September 2025

 After the van overheating and a few other problems creeping up with the van, we decided to get a new car. We ended up getting a Black Grand Jeep Cherokee Laredo.  It has a 3 row of seats and we have really liked it.  It was a rebuilt title cuz of a front end damage accident and the bumper was on backorder for a long time.  We had a few issues getting the lights to work properly but the dealer we bought it from finally bought brand new lights from Jeep and everything has been fine since.  We traded in the Van to Carvana and felt like we got a good deal from them but were sad to see 'George' as the kids named him cuz we took him to St George the day we picked the van up.  We named the new Jeep 'Larry' for Laredo and now Shane's old 2008 jeep is called OJ for Old Jeep.

Jaron had his 2nd Mountain Bike race in Manti.  Our whole family went down the Friday night before for the pre-ride and made it just in time before a rain storm came in.  We grabbed some pizza and then stayed with the Alley's and Bolz at a big house.  The kids had fun playing downstairs and the adults got to talk.  The race was fun again.  Jaron lost a few places but overall did really good.  We left as soon as the race was over because all the kids had soccer games that afternoon.  Made for such a busy day but fun.

My birthday fell on a Sunday this year.  It was nice to just have a relaxing day and go to my parents for dinner that night.  My friends all met at Creamworx for Ice Cream one night and it was fun to get together and see everyone.

Jaron's last bike race of the season was in Beaver.  We made it down for the pre-ride but sadly it started pouring right as we got there and although we waited around it never stopped so they cancelled the pre-ride.  We stayed with the Alley's again in a cute little house.  A sad night as there was a baby deer in the backyard that had gotten stuck or broke it's leg and was dying.  Sadly Aria saw it and Shane tried to help it but it was of no use and we had to walk away and let it die in peace.  The bike race was great.  Jaron got to start right next to his friend Graham and Jaron moved up quite a few spots and ended the season on a good note.  I had to volunteer as a crossing guard for the start of races for about an hour.  It was kind of fun and I was glad Siena and Aria could help out as well.

Chase Larsen took the Deacons fishing one day.  Jaron caught the biggest fish but they threw it back.  

Siena and Aria turn 14

Siena and Aria had a great birthday this year.  Their birthday fell on a Wednesday which is early out for them.  So we started the morning off with breakfast and opening presents before school.  Since they got out early we picked them up and went to lunch.  They had a hard time deciding a place they both liked so we ended up trying a new place, Melty's for lunch.  We all got french dip melty's and they were so good.  So good in fact that we have changed the way we make french dips to now grilling them on our griddle with provolone cheese.  That afternoon Aria wanted to go to her horse lesson and then that night Siena had a soccer game.  So we did both those events and then had dessert later that night.

That weekend, the girls invited a few friends to celebrate with.  We went to Pizza Pie Cafe for dinner and then they went and played Laser Tag and then came back to our house to hang out and eat dessert.  They couldn't agree on what dessert so we made 2 of them.  Aria likes Scotcheroos and Siena made her own cupcakes as she is very into decorating cookies and cupcakes lately.  It was a fun night celebrating.

Both girls have grown up so much this year.  They are truly teenagers, sleeping in longer, and have lots of opinions which I love and don't love all at the same time.  They have grown so tall this year.  Siena is about to pass me in height and Aria is about 2 inches shorter than Siena.  The craziest part to think about is they will start learning to drive in a year.  They both still have their scoliosis braces.  Siena is coming up on a year and Aria about 6 months.  They both wear them exactly 18 hours a day and rarely complain.  The doctor we go to is always surprised they wear them as much as they do and said they are on the top end of all his patients at how well they do.  They will both be getting new braces by the end of the year and hopefully that will be their last ones we have to get.  We are hoping they are both done by the end of 2026 but we'll see.  Their growth is starting to slow down so we just wait until it shows their growth plates are closed.

Siena loves to do projects, crafts and anything that she reads about or hears about someone doing.  She still crochet's quite a bit but other things keep her interested a little more.  She loves plants and asked for a succulent for her birthday.  She loves to play games and watch reality TV.  I am happy there is someone else in the house that will watch reality TV with me.  She is a good student and keeps up on her work without any reminding from me.  Actually I should say all my kids are good students and all get good grades but I feel like Siena stays on top of it and it comes a little bit easier for her.

Aria is all about horses and nothing else but horses.  She has worked her way into going to Aimee's every weekday. She either helps out, mucks stalls, helps lead a young rider or if there isn't a lot of people riding she can ride as well.  She still saves every penny she gets to put towards her horse she is determined to buy one day.  I still don't know where we can board a horse for a decent price but we keep hoping the right situation will come along.

August 2025

August started off with Aria having her end of summer Horse show.  She had been working on jumping, barrel racing and pole bending all summer and Aimee had an end of summer competition.  Aria won the barrel racing easily and she did so good at the pole bending too.  I think Aimee gave her 2nd for that so the other girl didn't feel good but it was so fun to see her work on all the things she has learned this summer and before.  I was out of town for the jumping competition but Shane went and she great in that one too.

Before school started we went to Splash Summit with our passes one more time.  We had passes this summer but several times I just dropped them off and did other things or came home so I didn't get a lot of pictures over the summer.  But we always love a day at Splash Summit.

I went on a sister's trip to California the weekend before school started.  It was so fun.  We stayed at Christy's and so fun to just hang out and talk with no kids to interrupt us.  We went and walked at the beach the first day and just hung out.  The next morning Jennifer flew in and we went to the beach, got acai bowls, went whale watching (where we didn't see whales but saw a nursery pod of dolphins that were going crazy)  One night we got tickets and went to A Beautiful Sound, based on Neil Diamond's life.  It was so so good we didn't want it to end.  Then walking out we saw our neighbor we grew up with Sharie Norton that was so fun.  We also went to Newport and played skeeball.  We didn't want the weekend to end cuz it was so fun!

When I got back from my trip, the kids and Shane had made a new bench for the front porch out of pallet wood.  Siena had found the idea online and we had gotten some free pallets and they finally got it done.  I think it turned out so cute.

School started again.  It started a week earlier than usual so it felt really early.  All 3 kids are at the same school again and it feels so good to all be on the same schedule going to the same place.  With 3 kids I decided not to do a carpool this year so I am driving them every day, hoping I don't regret that decision.  The girls are excited to be in 8th grade and are excited about their electives this year.  Jaron is starting middle school and is a 'sevie' as everyone calls the 7th graders.

Jaron had his first mountain bike race.  It was quite the ordeal.  It was at Snowbasin up in the canyon by Ogden.  Well Jaron wanted to do the pre-ride so I thought we would go up, do the pre-ride then come home since the drive was a little over an hour.  Well we were in our van and got to about Sandy and my engine light came on saying the car was overheating.  Oh did I mention it was 105 degrees that day?  So I jumped off and called Shane.  We made our way back to 14600 South before I didn't dare go any further.  Shane came and rescued us but I wasn't sure if we were going to make it to the pre-ride. Luckily my parents have a hitch and let us borrow their car.  They brought it over to, we decided we would just spend the night up there so we hurried and packed everything up and got up there.  Even though there was traffic we got there about 20 minutes before the course closed.  We went and checked into the sketchiest motel I've ever stayed in right next to a truck stop. We dropped off our stuff and hadn't had dinner so we went to get dinner and our door wouldn't even lock.  All these people were hanging around and I was sure our stuff and Jaron's bike was going to be gone when we got back.  Luckily they fixed the lock and our stuff was fine.  Then we went to go to bed and there was dog hair all inside the bed and on the sheets, pillow case, etc.  It was seriously so disgusting but by that point it was so late and we had to get up at 5:30 to get to the race so we put down a bathroom towel and went to bed.  I don't think either of us slept that great.

So we got up and stopped at McDonald's drive thru for breakfast and made our way back up to Snowbasin. It was still dark when we got there and I volunteered to help out signing our team in.  Jennifer drove up that morning and I was glad she was there because her kids have done this race before so she knew exactly where to go and what to do.  It was so fun watching him in his first race.  He started in position 55 (random draw) out of 80 and came in 41st so I thought he did really good.  We stayed for a while and watched a few other races and then headed home.  We were exhausted by the time we got home but a good weekend and a very memorable one.

Siena and Aria who are on different soccer teams this year had a game against each other.  It was so fun to watch them play each other.  Grandma and Grandpa came and they sat on one side with Shane and Jaron and I sat on the other side and at halftime we switched sides.  Siena's team ended up winning but it was a close game. Siena 3, Aria's team 2.

Jaron turns 12

Jaron had a great birthday until he didn't.  The day started great, he got his first cell phone that he was so excited for.  We then went miniature golfing and to his favorite pizza place, 2 Jack's Pizza.  Then it started going downhill when he didn't eat very much and I just thought he had a lot of snacks/treats.  Then he went to Mountain Bike practice and when he got home that night he said he wasn't feeling well.

He woke up with a fever and it would spike at night and then the next morning would be lower.  So I kept thinking he was getting better than each night it would spike again.  We took him to instacare over the weekend and it wasn't strep and they said everything else seemed fine and to wait it out.

His fever went down quite a bit so we still had his birthday party a few days later.  We went bowling and had pizza and all of Jaron's friends came.  It was a fun night for everyone sadly.

We took him to the dr. a couple days later and they said everything sounded fine and just to wait it out.  After 10 days of having a fever Shane finally took him to Primary's ER cuz the doctor didn't know what else to do and they could do testing earlier.  It ended up Jaron had pneumonia!  He got on some anti-biotics and that seemed to help but not all the way.  So we took him in again, he got another round of anti-biotics and that did the trick until the last day of the medicine made him sick to his stomach during the first day of cross country (which he ended up not doing anyways.)

So it was quite the ordeal for over 2 weeks including the last 2 weeks of summer vacation, his birthday and into the first week of school.

Jaron is such a good kid.  He loves being active and he has loved learning mountain bike these last few months.  He still loves soccer and he loves his video games.  He is always first to compromise and is a good helper around the house.  He has started sleeping in later and later and is turning into a teenager I can tell.