*Snow*

One of the first mornings with snow. I wasn't quick enough to catch the boys before school, but Syd was ready for a photo shoot.

Christmas lights

I took the kids to see the Layton City lights, cold but fun!

Owieeee!

We went to Cedar for Thanksgiving, that evening we went to Robbie and Misty's. The kids were playing downstairs, I heard a loud clanking noise and a Sydni cry shortly after. Kobe came running up the stairs with her in his arms and after investigating we found that she had dropped a 15 lb wieght on her little toe. I'm pretty sure that the toe was broken, but what do they do for toe? Nothing. She cried for about an hour and wouldn't walk on it for a day or so but was really a trooper!! This picture is the night that it happened, poor baby :(

Photo shoot

Kobe 11

Carsen 10

Tyson 9

Logan 5

Sydni 3

I always try to capture that perfiect picture for our Christmas card. I'm not sure that they ever turn out the way I intended, but what does when it involves our 5 kids? These are the ones that I used. Now if the cards will ever come in the mail I could get them sent out.

Cute pic

Sydni "Boo" turns 3

I know, I know we all say it but I really can't believe its been 3 years already. When we told the boys that we were having another baby and it was going to be born around Halloween, we joked that we could name him/her "Boo". I never thought that she would really come on Halloween :) I can't imagine our family without our Princess. She has her brothers wrapped around her finger (don't tell her dad, but he is too...)! She speaks as though she is 16, and loves to "shake her body" as she likes to say. She waits ever so patiently every Saturday for her turn to play her soccer game, but is the best cheerleader in the meantime. She loves to dress-up in anything frilly or lacey, and loves her babies. She adores her Papa and going to his house or cabin to visit. I love having a girl-friend to hang out with when the boys go to school, even if most the time she'd rather be hanging out with Addison (the neighbor girl, and best friend). I don't like that she's growing up so fast, but can't wait be a part of her life as she does.

Love you Syd!!

Oh yeah her name is not really Sydni Boo it is Sydni Lee

Halloween

We decided to make a quick run to Cedar for Halloween. We couldn't talk the kids out of the Trunk-or-treat so we left late on Friday night and headed south. We woke up at Grandma Rosie's, had presents for the princess, headed to the tailgate party for the SUU game, the game, then time for costumes and trick-or-treating, and on to Grandma Laurie's for dinner and birthday party for Sydni. What a whirl wind, but a great one!! I was able to see and hold my new niece Halle Kate, she's absolutely beautiful. And what a joy to see my brother be a dad, he is whooped already. We love our families!!

Costume explaination: Kobe - egyptian (he had an assignment in class to dress up so we'd already made the costume and he decided just to wear it again, he loves his mom!!) Carsen - Mad scientist, Tyson - football player, Logan - Superman, Sydni - Bee (Queen bee without the stinger if you asked Logan...)

Pumpkins and the Swine Flu

Its official... Swine flu at the Potter's! Kobe and Sydni had positive tests yesterday. They are not feeling awful, but not great either. We decided it was a good day for pumpkin carving. Kobe's is the SUU one, Carsen's Frankenstein (use you imagination :) Tyson's a warewolf, Logan's some scary flame thing, and Syd's of course the crown. Ron helped design the templates and then the older 3 were on their own (thus the need for imagination...) Ron did Sydni's and I did Logan's. We had "pupmkin guts" all over the kitchen what fun!

Go T-birds!!!

A couple of weeks ago Sami and my parents came up to visit. Our saturday was full of soccer and football, including a trip to Logan where the T-birds faced the Aggies (we will not repeat the score :( they werent supposed to win right? )
Sydni, Sami and Thor (the T-bird mascot) Sydni thought he was much more fun from a distance...

TOUCHDOWN!! The boys and their foam fingers

still more pics!

all the kids on the 4-wheeler with my dad. The trail camera took this picture

Sharp shooter!!

more pics

I love this pic, Ron coaching on the way from the swim to the bike I finally convinced him to do the next one with him, on Sept 7th. Carsen too, they've all been training together. There's Grandma Rosie on the left.

Is she "checking him out"??

He love's beeing tatooed.

Carsen before his Weblos day camp at Camp Keisel.

July highlights

Bobbi and Matt's wedding

Trip to the cabin and Cedar City

Carsen broke his foot

Carsen at SUU football camp with a broken foot

Hatch family reunion in Scipio

Logan lost his first tooth!

Scout day camp for Tyson and Carsen

Days of 47 parade, swimming and sparklers

Lots of swimming at the neighbors

Triathelon #2 for Kobe he ended up 6th this time (way to go!!)

Waiting for the parade

Toothless
Broken foot didn't slow him down much...



Sydni on "Slick"

Discovery Park in Cedar, one of the kids favorite places to visit.

June

I think the month of June got lost with the camera at the family reunion so heres a recap. I started a new job working for a homehealth agency out of Ogden. The week after school got out the boys had swimming lessons, they are all fish!! Kobe was in training for the triathelon that he competed in on the 20th. (he was awesome!!) We had the Loock family reunion on the 27th and 28th we went bowling, picnicing in a trential (sp?) downpour, danced the night away in the parking lot at the park, played basketball, rolled down the hill at the park and ate and ate! It was tons of fun.

Summer??

Where did our summer go? I'm not sure but it went by too fast! We had a ton of fun and I'll post some pics soon but in the mean time here are our CUTE kids ready for their first day of school.

Scout camp

Today Kobe goes on his first over night scout camp. He is very excited, as he should be, I remember the first year that I got to go to girls camp. As his mom though it marks a new milestone, one that we can't turn back on... This year an over-nighter next year a week long camp. Ron will be going with him and I'm sure that they'll have a great time and return home safe and sound tomorrow evening, but I'll miss him just the same!

Somewhere over the rainbow...

A picture I took from the street in front of our house the other day. I love rainbows!

Little bird, Little bird

This is the baby bird that the kids found in the yard the other day. It wouldn't fly. I've taught them that if they touch birds that their mothers won't take them back, so they were very good to keep a distance. They guarded it from the neighborhood boys (who would really have liked to take it home) for about 2 hours and then moved on to someting else. I later watched as it flew back up into the tree. I'm not sure why it didn't do that sooner, maybe it was as entertained with the kids as they were with it??

Red card

I know that they don't give red cards at the AYSO U6 level, but if they did Logan would have gotten one. We were so amazed to see his growth this season! In the fall he was an okay player, he tried to stay close to the ball most of the time, and kicked it every once in a while. But in the spring, holy cow watch out. He was after the ball and would knock down whom ever he had to to get it! We've been known to complain about our older 2 boys and their lack of aggression but I think Logan will make up the difference. In his last game Ron and I had to stiffle our laughter as we watched. He was playing well, there was a boy on the other team the ended up on the ground every time that Logan got near him. Logan did "bump" him a couple of times, but nothing that would have been a problem in an older age group. After about the 5th time we finally pulled him out and had him sit and cheer with us. He was not very happy about it! Needless to say his team won and I think he had 4 or 5 goals. It is going to be fun and frustrating to watch this boy grow and develop in athletics and otherwise. He is so bull headed and determined! Watch out...

Maine

Kobe's class did state reports this year. He chose Maine why, I'm not sure. Their big assignment was a powerpoint presentation. How amazed I am at the thing that my kids can do that I can't! Then the fun ending to it all was cake decorating. They were to take a frosted cakein the shape of their state, and all the items to decorate it with to school. They set up tables in the gym and had a free-for-all I'm not sure that there has ever been so much sugar in that gym at one time ever. There was candy everywhere! We made green trees out of gum paste (totally Kobe's idea, due to too much "Ace of Cakes" I think) and he had sweedish fish, fruit rollups and blue frosting accents. I thought it was a fun way to celebrate their accomplishment.

The "red" wall!

Here are the pics of our new living room. We bought some new couches at the RC Willey Memorial Day Sale and I though since we were moving out the old I would paint before we moved in the new. I've always wanted a "red " wall and I'm so glad that I did it. I love the change, it really updates our home. There will be blinds on the other 2 windows some time soon (I hope...) We had to special order them, the other they had in stock. It all looks way better in person, you should come visit!!

Carsen's birthday pics finally

...and along came Carsen!

Today is Carsen's 10th birthday, and thus continues the continuous May birthday party. Carsen was born 1 year and 6 days after Kobe. We were living in Cedar at the time and had just returned from a trip up here to find an apartment. We got home just in time to go watch Ron play a rec basketball game. I don't remember specifically when the labor started, but I thought it was just Braxton-Hicks considering our due date to be 6 weeks away. The next day Carsen was born. Weighing in at 6lbs and 14 oz. I think that he came out smiling and hasn't stopped since... He has been by far our friendliest child. He is spontanious, impulsive, entertaining, smart, handsome, inquisitive and caring. He spoke very early and very well, in complete sentences. One of my favorite things he ever said was in reference to me asking "How do you remember that?" He replied "Mom, my mind is like a picture taker." He doesn't miss, or forget much. He loves to read, play football, swim (you should see him dive!), and be with his friends and family. Carsen keeps me learning, smiling and loving everyday.

Happy Birthday Carsen!!

pics to come later..

Happy Birthday Kobe!

*new bike*

Kobe is 11 today, aaahhhh! I know is sound so cliche, but where did the time go? Kobe is and has always been my tender hearted, obedient, patient, loving, intelligent boy. And now he is turning into all of that and more as a young man. He truly amazes me, and I love him tons! He loves animals, computer games, swimming, friends and drawing. He is training to compete in a triathlon and loves it. He looks forward to scouts each week and is growing in the gospel whether he likes it or not... I'd love to have kept him 3 forever, but I can't wait to know the amazing man that he is going to be. We love you Kobe!!!

Flowers

We get about 1 week in the spring when our plum trees and cherry trees are in blossom at the same time and it is gorgeous. I'm glad that I took this picture yesterday because last night the wind blew all the blossoms off the plum trees, my week only lasted about 2 days this year!