i woke Sawyer up from a LONG winters nap....just so we could take pictures in the snow! He looks a bit confused! Hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

                              we actually got our Christmas cards out this year...on time! yay!

  What a sad tragic day it was yesterday. I just keep picturing my little emily's first grade class in the horrific situation, and I can't even stomach the thought of it. Emily woke up 2 times last night because she needed a drink of water, and needed to go to the bathroom. Normally, I would have gotten a little irritated about having to get up so many times, but this time it was different. I was so incredibly grateful to have my little 6 year old home safe and sound and calling out for her mommy. Today we were at Walmart and she snuck up next to me to hold my hand. Once again, the emotion of gratitude to have that little hand to hold came flooding back to my mind. Paul said, " can you imagine tucking all the kids in tonight....and having one empty bed?" I really can't. No mother (or father) should ever have to do such a thing.
  I love my little munchkins so much. I always try to speak kindly to them, give them kisses and hugs before they run off to the bus stop each morning, I make sure they each get tucked into bed at night feeling safe and loved. I know how quickly life can end, and i would hate to have any regrets about how i treated them. They are so little, so fragile, so special.
  Last night was our ward Christmas party. I really wasn't in the mood to go, but Paul built the stable for the manger scene, and i was in charge of costumes, lights and jello salads...so off we went. I am so grateful that we did. The program was beautiful. At the very end the primary children came to see the "real" baby Jesus, they were dressed like angels and shepherds as they stood by the manger and sang "Away in a manger." Such a special ending to a tragic day. Now go kiss your babies!

                                            { instagram picture. Sawyer was asleep.}

just getting our Christmas cards ready...thought this one of emily and her missing tooth was cute! i could just eat this little 6 year old up! She sure loves her mommy!

                                               how could you not love this little monkey!?

 

only pic of sam i could get...he had better things to do!

 

                                                                                       zach was proud of his REAL helmet and
                                                                                       his gr. grandpa's army tag.
                                                                                       (we had the original copied..he even
                                                                                          has the number memorized!)

halloween

another year of halloween "bolton" style! I think my kids would LOVE it if i took them to a store and let them pick out a "real" costume....but yes, i am cheap. We see what we can find at home first, then we shop for the accessories! sometimes i am so much like my mom it scares me!:)

 

SUNDAY

 today was our primary program...love. i will never get tired of watching my babies sing! It is so strange to have Zach in the back row of "big kids"... when did that happen??? i hate it! He is such a good, smart boy and has grown so much in these past 3 months.
 The door bell rings at 3:30 everyday, and i am greeted with about 10 boys asking for zach to come play hockey or flag football. It has been such a confidence booster for him.  It makes this mama so happy! Rachel and emily have darling little girls that love to play dolls and ride bikes together. again...love it! I don't think a single day goes by that someone doesn't mention how happy they are to be here.

 I had my camera out for a few minutes this afternoon, so i snapped a few pictures of our beautiful fall Sunday! Not sure where Zach and Sam were when this was going on... probably eating!:)

                                        emily with her signature pose...and then asked me to take a picture
                                        of her leggings and red shoes. (shoesmakeherhappy) :)

 

 

love her to death.

 

                                                            cute sisters
                                             

                                                                kissing a pumpkin

                                                             tormenting the kitten.
                                               (the kitty has been missing for 3 days.
                                            paul saw it in the church parking lot today)
                                          I have a feeling it "ran away" from Sawyer!

                                               must kiss sisters painted pumpkin. yum.

                                            went on a walk with little soybean to try to find
                                           the other missing kitten (yes, we had 2) :) yes,
                                           we stink at owning pets. ha ha

                                                 now it is time for bed. I love our street.
                                                                 good night.

family pictures

  My dear friend, April took our family pictures last month...i am so glad she did. I HATE pictures of myself, i feel so LARGE. I have never really had to worry about my weight before....i have never been thin, but just a normal healthy weight without having to "diet" (ugh, i hate that word.)
I have not been able to lose anything since Sawyer has been born. I go walking every morning with my friend, pushing two little boys up hill (both ways, haha!) AND i go  walking at night. I can even run a few miles now! STILL....NO WEIGHT LOSS! Now Paul on the other hand, started exercising a week ago and has dropped 10 POUNDS!!!! what the CRAP???  not fair.
  I saw a study the other day that said little girls will start worrying about their weight at age 6 if they hear their mothers complain about their own bodies and weight. Many of the little girls develop eating disorders and blame it on their mothers. YIKES! i didn't really believe it until emily came inside huffing and puffing! I asked her what she had been doing outside?  She lifted up her shirt and said she was exercising to get skinny. I about died. I quickly told her she was perfect and didn't need to get skinny...but we have been exercising as a family to keep our bodies strong and healthy. She really has been listening to me complain about how this baby weight is not coming off. Rachel pointed out a few days ago that we didn't have any family pictures printed. I secretly knew the reason why, so i made myself print some today!  one of my besties (keleen, i love you!) told me something a couple of years ago that has always stuck with me. She said that she gets her family pictures taken every year, even if she is bigger than she would like, because she wants to remember what her family and her life was like at that very moment. I love that.
  Anyway, I really didn't mean to ramble on and on about such a silly topic...it has just been on my mind lately... i am going to be brave and post a few....just to prove that we did have our family pictures taken! :)

                                               
                               

turned 8.

  long time no post!!! We finally have our Internet back up and running! wahoooo! So much has happened to us this summer, and sadly, nothing has been blogged about  yet.... that is all for another day though....today this little girl turned 8!
  Her day was full of fun and spoils (as it should be!)
breakfast surrounded with pink and white balloons, little notes and treats snuck into her lunch box, a class treat, Wingers for dinner (with a song and ice cream from the waitress!) a trip to target to get a comfy bath robe, bike shopping, and to top it all off a nice bath in mommy's big tub! She started crying because her day was over.
  After I tucked her into bed and left the room, she called for me to come back in. She said, "thanks for making my day so special."
love her.

         class treats: She has requested every year since kindergarten to make sure it is cute! :)

          i can't make these pics bigger...click on them instead!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY!

I am so sad to see my favorite age pass by....5 was so much fun, but 6 will be great too! You will become a BIG FIRST GRADER and leave mommy all day!:( What will i do without my little helper?
I love you to pieces sweet girl - you are my little sunshine...full of spunk and laughter! I am excited for our date tomorrow night! Shopping, pedicures, 6 year old photo shoot and ice cream - I CAN'T WAIT!
xoxo,
mommy

changes.

long time no post, right? yep. I (we) have been so darn busy with all these life changes, that blogging has fallen to the wayside.
The post ahead may be a long one, but for journaling purposes and for those curious ones, you may read on as far you can stand to. :)

(deep breath)....

  So, as many of you know, we have sold our home and are moving to Springville! We are so excited for a fresh new start and to just have a new adventure together as a family. Was this an easy decision? no. We have thought about moving for the past 2 years, but it never felt right. I can't explain it...it just wasn't the right time. Sometimes i thought i was just being selfish because i didn't want to leave my "girlfriends" and have to start over. After 7 years of friendships, laughs, play groups, school functions, relief society, girl lunches, new babies.... the thought of giving that up made me cringe. I have always felt so blessed to have such wonderful friends.
  It was also emotional when i stopped to think about how my family really began in this home. Zach was almost 3 years old (now a big 10 year old!) Rachel was 8 months old (now almost 8!) We brought the other 3 kids home from the hospital to this house, and began adding them to the "growth chart" on the beam in the basement! Leaving that beam behind makes my heart hurt. Paul and I were laughing the other day about how many times we have ran up and down our sidewalk, while hanging onto the back of a bike. (teaching our little ones how to ride a two-wheeler) :)
See, moving really can be an emotional roller coaster.
 Well, a few months ago things started to change for me. I am not going to get into it here and now, but i do want everyone to know that WORDS HURT... i have always seen myself as a strong, faithful, kind person, but no matter how strong you may think you are, hearing extremely hurtful things about you and your family is devastating. It has changed me. I hate this change.
 A few weeks ago I turned to my Heavenly Father. I knew (we) as a family couldn't go on with these bitter feelings. We needed help to heal together and to move on. Paul and i both felt like the time was finally "right" to put our home up for sale. If it sold quickly, then it would be meant to be. So we finished all of the unfinished projects (we had many) and put the sign in the yard. 5 days later and 3 offers later it was sold!!!! We couldn't believe it! We had no idea where we were going to move to, but we just had a good feeling that it would all work out.  A few days later, after only looking a 2 homes, we found the one for us. It has all fallen into place.
 Now, i don't want to sound like i got offended and stomped off in a tantrum and moved....i am healing. I have learned so many things from this experience. We all gossip at one time or another. You find me ONE woman who hasn't...and i still won't believe her. I have learned to be more aware of what I say and who might get hurt from my words. Again... words really can be devastating.
I am grateful for my friends....my dear friend and neighbor knew i was in a panic to get my house ready for the open house. Deep cleaning with all 5 kids wasn't even an option for me. My mom was cleaning my carpets, and next thing i knew Mindy was climbing over the fence with her grubby clothes on and a cleaning bucket. She said she could either sit in her house and cry about me moving, or come scrub my floors. I really do love her.
 Anyway, that is how all of this "change" came to be. I want to leave with good feelings and friendships. What good is spending over 7 years of your life in one location, only to walk away with a bad taste in your mouth? I have SO many good friends and wonderful people who have taught and loved my children whole heartedly, and for that I am so grateful. xoxo

onto other news....
look who turned one this past month! I really could just eat him up!

Since the house was in a chaos, we headed off to lagoon to ride his favorite things... the carousel and the choo choo!
                                                    love ya soybean!:)

so proud

so proud of our babies (not so small babies anymore) today! we love that we have have such good, smart kids!

  Zach received the SCHOLARSHIP award from his principal and teacher (he says it's too bad that money didn't come attached to it!) HELLO BIG 5th grader...YIKES!!!

                               Rachel's teacher gave her the spelling award!:) here comes 3rd grade!!!

                             And miss emily was given the CITIZENSHIP award and a gift card! The principal came into the class to give her this award...she thinks she is hot stuff now! She is officially a BIG 1st grader...I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!

WAY TO GO KIDDOS!!!! (i find it funny that they all 3 have the same closed mouth /half smile in these pictures! sibblings for sure!)   WELCOME SUMMER!!!!!

love her.

I love this girl to pieces. She has a mind of her own! Today was "field trip" day and I insisted that a dress wouldn't be a good pick of clothing for today.....i lost that battle. :) She wanted me to take her picture in front of our new chicken coop, in her "field trip outfit!" She cracks me up! How is it possible that she has a week left of being my little kindergartner? boo.:(

my little cowboy

i came home from a photoshoot to find my little cowboy running up and down the sidewalk yelling "YEEEEEHAAAA!!!"  2 year old little boys are so much fun (unless they are potty traing, teething, hungry or tired) :)

         {one thing i want to always remember, is that he is wearing his big brother's first pair of cowboy boots and his favorite vest. i swear that was just yesterday.}

beautiful families

                              

                                    i wanted to take this little grinner home with me!:)