1- Sam & her friends Drew & Ashley
2-Ashlynn & her friend Summmer
3-Coleman & his friend Tyler
Coleman has been talking about this party since the day after his pirate party last year! Hopefully it turned out okay! I showed him a photo of a cake and in the morning he had to fix it and put the players on how he thought they should be. The boys played flag football, and a few other games. It was fun and a great day to have a party!
Ryan and I got engaged on August 18th, 1997. The day before Ryan's aunt had said she wan't to come visit me at work and I ssaid oh that's okay I'll just see you that night. And she said no I have to meet you before my nephew proposes, so I knew it would be that day August 19th. I told Ryan what she said and then he decided to change it and surprise me. He callled his friend Brad and said there's money on the bed I need the Bed of Roses soundtrack and a dozen Fire & Ice roses and one red rose. Take it up to your cabin and I will get her there. So that night after he got off the phone with his friend he came to my parents house for dinner. I was just finishing getting ready and I said "I'm just putting a ponytail in my hair, we aren't doing anything tonight" he begged me to do my hair so I did. When dinner was done he said Brad just called and he needed our help at his cabin, I was mad I really just wanted to do nothing that night. So I reluctantly got in the car and up the canyon we went. When we got there I saw his friends car, which also made me mad because we were supposed to be helping bring the benches down from the cabin. So we start walking in and the lights are of and I hear our song "Independent Love Song" was playing. I got scared and didn't really want to walk out there. When got almost there and we see his friend run past us saying "crap" he was supposed to be gone. There were candles and rose (Minuet roses) with the ring tied to the red one. Ryan asked me to be the mother of his children and marry him. I can't remember exactly and I said yes then he was shaking so bad he dropped the ring. It landed on a slat and didn't fall into the weeds below. we kissed and had some sparkling cider and went home to tell our parents.
... for a 6-year old boy to break a pair of glasses! 48 hours!!! We've already ordered the 2nd pair. Thankfully there is a 90 day full replacement guarantee! Here's our handsome boy, even though he hate's them!
Our big surprise Coleman has been a blessing since he was born. Here is his story (long story!), which we have told many times because it was such a miracle, but now it is written for posterity. We found out we were pregnant on New Year's Day, our baby Ashlynn was 6 months old! SURPRISED was an under statment. Thankfully I had agreat pregnancy and was not sick at all. I even had plenty of fluid! On August 16th I was almost 36 weeks pregnant, Ryan was helping my dad pack-up for the bow hunt, I was upstairs with my mom and I said "I feel like this baby is coming today, and he's not ready." I thought nothing of it until 2 minutes later were all heading down the stairs, I was carrying Ashlynn and my mom said "Let me hold her the last thing you need is to carry her down the stairs." Three stairs later I fell from the landing down 4 stairs landing at the bottom. I didn't hit the baby just my hands & knees, I thought I was fine. We went home and I laid down to rest, then Ryan's mom came to hel seal our wood floor. I left to get lunch for the kids, I wasn't aloud in the house (fumes), while driving I prayed to ask if I should call the doctor. The answer was "YES". I continued to think I was fine and overreacting and decided not to call. There has been only a few times in my life where the Spirit has actually yelled at me, this was one of those times, CALL THE DOCTOR kept coming through my head. When I returned home I did just that, they told me to come right down. I went to the office and they said with your blood type (0-) you have to have a test done at the hospital. I picked up Ryan who happened to have the day off and left the kids with his mom who also happened to have the day off.
I had the test done and it came out fine and the nurse said "We have to have the doctor check this and you will be on your way.". About 10 minutes later she came back and said "The doctor will be coming to talk to you, but he want's to keep you over night." She couldn't even tell us why, but the doctor came in and said "Coleman's heart beat is completly stopping every 10-15 seconds, so I want to keep you on a monitor for awhile to see if it's just stress." Wow we were surprized during this time frame my mom called my dad's new truck had broken down this morning on his way to Fishlake so she was on her way home form picking him up, he was going to get a loner truck tomorrow and continue on his way for the hunt.
The next morning the nurse came in and said "The doctor will be in anytime, I'm sure you are going home the baby is looking great." My mom called to say my dad was back on the road, and I said I should be home in the afternoon. 3Hours later I was pissed still in the hospital, wanting to go home. The doctor comes in and says we need to do an amniocintesis if it says the baby's ready we are taking him out, he's heart is still not doing great. If he's not ready I will be staying in the hospital for the week because he thinks my baby may die if I go home. Ryan & I were tough and then the doctor left and we cried, scared that we would lose our first son. I called my mom and told her the update, she preceded to tell me that my dad's loner truck had broken down within sight of the other broken down truck, and she was heading to pick him up and bring him home. She said she would be back in cell service in a few hours call her with the update.
After the amnio the doctor came in and said "he's right on the fence you two need to decided if we have the baby or wait", a decision you think would be very hard but after he doctor walked out we said a prayer and the answer was a huge "TODAY". We told the doctor and he scheduled it for 11:00 pm. that night. I called my mom and told her the news, and she said they were close so they would come to the hospital when they got into Orem.
My dad was saying "Coleman just really wanted him to be there so he broke down 2 trucks to get him home."
On August 17th, 2002 at 11:17 pm Coleman Ryan Crockett came into the world, 7lbs. 6 ozs. he was huge for a month early, the attending doctor said you guys got the due date wrong he's right on time. And then we got the answer of why his heart was having problems. The cord was around his neck causing his heart to stop beating whenever he moved around, he would have died before my next doctor's appointment. I truly tell my kids that my guardian angel my Grandpa Hirst pushed me down the stairs, so Coleman would make it here.
Coleman's dramatic story does not end there, he was not ready to come and had to be put on ventilator and life flighted (by ambulance) to a bigger hospital. But he powered through it all and only stayed in the NICU for 5 days and then he came home.
Coleman is our rare illness guy, if we take this kid to the doctor with a problem it's usually one they remembered it being mentioned in medical school, and they have to look it up in text book. But he is a joy in our life. If you must have only one boy Coleman's the one to have he loves all sports and is good at most of them, he can play outside forever, and is just all boy. He learned to ride a bike at 3 1/2 years old. He is great and we love him!
If you haven't guessed all 6 people in our family have summer birthdays. Two in June, 3 in August & 1 in September. So it is party central, we celebrated Coleman & Jaxsyn's early (deer & antelope hunts always interfere!). Jaxsyn was funny because she kept saying "ooohhh" "ooohhh" with every gift! It was great! Coleman got a huge set of Lego's and also a biker dude. Jaxsyn got mostly baby stuff!
Megan, Ryan's cousin turned 25 this week, so her mom (Anne) made a mini reunion and came to Utah see everyone and celebrate. Anne through a surprise party, which Christy & Robby provided the house , I did the games, and Christy made the cake and I helped her. So on Friday night we got there and it was really fun. We played "fishing with your feet" where you catch fish in a pool of bubbles, then had the adults play the frozen tee shirt race. That was fun and crazy I think we would play this again. After the kids had a wet sponge fight. We ended up inside because there was a billion mosquito's. Sam ended up with 21 bites!! I hope Megan had a good party, and it was great seeing Anne & David. Leif & a different Christy were there from CA so it was fun to see them also!!
Christy & I were able to go to the BYU Women's Football Clinic! It was so fun you get to eat, take a tour or the locker room & press box. Then the coaches & players talk to you and answer questions. Then we went on the field to do some drills, and then watch a movie while laying on the field. Then after you do a women's break (we go into a circle and say "women")! We were like kids in a candy store all giggly and excited. We were truly so pleased that we were making our husbands proud! We plan on doing this every year!
I love the picture of my dad & Jaxsyn! She loves her Grandpa and when extra points when she asks him to sit outside on the swing, his favorite place to sit at the cabin as you can see by the view.
Here's a few pictures of how pretty Fishlake is, and the teepee which I played in when I was my kids age! I don't even know who built it, but it's been there forever. The girls were taking pictures and they all wanted their picture taken with me (with my hair not done & no makeup yeah!)
We did some work on the cabin we painted & changed doors. It is a work in progress every time we go. It's been over 14 years since we overhauled it last time. 
Sarah, Chelsi, Don & Mike.
1- Don & Jenni
Our friend's Tracy & Michelle invited us to their neighborhood party which included a huge plastic waterslide, zipline, rock wall, & inflatables! It was fun the kids loved it. After we did a few things there, we went back to their home to swim...
This is their gorgeous pool. The kids loved the water it was really warm & the cliff to jump from. We left before the fireworks to come back to our house & go over to neighbor's the Chaing's and watch a movie outside! The kids watched Goonies while the parents chatted and ate treats! The last 2 pictures are of the kids watching the movie and Jaxsyn & Tyson playing while the others watched the show!! Yes again we have an awesome neighborhood!
I know I should be sad that my washer stopped working, but I wasn't too sad, although it was the first purchase we made for our first apartment almost 11 years ago. I have been wanting a new set because it took 2 hours to dry a load of laundry, 3 hours if it was towels or jeans. But they were still working, so we didn't need them. Well the washer broke on Tuesday so we needed a new one. I found a set on sale at RC Willey's for a good deal with the pedestals included, if I got white. I was so excited and here they are!! Seriously less than 60 minutes to dry a load of towels. Yipee!
My sister-in-law Christy & I were brave on Tuesday. Our other sister-in-law Tiffany was having a birthday party for Squire. So we left our other kiddies with her and went to the Forever Body Outlet. With three 2 year old's & a baby! After saying "don't touch that", "let mommy open it", "hold on I'll let you smell" about a dozen times. And hearing "mommy mell", "i wanna mell mommy", "mmm mells good" another few dozen times. We actually survived the store and actually didn't break anything in our path. After we went to Macey's to get the kids a ice cream cone. It was a fun break even though we had 4 kids with us. Both of our husbands were gone early in the week on business trips, so we deserved it!
When we installed our sprinkler system we put a sprinkler underneath the tramp that we can turn on alone. We just got a new sprinkler head which works better then the one before. So the kids have been enjoying the cool water during these hot days. You can tell these were taken in May because the kids have no tan. They now have a great tan, even wearing 40 spf sunscreen everyday! I'm so excited that in 1 month I will have my days back. The kids start school on Aug. 20th!! I love summer, but I do enjoy only cleaning my house in the morning and it stays pretty clean until dinner time. During the summer it seems like I have to clean-up messes all day long.
My friend Marylynn tagged me so here goes....
1. 10 years ago...
I had been married about 10 months and we were trying to get pregnant. I went to Girl's Camp (as a leader) over my birthday and turned 20.
2. 5 years ago...
I was trying to survive my life with a 4 year old, 2 year old, and 11 month old. That was a hard year having 3 kids 3 & under. We were living in our home in Orem.
3. 1 year ago...
I was enjoying a summer not being pregnant, but chasing a 11 month old. The kids were all at a great age. I was enjoying that I was turning 29 not 30!
4. Yesterday...
Ryan & I got all gungho and were doing yard work by 8:30 am and were at Walmart by 10:45 am. We got a lot of little projects we had meaning to catch-up on. We went on a date to McGrath's & Lowe's.
5. 5 Favorite snacks...
Dr.Pepper, Chips & Dip, brownies, tootsie rolls, & pickles.
6. 5 Favorite Books...
Twilight, Nicholas Sparks books, Candle in the Darkness, ANY cookbook, & cheesy LDS books (sometimes they just hit the spot!)
7. 5 Favorite Places to Runaway...
My front porch, the neighbors houses in the afternoon, my front porch at night with Ryan, my computer, & anywhere out of town.
8. 5 Bad Habits...
Drinking to much soda, getting upset to easy, not doing laundry, staying up late, & on computer too much (blogging)!
9. 5 Things I Would Never Wear...
wrangler jeans, leggings, daisy dukes, black bra under white shirt, white jeans.
10. 5 Things I Enjoy...
Gardening, Camping, Planning Parties, Cooking, & being crafty!
11. 5 Favorite TV shows...
Big Brother, Jon & Kate Plus 8, How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, & Amazing Race.
12. 5 People I want to tag...
Christy, Sarah, Jenni, Lynzi, & Jen.
Well she's got the terrible right on, but she really won't be 2 until next month! Ryan's been in charge yesterday and today while I rested after a surgery (I'm fine and it's an unmentionable surgery so don't ask!! lol) Anyhow I was out of it all yesterday and I'm just resting today. Meanwhile Jaxsyn's been giving her dad a run for his money. She painted her toes blue!! Plus her legs, hair & face! She poured shampoo all over her legs & the carpet. She got into aquaphor lotion and covered her body (while Ryan was cleaning up the shampoo)! She found some mascara that had rolled out of my make-up bag, into the top drawer in my bathroom and put mascara on her eyes. And then went upstairs and got into my craft room and glue sticked herself & was trying to put it on the walls when he caught her.
Ryan & I have visited three babies in the hospital this week. Picture #1 is Keaton Thomas Henry born 7 weeks premature weighing 4lb. 14oz. 17 1/2" long and his sister picture #2 Waverly L'zette Henry 5lb. 1oz 16 " long. They are doing really well and are now in the Nicu B nursery that's why we got to see them. Their parents Scott & Jill Henry are some of our good friends. Picture #3&4 are of our nephew Luke Crockett. He gave us all a scare, on Wed. (especially his mom & dad) he started screaming and just not acting like his self and Rob & Christy decided to take him to the ER, they were truly inspired. When they got their the found out his intestines had folded into themselves causing serious problems (he could have gotten really sick). He had to be life flighted to Primary Children's and have surgery that night. He is looking really good. Hopefully he will get to come home soon.
Despite how much the kids love swimming lessons, it's hard work for me to be gone from 10:45 until 1:30 everyday. We drive to the Scera pool, so grandparents & dad can come watch. The kids did really good this year and learned a lot. The last photo is the kids carrying their certificates over their heads while they swim across the pool.
My mom takes pictures every year around the 4th of July. She likes them all tan & in red, white, & blue. So on Monday we went to swimming lessons and the then after went into the bathroom at the pool and washed hair, blow dried & gelled until they turned out like this....
We took the kids to see Miley Cyrus! We had a good time, I think the kids wished the were seeing Hannah Montana not Miley, because all of her songs were from her "NEW" album so none of the kids knew them. The Blue Man Group was awesome and so were the dancers, well actually everything else was awesome, sky divers, the jets, and the flag. The fireworks were the best we've ever seen at the Stadium of Fire. The kids actually did pretty good except for the need to go to the bathroom too many times! After waking at 5:30 am we were pretty exhausted when it was over. I have to explain the kissing photo, because we had a ton of crazy BYU coeds around us (total zoobee land). So we were making fun of them being cheesy and they thought it was funny and Ryan said "It starts like that (pointing to all of them) and ends up like this 11 years later (pointing out our 3 kids)!" 
Okay I must admit this is not the smartest family tradition I've ever started. We wake-up at 5:30 am to go eat at Carl's Jr. and then head to the balloon launch. It is fun to watch and Ryan's family comes every year with us. We missed Jason &Tiffany's family this year, but Rob, Christy & their kids came along with Gregg.
Last night our culdesac has the "Culdesac of Fire" every year. This is the 5th year (that's when the first family moved into this culdesac) Scott & Jill throw the party every year, they go to tons of work! There's a cotton candy machine, sno-cone machine, Moonwalk, dunk tank, and hamburgers & hot dogs for FREE to everyone in the neighborhood. They block off the street so the kids are safe! We mark in on or calendars every year to not miss it, sadly Ryan missed it due to Scuba class. Everyone brings desserts & salads to share, and we all make donation to help out with the cost. Samantha had fun doing the dunk tank, she said the water was freezing (as you can see in the little picture her eyes are huge). The other kids ran around like crazy from the sugar high, made shots at the dunk tank, and played with the ice in the drink pool! After dark the fireworks & glow sticks come out. We are so thankful that we were able to move into this culdesac, we have spent a lot of late nights hanging out with the neighbors and letting our kids play. And I spend many, many, many afternoons watching the kids play and chatting with the other moms, thank girls you all make being a mom easier and more fun. I would miss it if I ever had to move. 
Thanks SCOTT & JILL!
They are building the new school in the parking lot and then when that is done they are tearing down the old one. It was sad to see the letters falling off and weird because I have so many fun memories of those halls, my parents even met in the library. I'm sure they needed a new building, but it's sad to see your past being torn down!! It was hard enough hearing my daughters do a SFH cheer last week instead of OHS. I don't know if "Go, Dons" will ever sound better than "Go, Tigers"!
