Blogging Backlog: Too Cute!

Okay, there really isn't a reason for this post except

HOW CUTE IS MY BABY!

Blogging Backlog: Dance Dance Dance!

Last winter Emma started dancing. My sister Meg teaches at Murry Community and Emma gets to be in her class.

Getting ready for tap.


1st position or "mermaid tails"

Trying to be just like Miss Megan!

What a super star!



We are so lucky to have Miss Megan as our teacher! I don't think that we are going to be able to have her for Emma and Maycie at least at the same time but we'll take whatever we can get!

Blogging Backlog: Spring Choir!

Porter did Spring Choir again this year. I still don't understand why and how he will do such a good job with this but I still can't get him to sing at church (at least in Sacrament Meeting!). He was so excited because they did Disney Music this year!

Maybe I should show him these pictures to get him to sing at church!

He even had a speaking part this year.

He took care of memorizing and everything all by himself!


Great job Porter!

Blogging Backlog: Snowmoblies!

Some of you may know about our family and snowmobiling. You may even remember a blog entry from last year when I made my kids dress up to go out and take a picture because we couldn't go last year. For those of you who may not know I will give a brief family history.

I will be honest. I don't know how long we have been doing this. I know it is something that all started with my maternal grandfather. I remember taking my "test" at 8 years old. So I have been doing this with my family as long as I can remember. My dad LOVES to go do this. He loves getting us all together and the family time. But as much as he loves that he really loves the riding too! My parents have been wanting to get their own machines for years. And this last winter as a part of every ones Christmas they found some! They needed work, and more work then they thought when they bought them! But finally they had one ready to go. We took a Saturday and went up by Strawberry River. The kids all had a blast! The boys all got to take their "tests". Jaxon didn't want to the last time so he was more then ready this time! Emma got to wear a snow suite that was Uncle Tay's when he was a kid! Maycie got to go on her first ride! She and Emma both spent most of their time in the truck with Grammy and were just fine with it!

Porter getting ready for THE TEST!

Jaxon going out on his own!


Connor finally got to take his snowboard out!
He decided he would really like a "real" one!

Papa and his new helmet!

This Christmas was all about the snowmobiles for him!

Papa taking the girls on a ride!



Are you ready girls! Papa is!

The next weekend Porter got to go with just Papa and Uncle Tay! Connor asked to be able to do the same thing next winter! Papa was more then happy to work that out for all of the boys if they want!

Blogging Backlog: Connor & Lacrosse!

For the longest time Connor has been wanting to play Lacrosse. This last fall when Jaxon got to play Football and Porter got to play Flag Football we promised Connor he would get his turn in the Spring. I have cousins who play and Connor has always looked up to all of them so much. I think this may be what started the ball rolling for him because it didn't have anything to do with mom and dad! We didn't know anything about the sport! I have a cousin who plays for the BYU Lacrosse team. He had a stick that he didn't use anymore and so he gave it to Connor. Connor was so excited I think he actually slept with it for a night or two! Another cousin was able to lend us a helmet. It is a good thing we had family to help us because even with this help (these are the 2 most expensive pieces of equipment) it cost us $100! And that is just the equipment! Sports are expensive! But it is worth it! We have already seen such an improvement in Connor in the last couple of weeks! He is more sure of himself and finally figuring out how to work his legs!

Neither West Jordan or Copper Hills had enough boys to make a team so they combined them. They practice at West Hills Middle School so that made the perfect name! Go West Hill Lacrosse!

Blogging Backlog: Emma's Hair!

Okay, so it has been WAY too long between blog posts. I have so many to catch up on it isn't even funny! I will do them in order as best I can remember! =)

About 6 weeks ago I was combing Emma's hair and noticed one side in the front to be shorter then the rest of her hair. It was such a small amount of hair that I think she had actually done the cutting a day or two before and I just hadn't noticed it. But at the same time it was enough in length that we couldn't just leave it. I called my mom in a panic! I wasn't sure if we should just cut it off or blend it in. I love having a mom who knows about these things! I got over there and we decided her hair needed a good trim anyway and so we were better off just cutting off to the length she cut it to. It wasn't really that short to me and I think it looks way cute at this length (sorry Em, you got moms hair!). It is so much easier to take care of too! The hard part was when people would see it they would tell her how cute it was. That didn't do much for teaching her a lesson about cutting her own hair! She loved it at first too. Now, however, she is missing her long hair and being able to pull it up into ponytails and such! She said as much to her friends mom (this same friend had done the same thing to her own hair about a week before Emma) the other day. She looked at Emma and said exactly what I was thinking, "Well, Emma, you shouldn't have cut your own hair then should you?!"

It is a good thing Heavenly Father makes them cute!

Boutique!

I just wanted to let everyone know that my sister Abby and I got into a boutique! It is called the "Oh So Sweet Spring Boutique" and is on May 1st. It is held at the Davis Conference Center in Layton. I am really excited and nervous and scared! But mostly excited! I have some flyers if you are interested. If you can come and bring the flyer with you you will be entered into a drawing!

I have also decided the best way to show my stuff is going to be a blog. So I will be putting one together! If anyone has some great advice about doing a blog for a business like this I would LOVE to hear it! With this I am collecting pictures of people wearing the hats headbands and flowers. If you have something I would love a picture! Please remember that unless you tell me otherwise I will be using any and all pictures for advertising either on the blog or in picture form at the boutique. Either way I would love to see some of the cute ways you have all come up with to wear them!

Thank you so much for all of your support with this! If you would like me to e-mail you a flyer please leave your e-mail address. I can also get you a paper flyer so just let me know what you would like!

Our MVP!

I have a couple of blog posts to do but this one has to come first! Today is Daddy's birthday! I took the kids to the store to do birthday shopping and found out that I need to take my kids to the store more often! They have forgotten how to act! THAT should be dad's birthday present! Just kidding!

We went to get a gift bag and of course they picked the biggest one there was! We got everything into one bag with 3 times more space left over! But it was the bag they wanted because dad is our

Some of the reasons he is our MVP: he works very hard for us, he likes to have fun with us, home is his favorite place to be, he does his best to be a good example, he honors his priesthood & leads our family so we can be together forever!

Thank you for being such a good dad and husband. Hope you had a wonderful day!

A Birthday Surprise!

As Jeron was leaving for work this morning he found a birthday surprise for Connor. He called back in the house to Connor and then to me to come see our yard!

Some one from our neighborhood decided Connor needed a special secret surprise this morning. They had to have been up at the crack of dawn or before to get this done because Jeron and I were awake too late for it to have been done last night! What a wonderful way to start a birthday!

11 Years Ago...

11 Years ago today baby boy #2 joined the Collins Clan! We named him Connor Edward Collins. As I think of this day I can't help but think of the days that led up to it. We were just sure (again!) that there was no way I was going to make it to my inducement. There seemed to be so much going on that the nurse told me she would set up the inducement "just in case" but "you won't make it!" I did make it. After a trip to the hospital on a Sunday afternoon and a panic attack because I hadn't had a blessing yet. Don't worry we made my mom and dad come to the hospital so my dad could help with a blessing! They sent me home not long after giving me very mixed messages. My failing memory can't remember for sure (I even checked his journal to see if MAYBE I actually wrote about this but of course I didn't)! I think it was the Sunday before I had him so I only had to wait 3 more days!

I remember getting to the hospital and getting all ready. I had a wonderful nurse. She had a student with her and that was great because it was like I had 2 of them just for me! I remember very well her coming in to check on me one time and a few minutes later asking if she had turned up my pit while she was in there. I didn't get half way through the question before I knew that answer! She listened to me and my needs but was also there to give advice when we needed it! I also remember when it was time to push. She called out to the nurses station and had them get my doctor. And then she got me ready and had my give a good push. She then VERY calmly walked over to the door, stuck her head out and yelled, "GET THE DOCTOR IN HERE NOW!" We didn't do any more pushing until my doctor got there just a minute later and Connor was only about 5 minutes behind that! I think I pushed 4 times with him! And then there he was laying on top of my tummy looking at me! Those big eyes with the longest lashes ever! He was our smallest baby at 7lbs 8oz and our longest at 21in! Just like now, long and skinny!

I remember wondering how Jaxon was going to do with all of this. We had heard somewhere of a family making sure they got "family time" before everyone else came into see the baby. We decided this would be a good idea. It felt like it took forever for anyone to come in and see me after Jaxon was born and I had pushed for a whole 15 minutes with him. So when I started pushing we called Jeron's sister and told her it was time to bring Jaxon to the hospital. Jeron's parents live about 5 maybe 10 minutes from the hospital so we figured he would be waiting for us! Oh no! We had a hallway full of family waiting for Jaxon to get there so they could see the baby! I was very glad we did this though! Jeron carried Jaxon into the room and the moment he saw Connor he said, "My baby brother!" He wouldn't touch him until the next day but he knew that was his little brother! And from that day on that bond has been there!

Seriously, this is how Jaxon was for the first 24 hours!

After that however, all he wanted to do was hold Connor!

Our family just would not be the same without this boy! He says things to make us laugh. He says things that make us think. He says things that make mommy want to pull her hair out at times! He says things that are so sweet just when you need it that it makes you wonder how in the world anyone could be that in tune to another persons needs! It is hard for me to believe he is 11. Only 1 more year and I will have 2 boys passing the Sacrament! It is hard for me to believe I am so blessed to have you as a son, Connor! Thank you for coming to our family! We love you! Hope you have another wonderful year!