Our Family Has Some BIG News!

In case you hadn't heard the buzz around our house lately.....

I am expecting a baby around March 26th. Dave and I are thrilled to have a little one around again. And the kids are too. They are all hoping for a boy, it only seems fair since Ronan needs a brother. We saw a good sized boy part in the ultrasound but this early they don't say for sure. We have to wait until next month for the definite results. So far so good. I am 12 weeks and feeling pretty good. I didn't have any sickness and even haven't been too tired.

There have been many Real games this season but I don't always bring my camera. Ronan here was completely entertained with the Carmack boys. I am not sure I could really handle a game all by myself. So it is really fun to have some assistants.


Here we are in some of the best seats in the house for little kids. The extra leg/bouncing room really helps. Thanks to our favorite Real Marketing Director for that.

The kids love sporting their Real gear.

And especially the treats which they have to wait until half time for. It is the longest 45 minutes ever.

Ronan Starts Preschool

Ronan on his first day of preschool. He jumped right in and started with the first activity. Waved and said, bye mom. He is taking from Ms. Tami. She has had all my kids and we are good friends. So I am so happy to have Ronan there too.

Running in for his first day! I love how brave and ready he is to go. And I am so glad that I opted to sign him up for school. He really needs some entertainment with the girls gone at school.

I got about 2 seconds of a pose and then he was off running.

Labor Day

This Labor day we went up to Logan and got together with some of Dave's good friends from high school. They all keep in touch and we manage to get together a few times a year. It was a perfect day at the park to catch up.

Here are all the wives.

The kids dug in the dirt and found rotten apples to play with as well as play with some of their friends.

Eva's Looses her First Tooth

Eva discovered before school that one of her bottom teeth was loose. I went to pick her up from school to find she had wiggled it out during class. All the kids were thrilled for her. We kept the tooth in a bag so it wouldn't get lost. Somehow we lost the bag. So we had to write another note to the tooth fairy explaining what had happened. All Eva wanted the tooth fairy to bring her was a pack of gum. This picture is taken after dropping Ronan to his first day of preschool. It was the first of many Eva & Mommy dates as she explains them. A simple trip to the grocery store is enough to make her happy. I am so happy to have time with just Eva.

Here is the letter to the tooth fairy,
" Tooth Fairy will you please get me some gum. I left my tooth in a bag and I can't find it. I have 2 other loose teeth. And I love you tooth fairy. Love Eva"

First Days of School

I always say wow the summer flew by. But this year it really was a blink. One big whirlwind of fun the came and went. But as with all good things they come to and end and so we start another year of school. The kids are excited I am thrilled for them.

Eva all ready for her first day of Kindergarten. Outfit totally picked out by her.

Leah starting her first day of second grade. All ready to go to and from school by herself. Me not so ready is going to meet her at the cross walk.

When you get in a fight with a wasp

So Thursday some neighbor boys come sprinting down the street with Ronan in their arms. He had just barely left the house and ran into a mean wasp. It stung him on the eyelid. Within 15 minutes it had swelled up like crazy. By the next morning it was completely swollen shut. Our wild boy didn't seem to care that he couldn't see out of one eye he still road his scooter and jumped off stuff like he was completely normal. He and Dave even went camping to the fathers and sons in our ward. Don't worry by Saturday night he was back to normal.

Ronans first soccer game went something like this. Ronan and Kyler wrestling.

I loved this shoot of Davy helping him with the throw in. Ohh and Dave deserves and award for coaching 7, 3 year olds.

Davis County Fair

One of my favorite summer activites is the Davis County Fair. First of all it is free, seconds it has the best stuff for the kids.

Leah holding a scorpion. Yah it kinda freaked me out but she thought it was great.

The girls both held this snake and a giant beetle.

Ronan riding the pony. He really looks miserable but was happy as can be the whole time.

The Vacation Continues

Ciarra and the kids. They had so much fun with her. What a good mom.

Loved this one of Ronan

We had a breakfast at the restaurant Eva owned by some family. If you haven't ever tried it check it out in downtown SL. The food was excellent.

All the beautiful girls cousins.

The Ratchford boys and their Ma

Saturday night we all went to the Real Game together it was loads of fun.

Another cute one of the big girls.

So the rest of the week went something like this. Wednesday we got a babysitter and took the night out and went to the Gateway and to dinner. Thursday Lagoon...all day. I mean it we were there til the park closed. Friday we had a girls trip to the outlets in Park City, then the boys went out to a movie. Saturday finish up bits and bobs then they were off. The rest of the day is when I laid around and didn't do anything for hours. How can we figure out a way to make Ireland and Layton closer? Someone work on that for me.

Arrival of the Irish

We had the best busiest two weeks with Dave's brother Stephan here with his family. It was jam packed with lots of activities and family. My houses was home base and they also visited Preston, Vegas, and Boise. It is not very often that we are all together so we saw lots of other family while they were here. We had so much fun and loved having everyone.

These pictures are a bit out of order but here is a run down of the first few days. The three brothers and family went up to Preston and stayed at the Becksteads, my sister in laws parents. It is like being on a farm with the horses and 4 wheelers the kids and big kids were in heaven. Then we came back down to our house and had a huge family reunion.


The girls in their "house" at Little Flippers. This was a perfect location for a big party like this. Especially in this heat we couldn't have made it at the park very long.

This the Ratchford brothers and sisters for those of you who here us talk about these guys all the time. Pauline, Elaine, Davy, Stephan, and Garreth. Pamela couldn't make it. Just imagine Pauline with blond hair, they are twins.

We had everyone go to the park first and take a huge family photo since we are never all together.

The boys

Here are our guests. Stephan, Ciarra, Breen, Saiosa , Mueren

All of the relatives

While in Preston we went to this really great fair for the kids. Every booth had a game with a piece of candy. You can't go wrong with that. The kids also got to ride the rodeo queens horse.

Feeding Blue the horse.

Here is Ciarra, Saoisa and her sister Sara that also came with them on the trip to America. Sara who is 15 said, "everything is better in America, the houses are better, the cars are better. etc etc" We forget how spoiled we are in America some times.

All the kids before the Preston Rodeo

I have some great quotes from the language difference.

Leah, "Are my Irish cousins coming or my regular cousins."

Eva to her friend the day after or Irish visitors left, " It is RoNAN, not Ronan."

Mueran my niece, "What do you's call crisps?"(chips in Ireland). Me, "we call them chips." Well then what do you's call chips" (french fries in Ireland). Me, "we call those fries." What do you's call beautiful?" Me, "well we say beautiful too."

Ciarra asked me do you cycle? Yes I have a bike in the garage. She laughs. What she had really said is do you recycle but with her accent I couldn't understand her.