He Graduated!!

GG graduated from Kindergarten and is now on his way to first grade and school lunch! They let them eat lunch in the cafeteria and served them chicken nuggets. He was pretty excited. Kade let him know, of course, that not every lunch is as good as chicken nuggets. His teacher, Ms. Dahl was a fabulous teacher. She wrote Garrett a note telling him that he had the ability to make everyone laugh. She said that everyone loved him because he was so much fun to be around and that he had a class full of friends. Sniff, Sniff...I wonder what she would say if she had to spend the whole summer with him? I love you little G. Thank you for shinning in my life and making each day an adventure. We always knew that Heavenly Father blessed you with a kind heart and a sweet spirit.

Memorial Weekend

We spent this Memorial Weekend playing in a baseball tournament. Kaden's team, the Wasatch Bees, played down in Utah county. Kade was able to pitch and catch, his two favorite positions. They call him "Backstop Baxter". They actually made it into the playoffs and had to play on Monday. It was single elimination and they ended up losing their first game of playoff elimination. The boys had a great time and took 8th place out of 25 teams.

Poor Tag.. He wanted to play in this tournament SO bad but, his team decided not to because they didn't want to miss their 7th grade Lagoon day. They put Tag to work though, he kept score most of the tournament. He kept trying to pawn it off on others, but they didn't feel sorry for him.

We bought THE coolest sport umbrella and it has become a favorite hangout for all the little kids.

A long weekend of baseball.

How does your garden grow?

Well, if your husband is an engineer...It would look something like this. Straight lines perfectly spaced, vegetables planted according to height, staked and measured...twice! This is my first garden and I was so excited. The boys, not so much. I think I might have gone a little overboard. Each row is about 25 feet long! We planted sunflowers, corn, pumpkins, red and russett potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, peas, radishes, red, yellow and white onions. I sure hope that something grows. I think it will be good for the boys to learn how to garden. Now, if I can only keep all that dirt out of Crew's mouth!

Blessed

I get kissed by the sun

Each morning

Put my feet on a hardwood floor

I get to hear my children laughing

Down the hall through the

Bedroom door

Sometimes I sit on my

Front porch swing

Just soaking up the day

I think to myself,

I think to myself

This world is a beautiful place

I have been blessed

And I feel like I've found my way

I thank God for all I've been given

At the end of every day

I have been blessed

With so much more than I deserve

To be here with the ones

That love me

To love them so much it hurts

I have been blessed

Mothers and Prayers

You never appreciate having a mother, until you become one yourself. It's unbelievable to me, how much of my life is taken up by my children. Sometimes, I go to bed at night so exhausted that I fall asleep in the middle of my prayers. It wasn't until recently that I realized, I am praying all day long! They may not be on my knees, eyes closed prayers. But, they are just as heartfelt. I start praying as soon as my boys leave the house to go to school. All day long I am talking to God about my boys, my husband, my life, my sanity. Have I done enough? Who will protect my boys after they walk through that door? Who will shield them from all the dangers and horrors of the world. How did my mother do it? It never stopped when I grew up either, now her circle of worry has just grown larger. Now it includes, grandchildren and son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws and their families too. I find great peace in prayer. It is so nice to hear my mom say we are praying for you. I am sure that my mom talks to God all day just like I do. Mom, I love you. I'll never quite be able to compete with the fabulous outfits you made for me out of our bedspreads and drapes, but I have a greater appreciation of all the love that was put into every stitch. I hope that my family quilt will posess many of the qualities that you passed down to me. Thank you for loving me.

Happy Mothers Day!

Jared's mom Dixie, is serving a mission in the Congo. What amazing faith she has, to leave her normal world, and go to serve the Lord. We really miss her. I just want to thank her for letting this "city girl" marry her son. He has given me four beautiful boys that I hope will be valiant Baxter men someday. Happy Mothers day.

Flashback Friday Scottsdale, Arizona - May,2005

I love Flashback Fridays.
It gives me a chance to post pictures that I never would have had a chance to post. I was going to post some pictures of a cruise that Jared and I went on, but ummmm......ya, that must have been one of Jared's old, heavier girlfriends in those pictures! So, instead you get my darling boys having a marvelous time in Arizona.

We always stay at the McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale. They have a great summer deal where you pay 100 dollars a night and you get a 100 dollar food credit everyday. They boys love to play at the pool and order smoothies and hot wings by the pool. It's not everyday that mom says they can have anything they want off the menu!

We also take time out to go and see all Jared's amazing projects that he has going on in Arizona. We went to one of his communities known as Anthemn. The boys were able to play and swim at their water park. It would be so awesome to have a water park in our neighborhood, but I don't know that I would want to take the heat that comes with it. It is hot here!