skylar senior pictures

Here are some of Skylar's senior pictures. Megan took these for us and did a great job. When I get some more printed off I will sent some in the mail to everyone.

This is Kenzie's new room. She picked out Brown and Teal. Fun!

































Ryker's first day of kindergarten.

I gave you a little wink and a smile
As you entered my room today
I know how hard it is to leave
And simply walk away.

You've been together for several years
you've been a loving guide.
But now the time has finally come,
to leave your child by my side.

Just know that as you drive away
And tears may start to flow,
I'll love your child as I would my own
And help your little one to grow.







Kenzie and Ryker go to school.

Sorry I kinda forget to write in here. I spend most of my time on facebook. You know have to keep up with what the kids are saying to there friends.

Ryker, Jord, and Kenzie start school this week. Fun! Jordan and Kenzie are starting cross country this week. Jord liked it today. We will see what Kenzie says tomorrow.

Ryker hopefully gets his splint off this Thursday. Cross your fingers.

We had an event full shopping spree with mom and Janae. I must say they are die hard shoppers. I only went to a couple of stores and was ready to go. They stayed and shopped for hours. Getting great deals and breaking mom's car. Ha just kidding. I am glad to hear it is getting fixed. That's Idaho for you. Cars break all the time. Thanks mom for meeting me. And bringing my older sister! HA.

We are thinking of you Caden.

Ryker had another doctors visit today. The arm is growing well. He is still going to be in a cast for two more weeks and then they will put him in a splint for three weeks. He has now been in a splint/cast for seven weeks four days. They are worried that he will have problems turning his arm from side to side. So they want the cast off ASAP. All together this year he has had a cast on for almost five months. We are hoping that he is young enough to get some of that movement back.

A picture is worth a thousand words so what more do I need to say. :)

Ryker was able to hit the ball for the first time this year in T-Ball. He now has his water proof cast on and Troy and I feel like it is stable enough to hit the ball. He was smiling from ear to ear. The doctor told him he can't play this year but we couldn't tell him no any longer. He has been so good to just stand in the outfield and watch the other kids have fun. Now its his turn. I just hope the X-Rays don't tell on us.
We are looking forward to the family reunion this next week. I think we will have all six kids with us this time.

Fathers day was fun. We had the family over for ribs. Troy is really enjoying cooking for the family with his B-B-Q.
Jordan is in Baltimore and I am so scared. He has never been by himself so far away from home. He did call today and everyone was laughing in the background. I think I am just more worried about him catching all of his connecting flights on the way home.
Rykers arm is getting better. When they took the splint off the bone is sticking out the side of his arm. They just keep telling me that it will deteriorate on its own and line up. I just hope everything turns out. I really don't like the look of it. It reminds me of a tree branch with limbs going everywhere.
Kenzie is going to girls camp this week and is so excited. She is going to Washington after the Fourth of July and is very happy to spend time with her cousins. We are so excited to see everyone at Priest Lake.

happy birthday Kenzie!! She had a great birthday. Here with Tor, Ryker, Kenzie and Natalie.















Here is Ryker and Grandma at the T-ball game. Ryker gets to hold the grass down for his part in t-ball.



















Kenzie with her friends-Thalia, Xenia, and Aquila

we have good news on Ryker's arm today.. It is starting grow. We still cant get a cast on for two more weeks. It is still too fragile to take the splint off. Good news. We didn't want surgery.

Here are the latest family pictures. These were taken at Kim's wedding. The kids are really growing up. Its hard to believe that two of them will be leaving by next year at this time.
I really didn't want to show every one this picture. This is right out of surgery with three rounds of steroids and I am a big puff ball. Luckily the weight is starting to come off. Prednisone is major steroids that work great but give you lots of extra weight.
Ryker is still waiting to get his cast on. The last x-ray showed no improvement. The doctor said we will x-ray him every week for the next three weeks and hopefully it will start growing by then. Ryker is really upset. The doctor told no no-way, no-how can he play T-Ball. He was going to start this week. We let him go get his uniform and stay around for practice last week. It was really hard to get him to just stay in one spot and not run after the ball. His bones are just barely touching each other. The bottom of the top bone is just touching the top of the bottom bone. They really are not lined up at all. They have some major growing to do. Any little fall or bump will put us in surgery with plates and screws. We are crossing our fingers that the next x-ray will show some improvement.
The rest of the kids get out of school this week. They are really getting excited for the summer to start. Jordan lettered for his first time this year in track and debate. Kenzie will be a Freshman next year and Ryker will start Kindergarten this fall. Wow I can't believe that Jordan will be graduating in one year. I told him to be prepared I am going to be a mess. I am not ready for him to leave yet.
Jord, Ryker, and I went to go see Kenna and Kate this last week in Idaho Falls. We love to see them. They are so cute. Give them kisses from us Sha. Tell Kenna that Ryker misses her. We hope everyone is doing well. We are looking forward to our Family Reunion this month.

Well just to confirm YES Ryker has broken his arm again. Yes it is the same arm just a little closer to the wrist. It was a complete break of both of the bones with the two bones then pushed up to lay on top of each other. He was trying to pull his basketball hoop (plastic) up the stairs with his rope. He couldn't get it up so he straddled it to try to pull it up without the rope and it stood up and sent him flying like he was in a catapult. Poor kid. I really had a hard time holding back the tears this time. I was a mess. I hate to see him on the meds they give him to knock him out. It makes his eyes twitch for about two hours. You always wonder if they will come out of it or not. He did do better this time and after six hours in the Pocatello ER we were sent home. It was a very long night. We finally got home about 3:15 in the morning. So needless to say we are very tired tonight. So here are some pictures of the beautifully day we had before all this happened.






This is Troy and Ryker at Mesa Falls up by the cabin. Ryker loves to go to the cabin.

This is Kenzie taking third in the 100. This is her first medal in track. I guess this is her first year so that is pretty good. she is the one on the far right stand, in the gray sweatpants. I tried downloading some of Jord's but all of his are videos and with dial-up Internet I was trying to load the video for three hours and I finally gave up. He did good. We are trying to get them into a summer track camp at Idaho State University to help them out some....









I did find some of Jord. He is the one in all black. This was him taking first in his 100 heat. I think he is finally getting use to his singlet he has to wear.

Jordan 100

This is Jordan running the 100 qualifying event. He ended up taking 4th at district in the 100. He is a little upset but he did good. So that is it for track this year.

Kenzie did great at district. She received a gold medal in 4x1, a silver in the 4x2 and a bronze in the 100. She was pretty beat up by time the 200 came up so she kinda didn't try as hard and took 5th. I think she is glad to be done her hip has really been hurting her. I just hope that it doesn't have anything to do with that broken ankle.

Jord goes to district tomorrow. He is running the 100, 200, and 4x2. He finally went back to track today after taking a week off to go to physical therapy for his hip flexor muscle he pulled. He said it fells better than it has in a long time. Its been hurting him for awhile but he finally pulled it last week at a meet. He was just suppose to jog today a practice but he said that it felt great so he sprinted and it held up. I am going with him to Bear Lake tomorrow to wrap it before the meet. If he will let me. The physical therapist had me come and learn how to wrap it to hold that muscle tight. Jord thinks it will slow him down though. So we will see who wins this battle. He is at his dad's house tonight for his dad's birthday. Also he wants to watch u-tube and see how to get out of the blocks that fastest tomorrow. He is really getting into this. We are trying to get both Jord and Kenzie into a track summer camp. Hoping it will give them a little more of an edge next year.

We love you all and hope everyone is doing well.

Mark was on the internet yesterday looking up Jordan's times for track. Jordan is now second fastest in the district for the 100, first fastest for the 4 x 1 by two seconds and in third place for his 200. So needless to say he will more than likely be running in state within two weeks. We are excited he will go but placing at state will be very hard. His relay team has a very good chance placing at state. We will cross our fingers. He would love to place at state. He pulled a muscle yesterday at practice so hopefully he will be fully mended by time district comes.

I guess I better write something in here. Its been awhile. How is out little Kenna, Kate, and Jhett doing. Mom said that Brain and family might not make it till the fourth of July. I hope we get to see you. I still need to see Jhett. We will just leave to home from the cabin. What about Kenna is she going to be able to go to the cabin?

Kenzie and Jordan are doing very well in track. They both run in the first heat of the 100 and 200. That is always the fastest kids. They usually take second. Jord is getting excited for next year because the one kid that beats him is from snake river and is graduating next year. That means that if he keeps working hard and practicing maby next year he will take first and go on to win state. He would really like that. He is getting quite the collection of medals though. That always helps.

Kenzie is better than we ever thought. She can get the hand off and be in second place and come from behind and win it. I just had to giggle with excitement. She is one little fast runner. I hope that we can get her a good coach and she could be very good. Like scholarship good!

Ryker is getting excited for t-ball. We are still waiting to hear from them to see when practice starts. He has been practicing for a year and a half now and wants to get started.

Troy is in full swing with the farm. He is looking forward to getting everything in the ground. It snowed again today so it is still cold out there.

We are having water problems in our house. Some how a mouse got into the well. So needless to say Cullagan is our best friend until we can get the dang thing out. We just get mouse hair plugging up everything. Sprinklers, faucets, and washer. It is gross!!! They are going to pull the pump and take it apart to get the pieces out. I tell you we are keeping entertained with all these housing problems. The sewer tank and drain field had to be replaced this winter. We thing one of the tractors plowed over the drain field and unhooked it from the tank. It was old and need a new one anyways. I guess we will look at the pump too to see what kind of shape it is in when we pull it out.

Well I hope everyone is doing well. Give the kids loves for us. We miss you all. Steph.

Sorry the picture is so small. This is one of Kim pictures from the wedding. Ryker is on the left side. It was a beautiful wedding.

we had a blast with the Riners. Thanks for coming to visit us. Mark was also very thankful that you went to see him. Kenzie said that he was like a kid having to wait for something he really wanted. He would look out the window and ask Kenzie how much longer till they were there. Kind made me laugh.

Kenzie ran her first track meet yesterday. She ran the 100, 200, 4 x 1, and 4 x 2. She took first in everything except the 200. She ran really slow and only took third. We talked to her after she had run and her muscles were already starting to stiffen up. The 200 was her last event of the four she ran. I guess we will have to have her work a little harder. She wants to do well so that when she takes state in high school she can get her picture on the hall of fame with her dad. She wants to be pointing at him and laughing. I guess that will be a good incentive to get her to run fast.

Ryker is loving having her cast off. He is already getting in trouble for doing things that can re-break it again. I guess he didn't learn his lesson the first time. Maybe its because he is an adventurous boy and cant slow down.

Jordan has been accepted to join in Boys State the first part of June. I really don't know what it is but they were asking if I was coming to his graduation for it. What?? I really don't know what it is. He is also still attending John Hopkins University the last part of June so we wont see much of him this summer. He is currently getting straight A's in school. I think that is due to no math class this semester. He loves his Anatomy and Physiology class. I think he has chosen the right profession he is going into. He just eats that stuff up and wont stop talking about it. He even got Wayne addicted to House. Wayne loved watching all the episodes that Jord had recorded from the show.

Well I hope every one is doing well. Keep in touch.

Poor Jord he had track yesterday in the middle of the new snow storm. Talk about crazy. These poor kids were out there in their tank tops and shorts running the the hail, wind, and snow. The track was literally a white-out. Jord would get the chance every once in awhile to come and sit in the car with us but mostly he was out running. He was in four event yesterday. The four hundred, four by four, the two hundred, which he took first, and the one hundred which he took second.

I felt like running out there and trying to stop the meet, those poor kids were freezing to death. I wonder how many were home sick today. Either from the cold or from pushing their muscles to start from such a cold stage. Looks like we will be going to get some long under armour for him this weekend. It is suppose to be cold all next week also and he has a meet. YULK. I was just glad I came to watch him. That way he at least had a place to get out of the cold. I would try to keep the car warmed up for him.

We have one more week till Ryker gets his cast off. I think he is a little worried about hitting it again because he wants to lay it on a pillow for awhile after he gets it off. We will see how long that last with his cousins visiting from Washington.

Jordan is now going to Boys State and John Hopkins in June. We will not see much of him that month. I guess these are all good experiences that he can learn and grow from. He is still running track. They are quite funny they really don't run much except for the day of the meets. They will usually be doing palates. Funny.

Kenzie has decided that she wants to run track also so she is giving up Gym. She can't do both at the same time. I really wish she would have stayed with the Gym. She could have learned a lot from them. She had the opportunity to go see cousin Cole after his surgery. He is doing well. They did say that maybe when he is around 10 he will have to have another surgery. We just hope he will always continue to do well.

Aunt Pam is also doing well. Her done marrow transplant has not had any problems. She is ready to go home for good and not have to go to Salt Lake every week. She is starting to put weight back on and is up to 110 pounds. He hair is starting to grow back also. What a miracle she, and the family, have been given.

I guess Ryker was not feeling well at all. He does have strep and bronchitis. He is just so grumpy lately because of not feeling well. He was able to talk to Grandpa Nielson on the phone yesterday and that picked his spirits up. We are all looking forward to having the Riners visit us on the 30th. We are hoping everyone will be back on the mend by then.

Well I really don't have anything new but I haven't written in this for awhile.

Jord is doing well in Congress. He brings home a gavel every time he goes. He is currently running track again and is more dedicated this year than that of the last few years he ran. He is getting close to graduation. He has two more classes he has to take to graduate and then he will be playing for the rest of his senior year.

Kenzie has decided to take track also this year. She was one of the fastest runners in middle school and thinks that she still might be. I keep telling her that was a long time ago and she has a limp to her run now because of the broken ankle. She still thinks she is the fastest though. Which is good you always want them to reach for the stars. She is traveling to Salt Lake this weekend. One of her cousins, who is now six months old, is having his second heart surgery. He is not getting enough oxygen for his growing little body. She is very close to his mom, Nately, and baby Cole. I hope everything goes well.

Ryker, oh poor Ryker. He has had a hard time lately. We were up all weekend long battling 102 degree fever this weekend. We have an appointment at 9:30 to see what is going on. His throat doesn't look red but lots of stuff is going around now. Thirty percent of the schools in the area have sick children out of school. He gets his cast of in one more week. It will be eight weeks and he is so ready. He did sign up for T-ball which is one good thing going for him.

Well we love you all and miss you.

I am finally going back to work the first of next week. It will only be for part time until my back can handle all of the bending. I am looking forward to getting a pay check again. And so is my bank account.

Ryker is hopefully getting his cast off his arm in three more weeks. He accidentally dunked it in the tub yesterday so that was another trip to the doctor to get a new one put on. We have been so impressed by him. He acts like nothing happened at all. He just keeps doing what he always has done. We constantly have to get after him. He is missing his Kenna now. They sure had fun playing together. We would have kept her but I guess we have to share with Grandma. Thanks Mike and Sha for coming to visit.

Kenzie is keeping everyone busy. She loves her gymnastic class in Idaho Falls. I have to say I wish we would have taken her there years ago. They are very good and she is learning much more than we could have hoped for here in Blackfoot.

Jord is getting ready for track. Today is the first day of practice. I really hope he enjoys it. His trip to Maryland is still a go for this June. He really enjoys this whole wanting to be a doctor thing. In his first responder class they went to ISU and were able to work on a corps. YUK. They went inside and looked at everything and were able to touch and feel different parts. He came home talking a mile a minute. He thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ryker is getting upset he needs my help with some thing. We miss you all and hope to see you soon.

As you have probably all heard Ryker did break his arm. We were getting balloons ready for his birthday and he had piled them all in a pile. He got on the couch and jumped into the pile. He must have landed on a balloon and lost his balance and fell back. He is starting to fill better today. We have to take him into the doctor on Tuesday to get his cast on and X-rays to make sure it is healing right.

Tomorrow I go in for surgery on my back. I am not excited about it at all. I am actually very scared. I just want it over with so I can get back to normal.

I just thought I would write and let every one know. We love you all and miss you. Sha you should be getting a package in the mail soon. Sorry it took me so long. :(

Well they postponed my surgery to the 4th. Which I really did not want. Ryker's birthday is on the fifth so I really am not happy about that. At least mom and dad will be here to help with the party. I am going to go to the Mountain River Hospital in Idaho Falls. They will either make two two inch cuts on my lower back or one five inch cut. They will go in and cut the ruptured disk off and hope that the disk will suck itself back into place. I just hope things go according to plane.

Jord is still working towards going to John Hopkins this summer. He is really looking forward to it.

Kenzie is starting gymnastics in Idaho Falls this Tuesday and is excited to learn more than what Blackfoot has to offer.

Ryker is now talking to Grandpa as much as he can in anticipation of their arrival. He also has all his birthday planned out.

I hope you are all well. We miss you.

I thought I would update you on everyone. Not much is changed.

Jordan is doing well. He is enjoying his time volunteering at the hospital. He was able to work in the E.R. last week and thought that was much more exciting. He always comes home with a smile on his face when he get to work at the hospital. He has finally grown taller than his dad and is quite proud of that. We thought that he was pretty much done growing.

Kenzie is always keeping me busy. I can't wait till she gets her drivers license. She is going to try Idaho Falls Gymnastics out. She was pretty much topped out here in Blackfoot and is getting board. I really don't like to venture out of Blackfoot too often. This will be a trial for me. We will see if it will work.

Ryker is such a little boy. He has a different outfit on every hour it seems like. It just depends on which sport he wants to be playing. I am, of course, his announcer. I have to announce him before he can come running into the room. He is such a ham. I finally came down with a fever this Sunday. He hardly ever gets a fever. Even if he is really sick. So we took him in and he has strep. Me and him are keeping are distance from each other and he does not like that one bit. He is so use to being right by my side. I have to get surgery on my back on Wednesday and I can not get sick right now. I feel bad for him.

Well we miss you all and hope you are doing well.

I thought I better put in a new update.

Jordan is doing well. He loves volunteering at the hospital. I had one of the nurses who work in the E.R. come into my work today and said that he is doing great. Some of the things he does really makes me wonder what is going through his head. For his anatomy class they are going to GET to look at cadavers. Yuk. He really does get interested in some odd things.

Kenzie is doing well in gymnastics. I am considering taking her to Idaho Falls for gym. I think we have topped out at the gymnastics here in Blackfoot. They just keep practicing the same thing over and over. She has done some growing this year. I hope she continues to stay on the right track. This is a piture of Kenzie with her little brother Tiden.

Ryker is about to turn five next month. He is so excited for kindergarten. He is ready. We just hope that kindergarten is ready for him. He constantly wears his football pads and uniform every day.. I wonder how the school would act if he shows up in them every day. In fact he has already broke his pads so we need to get some more. I have a feeling that is all we ever do with this child is replace broken things.

I am going into surgery on the 28th of this month. I have to say I am scared to death. I really don't want a five inch cut down my back.. I am hoping maby they can do two small cuts instead. They are pretty confident that if they cut off the ruptured part of the disk that the rest of the disk will pull itself back in and I wont have any nerve damage. I am trying to get my house in order so that I can be in bed and everyone can keep it half way normal. Four to six weeks is a long time. Mom and dad are coming to help that week after I get out of surgery. That will be a great help. Ryker is already asking if they are coming yet.

Well we hope you are all well. We miss you.

Here are the cousins and Ryker feding the fish. He is the one in the Blue snowpants.

Here are some of the christmas pictures. We were covered with snow in one night. Ryker loves to ride on the snowmobile. He went to feed the fish at least three times.

Here is our lastest family photo. We finally got them all together. As you can see the kids are all growing up. Skylar really isnt that tall he is standing on a step. They are growing fast.