Tumbling Tike

Reagan's Tumbling Review was this week and as her class did summersaults down the mat, she rolls with the best of them. We even called her "flipper" for a while earlier this year because she didn't want to walk through the house, only flip, especially if she had her ever-wearing tu-tu on. Anyway the next round down the mat were cartwheels, and I had no idea her class was all doing these. Here comes Reag's, both hands above her head high, toe-pointed, hands go down, body goes.... well not really over the top, more of a side hop with both feet while hands are planted firmly on the mat. She then finishes big by standing tall again, both hands up high as though she's won a gold medal for her performance :) This goes on ALL the way down the mat. Not one complete cartwheel bless her heart, but no lack of effort or sense of accomplishement on her part. We're so proud of you Reagy-Roo!

A refill run to Nashville

In high school my friends and I would often go for a "refill run" to Walkers or Conoco to get a nightly beverage. Not sure my parents ok'd that much soda, but for the most part, the social out of going, chatting, and coming home seemed a safe enough bet for keeping out of trouble. Well fast-forward almost 20 years (yikes I'm getting old) and Adrienne and Molly and I all live in 3 different states with 16 kids amongst the 3 of us. They come to Utah most summers and we meet for lunch at a park, but finally decided it was long past due for a real visit. So earlier this year we planned a few days to fly to Nashville to see Molly. She and Shae are stationed near the Clarksville Army base, and ironically after our trip was booked he was deployed to Irag. So at least we'll get to break up her "single-mom" stint with our visit. Hope it helps!

Adrienne and I would meet in Chicago and fly on to Nashville together, that was the plan. Mine as a little "delayed" as the airport would call it, I ended up landing Saturday instead of Friday, but finally caught up with the girls for dinner out and a laughter-filled evening at the Grand Ole Opry! What a great show, longest running radio program in the country. You can't argue that truth when Little Jimmy Dickens appears on stage in his 90 yr old glory. All 4'11" of him, he was a hoot! We laughed and drove home to stay up til 2 am laughing and catching up like we finished high school yesterday. The next day was more of the same, throw in our old ritual of Sunday night brownies even some 7-layer dip and some pretty kickin taquitos.... more chatting til 3 am, and then a bit of shopping on our way back to the airport on Monday and you can call it a trip. So fun to be together, to talk about family and lives as adults, and then flip right back to highschool humor and old friends we all remember. It was just fun! Thanks girls, can't wait for the next go!

Bailey’s 8 and she’s oh so great!

I'm sooo behind on blogging I'm firmly committed to making amends starting next week :) to get caught up. In the meantime, there are some events just so monumental that they have to be noted.... and while birthdays in general should always fall into that category, Bailey turning 8 is one of those moments for her Mom too. I can't believe that the little girl I anxiously awaited for so many months to arrive, came and flew right through eight full years of life in the blink of an eye. Time moves so fast and I wish I had a pause button, today is worth pausing.

So miss Bailey Sue, my oldest daughter... today I take just a minute to tell you how proud I am of you, what an amazing daughter you are to me and how much I love you! You are such a great helper to me, so often with a sure, or ok... whether its to pick up this, help Aly with that, finish your homework, go downstairs for that, play that with Reag's... the list goes on and on. You have you're moments, everyone does, but overall you are such a good sister! Such a sweet daughter, and so smart and beautiful to boot! I remember holding you the night before Chance joined our family wondering how I could ever manage to love another baby as much as I loved you. You were the first, so treasured to finally make it to our family :) we'd tried and tried and waited for you and I couldn't see how I could ever make room for another like I had you. And now I realize what a blessing your 3 siblings are, how they in fact expanded that room to love and I feel so lucky you lead the way! Happy Birthday my sweet girl, I'm so proud of you for getting baptized in a few weeks.... what an exciting time for you! I love you!

"Queenie" for the day in our house she had peach cobbler for breakfast, Dad, Aly and I took her Wendy's for lunch at school, we swam after, had sloppy Joes for dinner (her pick) and watched her new edition of Tangled (compliments of G Frame) and had her cupcakes and ice cream!! Family sang on Monday when we had FHE at Grandma's, and Rogerson grandparents are due in town in 2 weeks for the baptism to keep the party going... oh and there is the birthday party Friday night to watch Tangled... AGAIN! :) Go big or go home dad always says! xoxox love you

Redding Rogersons

We made it to Grandma and Grandpa Rogersons on Sunday evening and the kids were so excited to be there. An early Christmas present... a pink BB Gun :) and the kids were set to spend the next three days shooting on the hill. Giegh's parents live on 5 acres of property out in the middle of logging country... . shooting off your front porch is not unheard of. Chance was carrying that BB Gun up and down the hill anytime the rain let up so they could go out and play. Max turned 3 while we were there and there was lots of cousin time :) Bailey is outnumbered by Boy cousins in Utah, but in California Chance and Max are a bit outnumbered. What a great time to see family! Look at that Grandpa on the floor playing puzzles with the kids :)
ATTENTION!
Even Aly got in on the shooting with the Pop-cork gun
Ready, Aim, FIRE!

Christmas Day

After a week in California, and a very busy Christmas Eve night at G Frame's, we were all too happy to lay around Christmas day playing with gifts, watching the "A Christmas Story over and over again, doing absolutely nothing. Pretty sure we even wore our snow gear over the PJ's to do some pull-behind sledding out west in the afternoon. But mostly, the lay-down position on the couch was had for the majority of the day and it was a great Christmas at the Rogerson house!

Christmas Eve

Our favorite part of Chirstmas Eve is the dinner tradition to share our gifts to the Savior around a candlelit dinner. But acting out Luke 2 and being together with cousins is also a great part of the night. Grandma Frame, figuring on the love for the tricot blankets Great G Bird makes all the kids when they're born, made personalized tricot pillow cases for all the grandkids. Any way you look at it, its a great night, a great tradition. Thanks G&G Frame!

We made it!!

After a LONG drive, another snowy pass from Reno over Donners Pass to Sacramento and north to Chico, we finally arrived at Jared and Hollie's to meet our new niece Kala. Family pictures, dinner, and cousin gifts.... the kids were THRILLED to see cousins (and be out of the car too). We were there for Kala's blessing and to enjoy all the cousins. Here's the lot of the Rogerson clan: 13 Grandkids and counting....

Christmas Class Parties

So if it isn't enough that we decide to leave on the last day of school to drive to California, or that I've just finished 3 nights in a row to 11pm for a Volleyball tournament, lets throw in a morning concert at the school and three class parties. Yes I said THREE class parties: Party #1 at the preschool involves a carpool to the Care Center where the kids sing carols, hand out cookies, and go back to teachers house to smack a pinata. Party #2 1st graders reading stories, making crafts, and playing a rousing game of Christmas Bingo in which Chance won!! Yea! Party #3 is for the 2nd Graders where we're making Cupcake Rudolph's, decorating tree ornaments, a story, and another game of Bingo!

All the while the car is packed, the food is stashed, and each kid has a "stocking" bag hanging from their respective car seat with some entertainment to cover the next 7 hours in the car (Too bad this will eventually be 10 hours and we'll not reach Reno) but thats for the next post. Today its just a party!

Happy Anniversary

Glad to know after 11 years we still like to hang out with just the two of us :) Giegh took his turn planning the anniversary trip this year and we stayed a night at the Homestead in Midway and then went to the Bountiful Temple the next day to do a session and a few sealings, Pei-Wei for dinner, a quick visit to Gunnarsons, and two days in a row of sleeping in!!! What more could a girl ask for... oh except one more surprise: (keeps flippin sideways !!!) A ring with 3 pink stones for my 3 girls and one blue for my boy) He designed it and picked it out all by himself! How sweet can you get. Thanks Gi!! I love you!

Why finish a basement?

While Giegh's parents were here for Thansgiving, we made a makeshift bed in the little girls room with a queen mattress, some bucky boards, and our food storeage wheat (Class I know) needless to say when they left Bailey and Chance decided they needed a turn to sleep in that bed too, so here we are with all 4 kids in the same room. Aly in the crib, Reagan on the toddler bed, and the 2 Bigs in the bed. This picture poses the question... why are we finishing the basement? Who needs more room when they all just want to sleep in the same room anyway!