this holiday season, when we can reflect on the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We are thankful for his teachings and ultimately his sacrifice. We are thankful to be members of HIS church.

We are thankful for everyone within our sphere of influence, we love you all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABBY, ZACH, AND SETH

2008-11-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

WOW! They are eleven years old. It has been an amazing journey. Digging through pictures (just to find a few to post), brought back a ton of memories. In the coming months I intend to scan all of our photos, and create a true journey of the past 11 years of our lives. We have been so blessed. Jeremy and I are really struggling with the thought that we are on a downhill journey, at this point, in raising our family. We only have another 8 years, before they make major decisions in their lives! They are amazing kids! I don't know who has taught them all that they know, it certainly has not been their parents. It truly takes a village to raise a family. So many people have had a major influence in their lives. They are surrounded by so many people who love them! THANK YOU

I pray that the upcoming years will be full of stability, love, and commitment to the things that they have been taught. I would not want to be a teenager, in this day and age. The hurdles are huge! I am grateful that they have each other to lean on, and each other to tattle on.

So far, we have been able to have coed parties. We have attempted to do the "boy thing" and the "girl thing", but every time they decide they want to do the party together. This year we have rented an ice skating rink, and we will be having a big party combined with all family and friends! I will post the details later.

BYU or Utah

2008-11-17T20:57:00.000-08:00

Never before have I felt so torn over the upcoming football game. I am a BYU fan, I attended the Y for 3 1/2 years. My dilema is two fold, my husband is a huge Utah fan, and I have enjoyed watching most of the games with him this season. Deep down, I think Utah is the better team this year. Second, if the Utes make it to a BCS bowl game, it could mean a mini-vacation for our family (I love to find any excuse to travel), depending on where?? I am looking forward to a good game!

Pinching Pennies

2008-11-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

In an effort to save a buck, I am attempting to do family pictures on my own. We had these pictures taken out our cabin a few weeks ago. I took the ones of the kids, and a friend took the ones of the family. I am in the process of editing and developing, and framing them. If you can figure all of this out, you can save quite a bit of money. I am actually taking a photoshop class next week. I am very excited!

Halloween has come and gone, and I neglected to take any pictures?? What a loser! I guess it is because the kids get older and they aren't totally into dressing up (they do it only because they want to go trick or treating to get candy!). Another thing that I have learned this year is that candy is to readily available to my kids. I remember at this age, that I wanted to go trick or treating for hours to fill up my pillowcase. I think my kids went out for a total of about 45 minutes, returning with barely any candy. I guess it is time to buckle down, and throw out the junk food. (this will be harder on me than the kids!) Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! We host an open house for family and friends. We have soup and other munchies available for people to eat through out the night! It is fun to have friends and family gather, it is the memories we make that will last forever!

It has been an amazing fall! I can't remember the last time we had such great weather this late in the year! It was awesome. I must say that I am grateful for the recent snow fall, it has allowed me to shift gears and focus on the upcoming holiday season.

Are we ready for the real deal?

2008-10-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

Zach and Seth played flag football this season. They are trying to decide if they have enough interest to play tackle football next season? Flag football was tough on Jeremy. He wanted to get out there and have some involvement with the coaching, they had enough coaches this time. They had a lousy season (due to coaching, says Jeremy). They didn't win any games. Zach and Seth are not ultra competative, so they didn't seem to mind.

As a result of Jeremy's observations, he has committed to coaching the spring flag football league, we will see how that goes?

My observations tell me that Seth will try tackle football next year. I think that Zach prefers being home, taking something apart, and finding a new use for it? I don't think sports are creative enough for him. Zach is asking for pvc pipe, glue, and valves for his birthday (he will use this to make some sort of rocket launcher??) Not every kid has to love sports, right??

Webelos Scouts

2008-09-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

Zach and Seth received their Webelos badge this week in Scouts. They are working towards their Arrow of
Light. They love the scouting program and have been blessed with great leaders since the beginning. We are proud of their accomplishment and commitment. Way to go Zach and Seth!!

Fall is in the Air

2008-09-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

I must have had a memory block, or the brain cells died when I had kids. I used to spend a lot of time in American Fork Canyon. I haven't been there for years. The kids, Grandma Leslie, Grandpa Mike, and I decided to go camping. We picked the closest campground to home that allowed ATV riding in the area, which happened to be AF canyon. It was breathtakingly beautiful! I had forgotten about such beauty, and it is right in our back yard. We had a great time! We roasted hot dogs, built campfires, went hiking, made smores, got rained on, went on an ATV ride, and built memories. I actually forgot that I really do enjoy camping. The only camping I have done in recent years has been girls camp, and that is a lot of work!

Luxurious Lake Powell

2008-09-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Families that play together, stay together!

I love year around school! We were fortunate enough to receive an invitaion to go to Lake Powell in mid-September! Words can't adequately describe what a great experience this was for our family. It was a perfect trip, nothing could have gone better. The company was awesome! The food was fabulous! The weather was wonderful! The scenery was sensational! We enjoyed getting to know families that we didn't know very well prior to the trip. The houseboat was out-of-this-world. It had a basement, main floor with that was decorated nicer then our home, two ice makers, two kitchens, a screened level, and an upper sleeping level (yes it had 4 levels total). Shawn found the perfect, yes I mean perfect, place to park the houseboat. We had our own private cove. The setting was inspiring, it is amazing to be able to enjoy the beauties of this world! There is no place like Lake Powell!

Abby enjoyed playing on the beach, kayaking, swimming, fishing, and finding sea shells. Abby didn't not spend one minute on our boat the entire trip. Zach took care of all of the audio needs during our vacation, as well as proving to be quite the outdoorsmen. Zach enjoyed some "tube wars"and socializing with the adults. Seth continues to improve his wakeboarding skills, he loves "tube wars", and helping others when needed! Jeremy and I enjoyed taking groups out on our boat to enjoy skiing, surfing, wakeboarding and tubing.

It was a trip of a life-time!! Thanks Packards, Nethercotts, Watsons and Witts!

Fathers and Sons Overnight Camp

2008-08-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Every boys dream come true. A night in the mountains, a bunch of junk food, a pocket knife, fire, dirt, and no girls! This is the highlight of my boys summer. They look forward to this every year. (Abby and I do to!) I think we begin the countdown about six months before the event.

They love spending time with their dad. I am pretty sure that there aren't any rules or restrictions at these type of events. I am not sure what they do, they don't have tv, video games, computers, or any other electronic device, let alone any toys. Some how they find a way to make their own fun (I wish they could do that more often at home).

They have enjoyed the tradition of always having their buddy Spencer and his dad and brothers go every year!

Mother/Daughter Outing

2008-08-02T16:03:00.001-07:00

Abby and I had the opportunity to attend the musical production of High School Musical. We went with some of our good friends, Shonni and Kaylie. We went out to lunch and then headed downtown. We arrived well ahead of schedule, thus you see that Kaylie and Abby had fun walking around town, using the orange flags to cross the street.

Truth be told, I have never watched High School Musical. It was fun to see the production. I truly wish that high schools could become what is portrayed in this play, all groups working together to support each other. I dread the day that I have to send my kids to high school. I had such a great experience, but I fear that if the kids don't have a good group of friends, that they will struggle.

It was very entertaining to watch no only the production, but enthusiatic High School Musical fans. There were several people who were totally enthralled, singing and dancing along with the cast. It was funny!

It is great to be able to spend time alone doing fun activities with each of my kids. I cherish these moments!

Back to School

2008-07-30T18:32:00.000-07:00

We made it. We survived summer. The kids went back to school on Monday. I made sure the last week of summer was a little slow, so that those feelings of boredom would kick in, thus fueling the excitement to return to school. Abby, Zach and Seth actually love school, I dread the day that I have to yank them out of bed to get them going. It is currently the other way around, they wake up ahead of the alarm and are usually dressed and fed before I even get out of bed (I am sure this won't last long). They love their new teacher, she is a new graduate of Utah State University. She is full of enthusiasm, the kids come home extremely happy every day. Their teacher doesn't believe in homework, unless they don't get their class work done, how lucky are we???? We had an AWESOME summer. We were able to do many great adventures together. I will post those details soon!

Draper Days

2008-07-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

July is one of my favorite times of the year, it is full of many great traditions! This past weekend we had a blast going to the rodeo and the parade. My kids look forward to this just as much as Christmas. I took the kids to the rodeo for the first time, and they thought is was awesome. We left early at 11:00pm! It is fun to participate in these events in your own home town. The parade is such a fun family event. It is an advertising mecha, but the kids love all of the treats and goodies that thrown at them for an hour straight. I love the opportunity that we have to gather with so many of our dear friends! We are blessed to live in such a great area, and to celebrate what a wonderful country we live in!

Working on it!

2008-07-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

To my fellow bloggers- thanks for the inspiration. I am doing my best to overcome my inadequacies when it comes to taking, managing and organizing photos. I hope this is the beginning of a new adventure. I love reading blogs and hope to entertain someone (probably my children) by keeping a blog of our wonderful journey in life!

New York City!

2008-04-28T13:20:00.000-07:00