Shannon is FINALLY an adult!!!

For those of you who know Shannon, you know she has a countdown for almost everything.... and this was no exception.  She couldn't wait to turn the big "18" 
The day finally made it and we had a fun celebration with family and friends.  the thing that was funny is that the next day she said... "you know, it really doesn't even feel any different being 18 than it did being 17." silly girl!

She has become a beautiful young lady.  She has overcome many things and I am proud of the young woman she is.  Here's to anothe 18 years shan!!

the cake Sara made for Shan

the birthday girl and her crazy little sister

happy birthday to you....

Canning canning canning.....

 Michelle decided to use canning applesauce as one of her Persona Progress Project..

 We started picking apples about 7:30 a.m.  We had a whole bunch!!! 

She enlisted help.... Jenna helped as long as the smell didn't get to her... Jenna loved using a knife!

smushing the apples....

waaala!  the finished product!!  52 quarts of delicious applesauce!

We finally crawled into bed about 11:30 at night.  Yup!  she got her 10 hours!!

Uncle Clark let us borrow his camping stove.... much more efficient!

Next project....tomatoes....

Picked 4 5 gallon buckets of tomatoes from Grandpa Kendall's garden....

the end result 32 quarts of tomatoes and 14 quarts of juice!

Shelly got asked to Homecoming!!

Shelly got called back into work byher boss right after she got home one day.  She was very scared!  She thought she had done something wrong....  When she got there, her boss with a very straight face said "follow me"  he handed her this cup of jelly beans and said "what is this all about?"  then he cracked up!  She had to go through the jelly beans and find the ones with things written on them and then she had to find the message.  She got asked by a boy named  Ben.  She was pretty surprised to get asked..... I don't see why?  Anyway, she is excited and is looking forward to it... More news to come.

First day of school 2011

Naples Wiseguy 3rd grader!!

Uintah Ute Junior

Middle School Mustang 7th grader

Today is the first day of school.  Our girls have been thru lots of changes in the last year and a half.  3 moves and 2 wards.  I am really proud of how they have adjusted.  Jenna starts at a brand new school this year due to our move.  She will be going to the same school that I went to when I was growing up...although they have remodeled it and it is brand new last year.  We met her teacher yesterday and she seems like she will be great!  The bus picks her up just down the street from our house.  She was very worried about making new friends today but I know she will come home with  lots of stories to tell about all the fun she had today. 
Rachel is in the same school as last year so it isn't such a big shock for her.  She will be ruling the school as a 7th grader.  She is VERY into style this year and she has made it a goal to be the kind of person who is a friend to everyone!  No matter who they are.  I think she can keep this goal and will have a great year because of it!
Michelle will start this year as a Junior.  She will be in a school for the first time without any of her sisters.  I think she is really going to miss her big sister this year.  She is glad to still have her cousins with her.  She is still working towards getting her license so she doesn't have to ride the "big yellow limousine" 
Shannon will start college next Monday!  She is thrilled to finally be done with High School.  She loves her job and will be taking classes 3 days a week so her life will be full. 
Well, here's to a great school year!!

Bunny Sitting

Rachel petting "butter"

Jenna loved "Muffin"the best

more bunnies in the back yard

big big big bunnies!!!

Just after moving here to our new home, the neighbor's across the street asked the girls to take care of their animals while they went on a vacation.  Now mind you, this isn't just a dog or two.... They have about 25 bunnies, 10 chickens, 5 ducks, 3 cats and 5 dogs.  They put the dogs in a kennel for this first time till the girls get to know the dogs better.... anyhow,  Their responsibilities were to feed and water all of the animals twice a day as well as gather the eggs from the chickens and play with and pet the bunnies..... They had a great time doing it.  Although they did fight a time or two....(I hate it when they do that!)  but all in all, it was a great experience for them, it taught them some responsibility.  They were gone for a week.  Jenna loved the smallest and oldest bunny "Muffin"  She would go over and hold it for hours.  She liked how soft he was.  They were also given the responsibility to hold and pet a baby bunny that needed handled.  (this is a big baby bunny) and they did a good job with it.  Connie said she could tell that the bunny had been handled alot.  They were WELL paid for their efforts.  Rachel spent her money on school clothes and Jenna is planning on buying a Razor Power wing (which is a really cool scooter that you can do neat tricks on)  now doesn't that just sound like them both?!!  I am happy that Connie had enough trust in them to give them the responsibility. 

Our New House

Our new home sweet home

Our bedroom.....you won't be seeing the girls theirs were too messy!!

dining room.... that door goes into a pantry room

Spencer's office and he was going to have it in the closet?  ya right!

showing the tile work in the bathrooms

part of the kitchen....I LOVE the chimney!!!! one of my favorite things!!

other part of the kitchen

looking in from the front door...stairs to the left living room to the right and the doorway to the left of the piano leads to the family room and the living room is on the right

front porch "sun room"

living room

So this is our home..... It was built in about 1947 so it is old which I LOVE!!! This house has so much character.  The girls rooms upstairs have the slanted ceilings (another thing I love)  there is a small loft up there with a really cool reading cubby hole.... I think this is a "must see" to really appreciate all the quirky things.  So I guess that means you all need to come and visit us!

We go to the same ward as Grandma and Grandpa Kendall which is really fun.  The ward has many older couples which is different than we are used to but it is nice.   All the boxes are finally unpacked and pictures are on the walls so it feels like home.  So ya'all come visit you hear?!!

Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo!!

so EXCITING!!!

Uncle Clark assured us it doesn't hurt the calf...

I don't know......I wouldn't want to be that poor calf!

team calf roping

bucking bronco

We had another "first" to add to our list for the girls.  We were able to go to the Dinosaur Roundup Rodeo!  We went with Aunts and uncles and cousins which made it even more fun!! 

There were several exciting events, Calf roping, mutton bustin (where little kids ride a sheep for as long as they can hold on) Team roping, bronco riding and bull riding.  Jenna's favorite part was watching the clown be silly and get the attention of the bulls so the cowboy's could get out safely. 

I don't know what possesses these cowboys to put their body thru such abuse but they must really enjoy it to keep doing it for years.  It is quite amazing watching them get whipped around and they are holding on for their life!  That 8 seconds seems like a looonnnnggg time to me.

I'm glad we got the chance to go.  I think it may become an annual event...