Dear Friends and Family,

Biggest news of the week is that as of Tuesday Jeremy and I have been married for 14 years. Its hard to believe its that long until I start looking back at our history together. Seems a lot has happened during that time and we've truly grown up together until now I consider ourselves inseparable, more of a team than as two individuals. Jeremy brought me a huge bouquet of stargazer lilies (my favorite flower) and roses to celebrate. They have been making our kitchen smell great every since and been reminding me of how lucky I am. We didn't really get to do anything special Tuesday but thanks to our sister-in-law Kelly who came over to babysit we got to go out Friday night for dinner and to see Brian Regan perform at Thanksgiving Point. It was a great night and we both laughed a ton. He is one of my favorite comics mostly because his humor comes from real life situations and is clean.

On the Friday we drove back from Pismo Beach we got the call that Spencer had gotten into Lincoln. I am excited that he will be there as I think the environment and learning styles will suit him better but am also excited that I will have 2 kids in one school. Much easier on me! This week was sort of a school week. The kids had back to school night where they found out who their teachers were, got to play some games with them while parents met to hear the principle and board speak. Spencer has a Miss Kelly who is a teacher who grew up in Jamaica which he thought was cool. Allison burst into tears when she saw the class lists as her 2 friends and neighbors as well as a few of her friends from last year are all in the other 1st grade class. I actually went and met with the principle to see if she could switch but she couldn't so she sucked it up and has a better attitude now about it. We signed up for assesments for each of them where they went back in for an hour or so to be tested for reading and math. So when they start school they will be assigned to reading and math groups based on their level. The groups are fluid, even between grades so you learn at whatever level you are at, regardless if that is low or high.

We were also given a long list of supplies each kid needed for school so they had fun picking out their ruler, compass, binder, markers etc. They spent one afternoon writing their name on all their stuff and packing their backpacks. Got them very excited about going back to school. Our public schools ask that you don't buy any supplies for the students anymore but although its a pain on the mom side of it, it sure boosts moral for the kids. We also had to get Spencer a bunch of uniforms. Everywhere was pretty picked over so it took a bit of doing. He is a 10 husky right now which makes it tougher. He has to cinch the waist in on them but needs the size for his rear and thighs (wonder where he gets that from?). He was trying to convince me he could wear a regular size 10 but when he couldn't even bend over or take a full step he say the wisdom in continuing the search.

*Momentary break in writing. Just got a call from a member of our ward that they had Rocky. Guess he ran out and was barking and licking all the kids as they left church. As he is rather big, most didn't like this and were crying. I think he must be due for a walk, he didn't get one yesterday.*

This week our stake hosted a multi-stake daytime luncheon/enrichment for the older ladies. So Monday we shopped and set up and then Tuesday was the cooking, setting the tables and the actual event. I felt like I missed a bunch as Monday Taylor started throwing up so I was able to go help for little bit when Jeremy came home. But then on Tuesday Spencer stayed home with Taylor for an hour and I took the girls with me. But after an hour and a half Robyn was getting VERY helpful and I was getting nervous about the boys so I went home. But did what I could - usually the story of any calling.

Monday night Jeremy's 2 cousins and their families came down to visit so we had Jason and his family over and Lauri and had a big BBQ here. It was a lot of fun to visit and my kids loved these new relatives they didn't know - especially Kynne's 2 teenage daughters.

Like I said Taylor became sick Monday but by Tuesday night was feeling much better. I feel bad when he throws up because he will just lie there and choke and he looks so miserable and pale. Friday morning at 7:30 (note the VERY early time) I took Taylor to meet his teacher for his first day of school at the junior high. Spencer went with me while the girls had a babysitter and stayed in a corner watching Jeremy's ipod movies for an hour and a half. They have hired an aid who will be there 4 1/2 hours a day and will almost exclusively work with Taylor. His old teacher came over before her job started to go over how they moved Taylor's in and out of his chair, walking etc at school last year. I feel much more confident about how his school year will go now. The part I am not looking forward to is that his bus will pick him up at 7:20 in the morning each day. He is wide awake at that time but it require an hour to get him ready and I am not the best at getting up at 6:20. But since Allison and Spencer have to leave at 7:40 I better learn to put my lazy days behind me.

After Taylor's school meetings we drove up to Salt Lake to meet Spencer's new psychiatrist fellow. He had worked with Spencer last year while he was at UNI so he has seen Spencer at his worst. He had Spencer draw a picture of his family just as he had him draw one last year. Last year's picture had each of us on seperate papers so none of us touched. I was drawn with huge evil eyes, fangs, daggers and knives everywhere and a big frown. Allison and Robyn had fangs, smaller evil eyes and knives. Taylor was a blob and Jeremy was this big muscle guy with guns everywhere. Even I who has no training could tell how out of wack his perception of reality was from those pictures. The one he drew on Friday had us all on one piece of paper, close together, drawn like normal people with smiles on our faces. What a difference. Since Spencer has been having moments of struggle lately we decided to increase the one med that seemed to help more and decrease the other. Am wondering today with school starting Monday if that was the right decision but we will give it a chance firs.

Jeremy has been getting stuff done in the basement. Finishing installing door knobs, putting up heater vents, arranging for an electrician to get the first half of lighting done etc. Its nice to be able to walk downstairs and see! He got the cover made this week for his Osmond book so he is busy getting the inside done now.

Spencer decided to stop tumbling so this week's exhibition class is his last and take up marital arts. So next week he will start twice a week at a martial arts program. I am curious to see how he does.

Am very excited for school to start tomorrow and Robyn keeps getting upset that she doesn't get to have a backpack or be tested etc. We had to measure her for uniform pants just to get her to calm down in the store. This week will be a rude shock to her when she is by herself during the day. We have been working on getting kids up earlier in the morning. Spencer has been doing fine but all of us girls have been having a tough time not pressing snooze. Robyn just covers her head with a pillow and says "go away, turn off the light". Sure we will all eventually get used to the earlier hours again.

Love to you all, Heather
Saturday morning I had breakfast with my group of old friends. One of my friends is having her baby next week so we wanted a chance to visit before she was out of the loop for a while. Some really good french toast at Kneaders and good friends made a few hours fly by before I realized it.


Spencer's sunflowers have grown enormous. Our vegetable garden is looking very jungle like. Our pumpkin plants are running rampant everywhere - we definitely won't be buying any pumpkins this year.



Memories of Pismo Beach