Easter Day

Easter was a lot of fun this year. I enjoyed getting their Easter baskets together for them for Easter morning. I love the photo of them just waking up with their hair a mess! They kept asking me why I didn't hide any eggs around the house for them to find when they woke up, like I have the past years. I guess I will have to do that next year! It's always fun to hear that they remember things you try to create for them.

We had church, of course, and they all dressed up, of course! lol Aryianna looked so grown up, I couldn't believe it! The years just seem to be flying by!

We spent the day at their grandparents house. I wish I had a photo of all the kids that were hunting eggs. There were 15 kids in all. My in-laws live in the country and have the best place to hide and hunt eggs.






Holidays are always my favorite, I love spending it with our family and making memories with my children! Hope yours was great as well!

Happy Resurrection Day 2011!

Akayla-Joy's Eye Surgery

Tuesday night all the kids went to spend the night at grandma and grandpa's house for school the next day and so we only had Akayla-Joy with us. While I got things ready for us to leave the house at 5:45am the next morning.

6:50, the phone rings. OH no! We're late. We were supposed to be at the hospital at 6:30am and we live about 30mins away! Thank goodness I had dressed Akayla-Joy the night before in what she was going to wear to the hospital. But we were out the door in just minutes. I won't tell you how fast we got there!

The staff was great. Even though we were late they didn't push us through to get started. They took their time. Talked to Akayla-Joy and put her at ease. They took the time to talk to us and answer any questions. I was impressed.

When my son had his surgery they did not let either of us go into the surgery room. But with Akayla-Joy they let one of us go and she wanted mommy. It was hard watching her struggle to watch me as her eyes got heavy and she fell asleep. I kissed her on the forehead and waiting with her daddy.

The surgery itself was pretty fast. About 30-40 minutes. And we were called back to see her about 15 minutes afterward. When we first walked in it was quiet but then I heard her quietly starting to wake up and groan. But as soon as I got to her and talked to her she went back to sleep and stayed asleep for about an hour.

After an hour of sleep, she was in and out a few times and was very queasy when she did wake up. She even tried a popsicle but she couldn't keep it or water down. When we had come back to be with her after the surgery it was about 10am. But we did not leave until 1pm. We took our time so she could wake up before we left.

When we got home, she slept the afternoon away and into the night but she was a trooper. The nurses kept saying; "She's so good, is she always like this?" "Yes, she is!"

Her nausea didn't leave until the next morning and she braved going to school only 2 days after her surgery.

I am proud of her, she came through and is on the road to recovery. She is still going to need to patch and wear her glasses since she is still working on her vision. We are praying that the surgery will help regain her vision even sooner.

Thank you to all family and friends who prayed! It meant a lot to us!

Judging A Book By It's Cover!

It's amazing how each of your children can be so different. I have the social and the wall flower. The busy and the self entertaining. The loud and the quiet. The talker and the thinker. I have boys and girls. I thought one was harder than the other but I've learned it doesn't matter what the gender, they are each their own personality!

Take for instance my boys. My older son, Jaylen, takes after me. From birth he looked more like me and as he grew he was even more like me. Quiet, passive and self-entertaining. Then I have my second son, Jayden. From birth he looked like dad and is just like him as well. Social, active, very busy, and boy is he a talker!

I have learned that you definitely can't judge a book, or in my case children, by their cover! I always figured that Jayden would give me gray hair and he has done quite well. No doubt at 31, I have too much gray hair for my age! (Though I'm sure my dad has a lot to do with that as well!). I have to say though that Jaylen has made up for it in many ways!

Jaylen has knocked out his 2 front teeth at 4 years old on the coffee table. Roots and all! It was quite an ordeal. Probably our first major thing that happened with any of the kids up to that point. I guess he prepared me, so when it happened to Akayla-Joy I was in less shock! So, at 8 we are still waiting for those two front teeth to come in!














Only a month or so later, he had eye surgery to correct his lazy eye. It looked worse than he felt but he was such a trooper!









Then, just last year, January 2010 we took at trip to the snow to start off our year doing something new. It was the first time to the snow for a few of the kids.

If you read my blog last year you saw this picture before. This is Jaylen's face after flying off the sled on the way down the hill!



So, now we come to 2011. And on January 10th, my son was playing at the park while waiting for my oldest daughter to get off the bus. We go every day and they play while I read a book in the car! (Yes, I sit and watch!) Akayla-Joy and Jayden come running up to tell me that Jaylen lost another tooth! haha...of course I'm just thinking, not another one! Only to find out that he had actually fallen quite hard and I had a sneeky suspision that he had broke something. Many hours and a few x-rays later we discovered that he had broken 3 bones in his arm!

So, once again our year has started out very exciting! That last few have been in thanks to Jaylen! So, though Jayden keeps me on my toes day to day, Jaylen makes it up in one shot for the year! Who said that life with children is boring?!

A Year In Reflection...

It's a new day, it's a New Year! I can't believe that I started this blog a year ago! It's seems like a I blinked and it's now 2011. Looking back 2010 came with it's ups and downs. We made new memories with our children; going to the snow and Dillon's beach for the first time, my family coming to visit us and going to Yosemite together. We enjoyed all of our family traditions of going to Apple Hill, the fish hatchery and enjoyed each of our holiday activities. To going through our hardest time as a family that we have ever had to go through with the loss of our nephew, Jonathan.

The holidays this year were harder than most. We all were affected in different ways. It was hard for me to get motivated for the holidays. I always enjoy them, especially for my kids and we still did all our fun fall events but it just felt like a piece of my heart wasn't in it this year. We waited til the day before Halloween to go to the pumpkin farm and to carve our pumpkins. I was even shopping for Christmas gifts the day before Christmas Eve since I put off starting my shopping! I was happy that I did get our Christmas tree up just after Thanksgiving so that we could enjoy it for the whole month. In the end everything came together and we enjoyed our Christmas. Now with 2010 behind us and 2011 beginning I take with me the knowledge that we serve a good God!

I am looking forward to 2011. A year of enjoying our family, our children and all the new things God has in store for us this year. We have been Blessed and at each turn God continues to provide for us. I continue to follow Him wholehearted, unashamed and know that He is my, is our families source of strength.

I pray that God is with each of you through this year and that your love as well as mine deepens with each and every day as we serve Him together. Happy New Year!

Fall Is Underway

School has started in full force. We've just about got back into our new routine for the year. It was like starting over since this school year is different than last year. I now have four kids in three different school, It keeps me busy!

Our summer was one of the hardest our family had to endure and it disrupted our lives in so many ways. We had barely started our summer when we lost our nephew Jonathan. Our children had to experience the loss of a family member at such a young age. We miss Jonathan terribly. We really felt like we missed out on a summer break. We just survived. I missed meetings and forgot lots of things, barely even kept track of our bills. I was not ready for school to start but now I am thankful for some normalcy in our lives. To help us get back on track.

Akayla-Joy is in pre-school now! She goes every afternoon for 3 1/2 hours and loves it so much. She was so excited when she was going to be dropped off and picked up like the big kids! Her teacher says she is very careful in everything she does; from coloring to cutting on the lines to putting things back where they belong. She has already learned different signs for the song "Brown Bear".

Jayden goes to Kindergarten for 3 1/2 hours every morning. I was a little nervous about his teacher but it has seemed to work out fine and he says he enjoys school. He goes to school for 3 1/2 hours every morning and then spends the afternoon home with me while Akayla-Joy is at pre-school. They each get their time with mommy and less time to fight at home together!

Jaylen is in 2nd grade this year. I can not believe how big and tall he is getting. He is having to adjust to more homework as well as Jayden. Jaylen enjoys reading which I hope he will continue as he gets older.

Aryianna is in Jr. High...I have to catch my breath! I am totally unprepared for a Jr. Higher! We bought her a phone as well....Sorry, another breath! There are so many changes for her this year. She is now riding the bus to school and home. She has 7 different classrooms and teachers to adjust to. It is so crazy to watch her grow into a young lady!

Alaya is the one home all day with me. She gets to ride with me as we drop off and pick everyone up. She hates to leave Akayla-Joy because she wants to stay and play. It took a few days for her to not cry when we had to leave. Now she says good-bye and is so excited to see Akayla-Joy when we pick her up. She is such a cutie, talking full sentences now. They grow up too fast!


I can't believe summer is over and school has started with fall around the corner. God has brought us through a lot in the past few months and I am so grateful for my family. I love them dearly. I pray this year does not fly by so I can enjoy the little things with my kiddos.

BIRTHDAYS GALORE!

We have two birthdays within 3 days. Alaya and Aryianna are almost exactly 10 years apart. Aryianna is definately a proud big sister. Aryianna Kaylene Faith Gunter was born June 30th, 1998. She was 9lbs, 3oz.

Her daddy named her Aryianna because he like the name. Kaylene is after her and grandma Kathy and auntie Shaylene combined together. Faith is after another grandma. As she got to be a little bigger I always thought she looked like Shirley Temple. Cutest cheeks, blue eyes and curly blond hair. Especially since she was a baldy for so long! So adorable!

Aryianna is growing to be quite a beautiful young lady. Always new she would but can't believe we are at 12 years old already! My little girl is no longer a little girl! She is diligent in her school work. She started a new school last year and worked hard to get good grades.

She is still taking piano lessons and enjoys kids choir at the church. She is excited for VBS because her and her cousins, Bree and Caitlin are on the VBS stage this year! Will be fun to watch her. We hope to get her in soccer this fall. She is looking forward to starting Jr. High as well!

She was so surprised that she would have to go to seven different classes during the day!

Aryianna, I love watching you grow and so excited to see what God has in store for you.You have a unwaivering faith, which I have seen grow in just the past few weeks. Your middle name is Faith and I will never forget watching you and your daddy praying together in Faith. Remember no matter what God is still God and He is still faithful, no matter his answer to our prayers. I love that you are not ashamed of Christ and stand up for what you believe in. You take your bible to school and tell your friends about Jesus! I love the self-confidence you have in yourself and know God has great things in store for you. He will use you in great ways. Stay strong and focused. I love you so much. ~Mom

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALAYA

These past few weeks have been so crazy that we actually forgot Alaya's birthday. I do have to admit that I did put it on the calendar wrong as well, so I may have celebrated it on the wrong day no matter what! At least she is too young to realize. I can get it right next year. She did get to open presents on July 4th with her sister Aryianna (who turned 12 on June 30) and cousin Hailena (who turned 7). Fun with the family, our favorite thing.

My baby Alaya Geri Nicol Gunter was born on June 27th, 2008. Her middle name Nicol is after my sister and her auntie, Yvonne Nicol, and Geri is after her Grandma Geri Gunter.

Alaya weighed 9lbs. 13oz. She will be able to claim that she was biggest baby since she is our last. Five is our lucky number!

Alaya is quite a big girl now or so she thinks. She talks just as good as anyone else. You have no problem figuring out what she wants because she lets you know. She has such a cute personality, very social and playful. She wants to be right there with all the big kids. She has even started trying to go potty on the toilet! If only she could actually be potty trained! No one can resist her large blue eyes and curly blond hair. When we're with her cousins she loves to help Grandma take care of baby Lena, she just loves her. It is fun to watch her grow and see her become a little girl.

I just hope it doesn't go too fast since she is my last baby to enjoy!

I love you Alaya. God knew we needed a fifth little one to enjoy in our lives. You are a great addition to our family. I pray God's protection over your life. Jer. 29:11. That you grow to be a strong woman

of God!!! Happy 2nd birthday.