New Addition to our Family

We have finally acquired the label "pet people". I never thought the day would come that our kids would want a pet. We had some fish a few years ago but due to an unfortunate accident they are not with us anymore! Natalie has been begging Taylor and I for a cat for at least a couple of years now but I have not been ready to add another thing to my life that I have to take care of. Taylor and I figured that fish were an easy way to give the kids a pet and add some responsibility for them. Last Saturday we went to Petsmart and bought some fish. We got Beta Fish. One is male and one is female. They can't live in the same tank or they will fight each other (huh, sounds like marriage!!) so we bought a tank that has a divider. Natalie named the girl fish Valerie (don't ask where that came from because I have no idea). Cooper and Cody got to name the boy fish. After many disagreements they FINALLY decided on the name Killer. So far the kids have done a great job taking care of them, maybe soon they will be ready for a cat!

Cody's 3rd Birthday

All about Cody:
Favorite food-Macaroni and cheese, dried mangoes (which he calls Mingos)
Favorite toy-Geo Trax
Favorite book-Children's Dictionary, I know, CRAZY! This kid loves to learn
Favorite thing to do-pick on Eli, play outside, ride his scooter
He is so sweet and so cuddly even though he has a very "rough" personality.
He gets shy in large crowds.
He thinks he is one of the big kids.
He loves to bully kids that allow themselves to be bullied.
He enjoys the reaction he gets from Natalie when he chases her around the house.
He never denies me a hug and kiss even when he is mad at me.

Monday, August 11th, was Cody's 3rd birthday. It worked out really good because the kids went off to school so Cody and I could have all day together and do whatever he wanted. As soon as he woke up I asked him what he wanted to do on his birthday and he said go to the store to get a donut. That sounds easy enough! So after we dropped the kids at school we headed off to Walmart to get a donut. He and I had a great day together. I had finished all my work the day before so that I could really focus on him and he took full advantage of it! We read hundreds of books and played whatever he wanted.






Later that night we had some friends over to have cake and ice cream with us. I think he had an awesome 3rd birthday! I really can't believe that he is that old! I love my Cody!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school for Cooper and Natalie. Cooper started 2nd grade and Natalie started Kindergarten. Cooper immediately ran off with some friends to play on the playground and hardly even said good bye! He is growing up and becoming very independent....I feel that I will soon be replaced by video games and girlfriends, YUCK!

When Cooper started Kindergarten I was sad to see him go but I was also very excited and wanted him to experience a new phase of life. My feelings towards Natalie starting are completely different. I do not want her to go to school AT ALL! She is such a sweet, innocent, caring little girl and I do not want the world corrupting her! At least she gets to attend a Charter school where the environment is a bit more controlled.

I was nervous to drop her off this morning. I am sad to see her grow up and I really wish I could keep her home with me forever, but alas every child must experience school. She was so excited when we pulled up to her school and even more excited when she found a friend to play with. I was sad as we drove away and it took everything in me to fight back the tears.

It helped that I had Taylor with me to keep me distracted. He was so nice and took off work this morning so that he could go with me to take the kids to school. Cooper and Natalie really enjoyed having their dad be a part of such a memorable day! I feel very blessed that his work schedule is so flexible! I am anxious and a tad bit nervous to spend every day at home with just 2 kids.....what am I going to do with myself?

NACC Charter School

I received wonderful news yesterday that my kids got into NACC Charter School. I put their names down on a list back in May but the list of kids waiting was so long that I thought they would not make it in by the beginning of this school year. We have been praying long and hard for them to get in and finally they made it, YAY!! Although I have had to commit to driving them about 25 minutes each way, it is huge blessing that they are going to this school. Every time I have been in there I am greeted with a smile and all the staff have been so nice. They even remembered my name! You don't get that too often at Public Schools. Ventana Elementary, which is where Cooper has been going the last couple of years, is so over crowded. I have not been very impressed with Ventana for many reasons but mainly I do not feel the students get the individual attention they deserve.
I am anxious to watch Cooper and Natalie progress academically. I know that this Charter School will be a lot better learning environment for them. I am so excited! They start school on Monday so stay tuned for some pics!

My Sweet Natalie

Natalie had to go to the dentist again today. I have never known another 5 year old that has such horrible teeth. We brush and floss like crazy but despite our hard work she still gets cavities. In her short lifetime she has already had 4 crowns, 3 fillings, and a tooth pulled! Poor thing! She is such a brave little girl, she always comes walking up to the front of the office with a huge smile on her face. You would think that after all these horrible appt's she would be tramatized, but not my Natalie, she is so strong and has such a good attitude! Let's hope it continues through the teenage years!

The dentist has a prize box that the kids get to pick through when they are done with their appointment. I thought it was pretty funny that she picked Patrick out of all the other toys she could have chosen. In this picture her smile looks a little crooked, her face was still numb.

Taylor's Bear Hunt

I am happy to report that Taylor made it home from his bear hunt in one piece. I wish I could say that same thing for the bear he shot. Tay left Thursday night so that he would be ready to hunt early Friday. He had to go by himself but his buddy was coming to meet him Friday afternoon. So he just had to stay alive and safe until then. I was so nervous and worried about him. Well, early Friday morning I got a call from him saying that he had already shot a bear! I was so shocked!
Here is the story....
He got up in his tree stand at 3:30am and started calling (making rabbit noises) about 5:45 when the sun was just barely rising. Only 15 minutes into it a bear came strolling around the corner. As the bear got a little closer Taylor took a shot. It was only 10 yards away! The bear went tumbling down a hill and into a small water hole. Taylor waited about 30 minutes to make sure the bear was dead and then went down to check it out. He shot it again at close range just to make sure it was safe to approach it. The bear was about 350 lbs. so now he had to figure out how he was going to get it back to his truck. A fellow hunter had heard the shot and saw what was going on and offered to come help Taylor skin it out so he could carry it back. He arrived at our house with the bear a few hours later. It looked pretty nasty and bloody but it was a really cool cinnamon color. The kids would not go anywhere near it!
The bear is now at a taxidermist being turned into a rug for our house......ummm, Taylor and I will have to hash that out later!!






Taylor also brought home a rattle snake that he had killed. This thing was huge! It has been passed around the neighborhood being used as a prank to scare people!

Tag.....you are it!

1. What is his name? Taylor Eli Haught
2. Who eats more? Hmm, that is a toss up. Sometimes I beat him.
3. Who said "I love you" first? He did
4. Who is taller? Taylor, I am a shrimp
5. Who is smarter? That would be Taylor again. He loves watching the History channel and National Geographic. He busts out with information that shocks me.
6. Who is more sensitive? Ha ha, for sure that would be me
7. Who does the laundry? ME! I am not sure he even knows where to put his socks away.
8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Taylor
9. Who pays the bills? Again, that would be me! If he was in charge we probably would be living in the woods somewhere with no running water. Haha
10. Who cooks more? Me. But he is an amazing cook.
11. What meals do you cook together? He usually does the BBQ and I do the side dishes
12. Who is more stubborn? Hmm, again....toss up!
13. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? That would be me.
14. Who has more siblings? He has 5 and I have 6
15. Who wears the pants in the relationship? He does, But I pick them out....that should account for something.
16. What do you like to do together? We love cuddling on the couch together after the kids go to bed. We also enjoy eating together...sad, I know.
17. Who eats more sweets? I would have to say him
18. What is his guilty pleasure? ESPN and lots of chocolate.
19. How did you meet? We had a mutual friend who was involved in a motorcycle accident. I went to the hospital to visit him and Taylor happened to be there. We were immediately attracted to eachother. He called me to go out with him about a week later.
20. Who asked who out first? He asked me....way to go Taylor.
21. Who kissed who first? He kissed me first, not a surprise! We were at a Jack in the Box playing Spin the Penny. So romantic.
22. Who proposed? Thankfully he did. At the ripe old age of 19.
23. His best features? His eyes. Used to be his hair but that is slowly fading away!
24. What is his greatest quality? He is the best father. He really makes the kids feel special and he is very protective of them. Taylor has always made me laugh. Even in the toughest times he can make me smile. He has such a sensitive heart...but not many people get to see that side of him.
25. Tag: Anyone who loves their Husband