Everyone Needs a little Time Out!!

Each year I get the chance to attend a women's day at the Boise Centre on the Grove where I hear wonderful musical, inspirational speakers, and I get to spend some time with the girls. This year was especially wonderful because it was both Friday night and Saturday. I leave this conference feeling rejuvinated and determined to be a better person. I call it my spiritual battery recharge session. I was missing my BFF Queenie this year, but I know she will join us again next year. Thanks "Time Out" for another great year!!!

Go Baby Go!!!!!!

My oldest son has played every sport out there, basketball, baseball, soccer, track, marching band, not football (thank goodness) and so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when he came home one day and said I am thinking of going out for the swim team.

He is a senior this year and he is going up against kids who have been swimming competitively since they were 3. Should I be worried, no, this is my go getter we are talking about.

I guess it doesn't matter what he does I will be excited about it. I'm a proud mama, what can I say? So when I saw his swimming yesterday I almost jumped out of my seat. He was doing the free style against 3 other boys and at first he was a little behind, then he pulled up to meet them, and then when he turned over in the pool to go to the other direction he pulled way ahead and came in first. I wanted to scream "Go Baby Go" but I didn't want to embarass him. It was so awesome to watch him, he is powerful!! He still has to shave a few seconds off of his time to qualify for state but for his first meet he did so well. Good job buddy, you have a fan in your mom!!!! (Sorry for the blurry picture, my camera was dying....)

Family Day at the Discovery Center

It's the labor day holiday and are we camping? No. Are we having a bunch of people over for a BBQ? No. Are we headed to a party? No. We spent the day with our family at the Discovery Center (a hands on science museum in downtown Boise). It is so rare these days when we spend the entire day as a family and we decided to take advantage of this opportunity.

We let our 14 year old drive us all downtown, we ate lunch at a little mexican restaurant and then went and played for 4 hours with all the fun gadgets they have to offer at the Discovery Center.

There is a bed of nails, a vibration exhibit, mind bender puzzles, and even a miniature grocery store for the kiddos to try their hand at shopping. Afterwards we went to a snow shack and sat out in the sun to have snow cones. The day was spent with only our little family and it was heavenly. We need to do this more often!!

First Day of School-Summer Blues!!

The first day of school this year brings to my mind a line from a song in the musical "Fiddler on the Roof". "Sunrise sunset, sunrise sunset, swifly flow the years. Where is the little girl I carried? Where is the little boy at play? I don't remember growing older, when did they?" That is truly the way I am feeling today.

This is a significant year for our family. It is the year of many firsts and lasts. For my oldest son, it is his senior year of high school. For my second son, it is his freshman year of high school. For my third son, it is his first year of middle school. For my fourth son, it is his last year of elementary school. Finally for my daughter it is her first year of all day school, 1st grade. For me it is the first time in 17 years that I have not had at least one child at home with me. So needless to say, I am a little sad and unsure about this new stage in my life. That being said, I realize I didn't blog much this summer. The reason for that is that we taught so many Driver's Ed classes that any available time I had to myself was spent with my childen and not the computer. So here without pictures is a re-cap of what we did this summer (well the highlights anyway).

1. School ended for the 2008-2009 year.

2. My best friend moved in 3 houses away from me ;)

3. Our Nevada friends came to visit for a week.

4. We had our annual 4th of July party.

5. We floated the river.

6. My youngest boy and I went to cub day camp.

7. The 3 boys and my hubby went to scout camp.

8. We went to the zoo

9. We went to many movies.

10. We went swimming in the pool.

11. My hubby and I went to girl's camp.

12. My two oldest boys went to high adventure.

13. We went to Roaring Springs.

14. My 3 boys mowed many many lawns.

15. My oldest boy went to band camp.

16. My oldest boy also went to jazz choir camp.

17. My oldest boy made the swim team (he's a busy kid!).

18. We biked on the green belt.

19. My best friend moved away :(

20. The kids started the 2009-2010 school year.

That was about it, we had a very busy, great summer! It came in with a bang and went out with a bang. Since I was a little girl I have always mourned the end of summer and I will again, but I do love fall and all of it's color and life. I look forward to spending time with my family and making more awesome memories which I hope to blog about!!

Happy 6th Birthday to My Little Girl!!

Today is my little girl's 6th birthday and I want to wish her the happiest day!! When I found out I was having a baby so close to my oldests son's birthday, we told the doctor we wanted to wait until my due date to have her (scheduled c-section) so their birthdays would not be in the same month (she was due August 9th). My doctor laughed and said, "this is your 5th baby, I would be surprised if you go to your due date", but we decided we would try. True to form, this little girl came over 2 weeks early, arriving only 5 days after her big brother's birthday. This was a sign of many interesting times to come with this busy little girl!!

So in honor of her birthay I would like to list 6 reasons why I truly LOVE having a girl:

1) She is so fun to spend time with, we read together, paint nails, watch movies, I love it!

2) She is a girly girl, but she will still get out and play rough with the boys.

3) She is so daring and brave (she jumped off that 10 foot platform in the middle of the Boise River!!)

4) She has a beautiful smile and a contagious laugh.

5) She gives the best hugs and loves everyone.

6) She stands up for herself, she won't need her brother's protection when she dates, she will have no problem protecting herself!!

She is such a sweet girl, and we all love her so much. She has a strong personality but that just makes us love her all the more for her spirit. I am so thankful she joined our family 6 years ago, she truly revolutionized the Fenn Home!! Happy Birthday Baby!!!!

Happy 17th To My Guy!!

I can't believe he is 17!!!! It seems like only yesterday I was being wheeled into the hospital truly terrified of becoming a mom but so anxious to meet this little stranger who had been kicking me for literally 6 months straight! So in honor of him and all of his accomplishments I would like to list 17 little or maybe well known facts about my first born son in no particular order-

1. He was born in Santa Monica, California.

2. He hasn't always been such an easy going kid, he was a terrible toddler!

3. He loves his siblings and protects them even if he is hard on them.

4. He is a great student although he doesn't kid himself enough credit.

5. He is an amazing musician, he plays the trumpet and is teaching himself guitar and piano.

6. He loves to sing and is in the school and church choir.

7. He can solve a rubik's cube in 1 minute 29 seconds.

8. He used to think girls had cooties, until his sister was born!

9. He would love to serve his mission in Brazil.

10. He's awesome at Guitar Hero.

11. He's a great skate boarder and snow boarder.

12. He is a dare devil which can get him into trouble or land him in the ER!

13. He is a neat freak - you should see how organized his room is.

14. He had his Eagle Scout rank at 14!

15. He loves music, he maxed out our hard drive with songs on I-Tunes!

16. He's a hard worker and does so much for our family.

17. He is the most awesome son and is such a good example to his siblings!

We love you buddy!! Happy Birthday, we are so proud of you!!!

The Wedding

My hubby's little brother got married on June 30th and it was such a beautiful wedding. They blended two families and the kids are just like brothers and sisters, it's great to see how good they get along. The bride was absolutely gorgeous and the groom was handsome too! It was fun that my husband got to perform the ceremony, they got married in the little white chapel by BSU. It's neat to see the family growing by leaps and bounds and to get a new fun sister-in-law!!