This is crazy pathetic! I vowed last year about the same time I was going to be more faithful add pictures and all of that and here I am one year later. I really do want to be more faithful in keeping this blog current if for no other reason that I haven't been journalling faithfully for years and maybe I can find a way to preserve this so that my kids will have something of me when I am gone. This last year has been probably the longest of my life. I have been struggling with lots of heath issues and trying at the same time still be a good mom and wife. Chad is still at his same job and doing great. He is still a rock star of a hubby! I struck gold when I found him. Our kiddos are growing up and changing so much. I will add some pics here soon. Two are in Utah. Jeremy will be home from his mission in Mexico in 6 months (silent scream of excitement) Janice, Rose and Kimmi are attending Ontario High School and loving it there. Anna is 12 this year and is in the 5th grade. Levi is in second grade and is an amazing reader!! Ellie is 5 going on 20. The word diva comes to mind when thinking of her. Max is 3 and he is my sweet cuddle bug! But he has a hollow leg and can sniff out candy no matter where it is hidden. Addie turned 2 in December and I have to admit its harder than I thought and seeing her so big. She is has personality that radiates warmth and sunshine. She is rarely unhappy but when she is look out! I couldn't be more lucky. Hopefully this year I will do better with recording those moments that are important.

Its been a long...long time

Ok...here you have it....finally an update after years! SO very pathetic and sad! I haven't posted since Max was a baby. Since that time we have been joined by our sweet little Addie Noelle who just turned 1 on Dec. 17th. Jeremy has graduated and is serving a mission in Villahermosa, Mexico. Chad is has been working with the Migrant Head Start program for almost two years and finished his degree before he was hired there. As usual things are crazy busy here. I am home schooling some of the kids and Janice is in HIGH SCHOOL....man it is hard to believe how time just flies. Celia is living in Utah, and is almost finished with her Senior year. Zak is busy working and living in Utah. Rose and Kimi are in the 8th grade and are constantly cracking us up!!! They have the greatest sense of humors those two!! Savannah is in 6th grade and as smart as ever. She is our fashionista...she always has to be dressed up and ready for fun! Anna is in the 4th grade and is such a caretaker. She loves playing and mothering the little ones and its fun to see her thrive in school and enjoy what she is learning...except Math...she hates math. Levi started kindergarten and it was really hard for me. I was not ready for my little guy to be away from home. Luckily, he is only in school every other day. Ellie is almost 5 and she is soooo very much girl!! Its all about the makeup the hair and all the same things the big girls are doing. Maxson is 2 and man....he is so so cute...He looks at you with those big blue eyes and melts you to pieces, never do you think by looking at his sweet innocent face he could be such a master of disaster!!! That boy can destroy like no other! And little Addie...she is so sweet and has the temperment of the last child! She knows its all about her. Christmas was wonderful. We had all but Celia and Jeremy here. Jeremy did get to Skype with us which made my entire year!!!! It was really emotional because I have really missed him a bunch but soo very enjoyable all the same. Now that our little Miss Addie is one, I hopefully am starting to get back to some kind of normal and get my spunk back. I will post some of the stuff I have been doing and the crafting and sewing. Also try to update some pics from the last two years (sigh..shameful I know).

Well its been a long time since my last post....I made it through the holiday's and enjoyed every crazy minute of it! As one can imagine we are very busy with our kids and run daily to keep up with them. Max is almost 8 months old...it hardly seems possible. He is such a wonderful baby and I am so glad I have him. I will be updating a few pictures and things over the next week. I started my own business last fall, Shutterbug Photography. I have done several shoots and I was just offered the opportunity to Payette High School's junior/senior prom this year. I am really excited about it. I am really enjoying learning as much as I can about this new business. I enjoy it so much!

Chad is still unemployed and looking for a job. It isn't easy for him, but I know that Heavenly Father has a much bigger plan for us then we understand. I can honestly say that the money being gone hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be and truthfully I have cherished this last year with him home. He is a wonderful husband and father. He finished his degree and got his diploma in the mail from University of Utah last fall. I am really proud of him for finishing his bachelor's degree,I know it is something he has always regretted not doing.

The truth of it is that we have been so amazingly blessed this last year. We have been able to see little mircles in every single day and have still been able to do things to serve others which gives us such joy! I know that with out my testimony of the gospel I probably would have completely unraveled, instead of fraying a bit :)!! I look forward to sharing some of our memories from the last months with all of you.

Maxson's Blessing

On August 2nd Maxson was blessed at church. He was adorable in his little white outfit and only fussed a bit while his Daddy gave him a blessing. In some of the pictures you could even see how really red his hair is. He is such a special little boy. I never imagined that the Lord would send me another son, and I was content with my two boys. I have since realized that life would never have been complete without our little Maxson. He is such a good baby and is such a joy. He has been smiling since he was a week old and is already recognizing faces and knows who is holding or talking to him. It was so exciting to have Chad's mom, Grandma Marsha come from Utah and be here for this special weekend.

Anna's Baptism

August 1st Anna was baptized. She looked beautiful in her white dress and was glowing. She was thrilled to make sacred covenants with Heavenly Father. Tons of our family and friends came to support her in this decision and we had a wonderful cake and icecream afterward at our home.

July 4th

Fishin with the Boys

Jeremy and Levi were able to go fishing with their Dad and Grandma and Grandpa Birch. Their cousin Devon and Uncle Richard went too. Levi was so proud of the fish he caught. They had a blast!

Birthday cakes

In July we celebrated Celia and Kimi's birthdays! I worked for hours on their cakes. I have really started to love cake decorating and I am getting better and better at it. It was my first try with fondant, and gum paste flowers and leaves. It was time consuming but so worth it. I still have lots of room for improvement so I will continue to practice. In August I am doing a wedding cake....hopefully it will be beautiful!!

Ms. Ellie's Makeup

Ellie loves makeup. I have caught her more times that I can tell you in my makeup and in her sister's this time was her sister's make up. What a little hottie!!!

Ellie's First Hair Trim

When I was doing the other girls hair Ellie was having a fit, yelling that she wanted her hair cut. I wasn't ready to cut her hair because she is finally getting some hair, so I decided to trim and I mean trim a bit off so that she would feel like she was a part of what was happening. She definitly enjoyed it and was thrilled with the trim.

Hair hair and more hair

Celia has a new hair cut so I colored and highlighted it. Several of the other girls wanted highlights and cuts including my best friend Shannon's daughter Jillian so I spent hours on my feet doing hair. They all looked adorable when it was done!

Oops a daisy!

Imagine never having any broken bones in a family with 10 children....well Anna broke our record this summer. In June she was sliding down the slide (the wrong way, of course) and fell and landed on Levi's super soaker. She broke her ulna in her right arm. Lesson for all slide on the slide correctly and put your junk away, hehehe!!!

Smarty Pants

Jani and Rose earned the Academic Parade of Champions Medal for the last quarter of school last year!!

More of our little man

Isn't our little red headed angel beautiful!!

First Bath

Maxson had his first bath on June 17 at 6:01 p.m. He didn't really care for it at all. He fussed and cried out and once I got him out and dressed he needed to nurse in order to calm down. He would much rather shower with Mommy!