The oldest and the youngest-- tears!!!

This is the million dollar picture of the day... I'm sure Mikayla and I will treasure this one forever!!

I loooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee yooooouuuuuuuuuu!

lac

Here he is in the bath!! We made sure we kept the pictures family rated and the frog had to be strategically place. (Bailee made sure of it)

Here are some of us getting him undressed. He was throwing a fit about taking off the shirt but as soon as we got it to this point he stopped completely!! Look at those LIPS!!!!

I think I'm in love

Boy this little man has quite the groupies!!! I don't know what Brigg would do if there weren't 3 people giving him a bath or 5 people talking to him at once. We are creating a second MONSTER! Today Mikayla gave him her first bath in the big tub. I walked her through my "tricks" so that he is happy while I bathe him and She did GREAT!! We are just enjoying him so much. Funny when you are really contemplating not having anymore how certain things just stand out. I watched today as my oldest bathe my youngest. As I have been thinking alot about when to start school, and what extras I want to do with them this year, I have really been prompted to really teach my kids the basics. When I mean the basics I'm talking about when your told to do something from their parents they don't need to ask why. When they start a job finish it and have a little pride in their work. Know how to feed your family on a budget and with that cook from scratch. When they walk into a room and something needs to be picked up to do it without being asked. Put their own stuff away when they are done. Basics. I'll have to figure out how I can do this with babysteps. Just add that to my list. I don't have anything else to do during the day anyway. If you could only see that his eyes match the towel EXACTLY!!

Homeschool Convention

Me, my Mom, my Mother-in-Law and Michael went to a Homeschooling Convention this weekend. I was more than a little disappointed. I had been to Utahs' last year and LOVED it. I came back to juiced up to start my year. I am just glad I was already excited for a few changes I a making this year because the convention didn't do it for me. They had way to much of a Christian undertone. Some Christian religions bother me because they use the Lords name too casually. All of us were bothered by it and felt they were pushing their different Faiths on us more than teaching us to better ourselves in our Homeschooling lives. I did walk away with some good stuff and the time alone with Michael was great. Hey I take where I can get it.

Okay I got everyone done

If you read this and I haven't got pictures on everyone, I am sorry. I have been really busy getting my house put away completely and getting school preparations under way. I have had the help of some close friends though. Dezie- David Johnsons lovely wife came over and helped me get everything done. Brigg and Dezie have quickly connected and so she holds the baby and I get soooooo much done. Can't thank her enough. She is just wonderful with him. Amy and I were able to get all my books put away in about 3 hours instead of it being a week long process. Yippee!

Life here in the Blair clan just seems to fly right by. I can't believe it is the middle of July and I haven't melted away. I still miss Utah terribly and can't think about without crying but it is getting better. Once I got my routines down I felt alot better. Once again I love all my Arizona people but not so much Arizona anymore.

I really love my house too. That really helps. I would have died without the pool this summer and love that we have had the room to let Cody come stay with us. I think he is doing good here he has ran out of the house screaming for his sanity so thats a good sign!! I often feel like I am running a boarding house with eight kids and old lady and a punk (Cody).

I don't know about anyone else but I have been really feeling like we need to be prepared for every needful thing. Getting your year supply is not easy and everyone needs to started. Food prices are proving to be very unstable and we don't know what is around the corner. I just love everyone, if you need help on how to start I would love to be of service. I am right now working on a Year Supply binder that should answer many questions and help get you started. I hope to have it done by the 2nd week of August. We will be going to Utah the end of August and I will be taking orders for food. They have great deals there and I will try to find them out ASAP so you can put some money aside for them!!!

Remember we need to be spiritually prepared too. I am going to freshen my memory this year and learn the scripture mastery with Mikayla!!!

Brigham- Brigg

Well Blessing day is at hand. We love this little guy so much and often sit with him and let him tell me his secrets. With him still being little I often feel like Heavenly Father has allowed our Hearts to communicate because in the wee hours of the night when the world is quiet, I think I hear him. In many ways he just plain makes me happy. Isn't always great to have something that can make you smile just by looking at it. Often times I think he is lucky to have made it here to our family. I know there was a few times he was up there in Heaven whispering to us our promise to him to let him be in our family. Total Saturdays Warrior!!! Even in those times having a large family was difficult and nowadays we just look like crazy people. I know that we have definitely traded worldly fortune in this life for the most amazing eternities, it all worth it!! Michael and I were discussing on how having a newborn in the house really just makes the spirit seem so much stronger and we are making it a goal to hold on to that. Brigg also is my reminder that he is the last one. I know, I know you all have heard it before but he has kicked my booty! I thinks its because I am old this time around. I have no desire to complete another pattern which my kids said I would have to do to keep everything even. 3 girls a boy, 3 girls a boy. We are so happy we have you Brigg even though I don't see a full nights sleep in my near future. I will just think positively and hold on to every moment I have with him, they are only this little for so long.

Chloee- the Mighty Queen

Well just as her title states--she is the queen. By the way shes says her dad is the Princess and even makes him put on a Crown and Cape. She has seamless let brigg take over as being the youngest. Don't get me wrong we spent months before the birth trying to De-throne her with no avail. She just loves him and I think he has a little crush on her as well. She doesn't have to anything but just walk up to him and she has his full attention and is all smiles. Yes I am a little jealous. She just turned 3 this June and is finally potty trained. I am a firm believer in not rushing after having such difficulties with Mikayla and none with the others that I let choose when they were ready. None of them waited quite as long as her but everyone is different. We have decided to start Chloee's schooling this year. She is always asking what's this letter and what sound does it make. She is always waiting in line for her "schoolwork" and when I hand her crayons and a coloring book she is just not satisfied with that. We will let her guide us this first year and we will just see what happens. She has surprised us this past 6 months by her puzzle putting together hobby. She can know do a 50 piece puzzle that is for ages 5 and up in under 20 minutes. The same one takes Paytan 11 minutes to do and LyliAnne gets frustrated if we time her. I think I am going to have to watch out for this one she will be smarter than me by the time shes 8. Chloee is famous for just coming up and out of the blue saying I love you mother. Which melts my heart. And yes its mother not mommy or mom--MOTHER. And it sounds like " I love you Mudder" I have to practice self control on a daily basis with her so I don't just squeeze her to death!!!

LyliAnne

My sweet little Lylibug. She unlike her counterpart Paytan--- AKA "the littles" is mostly just soft and sweet. She is not as loud and is very easily entertain. Lyli and I can have a good day just sitting around talking about things and watching TV. She just isn't as HIGH MAINTENANCE as some of my other--whom will remain nameless!! You know who they are!!!! Just like her name she is soft like a Lily flower. She loves to go swimming and is totally excited about school. She is extremely bright and everything comes very easy for her. She was really excited to get glasses this year and it has really let her find her own identity. Her and Paytan were always getting mixed up and now everyone can say--Oh the one with the glasses!! Paytan wants them soooo bad!! Not to mention that she couldn't look cuter in them. Love this age, I can still just hold her and tell her not to grow and she tells me OK.

Paytan

Paytan is just a crazy little thing. We always are teasing her about being a shrimp. She quickly responds back that the other person is a Shrimp and just giggles. She has now become our toothless wonder because in the last 2 weeks she has lost both front teeth and 1 bottom tooth. I am amazed she can even bite anything. Paytan has been enjoying the summer tremendously!! She is swimming all the time and is becoming quite the little fish. I love this age where they love spending time with their parents and family. Everything is a learning opportunity and school is still fun. She is always amazed when she reads a word that she says she doesn't know by sounding it out. She too has the same difficulties as Kaitlyn and we are working with her this year. She will not have all the problems Kaitlyn has had to deal with because we are catching this early with her. She is fun and loves to take of Brigg and is such a big helper. Love the smile!!!!