SEVEN ON SUNDAY

Well there is TOO much to write for only seven, so this will be a condensed version. Me and the kids are moving to the Boise area and Brendan will be in Pocatello(for those wondering the same thing just a different day and I am done). So for those we are leaving behind you will be greatly missed. I just pray that Mackenzie will adjust to yet another change in her life. I love Brendan with all my heart and soul, but until he wants his family to be an eternal one again and can love only one wife this is the end for us. I hope he one day will realize what he has lost to sin and will see himself the way I and Heavenly Father see him, as a son of a loving Father in Heaven. Once we get settled I will post a more updated blog, Until then We love you and will miss our loved ones greatly, Jess

The clan at mesa falls. isn't it just beautiful!

the cousins at old faithful
the cox family at old faithful
the grand canyon of yellowstone

the cox fam at mesa falls

the wolf gang
mackenzie as a wolf in red riding hood
this buffalo was literally arms reach of our window

old faithful is still faithful in the fact that it still errupts high!!!!

yellowstone and mesa falls pictures

Seven On Sunday
1. Okay so I am 2 weeks behind! ARGH!!! First I'll give a quick recap of 2 weeks ago. On Monday June 9, Kenzie tried out for the children's play again this year- red riding hood. She made the tryouts which meant a week of long rehearsals for her and me. She was a good sport and loved doing the play again this year. The weeks ended on Saturday June 14th with Brendan coming home after 16 days(WOOOHOOOO!!!!) and being able to see kenzie's star performance. He missed her play last year. so this week was busy with running here and there, and trying to stay busy so being alone wasn't so lonely:). I did make curtains, clean baseboards, stove fridge, and reorganize all the bedrooms and storage room. So i wasn't lonely at All. Plus it was so nice to have it all done for when brendan came home. i always save my "spring cleaning" for when he is gone.

2. Sunday june15th. Happy Father's Day to all the dads in my life. First to my wonderful husband. "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy." anne geddes
He is truly a wonderful daddy, and the kids were so EXCITED to have him come home. Especially kyle. He knew that when daddy came home we'd be going camping! and that's what he expected. Brendan has learned to be a great dad from his own father. to my father-in-law who is a great father to us all. He know how to love unconditionally and gives chastisement in a way that is so loving that you almost forget what the talk is all about. To my DADDY. Who has always been my hero. I love him dearly and wish he lived closer. He is the one who taught me how to forgive other so quickly. He taught me it takes more energy to be angry than to just let go. So on this father's day I honor all the dads in my life. I love you ALL!!!

3. June 15th---Brendan's birthday party. Brendan always seems to gone on his birthday so we end up celebrating it on father's day too. He received some fun things for our Yellowstone camping trip. a new stove, lantern, and an axe(for chopping wood). Happy Birthday to my best friend, my partner in crime, my dear husband. I love you so very much and hope one day you will realize how much you mean to me. thanks for all of your hard work and being willing to sacrifice so much so that I can stay home with our 3 beautiful kiddos. You are the best and even after 10 years, I am still smitten when I look at you and my heart still flutters. Happy 32nd birthday Honey!

4. Monday June 16th--pack and lave for Yellowstone. why is it when you think you have all the lists you could possibly need for a camping trip you still fall behind schedule? I thought I was so good had everything packed by 1pm since we wanted to leave at 3, so I go on a short 3 miler run thinking I have all the time in the world to get ready after my run, then I had a vision in the hot sun...i forgot to pack all of our food!!!! GREAT...now we will be late or starve for 3 days. So i sped up my comfortable 10min/mile pace to a 9 min/mile and got a huge cramp at the end and still had to hurry and shower so I could pack our food. Way to go on being prepared. I did have it all ready by 3 after all, but with the cost of it being a pony tail hair day:) It was worth it. we got to the camp around seven got camp set up and dinner done all before 8:30pm. The kids were in bed by 10 and we were ready for our park adventure bright and early Tuesday morning. Thanks again to Brendan for my early morning run on Tuesday. we had a couple of killer hills and he patiently waited with me to make it up the hill. I felt like Casey Jr trucking up the track. we did see a herd of antelope on our run.

5. ILLNESS hits in the park. Brendan got hit with a GI bug while touring yellowstone. I first thought he was being overly sensitive about being ill, but at 8pm when kyle started puking all over the car...I knew it was bad for them both. Kyle ended up puking most of the night and Brendan felt better Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday we toured mesa falls just north of rexburg( i couldn't believe I was the only who had ever been there in our group, and that was 10 years ago at ricks). It was infested with mosquitoes and even with bug spray we were attacked, even the poor little dogs. I have to say this trip was lots of fun. i forget how beautiful our world is until i am back in nature. the kids all did great with all the walking we did.(pictures will come at the end)

6. softball game on Thursday. Well last week I had a parent get upset with me at the game. My assistant coach thought she over reacted majorly and intervened on my behalf. Well this week her 2 girls weren't at the game. So I am assuming she pulled them from the team. i think it is horrible that parents cause problems for their kids and don't allow them to enjoy things. it's pretty pathetic that some people can't seem to outgrow the drama. It left our team short on players. oh well I hope they come back.

7. Pocatello trip turned into a puking fest. Me and went to pocatello to play with my friend Tina and her kids on Friday. It was lots of fun catching up and just letting the kids play. We went to craigos, a ricks favorite, for some pizza. All of my kids seemed fine. On the way home Mackenzie said her tummy hurt, about a minute later she asked me to pull over. As soon as i put the car in park...she exploded everywhere. Then kyle puked because he saw her puking. So here adds another 2 loads of laundry to the list. Then this morning at 330 brevan woke up puking. Now I know Brendan was really sick. Hopefully I miss it. I finally have my car cleaned and it almost doesn't smell of puke. Anyways, we have had a busy couple of weeks and have enjoyed being a family and our mini vacation. so until next week, have a wonderful week and enjoy the warm weather.

This week on Seven on Sunday....................

1. SCHOOL"S OUT!!!! after a long week of helping out with the end of the year projects and play time, it's finally over. Mackenzie had such a great teacher this year, Miss Miskin. She was voted by the other teachers as Groveland's teacher of the year!!! We are so proud of Mackenzie and her accomplishments in school this year. She received the honor roll all year. In order to do receive the award a student has to have all A's and no more than one B. Mackenzie maintained straight A's this year!!! Good Job LOU LOU BEAR:) She also had more than 200 AR points for the year. AR is a reading program where the child reads a book and then takes a test to receive points.

2. Our first softball game. This summer I am coaching softball. The first game was one Thursday. The team made a double play. They were all able to hit the ball too. Mackenzie did a great job. She played third base and catcher. I am glad she is enjoying one of my favorite sports!Mackenzie before her first softball game of the season.

3. The highlight of my week was our short trip to SLC for a friends sealing in the temple. It was so awesome to see Trent and Tina sealed together, and amazing as they brought little Zander to be sealed to them. Mackenzie had fun playing with Makenna and Alexis. they are long time friends. It's cute to see them play so well.

pictures: 1. Trent, Tina, and Zander after being sealed. 2. Makenna, Mackenzie, and Alexis having fun playing. 3. The COLE family on this blessed day!!!!! 4. The infamous group photo op!

4. After SLC we went to Kamas to see cousins. It was so wonderful of my sister-in-law to let us crash at their place for the night. My kids really loved being able to play with their Utah cousin because they don't get to very often. Kyle kept saying all evening he wanted to go back to Toby's house! Thanks Min and Jer we sure do love you guys. Pictures: 1. Kyle and her new favorite buddy Toby. 2. Grandma and some grand kids

5. A Special thanks to my mother-in-law for going down with me to Utah. It was so nice to know that the kids were in good hands and I could enjoy the Temple. She was a good sport since it took a lot longer for the sealing( an hour and a half behind schedule). She also took some adorable pictures of the kids.

6. SURVIVING- So I have to say this past week had FLOWN by so fast. With Brendan gone time usually crawls by so SLOW!!! I am grateful I was so busy this week. He will be home in 6 DAYS!!!! I realized once again how much a NEED him. He is my best friend and I really miss having him to talk to when he's gone. the phone just isn't the same. The kids have been so good which has made it easier. they really miss daddy though. It has reminded once again why the Lord has the family dynamics set the way they are. without a dad and mom things just don't work as well. So Brendan I LOVE YOU! and appreciate all you do for our family:)

7. Well life is just grand.........except for Kyle won't quit asking,"are we going camping today?" He is so excited to go to Yellowstone and go camping that he is beside himself. I am excited as well. these cheap memories cannot be made any other way. Some of my greatest memories have to do with outdoor activities such as camping. So in 8 days we head up to Yellowstone for a few days. So until next week keep the faith and remember life is hard so that we can become our best selves.

Tagged
Stephanie tagged me...

4 Movies I could watch over and over (how about favorites instead......)
1-sweet home alabama
2-the notebook
3-The Bourne serries
4-Charlie

4Jobs I've Had
1-Home health nurse
2-Family Child Care Provider
3-Grocery store supervisor
4-Market researcher...western watts!

4 Places I've lived
1-Idaho
2-California
3-Pennsylvania
4. Texas
5. Maryland
6. Indiana

4 Foods I love
1-Pizza
2-Ice Cream
3-Homemade wheat bread with strawberry freezer jam
4-Pancakes

4 Favorite TV shows
1-house
2-american idol
3-biggest loser
4-svu, law and order

4 Websites I Visit Daily
1-hotmail to check email
2-blogs...mine and friends
3-iccu, bank
4. msn weather(we don't have local channels)

4 Places I've Vacationed
1-Disneyland
2-Korea
3-yellowstone
4-d.c, gettysburg....most of the civil war places on the east coast

4 Places I'd Rather Be Right Now
1-pennsylvania
2-hawaii
3-california
4-anywhere with Brendan alone!!!!

4 Friends I'm Tagging Now
1-Melissa
2-Jeanie
3-summer
4-tif

Seven On Sunday

1. Brendan and Kyle's conversation...

Kyle,"Hey buddy" Brendan, "hey dude!" Kyle, "daddy you are my buddy and friend."

Now how can you not smile as a almost 4 year old realizes that his daddy is not only his buddy but also a friend. I am so glad that Brendan is the kind of father that his children know that he loves them and is their friend. I love you HONEY!

2. Another tribute to a dear friend who has remained one of my bestest friends even though we are oceans apart and helped me through some of the toughest trials in my life. This is to Melodie Hanners who is now living in Germany and her dear husband Morgan is gone a lot with work. She just had her 4th baby and is amazing at how she can be a mother and father quite frequently. Her husband Morgan has got to be the kindest man I have ever met. He treats his wife and children like precious gems and even though he is gone a lot you he makes up for that when he is home. This family is wonderful and I really miss our trips to the temple, chuckie cheese's, and our late night parties in Cali. Thanks guys for loving us despite it all. Maybe the next time you come to Utah we can all get together. I am sure Mackenzie would love to see her old boy friend Braedan.!

1. Melodie and Morgan in Maryland a few days after Morgan returned from his deployment to Iraq. It was so nice to see them again.

2. Mackenzie and Braedan enjoying the fall leaves that I miss now that we live in Idaho. Braedan has always been Mackenzie's boyfriend since the were 2:)

3. The Hanners Family before baby Grayson was born

4. Baby Gray their fourth baby born in April.

We love and Miss you guys

3. Gardening is one of my new finds. I didn't ever think I'd enjoy it, but after last year(my first time) I have really come to like it. Even the weeding, because it gives me alone time and is a good source to relieve stress. Now my sister is doing her first garden this year in Indiana. You never know who may catch the gardening fever...go KRIS!

4. Husbands/fathers.....

Brendan left on Friday for 16 days for his annual training with the national guard. You don't realize how much you depend on you husband and the kids on their father until they are gone. Yesterday I realized that Brendan really is my best friend, the person I love doing anything with. Seeing others interact with "friends" and feeling alone...I longed to have Brendan with me. I also realized how much I miss our dear friends who are oceans apart or rivers between. Friends are something to treasure. Brendan and my dear friends...you always have a place in my heart.

5. To another dear friend...Tina Cole(cottle, carter). She and Trent are getting sealed in the SLC temple on Friday after waiting for this day. I am so excited for her. Trent treats her so good and she deserves to have this day. So Tina this is for all you have had to go through, know that I admire your desire to some out on top of all the trials.

6. Camping. So we decided this summer we would do lots of camping as a family since it's cheap and build loving memories. Our first adventure will be in 2 weeks to Yellowstone with my brother and his family. We decided this would be a great reunion with Brendan. Well when I made the reservations the lady made the comment about how soon june was and that the snow still hadn't melted. So I HOPE it will be warmer in 2 weeks:)!!!! Well was next to me when I made the reservations and has been asking at least 3 times a day if we can go camping now. So here is to building and strengthening family ties.

7. Coaching softball. Well I am taking on a new adventure of coaching softball. I did it in high school. our first practice went well and we will have our first game this Thursday. it is fun to help children learn new things. Especially ones that I love! BTW we got the dance tryouts results back. Mackenzie will be reevaluated after summer to see if she has developed her technique well enough. I am proud of her any way considering she hasn't been like most of the girls in dance since she was 3. SO GO MACKENZIE!

Have a great week!