Fessler Family Home Evening

This weekend we went up to Braden's parents for Family Home Evening. Braden's Mom wanted all of us to get together Friday do dinner, play games, then spend the night. Then on Saturday it would be work day, doing whatever project needed to be done. Then the next month we would go to someone else house. Which means we get to spend time together, and get things done around the house. Our project this weekend was digging a new fire pit in the backyard, and burning. Fire=Hot Dogs!!

Digging the fire pit. There were more people helping dig but Braden was being a goof and decided to show us a sweet move he called "The Reverse Shovel" He jumped onto the shovel and busted the handle right off. It was so funny.

After digging the dirt it was transferred to another part of the yard, to try to even it out.

Jaxon and Aunt Teonna

We had to move rocks around the yard, so Alek used his dump truck to help.

Joye helping with the shoveling

Here I am. It doesn't look like I'm doing much, but I really did help

After the pit was dug. We lined it with all the rocks that Alek helped move.

We're admiring our nice hard work

Ta-Da! Group shot!

Grandpa said it was his grave so he laid down in it. Joye didn't like this one little bit. Braden had to chase her and hold her for the group picture.

Grandpa in front, Teonna, TaNesha, Joye, Braden, Rindi, Alek, Grandma, and Jaxon

Next it was fire time!

We had to move all the weeds and tree trimmings over to the fire pit.

Joye helping Daddy carry his big tree

Pyro Teonna starting our fire.

After the work was done the kids went inside to help Grandpa get lunch ready. While they were in there Grandma and the girls had gotten an Easter Egg Hunt ready for the kids.

ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, GO!

All the kids with their loot

Joye is such a goof

After the Easter Egg Hunt, we roasted hot dogs, and ate lunch. Then we sat around the fire and talked for a while. During that time we said how funny it was that we were sitting around a fire in the middle of the afternoon. I should have gotten a picture but I didn't.

After a long day of work and playing by the fire, you can guess how great we all smelled, so it was tub time. The kids love bathing in Grandma's big tub.

After bath time we had a little lesson about being different. We sang lots of songs, which our kids loved! Then it was time for the kids to go to bed and the adults stayed up and played games and had a great time! What a fun weekend. Thanks Grandma, Grandpa, Teonna and TaNesha!!!

Momma Tina's Birthday

Well Tina's birthday was Wednesday. Happy Belated Birthday! The Boys had Preschool on Tuesday and Bruce and Shirley were watching Sherin's girls while Sara got her tonsils out. So Shirley made cupcakes for Tina's birthday and let the kids decorate them. Then Wednesday the kids were so excited to go see Momma Tina all day. They decided that they wanted to color her a picture. They got their crayons and paper and went to work. Tina always traced their hands on things, so I traced their hands. The boys wanted to be creative so I had to use different colors. Then I wrote Happy Birthday Momma Tina on a paper and the boys copied it down on their paper's. Then on the back they drew whatever they wanted. Alek drew something crazy. Jaxon drew flowers, which were really good, and he drew them in a color pattern. He is getting so smart. Joye was pretty much done, but she insisted that I traced her feet on her paper too. So Momma Tina got Joye's hands and feet. All day I was trying to decide how to keep their papers on the headstone. Finally, I decided to get a big Mason jar and put them inside. I got a paper and wrote We Love You Momma Tina, and stuck it in the jar. But I didn't have the lid, so we just put the jar upside down. Now every time that we go up the kids can draw her pictures and leave them there for her. The kids loved it.

Every time we go the cemetery the boys will kiss the headstone and tell Tina that they love her and miss her. Joye didn't want anything to do with that. She said love you, but wouldn't kiss the headstone. Thursday while I was at Bruce and Shirley's we went over to the cemetery, because Shirley had a lid for the note jar. Right before we left, Joye looked over at the headstone, walked cautiously over to it, leaned over and kissed it, then ran back to me. It was so cute! She just had to get a little bit of courage built up.

Our Fun Weekend

Every time we are at Ricky and Mi-A's the kids beg to have a sleepover. Well this weekend we gave in and went to Ricky's for a sleepover! We went down Friday afternoon, and Ricky called saying that he was going to race at track practice. So we jumped in the car and headed over to good 'ole Northridge. It was a little chilly, but we all had a lot of fun. I just realized that I didn't take pictures of Ricky running because Joye was asleep in my arms and Braden was down shooting the the gun to start the races. Sorry Ricky.

Here are the 4 trouble makers.

Joye, Jaxon, Ryten and Alek Fun on the hill
Joye's legs are too short to keep up with the big boys. She sure tried hard all day.

Alek got up to the top of the fence and then realized he couldn't get down.

Joye has a goofy face in this picture, but this picture shows that I don't have a baby anywhere to be found. This picture shows how tall she is. I think she looks like she is around 3 in this picture.

When practice was just about over, we let the boys go on the football field and play.

They decided to play "Tag You're It"

It must be a lot of fun to circle around the goal post. The boys did this for a long time.

" We have Ryten Smith in lane number 3

Alek Fessler in lane number 4 and

Jaxon Fessler in lane number 5."

Jaxon and Alek got creamed, but they all had so much fun.

After all the fun at Northridge, we headed back to Ricky and Mi-A's and had yummy Korean food for dinner and then stayed up late watching The Dream Team. It's such a good movie. 4 out of 10 of us made it all the way to the end. Then we had a full day of play today. It was fun just to let the kids play with Ryten and for Me and Braden to spend time with Ricky and Mi-A and play lots with Renee and Raimee. Braden and I are both big kids at heart. We could have played games and Wii the entire time we were there. Thanks Ricky and Mi-A for a great weekend!

Alek's Latest Injury

This kid gets hurt pretty much everyday, some are just better than others. This was a good one. Friday is Dad's day off so it's play day. Last Friday the boys were chasing Daddy around the house trying to beat him up. Braden ran into our room, turned and tried to shut the door before they could get to him. Well Alek was too fast or Daddy was too slow, because Braden shut the door right on Alek. Alek would have been fine if the door jam hadn't been there. The force of the door threw him into the door jam, and that's what did the damage. Alek ended up with a pretty good goose egg.

Our Sweet Jaxon

Jaxon had to give a talk in primary yesterday. His topic was Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. Braden was writing his talk, as I was going through our Gospel Art Kit looking for pictures for him to take. I pulled out a picture of Jesus, and Jaxon said, "That's Jesus!" I said, "Yep, How'd you know that?" I just wanted to see what he would say. I was expecting something like, "Because you told me that." or "I learned it in primary." But instead he responded, "Because I love him." Tears welled up in my eyes, I was speechless. What a smart little boy. What an example to Braden and I, and to his siblings.