. . . the Boehme Buzz

Post Valentine's Recap

2012-02-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

We had a happy HEART day!

IT all started off with the traditional heart pancakes made with love by the best Dad in the world! Mr. Boehme even put little messages on the pancakes for the kids, I love him for his attention to detail!

I wrote little love notes in the kids lunches and sent them off to school

xo xo xo.

I made heart pizza for supper and we had our neighbors over to enjoy it with us! (Sorry about the blurry pictures, I took them on my iPhone and must not have been very still at the time, but you get the idea)

Then we were off to our Ward Valentines Dance, put on by one of the YW in our ward to accomplish one of her YW projects! It was a wonderful time, the children ate more sugar (which we paid for later with puky kids) and danced the night away. I sat on the sidelines with Mr. Seth, he wasn't feeling well (you'll notice in the pics) and wanted to snuggle. But Joanne Koegler put together a little photo booth, complete with dress ups and cute little signs. It. was. so. cute.

Here are a few from the evening!

LOVE, love, LoVe Valentines Day

P.S. How could I forget the beautiful roses my sweetheart brought me, 6 in total, one for each of the babies we've brought into the world! I love you Brian Boehme, thanks for making me smile, for always listening and for being the love of my life!

2012-02-08T12:29:00.000-08:00

happy

awe (jaw on the ground kind)

relief

astonished

giddy

proud

full of love

This is what I feel today!

Why you ask?

Well when you have a little boy who is almost 3 who just out of the blue decides to start using the toilet, and you're his Mother, these are some of the intense feelings that overwhelm you! And I'll add, when you are about to give birth to your 6th child in 5 weeks, the feelings only intensify!!!!

Here is our super man, little stud and star of the week!

For the past few months I have given him lots of opportunities to wear BIG boy underwear and although he was peeing all over the house I did see improvements in the length of time between accidents! Ha ha! But last Friday, he got up and said, "Mom I gotta go potty." Then ran to the potty and went all by himself!! The day was amazing! He had one accident when he couldn't get his pants down fast enough and then stayed dry for the rest of the day, and did the famous #2 on the potty also!!! Then Saturday we decided to test his skills! So I took him to get some Potty treats and to pick a special toy to place high on a shelf in our kitchen, which he would receive if he stayed dry all week long. He stayed dry at Walmart and even used the bathroom there (gross I know, I don't even like to do that).

Then to add to my astonishment, we put him in underwear for church and he stayed dry all Sunday, including nap-time and the entire night through!! (He was in and out of sacrament meeting a lot trying to be a big boy, but hey, we were fine with that!)

What a blessing this has been. Seth is such a smart boy and I am so proud of him. It seems like all of a sudden he is a little man instead of a toddler! He has been so self directed in this decision that I can't deny the very real possiblity that we are done with diapers for at LEAST a month!! I know, that doesn't sound too promising . . . but we have a month before our baby girl comes, AND I'LL TAKE IT!!

I love you Seth, I am so proud of you!

Love

Mom xoxo

Memories of 2011 - A New Year has begun!

2012-01-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I love thinking about a new year and all of the great things in store.

It is especially exciting to think that our family will be complete with the birth of our sweet little girl in March. I wish the months would fly, I just want to hold her and know that our family is all here, whole and complete and healthy.

Here are a few pics of some great moments of 2011

This sweet little girl started Kindgergarten, she is sure growing up fast. She has so much energy and sparkle and we love her so much. I can't believe she will be 6 in April, where has the time gone?

Emma also had an exciting First this past year. She tried Waterskiing, she looks thrilled doesn't she? She was nervous but she trusted her Dad and got up on her first try, I think it surprised her and so she stayed in a crouched position (as low to the water as she could be) and then just let go!! We were proud of her for trying, and she claims she will try again next year.

We have a family tradition! Every year as we come over Logan's Pass we stop at our "Special Spot" and those who get up enough courage, jump in the icy cold glacier water. Will and Brian even added jumping of the cliffs into the water! I thought this picture was so candid of the children, I love their expression. It was a fun, and chilly memory!

This was our "Back to School Feast!" Each of the children receive a simple crown with an attribute to work on that school year, to inspire them to be their best! We eat good food and talk about our goals for another year!!

I turned the big 33!. I felt so lucky to be surrounded by family last year, I guess that is one of the joys of being born on Thanksgiving. We spent the weekend together at Jenny & Josh's in Medicine Hat. We stuffed ourselves with delicious food and had a great time being together.

I love thinking about all the things I want to do a little better this year. I've set some goals and hope that even with all the changes that are happening for our family that I will be able to be steadfast and immovable in my goals.

Brian has made some changes professionally and we are excited for him. He is such a hard worker and an expert in his field and we feel peace in knowing that we have been guided in our decision and pray the Lord will bless and prosper our family.

Change brings growth and blessings and we have hope that as we rely on our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and do our part, we will be made strong even through the many changes we anticipate this year.

2012 is gonna be a great one!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

2011-12-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

A few pictures of the moments that we have spent together this Christmas season.

Sunnyside School put on the cutest Christmas concert this year. "Santa's stuck in the 50's!" It was so darling, with all the girls in their poodle skirts and the boys with shades and muscle shirts! I loved the message that Christmas is more about what we give than what we receive.
( sorry about the red-eye in these, I didn't edit before uploading obviously)

So pretty (red eye and all)

Emma was so cute in her Kindergarten Concert. I love this little girl, she is growing up so fast. She loves school and her friends and teachers.

We decorated Gingerbread houses last night with our neighbors Paul and Andrea, they are so awesome and made the night so fun. They both had never experience gingerbread house decorating and I could tell they were enjoying themselves!! The kids love these two and we feel so blessed to have them as neighbors, they are always ready to help when we go away and love our dog Diesel like their own. Thanks you two, you made it a special night to remember!!

We spent a weekend in Medicine Hat with my siblings ( not all could come and we missed them dearly) At Jenny and Josh's home. We always have such fun at their place, it is a true party house!! Grama and Grampa put on quite the "Shania Twain / Michael Buble" act, complete with puppets, wigs and full costumes! It was a memory I will never forget. The other day Emma was thinking about it and just giggling to herself. We have such fun together and were so grateful that it worked out that we all could find a weekend to make these memories together. Thanks Jenny and Josh, we love you guys.

Sarah and Joel it will be a perfect celebration when we can be together again with you and your spouses and children, it is never quite the same without you. Merry Christmas to you, we send all our love!!

We've been baking!!

Choosing our Christmas tree! The fluffiest snowflakes were gently falling as we picked our tree this year. I love this photo of Emma and Seth trying to catch them in their mouths. We love this tradition of getting a real tree! The smells that fill our home all of December are worth the mess and clean up!!

We didn't send out a NEW Christmas photo this year. As soon as our little "missy" is born we will have a family photo, so look forward to next year!! We love and appreciate the friendships and associations we have with family and friends. Truly these connections and relationships are what make life rich and meaningful. Merry Christmas to you with love,

From the Boehme's

Mr. Wi11

2011-11-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

The Rams Green & Gold squad ended up playing each other in the Final

Game of the last Tournament , they were pretty pumped!!

Zack Jacobs and Will Boehme ( 2nd cousins)

Mr. Will had quite the football season.

This was his first year.

He thinks he scored a total of 24 touchdowns.

It was so much fun to watch him.

Football is quite a complex game and in practices it seemed like overload at first.

But in his first game, on the first play of the game, he ran into the end zone for a touch down!! The second play of the game, he did the same thing. (Can you imagine me jumping up and down on the sidelines cheering and yelling at the top of my lungs, LOL!!!) Beginners luck right???

Well, he ended up getting 3 touchdowns in that game. He was thrilled.

Will. Loves. Football.

We spent all of September and October eating supper at 4:00pm and rushing off to Football practice and games. It was busy, but so fun to watch him find such passion in the sport!! I think it helps a little that his Dad loves it too!

Mr. Wi11 turned eleven last weekend and he celebrated this year by heading up to Calgary to a Stampeders Game with his Dad and his best friend Parks Hirsche. They had great seats, and had a blast together, just the guys.

It is hard to believe that I have an 11 year old! I remember so clearly the day he was born, the day he made me a Mommy! I can still remember those first moments as I looked into his eyes and wondered where life would take him, what gifts and talents he would develop and what our life would be like together . . . . . as a family. Will is a true leader & we are so blessed to have him as the BIG brother in our home. He works so hard and always tries to do his best. He has set the goal to read the Book of Mormon before he turns 12 and receives the Aaronic Priesthood, I am excited for him and hope he will work hard to accomplish his goal and to really come to know for himself that the Book of Mormon is true.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL, we love you so much.

Here is the footage of one of his touchdowns. Will is #8. Just a WARNING, Brian forgets when he is recording that the microphone is right by his mouth!! You may want to turn down your volume on your computer while watching! Enjoy!

2011-11-02T09:19:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a special day!

I felt like I was on cloud 9 all day long!

Why you ask?

Well I found out the gender of this baby growing inside me. . . . . .

We've waited and wondered and as the Dr. told me it seemed like somewhere deep down I already knew, it was a sweet moment.

Brian had impressions from the start and he was right, he amazes me with how in tune he is. From the start of this pregnancy he has been so SURE about the gender, and when I was about to go in for my ultrasound and was extremely nervous because I hadn't felt baby move yet, he was so calm and he assured me NOT TO WORRY, ___ would be healthy! He knew and I love him so much for his faith, he did not doubt.

I on the other hand felt like I had to prepare my mind for both possibilities, just in case! A healthy baby is such a blessing and I didn't want to feel any disappointment one way or another.

So I too (got this idea from nienie) bought some balloons, but instead of tying them to a mailbox I stood and held them as I waited for my 4 to get off the bus. I told them in the morning to watch for me with balloons blue for boy and pink for girl. They were so excited!!

Yes, we are having a G I R L!

We feel so blessed, because with this news we know without a doubt that this sweet little daughter will be the last child to come into our family. Having that knowledge brings bitter sweet tears, but I know that it will help me rejoice in every moment of this journey!

A GIRL, it's really a girl! Now to think of the perfect name. Any suggestions?

All a Memory - But One We Will NEVER Forget

2011-10-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Something pretty spectacular happened in June!

It is definitely worth mentioning, even these months later!!

A very special person, accomplished something EXTRAORDINARY!!

Some of the crew ready for the hike up Bears Hump!

Brian's Grandma turned 90 years old and to celebrate she wanted to climb a

MOUNTAIN!!

She is an amazing woman, who is always serving and we wanted to support her. But as the day approached the weather did not seem like it was going to cooperate. Many family members decided it would not be wise to climb a mountain with little children, let alone a 90 year old woman in a Spring down pour!! We were one of those families that were very nervous to make the climb. But Grandma was determined. She was going and no matter what was said to deter her, nothing would stop her from reaching her goal. Now, I have faith, but we needed the kind of faith that would get us on the road early Saturday morning despite the rains and wind that already prevailed!! We asked the kids what they thought we should do. The faith of a child is truly a remarkable thing. We set off for Waterton Lake and half way there it seemed all our prayers were working. But as we drove through Mountain View, the sky did not look good. Over the mountains the clouds were thick and dark and then the heavy rain started. My faith was waivering, even our children wondered if their prayers and Grandma's would be answered. But we knew we had come much to far to turn our backs now. As we entered the park the rain slowed, but in my mind I kept thinking of the trail and how wet and slick and muddy it would be.

As we reached the trail head, we saw the families who had also braved the weather to support Grama, there were more than I thought and we were excited. The wind seemed to have calmed and as we approached the trial, out of curiosity to see what kind of conditions we would have to hike in, to my utter astonishment THE TRAIL WAS DRY!

Moral of the Story: When a faithful woman sets out to do something and asks the Lord for help, follow her, He will keep his promises!!

Here is the birthday girl, ready to hike!!

The view of beautiful Waterton Lake and Town Site!

Can you tell that the sun was shinning??

We all reached the top before Grandma did, and so we were waiting for her as she finished her climb. As she reached the summit and came into view, literally the clouds parted and the sun came out. We sang her happy birthday as she reached her family and loved ones. It was a beautiful experience to share with my children. I am so grateful for those who have gone before, who have lived lives of such faith and devotion. How could the Lord NOT grant her the very desire of her heart and control the elements for such a faithful elect lady!!

My little cutie's. I just love this picture, something about it just makes me smile. I think it is the sweet looks on their beautiful faces

A perfect day.

2011-09-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

it has been too long.

i must admit the summer went by too fast.

i was in that blissful first trimester of pregnancy and enjoyed lazy mornings of sleeping in and overcoming that ever present feeling of nausea.

i really can't complain.

pregnancy and me go pretty well together.

i have so many pictures to post of our times together in the summer.

soon i promise.

school days have taken over and i'm loving the scheduled life, but missing my kids.

emma is in full day kindergarten twice a week and i just really miss having her around.

although i do really enjoy napping with seth in the afternoons. bittersweet right?

so we have decided that this little miracle growing inside of me is our last. we will find out next month what we are having, but we think we already know. we are so excited. the kids are so excited.

tomorrow we are going to the drs. office together to hear the heartbeat, and by together i mean all the kids and brian. i want them to remember this. i want them to feel apart of this miracle.

i'm about 14 weeks, and into my 2nd trimester already.

it is crazy to think that i will never experience the first trimester of pregnancy again, did I say crazy, i think i meant a relief. i can definitely close the door on that one with a smile. there will be others that won't be quite so easy.

but for now i am trying to enjoy all the changes, even if my pants don't fit comfortably anymore!!

Introducing Spencer Schmidt - BitterSweet

2011-06-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

bittersweet.

Life is so bittersweet.

so many moments of joy mingled with stress, heartache and sorrow.

if only we could capture the simple moments that are sofleeting, ones like watching your two year old eat an ice cream cone on a sunny afternoon, or your 5 year old dressed in her swimsuit and rubber boots playing in the rain, or your 10 year old telling you he loves you, or your 8 year old singing and dancing the with you in the kitchen or the simple days when there is nothing to do but be together. . .

. . . . Then when the storms of life come (and they surely do, for each of us and those we love) the simple moments could be the rainbowlifting & filling your heart and soul with warmth

and

hope.

This song inspires me.

2011-06-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

PUERTA VALLARTA - Part 1

2011-05-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

In planning this trip for our 12th Anniversary, we loved that feeling of anticipation as we counted down the weeks until April 29th when we would depart on a 7 day, All-Inclusive, week of relaxing and soaking up the sun FOR just the two of us. The last time Brian and I got away without the kids was back in 2006 when we went to Florida with some friends.

As I was looking into different places and trying to decide what would suit us best, I just felt really good about PUERTA VALLARTA, we (particularly Brian)wanted to enjoy the Pacific side in all it's glory so we could learn to surf. I just wanted to make him happy because coming from such a LARGE family he had never been to Mexico.

We had such an incredible time, the weather was BEAUTIFUL, so hot and humid!

We were very lucky to receive a FREE upgrade to the Royal Suites of the Palladium Vallarta Resort and Spa which gave us so many free amenities, better rooms and and a private restaurant & pool that we spent most of our trip enjoying. We didn't eat much at the a la carte restaurants, they kind of scared me the first day when the food seemed like it was sitting out for too long and it didn't look very fresh. With our uprade we ate almost every night at the beautiful outdoor Punta Mita restaurant that overlooked the ocean.

Eating breakfast our last morning in Puerta Vallarta at the Punta Mita, I enjoyed Eggs Benedict, Mmmm, so delicious!

Our beach.

Ready to eat dinner! We also loved our restaurant because we didn't have to make reservations and the dress was casual, just no wet swimsuits!! Brian and I are pretty laid back and Brian forgot his Khaki's, so this suited "US" very well!!

Beautiful, comfortable beds to tan, read or just SLEEP!

Just had to capture the PURE relaxation we enjoyed every day!!

I loved the tropical breeze on these draped beds, it seemed so spa-ish to me!! Next time I WILL get a massage on the beach, I almost did it this trip, but our time ran out!

Meet Odin Meneses, our Venezuelan Surfing teacher and friend! We met him on our first day at the Resort when we had our first Surfing lesson. He was a great teacher and calmed some of my fears enough for me to really go for it. Because of our great teacher, I was surfing by the end of the week!! Brian picked it up pretty quick, like usual and we looked forward each day to hitting the surf!! We became good friends with Odin and surfed twice a day for the remainder of our trip. we love surfing!

Oh, and how can I forget the cute little lady with Odin. Her name is Flor, and they are hoping to get married next month. We miss you both, and wish you all the best!!

waiting for a wave

probably missed that one!!

So. Much. Paddling.

No one tells you how hard surfing is!! I had no idea how much strength and endurance it takes to surf for a couple hours. Probably because once you GET IT, you'd paddle forever to catch that one perfect wave!!

I am grateful that I tried to get into good physical shape before my trip or I think my attempts at surfing would have left little to be desired about the sport!!! I still got so tired, and some days got completely DESTROYED BY THE WAVES.

I realized very quickly that surfing is very technical, but if you over-think it, things get ugly fast!! By the end of the week, I started thinking less and just trying to FEEL IT! It is such an amazing feeling to stand up and ride a wave, oh, words can't even describe it!

We think we've found a new passion.

Brian was a natural and was doing some pretty fine tricks by the end, he even turned around backwards one time, so fun to watch! We wish we had hired someone to take some pictures on our last day, it was definitely our best . . . . but neither one of us was willing to give up our last chance to enjoy the SURF for a long time!!

. . . Video clips to come

2011-05-07T21:40:00.000-07:00

We are back from our trip

We had such an incredible time!

We met amazing people

We learned to SURF (Way to go ODIN, you were a great teacher!)

We soaked up the sun

We relaxed and just enjoyed being together

We did it all because of so many back home helping with the kids, we are so grateful for everyone who pulled together so that Brian and I could enjoy such an incredible week in Paradise!!

Happy 12th Anniversary Baby! I love you.

. . . . . More to come

So behind!!

2011-04-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

So I thought I would just mention that

SPRING IS SO BEHIND THIS YEAR!

It really should be here by now and my kids should be enjoying afternoons out on the trampoline and running through clover in the fields and playing with the animals!

The kids are out of school for 2 whole weeks and it would really be NICE if they could have the option to play outside.

I thought I would be wishing for back to school days, but we have had such a nice few days, sleeping in a little, playing together and working together. I just plain love the happy sounds of my children in my home!! Of course there are fights and not-so-perfect moments too, but isn't that what it's all about!!

Since Spring is behind this year that is what I blame all the ways I am behind too!

I haven't blogged about Seth's 2nd birthday. I haven't blogged about so many things, like a recent trip to Park City with a dear friend. And now before I have time to breathe, Emma's birthday is tomorrow and then Easter and then . . . .then

wait for it . . . .

Our trip to Mexico to celebrate our 12th Anniversary!!

So I definitely feel behind on LIFE, but DEFINITELY have some great things to look forward to in the next few weeks.

happy easter!

Mmmmmm! Sunday's!!!

2011-03-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

i love the sabbath.

i feel like it is the 1 day out of 7 that i can truly slow down and ponder things of eternity.

as i ponder the contribution that is mine to give.

i feel grateful to be me! to be a mother to 5 special souls.

i am so blessed to have a knowledge of the restored gospel.

i love attending church and feeling inspired to do better, recommitting myself to promises i have made with the Lord.

i love the peace and affirmation that comes to my heart that everything i am investing in my home & with my children and husband is pleasing to the Lord.

that i am imperfect, but that somehow what i offer each day is enough.

i love inspiring, beautiful music with words that fill my soul with

love

peace

& hope

i love spending time, with my children.

( a SUN DAY at the park back in Sept. of 2010)

sundays are my favorite day.

i'm ready for another week.

my joy!

2011-02-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

i can't get enough of Seth right now

he is becoming quite the chatter box!

i love calling his name and hearing him immediately start into some kind of rambling as if he has so much he just has to tell me!!

the first part is always a little hard to understand and then i will hear emma's name and will's name mixed in the sentence somehow.

he can't seem to pronounce maddison's or ethan's name very well. we have tryed to teach him deedee for maddi and sometimes he will say that!

but for the most part he calls his sisters, emma and his brothers, will! i guess it is easier that way!! too funny!

the other night we were getting ready for our ward valentines dance and i was doing maddi's hair in the bathroom and seth came in and said " ahh cute!" maddi and i giggled till our sides hurt!

seth seems to be so aware of entertaining us all, it makes him seem so much older to me than he is. he gets this little twinkle in his eye and look on his face signifying that he knows he has been funny! and lately he will just wrap his arms around my neck and squeeze me so tight saying "mama" with excitement. he sings the first parts of justin bieber songs, i am not sure if i should share that because then that would mean that yes that is all we are listening to lately. my kids love justin bieber!!! seth will sing oh-o-o-o-o-o-oh, of baby! it is really quite cute!

he loves all music and loves to sing with me at nap time, "I Am a Child of God," "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," and for some reason really gets a kick out of me singing Einsy Winsy Spider as fast as i can!

lately he says "et out" (get out) when he wants the kids to go out of his room.

"dop" for stop when he has had enough of something and wants to be left alone.

"nack" for snack and i hear that one from morning to night, he has a very healthy appetite!

"elp me" for help me when he can't quite figure something out for himself!

and last night he was fascinated with his cousin beau and kept saying his name over and over.

every day is different, he is always learning some new word or accomplishment!

this little boy is so precious, i love his chubby cheeks, thank goodness he hasn't grown out of those yet!! i love his big blue eyes, i love his rough and tumble, football player run! i love how active and bright and kind he is. i love hearing him laugh! it is so fun to watch him and emma play together. emma is his world right now. he says her name more than any one else's in our household.

whatever will i do when i don't have any more babies to love?

love teenagers? i will miss these days more than i can express.

but for now, i have a toddler to love and i know i need to cherish every moment with him before he too, grows up on me!

all about H e a r t!

2011-02-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

i love everything about Valentines Day!

i love making heart pancakes for breakfast

i love leaving notes for my sweet children

i love . . . . loving a little stronger and a little deeper

i love that today i get to prepare a special Valentines fhe lesson on

L O V E

i love thinking about my one and only, my Valentine!

i love roses & chocolate

i love pondering how i can love more perfectly like my Savior

i stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me.

i love life

L O V E is in the air, can you feel it?

to my sisters, my brothers, my parents, my grandparents, my husband and my children . . . my friends - to each of you for ALL THE LOVE!!

happy heart day!

36 reasons for love!!

2011-02-08T12:54:00.000-08:00

my favorite person turned 36 yesterday.

where have the years gone?

i love so many things about this

kind hearted

hardworking

handsome

good to the core

faithful and true man i married almost 12 years ago.

so much of what is good and brings joy in my life is because of him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

my one and only

i am the luckiest.

Christmas Memories - Part 1

2011-01-27T07:49:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was filled with w o n d e r!

*we decorated and baked gingerbread men for our beautiful Christmas tree. It smelled so good at our house . . . i love the smells of Christmas.

*we skated on the pond and played hockey (a definite favorite for Will)

even Emma started skating this year

*we made gingerbread houses with the Peterson family, we had so much fun together.

*we went to the most darling Christmas concert I have EVER seen (and I've seen a few in my day), it was called Slap Shot Santa!

*we had time with family and extended family, to re-connect and just be together!

It seems that Christmas came and went so fast this year. I can hardly believe that January is almost over. Life is so busy, I am not the blogger I would like to be. I wish I could give it more time, but for right now I feel like many of the ESSENTIAL things in my life take precedence.

My Essential just means those things that are essential for my SALVATION. It seems that is what my focus has been this year, not a list of resolutions to keep, but a desire to keep a better balance in my life of the things that are:

ESSENTIAL

NECESSARY

AND NICE TO DO.

The inspiration came from listening to a this talk on BYU TV by JULIE B. BECK.

I love her

I needed to hear her words

She is my hero! I desire to be a women of faith like her, even a LIONESS AT THE GATE!

Listen to it, you will be strengthened and better for it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

ho. ho. ho

2010-12-24T23:46:00.001-08:00

hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

hugs

Down. Set. Hut. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL

2010-11-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that I have a 10 year old.

Will celebrated his birthday this year with a FOOTBALL themed party

We sent out invitations:

Come join us on the 50 yard hash

it’s gonna be a great big Birthday Bash!

For Will Boehme, he’s turning 10 soon

And wants to play football Saturday afternoon!

Too many presents make Will go looney!

Instead if you could, please bring a Tooney

Saturday October 30th

1-4 p.m.

Dress for the weather and bring a football if your game!!

I made a cake!

And then the greatest part about this party was that COACH Brian took it from there!! Brian loves the game of football and so he ran a really fun camp for the boys all afternoon. Will invited about 25 boys and 17 came. The weather was great and the boys had so much fun learning some skills and just having fun doing what boys do best, PLAY HARD!

Will's good buddy, Parks Hirsche letting Coach Brian demonstrate a good tackle!! What a sport!

Here are the boys. Tired, happy and ready for cake!

I thought the cake turned out well, and Will loved it! It was a really fun Saturday afternoon celebrating our BIG man Will. We love you so much Will and are so proud of you!

(On the night of Will's actual birthday we took him out for a special date just with Mom and Dad. We had such a nice time together. We gave him his present, an iPod and he said this was his best birthday EVER! We had such a nice time just being with him. We went to the FIRESTONE GRILL and they were so kind to open the patio just for us, heated and all! Will was impressed with the open fire torches lighting the room and the neat reflection pool/waterfall. We had the BIG TALK with him and were impressed with his maturity. That discussion is always intense, but he handled everything so well. We came away from that night feeling so glad that as parents if we are in tune we can choose the right moments in a child's life to teach when they are ready to hear. I love the challenges of being a parent and how with the Lord's help we can grow to be the parents he needs us to be for each unique and special child placed in our home)

2010-11-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

i heart weddings.

everything about them is so perfectly romantic and dreamy.

My brother in law Doug was married to Teagan Shurtz on October 16th, 2010.

The Last of the Boehmians (ha ha) to tie the knot!

It was a beautiful day, Teagan looked amazing and it was a special time to gather together to support this young couple.

Here are some pictures:

can i add that i really need to get a family picture taken this year. it is all i can think about lately. it needs to be done, and soon.

I wanted to mention a fun little give a way going on right now. I hope I win, it would be so. much. fun! Check out the talented Mandy Baker on her blog www.mandybakerblog.com if you want to enter! Only conditions, you have to be a MOM! Good Luck!

Not the best idea to stand this close to a beautiful bride! Isn't she gorgeous?

one of the little flower girls - miss emma lou

miss annika & miss maddi

miss maddi & miss kate

You gotta "(g)love" it!!!

2010-11-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

My little man found my rubber gloves and they were the new toy for a few minutes and then like everything else they were dropped and he was on to the next thing. He is a such a busy boy.

Seth's little personality is really shinning these days.

He is starting to say a few words and he is developing his inner comedian. Who wouldn't with such a great audience every day! He does the Mr. Cheeze face at suppertime to get a few laughs, you know nose up in the air, lips in the silliest grin, showing those little chompers! I love how his sweet little voice fills our home with laughter. It is contagious. Seth can say Mama, Dada, Wowl (Will), Diesa (diesel has obviously made quite the impression), Uh-oh, All Da (all done), Dow, Wa Wa (water).

But my favorite is Mama . . . BIG surprise I know, but there is just something so special about the way Seth says my name, it's that inflection at the end that just makes my heart melt! How wonderful to be truly needed, and loved. There are probably more words I am forgetting to mention, but I did write all this down in my journal too!

I love this sweet, chubby, high spirited little boy more than words can express. He has grown much to fast for my liking but in my heart I have cherished every minute.

flash back to Thanksgiving

2010-11-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

I had fun cleaning (ARG!) and decorating for this years get-together!

Jenny and I planned the meal and put together quite the feast!

Everything was so delicious and being together with family made it P E R F E C T

( everyone except the Colorado clan who were missed SO dearly!)

Here are a few pictures of everyone. We laughed, ate, shared what we were grateful for and relished in the moment of

T O G E T H E R N E S S!

How blessed I feel to have such a wonderful family. Each member is so dear, each relationship special, and I know that the associations we share here on this earth will, if we are faithful, last F O R E V E R!

I GIVE THANKS FOR THIS KNOWLEDGE!

Double Digit Birthday

2010-10-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that 10 years ago today I was in labor with my first child. That was the longest couple of days of my life!! But I remember as if it were yesterday. My sweet beautiful little baby boy being placed in my arms, with all his thick messy black hair, beautiful eyes, perfect fingers and toes, and in a single moment I became a Mother.

October 28th, 2000 at 10:10 p.m, my life was forever changed by a journey of work, sweat, tears and joy.

And before I could say ...

READY .......SET .........GO!

. . . . here we are 10 years later. (just before a race on track and field day last year)

I love you Will Scott, you are the best big brother!

a good friend

thoughtful, kind and tender-hearted.

full of energy and motivation, passion and intensity!

what joy it brings to watch you make right decisions and develop your fire of faith and testimony.

you are such a talented boy, no matter what you do in school, sports or your music you excel and love a challenge to learn new things and develop new skills.

what a awesome journey these past 10 years have been

what will the next 10 years hold??? Hmmmm. . . . .

middle school

young mens

ordinations in the priesthood of God

the BIG change. Yikes!

temple baptisms

driving

dating

curfew (oh boy!)

a mission!

We love you Will Scott, you are such a blessing to your Dad and I. We are so proud of you and hope you will always remember today as we look forward together to all that is good that's coming in the next 10 years. (We are taking Will out on his "SPECIAL" dinner date with Mom and Dad tonight, hope the big talk goes well, we know it's the right time but I'm still anxious.)

Labor Day Echo Fun

2010-10-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

We went down to Echo for the long weekend in September and had such a great weekend. The weather was tolerable and the kids had such a great time with their Boehme cousins. So many memories have been made at Echo Lake, it is a favorite spot for our family vacations together.

Mud pie anyone?

Emma and Allie

Julia, Rebekah, Katie and Maddison

Just look at the air on that jump! Will loves to knee board with his cousins. He is really getting good and trying all sorts of new tricks.

Almost making the grab for a 360! Way to go Will!

2010-10-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

CAN I just say. . . .

Canning can really make me not want to EVER can another thing again. . . . of course until I walk into my storage room, and see all that I have canned. I just have to stop and admire every can, the beautiful colors, and a great feeling of accomplishment (I CAN!) that washes over me!. Can it really be 12:08 am. I am not canning right now, but I confess that a full canner is boiling on the stove almost finished processing. I CAN NOT believe I am blogging about this. I just thought it was really canny how many times you can say the word CAN in a sentence. It is late. I really, really need to stop typing.

I hope you CAN check my blog soon, because I just might CAN this post tomorrow. Seriously. What has come over me?

CAN ANYONE HELP ME?

First Day of School - A month late!!!

2010-10-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

Back to School time is so much fun.

new school supplies

new clothes

new shoes

A NEW YEAR and CHANGE!

As I look at these children of mine it is hard to believe that they are so. . . . . so, BIG! Every year brings growth and change and I feel so blessed to be part of the journey, each one is so different, so special, so loved.

I am really looking forward to a slower pace. We are truly following the Prophet by simplifying our schedule so that we can spend more time together. I have loved this so far, some nights we just bake cookies, or we play at parks or on the trampoline, sometimes we read and read until bedtime! It was tougher than I thought it would be to say NO to all the EXTRA activities but it has been the best choice I have made, for my family, in our situation. We have more time together as a family.

This year we also followed through with some activities that our free time allowed. Like Brian and Scott hosting a Football Day Camp. What a success that was!! They had about 16 boys come and they ran drills and had the boys enjoying themselves so much they hardly had time for a scrimmage at the end. (now that is good coaching!)

Our meal times have been very pleasant because we aren't stuffing our faces to rush of to the next lesson or activity. Will is taking piano from Karen Wetterstrand and Maddison and Ethan are taking from Grandma Boehme. I know Maddi and Ethan have loved this one on one lesson with their Grandma!

Life is good, and I feel blessed!

Here are the photos from our BACK TO SCHOOL photo shoot!!

All the children are attending SUNNYSIDE SCHOOL again this year. We love this little country school, great teachers, great kids, everyone knows everyone!

Will is in GRADE 4 this year (he loves his teacher Mr. Ken Van Cleave)

Maddison is in GRADE 3 (Mrs. Bev. Smith)

Ethan has started GRADE 1 (Mrs. Jill McIntyre)

It was a beautiful crisp September morning.

They had a bad case of the giggles. Maybe it is excitement or nerves, but my kids are always giggly like this on the first day of school.

An Ethan sandwich!

It is hard to believe my little Ethan is starting Grade 1.

It seems like such a big milestone. They start Grade 1 and then they just grow up so fast. I love this sweet, tender, smart, little boy.

I love you Ethan boy!

pretty Maddi

Just before school started Maddison got her ears pierced. She got a terrible ear infection and went through quite a bit to get it under control. I was proud of her, the way she became so regimented in cleaning and turning and disinfecting them every morning and night. I love this goofy, sweet, girly-girl of mine.

Is it just me or does will look like a pre-teen in this picture?Ahhhh! He will be turning 10 in a few weeks and I can't believe he'll be in the double digits!! He is such a good, helpful, responsible boy. I love watching him develop his talents and grow in the gospel. He is such a good big brother.

Diesel came and sat right beside Will for this picture. I thought it was so cute. A dog is truly a a little boy's best friend.

A New Tradition

2010-09-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

i read Nie Nie

in a recent post she shared a tradition with the world that

i just loved.

every year before school starts she puts on a back to school feast. she makes a delicious meal, picks a theme to inspire her children for the school year and makes a crown to honor each of her children. Isn't she amazing?

well i decided this was a tradition that I wanted to implement in my family.

i really tried to make it my own.

we had a wonderful feast

on the menu:

*pork baby back ribs

*corn on the cob

*twice baked potatoes

*garden sauted vegetables

*pomegranate raspberry beverage

i tried to also decorate in primary colors, red, yellow(gold) and blue.

we had a nice meal and talked about our theme for the school year and the children's goals.

it was such a success.

instead of crowns I made each child a ribbon to wear and personalized their place setting at the table.

the flowers on the table are a very special arrangement.

they are from the casket of my Grandpa Baker whose funeral was the day before on August 28th.

this idea was definitely tradition worthy

thanks

nie nie

Back to School pictures to come. . . . . .

Apples make me sMiLe

2010-09-09T07:11:00.001-07:00

i love this time of year

the crisp cool air

a time of harvest

our garden has not done as well this year as last.

i think that is because of the lack of sunshine we had this summer.

yet we still have been enjoying many delicious fruits and veggies from our garden:

beans

peas

carrots

lettuce + arugula

potatoes

cucumbers

broccoli + cauliflower

strawberries

raspberries

soon to be corn

and

apples.

apples from Grandma's trees.

I thought these pictures were so fun, they captured our adventure the other day as we helped Grandma and Grandpa Boehme pick the most delicious apples.

Then we turned them into tasty apple sauce. It was wonderful to have so many helpers turning the crank to push the cooked apples through the strainer. Each of the kids took a turn and felt so great knowing they had just made apple sauce.

I love canning season, but because it is so much more than storing food.

I know it is a labor of love and work that will teach much more than simply putting food in jars for the winter. I found this inspiration the other day, and I know every effort in food storage is binding my family together in bonds of love and unity.

"President Spencer W. Kimball counseled: “I hope that we understand that, while having a garden, for instance, is often useful in reducing food costs and making available delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, it does much more than this. Who can gauge the value of that special chat between daughter and Dad as they weed or water the garden? How do we evaluate the good that comes from the obvious lessons of planting, cultivating, and the eternal law of the harvest? And how do we measure the family togetherness and cooperating that must accompany successful canning? Yes, we are laying up resources in store, but perhaps the greater good is contained in the lessons of life we learn as we live providently and extend to our children their pioneer heritage.” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1977, p. 125; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 78.) "

Emma and I have spent many an afternoon just laying under the apple tree and enjoying a sweet apple together, and watching the clouds drift by.

I loved this picture. I just had to capture Brian and his Dad up in the bucket of the tractor. They were like this for quite a while, Maddi played and they just sat and talked together. I know that Brian loves his Father so much. He is much like his Dad in many ways, and this was a moment to cherish just watching them, Father and Son working side by side. I think this is one of those moments President Benson is talking about.

Baby Love--furry, 4 legged friends!

2010-09-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

so i've learned a few things now that i'm a country girl-- a dog is a good investment (preferably young puppies and those that are healthy and haven't been kicked to many times, ie Rocky... sorry old boy)

when you live on a farm there are no guarantees.

in 2 years my kids have had many experiences with life and death.

freckles the cat was the first to go.

sad but true.

then daisy had kittens right before our eyes, and was tragically killed by our neighbors dog just 4 days after the kittens were born.

oreo was the only kitten that survived of her litter, and the kids sure loved that cat.

this summer oreo disappeared . . .and then some chickens . . . and then we saw it.

a fox

(a very cunning fox)

this fox would appear in broad daylight just lounging around the farm, grandpa found it one afternoon in the barn eating the cat food. grandpa set traps and it always seemed to find the bate and never get caught.

2 days ago we caught the fox!! ding dong the Fox is dead, the Fox is dead, the Fox is dead, ding dong the wicked fox is dead.!!(if you are any fun at all you will sing that to the tune from the Wizard of Oz )

So now we have 3 safe little kittens.

tigress. tiger lily (their practically twins) and blizzard

and we got a new puppy.

his name is Diesel

he is very cute

and so playful

and every day he brings all sorts of garbage and kindly places it on my front step. (nice I know)

he will be good at keeping foxes away!

the kids adore him

life on the farm is good, even if we do have to learn a lesson or two on survival of the fittest. (thanks Darwin)

we hope you live a long life diesel, to protect our cute little 4 legged friends! ( I guess chickens technically have 2 legs, he he!)

(and hopefully you will out grow your habit of chewing on the cats)

Cat and Dog fight! Instigated of course by Will and Maddi

Maddi loves this little pup!

A Man who lived with HEART ......i will miss you so!

2010-08-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

You and I.

So many memories.

Sitting on your knee, singing to you as a little girl

Hearing you say, "Oh what a beauty!"

Feeling like your little princess.

Always feeling your love and that you were proud of me.

Time spent together, on dinner dates.....you made time for each grand child

I've loved you in life Grandpa and in death you have left a legacy of love and goodness and service to so many. So many have called me and have told me how much you meant to them, how special you made them feel. You truly made "the one" feel important and special.

You are my H E R O, I love you so much and will miss you dearly. But as I went to be with Grandma just after your passing, I felt your spirit so tangibly. You were watching over us then and I know your spirit is A L I V E and that you have stepped into a bigger sphere, and that you will watch closely over us, your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I pray that in my life, through service and faithfully living the GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST that I will show my gratitude to you for all your GOODNESS, your life of service and generosity.

I love you Grandpa.

My little girl is 8!

2010-08-13T20:49:00.001-07:00

There are so many special moments of childhood.

On July 24th, 2010 my little girl was baptized and she truly glowed.

I love this picture of Maddi and her Dad. How blessed I feel that Brian lives worthy to bless our children through his Priesthood, it brought a tear to my eye to watch him tenderly and ever so gently put her down under the water, and then kneel down beside her in the water to give her a big hug.

The pretty dress we picked out together online. I added the sleeves because she wanted to be modest. I love this girl!!

Pretty Auntie Jenny, who gave such a special talk on the Holy Ghost. I wanted to show Maddi's hair too, a friend in my Ward braided it for her and it looked beautiful.

i loved the pink sash and beautiful rosettes with ribbon at the back

so special to have many of the people who mean so much, aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins come to support her.

what a princess!

i love you Maddi

Fresh as a rainbow

Pure as the white snow

Bright as the sun's warm glow

Shiny and brand new

Sweet as the morning dew

A WHOLE NEW WORLD IS WAITING JUST FOR YOU.

(lyrics from a song by Cheryl Davidson that I used to sing along to as a little girl)

I love my Grandparents so much. They came to support Maddi and our family and we are forever grateful that they would come and share in this special day. WE LOVE YOU!

We gave Maddi her first scriptures with a darling case. She was thrilled.

The 2nd Birthday cake for Maddi, made by Aunt Melissa. Mmmmmm it was so delicious!

Blowing out the candles after a long and eventful day. Earlier in the morning Maddison was in the Magrath parade on a float for Melissa's School of Ballet. She loved every minute wearing full make-up for the event.

Truly a Day to Remember

Amazing to think that she was washed clean of all sin, that for a little while she is pure and free of any stain. I pray that her testimony of the Savior will continue to grow and that she will rely on the special gift she was given. . . . ALL HER LIFE.

2010 WILLIAMS REUNION ~ Lake 5 Memories!

2010-08-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Post Bumper Boats. Fun for most, except for the 4 and under innocent passengers who took the brunt of the water guns.

Brian the seriously competitive GO-CART racer. He found the fastest car, I mean he has seriously mad skills and should think about changing careers! (ha ha)

If you have questions/concerns about this picture, well. . .

all I can say is WHITE ELEPHANT. There have been a few times in my life when I have given in to excess laughter. Well that night truly tops them all!!! SUCH GOOD TIMES!

Mmmmm delicious fruit (see below)

These two were pretty glad to have made it to the TREE together. So cute!

For our Family Home Evening, we had the kids experience Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. It was so fun to watch the kids put on their blind folds to experience the "mists of darkness, " to have them then hold to the iron rod as they passed by the Great and Spacious Building. Sarah and Jenny were mocking and making us all feel ashamed!!!( haha) Well I guess except for Scott and Josh who were bringing up the rear and literally let go of the rod to follow after these "hotties."

No denying it Josh and Scott I've got it all on video, although I guess I can't blame you. I really think the kids thought it was pretty great. To see them all enjoy the "fruit" ( their sugar powdered donut) was worth it all!

what I wouldn't give to see a picture taken of those little faces from Jenny and Sarah's angle. Now that would be Priceless!

The best times were when we could just sit around and do nothing.

Jenny and Nadine camping becomes you both, you look beautiful.

I love this lady and holding Anderson for the first time truly brought a tear to my eye. He is the sweetest little boy!

Sisters are the greatest. I love you Sarah and Jade.

Such a Fun Filled Week we had a LAKE 5 with all the WILLIAMS FAMILY!

I LOVE YOU ALL and can't wait for next year

Daughter of a King

2010-07-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

If a daughter of a king, then also a

P R I N C E S S

i believe it.

just looking into this sweet little girls face my heart is about to burst.

i love her.

i am so blessed to be her mother.

i want her to always remember who she is.

a princess.

a daughter of royal birth.

i watched her follow her KING this past weekend.

my little girl, our princess,

chose to be baptized a member of the

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

she was washed clean and pure.

she was blessed by her Heavenly King through priesthood power,

with a precious gift.

the gift of the holy ghost.

i love this special little princess.

she is such a fine young lady.

so kind, and fun-spirited, so active and strong.

she loves deeply and i am so blessed to be her mother.

i know she was ready to be baptized.

i know she made the decision for herself.

she is growing a testimony of Jesus Christ,

and i am so proud of her decision to follow

Him

and her KING!

WITH GLOWING HEARTS!!!

2010-07-23T18:58:00.001-07:00

We started summer off with a bang! It was so much fun to be at Echo Lake with Brian's family. I made this cake to celebrate CANADA DAY! Even though we were in the states we sang our Anthem and set off a bunch of firecrackers! Will was really into it this year, which of course makes a Mother very nervous. No major damage done, except for a few sore fingers (minor burns).

I love everything about living in CANADA, my "True North Strong and Free!" I feel that our time in the United States taught us much and I have my dear friends to thank for their fine examples of patriotism. So many times I was amazed at the respect and love that Americans have for their country. I love that I have two little Americans in my home, the 4th brings back many memories of our time in the US with such wonderful people.

Here are a few pictures of our fun week at the Lake and all that we did together.

to name a few:

we caught turtles

played games

ate a lot of junk!!!

went shopping

ate ice cream (every night)

went waterskiing, kneeboarding and tubing

jumped on the trampoline

filled water balloons

set off firecrackers

visited with family

read stories

made memories .....we love echo lake!

Faces of Father

2010-06-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

Fathers are the greatest friends. I am so grateful to my Father, for the friendship that we have. So many times in my youth, his encouraging words, simple hugs and confidence in me gave me strength. I love you Dad. Your love helped me come to feel and better understand the perfect love of my Heavenly Father, giving my life purpose, direction and joy.

I am a lucky girl to be married to such a good hearted, simple, strong, faithful, committed MAN. He is the reason we have a large family. A real tribute to him was recently, as he managed to coach both Ethan and Will's soccer teams while working full time, it was a real juggling act some days, but he always had a smile for those kids, always an encouraging word . . . AND HE IS LOVED FOR IT. Many of the parents were heard saying "Everyone says our kids have the BEST COACH!" Brian has a way with children to make them feel empowered, like they can do anything they put their minds to, he makes each one feel special(aren't my kids the luckiest). After the last game, many of the parents approached me privately and asked me to personally thank Brian for helping their child have fun and become more confident in themselves.

I love so many things about this Good Man in my life. He truly is my best friend. I can talk to him about anything, and he grounds me and helps me to see the positive and to look for the good around me.

I love these pictures. As I look at each one I see the many FACES of a Father. I love you Mr. Boehme.

11th Anniversary in Waterton

2010-06-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

Fancy Birthday TEA!

2010-05-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

For Emma's birthday this year we wanted to have a Fancy Tea Party.

For weeks before the party we started collecting tea cups and saucers and we even found a tea pot. It was really fun to involve Emma and Maddison in all the planning, we had so much fun together in our thrift store adventures, discovering all sorts of treasures and trying on fancy hats, shoes and dresses!

As a result the party was perfectly F A N C Y!

Emma was pronounced the Queen of THIS tea party with a sparkling tiara!

Her Fancy-Free Friends!

I loved this picture I snapped of Emma through the mirror, she is one special princess!

We had a make-up station, they were so thrilled to have eye shadow, lipstick and blush.

Of course we didn't drink "Tea" we had fruit punch in our Tea Pot! It was so darling to watch them try to keep their pinkies up!!!

Only "fancy" cupcakes would do!

I love planning parties and this one was no different. I truly think I was more excited than Emma for her special party. The girls played "Musical Hat" which was so adorable to watch and it was a really fun afternoon. Maddison and Kate were our servers and Brian, Will, Ethan and Carter also helped with bringing out the "fancy" snacks and dessert. I loved watching them, white gloved, help themselves to the dainty dishes of sweets set around the table. The girls decorated wands, and then Emma used her wand to chose whose present to open.

It was tough to watch this party come to an end. Taking in the childhood wonder is so enchanting. I just don't ever want it to end.....childhood that is. Yet it seems now that my sweet Emma is 4, she is growing and changing every day. I cherish these moments, for I know they are fleeting and won't last. I pray that I will have no regrets, as I live fully in each moment that motherhood brings.

Yesterday Emma was drawing a picture, while I was reading. I looked up as she placed her picture over my book and said "Look Mom, you're the only one who can reach the stars!" In her picture I had extremely long legs and took up almost the entire page. We giggled together and since I have thought much about her words. It is like those words indicate her belief in who I am striving daily to become. Its like she is saying, keep reaching, Mom. What you love, I'll love too, whatever your passion is, that will be my passion too. OF all the things I want Emma to love and be passionate about, NUMBER ONE. . . . . is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the way I live has everything to do with how my children will live. I hope that in my example, my love, my teaching, that they will come to love the Savior as deeply and completely as I do. For without him I am nothing, and without him they will be lost.

I'll keep reaching for those stars Emma!

I AM THE LUCKIEST

2010-05-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

11 years ago a very special man took me to a very special place.

~ and in these 11 years we have labored to build our eternal family, now 7 strong, we feel so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for temple ordinances, for millions of moments together and for each child that has brought such lasting joy and perspective to our lives ~

Will maddison Ethan emma Seth

My memories of this day are so clear, even eleven years later. I remember missing so much my DEAREST sister JennyAnne who less than one year earlier had introduced me to the man I would marry, on a blind date if you can believe it! Sisters are truly one of lives greatest GIFTS, and I feel so grateful that I have a sister that knew me so totally and completely that she thought Brian and I would be a good match. I remember the timing of our first date and wondered if I was doing the right thing, I was kind of on the rebound!!! But Jenny knew, to this day I'm not sure how, but I am eternally grateful for the man that came into my life, because of her.

His goodness changed it forever!

I remember feeling like time stood still, and all that I could see was Brian and I and our eternal lives together. I remember the incredible promises of our Temple Sealing.I remember feeling awe and gratitude that we could become all those things, even exalted Kings and Queens.

AND BRIAN has always treated me like his QUEEN, and he has kept his promises:

to make me laugh every day

to lift me up

to kiss me goodbye, or goodnight, or even hello!

to respect and cherish

to love and serve (endlessly)

to continually court (you should see the beautiful iguana roses i found with a love note on the kitchen table this morning)

to provide for our family ( you work so hard Brian and I love you for your passion for what you do, you are truly an expert in your field)

to work by my side, as equal partners ( i am the luckiest girl for this reason, there is nothing that he won't do around the house or in helping me with the children)

to protect and watch over our little flock with tenderness (and I don't mean our chickens)

to multiply and replenish the earth (some would say we have taken this one a little too seriously, hehe!)

to be my biggest fan and support

to honor his priesthood and role as husband and father

to become 1 ( one in purpose, one in unity, one flesh)

to be c l e a n, in mind and thought

to share his life with me through good times and bad, my sickness and his health!

(i know that is not quite how the saying goes, but truly i am the one that is always sick and Brian never catches a thing, maybe as we get older he'll pass on some of his immunity to me!)

to take me to the temple

to take my hand in his on Sunday walks

to sing to me (making my dreams come true)

to pray with me each night before bed

TO GROW OLD WITH ME

Brian sang "Grow Old With You" by Adam Sandler on our wedding day, below are the lyrics. I still melt when I think about him singing it to me, it was P E R F E C T. He is perfect for me. These past 11 years have been so wonderful, not that they have been perfect, but through it all we have grown closer in ways I never imagined possible. Marriage is truly a equal partnership and I feel so lucky to have such a g o o d m a n to spend eternity with. I AM THE LUCKIEST !

I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad
All I wanna do is grow old with you

I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks
Oh it could be so nice, growing old with you

I'll miss you
Kiss you
Give you my coat when you are cold

Need you
Feed you
Even let ya hold the remote control

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
Put you to bed if you've had too much time to think
Oh I could be the man, who grows old with you
I'm gonna grow old with you

5.07.1999

Sunday Walks and Forts

2010-04-29T20:39:00.000-07:00

Most Sundays we go for a walk on the farm. Last Sunday the weather was so beautiful and we enjoyed a beautiful walk along the tree line. The kids with the help of their cousins have built forts in these old trees. There is a

B O Y fort and of course one for the G I R L S. The children love to play out their and in so many ways it is like their "Terabithia," their own little world.

enjoy the pictures

April Showers

2010-04-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

A P R I L

has been a busy month.

e a s t e r

AND

t w o special b i r t h d a y s

it is the cutest thing in the world to hear the pitter patter of little feet coming toward me and to look up and see my baby, my little man, walking around the house, truly enjoying the freedom of his new accomplishment. what is it that is so adorable about a little person when they are learning to walk? could it be that is is one of those milestones that immediately changes the way that you look at your child, like watching them with new eyes, experiencing true joy as they grow and become a little stronger a little smarter . . . . . a little more independent?

i once heard a quote that i can't remember perfectly but it went something like this, " You know you've succeeded as a parent when your children don't need you anymore." In all that we do we are teaching, guiding and hopefully inspiring our children to find their own wings, to see all that is good within, and to learn how to govern themselves. Yet as a Mother sometimes it seems that in those very moments when i know i have succeeded because my child doesn't need me as much, or at all, my "mother" heart aches because of how much i will miss being "needed."

Just as the rain as fallen in a steady shower for the past 2 days,

M O T H E R H O O D has showered me with true

J O Y. This life of service to my sweet children and my husband leaves me so utterly and completely tired most days, and yet somehow in all the love, sweat and tears i am filled . . . it is like this is what my soul was eternally made to do. i know this is what makes us as daughters of God, the Lord's secret weapon. i am so grateful for the knowledge i have of who i am, and always have been, and for the desire i have to become what the Lord wants me to be.

The s h o w e r of love and light I feel from my Savior gives me hope that with his help I can become the mother, daughter, sister, friend and wife that he needs me to be

Mr. Seth's Birthday

2010-04-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

he loved every minute in S U G A R L A N D!

Celebrating ONE!

2010-04-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we celebrated 1

1 little blond, wispy haired boy

1 very special year to cherish (oh how i wish i could relive every moment)

1 very special birthday for our sweet little Seth

As I think about the day that Seth was born and that incredible journey called birth that we shared together. There was something so special, almost spiritual that I experienced in my delivery with this very special little man. I remember feeling so honored, so very lucky as I held him for the first time and those deep penetrating eyes looked up at me, looking into my heart and soul. I cherish those first moments when it was as if my sweet child so innocent, so pure was thanking me for a "pleasant trip," his eyes truly seemed to say "I'm home, this isn't so bad!"

As I've watched my sweet, chubby little man grow over these past 12 months, I've felt so grateful for the thousands of moments that are forever embedded upon my heart.

A new milestone during the week of his birthday, Seth just started walking! Wednesday he took 6 steps and today I think we are up to 15 or so. I love watching this little person accomplish such amazing things. He is experiencing a new world from a whole new angle and I love watching the wonder on his face and the pure joy in his eyes as he makes it a little farther than yesterday.

J O Y fills my heart as I experience Motherhood for the 5th time.

Just 1 little boy brings such love, such light and such wonder into even an ordinary day.

I love you Sethy boy

Here are a few of our precious moments this past year

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

a moment in T I M E

2010-04-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

oh sweet darling emma you've grown up so fast

on this fine Sunday afternoon, my girls danced around in their beautiful Sunday dresses and these darling umbrellas and we enjoyed the sunshine and a day on the f a r m

Easter Sunday j o y

2010-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

S U N D AY was a wonderful day.

It started with the warm sunshine beating down in my sunny, country yellow kitchen.

As the kids slowly woke up one by one i watched them open their easter baskets that were lovingly placed at the foot of their beds.

w i l l, e t h a n and s e t h, then m a d d i, and last of all

e m m a

It was nice to have time with each of them and to watch them enjoy their little treasures

Then we watched General Conference, which was such a spiritual F E A S T. I have such wonderful children who all gathered around our kitchen table to listen to the Apostles and our beloved Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. There was such a special feeling in our home as we dressed in our best and gathered together to be taught and to feel the spirit.

After lunch we went outside to take a few pictures (I'll post), then we had a delicious meal that Grama Sharon and Grampa Dave and Great Aunt Carol came to enjoy with us.

here are a few pictures of our special day:

hunting for eggs

2010-04-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

getting all the b i g cousins ready for the hunt, we had fun hiding the eggs in difficult places and even now a few days later have happened on a few that were hidden all too well

gotcha w i l l, he doesn't like the camera much these days so i have to be sneaky

an egg for m a d d i

will the monkey, getting that egg way up in the tree

these girls have so much fun together

and she's off!

miss teagan (Doug's Girlfriend) she was great to help with Seth while Brian and I ran around with all the hunters

cute 5 and under b o e h m e cousins

two little buddies e t h a n & d a r i n

i love this picture of e m m a

baskets filled

easter j o y

the 5 and under easter egg hunt

such fun when all the cousins come to the f a r m

i love e a s t e r

i got the cutest pictures of the girls in their easter dresses, i'll post soon

2010-03-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

wow, i need a tan!

in this one you can see the orange hue! special isn't it

so what is your vote, platinum or carrot top?

in some ways i am amazed that i went for it!!! i have always played it very safe when it comes to my hair. but it will grow back . . .

and oh, the roots i will have then!

emma thinks i'm beautiful

maddi likes the change

ethan still thinks i look like his mom

and will, well . . . "he thinks i looked better before, no seriously!" (lately he adds that to every comment, it's kind of cute)

and brian, he loves me no matter what color my hair is . . . but i think when your husband starts looking through pictures and comments on other hairstyles you once had saying, "your hair was pretty blond then Em!" i am thinking he likes the more natural blonde look. but hey, i never would have known that if i hadn't gone for it.

2010-03-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

it snowed today but i'm dreaming in yellow. . . .

the warmth of sunshine

lemons

dandelions

daisies

pineapple

goldfish

bumble bees

butterflies

daffodils

bananas

a perfect sunset

me!

you may be wondering how my name made the list, well it is my dream, and so of course i am in it, and in my dream i have the most beautiful platinum blonde hair.

well some dreams come true

and others you wake up and look in the mirror and that beautiful platinum blonde hair doesn't look quite as platinum.

in fact

you were once dreaming in the perfect shade of blonde and now everything has taken on a slightly orange hue

and yes i do mean my hair!

i'll post pics soon, it's worth the suspense i promise.

happy spring

2010-03-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

a sweet little voice keeps asking me the same sweet little question

"mom . . . . when is it going to be spring?"

my answer is always the same.

"soon emma, soon."

2010-03-13T22:04:00.001-08:00

today was a good day

brian took maddi and will skiing at castle mountain for the first time.

they loved it.

i wish I could have been there. ( I'll post some pics soon)

but i stayed home with the younger three and we cleaned the house, i mean under the bed burrowing clean, and then we went swimming together.

we played sharks and pirates and seth was the cutest shark.

emma and ethan are such little fish, they love the water.

i love spending time with my little ones.

they grow so fast and i truly enjoy every stage . . . .

but there is something about a 3 and 5 year old mixed with water that is just so magic.

hmm . . . what do you think of this buns and water mix?

i love those cute little cheeks

i love every thing about this girl

the smartest, sweetest, kindest little man I know

MY VALENTINE

2010-02-25T09:40:00.000-08:00

ALMOST 11 YEARS TOGETHER

and "Your all I need my love, my Valentine!"

We got dressed up for a Stake Adult Dance and had a fun evening together, kick'in up our heels!

Even if we didn't know what we were doing, we went out there and had fun together. So many couples were there just sitting along the walls, but me and my man, WE DANCED ANYWAY!

Even if we were stepping on eachother's toes and making fools of ourselves, AREN'T WE ALL FOOLS IN LOVE?

a SUPER Birthday!

2010-02-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY was a special day for our family

of course their is all the "hype" of the big game, but more than that we celebrated a very special "ALLSTAR.!

The kids call him Daddy, and I call him Babe, sweetie, and Bri!

Brian was excited to share his birthday with the SUPER BOWL and was so PUMPED that his favorite team the New Orleans SAINTS, would be in the big game.

As I was thinking about what kind of a cake to make, i thought it would be fun to make him part of the big game in a way. So this is the cake I came up with. A New Orleans Team Jersey with the big numbers on it!!!!

Can you believe he is 35? I don't think he looks a day older than 20!

I love you Brian and feel like the luckiest girl to have you in my life. I am and always will be your #1 fan and cheer leader!!

We started the day off for Brian with breakfast in bed, here is a sample!

happy birthday Brian!

And ended the day with a PARTY!

Getting ready to light the candles

the flames are lit! Birthdays are so fun!

LATER. . . . . .

. . . . . . . when the kids were all in bed i had something special planned.

Brian had recorded the game and so we had a candlelight picnic on our living room floor with some fun "game" food, potato skins and mozerella sticks and sparkling cider, and I gave Brian his presents. I wrote him a special love note with 35 things I love about him (THANKS FOR THE IDEA REGAN) and bought him some cologne, a new shirt and a few essentials. We had such a fun time together and i hope my MAN felt special on his SPECIAL DAY!

I LOVE YOU BRIAN BOEHME

nothing like a fun night at home together, GOTTA KEEP THE FLAME ALIVE!!!

Snowflakes are little miracles

2010-02-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

what is it about a snowflake that makes us stop and admire with wonder and awe?

One morning as emma and i looked outside we were amazed with the beauty before us. everything the eye could see was covered with snow. . . .but as we looked closer we realized it wasn't plain old snow, everything was covered in SNOWFLAKES. all the trees branches, roof tops, fences and benches, even the antenna of our van was lined with these beautiful little masterpieces.

snowflake fact

*no two snowflakes are alike

*yet each is magnificently symmetrical and intricate

*snowflakes are a form of water ice formed around a spec of dust

whenever you see snowflakes you are seeing millions of little miracles, at least that is how emma and i felt this magical morning in Feburary.

we caught them on our tongues

they got caught in emma's hair and on her eye lashes

just look at that winter wonderland

how perfect that she has snowflakes on her coat too!

magnificent isn't it?

my sweet girl

we gathered up some of the fluffly white stuff and made homemade snow cones with strawberry syrup. i was a delicious treat and a perfect way to end a magical morning together.

this moment of motherhood was heaven sent

i love my you my sweet emma

2010 Cub Car Rally

2010-02-25T08:06:00.000-08:00

it is an exciting day for a 9 year old when the annual cub car rally comes to town!
here is will sporting his car and his award for

most dazzling detail

it really was a fun filled evening, the kids were all there to cheer will on.

ethan was so excited for his big brother and wanted him to win so bad, the excitement was almost more than a 5 year old could bear.

in the first few heats wills car did really well, he won or got second place in most of them.

these boys are so competitive so it was nice to remind will that he was there to have fun too!

here will is just trying to cool his car down, cause it was "smok'in"

on your mark

get set

GO!

the boys had so much fun and even though wills car didn't win the race this year it seems that every year his car gets a little faster. . . . . so fairmont ward better watch out, we'll be ready for next year!

the detail is pretty dazzling isn't it.

most of the credit goes to dad, staying up until all hours of then night to get it just perfect.

Miss Maddison

2010-02-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

i am so proud of this hard working girl

she has jumped an entire year of ballet to be with her age group

she has dance two nights a week, and miss melissa says she is really working hard and it is paying off. can't wait for the end of the year production of the little mermaid

DATE NIGHT

2010-01-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

We usually go out on a date, just the two of us, on F R I D A Y S

But we thought it would be fun to have a family date. I did the girls hair and asked them all to dress up a little. A few responses were "Why, it isn't Sunday?" I reminded them that when I go out with Daddy I try to make it special by dressing a little nicer and taking the time to look my best. The girls were all for it, I even got suckered in to letting them wear a little

l i p s t i c k

We ate out at the K E G

We had a really pleasant evening together. I prepped the kids before hand reminding them of good manners and told them that the best compliment I could get would be to have a total stranger comment on how well behaved my children were, to see the good that I see every day, not just "W O W 5 kids." ( We know what the wow means)

To my astonishment as we were leaving a nice couple that was seated right beside us said, "Wow what well behaved children, and 5 of them!" I saw the smiles this created on my children's faces.

WE HAD SUCH A LOVELY EVENING TOGETHER

I love the look on Emma's face in this picture, oh, and Ethan's

Last Sunday before all the S N O W melted we thought we should create our own snowman. Brian was at meetings and we had so much fun together

"The family that plays together stays together"

(I know that is not the original quote but I really think it is true as well)

GOING OUT?

2010-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

Brian gave me some M A C makeup for Christmas

This is a new technique called C A N D L E L I G H T

I thought it was a really fun look. What do you think?

loving the sephora liquid liner too

NOW

2010-01-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

S E T H

Just cherishing. . .

the look you give me when you wake up and want only me!

the sweet little giggles

when you learn something new, to clap or to wave

the sweetness that is YOU

( Sorry it's a bit grainy)

THEN

2010-01-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

Just remembering ....

the sweet smell of newborns

the softness of your skin

the newness of your spirit

your innocence and purity

Some HoLiDaY Highlights!

2009-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

Acting out the N a t i v i t y is always a highlight of our Christmas Traditions. Emma was such a sweet Mary and Ki, the perfect Joseph. If your wondering, Maddison was a sheep. We loved getting together with my family and missed so much our Colorado cousins and Aunts and Uncles. Some day soon we will all be together for Christmas.

PJ the Elf always brings a surprise and this year he brought each of the children

NEW ROBES!

Thanks PJ!

Maddison sang several cute songs at her Christmas concert.

This one was called the Teddy Bear Twist, isn't she cute! She sang her heart out.

Our Christmas traditions wouldn't be complete without making G I N G E R B R E A D houses. They all turned out so cute. It was perfect that Jordan and Doug and his girlfriend came over to help the kids, we definitely didn't have enough hands to help them all.

Christmas was wonderful this year.

It is so fun to be S A N T A

I love the excitement in sleepy eyes as they see what Santa has left for them under the tree.

Emma was so precious this year as she stumbled out of bed and into the living room, her expression was pricless!

We made sure to drag it out as long as possible and weren't finished opening gifts until after lunch on Christmas day. (More pictures to come)

Will's Christmas concert was a lot of fun to behold!!

In this number he is singing a song called Elvis Elf!

Every year I bake gingerbread men for the tree. It has become one of our families greatest traditions to see how many WHOLE gingerbread men we have left at the end of the year! I thought this years boys and girls turned out especially cute with their little candy cane hearts and buttons. With our real Christmas tree and these spicy creations our house was filled with the wonderful smells of Christmas for the whole month of DECEMBER. All who entered commented on how good it smelled!

Ethan was the star of his Christmas concert with amazing dance moves that wowed us all! He didn't hold anything back as he did what he calls the "skadoosh dance" (use your imagination) One of the teachers told me "Ethan is quite the dancer, you should have seen him earlier today, it was borderline obscene!" I am sure she doesn't quite know Kung Fu panda like we do and obviously has her mind in the gutter, he is 5!

Anyway he was adorable and we promise to upload the video clip.

So stay tuned.

In my spare time (amazingly I found some) before the holidays hit, I finished this quilt for my brother Joel and sister in law Regan's new baby boy A N D E R S O N. I thought it turned out beautiful. I hope it is wrapped lovingly around that sweet boy like I wish my arms could be. I still haven't seen him yet, but I hope to soon!

Behold your little ones!

2009-12-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

children truly make Christmas magical.....

last night Emma couldn't sleep. . . . .

"I had a yong nap Mom, " she says to me, looking at me up through those big, deep blue eyes. What is a Mom to do? Enforce bedtime or take an opportunity to cuddle, snuggle and get cozy on the couch by the light of the Christmas tree with a darling little 3 year old who won't be 3 much longer. I love those precious moments of motherhood that you just wish would last for eternity......maybe they will? In my Mother HEART, the spirit whispers THEY WILL, millions of moments will be ours for all eternity if we endure to the end and live with

J O Y!

merry christmas Mothers!

the best day with you

2009-11-28T22:03:00.001-08:00

i just have to say

today was a good day

i love saturdays.

designer waffles made with love by my good man

(how you my ask, by turning plain old waffles into little masterpieces, princesses, horses, swords and diamonds)

we worked around the house

and

it snowed!

A Happy Halloween

2009-11-04T10:27:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Halloween.

I loved that it was on a Saturday this year. It seemed like we had so much time to do make-up and get the costumes just right. We live in the country so we didn't do the traditional trick or treating, instead we got together at the church and enjoyed a "WINDY" trunk or treat!

Here are the kids costumes.

Isn't Will a scary Vampire?

I thought Emma was such a pretty "Good Witch!" She loved every minute of getting her makeup done. This little girl is so full of life and energy and she is growing and changing so much these days. I love every minute with her.

For those of you who have little girls and haven't seen BARBIE and the 3 Musketeers, you just have to see it. Maddi wanted to be Barbie, the Musketeer. We had so much fun doing Barbie style makeup and hair. Maddi is doing piano and ballet and jazz with her Aunt, Miss Melissa's School of Dance. She is keeping quite busy and loving school and the joys of reading. I can't believe that she will be baptized in less than a year. Daughters are such a blessing and fill life with such joy!

Now....introducing:

ETHAN THE MAGICIAN

This costume just suited Ethan's personality so well. He dressed up in it every day for a week before Halloween. I will post another picture of him pulling a bunny out of his hat, it is quite the trick! Ethan has started Kindergarten this year and is loving every minute of it. He has started reading and is such a smart little man. More than that he loves life and every day with him is a gift. I love my little "gamer" man, or should I say my little E-Man!

Will wanted to be a Vampire for Halloween and I loved that he wanted me to do his makeup so that he could really look the part. He was such a good sport and had a lot of fun with those fake fangs! He loved running around with his friends, several of whom were also Vampires!

Now we are just trying to keep the candy intake down so that we can stay healthy and avoid all the sickness that is going around. WE HOPE YOU ALL HAD A FABULOUSLY FRIGHTFUL HALLOWEEN!

A special day for a SPECIAL GiRl!

2009-10-02T08:53:00.001-07:00

She sure enjoyed the Party!

Can't believe she is

I love this sweet little lady.

Lately she has really grown up. She is such a great help for me with Seth. I love watching her play and giggle with him, she truly is a little ray of sunshine in my life.

My girl loves to DANCE and SING and play with her brothers and sisters. She is so caring and kind and makes friends easily, she loves all animals and BUGS! She has started loosing her teeth, and it is so fun to see that toothless grin. I LOVE YOU MADDI DAWN! I

My 5 Year old!

2009-10-02T08:38:00.000-07:00

Summer Birthdays are so much fun.

We decided to have a joint birthday for Ethan and Maddison. They both invited lots of friends and family and we had a blast swimming, slip n' sliding and eating cotton candy. It was a magical day.

Ethan really loved having a few friends from preschool and of course cousin Beau and Karl

Blowing out the candles

PLAYING CATCHUP

2009-10-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

It seems that lately things have been so busy with my little family that I have to choose very carefully what I spend my time on, obviously blogging hasn't been the top priority. I've been so busy with our garden this year.

preserving all these wonderful fruits and veggies is so much work, and yet as I see my food storage grow and my shelves fill with wonderful, delicious, healthy food.......

it just makes me smile

Here is taste of what I've been up to:

canning beans, dill pickles, chokecherry syrup, raspberry and strawberry jam, peaches and pears, SALSA, relish, tomatoes, apple sauce

AND

blanching beans, peas, squash, zuccini and peppers,

AND

making fruit leather

Here are some shots of summer fun, its hard to believe Winter is around the corner!

No Time, just pictures!

2009-07-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

Seth 2 months

Emma and Shadow

Me and my boy

growing boy

bath time

Life is good. Life is busy. We are loving the lazy days of summer, Echo Lake Montana and sleeping in......AND NO SCHEDULE! hOORAY!

Easter Blessings!

2009-05-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Luckily I was prepared in advance for Easter so when our sweet little boy arrived a couple days before all the fun, it wasn't too overwhelming.

My parents came down for the long weekend and we enjoyed our time together. Painting eggs, filling easter baskets, enjoying the beautiful spring weather and most of all giving thanks for our Savior. For his love, the giving of his life, and the gift of the atonement and resurrection. I do not think it a coincidence that we celebrate Easter during the season of --SPRING-- where new life is restored to all things waking from winter slumber.

i am so grateful for the new life I can have as I rely on my Savior Jesus Christ. Each day can be new because of the gift of the atonement.

So I give thanks for Easter Blessings. . . .and for the new life that has joined our family, our sweet Seth David Boehme and the new adventures of every day with Will, Maddison, Ethan and Emma!

Seth's first Easter egg

Precious TIMES!

2009-05-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Our precious little boy is growing so fast. He amazed us all at his 1 week check by weighing in at 9 lbs 9.5 oz. I don't even think his birth weight dropped at all!!! My days are spent taking care of this sweet little man's every need and loving every minute of it. One thing I know for certain...laundry and dishes can wait, because these little ones don't stay little long.

I am enjoying every minute with my chubby cheeked, sweet smelling, soft skinned, bright eyed, perfect little boy!

The newest big sister holding Seth for the first time

Will adores his little brother and is such a great helper

Maddi cuddling Seth

Ethan loving the little boy that he KNEW would come, there was no doubt in his mind that Heavenly Father was sending a little brother for him to love!

our little miracle!

2009-04-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

Seth David Boehme

April 8th, 2009

4:48am

9 lbs. 1 oz

21 inches

Our little man (did I just say little?) is finally here and what joy we feel at his arrival!

Here are some pictures!

2009-04-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

04.07.09

9:33pm

Emily's water broke

stay tuned!

Song Bird!

2009-04-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

Sarah....this one is for you!

Emma has always love the Barbie:Diamond Castle movie. You just have to sit down with Jade sometime and watch it, it is pretty cute. Emma loves all the songs. Here is just a taste of Emma in the spotlight!

Sunday's Super Hero

2009-03-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday's Super Hero ~aka~ Ethan!

i don't know what came over my children last night, but they came out of their rooms ready to put on a show. they were laughing and giggling and when i saw ethan i realized why!

my children really play well together and it is so fun to watch them make silly memories while they are young.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the SHOW!

surprise!

2009-03-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

still no baby yet!

isn't this a great one of me, wish I could say I am making that face because I am in labor!

Just a few round pictures of me, before I POP! Yes I am really trying to look happy and now you are all forced to make MANY comments about how great I look, how tiny I am AND SO ON!

I think there must be something up with my due dates. My original due date was April 10th....so I guess I could have another week or more of pregnancy to endure. However, my ultrasound date was 3 weeks 7 days off so the DR decided to bump my date forward to April 1st, 2009! I feel like my body is trying to surrender and yet this baby is not quite ready to come into the world yet! Gotta trust the process I guess, baby will come when he/she is good and ready!

I decided to remove the baby gadget that counted down the days so we all could be surprised together without counting DAYS! I for one, am going a little crazy with all the "what if's!" So.....wish me luck....say a little prayer like all my children do every day that ...."the baby will come SOON!"

Bread Day

2009-03-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

As you can see by my countdown I don't have much time left until I will have a sweet little baby in my arms. I am so excited to meet this precious little one, boy or girl. I have been feeling like it will be a girl, and Brian is pretty confident it is a boy.....to say the least we are a house divided! All the girls voting GIRL and all the boys voting BOY!

All my other babies were born at either 38 or 39 weeks so it could be anytime really.

So....

today I decided to be ambitious and have a bread day. A friend of mine shared a new bread recipe with me and as most of you know I LOVE MAKING HOMEMADE BREAD, no store bought bread in this country house! And so today I decided to make a big batch to hopefully last until I have this baby. My friend even shared a secret on how to make BAGELS. Mmmmmm, they are so delicious.

I think my favorite part about making bread is watching my kids come home from school on bread day and hearing....."Mommy it smells so good," "You made bread today Mom," "Oh Mom, I just love homemade bread." Then, pulling out the butter, honey, jam or peanut butter, gathering my sweet children around and enjoying a healthy, delicious afterschool snack together.

I hope long after they are grown they will remember these moments we shared together and when the sweet aroma of homemade bread fills a room, I hope it will fill their minds with memories of hOME.

My ballerina!

2009-02-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

Ballet toes!

This is Maddi's Aunt Melissa, her dance teacher

What a beautiful ballerina

Cousin Hillary working hard!

Just look at that form!

Maddison has truly loved taking dance from her Aunt Melissa. We drive out to Magrath every week, so it makes for a busy evening....but she really does love it and is working hard to learn ballet after doing 3 years of jazz! She loves being in the same class as her cousin Hillary, they have so much fun together.

Who is this guy?

2009-01-19T20:10:00.000-08:00

all i have to say....

is that i am impressed that my man can grow a full beard in less than 6 weeks.

we volunteered to be a part of the live nativity which is put on by the latter-day saint people every year as a gift to the community.....

i was mary

brian was joseph

will was a shepherd

this was such a special way to serve our community and be a part of something so much bigger than ourselves... we were reminded that this was the only time some people in the community hear the christmas story!

we loved every minute of rehearsal, costume, make-up (even if i was required to wear dangerous amounts of blue eye shadow) AND OF COURSE THE PERFORMANCE ITSELF!

......riding the donkey was exciting

okay truthfully it was a little scary!

the entire experience truly made me reflect, with gratitude, on the greatness of the christmas story, that mary did ride that donkey for 3 days to get to bethlehem, that jospeh loved mary deeply and did all he could to provide for them.....that the babe born that holy night was the CHRIST CHILD and he came to save the world from sin.

that perfect, little child has truly changed the world and can change our hearts if we will but make room for him.

Playing Catch up!

2009-01-19T19:57:00.001-08:00

The children took part in the cutest Christmas concert I have seen in a long time. It was called "A Country Christmas." We enjoyed so much watching them do their parts so well and must say that we love their little school. Small classes, huge playground, great teachers.....we feel blessed knowing that they will all get to spend their elementary years here!

A SPECIAL DAY!

2008-12-21T15:32:00.001-08:00

Our oldest son Will Scott Boehme was baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 22, 2008. It was such a special day for Will as he made the choice to follow in the footsteps of the Savior and be baptized into His church. There was a very special feeling as we gathered as family and friends to support Will on his special day. He was all smiles and I could tell he was excited and a little nervous too!

These pictures are all before his baptism. It was so busy trying to make sure everything was set with the program and the light dinner following the baptism.....these pictures are all we have of the special day.

I love all these little people, they make life so joyful. Truly "children are an heritage of the Lord." I am so grateful for my knowledge that through temple ordinances, families can be together forever.....I can't imagine forever without them!

I thought this was a nice family picture.....good thing, cause it was our only one!

Where in the world is Ethan?

. . .hiding of course!

Our special boy all grown up

Just the two of them.....best buddies!

Thank you to everyone who came to Will's baptism, we felt so blessed to be home for this special occasion and to have Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, cousins and friends there with us. Nothing can compare to the blessings of family so near, surrounding us with love and support and good examples. We love you all, thanks for all you do for us!

For those who couldn't be there, we missed you dearly and hope you feel our love!

Milestone for Emma!

2008-11-20T12:36:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love this sweet little girl. She brings so much sunshine into my life! Emma recently reached a big milestone for a 2 year old! SHE IS A BIG GIRL NOW! That's right, this pretty little girl who talks a mile a minutes is out of diapers and staying dry every day! We worked hard at it for about 2 weeks, with not many hopefull moments. I wondered if she'd ever be ready.....but out of the blue one day, she just decided that she wanted to use the toilet and she has been dry ever since.

As I look at these sweet pictures of Emma taken by my talented sister Jenny I feel so blessed to have the chance to be Emma's mother. She loves life and helps me to see every day through the eyes of an angel. Emma loves to sing, from the time she was talking she could be found singing in her crib. Emma loves to dance and play dress up, she is the perfect princess! Emma loves to talk, talk, talk, talk, talk and I love to hear all the adorable things she has to say....mostly! I love this girl and just felt I needed to dedicate this post to her, my sweet daughter.....my EMMA!

# 5 boy or girl?

2008-11-13T12:05:00.000-08:00

SO. . .many of you out there already know our good news about bAbY#5!

I feel badly that I haven't dedicated a post yet to this new life growing inside of me! I think sometimes life just takes over and things get so busy! For all who are wondering, we are finally getting settled here in Lethbridge. We love this beautiful City and look forward to raising our family here close to grandparents, cousins and Aunts and Uncles.

We found out we were pregnant right before our big move from Idaho and so we shared with dear friends there VERY EARLY.....our good news! Some would call me crazy, but I wanted to tell them in person and see the excitment in their eyes. How I miss my dear friends from Idaho! So to say that our move was exhausting is kind of an understatment because I was also pregnant and not feeling 100%!

But as things have settled down here, and we got the TWIN scare out of the way, I have loved all the changes that come with pregnancy! About a month ago I started feeling movement and it makes me feel so excited to meet this little one preparing to join our growing ARMY! I truly feel blessed to have the privilege of bearing children, they truly are the joy of my life. I also am so blessed to have the most wonderful husband who is always asking..."What do you need, what can I do, how are you feeling?" He is so considerate and kind and I feel so blessed to be married to such a good man!

When I had my first ultrasound a few weeks ago I got so emotional when I saw this little baby, as healthy as can be, wiggling around, sucking his/her fingers and so very alive inside me! A tear trickled down my cheek as I truly felt blessed for this great thing in our lives....another child to love and care for. I am sure I also shed a tear of joy because there was only ONE baby, no twins for me! The ultrasound confirmed that my dates were a little bit off and the technician said that the DR would probably bump my due date up a little...which is always good news. So they changed my due date from the 10th of April to the 1st! Of course I am speculating then that I could maybe have the baby the end of March sometime....but I have learned that wishing and hoping don't amount to much when you are 2 days away from your due date! That is the closest I have got to a due date so time will tell!

So I am once again trying to get used to pants that never stay up, bras that never quite fit, skin that is itchy, sore achy joints, restless nights and of course the frequent, long walks to the bathroom (where we are living now the bathroom is at the other end of a very big basement!) . But through it all I feel blessed. I love the little voices trying to talk to the newbaby, little hands wanting to touch my belly, waiting patiently for those little hands to feel a kick or sensation of life.

. . .So here we go again, just as I've got my sweet little Emma potty trained.....bring on the diapers and sleepless nights cause I'm having BABY # 5 and ready to do it all, all over again!

Oh and just for the record....this one is going to be a SURPRISE, we didn't find out if it is a boy or a girl! Ethan thinks it is all pretty "matter of fact" that it will be a BOY because of our order! What do you think?

A few more HALLOWEEN Favorites!

2008-11-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

I love this picture of BEAU!

Anneliese, Erika and Seraphina!

the crew

ethan with his "balloon bottom" stuck in his chair....he thought this was pretty creative!

If not for the stealthy cat always on the move, this would have been the perfect Trick or Treating shot at dusk!!!

Halloween FUN!

2008-11-11T20:10:00.000-08:00

Halloween was so much fun this year, the weather was amazing and the kids all had a "sPookTaCulaR" night! We had a few school Halloween parties early in the day and then we went to our Ward TRUNK OR TREAT! The kids got tons of candy and I didn't hear one of them complain that they were cold.....it was just perfect! Emma thought it was pretty awesome that all she had to say was TRICK OR TREAT and she'd get endless amounts of candy! By the time we reached our van her bucket was so heavy she was dragging it on the ground! I offered to help her carry it, but she gladly carried her load on her own!

Here they are:

emma- THE COWGIRL

ethan- THE CATERPILLAR!

maddi- Princess ANNELIESE

will- THE NINJA

emma very happy and protecting her loot!

our pumpkin carving tradition continues.....

so much fun together!

and here is Princess Anneliese and Erika.....the two singing beauties!

I have an 8 year old!!!!

2008-11-04T08:48:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that my oldest son just turned 8! It really does seem like yesterday that we were anticipating the birth of our first child. Will is such a special boy and it has brought us so much joy to watch him grow and develop into such a fine young man! Will loves to help with anything around the house and I have really started to rely on him for his help, he is also the best big brother!
I have watched him these past few months as we have tried to teach him much about baptism, this step that he will be taking this month to follow his Savior, Jesus Christ. I am amazed with how he loves the scriptures and can memorize the articles of faith so easily. I look forward to watching how his faith and testimony will grow as he continues to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ. WE LOVE YOU Will Scott Boehme and are so blessed to have you as our son!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILL......how great to be 8!

My handsome 8 year old!

A big "Tackle hug" for Uncle Josh

Auntie Jenny tied Will up in his streamers, there is always fun when she is around!

The crew eating ice cream sandwich cake and having a blast together.

Big thanks to Jenny and Josh for opening their home to us on October 28th, Will's actual birthday! The kids had so much fun being together and celebrating Will's birthday and I couldn't have done it without Jenny and Josh. They even watched the kids for an hour so we could have some much needed one on one time with Will on his special day! I love my sister, she is such a wonderful host and always up for a PARTY! Thanks Jenny and Josh, we love you guys!

~A much needed visit~

2008-10-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

One fine Sunday afternoon...we went and visited my Grandparents who are living in Raymond, AB about a 20 minute drive from where we live. My grandparents are so fun and full of life and they make me want to live every day to the fullest! Speaking of longevity my Grampa Williams will be 99 this December, just look at him doesn't he look awesome. Grama has always been a firecracker and I love spending time with her, she is 84 and looking amazing too!

It brings me such joy to be close to family again and to be able to share in these wonderful relationships with Grandparents! What an important role they have played in my life, I love them so much.

Grama shared an experience about her conversion to the church with us while we were there that Dad hadn't ever heard before, I thought it would be fun to record it for family to read.

As my Mom and I asked Grama when she joined the church she told us it wasn't until after her and Grampa were married and they had a few children. I asked her to tell us about her conversion, she said, " A bishop (I can't remember his name) was visiting with her and asked her specifically 'Doris, when are you going to be baptized', she replied, 'Bishop I don't think I'm good enough to be a member of your church.' The good Bishop continued and said, ' Doris you were a member of this church before you came to earth and you need to be baptized!'" She was baptized a short while later.

I thought this was such a neat story. I love my Grandparents and we had such a wonderful visit! The kids couldn't get enough of all her little trinkets and of course the chocolate and candies she had for them. FAMILY IS EVERYTHING

my Dad with his parents

the whole CREW

just look at those two love birds!

a truly cherished moment for me!

My birthday surprise! CHOP CHOP

2008-10-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

For my birthday my Mom and sister sent me to the salon for some pampering...but it was a SURPRISE!
Jenny showed up at the house and put this funny necklace around my neck that said "Its' my birthday...30, 30, 30! And then placed this flower wreath on my head~ She told me that I had to look on the card to find out where I was going and I absolutely had to wear this where ever I was going!

tHE NEW HAIR

MY CAKE!

What do you think.....good change?
It was long overdue!

the reflections of my heart---on my birthday

2008-10-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was such a spiritual feast as I and many of my family and friends of my faith had the opportunity to watch and listen to THE 178TH GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. What a special opportunity we had to hear a prophet of God speak to us, teach us and express his love and encouragment. President Thomas S. Monson is so dear to all church members, we respect and love him as God's servant upon the earth. As I watched I couldn't help but ponder the churches humble beginnings 178 years ago as Joseph Smith and a handful of saints organized the church in its fulness on the earth once again!
How grateful I feel to the Prophet Joseph for his leadership and for his example of faith and obedience to a loving Father in Heaven, and for giving his life for this great work! I love the words he spoke.."Shall we not go forward in so GREAT A CAUSE." And forward this church has gone, it has grown as Joseph prophecied and become a great force for good in the world. I FEEL SO HUMBLED AND BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THIS GREAT WORK. I know that as I live as I have been taught that I will be able to do my part, no matter how small or how great. I have a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that God the Father and his son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith when he was just a boy. That he received specific instruction to join none of the churches but that God had a great work for him to do, even in establishing the true church on the earth once again. I testify that Joseph saw and conversed with angels. To so many this seems impossible, but I know that with God nothing is impossible. And that he loves his children enough to give them truth, light and knowledge.....if we but ask in faith.

I testify that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God, as I read it's pages the holy spirit fills my heart and I know that it is of God and not of man. I thank a loving Heavenly Father for preparing a young boy to be such a magnificent instrument in bringing forth all the fruits of the restoration. The Book of Mormon, the priesthood restored to the earth, temple ordinances, the organization of the church of God on the earth with the truth of revelation to his servants the prophets, and the organization of the Relief Society, and so many more fundamental principles and doctrines that have blessed my life and brought me joy!

Today I am 30! And it is my tesimony of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that has made me who I am. How truly blessed I am to know that what I am doing every day matters, as a wife and Mother! I understand that in this great work mothers are the Lord's secret weapon. I have days that are discouraging and yet when I look at my beautiful children I begin to understand the breadth and depth of my Heavenly Fathers love for me. I am his daughter and because I have that knowledge I know that I can do "ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST, WHO STRENGTHENS ME!"

Today as I am one year older, I give thanks for the many privileges I enjoy as a daughter of God, as a wife and mother. God's sacred trust and confidence in me is the greatest gift!

BETTER late---than NEVER!

2008-10-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Back to School

my cute little preschooler!

so grown up and ready for school! The big grade 1

the leader of the pack...starting grade 2

i love the first day of school, the excitemtent, the crisp smell of new clothes and school supplies AND OF COURSE THE CLASSIC PICTURES INFRONT OF THE HOUSE!

Just look at that cute little staircase of kids--from 2-4-6 and almost 8!

Home sweet Home...the land that I love!

2008-09-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

A few pictures for our Idaho friends of Southern Alberta.

more wide open spaces

wheat field and rainbow

The Boehme farm....where we now live

The Boehme Farm...at sunset

*We moved home to Lethbridge, Alberta Canada on 08.02.2008!*

We loaded up the UHAUL on Friday, Aug. 1st, and did all the cleaning in one evening. Thank you to each of you for your help with that crazy day! No one can move on their own and we felt so blessed for all the hands that helped in so many ways.

We stayed at the Campbells home overnight (thanks guys for all the memories) and then got up the next morning and were on our way by 9:00am. The trip was long and tiring, but as we crossed the border into Canada I was filled with a wonderful peaceful feeling that the timing was right and that after 5 years of being away. . .we were home to stay.

2008-09-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

SAYING GOOD-BYE!

tia, I miss you

ethan misses you sydne!

i just had to take a picture of this. at the beginning of the summer WILL ran outside saying "mom, i'm planting a potato!" i didn't think much of it, but, faithfully, everyday he went outside and watered his potato. pretty soon it started to grow, it was amazing! this picture was taken the last day we were at our house loading the uhaul and cleaning. i just had to capture the tlc that went into growing such a fine potato plant. i wonder if the new owners know what a potato plant looks like???

dawn. dana. megghan. cassie....a group of very special women, dear friends

the Acors. bobby jo (I miss you)

kimm and erin, thanks for all the fun!

sydne ....miss you girl!

To all our dear friends in Idaho....we hope you know what an impact you've had in our lives. We love you and miss you all so much. The special memories we've shared are sealed in our hearts forever. WE LOVE YOU ALL, AND MISS YOU!

-July Trip to Island Park-

2008-09-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

as we walked in fields of gold

my dear friend andrea ploehn invited our family to island park for a weekend. i was so amazed with how beautiful that country is. we had a wonderful time together and i couldn't resist stopping at this beautiful field of flowers to take pictures of the kids. they could have played in them for hours.

friends are like flowers--they make life so much sweeter.

i love you and miss you andrea. thank you for your friendship and for this wonderful memory i will always cherish of island park with you and your family.

July 4th MY AMERICAN GIRL!

2008-07-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

I got Emma all dressed up for the 4th, she looked so cute in her red, white and blue!

Look at our little gardener!

Dirt is fun!

I love you, sweet Emma!

Two little budds, playing in the dirt!

GO DIEGO Party for Ethan and Maddi!

2008-07-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

We decided to do a combined party for Maddi and Ethan this year on Ethan's birthday JULY 19th! I was at Girls Camp for Maddi's birthday and so I tried to make all the games, decorations and cake extra fun! Ethan and Maddi invited a few friends each and we had ton of fun.

nickjr.com had some really fun DIEGO crafts, including these Baby Jaguar masks! The kids loved them!

Here is the cake!

We played a cute game with these masks on where the children were paired up, blindfolded and they had to spin in a circle and then find their partner by touching people asking them to "Roar Jaguar roar!" The object of the game was to find their baby/mother by listening to the voice of the person touched and guessing right! Confusing I am sure, but it was a blast!

The kids at the part. We missed all those who couldn't come! Summer is a busy time, and we missed you!

"ALL ABOUT MOM" TAG....answered by Maddison

2008-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Some of my friends have been doing this and it is such a cute idea! Thanks Michelle and Mer! Here is what Maddi had to say about ME!

1. what is something mom always says to you? " thank you"

(I guess I am not as big of a nag as I thought)

2. what makes mom happy? "when I make her laugh"

3. what makes mom sad? "when I yell at her"

4. how does mom make you laugh? "she tickles me"

5. what was mom like as a child? "hmmm....short hair, blue eyes, light skin and very quiet"

(I thought this was pretty cute, the physical description is right on, but I was very opossite from quiet)

6. how old is your mom? "30"

(I'll be 30 in October)

7. how tall is your mom? " I don't know about 15 inches"

(hilarious, I am a little fairy!)

8. what is her favorite thing to do? "play tennis"

(this is funny because a few weeks ago we went and played tennis with another couple and the kids ran around and played, I think that was the first time she's ever seen me play tennis)

9. what does your mom do when you're not around? "play with Ethan"

10. if your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? "singing"

(in my dreams Maddi, only in my dreams)

11. what is your mom really good at? "serving people at dinner"

(i am so glad that dinner time is a positive memory for her, I can't admit the same most days!)

12. what is your mom not very good at? "yelling and baseball"

(I love that those two words are in the same thought!)

13. what does your mom do for her job? "she stayes at home and cleans"

(lately with our house for sale cleaning does feel like a full time job!)

14. what is your mom's favorite food? "pizza"

(now, I think that is Maddi's favorite food!)

15. what makes you proud of your mom? "she worked really hard at swimming"

(I think she is referring to my triathlon)

16. if your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? "Aurora from Sleeping Beauty"

17. what do you and your mom do together? "jump on the trampoline"

18. how are you and your mom the same? "we have the same hair and eyes"

19. how are you and your mom different? "I have a big beauty mark on my leg"

20. how do you know your mom loves you? "she gives me kisses and hugs"

I had to really try to keep her attention towards the end, she wanted to be done answering questions!

I LOVE YOU MADDISON! Maddison tags Joyce, Mallory, Ki, and her brother Will!