February 2010

I have committed to myself and to Jennifer that I will be updating our blog more regularly. I will go back and update our trip to Atlanta for Mom and Dad Mann's 50th wedding anniversary and Disney Cruise, which we had a blast.

The kids are growing up too fast, Jackson just finished up basketball this week and they finished on a high note with Jackson's team winning. Jackson ended up 4-4 and is starting to do much better on the offensive end scoring an average of about 2 pts a game -which is about an average of 20pts a game in the NBA, he is now on to soccer in a few weeks and continuing to do choir at Monfort school, which he really enjoys.

Ashlee is excited to start ice-skating and cheerleading -one of the 2 we will find out this week, Ashlee is doing well in school and is of course our social butterfly with a little attitude at times. Ashlee can't go without a story everynight and wants to have a sleepover in her brothers room every night. Her new favorite stuffed animal is Jazz the dog -one of her Christmas presents, but bunny usually tags along as well.

Gavin loves Wee Love Preschool and was the leader this week, he will be playing in the father/mother and me soccer through the city. He loves to play Lego Star Wars and Lego Batman on the WII and bounces the entire time playing and stays in good shape this way. Gavin is Mommy's angel and loves every Monday where Jackson and Ashlee are in school all day and he gets to spend the day with just his Mom.

Jennifer is doing some fantastic layouts and was just in the CRICUT newsletter with an awesome valentines project-and has been published in several magazines with cards, layouts and other various projects. Her creativity continues to amaze me, she is truly talented and is expanding her talents with photography by taking another class in June of this year. She continues to be the volunteer of the year at Monfort school- being over all the room mom's for the entire school, the school would fall apart without her.

Chad and Jennifer are running 5 days a week and preparing to run the Bolder Boulder which is a 10k race on Memorial Day. Chad has found a new passion for running and after this 10k race he will be training for a marathon sometime next year.

January 2009 Events

Gavin is finally potty trained -YIPPEEE! We had promised to take him to Chuck E Cheeses if he got rid of his diapers, and he has been telling us I want to to lunch with Jesus, we finally figured out he was saying I want to go to lunch at Cheeses. So we took the kids to Cheeses and had a good time, I whooped up on Jennifer in the basketball game which she usually always wins.

Ashlee is loving gymnastics, and since Chad is in Windsor for a couple of months until he takes over a new Chase branch in Ft Collns, he is able to see her do her stuff, and then Chad, Jennifer, Ashlee and Gavin have been able to do lunch every monday.

Jackson is finishing his basketball season, they have won 5 games and lost his first game last week. Jackson will go down as the defensive player of the year after clothes lining and tackling a player last week. Jackson has played hard and learned alot this year. Chad has promsed to take him to a Nuggets game in the next few weeks. Also Chad and Jackson just finished making his pinewood derby car and looking to get 1st place this year after a close 2nd last year. Jennifer will of course make sure it looks good.

Jennifer just finished another big month of scrapbooking and several layouts, and cards were purchased for a big trade show and also had another layout published. She is so creative and of course you can see all of her work on jenthecrazyscrapbooker,com.

Chad is getting all of his staff hired and getting ready to open a new Chase branch in Ft Collins on Harmony & Corbett, in April. We also just booked a Disney cruise for August before we go to Georgia for Cassidy's wedding and Mom and Dad Mann's 50th wedding anniversary. We are all excited and working out daily to prepare to get in our swimsuits.

Christmas morning

I guess Chad can finally start adding to our Blog. Jen got a laptop for Christmas and should give Chad no more excuses to not update the family memories. Chad can no longer get lost or run out of gas with his new Tom Tom Navigation System. Jackson is on the fence of believing in Santa anymore, but this morning I think he believes. He got 3 WII games (Sonic Unleashed, Ben10, and Disney Sing IT) and Kirby and Transformers for his DS, and numerous new clothes. Ashlee was ecstatic with her Bratz guitar, makeup and array of clothes. Gavin could have received a bunch of rocks and would have been excited, he was so happy to get new trucks and Handy Manny toolbox, he was so excited, even down to the cereal he received in his stocking.

At this time of year we can't help but be thankful for all of our wonderful blessings and beautiful, healthy family. We also reflect on the birth of the Savior as we had our annual Christmas Eve reading from Luke 2, and this year we were honored to hear a beautiful solo of Silent Night by Jackson. It is amazing how fast they grow-up. Jackson has a beautiful voice and a talent for music that he definitely didn't receive from his Dad ???? Following our annual program the kids made their annual reindeer sandwiches and appetizers and we all sang Christmas carols and the kids watched christmas programs before heading off to bed. Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Merry Christmas to all!

Wow...it's getting bad...

We haven't updated in a long time...I think most of you know to check my scrapbooking blog as I do update that more regular. We appreciate all of the emails and calls to let us know that you all miss seeing pictures of the kids! We promise to get this updated more often ;)

Let's play catch up shall we ;)

School has started for Jackson and Ashlee...they are both off to a great year! Jackson is in third grade this year and Ashlee has started Kindergarten. They both love their teachers and are progressing well.

Here's some photos of them heading back to school ;)





If you notice from Ashlee's back to school photo...she is missing a tooth. Right before school started Ashlee lost her first tooth. She was so excited! And the tooth fairy was very good to her ;)



Over Labor Day weekend Jackson decided to test his super hero skills and jumped from the 4th stair (to the bottom) into a dark basement and managed to break his arm. We had to wait out the weekend in a splint before going in to get casted, so we thought....but this actually was so bad that he had to go into the hospital for surgery where we fully expected Jackson to have to have pins put into his arm. We are so happy to report that the doctor was able to get his bone to stay into place without the use of pins. He then was casted in the office 2 days later and wore a cast until the first of October. According to Jackson the "moral" of the story is don't jump blindly into a dark basement...I have to remind him the "moral" of the story is just don't jump off the stairs! Yes, he is all boy!

Here he is in his red cast:



If you missed it over on my scrapbooking blog I talked about how Ashlee started gymnastics! She loves it! and is really looking forward to the cheer team next year. (I told her she has to have a full year of gymnastics first). Here she is:



Jackson was bummed that he had to sit the season out from soccer due to his broken arm...but rules are rules ;)

So if you have made it through all of this rambling...I bet you are wonder where our 3rd child went to ;)...Gavin is growing up way to fast! He now is in a "big boy bed" and we are working on him giving up his diapers...but so far he assures us he has no problems keeping them a bit longer...

Gavin is hilarious! He is the entertainer in the family! Here he is posing for me with a writing pen behind his ear...



Alright...wow if you made it through all of that...thank you! Now that we are pretty much caught up again...we hope to update more often!

If we haven't heard from you in a while...shoot us an email or give us a call.

Where has time gone...

Wow it's been a while since I have last "blogged" over here...this has taken a back seat to my scrapbooking blog...that's for sure :)

So since my last blog...

We traveled to a wedding...Greg and Suezann were married mid-May...it was a wonderful union...lots of family and friends were there for their special day. We are thrilled for both of them!

We did have a bit of an adventure on they way to the wedding (in Utah)...our tire blew on the way there and we ran out of gas on the way back...both required a 911 call...and some adventure for the kids. :)

We got back into town on Monday and the kids finished up their last couple of day of school. There were so many parties and end of the year things to finish up in just a few days but we survived and now are happy to just relax and enjoy our summer break.

Jackson and Ashlee are getting ready to have their birthday's...where has time gone...I will have a 9-year-old and a 5-year-old...my babies are growing entirely way to fast...here is a photo of them together...and a photo of Ashlee that I am putting on our wall...Jackson is going for "retakes" LOL (not really re-takes as I am just doing the photography myself :)...but he is in an interesting age/stage of some interesting smiles...LOL...hope to post his picture soon.





Jackson is in full swing with swimming season...we have had a hard time getting there on time...it's just seems to be so early when you have 3 to get ready plus yourself...but we are trying our best...I think we have been "on-time" only 2 times...LOL but we always make it :)

We also played the ever popular "candy bar" game with the kids...they had a blast! Of course we have to wait for Gavin to take a nap as he is allergic to peanuts...and all the candy bars are made around peanuts...so here is a few photos of Chad and the kids...











We hope you all are enjoying your summer :)

End of another soccer season

It's hard to believe that soccer is already over...we thought we had one more game due to the fact that one was canceled due to weather...but unfortunately, it will be played the weekend of Greg's (Chad's brother)wedding...so it's officially over. Jackson had a great season scoring on average 1-2 goals a game! I thought Jackson would be really bummed but he came off the field and said "Mom I guess it's on to swimming"...so I guess he is ready for a full summer of swim meets and practices.

Here are a few snap shots that I got on the field this weekend. (sorry they are blurry...but my battery was just about to die...)