1st day of school

Today is the first day of school for Maelie and Kyla. Kyla has the same teacher and is still in preschool but this year she gets to ride the bus! Relief for me and hopefully joy for her, so far so good. She was very excited and went happily on the bus. Jaxon and I got to wave bye to her as the bus pulled away. Jaxon was soooo mad! I tried to explain it to him but I guess he didn't get it! Poor guy. Luckily it was nap time anyway...

Kyla all ready to go and waiting for the bus. She was waiting practically all morning!

Maelie started 1st grade today!!! She was really excited! She didn't eat her breakfast but wouldn't admit to being nervous, I think she was just a little. But she found her friends and was off playing before I knew it.

And right now the girls are at school and Jaxon is sleeping... oh the peace. This week I am picking up Kyla from school so I can get Maelie in time. I am crossing my fingers that once Kyla's bus schedule gets sorted out it will work so that the bus comes early enough that I can grab Kyla and go get Maelie. We shall see. I hope they are having a good first day!

summer's over!

Friday night - Cute girls playing dressup - Oaklie, Maelie, and Kyla

Saturday night Jonas and I got to go out, we went and saw Inception - crazy good movie! I want/need to see it again! We also tried a new Mexican restaurant that had awesome salsa and gave out free dessert. :)

Thusday night was Maelie's meet the teacher - the girls were excited to wear new clothes. Yes, Kyla had to too. :)

Jaxon painted his toenails and the tile!

Summer is over. Maelie is at her first day of first grade right now!! And Kyla is headed back to preschool today, this time on the bus that comes in about an hour!

Who is Mistie?

I saw this on a cousin's blog and thought it was a fun idea. I liked what she said at the beginning - "I can't be anyone other than who I was born to be. No matter how much I try to be someone else, I always come back to me. So here I am" -Ginger :)

* The color orange makes me happy. I wish I looked good in it. :)
* I can't decide if I like food better or if I like being skinny better. In the past I have been able to decide but this time I haven't been able to and it's driving me insane because I would love to be skinny again.
* I used to never watch tv and now I love to watch tv and movies. My favorite tv show ever is probably Prison Break (edited with Clear Play of course)
* I wish I could go back to BYU-I and redo the 2 years before I got married, not because I want to change them, just because I had so much fun that I want to experience it again. I miss being carefree and independent. I want to meet Jonas and date him again - so fun!
* I love being outdoors when it's 60* or below. I love feeling cold wind, it's so refreshing and I think I live in the wrong place for that. I love being in nature when it's cold, I would love to live by a lake with mountains and lots of land for my kids to run and play. I am not a city girl! I miss the snow and the changing of the seasons.
* Sometimes I like to be a hermit, sometimes I get cabin fever and have to get out!
* I am shy but I accept it and prefer to be that way and to be around people who aren't overly loud and in your face. I hate it when people call me or my kids shy because they say it like it's a bad thing and I don't think it is.
* I worry about each of my kids. I just want them to be happy and choose the right.
* I love my husband so much. I wish we could go on a vacation together once a month.
* I love my kids and wish we could go on a vacation together once a month.
* I love road trips and traveling. I love to see new places and live in new places. I get tired of staying in the same place too long. I am already itching to move again and am trying hard to be content in this place.
* I like having an older non fancy car. I never want to buy a car with a loan. I hate debt and owing people. I can't wait for the day we are out of school debt. I wish we didn't buy a house. I hate spending money.
* I love Maelie. I think she is soooo beautiful and sweet and fun. I love how she loves everyone and everything.
* I love Kyla. She is so quirky and always likes the untypical thing and it's so cute. She is an original!
* I love Jaxon. He is my baby and I love squeezing him and kissing his cheeks. I wish he would stop growing up.
* I am getting baby hungry but I need to get at a healthy weight first. I don't really want a baby because they are too much work, but oh how I love babies. I know there is atleast one more baby waiting to be apart of our family. I hope I am a good enough mother to handle another one.
* I am so comfortable teaching primary that I am scared to death to get a different calling. I hate teaching or being in front of adults.
* I like to play games.
* I like playing sports but wish I was more athletic. I LOVED taking wallyball at BYU-I for 3 semesters in a row!
* I wish I could play the piano. I am trying to learn with Maelie.
* I am not very crafty and I don't really want to be. It feels like I am supposed to be in the world I live in.
* I love going on dates with Jonas. I wish we could go on a cruise right now.
* I am excited for the day when Jonas is doing what he wants to do for work. I am so thankful for all he does for us.
* I want a dog!
* I love to cook and bake but I'm not very good at it.
* I honestly don't know what I'm good at.
* It makes me so happy when I get a comment on my blog or facebook or an email. I spend way too much time on the computer.
* I like taking pictures and blogging.
* I love smoothies, mexican food, icecream, cheesecake, cookies, chocolate, salad, seafood tacos, cabbage crunch salad, fruit, etc. :)
* I don't like talking on the phone, I would much rather talk in person or email. I realize this is a bad thing. :)
* I am pretty sensitive.
* I want to get a 2nd bachelor's degree in geology. I want to be a storm chaser. :) I think I chose the easy way out last degree but I am still greatful for it.
* I love watching my kids play and laugh and be happy.
* I love it when someone tells me thank you.
* Flips flops makes me really happy. That is a good thing about living in AZ. I never wear socks unless I absolutely have to and it bugs me when I see people wearing socks and shoes in the house! haha! I usually wear pajamas when I am at home. Being comfortable is way more important to me than being in style.
* Sometimes I feel like a huge slacker when I read other people's blogs and see how ambitious they are!
* I love that my husband is a Canadian and my kids are 1/2's! I love going to Canada!
* I love the plan of salvation, I love to be in the temple. I don't know what I would do without the knowledge that my family can be together forever.
* I grew up dancing and had fun but feel like that was another lifetime.
* I am kind of a rebel, not in a CTR type of way but hhmmm... it's hard to explain. I guess sometimes I choose the road less traveled. I like change. I need change.
* I procrastinate cleaning the house and exercising til the last minute. I exercise almost everyday, just wish that it showed.
* I am very impulsive, sometimes I do things without thinking about it first.
* I complain and then realize how blessed I am. I have a great life!
* I guess that's probably plenty to digest about Mistie :)

tiny birthday party

Today we had a tiny birthday party for Maelie. It was a lot of work and a lot of craziness and a lot of fun!!! First the kids decorated tiny birthday hats...

Then they made a tiny painting on a tiny canvas and then we had a tiny picnic. I wish I had taken a pic of one of the plates... tiny grilled cheese sandwiches, baby carrots, tiny fruit kabobs, tiny oreos, tiny chips ahoy, tiny m&m's and tiny water bottles.

And of course tiny cupcakes...

tiny relay race (baby spoon and a jellybean) and lots of dancing...

musical chairs was a big hit!!

she got lots of great presents! Thanks to all!!!

My mom made cute little gift bags that I filled with tiny treasures. :)

It was a great party but I am glad it's over!! :)

Maelie Lin

July 15th!!!

Maelie got this dress, shoes, and a wii Princess game for her birthday!

Kyla and Jaxon got her this tea set :)

blue pancakes this year!

Baby Maelie....

Our little Maelie is 6 today! She was our first and has been with us through so much. We have moved 8 times since Maelie was born and lived in 3 states, 5 cities and 2 countries. Maelie was born in the same hospital I was born in. I remember how happy we were when we found out I was pregnant with Maelie. We knew it would be a girl and we knew her name would be Maelie. We were both going to school in Rexburg and working as janitors cleaning the library at 4 am. And then I started throwing up at work so I had to quit. But Jonas kept working and we both went to school during the entire pregnancy. I was determined to finish my degree. We got in 2 car accidents on the ice both near Pocatello while I was pregnant with her. Heavenly Father protected both her and us and we are so grateful. The summer Maelie was born we moved in with my parents and Jonas had an internship in Tempe working on airplane escape slides. Sometimes he had to work during the night. We went to the hospital at 11 pm on July 14th to be induced. It was a hard night and I didn't get any sleep. The next morning, when they started to crank the patocin things started going really fast and then there she was. We were both so overwhelmed but felt so blessed that she was here - healthy and beautiful. It was hard to get used to having a newborn but she was so worth it and we felt so blessed. We learned about a whole new happiness that comes with having a child to love and care for her. Having a baby brought our marriage even closer. We spent all the money Jonas made that summer on fixing our car and having a baby. We moved back to Rexburg when Maelie was 6 weeks old to go to school. That fall semester we had to juggle our schedules so we never had classes overlapping and we pretty much handed her off in between classes. It was hard to get our homework done but we did it by working together and making sure her needs were met. We also made time for fun and had some good times together. It was so different having just one child to look after. I graduated in December that year when Maelie was 6 months old. It felt so good to be done! Ever since then I have been at home with her and with Kyla who came when Maelie was 18 months old. It was a whole new level of adventure having 2 little girls. Maelie and Kyla have been so good for each other. I am so glad I had them close together so they have someone to play with. They definitely have their share of fighing but I hope they will always remain good friends. Jonas graduated with his degree after Kyla was born and we felt so blessed that we had finished our degrees and had such a great little family. Maelie was definitely a little 2 year old and I had a really hard time potty training her. But it seems like once she turned 3 she turned into such a little angel. She is definitely the peacemaker in our home. She is so easy going and agreeable. Whenever I ask her to do something she comes running and is so happy to help me out. She is so good to Kyla and Jaxon. We love our Maelie. Happy 6th Birthday!

Rogers Family Reunion

This weekend we had a family reunion in the white mountains. We wanted to leave Thursday morning but we had to get our brakes fixed so we didn't leave until about noon-ish. The drive was beautiful, it was so great to see some scenery!!! And we went right thru an awesome rainstorm. Lots of cars pulled off to the side of the road but not us! :) After taking several wrong turns, we found the barn. Everyone else was already there and Jarod and Sara were making a yummy dutch oven dinner with peach cobbler for dessert. We had brought our icecream maker so I started that and it was so good with the cobbler! Shannon also made homemade rootbeer and Trevon had the awesome idea of a homemade rootbeer float. :) That night the kids had a little talent show, so cute! Maelie told some jokes and sang a song, Kyla acted like a few animals and told a couple silly jokes she made up, and once Jaxon came over and acted like an animal too. All the other kids in the fam did some cute stuff. We made our beds in the barn and we put Jaxon in the porta crib inside a tent by our beds. The kids went to bed awesome and Jonas and I were able to play games with the fam, good times. That was the best night because the rest of the time both Jonas and Jaxon were sick. When we got home yesterday I took Jaxon to the dr and sure enough, ear infections and he probably has to get tubes since he's had so many. Anyway, back to camping.... the barn had tons of bats in it. It was kinda creepy and kinda cool too. What was so great is that the girls weren't scared of them at all and thought it was awesome. The night was cold but it felt really good to feel some cold. The kids slept awesome at night, but Jonas and I not so much. Jonas was sick on Friday so he took several naps, but I made it straight thru the day and was pretty much exhausted. I don't handle a lack of sleep very well. But we did have some fun on Friday. The kids did lots of crafts thanks to Shannon. Mom and Dad made a great breakfast of biscuits and gravy or breakfast burritos. The kids went on a nature walk with magnifying glasses thanks to Sara. I think the kids had so much fun on this trip. Jaxon not as much, because he was sick and a little difficult. We went to Big Lake that day and right when we got there it was raining. Maelie and Kyla had their swimming suits and they were kinda bummed. Jonas and I could have stayed out in the rain by the lake for a long time, it felt so good, I love the rain and cold. The kids were done so we went to the little visitor's center there and looked around and then headed back to camp for Taani and Kelly's sub lunch. Jonas and I went into town for dinner stuff and left the kids at camp. Poor Jaxon had a bad fall while we were gone and has a nasty looking chin. When we got back, we had birthday cake for Maelie and then poor Jonas took a nap and I started making hobo's for dinner with the awesome help of Jason and Dad. Those things are a lot of work for a big group. Jonas and Jarod cooked them on the coals and in the fire. They turned out yummy. Some extended family who live in the area came that night for dinner and it was great to see them all. I was kinda out of it tho, haha. We played more games that night and right when I was about to fall asleep out of pure exaustion, Jaxon woke up and he just wanted to be up. It reminded me of how tired you are with a newborn! Thankfully Jonas had been asleep for a bit and he took him outside for about 20 minutes and then he went back to sleep for the night. Saturday morning we had a yummy pancake breakfast and then packed up and went home. It was a fun but tiring trip and I miss the weather there soooo bad! It's seriously like an oven outside here! UGH! Halloween hurry up please!!! Thanks everyone especially Mom and Dad for a good time!

the best part of a long drive, pulling into our neighborhood and letting the kids out of their buckles!! Oh the relief! :)

taking walks around the barn

Jaxon playing with his cars in the barn * Kyla, Jonas, and Jaxon watching the bunny * Jakob, Brooke, Maelie, Jonas and Kyla at the pond by the barn

Kyla shooting * the kids dancing * the cutest Pirate EVER!!

Kyla with a dino head * Maelie's birthday cake * Maelie learning to shoot

fun at Big Lake

the girls with their finished treasure chests * fun at Big Lake

Kyla waiting for the rocket that never launched * Jaxon in the barn * the kids making treasure chests

making icecream * Jaxon showing Anna the animal poop during their nature hunt * Jaxon loved playing in Grandpa's truck