Kylee's First Power Tumbling Competition

Kylee had her first Power Tumbling Competition last weekend. She was so nervous!! She went to do her first warm-up pass and fell right on her head during a back whip. It looked pretty painful, but she hopped up and went back to do her next pass for the judges. Talk about terrifying for her mom too! Praying just stay off your head!!! She did more than that, She took 3rd place out of 12 girls!!
Waiting to go for that first pass.
hard to get pics of her actually tumbling that aren't totally blurry in that gym with bad lighting.
Third place!!!!
Then she did the double mini and took 5th. Right before the judges told the coaches that the new rule was the girls had to land with arms down by their sides and then salute, not half way up and then salute. Her coach decided best to not tell her right now and risk her falling trying to concentrate on the arm thing. She still took 5th out of 12 girls who obviously didn't all show up for awards.


She did so awesome!!! I am so proud of her!!!! So is Addison!
That was so much better than her gymnastics competitions which took all day. We were in and out of there in 2 hours. We may all enjoy this power Tumbling thing better than gymnastics. As long as she never gets hurt!

Grandpa Jake's Funeral

My Grandpa had another Stroke, this time much larger with much more damage. It left him completely paralyzed on his left side and unable to see. He was able to communicate a little, but hard to understand. After a lot of discussions between his children and others and with him, the decision was made to not take any measures to prolong his life.
The girls and I and AJ were able to go down and spend the weekend at my parents and spend time at the hospital with grandpa and to say goodbye. He passed away on Jan. 17th, 2011, after we left to come home. My Grandma passed away almost 17 years earlier, when Jordan was 1 month old, from breast cancer. After 17 years he was able to join her. What a joyous reunion that must have been. It was a much different feel than the time of a funeral almost 2 years ago for precious baby Carter. Knowing that someone lived a long wonderful life and was going to meet someone on the other side is a much different feel than compared to a baby passing away. Cassady liked the idea that Grandpa could help take care of Baby Carter.
His funeral was the next weekend on Cassady's 7th birthday. It was a nice service. My cousin did a little memory's talk. He sealed most of us grand kids who had been married in the temple. He sealed Josh and I and Jordan 15 years ago. He talked about cleaning out my grandparents garage for 5 hours and not getting rid of 1 thing. My grandpa always wearing bright colored jumpsuits. Him being a huge BYU fan and the discussions that caused at family get together's with the big Ute's fans.
It was a little long for my babies and we ended up in a bench that had a thin tall window with a little ledge at the bottom just big enough for one baby to stand in, not big enough for 2. You can imagine the problem that caused. They did pretty good.
AJ was a pal bearer. He had a boutineer. I thought he would tear it apart, but he thought it was the coolest thing. We pinned it on his suit coat and he would just turn his head and smell it. He didn't want us to take it off when we got into the car for the drive to Moroni, where the cemetery was. Of coarse the babies were asleep in seconds after getting in the car.
We drove the drive to the cemetery hoping the weather would hold out. By the time we got to Moroni, where they had feet of snow on the ground already it was snowing lightly and really windy and cold.
I never thought about the military being there at the burial. My grandpa fought in WW 2. Those men wanted to be there before anyone got there so they were there early, an hour before any of us got there and stood there until everyone arrived and was there through the whole ceremony. They must have been popsicles. I had never been to a burial, with military there. I was standing the back with Addison and knew she would not like the guns going off. I kept telling her it was going to be loud.


After they shot the salute, she kept signing all done and pointing towards the car. It was pretty cool when they played taps.



AJ put his flower on the grave and then had fun taking the flowers of the wreaths and putting them on the casket.

TrevorBob
After all the boutineers were put on the casket my uncle Ron went and got a blue flower from the BYU wreath and put it on the casket.
So my uncle Gordon went and got a red flower to put on the casket to represent the U of U, that's why the big smile.
My dad followed with a red too!

My kiddo's
A great picture of my mom and dad!

After all this we met my whole family at Marie Calendars where we had a little party for Cass's birthday. They gave us our own room. Why? because we had me, Josh, our 5 kids. Bob and Kelli and their 5 kids, Mom and Dad, and Tevor and his girlfriend Darcy. It was really nice and fun for Cass! She loves spending time with her cousins. It was a busy weekend, but a nice one.

Cassady lost a tooth!!!

Cassady finally lost her first tooth on Monday! She told me her tooth kept falling all the way down. I told her to just grab and pull it out. She whined that it would hurt and she didn't want to. Then yelled, "Mom, I didn't have to it just fell out!!" It was an exciting event for us to cheer up our day! She is my first child to loose a tooth, before 2nd grade! She was so excited to have the tooth fairy come. Here come the big teeth and before you know it the braces.

Grandpa Jake

My Grandpa had a massive stroke last week. After a few days in the hospital he passed away on Monday. The girls and I and AJ were able to go down and spend some time with him, before he passed. He joined my Grandma who passed away almost 17 years ago (Jordan was 1 month old) from Breast Cancer.
I will cherish these picture now, not knowing they would be the last ones I would have of him with my kids.
Cassady having a conversation with Grandpa JakeThree Generations, Grandpa Jake (my grandpa), Grandpa Andy (My dad) and AJ (my son)
Grandpa Jake braving the twins!
Grandpa Jake and Kylee
Jordan and Grandpa Jake

I didn't do a very good job of explaining to Cass why Grandpa Jake would be better off in Heaven now. When we got home, she asked if she had a stroke would we all want her to die? I wanted to tell her that kids don't die, but she has been through the death of a baby and knows that is not true. I feel like she has lost some of that childhood innocence with these deaths. We had a long talk and she knows that this is what Grandpa Jake wanted and that is so happy being with his wife and we will see him again, but hopefully not to soon. We talked about how Grandma Ostler has been up in Heaven and was with Her and Kylee and AJ and Addie, before they were born. She decided that Grandma has been up there helping to take care of Baby Carter and now she has Grandpa Jake to help. She is so sweet, most of the time.
Grandpa Jake passed away on Martin Luther king day, My cousin Billy's birthday, and his funeral will be on Cassady's 7th birthday. I think it will be a time of year we will always remember.

We Love you Grandpa Jake!

End of 2010- start of 2011

This was the babies first real experience in the snow. It was snowing sideways and freezing cold, but they need to actually go out in the snow, right? Besides up until now we only had one pair of snow boots in their size and Addie needed to try out her new boots!
AJ thought it was pretty fun helping mom shovel the driveway. He lasted much longer than Addison. At one point I turned to look at him and was just standing there trying so hard not to cry. I said," is it to cold little man" and he shook his head yes.
Addison just thought this was crazy she wouldn't leave her hat on and kept taking her gloves off and then would pick up the snow and cry when it was so cold on her hands. 10 minutes and Josh had to take her back in.
Over the Christmas break, we tried to take the kids to do some fun things, I can't do with them alone. We spent the day at the fun park. AJ and Cassady had a blast climbing up and shooting out of that crazy fast slide.


Addison cried when Josh took her down it and was not going down it again. She did climb around for awhile though.




Relaxing at the bottom of the crazy fast slide. That is Cass's term for it.
We went bowling after playing on the soft play and found out that bowling is harder than Wii bowling. Cassady with her bumpers just about beat us all. She at least beat Jordan and Chris and came closer to beating Josh and I, but our strikes in the end, put us a little above her.
Pizza at the bowling alley, kept the babies occupied. AJ ate 3 slices of pizza, with cheese removed of coarse.

We also went down to Layton to go shopping and have Lunch with my parents at the Brick Oven. Josh and I told Jordan and Kylee we would pay for them to go to a movie if they would watch the babies and Cass while we went Narnia.
Then we had our New Year's Feast!
Every year Grandpa makes us all a dinner of Lobster, King Crab legs,and Shrimp. We made Chicken nuggets for the babies, Cassady, and Darci (Kylee's friend). They were not into eating that funny looking stuff.

AJ's idea of a feast!
He loves Guacamole. Eats it with a spoon.

We played a lot of Wii games and invited Jordan's boyfriend, Chris, and Kylee's friend, Darci. At midnight we rang in the New Year and went to bed. Grandma and Grandpa boxing each other. Funnier was when Josh and I and Grandma and Grandpa played tennis. Grandpa kept hitting Grandma with his racket. Good thing they are Styrofoam. We laughed so hard after that. Grandma decided she liked wii sports. It is the only time she wins.
We rang in the new year and went to bed! Then we started with our new church schedule: 1:30 to 4:30. My brother blessed his baby that sunday and it was hard to miss. We just couldn't make it with Josh's meetings, Jordan had a meeting and the first week of the new nursery for me. It is going to be a hard schedule for us. I will miss my afternoon nap and so will all my sweet little nursery kids!
Then we sent everyone back to school and back to work. After having everyone home for 2 weeks it was hard to see them all go. I wish we could win a bunch of money so Josh didn't have to work and we could privately tutor the girls, although they would hate that. I would love to always have them all home.

Las Vegas

Josh had a conference in Las Vegas the first week of December. We decided to go with him. We had not taken a family vacation since the babies were 3 months old and we went to Oregon for my grandma's 80th birthday. We took my mom with us. I told them all half way through the week, I brought Grandma to be Cass's buddy and Jordan and Kylee to open doors for the stroller to get through. Here are just some highlights. Lots of pictures. You know how much I love to take pictures and my girls have taken after me. We had 4 cameras there. Here we go:We had Circus Circus games practically to ourselves. They had so much fun! We came home with a big bag of stuffed animals.

AJ riding his truck. He thought it was pretty cool.
Addison holding on for dear life.
The Beliagio had an amazing Christmas display.




The weather was so nice, but it did cool off at night.


We all liked the water show at the beligio. It was a little loud for Addie, but she couldn't quit watching.
We stayed at the Luxor, We had a great view of the Excalibur caSTLE AND THE KIDS LOVED THAT!




Josh got an awesome suite for the babies and Cass and me and him with a jacuzzi. It was nice to relax in after you walked all day. Jordan, Kylee and Grandma had there own room down the hall.

Aj insisted on pretending he was drowning, but only when I was fully clothed and just soaking my feet. I ended up completely wet every time.

After breakfast in Paris.
Ky and Cass after getting their picture taken with the lion cubs at MGM grand
Waiting for it to rain inside.
My m&m's




There were many crazy things to have your picture taken with for a buck or two.
Have you seen the desserts!?

We ate our way through Vegas!
3-D movie at the M&M store




One of our favortie places to eat The Rainforest Cafe.



My little gladiator


We passed this everyday on the way out and Cass thought it was so cool!

We went to the Shark reef aquarium! It was amazing! Had a room that was a sunken ship with an aquarium all around you on top of you and below you!
Sun and jungle trees!

Grandma's hang over omelet!
At serendipity, Cass is so happy to be there!

After a few days the babies and Cass needed a nap. Grandma stayed with them in the room for a nap and Jordan and Ky and I went to go get their picture with the Lion cubs. Something happened with the lions and the cubs were not there. We had to come up with something to do. Didn't take us long. We decided to go on the roller coaster at the New York, New York.
After Jordan and I shared a huge sandwich.








We took this picture and the girls texted it to Grandpa with a message of what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!
Later we went to what ended up being our favorite restaurant. Chocolate by the bald man.
Chocolate shots for dessert!






Addie ate all of Cassady's spaghetti sauce they served in a syringe.
They gave the kids little paint brushes to paint their fries with ketchup.
Cass's mac and cheese in a little pot.

The best hot chocolate in a fun little cup.
Just too cute!
This restaurant was a great , because we went to this instead of the FAO Schwartz giant toy store which the kids were looking forward to , but was out of business and replaced by a clothing store. We were sad, but had so much fun at this restaurant.
My tough guys!
We stayed in Payson with our friends the Carlson's on the way home. It was so nice to see them and catch up. We had so much fun, but I don't think I will ever go out of town again in December. We pulled the kids tree out of the box and plugged it in and put up the ornaments from Vegas and the festival of tree's and that was all the decorating we did. Which did work well for the babies. My sister-in-laws got Avon stuff, since I didn't get their gifts made. I did get my niece and nephews cute little ABC books made though.